Ro*tel Tomatoes - Chicken Spaghetti and Ro*tel Dip

My sweet and hilariously funny blogging buddy, Mub, asked about Ro*tel tomatoes in the comment section under Cornbread Tomatoes. I thought I'd answer her question in a post, since some others might not be familiar with Ro*tel Tomatoes.

Hey, Mub!

Ro*tel Tomates are just canned stewed tomatoes that have been kicked-up with some green chillies. If you can't get Ro*tel tomatoes in the Netherlands, just throw in some canned green chillies or chopped jalapeno peppers with a can of stewed tomatoes.
I'm not sure about the rest of the country (USA), but in the South, we do love us some Ro*tel tomatoes. We actually just call it Ro*tel. As in - "I added a can of Ro*tel, and it was just what that recipe needed!" I doubt there's hardly a pantry in my town without at least one can of Ro*tel. Most of us don't like to cut it that close though, so we keep several cans on hand. We put it in dips, stews, casseroles - whatever we're cookin' that we think needs a little kick! We particularly love to pair Ro*tel tomatoes with Kraft's Velveeta cheese product. Note the word - product. I honestly don't know all the ingredients in a loaf (yes, loaf!) of Velveeta, I just know it melts like a dream! Two universal (well, at least below the Mason-Dixon Line), all-time favorite uses for Ro*tel tomatoes and Velveeta are Chicken Spaghetti and Ro*tel Dip.
Chicken Spaghetti is one of those dishes that folks will almost argue over. We all have our favorite version, and no one's is as good as our own momma's. So, here is the basic version of Chicken Spaghetti. It's the one most new cooks start out with. Over the years, as our cooking skills increase, we start to fool around with the recipe and really make the dish ours. I have my own version that I just may have to make really soon, since writing this has done thrown a hankerin' on me!

Basic Chicken Spaghetti

Recipes like this account for most of those extra pounds we carry around in our beloved South!

2 pounds chicken breasts
1 large package spaghetti noodles
1 can Ro*tel tomatoes with chilies
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 small loaf (1-pound) Velveeta cheese, diced
1 small onion and 1 green pepper, chopped and sautéed with a stick of butter
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
Boil chicken and de-bone.
In the same water, boil spaghetti and drain.
Mix all ingredients together, except cheddar cheese.
Bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
Garnish with cheddar cheese and serve.

Ro*tel Dip

Here’s the bona fide recipe for what we simply call - Ro*tel, the official dip of the South. I wish I had a nickel for every time I’ve been asked - “Hon, why don’t cha make us a little bowl of Ro*tel?” Any cook down here who can’t pull this dish together on a moment’s notice isn’t considered to be worth their salt! Kids of all ages love this stuff! It’s gotten many a mom through many a teenage party! As long as you can keep the Ro*tel comin’, you’re in good shape!
If you want to “get fancy with it,” throw in a pound of browned, drained hamburger meat or pork sausage. And please don't limit this dish to dip status alone. It makes a wonderful sauce! Pour this stuff over some baked potatoes or French fries, and your family and friends will love you forever!
For those of you who live locally, Oby's has the best waffle fries with Ro*tel! Dude, my father-in-law, loves these! There's an Oby's in Oxford and Starkville, the two closest college towns. It's my theory that it's the waffle fries with Ro*tel that keeps the college kids rollin' in Oby's doors!

Ro*tel® Famous Queso Dip

(NOTE: I’ve never seen this served with vegetables! I honestly think you'd get laughed out of town!)

Prep Time: 5 min.
Total Time: 10 min.

1 lb. (16 oz.) Velveeta Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into ½” cubes
1 can (10oz.) of RO*TEL Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained

MIX a 10oz. can of RO*TEL with a 16oz. package of Velveeta Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product cut into ½” cubes.

HEAT Microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes. Stir after 3 minutes.

EAT Stir and serve with tortilla chips or assorted cut-up vegetables.

Makes 3 cups or 24 servings, 2 Tbsp. each

More great recipes at Tuesdays at the Table!

