Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

I just wrapped up lunch with my little fellas where we scarfed down leftovers from yesterday. And let me tell you it was just as tasty as it was last night so I decided to share! This recipe is super super easy, kid friendly, and full of flavor!

Here's what you do:
Add 3 good sized chicken breasts to your crockpot then sprinkle with one package taco seasoning and one package dry ranch seasoning. Then pour 2/3 cup water over the top.

Cook on high 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked and shreds easily. Shred the chicken and let cook another 30 to 60 minutes to let it really soak in the flavor. That's it!

Serve in flour tortillas with melted cheese and whatever else you like on your soft tacos. For me it's all about the guacamole!!

Parmesan Ranch Chicken Strips

Happy Shot Day!  You see, when I'm pregnant I get a shot every Thursday to help keep my baby inside as long as possible and one of the many awesome things about it being shot day is that it means tomorrow is the weekend!  Wahoo!  I just love having the hubbs home all day.

So to celebrate a great day.... here's a quick recipe for:

Parmesan Ranch Chicken Strips

The ingredients are few and they are things I usually have in my pantry and fridge.  You just need chicken + .......

Trim and cut 2 lbs chicken into small-ish strips.  It should give you about a dozen strips.  You could definitely use this breading on a full or half breast - I just like the smaller strips because I have little kids!  Set the chicken aside.

Combine and stir:

• 1 cup bread crumbs (anything will work, including crunched up crackers or corn flakes.  I like panko crumbs because they are a little larger and give a little crunch)
• 2/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 3 Tbs dry ranch mix (this is 2 packets)

To bread chicken:

• Melt a cube of butter in separate bowl
• Dip each strip into butter, then coat well with breading

Lay strips on a foil-lined cookie sheet or in a 9x13 pan.

Bake 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  You just want to cook it long enough that the breading gets golden brown but it doesn't dry out the chicken.

We had them with carrot sticks and savory baked potatoes.  I just sprinkle a little seasoned salt on the potato before I roll it up and it seems to give the potato a little extra flavor.

These strips would also be so yummy dipped in marinara sauce!

Kitchen Time Savers

A few weeks ago I was asked to come up with some tips for saving time in the kitchen that I could share at a church activity.  Time is so precious, I love every opportunity I have to set even just a little bit aside to spend it doing what I love!  

Here are a few ideas I came up with (along with a few recipes that tie in).  I've shared a couple of the recipes before but that just means they must be really good ones, right?!

Time saving tips 

for meal prep!

1.      Shop for 5-10 meals at the same time - take a few minutes every week to plan out a menu then make ONE trip to the grocery store!.  Not only will you save time by not having to run out to grab last minute ingredients daily, but you'll notice you end up actually spending less money too!  

2.     Make double and freeze ½ for later - self explanatory right?  I wish I remembered to do this more often.  I love having a handful of meals in the freezer so after any given busy day I have something to throw in the oven or crock pot with minimal effort and no one even knows I forgot to make dinner that day!  It's a much better alternative to fast food!

a.      Taquitos

b.     Chicken Noodle Soup

c.      Pork Sandwiches

3.     Utilize your crock pot - There are quite a few recipes that weren't necessarily created as "crock pot recipes" but work great in there.  I've found that from 3:00 - 7:00 is usually my busiest time of the day so it's nice to not have to squeeze "prepare dinner" in there as well!  I need to remember more often to plan ahead and get something in the crock pot.  Too often, it's 4:00 before I even think about dinner and I've totally missed my chance to use the crock pot that day!

a.      Bonnie’s Chicken Fiesta

b.     Taco Soup

c.      BBQ Chicken

4.     Prepare your meat and cheese ahead of time - This can be a money saver too.  I cook and shred my chicken or brown ground beef, ground sausage or ground turkey and freeze it in quart ziplock bags in either 1/2 or full pounds.  It takes the same amount of time to brown 5 pounds as it is to do 1 and yet it cuts out a considerable amount of time if you don't have to do it every day.  The same thing goes for shredding cheese.  I grate 5 lbs at a time and fill freezer bags.  If you have the slicer/shredder attachment for a kitchenaid this is easy peasy lemon squeezy!

