casserole Archives - Makin' it Mo'Betta

Copycat Sausage McGriddle Casserole & Krusteaz GIVEAWAY {#ad}

September 23, 2015November 6, 2015 Kim

I received a gift pack from Krusteaz to facilitate this post. No other compensation was received. All opinions expressed are my own.

This post is full of good things: breakfast food; an easy, kid-approved recipe; and a giveaway! My love for breakfast food is pretty well documented here on the blog. As is my love for casseroles, and breakfast for dinner…which makes an appearance pretty regularly around here. That’s why I am happy to partner with to celebrate National Breakfast Month, and give you some ideas to incorporate Breakfast Night at your house. How about tonight?!

My kids love pancakes. I love sausage and eggs. Since my oldest daughter’s favorite fast food breakfast item is the Sausage McGriddle (from Mickey D’s), this recipe was born. It could be called Breakfast Lasagna because of the layers, or Pancake Casserole, but whatever you call it, give it a try. It’s easy, it’s yummy, it’s filling and it’s just…fun. A little twist on dinner that brings everyone together at the table. Or, you know, you could serve it for breakfast too!

I made my pancakes with Krusteaz pancake mix ahead of time and stuck them in the fridge to make the prep for this even easier.

I was surprised how tasty it was when all layered and baked together.

Sausage, Egg and Cheese Pancake Casserole

12-15 pancakes (depends on size)

8 eggs

1 lb sausage (maple sausage, turkey sausage, or favorite)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

maple syrup (optional)

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.
In a large skillet, cook sausage on medium high heat until done, crumbling/breaking into pieces as it cooks. Reduce heat to medium.
In a bowl, scramble eggs, season with salt and pepper. Add to skillet with sausage. Stir eggs in with sausage and cook until eggs are set.
Add pancakes in a single layer to bottom of baking dish. Make sure pancakes are touching or slightly overlapping. I used 5 pancakes for this.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over pancakes.
Add 1/2 the sausage/egg mixture to the pan.
Top with additional 1/4 cup cheese.
Drizzle with syrup, if desired. (Using the maple sausage and/or using maple syrup gives this a more authentic McGriddle flavor. Could also add syrup to pancake mix when preparing.)
Repeat layers, starting with pancakes.
Top with final layer of pancakes.
Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted.

Slice and serve!

So many Krusteaz products to help make breakfast easy!

Giveaway details:

One prize pack (not pictured) will be awarded to a Makin’ it Mo’Betta reader. It will include:

One box of Buttermilk Pancake Mix
One box of Belgian Waffle Mix
One box of Blueberry Pancake Mix
One Wild Blueberry Muffin Mix
A pancake pen (for pancake art!)
A spatula and
A coupon for FREE product

Enter via the Rafflecopter form!

Italian Sausage Sub Casserole

July 7, 2015November 6, 2015 Kim

It’s pretty well established over here that I love a casserole. This has been one of my faves as of late, since I love Italian sausage.

This Italian Sausage Sub Casserole may not look pretty, but it’s tasty and pretty quick to throw together. I’ve shared the recipe over at today, where I am a contributing writer. Please head over and check it out!

Happy Cinco de Mayo 2015

May 5, 2015November 7, 2015 Kim

In honor of Cinco de Mayo or as I like to call it…May 5th…I thought I would highlight an oldie but goody. I’m pretty sure it’s about as far from authentic Mexican fare as you can get, but hey, it features crack Doritos, making it popular with the kiddoes.

Doritos Locos Taco Casserole

Since I will be running kids around to softball practices, someone enjoy a margarita for me please!

Sausage and Waffle Breakfast Casserole

January 27, 2015November 12, 2015 Kim

What?! Another breakfast casserole? Yep. Another one. I can’t help myself. I love breakfast food, and I love casseroles, so when I see a new recipe…well…I just have to make it. Not to mention I had bought this ginormous box of Eggo Waffles from Sam’s Club (because they were on their “instant savings” and I’m such a sucker for a sale), thinking the kids would eat them up…and yes, you see where this is going. I have a bunch of waffles in my freezer.