Mrs. Ruth's Chicken and Rice Casserole - Favorite Recipes Friday

Favorite Recipes Friday

“Without rice, 
even the cleverest housewife cannot cook.”

“If you are planning for a year, sow rice; 
if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; 
if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.” 
~ Old Chinese Proverbs

Mrs. Ruth McCullough, who was a long time educator, brought this casserole to us when one of the kids was born. She kindly shared the recipe, and it has been a family favorite ever since. 

It is a great dish to carry to a pot luck or share with a friend, as Mrs. Ruth did. I always think of her when I make this! Such a sweet and special lady!

Mrs. Ruth's Chicken and Rice Casserole

2 - 3 chicken breasts
1 cup rice
2 ½ cups chicken broth
½ cup finely chopped celery
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup (homemade substitute)
1 (4-ounce) can mushrooms
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 cup crushed corn flakes
3 tablespoons melted butter

Boil chicken breasts until tender. Reserving broth, remove from chicken from boiler and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, cut into bite-size pieces.
Cook rice according to package direction in 2½ cups of the reserved chicken broth. Freeze remaining broth for another use.
While rice is cooking, sauté celery and onions in butter.
Combine all ingredients and spoon into a large casserole dish that’s been sprayed with cooking spray.
Top with corn flake mixture.
Bake for until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Barbecued Chicken Salad

Barbecued Chicken Salad

I love the Barbecued Chicken Salad at Harvey’s, an area chain of casual dining restaurants. 
My friends, Julie and Mitzi, and I all order this almost every time we go to Harvey's.
My homemade version tastes very, very similar. I bake my tortilla strips. Harvey's fries theirs. That's about the only difference. Once you "crunch them down" into your salad as you're eating it, there's really no difference in taste at all. I have been making this salad for years, ever since one of their chefs demonstrated it on a local news channel's cooking segment. Maybe that's why mine tastes so similar!

Barbecued Chicken Salad

This is more of a list than a recipe!
Purchase the amounts of the following ingredients needed for your family:

shredded or chopped lettuce (Harvey's uses shredded, so I do, too!)
ranch dressing (I usually make it for the dry packet.)
canned black beans, drained and rinsed
canned shoe peg corn, drained
chopped green onions
chopped tomatoes
grilled chicken breasts strips (homemade or pre-cooked) tossed with your favorite bbq sauce
corn tortilla strips (homemade or commercially prepared, which are found in the crouton section at the grocery) or you can use crushed tortilla chips, if you don't want to make or buy the strips
shredded Mexican cheese blend

I like to chill all my ingredients, other than the chicken and tortilla chips, if time permits.

Homemade tortilla strips:
Baked Version:
Stack corn tortillas and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Spread strips slightly apart on a nonstick 12x15-inch baking sheet and spray with cooking spray.
Bake in a 400º oven, stirring occasionally, until crisp and lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes.

Fried Version:
Stack corn tortillas and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips. In a deep, heavy frying pan, heat several inches of vegetable oil to a temperature of 375 degrees. Working in batches if necessary to prevent overcrowding, carefully add the tortilla strips to the hot oil, submerging them with a metal skimmer or slotted spoon. Fry the tortilla strips until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully lift them out with the skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer them to paper towels to drain and cool. Set aside, uncovered.

To put salad together:
Toss shredded lettuce with ranch dressing. Top with the remaining ingredients in the order listed. Drizzle with a bit more ranch dressing, if you like.

Visit Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays for more great recipes!

Crescent Chicken Bundles

 Crescent Chicken Bundles  

This was a big hit with Larry and the kids! They loved the Chicken Bundles and the gravy. 
With the mashed potatoes, I was able to use the last of our potatoes, which were nearing the end of their usefulness. 
Green beans, English peas or a simple salad would also make nice accompaniments to this meal!

Crescent Chicken Bundles

1 cup cooked, chopped chicken
4 ounces cream cheese softened
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 (8-count) tube crescent rolls
1 tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese and chicken.
On a lightly floured surface, open crescent rolls and separate dough so that you have four squares.
Spoon meat mixture into the center of each piece of dough, dividing it evenly among squares.
Pull the 4 corners of each square to the top center of mixture, twisting dough slightly.
Seal edges by pinching.
Brush tops with melted butter.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve with Chicken Gravy.

