Chicken Fried Rice

 I love this recipe only I usually use Spam...really, I do.  I don't eat Spam any other way, but in this, it's yummy.  This also makes up really fast.

2 Tblsp. toasted sesame oil (or veg. oil, even though it's bad for you unless it's olive or avocado)

1/2 c. diced onion (I really like sliced green onion instead)

1  frozen bag carrots and peas

4 eggs, scrambled

3 c. cooked rice

2 c. cooked chicken shredded or 1 can Spam

2 Tblsp. butter

salt and pepper

 

Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. Add the sesame oil, onions, and carrots; saute until the carrots and onions are starting to become tender.

Add the peas to the pan and stir well.

Scramble eggs 

Add the soy sauce to the onion, carrots, peas, chicken (Spam), rice, butter, salt and pepper.

Serve with Yum Yum sauce if desired

Best Homemade Mac and Cheese

 This was a Pinterest find...and probably around the 5th or 6th mac n cheese recipe I've tried. I also like the other recipes I've posted on my blog, but this one stays true to what I think mac n cheese really is and is also very close to Mom's recipe.  I haven't made this one with the cheddar cheese soup like the recipe suggests is good...I find it really good without but maybe I'll try it one day. As always, I get into some things where I have to find the absolute premium recipe, so who knows, I may find a better one after this.

12 oz. dry elbow macaroni (I sometimes use cavatapi)

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. flour

1 1/2 c. milk

1 c. half n half or light cream

1/2 tsp. dry mustard powder

1 tsp. onion powder

salt and pepper to taste

1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup (optional)

 4 c. sharp cheddar (I like provolone and mozzerella with it)

1/2 c. fresh parmesan cheese

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cook macaroni al dente (firm) acccording to package directions.  Drain and run under cold water to stop it from cooking further.  It will cook more in the oven, you just don't want to have mushy pasta.

Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan.  Whisk in flour and let cook 2 minutes while stirring.  Slowly whisk in milk, cream, mustard powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat while stirring until thickened. 

Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheeese and 3 c. cheese until melted.  Add soup if using.

Toss cheese sauce & macaroni noodles together.  Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.  Top with remaining cheese.

Bake 18 to 24 minutes or until bubbly. Do not over cook. Cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

Easy Cheesy Chicken Casserole

This is one of my very favorite casseroles.  It's a Paula Deen and despite it's name of being cheesy, it's got brown rice so it's not all that bad healthy wise.  Her recipe calls for it to cook for a little over an hour, but I find it needs to cook at least 1 1/2 hours or more (till all the liquid is absorbed by the liquid).  It's a super easy thing to throw together, but it just needs a longer cooking time than most casseroles.

3 c. chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained
 - I use a cup or so of frozen corn
1 1/3 c. uncooked whole-grain brown rice
2 c. shredded pepper jack cheese, divided
1 (10 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. salsa verde
2 lb. boneless skinless chicken cut into 1/2" pieces
  (I use 2-3 cups rotisserie chicken cut into pieces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 13 x 9-inch dish with nonstick cooking spray.  In a bowl in the microwave, heat chicken broth.
In a large bowl, combine beans, corn, and rice.  Add hot chicken broth, 1 cup cheese, soup, sour cream, and salsa, stirring to combine.  Stir in chicken.  Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.  Top with remaining 1 cup cheese, and bake for 15-25 minutes longer or until center is set and cheese is golden brown.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I've had this for years. It's just a simple recipe I got from the newspaper.

1 medium onion, chopped
3 Tblsp. butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 (4oz.) can green chilies
1 c. chicken broth
10 small corn tortillas, quartered
3 lb. cooked chicken breasts, chopped
1 lb. cheese

Brown onion in butter.  Combine soups, chilies, broth, and add to onions.  Pour 1/3 of the sauce into a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Layer half of quartered tortillas, half of chicken, 1/3 of the sauce and half of cheese.  Repeat.  Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or till bubbly.

Crock Pot Italian Spinach Tortellini

Stephanie Willis found this on facebook so we tried it and it was really bad but this remake was very good and very fast. The original recipe called for diced Italian tomatoes, but I think the San Marzano make a huge difference. It would also be good with meatballs or sausage. I like it just the way it is  This is very delicious and is one of my favorites.

Makes: 6-8

1 bag frozen tortellini (I used 1 part of those 2-piece packages of 5 cheese fresh tortellini at Sam's)

1 small bag fresh spinach (I bet you can use frozen - haven't tried that)                                                     28-oz. San Marzano whole tomatoes

2 c. chicken broth

1 block (cut up) cream cheese (you can use Neufchatel if you want to lighten it a little)

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. minced garlic

Add all the ingredients to a  crock pot or dutch oven and cook about 2-3 hours in the crock pot on low or for 45min. in a dutch oven till tortellini is done.  If you cook either way too long, the pasta gets kind of mushy.

