Casseroles

(EASY) Poppy Seed Chicken is a classic recipe from the 1960’s that can be baked in the oven or slow-cooked in a crockpot. Just a few ingredients.

Ingredients

I’ve made Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole many times over the years. Sometimes I pretend to be fancy and put it all in the crock-pot. The recipe is very popular in the south. It is usually baked in the oven, however, I like to just throw it all in the slow cooker and let it rest on the counter to stay warm awhile. That’s when Ward walks in the door and says, “Oh Honey, dinner smells fantastic. You must’ve been working in the kitchen all day!”

By comparison, using a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken over raw chicken breasts gives tender shreds of meat right from the start and you don’t have to wait for the chicken to tenderize. The truth is, you could follow this recipe exactly except put it in the microwave for 5 minutes and the result would be almost the same. You could even do it in a skillet on the stove. Shusssh. It’s our little secret, my friend.

What side dish goes with Crockpot Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole?

We serve this recipe over white steamed rice with a side of salad or fruit. I like the popular spinach salad made with Poppy Seed dressing. We already have poppy seeds in the chicken, I like to make a similar salad of (fresh baby spinach, sliced strawberries, finely sliced red onion, the juice of one orange, and pepper, that’s it!) The combination just seems to go together!

Watch the Video below to see how easy Poppy Seed Rotisserie Chicken is to make in the Crock-pot.

This 1970’s Broccoli Casserole Recipe can be cooked in a crockpot or baked in the oven. It is a quick put-together in either a crockpot or baking dish. The special ingredient is Stove Top Stuffing.

Then and Now

I started making this recipe back in 1994. It was given to me on a recipe card by a lady named “Marie” so I’m not exactly sure where it originated. My best guess is that this recipe was created by Stove Top Stuffing as one of their product recipes. Anytime an older recipe specifies a particular brand, that may be a clue to its origin.

Back in those days, chopped broccoli came in a frozen block. Frozen broccoli is not generally sold that way today because frozen florets have become more popular. I still prefer it made with frozen CHOPPED broccoli to give it that real authentic casserole texture. If I were going to use fresh broccoli, I’d steam (not boil) it for just a few minutes and then chop it up and add it in place of the frozen broccoli.

Another thing that was different back then, was the way the Stove Top Stuffing was packaged. It used to have a little packet of seasoning in it so you could control the amount of flavor to the dried bread crumbs. They stopped doing that over a decade ago and now the seasoning is mixed right into the bag.

A Little History About Stove Top Stuffing

Stove Top Stuffing was introduced on the market in 1972 by General Foods Corporation. In the 1970’s women had less time to spend in the kitchen as they were entering the workforce so food companies began to create faster ways of cooking the family favorites.

A recipe developer named Ruth Siems made it her mission to create a stuffing that could be cooked on the stove instead of inside the turkey. Once the product launched, it became a nationwide favorite. Stove Top’s television advertisement, featured the tagline “Stuffing instead of potatoes? What a neat idea!”

What is the difference between a Crockpot and a Slow Cooker?

There really isn’t much difference. Crockpot is a brand name, Crock-Pot. Over time people just started calling slow cookers a crockpot. A “slow cooker” is just an overall broader term for the many different brands of these slow-heating countertop appliances.

The main difference I see is that some of the older slow cookers sit on a base that separates from the crock itself. So the heat is coming from the bottom up whereas modern crockpots have a crock that sits inside of the base and it produces a more even heat. Some of the older Crock-Pots were one entire unit. Those are a little more difficult to clean because you have to be careful with the electrical cord. I love to create all kinds of recipes in my Crock-Pots. Many years ago I even had a win in the Crock-Pot All-Stars Contest. Check that recipe out here. Crock-Pot Apple Upside-Down Cake

Can this recipe be baked in the oven?

Yes! Here is my recipe card with how I always made broccoli cheese casserole in an 8×10 casserole dish. I have modified the recipe (at the bottom of this article) for slow cooker method because the oven is dry heat and a slow cooker is moist heat. In the new recipe, I reduced the mayonnaise and increased the stuffing mix to use the whole box. I also use the Savory Herb flavor now.

Recipe Ingredients:

What do you serve with Crockpot Broccoli Casserole?

I consider this a side dish but you could also turn it into a main dish by adding cooked cubed chicken. Casseroles are great to take to events where everyone ends up with a ridiculous hodgepodge of mix and match flavors on their plate. I love that, don’t you? Party Potato Casserole is one of those dishes.

Of course, this is a great side dish at your holiday gatherings too.

However, if I am making this as part of the small family meal at home, I like to keep the other items on the plate very simple. Ham Steak, Baked or Grilled Chicken, or Sliced Pork Tenderloin for the meat and then some sliced fruit (mango or melon is nice) or a simple salad brings it all together for a balanced meal. This casserole has your starch/carb and your green veggie covered.

Watch the video below for a quick tutorial and don’t forget to leave some love!

This 1970’s Classic Party Potato Casserole is baked hash browns in a creamy cheesy sauce with a crispy topping. Similar to Funeral Potatoes, Cheesy Potatoes and Scalloped Potatoes, they are all of the same recipe family. They were called “Party Potatoes” before they were called “Funeral Potatoes.” This recipe is quicker and easier than it used to be. Now we have the ease of pre-shredded hash brown potatoes as a short cut.

History Tidbit

“A Casserole just isn’t a casserole without Campbell’s.” The Vintage Cook, Lanie Smith, 2023

Yes, I just made a world famous quote. 

I glanced through one of my older cookbooks to see the variation of potato casserole recipes. No doubt, before there were Campbell’s Soup laden casseroles, there were “Escalloped Potatoes.”

Then & Now

Lucky for us, today we have hash browns all ready-to-go that have been flash frozen. Using pre-shredded frozen hash browns —makes this dish more predictable and quicker than it used to be. It was originally called Party Potatoes because it served a larger crowd. Then it got the name “Funeral Potatoes” because it was often served at Funeral receptions with the meal at those gatherings. I don’t know about you, but I prefer a Party rather than a Funeral! 🙂 

Ingredients

 

The Soups Over the years, people have mixed and matched different combinations of “Cream Of” Soups. I really like the Cream of Celery and Potato combination because it is a subtle flavor and the chunks of potato from the soup make it extra hearty.

The Cheese I prefer to use a rectangular block of cheese and grate it myself with a grater box so that it’s extra cheesy smooth, but a bag of pre-shredded and measured cheddar works great too.

The Topping The first casseroles were topped with bread crumbs, then we moved to crunchy or buttery crackers and for this recipe we use buttered corn flakes. Just be sure to really grind or bang up your cornflakes until fine. We don’t want it to look like a box of cereal dumped on top. Even though that is what it is. 🙂 

Side Dish or Main Dish? YES.

This recipe accompanies many main dishes like a baked ham, fried chicken, pork chops or bbq ribs. To make this a main dish, just chop up a ham steak into 1/2 inch cubes and stir it in before baking. Then you will have a Ham and Cheese Potato Casserole with a quick tossed salad and WHALLAH! Dinner will be complete.

The recipe I composed for you below, is in a 13″ x 9″ x 2″ baking dish. It fills about 3/4 way up. For a larger batch, simply double the recipe and double the width size of the pan or use two pans. The recipe below serves six people as a side dish. It’s important to go wider not necessarily deeper. You would need to increase the baking time as well.