Chicken Gravy

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 
salt and pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; add flour and whisk until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat; gradually add broth and milk, whisking to keep smooth. Return to heat and bring to a gentle boil, whisking constantly until thickened. Add poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.

Reduced-fat Version:

1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; add flour and a bit of the milk, whisking until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat; gradually add broth and remaining milk, whisking to keep smooth. Return to heat and bring to a gentle boil, whisking constantly until thickened. Add poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.

Chicken and Wild Rice Alfredo Bake

  Chicken and Wild Rice Alfredo Bake

Chicken and Wild Rice Alfredo Bake

This dish is easy and very versatile. You can use a jarred Alfredo sauce or make your own. You can also add a can of drained veggies, if you like. Good choices are: French-style green beans, mixed vegetables, mushrooms and water chestnuts.  Slivered almonds make a tasty addition to this dish, too.

½ cup milk
10 oz. package refrigerated Alfredo sauce*
3 cups cooked cubed chicken
6 oz. pkg. long grain and wild rice mix, prepared according to package directions
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a casserole dish with cooking spray.
Mix milk and sauce in large bowl; whisk to combine.
Add chicken and prepared rice to sauce mixture; stir to blend.
Pour into prepared dish and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese.
Return dish to oven long enough to melt cheese.

*Homemade Alfredo Sauce

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups milk
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; add flour and whisk until smooth and bubbly.
Remove from heat; gradually add milk, whisking to keep smooth.
Return to heat and bring to a gentle boil, whisking constantly until thickened.
Add Parmesan cheese; stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
Add salt and pepper.

Chicken Rice-A-Roni and Green Bean Casserole

I made a  little deviation from my original meal plan. I have been wanting to make this for a couple of weeks.  When I ran across a package of cooked, chopped chicken in my freezer this morning, I decided we’d have it for supper tonight.

My friend, Donna, shared this recipe with me over the holidays. Her sister-in-law brought it to a family gathering, and Donna thought it was yummy! We do, too!

It’s simple and easy to make. Donna’s sister-in-law used it as a side dish. I added the chicken (a couple of cups) and made this into a one-dish meal for our supper. Either way, it’s great and makes a large dish! There's plenty for our supper tomorrow night, too!

I did use a tablespoon of olive oil in place of the butter called for on the Rice-A-Roni package.

Chicken Rice-A-Roni and Green Bean Casserole

While I cooked the Rice-a-Roni, I sautéed a couple of cups of fresh mushrooms along with a cup of chopped onion. My kids don’t like canned mushrooms, but love fresh. Go figure! Also, I spooned about half of the mixture into a separate dish for the kids before adding the green beans. Larry and I love green beans, but they don’t. So, this allowed us all to “have it our way!”

Here are the directions as Donna shared them with me! Thank you, Donna! You’re a sweetie!

Chicken Rice-A-Roni and Green Bean Casserole

The green bean casserole was a package of Rice-a-Roni prepared according to package directions.  You can use either Asian flavor or chicken flavor.  Then mix in a can of French-style green beans (or 2?), a small can of mushroom pieces and stems, some minced onion or onion powder, a can of cheddar cheese soup, a can of cream of chicken soup, and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 - 30 minutes.

I served this with my lower-fat version of Garlic and Cheddar Cheese Biscuits.

Cheesy Hash Brown Chicken Bake

This was a big hit with Larry and the kids.   
I think a bit of onion or onion powder would be good in this dish. 

Cheesy Hash Brown Chicken Bake
 

Cheesy Hash Brown Chicken Bake

1 can cream of chicken soup*

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken

4 cup frozen, shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups crushed potato chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine soup, sour cream, milk, chicken and cheese.  Remove and reserve one cup of soup mixture.  Mix remaining mixture with hash brown potatoes.Spread hash brown mixture into prepared pan.  Spread reserved soup mixture over hash brown mixture.  Cove tightly with foil and bake for about 30 minutes.  Remove foil and sprinkle with crushed potato chips. Return to oven uncovered and bake for about 15 minutes longer.

