Beef Chow Mein Casserole

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a large serving spoon scooping out a serving of mock chow mein casserole

Confession: this beef chow mein casserole was one of my LEAST favorite dinners as a kid. Right up there with tuna casserole. And now? I totally get why my mom made it.

This old-fashioned mock chow mein casserole is made with ground beef, rice, cream of mushroom soup and a few simple pantry ingredients, then topped with those crispy chow mein noodles that every kid fights over. It’s inexpensive, filling and makes enough to feed the whole family.

As a kid, I would stare at that pan of beef, rice and soup wondering why we couldn’t just order pizza.

Funny how growing up changes things.

Somewhere along the way, I realized my mom’s casseroles weren’t punishment. 😂 They were the recipes she grew up eating—the kind of simple, budget-friendly dinners that could feed a family without a lot of fuss.

And wouldn’t you know it, now I’m the one craving mock chow mein casserole.

Mom, you win.

QUICK LOOK

  • Prep: About 15 minutes
  • Main Ingredients: Ground beef + rice
  • Bake: 2 hours
  • Best for: Family dinners + leftovers
  • Don’t Skip: The crunchy chow mein noodles!

What is Mock Chow Mein?

Despite the name, mock chow mein isn’t traditional Chinese chow mein. It’s an old-fashioned American casserole made with ground beef, rice, condensed soup and soy sauce, with crispy chow mein noodles sprinkled over the top.

It’s one of those vintage recipes that showed up in family cookbooks and casserole dishes for generations and this is the version my mom made for us growing up.

Why You’ll Love This Mock Chow Mein Recipe

  • Budget-friendly: Ground beef, rice and pantry staples make this an inexpensive way to feed the whole family.
  • Easy to make: Brown the beef, stir everything together and let the oven do the work.
  • That CRUNCH: Crispy chow mein noodles on top are easily the best part.
  • Old-fashioned comfort food: It’s one of those simple family recipes that tastes exactly like childhood.

Ingredients You’ll Need

One reason recipes like this have stuck around for generations? Simple, inexpensive ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Ground
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Award Winning Sweet Cornbread Recipe

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A photo someone holding a piece of homemade sweet cornbread with honey butter dripping off it.

Tired of Dry Cornbread? This Sweet Cornbread Is Moist, Buttery & Tender. 

Making Chili Tonight? You Need This Sweet, Moist Cornbread, it’s the Sweet Cornbread Everyone Fights Over!

I haaate when my cornbread is dry. Which means I went crazy obsessive to find the best, tender, sweet cornbread that turns out soft and crumbly and stays that way instead drying out. The solution? The perfect amount of eggs, milk and surprisingly, a secret ingredient. 

The Secret to Moist, Sweet Cornbread That Never Turns Out Dry

Bisquick. Intead of going full cornmeal, you need a little balance to turn out a texture that is soft while still boasting the grit of cornmeal and flavor that accompanies it. I have tested over 50 recipes over the course of almost 20 years and I guarantee this will solve your cornbread turning out crumbly problem. 

Yes, you can even slice it without it falling apart. 

QUICK LOOK

  • Prep: 5 minutes
  • Bake: 30–40 minutes
  • Pan: 9×9-inch
  • Texture: Soft, moist and tender
  • Flavor: Buttery, corn-forward and sweet
  • Shortcut: Bisquick
  • Best with: Chili, soups and honey butter

Award Winning Cornbread

We’ve now competed almost every year since getting married in a chili and cornbread cookoff, and since I started making this recipe, I’ve won every single one!! It’s the perfect side dish for when you’re wondering what to make as a side dish for chili night.

Why You’ll Love This Sweet Cornbread Recipe

  • Actually moist: No dry, crumbly cornbread here! The center stays soft and tender.
  • Sweet, but still cornbread: There’s enough sugar and honey to make it noticeably sweet without turning it into cake.
  • Only 5 minutes of prep: Whisk, stir, pour and bake. That’s about it.
  • A little Bisquick magic: Bisquick helps create that light, tender texture and makes this recipe incredibly reliable.
  • Made for chili night: A warm square with melting honey butter next to a bowl of chili is hard to beat.

