Chicken Casserole

 With cooler weather,  our family likes to settle down and eat comfort food. This chicken casserole is one of our favorites to make. It is so easy to put together, especially if you have left over chicken. 

Ingredients

2 c. egg noodles, cooked
2 to 3 c. chicken, cooked and shredded
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 c. corn, frozen
1 c. whole milk
2 (10 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
1 c. (4 oz.) cheddar cheese, shredded 
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 tsp. onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
3 c.  stuffing mix, crushed or Ritz crackers
5 Tbs. butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray or grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine egg noodles, chicken, onion, sweet bell pepper, garlic, cream cheese, corn, milk, cream of chicken soup, cheddar cheese and bacon.  

Season with onion powder and salt and pepper to taste. Spread in prepared baking pan. 

Combine the stuffing mix with the butter.  Sprinkle over the top of the chicken mixture.

Place the baking pan in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, and the dish is heated through.

Notes

You can use canned corn. Just be sure to drain the liquid out of the can.

Ritz crackers or panko bread crumbs can be used instead of stuffing mix.

If you want to reduce some calories, use 3/4 cup French fried onions in place of the stuffing and butter.

Cranberry Fluff Salad

This salad is so good, it is almost like eating dessert during the meal.  Even people who do not like cranberries will like this salad.

Ingredients

3 c. fresh or thawed frozen cranberries,  ground up in a food grinder
1 (20 oz.) can unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
1 small can mandarin oranges
2/3 c. sugar
dash salt
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 small box pistachio instant pudding

Directions

In a large bowl, combine ground cranberries, crushed pineapple, marshmallows, mandarin oranges, sugar, and salt.  Mix well.  

Cover the bowl with a lid or a sheet of plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, beat whipped cream until stiff peaks form.

Mix the pistachio instant pudding mix into the whipped cream.

Gently fold the whipped cream in the cranberry mixture.  Serve and enjoy.

Notes;

You can pulse the cranberries with a food processor if you don't have a food grinder.

You can use or red or green grapes instead of pineapple.

Instead of mandarin oranges, chop up one apple or a banana and use that instead.

If you like nuts, add some chopped walnuts.

Replace the marshmallows with cooked rice.

If you don't have whipping cream, substitute it with 1 container whipped topping.

Buttery Pull Apart Bread

This is a buttery pull-apart bread that is so good.  It disappears quickly at our house.  They are very easy to make too.  You can put some minced garlic in the dough balls or add it to the melted butter that you roll the balls in.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. yeast or 1 pkg yeast
1 Tbs. sugar
1/4 c.very warm water, 110 to 115°
3/4 c. warm milk
1/4 c. sugar
4 to 4 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
4 to 4 1/2 c. flour
6 Tbs. butter melted

Directions

Heat oven to 350°.  Grease two loaf pans, or you can use a fluted tube pan.

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm water.  Set aside in a warm location for 10 minutes, allowing the yeast to activate or bloom.

Add sugar, 1-cup flour, butter, egg, and salt.  Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. 

Stir in the rest of the flour to form a soft dough.  When it gets too hard to stir, turn the dough out onto a floured surface.  Knead in the remaining flour until the dough is only slightly sticky.  Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap or a tea towel. Place the bowl in a warm location and allow the dough to rise until doubled, or about 60 to 90 minutes.

Punch the dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut off pieces of dough and roll the dough between the palms of your hands to form 1 1/2 inch balls. Dip and roll each dough ball in the melted butter. Place in prepared pan or pans, placing balls on top of each other.

Cover with a tea towel and place in a warm location to rise until doubled in size. This takes about 45 minutes.  Carefully remove the tea towel.

Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter.

 Cheesy Taco Beef Casserole

This is a quick and easy meal, perfect for the times when you don't want to spend much time in the kitchen but want a comforting meal to share with your family. 

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
1 jalepeno pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can spicy chili beans or black beans
1 c. salsa or picante sauce
1 (10 oz. ) can diced tomatoes and green chilies, like Rotel
2 Tbs. taco seasoning or 1 package taco seasoning
salt and pepper to taste if needed
1 (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
1 (9 3/4 oz)pkg. nacho flavored tortilla chips, or plain
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. pepper jack cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly grease a 2.5 qt casserole dish.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, cook ground beef, onion, sweet bell pepper, jalapeño pepper and garlic. Cook and crumble the beef until the meat is no longer pink.  Drain.

