Classic Bistro Macaroni and Cheese Casserole Baked In a Water Bath

You can make this Bistro Baked Mac and Cheese anytime of year for Sunday Dinner or any gathering ! It's wonderful to call it dinner on a cold winter's day or night. Works up great for all of the holidays.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

It's one of the best mac & cheese recipes to serve at a buffet, because it can be cut into squares.  It's very hearty, firm and not runny, and can easily be served on your good dinnerware or serving plates, or even festive paper or plastic plates.

My husband and I had been boating enthusiasts for many years, and bought our first boat about 1 week after we got back from our honeymoon. We still get together with our good friends from the marina that we would travel with.

Try this classic macaroni and cheese casserole recipe baked in a water bath and make it one of your family favorites!  The grandkids always enjoy it and your children will too! 

You can turn this from a brunch side dish into a frugal meal, simply by adding some ham or tuna fish!

Go upscale and make a bistro mac and cheese using a wonderful cheese such as Smoked Gouda or Swiss Gruyere.

This old-fashioned comfort food mac and cheese sets up  in a water bath. Anything made the old-fashioned way is really worth the effort!

Check out my favorite Kugel recipe if you enjoy a noddle main course or side dish.  Equally as rich and satisfying

Kitchen cleaning is easy with these Crochet Handmade Cotton Dishcloths from Moomettes Crochet 

Classic Macaroni & Cheese Casserole Baked In a Water Bath

1 1/4 cup scalded milk
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs (broken in pieces)
3 tbl butter
1 1/2 cup cooked elbow macaroni
tsp salt
1/2 lb grated Vermont Cabot sharp cheddar cheese
2 well beaten eggs

Pour scalded milk over bread crumbs.
Combine with butter, macaroni, salt, cheese, eggs.
Mix together.
Place in buttered flat 8 x 8 casserole dish  (if using oblong, increase recipe).
Top with breadcrumbs
Sprinkle with paprika.
To cook: put pan in water bath (broiler pan); 1/2 - 1" water (important)
Bake 375 for 45 minutes. To reheat - till warm and bubbly.

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© Frugal New England Kitchen 

Polish Beef and Cabbage Casserole | Lazy Golumpki

Our family enjoys Polish Golumpki  - also considered Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, which takes time to prepare. Here's a simple casserole recipe I used for Stuffed Cabbage and meat filling which is basically the same as the stuffed cabbage leaf recipe.

Dump and Bake Polish Casserole - Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole

I made Stuffed Cabbage Rolls for my daughter and her family and brought it over when she had her third child.  It freezes well.  You can either cook the meat filling ahead and prepare, or just mix it and use as a freezer meal.

Sometimes you just have to have Golumpki but don't have the time to pull the cabbage leaves apart and roll them.  So this is a good recipe to make if you want to bring a casserole dish to a party, buffet, or a friend.

To see how I make the authentic real deal Polish  stuffed cabbage rolls - check out my recipe here

Easy clean up with Handmade Dish Cloths from Moomettes Crochet Shop ~

Polish Beef Rice and Cabbage Casserole with Sauce -

Authentic Polish Golumpki

1 Green Cabbage, large

*Meat Filling*
2 lbs. Ground Beef (or use Meatloaf Mix from your butcher with is a combo of ground beef and ground pork)
1/2 c. Minute Rice
1 egg
1/2 c. Bread Crumbs, plain
1/2 c. water
salt, pepper to taste

*Sauce:*
2 (14 oz.) cans Tomato Sauce
2 tbl. Light Brown Sugar
1 tsp. White Vinegar
1 tsp. Lemon Juice

Shred cabbage in a food processor
Par Boil cabbage about 10 minutes, until almost soft. Drain and cool.

Prepare meat mixture (ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, water, rice, salt, pepper)

Prepare sauce (tomato sauce, brown sugar, white vinegar, lemon juice) and bring to a slight boil

Cover bottom of baking dish with sauce.  Alternate layers with meat mixture, cabbage and sauce, ending with sauce.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or so until done at 350 degree oven. 

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© Frugal New England Kitchen 

New England Shepards Pie Recipe | Irish Shepards Pie

The ultimate food testers in the family are my husband and son-in-law. Today I'm going to show you how to make a New England Shepards Pie. This one pot casserole dish is one of my charming son-in-law's favorite recipes that he always asks me to make.