a.      Spaghetti Pie

b.     Layered Enchiladas

5.     GOOD SPORT NIGHT! (I've mentioned this before too, but this is a fancy name for leftover night.  Usually once a week we have a night where we all "open the fridge and be a good sport"!  I usually plan it for our busiest night of the week where we attempt to juggle soccer games, dance class, church meetings, homework and every other little thing that seems to come up!)

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients

1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese (low fat is fine, avoid fat free)

1/4 cup green salsa

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic, or garlic powder

3 Tablespoon chopped cilantro

2 Tablespoon sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken (for extra yumminess, use grilled taco chicken!)

1 C grated pepperjack or plain jack cheese

small flour or corn tortillas

kosher salt

cooking spray or olive oil

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.   You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

If using corn tortillas, work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave, wrapped in damp paper towels until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If using flour tortillas straight from the fridge, it helps to warm them in the microwave so they’re easier to roll.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1 inch from the edges.  Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another.  Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.  Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.  Dip in sour cream, or our favorite: Creamy Lime-Cilantro Ranch.

Freezer Instructions: Prepare the taquitos through rolling them out and placing them on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a large freezer bag. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 and place the taquitos on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Yields 12-16, when using 6″ tortillas, depending on how full you make them.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or diced

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped onion

1 T oil

1 cup peas

8 oz egg noodles

Chicken Broth (or water and bouillon)

1 can cream of chicken soup

Place chicken in large pan and cover with broth (or water and bouillon).  Boil until cooked through.  Strain over bowl to collect broth but filter out the yucky, goupy part of the chicken.  Set broth aside.  Put celery, onions and carrots in pan with a small amount of oil and saute 5 minutes or until color deepens and they begin to soften.  Add broth from cooking chicken and additional broth (so you have about 8-12 cups total).  Add chicken.  Mix in cream of chicken soup and cook over medium heat until it boils and flavors have time to mix.  (If you are freezing, now is the time!  Add noodles when you heat it up to serve it.) Add noodles and cook until soft. 

  

Smoked Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

2-3 lb Pork Roast

Sea Salt or Kosher Salt

3T liquid smoke

½ cup soy sauce

1 cup water

Rub outside of roast with salt.  Place in crock pot and pour soy sauce, water and liquid smoke on top.  Cook 6-8 hours.  Shred meat.  Optional:  serve with BBQ sauce

Bonnie’s Crockpot Chicken Fiesta

Recipe from Body for Life

Ingredients

4 chicken breast halves (1 lb)

1 20 oz jar Pace Picante Sauce

1 cup frozen corn

1 15 oz can Black Beans, drained

2 cloves minced garlic

2/3 c long rice

Spray crock pot.  Add all uncooked ingredients to crock pot and cook on high for 5-6 hours.  Shred chicken, mix well and cook an additional 15-30 minutes.  Serve in tortillas with cheese and sour cream.

Homemade BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup Ketchup

½ cup brown sugar

1 TBS worcestershire sauce

¼ cup vinegar

Cook chicken, pork roast or boneless pork ribs in crock pot.  Drain juices off meat.  Mix ingredients together and pour over meat.  Cook for an additional 30 minutes.  Serve plain or on buns for a sandwich.