This is a very good way to use up those frozen waffles! I love the slightly sweet maple flavor in this casserole, paired with the sausage, and I liked the texture of the waffles. This is more ‘bread-y’ than some of my other breakfast casseroles, but I liked it. My kids….one out of three. One of them doesn’t like any egg-based casserole (it’s a texture thing) and my youngest will not eat sausage or eggs…he had plain waffles. For dinner. Don’t judge.

Sausage and Waffle Breakfast Casserole

8 frozen Eggo waffles, slightly thawed and cut into bite-sized cubes
1 pound (16 ounces) sausage, cooked and crumbled (I used homemade turkey sausage; can also use maple sausage for more maple flavor in the casserole)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 large eggs
1-1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used this Quick and Easy Pancake Syrup)
salt and pepper, to taste

Spray an 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Add half of the cubed waffles in a single layer.
Top waffles with half the sausage and half of the cheese.
Repeat layers: waffles, sausage, and remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, syrup, salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over the layered ingredients in casserole.
Cover casserole with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Bake at 325 degrees 45 to 50 minutes. (If using a glass baking pan, place cold dish into cold oven and then turn oven on 325. This allows the glass dish to warm up slowly and avoid possible shattering.)

Recipe Source: , originally from

*In my opinion, this was better after it had a chance to cool, and the next day as well. The waffles had a better texture…I’m funny about textures…and I wonder where my kids get it from!

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Sausage & Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

December 10, 2014November 13, 2015 Kim

I love a breakfast casserole. Actually, I love a casserole, period! What can I say…they are easy, and I like to have all my food mushed together so I get all the flavors in one bite. That sounds weird doesn’t it? Well, no weirder than my brother, who as a child refused to let any of his food touch. Too the point he had to have a plate with dividers, and he would even take apart sandwiches and eat them one piece at a time. Now that’s weird. You’re welcome little brother.

This one is a little different from my other breakfast casseroles on the blog in that it has hashbrowns. I do love a potato. It also has homemade turkey sausage, but you can use any sausage or meat you like.

This would be great for a breakfast or brunch, and feeds several so it may come in handy over the holidays. You can also easily adapt it to suit your family’s taste buds.

Sausage and Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

1 pound sausage (I used turkey breakfast sausage)

1/2 cup chopped veggies (optional – I used some very finely chopped onion and green pepper, because my kids are super picky, and only about a 1/4 cup)

1/2 bag of shredded hashbrown potatoes (approx 3 cups), thawed

pinch of salt

8 eggs

1 cup milk

2 cups cheese

seasonings – fresh ground pepper, parsley, etc. (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In an oven proof skillet*, cook sausage on stove top over medium high heat, breaking up sausage as it cooks. Add vegetables in (if using) when sausage is about half way cooked. (Drain fat if needed).
Remove from heat and sprinkle potatoes over the meat.
Add a pinch of salt over potatoes.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and desired seasonings.
Pour eggs over potatoes in skillet.
Top with cheese.
Place skillet in over and bake for approx 45 minutes or until eggs are set.

*I used a 10-inch cast iron pan.

Recipe Source: Makin’ it Mo’Betta

Other crowd-pleasing breakfast casseroles:

Make Ahead Awesome Breakfast Casserole

Biscuit Breakfast Casserole

Ham and Cheese Biscuit Pull-Apart Casserole

This recipe was featured at:

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Let’s get loco with Doritos Taco Bake

April 29, 2014November 15, 2015 Kim

With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner I thought I would get in the spirit with this taco casserole. It’s kinda like a Doritos Locos Taco in casserole form, but with enchilada sauce…because I couldn’t decide between tacos and enchiladas, but I knew I wanted the Doritos…so yeah, this is what I came up with! I’ve made different versions in the past, and they always go over well with the kiddoes. Because, duhhh, it has Doritos!

