Combine your favorite cheese with broccoli, chicken, cream, and more for delicious dishes everyone will love.
Depending on where you live, January may be a sunny, warm and appealing month, or it could be downright cold, nasty, and gray. Of course, you don’t necessarily have to wait until the temperature drops down to zero to let yourself dive in and enjoy a rich, cheesy casserole. This being said, a decadent meal may seem that much tastier with the harsh winter wind whipping at your door without end. It’s great to be inside where the environment is nice and warm, and the food, fortifying.
Tired of the same old box of macaroni and powdered orange sauce? Celebrate the wonders of cheese with these 7 delicious casseroles that may help light up your soul this winter.
Creamy Homemade Mac & Cheese Casserole
Full of sharp cheddar, parmesan, cream, milk, butter, and seasonings, this recipe is easy to make, and satisfying. And it comes with added benefits. Not only is cheese a good source of calcium, cheddar in particular may also help protect you from developing cavities. It does this by raising the pH level of your mouth, and thereby lowering your chances of developing tooth erosion. Dig into creamy goodness with every bite!
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
A great way to jazz up broccoli on a cold winter’s night, broccoli cheese casserole binds the magic together with egg, heavy cream, milk, and flour. If you haven’t tried this yet, be sure to boil your broccoli first prior to adding it to the casserole for a tender texture.
French Onion Soup Casserole
A whole casserole of your favorite soup makes lunch for the entire family with a salad on the side. This recipe calls for 3 onions boiled in a broth, a step you could potentially complete ahead of time, keeping the soup for the next day. Add sausage or chicken to the broth if you’re looking for a heavier dish. Bake it all with bread and cheese on top in the oven.
Related: 7 Best Ways to Relax and Tune Out Over the Holidays
Cheesy Ham Casserole
Cheesy ham casserole presents a great opportunity for using up leftover ham that may be caught hanging around after a larger meal. Cut the ham into cubes and boil small shell-shaped pasta to start. The creamy thick cheese sauce calls for a triple combo of sharp cheddar, parmesan, and gruyere combined with flavorings like dijon mustard, onion powder, thyme, salt, and pepper. Panko bread crumbs cover the top for a deliciously crunchy finish.
Extra Easy Lasagna
Lasagna can appear to be so time consuming it’s a dish many people tend to leave to the professionals that flood the frozen food section of the local grocery store with so many delectable choices. If you feel a hankering for DIY delights and have the desire to concoct your own lasagna from scratch but you still feel iffy about all that time spent in the kitchen however, try this recipe. Cottage cheese, parmesan, and mozzarella form the cheesy backbone to support the noodles, sauce, and meat. The whole thing takes a little over an hour to put together and cook, (but not three).
Cheeseburger Casserole
Missing the hamburger buns and toppings but have a kitchen loaded with ground beef, cheddar, tomato paste, and elbow macaroni? This dish could very well be your answer to dinner. The kids will love it and the even the adults will go in for seconds.
Cheesy Crack Chicken Casserole
If you love ranch, cheddar, and bacon with a dose of chicken tossed in, this dish is for you. Some people say they hide veggies in the sauce that go unnoticed and make their way inside tummies, which is an added plus. Make a large portion and freeze it for future nights when you don’t feel like cooking.
Cooking rich meals that everyone can enjoy is a great way to celebrate winter and to divert your attention from the cold outside. These top-rated cheese casseroles combine perfectly with veggies and fruit for a balanced, energy-packed meal that’s hard to beat.
photo credits: Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock.com