Layered Enchiladas

Ingredients

10 tortillas

chicken, cooked and shredded (you can either cook a couple chicken breasts or use canned chicken)

2 cups sour cream

1 small can green chilies

1 can refried beans

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups cheese, grated

chopped olives (optional)

Mix soup, sour cream and green chilies together.  Place a large spoonful of mixture in bottom of 9x13 pan and spread evenly so the bottom of the pan is lightly coated.  Make a layer of tortillas in bottom of pan.  I've found the easiest way to do this is to cut the tortillas in half and place the straight edges along the edges of the pan.  I usually use 5-6 half pieces per layer.  Then spread refried beans and sprinkle cheese on top.  The beans can be easier to spread if they are warmed.  I usually just do it in a bowl in the microwave.  Next add 1/2 of your soup mixture.  Then sprinkle your chicken and more cheese.  Add another layer of tortillas.  Top with remaining soup mixture and lots of cheese. (if you're going to use olives, just sprinkle them on top)  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  This works as a freezer meal too.  Just prepare, cover in heavy tinfoil, and freeze.  Then when you bake it just make sure it's hot all the way through – your bake time will vary depending on how thawed it is before you bake.

Taco Soup

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef, browned

1 can corn

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 can kidney beans

1 can pinto beans

1 pkg taco seasoning

Add all ingredients into crock pot.  Do not drain any of the cans.  Simmer in crock pot on high for 1 hour.  Serve with corn chips, cheese and sour cream.

Spaghetti Pie

This recipe fills a 9x13 pan and will feed 8-12 people.

Ingredients

12oz spaghetti noodles

4 eggs

3T butter

2T parsley flakes

1 1/2t salt (divided)

2/3c + 1/2c grated parmesan cheese

2c cottage cheese

1 1/2c shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)

1t Italian seasoning

1 lb ground sausage

48 oz spaghetti sauce

Layer 1 - Noodles

Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain and return to pan.  Place butter in with noodles and stir until melted.  In a separate bowl, beat eggs and then stir in parsley flakes, 1t salt and 2/3c parmesan cheese.  Pour egg mixture over noodles - stirring fairly rapidly until all noodles are coated.  Layer in 9x13 pan. (no need to grease pan - the delicious butter helps with this!)

Layer 2 - Cheese Filling

Combine in bowl: cottage cheese, 1/2c mozzarella cheese, 1/2c parmesan cheese, 1/2t salt and Italian dressing.  Spread evenly over noodles in pan.

Layer 3 - Sauce

Brown sausage.  Pour sauce over sausage in pan and heat through.  Pour on top of cheese layer in pan.

(this is where you'd cover and stick it in the freezer if you are saving it for later)

Cover pan with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Remove cover, sprinkle 1c shredded mozzarella cheese on top and return to oven for 5-10 more minutes.  You want all edges to be bubbly and the all the cheese to be nicely melted.

Layered Enchiladas

This is the cheaters way to make enchiladas.  It tastes exactly the same - literally - and not only is it easier and faster to put together but I feel like I throw less of it away.  This way you can cut whatever size piece you want rather than serving a whole enchilada.  I highly recommend serving Spanish Rice with these.  It's the perfect pairing!

Layered Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 10 tortillas
• chicken, cooked and shredded (you can either cook a couple chicken breasts or use canned chicken)
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 small can green chilies
• 1 can refried beans
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups cheese, grated
• chopped olives (optional)

Mix soup, sour cream and green chilies together.  Place a large spoonful of mixture in bottom of 9x13 pan and spread evenly so the bottom of the pan is lightly coated.  Make a layer of tortillas in bottom of pan.  I've found the easiest way to do this is to cut the tortillas in half and place the straight edges along the edges of the pan.  I usually use 5-6 half pieces per layer.  Then spread refried beans and sprinkle cheese on top.  The beans can be easier to spread if they are warmed.  I usually just do it in a bowl in the microwave.  Next add 1/2 of your soup mixture.  Then sprinkle your chicken and more cheese.  Add another layer of tortillas.  Top with remaining soup mixture and lots of cheese. (if you're going to use olives, just sprinkle them on top)  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  This works as a freezer meal too.  Just prepare, cover in heavy tinfoil, and freeze.  Then when you bake it just make sure it's hot all the way through.

