Casserole Surprise

I don't  know if I've posted this before, but I've learned that my kids do not like their dinner plate broken down into meat, veggie, starch, fruit. They pick at it. But.....if I make a casserole, it's gone in 5 minutes. Today's dish is created from a combination of my likes and the kid's likes. You got meat, starch and veggies all in one! Best part - NO ONE knew I put fish in this dish.......

8 oz of noodles - I used mini pinwheels
12 oz velveeta cheese
1/3 c skim milk
1 small frozen pkg of broccoli & cauliflower that you steam in the microwave
S&P to taste
3 tilapia loins
any seasoning you like (see below)
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C bread crumbs

Heat oven to 350 deg. Cook noodles according to package directions. While noodles are cooking pan sear (cook) tilapia in butter and any seasoning you like (garlic, dill, sage, basil, etc..) Shred tilapia, set aside. Microwave veggies and dice. Drain noodles, dump back in pot. Return the pot to the stove and add milk, cheese. Mix until melted. Add veggies and fish - mix well. Place mixture in rectangle baking dish.Top with cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Another mac and cheese dish for kids

When I picked Scott up from school today he asked for macaroni and cheese for dinner. I asked him what meat should be in it. He replied hot dogs. Of course he did! We're trying to get away from hot dogs, even though they don't eat them that often. So.....I imper-vised!

1/2 box elbow noodles
1-1/2 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 T butter
1 T milk
S&P to taste
Deli meat, cubed

Cook noodles according to package. Drain and let cool until most of the evaporation has stopped. (This will allow whatever sauce you're using to stick to your noodles better) Transfer noodles back to your pot and mix remaining items. Serve.

I used sliced turkey and diced it up. Being light in color and thin the kids didn't even know they were eating meat! You can use a whole box of noodles and add 2 C of cheese. You can do 1 C of sharp and 1 C of mild to mix it up. Add whatever deli meat you or your kids like.

Almost a cupcake meal

I recently tried a recipe I found on food network to make with your kids. Here's how it goes:
In a cupcake pan place cooked noodles of choice. Sprinkle cooked ground meat and veggies and top with cheese. Bake until cheese melts.

Well, when I went to take it out of the pan it all fell apart! So much for that recipe! But I will not be discouraged. It's all in how it's prepared. I will always follow the recipe to the T the first time around. I want to know how it's "supposed" to taste. Let's just say I'll tweak this one. Next time I'll cook the noodles al forno. Then I'll mix that with the uncooked ground meat, veggies, and an egg and mix-in the cheese (whatever cheese you have on hand will work). That should give me the texture I'm looking for and hold I want in the dish.

This could turn into a fun dish with your kids. Have them mix everything up for you and squish it in the pan. Just make sure you wash their hands after you're done.