It’s a Hotdish

After my track workout yesterday and 45 minutes of weight lifting at the gym last night, I was definitely feeling some soreness in my legs this morning.

I took it easy with a nice 8 mile run this morning. I love picking routes through neighborhoods and down quiet roads rather than along busy, well-traveled roads. There’s something very calming about the quietness and serenity of the morning, which just one reason I love it so much! 🙂

Distance: 8 miles

Time: 68 minutes

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I grew up in Minnesota where we refer to a mixture of pasta + meat + cheese + a few vegetables as a hotdish—not a casserole.

I am not sure why we called them hotdishes (instead of casseroles), but they were definitely a staple for me growing up. It was easy for my mom to combine all the ingredients in one dish, pop it in the oven, and then come back 30-45 minutes to a hot meal.

Normally, I don’t make a lot of hotdishes for Craig and myself, but this one from Kristin’s blog caught my eye a while back.

Chicken and Artichoke Hotdish

(My recipe was inspired by Kristin’s recipe, which she originally got from here.)

Ingredients

8 oz. elbow macaroni

1/2 Tablespoon olive oil

2/3 cup onion, chopped

2 eggs

1-1/4 cups milk

seasonings to simulate Italian seasoning: basil, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme

2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped

1 – 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped

1 – 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

2 cups shredded cheese (I used a colby/jack mixture.)

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided

2/3 cup bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Heat oil in pan and saute onions for 5 minutes. Set off to the side.

3. In a bowl combine the eggs, milk, seasonings, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.

4. Stir in the chicken, artichoke hearts, spinach, 2 cups cheese, half of the Parmesan cheese, onions, and pasta.

5. Pour into a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish.

(I actually stopped at this step, covered the dish, and put it in the fridge overnight before baking it the next evening. It worked out marvelously –> is that a word!)

6. Cover the dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, combine the breadcrumbs, remaining Parmesan cheese, and paprika in a small bowl.

8. Spread breadcrumb mixture on top and bake for additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Both Craig and I really liked the dish. It had a great combination of flavors, and I especially liked the bread crumb mixture on the top. 🙂

I actually made this Sunday and stuck it in the fridge overnight. It was so convenient to be able to pull this out of the fridge Monday night, stick it in the oven, and have dinner ready in 30 minutes!

The main reason I don’t make many hotdishes is because they often lack in the vegetable department, so next time I would cut down on the amount of pasta and maybe even add more spinach.

To make up for the lack of vegetables, I roasted some broccoli on the side. I seasoned this broccoli with rosemary, which is my new favorite spice for roasted broccoli.

Question

What is your favorite hotdish/casserole?

Hi, I'm Michelle

I love running around the lakes of Minnesota, running after my two boys, and racing anything from the 5K to the marathon. I have been blogging here since 2010 when I ran my first marathon. I finally secured my sub-3 hour marathon after trying for 8 years.

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Leave a Reply

17 Comments

  1. 4.26.11
    Megan (Running Foodie) said:

    I have never heard of a hotdish! How funny! Whatever you call it, this looks AWESOME and I am going to make it next week 🙂 I love artichokes!

  2. 4.26.11
    Sarah said:

    what a fun term 🙂 my mom makes a hot chicken salad casserole that is just fabulous!

  3. 4.26.11

    Artichoke is my favorite. I haven’t made a casserole in ages but this seriously looks so good I might not be able to pass on this recipe.

  4. 4.26.11
    lifttorun said:

    I never really made a casserole before. It looks good though, minus the chicken.

  5. 4.26.11
    Craig Baxter said:

    your my favorite hotdish honey. 😉

  6. 4.26.11
    Allison @ PickyEatingRD said:

    When it comes to casseroles, I stick to the basics… Mac and cheese!!!

  7. 4.26.11

    I think I like the term “hot dish” better than casserole!!

  8. 4.27.11
    megan @ blackberries for jam said:

    I like to throw together casseroles with a tofu “cream” sauce, and dump in whatever vegetables are in my refrigerator. I definitely crave them in the winter more than the summer though, when I usually switch over to pasta tossed with lightly cooked fresh veggies. Roasting broccoli with rosemary is a great idea!

    Going for an 8-mile run today too!

  9. 4.27.11

    I had to laugh! Its so true about the “hot dish” references up in MN instead of casserole. It just sounds better doesn’t it?

    That hot dish looks delish! and even better enjoyed after an awesome workout- good job girl!

  10. 4.27.11
    Heidi said:

    Love me some good hotdish 😉 Definetly going to try this one.
    xoxo

  11. 4.27.11

    Yum – love the elbow macaroni as the pasta, and GREAT job on the run! You are quick! 🙂

  12. 4.28.11

    Can’t go wrong with a casserole! Sweet potato tops my list…likely because sweet potatoes are in my top 5 fave foods 😉