Cheesey Cauliflower Soup

I've been wanting to come up with a cauliflower soup recipe for quite a while and I finally took a minute to do it!  And I don't know why it took me so long because it was so easy came together super fast.  I have to give credit to Zupas for helping me fall in love with the stuff.  Theirs is addicting - have you tried it?  I'm by no means claiming this is a copycat recipe or tastes just like Zupas but it definitely turned out DELICIOUS!!  Another big perk is that it only takes 30 minutes start to finish.

Cheesey Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup dried minced onions
• 2 1/2 cups milk, divided
• 3 cups chicken broth (OR 3 cups water and 3 tsp chicken bouillon)
• Salt
• Pepper
• 3 Tb flour
• 2 cups cheese, grated
• Bacon pieces (optional) 

Directions:

• Cut leaves and core out of caulflower and place in large pan
• Add minced onions, up to 1 tsp of salt and 1/4 - 1/2 tsp pepper
• Pour 2 cups milk and chicken broth over it
• Cook over medium-high heat until cauliflower is very tender.  Stir frequently to avoid burning on the bottom of the pan.  As you stir, break the cauliflower up into smaller pieces
• Once cauliflower is soft, use a hand mixer (or egg beater) to mash the cauliflower up.  I did this right in the pan. (note:  if you'd prefer a more pureed texture, you'll want to pour your soup into a blender at this point and blend it up.  I like the pieces of cauliflower so the hand mixer worked great for me)
• Combine 1/2 cup milk with flour and stir well then pour into soup while stirring constantly
• Allow a few minutes for soup to thicken
• Add cheese and stir until well melted
• Serve with bacon pieces on top for a garnish

If I've said it once, I'll say it a thousand times... everything's better with bacon!!

Chicken Foil Bake

This stuff is great for a night when you are busy and don't have time for a big mess.  It's great because you don't have to use any additional pans to prepare anything before putting in your dish to bake.  And it's PACKED with flavor.  It's also nice because you have your meat, veggies and starch all in this one dish!  One and done, baby!

This can be prepared two different ways - I've done both - and each time it turns out equally as delicious.  The first is to do individual servings in tin foil dinners.  (Hence the "foil" in the name.  I'll put instructions at the bottom of the post for this).  The second is the way I do the most often just because it's easier and that is to bake in a 9x13 pan.  Serves 4-6.  You could easily just do another package of stuffing and add a little more meat and veggies if you need to serve more people.

Chicken Foil Bake

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 box chicken stuffing
• 1 1/4 c water
• 3 oz package bacon pieces (or you can cook and crumble your own strips but that's part of the magic of this meal is such little prep!)
• 3 cups (total) broccoli and cauliflower 
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• Ranch dressing

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Spray bottom of 9x13 pan
• Combine stuffing mix and water and spread out in bottom of pan
• Layer chicken pieces, veggies, bacon and cheese
• Drizzle a generous amount of Ranch dressing over the top
• Cover with tin foil and bake 45 minutes (it will take a little more time if your chicken or veggies are frozen)

Here's the step by step of the layering in pics:

 

And then look how delicious it is when finished baking!

To prepare individual tin foil dinners, just place an individual-sized serving in each pouch of tin foil.  I've done these without cutting the chicken into pieces too.  I just place half of a chicken breast in each pouch.  This amount will make 4-6 dinners.  You can either bake these in the oven or cook them in a fire.  I'm sure it would also work really well in a dutch oven.  Yay for camping season coming up!  I only bake them for 30 minutes if they are in the individual tin foil dinners.

Lazy Day Lasagna

I got this recipe from my cute cousin at my bridal shower.  I've continued to use it over the years and the only thing I've changed is that I just make it in bigger quantities now!  Oh - and I sub out ground beef for Italian sausage.  Thank heavens for pigs, right?  Is that too far - am I going to get a call from animal rights groups?  If so, I didn't mean it.