Doritos Taco Bake

1 lb. lean ground beef (or turkey)

1 packet taco seasoning (plus amount of water called for on packet)

1 (10 oz.) can Enchilada Sauce

1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup (I like this homemade version)

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

2 cups Mexican Blend cheese, shredded (or your favorite cheese)

approx. 3/4 of 11 oz bag Doritos, coarsely crushed

Pre-heat oven to 350.
Cook ground beef in skillet on medium high heat until cooked through, breaking into small pieces as it cooks.
Drain hamburger if needed and combine with water and taco seasoning and cook as directed on packet.
Once the seasoned meat is done, add 1 cup of cheese, the cream of chicken soup, yogurt, and enchilada sauce to the meat. Stir to combine.
In a lightly sprayed 9 x 13 casserole dish, add the meat mixture. Top with remaining cheese and cover with crushed Doritos.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. (This is optional, I just like to have the Doritos nice and crispy on top.)
Serve with desired toppings such as lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream, guacamole, etc.

You may also like Dorito Chicken Taco Bake, Chipotle Taco Bake, or Ghetto Tacos. What can I say? We like Doritos around here!

I may be linking up at any of the following – (Monday) , , , , , , (Tuesday) , , , ,,, , , (Wednesday) , , , , ,, , (Thursday) ,, , , (Friday) , , , , , ,, ,, , ,, , (Saturday) ,

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

January 6, 2014November 20, 2015 Kim

Y’all know I love my casseroles, and this Chicken Cordon Bleu is great for ‘repurposing’ those leftovers. Got leftover chicken? Leftover turkey? Ham? You can use any and all of them in this casserole! I cooked a turkey for New Year’s Day dinner. Not just any turkey, but a 15 lb turkey. And it was just the 5 of us…4 considering my son ate about one ounce of turkey. So…needless to say, there were leftovers. I knew I needed to come up with some creative ways of using it up, b/c my kids wouldn’t go for the usual ‘turkey hash’ or turkey sandwiches. I decided on this casserole, and just swapped the chicken for the turkey.

My family didn’t even realize I pulled a switcher-roo. They enjoyed the casserole, and I was able to repurpose some leftovers!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

l lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces (or 2-3 cups chopped turkey)

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (I used Campbell’s Healthy Request)

1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard (I was out, so used 1 tsp mustard powder)
2 cups chopped ham

6 slices Swiss Cheese

2 cups cubed stuffing mix

Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Mix soup and mustard powder in medium bowl; stir in chicken and ham.
Spoon into 2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray;
Top with cheese and sprinkle with stuffing mix. (Alternately, stuffing can be prepared and placed on top to bake)
Bake 35 to 40 min. or until heated through. Cover with aluminum foil the last 10 minutes if it starts to brown to much.

recipe adapted from

What do you do with leftovers? Do you have super picky kids to feed? I can’t say anything, I pretty much despise eating leftovers myself, so whenever I can turn them into a completely different dish it’s a good thing.

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Bubble Up Taco Casserole

December 5, 2013November 20, 2015 Kim

With everything going on this holiday season (Christmas is 3 weeks away! Yikes!!) everyone needs a few simple recipes in their arsenal. I mean really, when you’ve spent every moment shopping, planning, wrapping, decorating and pinning Elf on the Shelf ideas…you need something easy to throw together for dinner. Bubble Up Pizza is the third most popular recipe on my site, probably for just that reason. It’s super easy, it’s kid-friendly, and hey, it’s pizza! I’ve made it for my kids several times myself, but when I saw the new Pillsbury Corn Biscuits, I immediately decided that a new version was in order….Bubble Up Taco! As with the pizza version, this uses just a few basic ingredients –

and you could add any additional toppings you like (olives, green chilies, etc.) Of course, my kids wouldn’t eat anything other than the basics.

It’s pretty tasty, it’s simple to throw together, and I love the corn biscuits. (They have blueberry too. I made Blueberry Maple Pull Apart Casserole with those. YUMMM.)