Easy Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese

Beth said she wasn't so much digging my Paula Deen's recipe of mac n cheese, which I love by the way. I guess to each his own.  I found this as I was going through one of my issues of Taste of Home so I tried it.  I actually baked it in the oven for 1/2 hour on 350, just because I wanted it fast.  It was very good and very creamy and didn't last long.  I still prefer Paula's recipe, but this was two thumbs up from everyone.

2 c. uncooked elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1 c. 2% milk
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. butter, cubed
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded fontina cheese
1 c. (4 oz) shredded provolone cheese

While you cook the macaroni, in a large saucepan, combine soup, milk, sour cream, butter and seasonings; cook and stir over medium-low heat until blended.  Stir in cheeses until melted.
Drain pasta; transfer to a greased 3-qt. slow cooker.  Stir in cheese mixture.  Cook, covered, on low 1-2 hours or until heated through..

Egg Casserole

This recipe comes from Eileen Leite and is the much-looked-forward-to breakfast.  It's super simple and I've even made it for the Young Adults on Thursday nights for institute and served it with coffee cake and fruit. You can cut up and cook your own potatoes or just buy hash browns, similar to what you would do to make funeral potatoes.

2 lb. cubed potatoes peeled and cooked or 2 lb. hashbrown potatoes
1 lb. cubed ham (sausage or bacon)
1 lb. shredded cheese
12 eggs
a little salt and pepper if you want, but the meat and cheese are pretty salty

Layer potatoes, meat, and cheese into pan.  Beat eggs well and pour all over the top of the casserole evenly.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45-60 minutes uncovered or till a knife inserted in center shows the eggs are cooked and not runny.  (Told you it was easy)

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

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Ingredients

• 3 c. chopped cooked chicken
• 1 chopped onion ( I would chop them small)
• 1 green or red bell pepper, chopped small
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 c. chicken broth
• 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• (I want to try 1 tsp. cumin next time)
• 12 soft corn tortillas, torn into 1 inch pieces
• 3 c. cheddar-jack cheese

Instructions

Grease 13 x 9 inch pan. Combine everything but the cheese and tortillas. Layer 1/3 tortillas, 1/3 chicken mixture, 2/3 c. cheese. Repeat twice ending with cheese.

Bake 350 (it says 30 min. uncovered but I'm trying what I said above)

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Spinach, Broccoli, and Ham Casserole

This is another one of those Paula Deen recipes out of my magazine.  I made it one night when Genevieve was spending the night and she said it was very yummy (although she picked out the spinach). Geoffrey, Dad, and I also liked it a lot too.  I say any recipe one of the kids likes has got to be a keeper.  It's also pretty fast and easy.  I think it would be just as good made with chicken too.

Baked Bolognese

Ok, this is another recipe mom and I tried on her last visit only this didn't make the first cut.  The original was made with hamburger and not as much of the bechamel sauce so I put it aside to make again later.  Well, I just made it again only I made a half recipe more of the bechamel and instead of hamburger I used Italian sausage....voila! It was perfect.

Veggie Casserole

Paula Deen

10 to 12 servings

Italian Chicken and Pasta Bake

(Paula Deen - super quick)
8 to 10 servings

1/4 c. butter
1 c. chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. flour
1 c. milk
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
with basil, garlic, and oregano (I like reg. diced tomatoes and
add 1 tsp. ea. basil and oregano
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
3 c. chopped cooked chicken
4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 (16-ounce) box bow-tie pasta, cooked and kept warm

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until onion is tender. Add flour, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in milk, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce; cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in chicken, 3 c. cheese, salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir in pasta. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish, sprinkle with remaining 1 c. cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Note: This casserole can be made ahead and frozen up to 1 month. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge and stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. Use rotisserie chicken and jarred minced garlic to speed up prep time. Cook covered 15 minutes and uncovered 15 min.

Chicken-rice Casserole

(my old Betty Crocker cookbook)

1/4 c. butter
1/3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. cooked rice
2 c. cut-up cooked chicken
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms, drained
1/3 c. chopped green pepper
2 Tblsp. chopped pimiento
1/4 c. slivered almonds

Heat margarine in 2-quart saucepan until melted. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole or oblong baking dish, 10x6x1 1/2 inches. Cook uncovered in 350 degree oven until bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Baked Shrimp-Crab Salad

Paula Deen and for fish it's pretty good

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 c. finely chopped celery

1 (6 oz.) can crabmeat, picked free of any broken shells

1 (4 oz.) can medium shrimp

3/4 c. mayonnaise

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 c. buttered cracker crumbs or bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a medium casserole dish or medium glass baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the bell pepper, onion, and celery. Add the crabmeat and shrimp, and mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce, tossing gently with a plastic spatula to mix. Put mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle crumbs over top. Bake until a golden brown crust developes.