Stir in black beans, salsa, and diced tomatoes and green chilies, taco seasoning blend.  Add salt and pepper if needed.

Layer half of the nacho flavored tortilla chips in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.  Layer half of the meat mixture over the chips. Then add half a can of soup over the top of the meat.  Smoothing it out as good as you can. Or you can just add it by the teaspoonfuls over the top. Next, sprinkle half of the cheddar cheese and pepper jack cheese over the soup.

Repeat the layers. 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until thoroughly heated and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Note:

Some recipes say to drain and rinse the black beans, but we do not. The juice adds flavor to the dish. 

You can easily make your own taco seasoning. Check out our recipe for Taco Seasoning Blend.

Old Fashioned Hard Candy or Broken Glass Candy

This is an old recipe that we make during the holidays.  As you cook up a batch of this hard candy, it fills the house with the wonderful, refreshing scent of cinnamon, peppermint, or anise.  Tint the candy with the color of your choice.  Put the candy in a clear jar, and you have a wonderful gift to give someone.

Ingredients

3 3/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 c. water
food coloring
1/4 tsp. of your favorite flavoring oil like cinnamon, anise, butterscotch, peppermint,
1/2 c. powdered sugar (optional)

Directions

Butter two 15 x 10-inch heavy baking pans.

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and food coloring. Add as much coloring as you desire to get the color you want.

Over medium heat, stir constantly until the sugar dissolves completely. Bring to a boil.  Cook without stirring until the candy reaches the hard crack stage, or 300° on a candy thermometer. 

Remove from heat.  Carefully and quickly stir in the flavoring of your choice. Pour into the prepared pans and allow the candy to cool completely. If the candy is too thick in places, tilt the pan so the candy evens out.

Dust the candy with powdered sugar if you would like a more frosty look. Then break the candy into pieces.  Store the hard candy in an airtight container. 

Notes

To make the candy into nice squares, quickly score the hot candy with a pizza cutter sprayed with cooking spray. You may have to go back and re-cut through the candy,  Then the candy can be easily broken into squares.

Ham Pot Pie

 Instead of making the usual Chicken Pot Pie, try switching the chicken to ham instead. It makes for a delicious alternative main meal idea. 

Ingredients

1/4 c. butter
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. thyme
1 c. chicken stock
1/2 c. heavy cream or evaporated milk or whole milk
2 c. cooked ham, cut into small pieces
1 2 c. mixed frozen vegetables
1 can croissant dough
1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Heat oven to 350°. Grease an 8 x 2-inch deep pie plate.

Melt butter in a heavy cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and sauté the onions until translucent. 

Mix in the flour.  Cook and stir the flour for about 2 minutes, and it should have a golden brown color.  This removes the flour taste.

Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and cream.  Continue to stir until the mixture thickens. 

Add the garlic powder, thyme, ham and frozen mixed vegetables. Mix well and cook until the vegetables are warm.

Pour into prepared pie pan, or you can leave the mixture in the cast iron skillet if it is ovenproof.  Top with 1 cup shredded cheese.

Open the can of croissant dough. Gently unroll out the croissant dough and place the croissants on top of the ham pot pie. Seal or crimp the edges to keep the bubbling sauce from bubbling out.

Place the pie pan on a baking sheet to keep your oven clean if any of the pie bubbles out. 

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the dough is browned  and the pie is bubbly hot.

Parmesan Cheese Garlic Carrots

 A few simple ingredients can turn these ordinary carrots into a flavorful side dish.

Ingredients

1 lb. baby carrots **
1 Tbs. olive oil, or melted butter
1/2 tsp. garlic salt **
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
Balsamic vinegar (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine olive oil and garlic salt.  Stir to combine. 

Add carrots. Mix until the carrots are coated in the olive oil and garlic salt mixture.

Arrange carrots on prepared baking sheet.

Roast the carrots for about 30 to 45 minutes, or until tender.   You many want to shake the pan or turn the carrots over, so they don't burn on one side.

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top. Bake another 5 to 10 minutes.  

Drizzle some balsamic vinegar over the top and serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

Notes

You can use large carrots cut into pieces of 1.5 to 2-inches in length or cut into half-inch rounds. 

You can use 2 teaspoons minced garlic instead, or the garlic salt.