I'm sure ya'll have lasagna recipes but I love this one because of the great flavor you get with few ingredients and a simple put-together.  If you do have one you love though, please share!  Seriously though - out of curiosity I just googled "lasagna recipe" and the first one that came up has 21 ingredients and involves preparation in the dutch oven, on the stove top, cooking noodles ahead of time and then ultimately baking it in the oven.  Honestly, I'm sure it's delightful for the taste buds, and if you have time and patience for that sort of thing then MORE POWER TO YA!!  Seriuosly!  But... I don't.  My kids all love this lasagna.  Yeah, you heard me right.  They all 3 like the same dish.  What?  If you knew what a Christmas miracle it is around here to make something that satisfies the hubbs and ALL THREE munchkins - you'd understand why I love this recipe so much!  I'm not sure exactly where my kids get their palates from.  They like to chomp the uncooked noodles whenever I cook pasta.  Weirdies!  Every once in a while they do appreciate a yummy dish though (like this one!!)!

So, without further ado, this is how we rock lasagna!

Lazy Day Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 pound browned ground Italian sausage
• 1 box lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 24 ounces cottage cheese
• 12 ounces sour cream
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 32-48 ounces spaghetti sauce (I do 48 oz)
• Grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Brown sausage in medium saucepan on the stove and crumble into tiny pieces
• Stir in spaghetti sauce and heat through then set aside
• Combine sour cream, cottage cheese and mozzarella cheese in medium bowl and mix well
• Spray bottom of 9x13 pan lightly with no-stick cooking spray
• Lightly coat bottom of pan with thin layer of sauce
  
• Lay out one layer of noodles
• Don't cram them in there or they won't cook all the way through.  It works best if you have little spaces between them
  
• Pour 1/3 of the sauce over the noodles and spread evenly
• Spoon 1/3 of the cottage cheese mixture on the sauce and spread out as best you can.  This is the hardest part!  
  
• Sprinkle on a layer of parmesan cheese
  
• Repeat:  noodles, sauce, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese two more times for a total of three layers.  I usually sprinkle a little extra parmesan cheese on top.  I also like to change up the direction of the noodles... not sure why but in my mind it holds it together better.  It probably doesn't. :)
  
• Run a butter knife along the edges of the pay to make sure there's a little crack along the edge of your lasagna
  
• Pour 1 cup of water over the top and down the side of the pan
• Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour covered, then remove cover and cook for 20 more minutes

Note:  The 9x13 pan I like to use is a little deeper than some of my other ones so be aware of that as you're layering up!

 I don't have a finished picture because this is what we're eating tonight and I thought I'd share in case you need a last minute idea.  :)

Chicken Pillows

This recipe has evolved over time but I think I've settled into something we all LOVE!

Chicken Pillows:

Ingredients: 

• 2 lbs cooked chicken breasts, shredded
• 16 ounces cream cheese
• 1 box dry chicken or turkey stuffing mix
• 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Celery Salt
• 2 teaspoons Parsley
• 2 packages of refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1/2 - 1 cube butter or margerine
• 1 package chicken gravy mix
• 1 can cream of chicken soup

Directions: 

• Crush dry bread mixture out of stuffing box into fine granules.  This can either be done in a food processor or by placing it in a gallon ziploc bag and crushing it with a rolling pin.  Pour in pie tin or large-ish bowl and set aside.
• Beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add in onion powder, celery salt and parsley.  Mix in shredded chicken.  
• SIDE NOTE:  do you know the trick about shredding chicken in a Kitchen Aid?  It's seriously amazing.  Just put the cooked chicken in your bowl and mix it with your paddle.  I'm not sure how well other types of mixers work because I just have a Kitchen Aid but I would assume they'll work as well.  Lemme tell ya ... this is a major time saver!
• Melt butter in small-medium sized bowl
• Open crescent roll package and unroll dough.  Spread each triangle out one-by-one with your fingers a little so you have a good-sized surface to plop your chicken mixture on.
  