New England Shepard Pie One Pot Casserole

Living in New England all my life, I'm pretty used to being holed up in the house whenever we have blizzards. Since I like to cook, it's the perfect opportunity to try out new recipes on the family and fill the house with delightful aromas wafing from the kitchen!

The kitchen is where this frugal grandmom spends most of her time, and I decided it was time to redecorate and update the kitchen. As I spend a lot of time on Pinterest searching for interesting recipes and craft ideas to keep the grandkids entertained whenever I babysit, I also like to pin photos of DIY home handyman kitchen and household tips.

Shepard Pie is traditionally made with lamb, however, when it's made with beef chunks or ground beef, it's known as Cottage Pie. It's a frugal way to use up leftover beef if you cube it, ground meat you purchase in bulk, leftover vegetable such as peas, carrots, or mashed potatoes for the topping.  The seasoning can be your choice.

Charming son-in-law, my favorite handyman, recently installed wainscoting panels in the Frugal New England Kitchen. One remodeling project led to another, and I got tired of looking at the outdated wallpaper in this old house, it just screamed 70's, 80's and 90's. So I rented a wallpaper steamer and spent the entire weekend steaming off wallpaper with a wallpaper steamer. Everyone's updating their homes with paint and painting techniques - I found some wonderful Martha Stewart paint colors that I'll tell you more about later.

Comfort Food

Meanwhile,  here's an easy recipe for Shepard's Pie that can be made ahead the night before - just pop it in the oven after your projects are done! I like to make this easy casserole dish with Guinness Stout as it adds a nice flavor and cooks out. You don't have to wait for St. Patrick's Day to make this Irish Shepard's Pie! Cook it up for an easy weeknight dinner for your favorite handyman!

Also be sure to serve with my Breadmaker Irish Soda Bread Recipe or traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe 

Easy clean-up with my crochet handmade Dish Cloths from my Moomettes Crochet Shop!

Be sure to check out my other dinner favorite recipes such as Pot Roast Shepard Pie and also my  Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore . If you're following a Mediterranean Diet, you can easily adapt this recipe with chicken, turkey burger, and veggies and a sauce of your choice.

New England Shepard Pie with Guinness Stout

1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (ground turkey, ground chicken or ground lamb)
1/3 cup diced onion
1 stalk celery, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 cup Guinness Stout (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into big chunks
1/4 cup butter or EVOO
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup sour cream (or yogurt)
2 tablespoons chives
1 16-ounce can whole kernel corn
2 16-ounce cans creamed corn
Paprika
Saute Hamburger Ground Beef mixture in large, shallow saute pan.
Meanwhile, cook potatoes in a stockpot with water. Mash and season with butter, milk, sour cream, chives and salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Drain corn, and mix with creamed corn. Layer corn mixture on burger mixture and spread evenly. Layer on mashed potatoes. Sprinkle paprika lightly over top.
Bake for about 20 minutes. Can be frozen for meal prep or freezer meals.

Happy Baking!

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© Frugal New England Kitchen 

Easter Kielbasa and Chicken Paprika Shepherd Pie Recipe with Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Add seasoned mashed potatoes to your preferred recipe such as this Kielbasa or Chicken Paprika Shepard Pie for an ideal addition to any suppertime dish. With  a frugal value price, flavored mashed potatoes are the ideal go-to side dish for your favorite meals. Add sour cream, chive, onions, spices.  Your choice.

Our family gets together for a pot-luck Easter Buffet.  I'm part Polish and like to share and celebrate my heritage with an Easter Kielbasa dish.  Check out my other Polish recipes for Golumpki and Pierogi here .

Easy clean up with these Handmade Kitchen Dishcloths from Moomettes Crochet !

Chicken Paprika Shepherd's Pie

1 or 2 c. Mashed” potatoes 

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, or kielbasa

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

1 jar (12 oz) home-style chicken gravy

2 1/4 teaspoons paprika

1/2 cup sour cream

  Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2-quart shallow casserole or 8-inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray. Make mashed potatoes with1/2 cup milk and 2 tablespoons of the butter.
    Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken and onion; cook 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Stir in mixed vegetables, gravy and 2 teaspoons of the paprika. Add leftover kielbasa if desired. Cover; cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
    Stir sour cream into chicken and kielbasa mixture. Spoon into casserole. Spoon or pipe potatoes in 8 mounds around edge of casserole. Sprinkle potatoes with remaining 1/4 teaspoon paprika.
    Bake uncovered 25 to 35 minutes or until mixture bubbles around edge of casserole.

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© Frugal New England Kitchen