Tortilla Pie

This is Erin's recipe

2 Tblsp. oil

1 chopped onion

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

Saute the above in a frying pan. Then add:

2 Tblsp. tomato paste, 3 cloves garlic and 1 lb. hamburger. Cook till the hamburger is done and add:

10 oz. corn

3 c. fresh spinach till wilts

In a greased 9 x 13 pan, layer flour tortillas, meat mixture, monterey jack cheese. End with tortillas and cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with sour cream.

Pasta with Sausage, tomatoes and mushrooms

(Erin's recipe - makes at least 8 servings)

2 1/2 lbs. Italian sweet sausages, casings removed - or 2 1/2 rolls of Jimmy Deans sweet Italian sausage

3 Tblsp. olive oil

1 1/2 lb. mushrooms, thickly sliced

3 c. chopped onions

1 1/2 c. chopped fresh basil (or about 3 Tblsp.)

1/4 c. chopped fresh oregano (or about 1 Tblsp.)

6 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 c. dry white wine (I used Chardonnay or white cooking wine or use chicken broth.  Make sure you really reduce the liquid if you're using the wine so the alcohol is cooked out)

1 xtra large can and 1 reg. can crushed tomatoes

2 cans diced tomatoes

2 Tblsp. butter

1 1/4 lb. pappardelle or any wide, flat noodle

1 1/2 c. grated pecorino Romano cheese (about 4 1/2 oz.)

Saute sausage in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until brown, about 12 min. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl. Add oil to drippings in pot. Add mushrooms and onions; saute until tender and brown, about 15 min. Stir in 2 Tblsp. or 1 c. basil, oregano, and garlic; saute min. Add wine or broth; cook until almost absorbed, about 4 min. Add sausage and crushed tomatoes; cover and simmer over medium heat until thickened, about 25 min. Add diced tomatoes and butter; simmer until tomatoes are soft, stirring frequently, about 15 min. Season with salt and pepper (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing)

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain well; return to pot. Pour sauce over pasta; toss to coat. Add 1/2 c. cheese and 1 Tblsp. basil, toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Rice Balls

These freeze well. Stuff with lots of cheese and meat.

Makes about 20

4 c Arborio rice

1 T olive oil

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

5 large eggs

1 1/2 c Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 1/2 c Italian-style breadcrumbs

2/3 c finely chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper

1 lb fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 lb thinly sliced hot capicolla or proscuitto, halved and folded into quarters

canola oil, for frying

Marinara sauce

Place rice and 6 cups of water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a medium-low and cook, covered, stirring often, until water is completely absorbed, 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside until completely cooled.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.

Stir 3 eggs, one at a time, into cooled rice. Add parmesan and parsley; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Fill a large bowl with water. Dip your hands into the water and then form rice mixture into a 2 1/2-inch ball. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat process until all of the rice has been used. Using 2 fingers, make an indentation in each ball. Fill each ball with 1 piece of mozzarella cheese and 1 piece of meat. Press together to enclose. If necessary, add more rice mixture to cover.

Beat remaining 2 eggs in a medium bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Dip each rice ball first in egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs to coal. Gently remold rice balls if they begin to loose their round shape. Return to parchment paper-lined baking sheet, set aside.

Fry in 5" of oil heated to 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes.

Holiday Brunch Casserole

Makes 6 servings

1 package Jimmy Dean sausage; cooked, drained and crumbled

4 1/2 c cubed day-old bread

2 c shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

10 eggs, slightly beaten

4 c whole milk

1 t dry mustard

1 t salt

1/4 t onion powder

Fresh ground pepper to taste

1/2 c sliced mushrooms (optional)

1/2 c peeled, chopped tomatoes (optional)

Place bread in well-buttered 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine the next six ingredients. Pour evenly over the bread and cheese. Sprinkle sausage and optional ingredients over the top. Cover and chill overnight. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake uncovered for about 1 hour. Tent with foil if top begins to brown too quickly.

Chicken Divan

I got this when we lived in Boston

Serves: 6

4-6 boneless chicken breasts, cooked
2 pkgs. Frozen broccoli, cooked
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise (perhaps 1/3 or ¼ cup…this really is a lot of mayo and makes it really gooey)
1 Tbls. Lemon juice (optional)
½ cup grated cheese

Layer chicken & broccoli. Combine the soup, mayonnaise, and lemon juice and pour over the top. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes.

3 Cheese & Chicken Bake

Serves: 6

1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 large eggs
¼ cup milk
2 Tbls. Olive or veg. Oil
1 lb. Boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into chunks
Salt
Pepper
2 red, yellow, or green bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 lb. Hot cooked penne or bow tie pasta

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, eggs and milk; set aside.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and cook chicken, stirring occasionally, 6 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove chicken; set aside. In same skillet, over medium-high heat cook onion and peppers, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until onions are golden brown and peppers are very tender. Stir in vinegar and boil 1 minute. Stir in chicken and toss mixture with hot cooked pasta.
In lightly greased 13 x 9-inch pan, spoon ½ of the pasta mixture; evenly top with ricotta mixture, then remaining pasta mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through.