*I made my own by whisking together 2 tablespoons of flour, 3/4 cup of chicken broth and 3/4 cup of milk until thickened.  You can a bit of butter, too.

Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce

 This was really, really good.  It was quick and easy to prepare, too.  

Everyone gave it a thumbs up!

Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce

4 chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup chicken broth, divided
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
Hot cooked rice

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook chicken breast in oil and 2 tablespoons butter until golden brown and no pink remains; drain. Remove and keep warm.
In the same skillet, combine 3/4 cup chicken broth and flour; whisk until smooth.  Stir in sour cream, salt and pepper; heat through.
Meanwhile, in another skillet, combine the remaining butter, chicken broth and mushrooms; cook for 10 minutes or until liquid has evaporated.Combine the cream sauce and sauteed mushrooms.

Serve chicken breasts over rice; top with mushroom cream sauce.

To lighten this dish I...
eliminated the butter and oil and used cooking spray
used fat-free sour cream

Bacon-wrapped Chicken Stuffed with Cream Cheese and Jalapeño

We ate at home last night. Larry grilled this delicious chicken for us! Many thanks to Terri for sharing this recipe! It is really, really good! We didn't use the jalapeños, but I think they would be delicious. I had a jar in the fridge, but no one seem to want them last night. It will give us something to look forward to trying the next time we make this dish. These chicken breasts were so large, we all ended up cutting them in half and saving the rest for tonight.
I also tried a new potato dish called Parmesan Potato Bake. We all really liked it, too!

Bacon-wrapped Chicken Stuffed with Cream Cheese and Jalapeno ,
Parmesan Potato Bake and Mary B.'s frozen tea biscuits

Bacon-wrapped Chicken Stuffed with Cream Cheese and Jalapeño

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken breasts (Larry filleted ours.)
Cream cheese (I used light cream cheese - about an ounce per chicken breast)
Jalapeno peppers
Bacon (Oscar Meyer is our favorite!)

DIRECTIONS FOR GRILLING:

Chicken breasts, spread cream cheese in the middle, sprinkle a few jalapeño peppers, roll, close and wrap a strip of bacon over it securing with a toothpick (Soak toothpick in water so it want catch on fire)! Grill until bacon is crispy!

OR

DIRECTIONS FOR BAKING:

Filet chicken breasts, spread cream cheese in the middle, sprinkle a few jalapeño peppers, close and lay a strip of bacon over it! Bake until bacon is crispy!

Enjoy,
Terri

Gobbler Cobbler

Gobbler Cobbler

Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted. Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:29-32 (The Message)

Thursday - Gobbler Cobbler, Easy Corn-on-the-cob with Herbed Butter and Simplest Cole Slaw

I love the name of tonight's casserole! It just can't help but bring to mind that funny noise that we all associate with the beloved turkey! I've been thinking a lot about the Pilgrims this week. I know, I know it's not even quite October yet, let alone November, but we've been studying the Puritans and the Pilgrims for the past couple of weeks. This time around (we do the four year classical cycle) it's at a much deeper level than when we were reading from the primary A Beka readers or the "First Chapter Books" we have on Squanto. As the kids are now in the rhetoric and logic stages of the trivium, we are really looking at who these first colonist really were, what these folks believed and how they lived out their faith. We have found that they were pretty big on taking the Bible literally - even the stuff that's really hard to do - like keeping a watch on our tongue! When I came across the verse listed at the top of the post this morning, I knew God was speaking to me through His Word. Just as I associate a noisy "gobble-gobble" with a turkey, others associate me with the "noise" that proceeds from my mouth. Am I spreading harmony, good will and the love of Christ, or I am spreading bitterness and sewing seeds of discord? It is a lot that think about! Would that I would be found faithful in doing as the Lord instructs!

