French Toast Casserole

12 slices of bread cubed into chunks.
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 heavy cream, half & half, or 1 (15 oz) can of evaporated milk
6 eggs beaten or 1 pint of egg beaters
2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon vanilla
Topping (optional)
1 stick butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Optional: 1 cup chopped pecans or 1 packet of instant maple/brown sugar or apple cinnamon oatmeal

1. Cube bread and place in a gallon sized freezer bag
2. In a mixing bowl mix together the eggs, milk, cream(or half & half or evaporated milk), cinnamon, vanilla till well blended.
3. Pour egg mixture into freezer bag over the bread cubes. Seal bag and gently shake to mix bread and egg mixture together. Set aside to make the topping.
4. In a quart sized freezer bag place all the ingredients for the topping. Seal bag well. Squish the bag for a few minutes to mix together all the topping ingredients:
5. Place both the Casserole bag and the topping bag together in a 1 gallon freezer bag and seal . Lay flat in freezer to freeze.
6. Place frozen bag into the refrigerator the night before you want to bake it.  In the morning. Butter a 9x13 baking dish.  Fill dish with the egg mixture. Sprinkle the topping in little plops of  crumbles over the egg mixture. (optional).
7. Bake at 350 degree's for 45-50 minutes or until it is golden brown and egg mixture is cooked through.  Serve in bowls with powdered sugar and maple syrup.

By Elisa Hadley

Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells

12-16 jumbo pasta shells
water for boiling pasta
4oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese + 1/4 cup for topping
3 tablespoons prepared pesto (homemade or store bought)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste


In a large pot over high heat, boil water and prepare pasta shells as directed on package. Cook pasta shells only until al dente. The pasta will finish cooking when the dish is baked. Drain the pasta shells and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, except the 1/4 cup of cheese for the topping. Fill the pasta shells with the filling and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese over filled shells. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake shells uncovered for 30 minutes or until shells are bubbling hot and cheese melts

By Jonis Parr

Chicken Pot Pie

1 cup cooked cup up chicken 
1 cup cooked sliced celery
1 cup cooked sliced carrots
1 cup cooked potatoes
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup cooked chopped onion
3 packs of gravy (2 cups)
1 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp celery salt
Pillsbury Pie Crust deep dish

Seasoning for the chicken:
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp pepper
dash of salt

Boil the vegetables so they are soft but still tender. Bake the chicken at 350F for 15-20 minutes make sure you cut into chicken to double it is done.
Mix the vegetables and chicken together. 

Make gravy as per packet instructions add bouillon cubes and fully dissolve. Stir onion powder and celery salt in. Pour over meat and veggies lifting with fork to let gravy run through. Don’t make gravy too thick.  (I found that it might be easier to mix the gravy and vegetable mix in a separate bowl before putting it in the pie shell.
Cover pie bottom with pie top. Cut slits in pastry top. 
Bake at 400F for 30 minutes or until heated through and light brown. 

By Alyssa Bell

Marconi and Cheese

1⁄2 cup butter
1/2 flour
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp paprika
Juice of one lemon (optional)
6 cups shredded sharp cheddar or cheddar/jack combo
2 - 12oz packages of large elbow macaroni

1. Melt butter and add flour to make thin paste
2. Cook stirring constantly on medium heat for 5 minutes. Heat the milk and cream in a separate pan. Add milk mixture to flour mixture all at once.
3. Cook stirring constantly for 2-5 minutes. Add more milk or cream to thin if needed. Sauce should have consistency of medium thick gravy.
4. Season with onion powder, paprika, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste
5. Add 4 cups of cheese, reserve 2 cups for topping
6. Cook until cheese is melted. Add to cooked macaroni
7. Pour into 9 x13 " pan. Top with remaining cheese
8. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes until heated through. Or refrigerate overnight and bake at 400 for one hour.

by Shauna Harris