Ingredients for Sweet Cornbread

  • Bisquick: Our unexpected shortcut makes this recipe easy, reliable and anything but dry.
  • Cornmeal: Gives cornbread its unmistakable corn flav
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Cheesy Zucchini Casserole with Crispy Panko Topping

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Cheesy zucchini casserole with a golden crispy panko breadcrumb topping

This easy zucchini casserole is a hearty, cheesy, and comforting family dinner made with fresh zucchini, a bread crumb topping and plenty of gooey cheese. A quick and easy zucchini casserole recipe that’s perfect for using up fresh summer zucchini!

Garden zucchini coming out your ears? This zucchini casserole turns a whopping 9 cups of shredded zucchini into one seriously delicious side dish. Garlic, herbs and 3 different cheeses bring the flavor, while a buttery panko topping adds that golden CRUNCH we all know is the best part.

And don’t worry—we’ve got a simple trick for getting rid of all that extra zucchini moisture so you don’t end up with a puddle at the bottom of your casserole.

I planted ONE zucchini plant this year. One. I thought I was being smart because zucchini plants are notorious for producing more squash than any human could possibly eat. Well, I picked 10 zucchini and there were still 21—yes, TWENTY-ONE—on the dang plant! What?!

Clearly, I needed a recipe that could put a serious dent in my zucchini situation, and this casserole was the winner!

It’s an easy vegetable side dish for Sunday dinner, summer BBQs or potlucks—and apparently the answer to one wildly overachieving zucchini plant.

Why You’ll Love This Zucchini Casserole

  • Uses a TON of zucchini: 9 cups of shredded zucchini disappear into one delicious casserole. Hello, summer garden!
  • Creamy + crunchy: The tender, cheesy zucchini filling gets topped with buttery panko for the best contrast in texture.
  • BIG flavor: Zucchini can be a little blah on its own, so we’re bringing in sautéed onion and garlic, oregano, thyme, basil and paprika. No boring veggies here!
  • No soggy casserole: Salting and draining the shredded zucchini first removes excess moisture so you don’t end up with zucchini soup.
  • THREE kinds of cheese: Parmesan goes into the casserole while cheddar and mozzarella create that irresistible cheesy top.
  • Easy side dish: It’s simple enough for a weeknight but totally at home alongside a Sunday roast or on a holiday table.

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Shredded Zucchini: You’ll need about 2 ½ pounds, or 9 cups once shredded. Don’t peel it! The skin is tender and adds color.
  • Onion + Garlic: Sautéing them first takes away the raw bite and adds so much more flavor to the casserole.
  • Eggs + Sour Cream: These bind everything together and give the filling its creamy texture.
  • Dijon Mustard: Just a teaspoon adds a little tang and depth without mak
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The Best Patty Melt Recipe

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a patty melt that is broken in half and stacked on each other so you can see the inside of the patty melt with melty cheese and juicy patties

Learn how to make the best patty melt recipe! Our mouthwatering sandwich features thin beef patties grilled to perfection for that nostalgic diner-style flavor. Crispy bread and melty cheese make every bite irresistible, while the caramelized onions add the perfect sweet and savory touch with a tangy homemade dressing!

I had my first patty melt during a road trip from Texas to Chicago years ago, and I still remember it perfectly. We pulled into a tiny greasy diner somewhere along the drive, ordered patty melts, and from the first bite I was hooked. Crispy buttery bread, juicy beef, melty cheese, caramelized onions, and sauce dripping down my hands… honestly, it changed me a little.

Ever since then, I’ve been obsessed with recreating that perfect diner-style patty melt at home. Sometimes I go classic with Swiss cheese on rye, other times I swap in cheddar, sourdough, or a quick burger sauce depending on my mood.