We really liked the flavor of Gobbler Cobbler. Unfortunately, it turned out a bit soupy. I made my gravy using two turkey gravy packets. Maybe I should have used jarred. Adding a can of cream of chicken might be a fix, too. I feel like some of the moisture came from the mushrooms and frozen peas and turkey. Since we liked the flavor of this dish so well, I'll give it another shot, making a few adjustments. I thought the Grands topping worked pretty well. Let me know if you try this recipe and how it turns out for you!

Emily, over at Marvelous Recipes, gave this a try, and hers looks really yummy, with a nice consistency. Check out her version HERE!

Gobbler Cobbler

The original recipe called for a Bisquick crust. I’m using the Grands biscuits instead. I’ve included the directions for using the Bisquick.

2 1/2 cups turkey gravy (jarred or made from packet)
3 cups cooked turkey chunks (can substitute chicken)
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
½ - 1 cup frozen chopped onions (If using fresh, sauté a few minutes before adding to recipe.)
2/3 cup Sonoma dried tomato bits (optional)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, divided
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning divided
1 (5-count) Grands Flaky Biscuits

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In 3-quart saucepan combine gravy, turkey, peas, mushrooms, tomato bits, water, 1 tablespoon of the parsley and 1/2 teaspoon of the poultry seasoning. Stir occasionally over medium-low heat until mixture comes to a boil.
Pour turkey mixture into a 9x13 baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Pull biscuits in half and place on top of turkey mixture. Place on baking sheet and bake about 15 - 20 minutes, until turkey mixture is bubbly and biscuits are golden brown.

Alternate Bisquick topping:

2 1/4 cups reduced-fat buttermilk baking mix
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper (1/4 to 1/2)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons low-fat milk

Combine the baking mix, the remaining parsley and poultry seasoning, the pepper and milk; mix just to blend thoroughly.

Top turkey mixture with baking mix mixture, dropping with spoon in six equal mounds.

Italian Chicken Breasts Over Angel Hair Pasta

Larry, Logan and I all really liked the chicken and pasta dish. It was super easy and light! I had some chicken strips in the freezer, so I thawed those to use. I marinated them for about an hour before cooking. I just ended up dumping the marinated chicken strips and dressing into a large skillet and sauteing them on the stove top. This worked great. I'm sure the oven would work equally as well.

Both guys were crazy about the Spinach Caesar Salad, too. M.C. liked the dressing, but she isn't crazy about spinach, so this salad wasn't her favorite. I did make the little homemade dressing, adding just a bit of anchovy paste. This gives the dressing just a tiny zip that makes it extra good! You can find anchovy paste in the grocery near the canned tuna and salmon. (No one carries it in Pontotoc, but you can get it at Kroger in Tupelo.)

Well, I still didn't get to make Mub's Green Onion, Cheese, and Sour Cream Drop Biscuits, as we had two loaves of bread leftover from Macaroni Grill from the week-end. It's feast or famine with the bread around here lately!! I'm going to keep adding these biscuits to my menu until I get to make them!!

Monday - Italian Chicken Breasts Over Angel Hair Pasta and Spinach Caesar Salad

Italian Chicken Breasts Over Angel Hair Pasta

Italian Chicken Breasts Over Angel Hair Pasta

This recipe was inspired by one I came across the other day, unfortunately, I forgot to note where I found it! I think it sounds yummy and very healthful, too!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 c Light Italian dressing
Angel Hair pasta, cooked according to package directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill pasta pot with water and turn burner to simmer.

Place chicken breasts in a sprayed baking dish and cover with dressing.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover for last 5 min. (OR saute in a skillet until done and tender.)
Bring water to a full boil. Add pasta when you remove the foil from the chicken.
Plate pasta and top with chicken breast and pan sauce.

My "Bless Your Heart" Dish - Chicken Spectacular

“Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with sickness
and little things in between.”
~ Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

If you got a chance to listen to Jeanne Robertson's funny tale about her 7-Up Pound Cake, you heard her say that this cake is her traditional dish to carry to those in need. Most ladies down South have a particular "cradle-to-the-grave/bless your heart" dish that we take to our neighbors, friends, and relations to help them to celebrate the birth of a new baby, to recover from an illness, or to comfort them at times of loss.

