Easy Comfort Food - Baked Pierogie Casserole

Whew it has been a busy week! I didn't plan any meals because Jon was supposed to be on the road most of the week, but all of that changed at the last minute so we've been making things up as we go along.

Monday we whipped together some pasta with broccoli rabe with shrimp, did takeout on Tuesday, and after a long day on Wednesday, I didn't feel like cooking at all. But since we had takeout already, we threw a meal together (and I'm glad we did!).

We love to grill turkey kielbasa and I often keep a package in the fridge for nights like this. Sides for the kielbasa are always simple, comfort food sides. Several years ago when I first got into cooking, I used to make a pierogie-spinach casserole that used cream of mushroom soup as the base. I won't use the stuff now - there are too many other homemade options instead of using those soups. So tonight I made my own version of my old favorite.

Baked Pierogie Casserole
The pierogies I used were frozen, store bought pierogies. I really should learn how to make them from scratch - I am half Polish!

Ingredients

• 1 package frozen pierogies (12 per package)
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp flour
• 1 c light cream or milk
• Approximately 1 c shredded cheeses; I used Parmesan and a Mexican blend

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375
• Bring a pot of water to a boil; drop in pierogies and let cook for 3-4 minutes. Transfer 6 to a baking dish (so they cover the bottom), and keep the other 6 aside until you are ready to assemble the casserole. (I cooked six at a time and timed it so my second set of pierogies were done at the same time as my cheese sauce)
• Make the cheese sauce: Heat olive oil in a pot. Add all onions and red pepper flakes; saute 2 minutes. Add flour and stir. Add cream/milk and bring to a simmer. Add cheeses, and stir until creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour some of the cheese sauce over the first layer of pierogies. Add the rest of the pierogies and top with more cheese sauce (*I had more cheese sauce than I needed; I didn't use it all - I didn't want a soupy casserole). Top with breadcrumbs.
• Bake on 375 for about 15 minutes or until bubbly. Turn on the broiler for 3 minutes at the end.

Mmm, cheese and potatoes! My favorite combination. This was so delicious and comforting, there was nothing gourmet or fancy about it, and it was the perfect side to the grilled kielbasa. Even better, it only took about 15 minutes of prep.