• Place a heaping spoonful of chicken mixture in middle of triangle. Roll up and fold your ends over so your chicken mix is hiding in there pretty good.  You are making 16 rolls so keep that in mind with what size of scoops you do.
  
• Dip your pillow in butter and then roll in stuffing crumbs
• Place on cookie sheet to bake
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes
• Mix up chicken gravy on the stove then add in your cream of chicken soup and cook over medium heat until hot and mixed well.  Sometimes I add 1/2 cup or so of milk to get it to the right consistency.  This is your gravy to pour over your cooked chicken pillows!
• I usually just serve it with veggies but it's great with rice as well!
  
  

Chicken & Waffles

This is a super fun dinner and I especially love it because it's so versatile.  It's pretty simple to put together but there's also the option of eating it separate - which is what my kids preferred.  They didn't layer it all up.  (but if you ask me, they're missing out on a yummy flavor mixture!)

Here's how I did it:

Chicken & Waffles:

• Prepare waffles your usual way.  I used my Belgian Waffle maker so they were a little thicker.  
• Bake frozen breaded chicken strips.  I personally prefer Tyson brand but with this you can use whatever floats your boat.  You could probably even just grill some plain old chicken breasts and slice it up.
• Cook 1 lb of bacon
• Mix together:  1 cup mayo, 1/4 cup syrup, 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• To assemble:
• Spread mayo mixture on 1 waffle
• Layer chicken then bacon
• Spread may mixture on another waffle and place on top
• Drizzle syrup over the top

If you haven't noticed, about half of my recipes on here have bacon in them.  It's a problem.  It's such a boy food but I LOVE it!  Moderation, right?  I actually don't cook with it every meal - I just happen to be sharing the ones with the bacon because they are the ultra delish ones!  But try this one out and let me know what you think!

Spaghetti Pie

I love making this meal toward the end of the week because it's a great one to have on hand in the fridge for weekend leftovers.  Or, on that note, I suppose it would also be good to make on Monday night so it's available for any "good sport nights" throughout the week.  (good sport night = nights where the answer to "what's for dinner?" is to "open the fridge and be a good sport!")  My kids all eat this great and it reheats really well.  Plus an added bonus is that it smells SO good while preparing it. 

Spaghetti Pie

This recipe fills a 9x13 pan and will feed 8-12 people depending on how many are adults and/or kids.  You can cut in half easily for an 8x8 or a round cassarole dish.  It would also freeze well.  To do that, just prepare everything as indicated below and then stick it in the freezer.  Then thaw before cooking.  If you don't have the time to thaw it in the fridge prior to baking it, I'd add about 30 minutes to the bake time.

Ingredient List:

12oz spaghetti noodles

4 eggs

3T butter

2T parsley flakes

1 1/2t salt (divided)

2/3c + 1/2c grated parmesan cheese

2c cottage cheese

1 1/2c shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)

1t Italian seasoning

1 lb ground sausage

48 oz spaghetti sauce

Layer 1 - Noodles

Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain and return to pan.  Place butter in with noodles and stir until melted.  In a separate bowl, beat eggs and then stir in parsley flakes, 1t salt and 2/3c parmesan cheese.  Pour egg mixture over noodles - stirring fairly rapidly until all noodles are coated.  Layer in 9x13 pan. (no need to grease pan - the delicious butter helps with this!)

Layer 2 - Cheese Filling
Combine in bowl: cottage cheese, 1/2c mozzarella cheese, 1/2c parmesan cheese, 1/2t salt and Italian dressing.  Spread evenly over noodles in pan.

Layer 3 - Sauce
Brown sausage.  Pour sauce over sausage in pan and heat through.  Pour on top of cheese layer in pan.

(this is where you'd cover and stick it in the freezer if you are saving it for later)

Cover pan with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Remove cover, sprinkle 1c shredded mozzarella cheese on top and return to oven for 5-10 more minutes.  You want all edges to be bubbly and the all the cheese to be nicely melted.

And there you have it!