When you go into a home to deliver your food offering, you can almost always tell what other neighbors and friends have been there before you, just by glancing at the dining room table. It will be laden with familiar bowls and casserole dishes, filled with each community member's specialty.

If you are new in town, be sure to come up with your own unique dish to carry on such occasions. There are two things a newbie must establish from the "get-go" in order to successfully acclimate into any given Southern town's society: which church pew can safely be set on without uprooting another family, who's had a claim staked on that seat since before the 1950's, and what dish isn't already being cooked and delivered to the needy on a regular basis.

Here's mine. Over the past few months, I've literally carried this dish to those joyously celebrating the arrival a brand new baby, to those recovering from surgery, and to family members grieving the loss of a dear loved one. I try to keep the ingredients on hand for at least two of these casseroles at all times. Because I keep chicken cooked and in the freezer, I can have this dish put together and ready to deliver in about an hour, including cooking time. Add a simple green salad and loaf of garlic bread for a complete meal!

Most folks really seem to like this casserole, and I am almost always asked for the recipe. There is one exception, a sweet little friend named Levi. I shared this recipe with his mother. The rest of Levi's family love this dish. Levi hates it! He's even given the dish my name! When he comes to the table and sees this casserole, he groans loudly and says, "Oh, no! It's Chicken Connie Casserole!!"

I have tried to redeem myself in his eyes by sending his mom other recipes I think he will like much better, but I am still afraid that I will forever be associated with a yucky chicken and green bean casserole in Levi's mind!


Chicken Spectacular

This casserole is hearty and very versitle, too. I've listed options below.

3 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 package Uncle Ben's Wild and White Rice, cooked according to package directions (Make rice extra savory by substituting chicken broth for the water)
1 can cream soup (can be chicken, mushroom, celery or onion)
1 med. size jar sliced pimiento(optional - adds pretty color especially at Christmas)
1 can French-style green beans, drained(optional - if your kids hate green beans!)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 - 2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together then pour into a 3-quart baking dish that's been coated with cooking spray.

Bake about 25 to 30 minutes. Spread grated cheese over top, and return to oven long enough to melt cheese.

Options:

You can also make this using 1 pound of browned sausage instead of chicken. When I use sausage, I leave out the green beans.

For a great side dish, just leave out the meat!

One if the best thing about this casserole is that it is so easy to double the recipe. In the same amount of time it takes to make one, you can make two! When I make this for a friend, we almost always have it for our supper, too. This frees me up to deliver the dish and visit for a few minutes. Our supper is already done and waiting when I get home!

Chicken Noodle Casserole, Easy Corn-on-the-cob with Herbed Butter, and Easy Weeknight Rolls

Chicken Noodle Casserole, Easy Corn-on-the-cob with Herbed Butter, 

and Easy Weeknight Rolls

This was a new dish for us. I chose it because it was low in fat and easy to prepare. It was tasty and light. We all like English peas, but M. C. didn't care for them mixed in with the noodles. The rest of us really liked it. Anna ate supper with us, and she said it was good, too. I guess two "thumbs up" from 2 out of 3 teenagers isn't bad!

Chicken Noodle Casserole, Easy Corn-on-the-cob with Herbed Butter, and Easy Weeknight Rolls

Chicken Noodle Casserole

8 ounces wide egg noodles
½ cup onion, finely chopped
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can cream of chicken (I used the low-fat version.)
½ cup sour cream (I used the low-fat version.)
½ cup milk (I used fat free half-and-half.)
2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped in bite-size pieces (I used frozen pre-cooked from my freezer.)
1 ½ cups frozen English peas
a dash or two of cayenne pepper (optional)
1 - 2 slices of bread
butter-flavored cooking spray (I tossed the crumbs with a tablespoon of butter since we had a guest!)
Paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Coat a 2 ½ quart baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Return to boiler.
While noodles cook, sauté onions and mushrooms in a skillet coated with cooking spray. Sauté until tender. Add soup, sour cream, milk, chicken, peas and cayenne; blend well. Toss noodles with soup mixture. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
Process bread in food processor until finely minced. Sprinkle crumbs over casserole; spray with butter-flavored cooking spray.
Bake until hot and bubbly and topping is golden brown.

