Kristi's Cheesy Baked Chicken

My family LOVES this chicken.  I had kids begging for more.  Always do.  Thanks Kristi. 

She doesn't even remember this chicken but I do.  Years ago, I went to visit at my in laws where Kristi was living and this chicken was sitting on the stove, ready for dinner.  I couldn't help but sample, then sample again and probably again.  It was heavenly and quickly became a favorite at our house.

Kristi didn't remember this chicken when I asked for the recipe but suggested a site where she may have found it so I searched until I found it.

Give it a shot.  You'll be glad you did.  It's yummiest when the chicken is cut into small chunks.

Ingredients:

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley (I just use about a tablespoon of the dry stuff)

2 T. olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper (ground black)

3 lbs. fresh chicken drumsticks (not me, I use good old chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut into chunks)

1/2 c. dry bread crumbs

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Combine parsley, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in mixing bowl.  Add chicken pieces, turning to coat evenly.  Place in 9x13 pan and cover and refrigerate for one hour.  Roll chicken pieces in bread and cheese mixed together.  Place back in pan and bake.

This is where I didn't finish writing down the recipe.

So I baked it at 350* for 40-45 minutes.  (Let me know if I should change this.)

Enjoy!!

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

This soup is so good and creamy. Chicken Noodle soup with a twist. I use to eat this at my friend's house during high school and finally about 10 years later, I got the recipe. It is from one of the Lion House Cookbooks.

Ingredients:
2 tsp. chicken soup base, or 2 bouillon cubes
3 cups canned chicken stock
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cans (10 1/2 ounces each) cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup evaporated milk, or 1/2 cup whole milk
Roux
2 cups cooked diced chicken
2 1/2 ounces (about 4 cups) cooked noodles
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat chicken soup base and stock together. Add carrots, celery, and onion, and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add cream of chicken soup and milk. Thicken with roux as desired, then add cooked chicken and noodles. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 2 1/2 quarts, or 10 one -cup servings.

*Roux is an equal of amount of melted butter and flour mixed together used to thicken soups, etc. I DO NOT USE ROUX in this recipe. I think the soup is thick enough without it.
*I also chop my vegetables with a chopper so they are very small. My kids tend to eat it better this way.

Harvest Spaghetti and Chicken

I think I made dinner about three times all summer. Isn't that awful?!! Well, a good dinner. We had plenty of last minute Little Caesars, eggs in tortillas, toast and eggs, omelettes, and mac n cheese. School started and I'm back. What also helped is I just got home from visiting family and they spoiled us rotten with their amazing food. I was inspired. And I'M BACK!!

This was quick and easy and yummy. And a great way to use zucchini. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cut in small pieces

3 T. cooking oil

2 c. zucchini, thinly sliced

3 med. carrots, sliced thin

2 garlic cloves, minced.

1 T. flour

1 1/2 c. milk

1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 t. salt

1/2 t. basil

8 oz. spaghetti, cooked

Directions:

Sitr fry the chicken pieces in oil until tender and add vegetables and cook until just tender. Sprinkle and stir flour into the mixture and add milk, all at once, and cook until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Add cheese, salt and basil and fold into the cooked spaghetti and serve. Serves about 8.

Ham (or Chicken) Fried Rice

Is it 5:00 p.m. and you haven't thought of dinner? Well this is the dish for you. This fried rice was soooo good. And as a meal, it can basically stand on its own. I had some leftover rice and so I made it with that and it was soooo easy!  As soon as I can find the recipe that I adapted this from, I will share the link!
 
Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons Butter, Divided
6 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Chopped
1 cup Frozen Peas And Carrots
½ cups Diced Ham Or Cooked Chicken
3 whole Eggs Beaten
3 cups Cooked Rice, Chilled
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce Or More To Taste

Salt And Pepper, to taste


Directions:

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small glass dish in the microwave. Add the minced garlic and lemon juice to the melted butter and stir to combine. Set aside to allow the flavors to mingle.

