Back-to-School Recipes

Back-to-school season is here, and while the calendar may be filling up, there’s still plenty of room for one of the best ways to connect as a family: gathering around the table! Between practices, homework, and everything else filling up your days, mealtimes can be one of the best opportunities to slow down and enjoy time together as a family. So, we’re pulling a few tried-and-true recipes from our very own Crier Creek’s Elk-Cellent Cookbook to help make mealtimes a little easier, and a lot more delicious!

From Mama Mia’s famous Egg and Sausage Casserole and other camp favorites, these recipes have been shared and enjoyed by friends of Pine Cove for many years. Whether you’re hosting friends or looking for something easy to add to your weekly rotation for your family, we hope these favorites help you spend less time worrying about what’s for dinner and more time around the table—sharing stories, laughing together, and making memories as a family! 

Egg and Sausage Casserole 

By Vicki “Mama Mia” George

• 1 Ib. Ground Sausage
• 6 Wheat Bread, sliced 
• 2 c. Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded 
• 1 tsp. Ground Dry Mustard
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 12 Eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 c. Heavy Whipping Cream
• Butter or Margarine
• Cooking Spray or Pan Release

Cook sausage until done. Drain and set aside. Butter bread on both sides and place it in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan. Place sausage on top of bread, then add cheese. Mix eggs, cream and seasonings together. Pour on top of cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350° covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 30 minutes until eggs are set.

Note: I use hot sausage or add a little cayenne pepper to regular pan sausage. I also often use Tony Chachere’s seasoning instead of salt for a little more flavor.

Chicken Pasta Salad 

By Rita Freeman 

• 2-4 c. Chicken, cooked and diced
• 4-6 oz. Pasta (bow tie or penne)
• 1 pkg. Frozen Spinach, squeezed
• ½ c. Parmesan Cheese
• ¼ c. Sun-dried Tomatoes, cooked
• 10-12 Grape Tomatoes
• 6 Green Onions, sliced, dry
• 1 Small Can Black Olives

Toss everything together in a large bowl. Add ½ bottle of Italian dressing and serve.

Swiss Green Beans 

By Rebecca Holm 

• 2 T. Butter
• 2 T. Flour
• 1 tsp. Salt
• ¼ tsp. Pepper
• 1c. Sour Cream (8 oz.)
• 4 c. French Green Beans (2 cans)
• 1 tsp. Sugar
• 2c. Swiss Cheese, grated 
• ¼ tsp. Onions, minced 

Topping:

• ½ c. Cornflake Crumbs
• 2 T. Butter, melted 

Melt butter in a large pan. Add flour, salt and pepper, onions, sugar and sour cream. Stir over low to medium heat until smooth, then cook until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and fold in drained green beans. Place in a 1½-quart baking dish. (I use a 9 x 9-inch casserole dish.) Sprinkle cheese on top, then add topping mixture over cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes (or 350° for 40 minutes).

Note: My Aunt Diane makes this for every family holiday dinner. My in-laws came to our home for the first Thanksgiving after Sam and I were married, so I carried on the green bean tradition. It was a hit!

Chicken Spaghetti 

By Kim MeSorley

• 8 oz. Spaghetti
• 2 cans Condensed Chicken Broth
• ⅔ c. Butter
• 2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped 
• 8 oz. Mushrooms, sliced 
• 2 T. Parsley, finely chopped 
• ⅓ c. Flour
• 1 c. Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 tsp. Salt
• Pepper to taste
• 3 Chicken Breasts, Chopped
• ¼ c. Parmesan Cheese, shredded 

Sauté garlic and mushrooms in half of butter until lightly browned. Cook spaghetti and drain. Melt remaining butter over low heat. Add flour and cook until bubbly. Add salt and pepper, then slowly pour in chicken broth, stirring constantly until roux is smooth. Stir in cream and parsley and heat through, but do not boil. Add chicken and mushrooms. Put spaghetti into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and pour the creamed mixture over. Sprinkle it with cheese. Bake at 350° until bubbly. 

Reese’s Chewy Chocolate Pan Cookies (Easy & Delicious) 

By Jan “Sugar Pop” Robertson

• 1¼ c. Butter or Margarine, softened 
• 2 c. Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 tsp. Vanilla
• 2 c. Flour
• ¾ c. Cocoa
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• ½ tsp. Salt
• 2 c. (12-oz. pkg.) Reese’s peanut butter chips

Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 15½ × 10½-inch jelly-roll pan. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Add remaining ingredients except chips. Stir in chips. Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until set. Cool completely and cut into bars.

We hope these recipes make it a little easier to get everyone around the table this school year. Between practices, homework, and everything else on the calendar, mealtime is a great excuse to slow down, enjoy your family, and catch up on each other’s day!