Southwestern Skillet Chicken

Minute Brown Rice

Southwestern Skillet Chicken

The advertising agency for Minute Rice, Barkley, sent me these samples of Minute Rice Brown Rice to try. I haven't used Minute Rice in years. We think this Brown Rice is pretty good!
This recipe was from the back of the Minute Rice box. M.C. loves rice. This Minute Rice Brown Rice would make a good, quick lunch for her.

Southwestern Skillet Chicken

Instead of using the boneless, skinless chicken breast called for, I used a package of my pre-cooked, chopped chicken from the freezer. I just skipped the part of the recipe that gave the instructions for browning the chicken. I sprayed the skillet with cooking spray and picked up the recipe at Step 2. When the recipe called for returning the chicken breasts to the skillet, I just put in the chopped chicken. Larry, Logan and I all thought this made a good quick meal. It wasn't M.C.'s favorite, as she isn't a big salsa fan, but she said, "I don't hate this. It's ok!"
You could make this just as easily using regular rice. Just increase the cooking time according to the rice package. If you leave off the cheese, or use reduced-fat cheese, it would be a good low-fat meal!

1 Tbsp. oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 cups water
1 cup salsa, thick and chunky
1 pkg. (10 ounces) frozen corn
2 cups MINUTE® Brown Rice, uncooked
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Heat oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add chicken; cover. Cook 5 to 7 minutes per side or until well-browned and almost cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

2. Add rice, water, corn and salsa to skillet; mix well. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low; simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Nestle the chicken into the rice and sprinkle with cheese. Cover; simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and chicken is fully cooked. Serve with additional salsa on the side (if using).

Creamy Italian Chicken, Easy Ranch Caesar, Garlic Bread and 4-Minute Brownie Pie

Creamy Italian Chicken, Easy Ranch Caesar and Garlic Bread

Like all of Roan's other recipes we've tried, we loved the Creamy Italian Chicken! I like that we have the directions for cooking it in a crock pot, and it worked really well using the directions I gave for making it with pre-cooked, chopped chicken from the freezer. I love options, and both of these are real time savers! For more great Crock Pot recipes, visit Debbie at:

http://diningwithdebbie.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-letter-to-jim.html

This made a large dish full!! We all had a nice serving. I made a plate for Dude, Aunt Jean, and for Larry's lunch tomorrow. There's still enough for the mine and the kids' lunch tomorrow, too!!

The salad was a hit, also. We're all big fans of ranch dressing. I made ours with 3/4 cup light mayo and 1/4 cup real. I used skim milk. It made about three cups of dressing. I placed one cup in a little plastic measuring pitcher I got last week at Wal-mart for $1.50. It worked really well with the vinaigrette dressing from last week. I put the other two cups of dressing in a pint canning jar with a plastic lid from a mayo jar. I used a piece of Scotch tape to make a label on the lid. When the dressing is gone, I'll remove the tape and have the lid for the next use.

I also threw together a 4-Minute Brownie Pie. It's quick and uses ingredients we all usually have on hand.

Here's a re-post of tonight's recipes along with the recipe for 4 Minute Brownie Pie.

Monday - Creamy Italian Chicken, Easy Ranch Caesar and Garlic Bread

Creamy Italian Chicken

This recipe was inspired by one I found on my friend Roan’s blog, Joyful Always. Roan gives the instructions for using the crock pot for this recipe. I’ve added notes on how I will prepare this, using my pre-cooked, shredded chicken from the freezer.