Chop the onions. Measure out the peas/carrots, ham, rice, and soy sauce. Finally, you should beat the eggs in a small bowl. Doing some of the measuring/prep work before you start cooking is crucial.

In a large, non-stick skillet, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the peas and carrots and cook for about 3 minutes. Then add the diced ham or chicken. Cook for 1 minute. Push all of the contents of the skillet to one side to keep them from cooking too much. On the empty side of the skillet, add the beaten eggs. Season with a little salt and pepper and scramble until just set. Integrate the eggs with the veggies and move everything back to the edge of the skillet.

Quickly add the garlic mixture to the pan and use a spatula to break it up. Cook it for about 1 minute or so (longer if you do not want an intense garlic taste). If you are worried about the strong flavor of garlic, you can add the same amount of garlic but add it with the peas and carrots. This will give the garlic ample time to mellow and sweeten by the name everything is cooked.

Add the cold, cooked rice and mix it in with the other ingredients. I made this with leftover rice!!! Add the soy sauce and stir to combine. Stir it every 30 seconds for about 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper, and/or additional soy sauce, if desired. Stir one last time and transfer everything to a serving bowl.

Masaman Chicken Curry

I love Thai food and I enjoy the challenge of trying to duplicate a dish I enjoy at a restaurant. Awhile back I had Masaman Chicken Curry at a wonderful Thai restaurant. I've had a bit of a craving and decided to try to duplicate it. I searched recipes online and couldn't find one that had the same ingredients, so I improvised and this is what I came up with yesterday. It was fantastic! The broth wasn't quite as thick as the restaurant, but since we ate it over brown rice instead of just as a soup, it was fine. The flavors were all there and it was delicious. I can't wait for lunch today when I'll be eating leftovers. The picture is without the cashews. Sorry.

3 tbsp. red curry paste
2 cans (approx 13 oz.) coconut milk
3 tbsp. fish sauce
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups water
1/2 tsp. coriandor
1 onion finely chopped
4 cups cut up potatoes
2 cups sliced carrots
3 cups chicken cut in bite-size pieces
1/2 cup cashews

Stir together curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce, salt and water. Bring to a boil and then immediately turn down to simmer. Add the rest of the ingredients and let it simmer on low for three or four hours. This lets the flavors meld. Add cashews during the last hour or so. (I forgot so my cashews weren't slightly softened like they usually are. They'll be better today.)

I served this over brown rice. เพลิดเพลิน

White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

These were really yummy and really easy. I bought a bag of frozen chicken from Costco and cooked and cubed it all with oregano, basil, and garlic. That made this recipe super easy because the chicken can be frozen in sandwich bags in smaller portions and is ready for a meal like this. I found this recipe here. (Let's Dish)

Ingredients:

8-10 soft taco size flour tortillas

2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese, divided

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

3 T. butter

3 T. flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1 4 0z. can diced green chiles

Chopped, fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425*. Mix together 1 cup of the cheese and the chicken. Place equal amounts of the chicken mixture into each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a lightly greased 9x13 pan. In a skillet or saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Stir in the sour cream and green chiles. Pour sauce over the top of the enchiladas; sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

Chicken Pillows

Recipe in next post or by clicking here.

Chicken Pillows

Picture of this recipe found here.
I knew this was one of my husband's favorites but tonight I found out ALL of my kids love it! They were so excited when they saw what I made. And the fun thing about it is without the sauce on it, the kids just picked them up and ate them like a sandwich. We have eaten them as cold sandwiches the next day and they are good. We seem to always eat these with peas.
I have made these in all the variations. I usually do this recipe with the cream of chicken soup and milk as gravy but my favorite variation is with the mushrooms and pimento and sour cream gravy.
Ingredients:
2 tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
1 8 oz. cream cheese
2 cups cooked and cut up chicken breast (or for super easy, open a can or two of chicken)
Directions:
Mix together the cream cheese and cooked chicken. Unroll the crescents and put a spoonful on each cresent. Roll up and place on a greased cookie sheet.
Bake 375* for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. (make sure they are golden or they might be doughy in the middle). Or follow the directions on your can of crescents, still making sure they are golden brown.
Options:
*Heat a can of cream of chicken soup with some milk or chicken broth and use as a gravy.
*Dip the pillows in butter and bread crumbs (plain or italian) before baking.
*Mix a small can of mushrooms, a small bottle of pimento and chopped onion (opt.) in with the cream cheese. Roll in bread crumbs, bake until browned then mix one can cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup with 16 oz. sour cream. Heat and serve over crescents.

Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

Here's another recipe from Pioneer Woman that I decided to try out. I am a sucker for pasta dishes and the lemon & basil idea intrigued me.  I pretty much followed the recipe, although I believe I was a bit short on the basil and I, of course, threw in extra cream. It was fairly quick and easy and ended up being flavorful and different. I especially think this would appeal to people who have a particular affinity for all things lemon. Very fresh-tasting with a bit of a tang. 

For the chicken breasts, I followed PW's advice for the marinade:

Olive oil
Juice of four lemons

Dijon

A tiny bit of honey

A dash of salt

Mine marinaded for about 4 hours. Grill them. Set them aside and keep them warm. (Oh and maybe don't overgrill them and completely dry them out like I did.)

 

Ingredients:

4 whole Grilled Chicken Breasts, Sliced

1 pound Pasta, Cooked Until Al Dente

½ sticks Butter

3 whole Lemons, Juiced

¾ cups Heavy Cream

¼ cups Half-and-half

1-½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Romano)

Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

20 whole Basil Leaves, Chopped

Instructions:

Cook pasta, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander.

In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 to 4 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in cream and half-and-heat. Whisk until hot. Dump in cheese and most of basil and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.

Pour pasta and sauce into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle remaining basil all over the top, then add sliced chicken breasts. Serve immediately!

Italian Crock Pot Chicken

This recipe is AWESOME!!! I had just a few minutes to get out the door so I threw frozen chicken in the crockpot with the seasoning and sat a stick of butter on top. Turned on my crockpot and ran out the door. Hours later I came home and finished this off quickly. It really was so great to walk in the door and finish this meal as quick as I could make rice.
The chicken is amazingly tender and this meal was so so good.
It came from 4 different people in my neighborhood cookbook. It's a hit and will be a regular around here now.
I used the leftovers to make Chicken Pillows. It was yummy.

Ingredients:

6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 packets Italian dressing seasoning mix
1/4 c. water or 1 cube of butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
Directions:Combine chicken, Italian dressing mix, and water or butter in crock pot. Cook on high 5-7 hours until chicken falls apart and is very tender. Add the cream of chicken soup and cream cheese and mix it together. Let the chicken slightly shred as you stir it then let it all heat together. Serve over rice or noodles.

*Be careful mixing in the cream cheese and soup. I stirred too much and it got mushy.

*You can also add a can of drained mushrooms or serve it over potatoes. YUM!!!

Chicken Lentil Crock-Pot Soup

This had a rich, hearty taste. I love lentils. Eating them makes me feel healthier. I served this with a crusty bread and butter and the whole family enjoyed it! I also love ham and lentil soup and next time I'm going to try this soup with ham.

Ingredients:9 cups broth

2 cups lentils, picked over and rinsed

4 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced

3 celery stocks, finely diced

1/2 cup uncooked rice (I used black rice, but you can use any rice you want)

2 tbsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

3 cups cooked chicken cut or broken into bite-sized pieces

sour creamDirections:

Stir together broth, lentils, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, thyme and salt and pepper in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. With one hour left, remove 2 cups of soup and puree in a blender or food processer until almost smooth. Stir back into soup. Add cooked chicken for the last hour.

Garnish soup with sour cream. I think it would be good with grated cheese as well.