Bubble Up Taco Casserole

1 cans Pillsbury Corn Biscuits
1/2 can Enchilada Sauce
1 cup Mexican Cheese Blend
1/2 lb. taco meat (lean ground beef or turkey with taco seasoning added)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut biscuits into quarters or eighths (I did some of both – these biscuits are pretty large) and place in medium bowl.

Toss biscuits with enchilada sauce.

Add taco meat and any additional ingredients you may want (green chilies, etc.) and half of the cheese. Toss until well blended.

Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray. Pour biscuit mixture into pan and top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes, or until biscuits are done. (Check center for doneness – it should be somewhat firm in the middle. Biscuits are going to remain soft because they are covered in sauce, but they shouldn’t be gooey.)

*This recipe is easily doubled to make a 9 x 13 size

When serving, add lettuce, sour cream, salsa, etc. However you like your tacos, you can add it to this. You can also adjust the enchilada sauce to your tastes…some people will want more sauce. My only complaint is that I wanted more spice! My kids need to toughen up their taste buds 🙂

I may be linking up at any of the following – (Monday) , , , , , , , , , , , (Tuesday) , , ,,, , and , , (Wednesday) , , , , , , , (Thursday) ,, , , (Friday) , , , , , ,, , , ,, , , ,, , (Saturday) , , ,

Healthier Sausage “McMuffin” Casserole

November 20, 2013January 8, 2016 Kim

I know I just posted a breakfast dish yesterday, but what can I say, I really like breakfast food. As a matter of fact, we had breakfast for dinner just last night. This is a variation of the Egg ‘McMuffin’ Casserole I have on the blog. I have to say, I like the sausage version even more!
Sausage McMuffin Casserole EAH
I made an 8 x 8 dish, but you could double it to make a 9 x 13. Head over to where I have the recipe posted today!

Also, don’t forget to check out yesterday’s post, where I have a giveaway going on for Chinet Bakeware!

Upside Down Pizza Casserole

November 8, 2013January 8, 2016 Kim

Just in time for the weekend, I present this little twist on your regular pizza night. My family loves pizza in all shapes, flavors and forms. We eat low carb, crustless, thin crust, thick crust, with meat, without meat, you name it! So, when I saw this at Eat at Home, I knew I had to give it a try.

I’m glad I did! It was delicious. I’m not sure why it seemed even better than “regular” pizza, but it was to me. My girls thought it was too much sauce, but I felt it was just right. My son picked out the meat, but then he ate it. There just isn’t any pleasing all of my kids at the same time!

See, it’s literally an upside down pizza! However, it has a thicker, heartier filling and it is made in a 9 x 13 casserole dish, which is easy and convenient for me. Plus, it’s just something a little different. I get tired of the same ol’ thing.

If you serve it crust side down, it isn’t the prettiest. However, one bite of all that ooey, gooey, cheese will make you forget what it looks like. Or you could always serve it crust side up, like a pot pie.

Upside down Pizza

1 premade pizza crust (I used Pillsbury)*

3 cups shredded cheese (I used an assortment of cheeses; great way to use up those partial bags!)

1 jar pizza sauce

Meat and/or veggies of choice (I used turkey pepperoni, Canadian bacon, and some leftover Italian Meatballs)

*If you want to make your crust from scratch, check out the one from . It looks simple, but the night I made this I was very short on time. My girls had to be on opposite ends of the county at the same time…anyone know how to clone? I could use another ‘me’ sometimes!

Preheat oven to 425 F (or as directed if using premade crust)
Grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish
sprinkle cheese in an even layer across bottom of pan
add meats and veggies over the cheese
pour sauce over the meat, spreading it over entire surface
Top sauce with pizza dough. Since I used a premade crust, I just opened the can, stretched it out enough to cover my casserole dish, and laid it over the filling.
Make a few slits in the top of the dough and bake 25 minutes or until golden brown and crust is done (check times on premade crust)
Enjoy!