4-6 frozen chicken breasts
1 package dry Italian salad dressing mix
1 can chicken broth
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
12-16 oz. pasta (I use angel hair because it cooks quickly. ~ Roan)

Place chicken in crock pot* and sprinkle dry mix on top. Add the can of broth and cook on high for 4 hours.
Add the cubed cream cheese, shred the chicken a little with two forks or some scissors, and stir well. Continue to cook for 30 minutes or until cream cheese is melted. Stir. While the cream cheese is melting, cook the pasta. You can either spoon the chicken and sauce on each plate of pasta, or mix the whole thing together in a big bowl (or the pot you cooked the pasta in). Enjoy!

*Since my chicken is already cooked, I will put my packet of frozen shredded chicken in a sauce pan, sprinkle it with seasoning packet and add broth. I will allow this to come to a boil. I will reduce the temp and allow this to simmer a bit. I will then add cubed cream cheese and allow it to melt and serve mixture over pasta.

Salad Dressing for Easy Ranch Caesar Salad

Easy Ranch Caesar Salad

Mix well:

1 pint Hellmann's Mayonnaise
1 package dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup milk*
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
a bit of anchovy paste, optional

If possible, refrigerate dressing for an hour or so before using.

Shred 1 head of lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle with crushed croutons. Pour on dressing. Toss salad and serve immediately.

*If you like a thinner dressing, add a bit more milk.

4- Minute Brownie Pie

4-Minute Brownie Pie

This is good served with ice cream. It would be great with chocolate syrup and additional nuts on the ice cream, too. We just didn't need the calories.

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup flour
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease 8-inch pie pan.

Place eggs, sugar, butter, flour, cocoa, vanilla, and salt in small mixer bow.
Beat 4 minutes. Stir in nuts and pour into pan.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until done.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole and Mexican Salad

Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole
and Mexican Salad

Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole

We all like Sour Cream and Chicken Enchilada Casserole and Mexican Salad. They're favorites!

Kitchen shears make quick work of cutting the tortillas.

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 can chopped green chilies

2 cups sour cream, OR 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup chunky salsa

2 c. cooked chicken

6 flour tortillas, torn into pieces (6-8 inch size)

2 cups Co-jack cheese, shredded

Mix together first 4 ingredients.

Cover bottom of pan with a thin layer of chicken and sauce mixture.

Layer ingredients in casserole dish in this order:

Top thin layer of sauce with ½ of the tortilla pieces.

Spread ½ of remaining chicken and sauce mixture over tortilla pieces.

Sprinkle with ½ of cheese.

Repeat layers.

Bake at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly - usually about 20 minutes.  

Cheesy Creamy Chicken Breasts, wild rice, Creamed Pea Casserole & “Biscuit” Rolls

Creamy Cheesy Chicken Breast, wild rice, Creamed Pea Casserole and"Biscuit" Rolls

Cheesy Creamy Chicken Breasts

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
4 slices Swiss cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 c seasoned bread crumbs
½ c Parmesan cheese
1/4 c butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Set aside.
Rinse chicken breasts, and pat dry.
Place flour, salt and pepper in a large plastic zippered bag. Place breasts in bag one at a time, and shake to coat well. Brown chicken breasts in a bit of oil in a large skillet.
Place browned chicken breasts in a sprayed 9x9 baking pan. Place one slice of Swiss cheese on top of each breast. Mix broth and chicken soup, and pour over the chicken and cheese.
Place aluminum foil over pan, sealing tightly. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle bread crumb mixture. Return to oven long enough to brown bread crumbs.

Creamed Pea Casserole

2 cans English peas, drained
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
¼ cup chopped, white onion (optional)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Add chopped onions. Whisk constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in Parmesan cheese and dash of salt. Pour sauce over peas, stirring gently until peas are evenly coated. Pour peas into a small sprayed casserole dish. Bake for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Return to oven long enough to melt cheese.

"Biscuit" Rolls

I buy the cheap, store-brand butter flavored canned biscuits. Depending on the size of your family, you can use the 5-count or 10-count rolls of biscuits.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter.
Spray muffin tin.
Open and place a refrigerated biscuit into each muffin cup.
Spoon melted butter over each biscuit.
Bake for about 10 minutes.