That grease and sauce dripping down my fingers is what officially made me fall I love with sauces and spreads and I’m still a believer all these years later. The beauty of a patty melt is that it’s simple, comforting, and almost impossible to mess up.

What Is a Patty Melt?

A patty melt is a sandwich that’s part hamburger and part grilled cheese. It’s made with seasoned beef patties, caramelized onions, melted cheese, and toasted bread instead of a traditional hamburger bun.

Patty melts are usually cooked on rye bread, but sourdough, Texas toast, or white bread also work great.

Why You’ll Love This Patty Melt

  • Ready in about 30 minutes
  • Crispy buttery toasted bread
  • Juicy beef patties
  • Melty cheese and caramelized onions
  • Easy weeknight comfort food
  • Better than diner-style patty melts

Patty Melt vs Hamburger

A hamburger is served on a bun and usually topped with traditional burger toppings like lettuce and tomato. A patty melt is served on toasted bread with melted cheese and caramelized onions, giving it more of a grilled cheese vibe.

Patty Melt vs Smash Burger

A smash burger is cooked by smashing the beef thin on a hot griddle to create crispy edges. A patty melt uses a slightly thicker burger patty and is assembled like a sandwich with cheese and toasted bread.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Patty Melt

  • Ground Beef: We like 85/15 ground beef for juicy flavorful patties.
  • Onions: Slowly caramelized onions add sweetness and classic diner flavor.
  • B
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Swedish Meatballs Recipe

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a bowl of creamy Swedish meatballs on a bed of mashed potatoes and sprinkled with fresh parsley

This Swedish Meatballs Recipe is packed with tender homemade meatballs simmered in a rich, creamy gravy that’s perfect served over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice. Warm spices like allspice and nutmeg give them their classic flavor, while a silky cream-based sauce makes them the ultimate comfort food dinner.

Years ago, a friend of a family member made tiny Swedish meatballs with gravy for a party. I remember thinking they were one of the most delicious things I’d ever eaten, and I’ve been making some version of them ever since.

Over the years I’ve tweaked and tested this recipe more times than I can count, but the biggest change came when I swapped the traditional sour cream for heavy cream in the gravy. Both versions are delicious, but the cream creates an incredibly silky, rich sauce that takes these Swedish meatballs to a whole new level.

Why You Will Love This Swedish Meatballs Recipe

  • Tender, juicy homemade meatballs
  • Rich and creamy gravy
  • Better than IKEA Swedish meatballs
  • Perfect comfort food dinner
  • Great for meal prep
  • Freezer-friendly
  • Easy enough for weeknights
  • Family-friendly recipe
  • Made with simple ingredients
  • Delicious over potatoes, noodles, or rice

Ingredients You’ll Need

The secret to the best Swedish meatballs is a combination of tender meatballs, warm spices, and a rich homemade gravy. Every ingredient works together to create the classic flavor everyone loves.

For the Meatballs

  • Olive Oil: Used to sauté the onions and brown the meatballs.
  • Yellow Onion: Adds sweetness and flavor to the meat mixture.
  • Garlic: Brings savory depth to every bite.
  • Panko Breadcrumbs: Keeps the meatballs tender and light.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Adds richness and savory flavor.
  • Eggs: Help bind the meatballs together.
  • Milk: Adds moisture and tenderness.
  • Kosher Salt: Enhances all the flavors.
  • Oregano: Adds subtle herb flavor.
  • Ground Allspice: A classic Swedish meatball ingredient.
  • Ground Nutmeg: Adds warmth and depth.
  • Black Pepper: Provides gentle heat.
  • Ground Beef: Creates a hearty, flavorful meatball.
  • Ground Pork: Adds richness and tenderness.

For the Sauce

  • Beef Stock: Forms the base of the Swedish meatball sauce.
  • Worcestershire Sauce: Enhances the beef f
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