This, as silly as it may seem, is one of my favorite fall-time casseroles! It has a nice, bright lemon flavor in the background for when you’re not quite ready to let go of summer yet, but want something to take that first chill out, that your body is clearly not ready for! 

After the heat of summer, waking up to 59 degrees was quite a shock! I wanted to just pop something yummy, and ooey-gooey cheesy into the oven and let it bake, warming the whole house with wonderful flavors!

This old, re-vamped, fish casserole of mine sounded like just the ticket. 😉  

 

 

You can use whatever kind of fish sticks your family enjoys, but try to get ones that are made from whole pieces of fish, versus the “pieces parts” kind. They’re more expensive, but worth it! You can also of course use fish patties, or even make your own. 

But the frozen ones work perfectly, with no fuss at all, (you don’t even have to thaw them!), and the kiddos can help place them on top! Look how nicely they brown up and don’t get soggy! 😀  

 

 

Happy little fish sticks swimming in cheese!! 😉 Sorry! I couldn’t resist!!! 😀  

 

 

 

We used Mrs. Paul’s and they were actually quite good, but they were very small. Though it was fine for me, I really could’ve put a lot more on top for my hubby! He requested an “extra helping” of fish, so I just baked a few more on a baking sheet for him and we were both satisfied! 😉    

 

 

My hubby’s plate! But close-ups can be deceiving. To put the size into perspective, that little bitty one on top was the size of my pinky finger! And I have very small hands, even for a girl! So load up the top of the casserole before baking with plenty of fish! 😉  

The bottom layer of this casserole is made from frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, creamy soups, lots of cheese and just a hint of a built-in “tartar sauce” flavor! It all goes together so very well! Super creamy and lots of extra cheese on top to make it super ooey-gooey cheesy! 😀    

 

 

Yes, it is all about the cheese today! Have I mentioned how much I love cheese? 😀 😉   

 

 

All in all, this is a very good casserole and “hubby approved”! Quick to put together, fun to make, and a great weeknight back-to-school “throw together” dish that the whole family will enjoy! 😀

Serve with cole slaw or a simple garden salad, some crusty garlic bread, and you’re all set! It doesn’t get any easier!

And this casserole is truly delicious, so I hope that you’ll give this one a try the next time you’re in a bind, tired and just don’t feel like fussing! You’ll be very pleased with how good this really is!

Take care and I’ll see you tomorrow! 😀     

 

 

Yield: 6-8

Cheesy Weeknight Fish Stick Casserole

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Ingredients

• 1 (2 lb.) bag frozen hash brown cubes, thawed
• 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cheddar soup
• 1 cup mayo
• 2 Tbl. sweet pickle relish
• 1 Tbl. lemon juice, fresh or concentrate
• 2 tsp. dried minced onion
• 2 tsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• 2 cups Mexican Four-Blend Shredded Cheese
• 18-24 whole fish frozen fish sticks

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 13x9 glass baking dish, set aside.

In large bowl, stir together well the soups, mayo, relish, lemon juice, dried onion, parsley, worcestershire and sharp cheddar. Fold in potatoes. Dump into prepared baking dish and press in lightly to fill evenly.

Sprinkle whole top evenly with shredded mexi-blend cheese. Top with as many fish sticks as you can fit and would like, covering top.

Pop into preheated oven and bake until bubbly and fish sticks have lightly browned, about 35-40 minutes. Watch so that they don't over-brown towards end.

Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with garlic bread and cole slaw.