White Chicken Enchiladas

This picture does not do these justice. I absolutely LOVE the flavor of these chicken enchiladas. And I love that it uses corn tortillas. Another trusty recipe, though slightly adapted, from Pioneer Woman. At the end of making this you will have a lot of dirty dishes, but I think you'll find that this dish is a hit with your whole family! The jalapeno & green chiles are so subtle that my kids don't even notice them or pick them out!

Ingredients:

2 1/2-ish cups Cooked, Shredded Chicken

2 cups Reserved Broth From Chicken (remember to do this! that broth is awesome)
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
appx. 12 whole Corn Tortillas
1 whole Large Onion, Diced
1-2whole 4 Oz Cans Whole Green Chilies, Diced (PW calls for 4 cans...I can't imagine, but if you REALLY love green chilies, then go for it.)
1 whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Finely Diced
1 teaspoon Paprika
1/2-3/4 cup Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 cup Sour Cream
2-½ cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Cilantro, Chopped

Directions:

Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas for no longer than 20 seconds, just to soften (don't let them get crispy.) Place tortillas on a large towel or stack of paper towels to drain. Yes, this adds another step but it really isn't that big of a deal.

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in separate skillet over medium heat. Add onions and jalapenos and saute for 1 minute, just to start the cooking process. Add chicken, half of the green chilies, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Stir together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside. (I could literally just eat this mixture for dinner. It is so good.)
In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in the rest of the chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the other half of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour cream. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top with plenty of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. My tortillas seem to fall apart and not look pretty, but it doesn't matter. (In fact, this whole recipe could be assembled in an enchilada casserole fashion-alternating the chicken mixture with cheese and tortillas with the sauce on top.)

Pour cheese mixture all over the top of the tortillas. Top with extra cheese if you’d like, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro.
(We served pico de gallo on top. Yum.)

Mayonnaise & Parmesan Chicken

This recipe is one I borrowed from Scott's Mom. This baked chicken is simple and delicious.  My entire family loves it. The next time you need to whip something up and throw it into the oven give this a try.

Ingredients
4-5 large chicken breasts
2 cups mayonnaise (I used light)
1 cup shredded  parmesan cheese
about 3/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs, (I think I may use a little more)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. *Cut each chicken breast into 3 or 4 pieces. Place all chicken in bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. In a bowl mix together mayonnaise and parmesan cheese.  Spread mixture evenly over all of the chicken.  Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the mayo and cheese mixture.  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.  Yum


*You do not have to cut your chicken into smaller pieces like this, I just prefer to because it is easier to serve my children and I think each little piece gets a little more sauce than when you leave them whole. 
 

Penne with Zucchini Pistou & Chicken

Pistou: n. A sauce made of garlic, basil, olive oil, and often Parmesan, used on pasta or in soups and stews.

Pistou is to the French what pesto is to Italians. Yum. How can you go wrong with those ingredients plus a bit of heavy cream? You can't. I adapted a recipe I found here and came up with a delicious & different pasta dish for my family. It was wonderful...plus I got to use some of the zucchini(s) that have been sitting on my counter for far too long. 
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 chicken breasts, sliced
3 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices small zucchini
1 cup packed basil leaves
3/4 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion (about 1small)
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
8 ounces uncooked penne pasta (I used about 10-12 oz)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender and golden. Remove from pan; cool.

Place 1/3 of cooked zucchini, basil leaves, 1/4 cup cheese and garlic in a food processor (or blender); process until finely chopped. (Keep mixture in processor.)

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sliced chicken until nearly done. Add onion to pan; sauté 10 minutes or until golden. Add remaining cooked zucchini.

Meanwhile, throw some water & salt in a large pot, and bring to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup cooking liquid.
Add reserved liquid to basil mixture; combine until smooth. Add basil mixture to pasta. Everything is now in the pan except the cream & remaining salt, pepper & cheese.) Add cream, remaining salt, and pepper; stir. Top with remaining cheese. Serve.

Stuffed Zucchini

My sister in law made up this recipe and I love it. I haven't made it in a long time and I didn't have the cheese to put on top. Grow yourself a LARGE zucchini (or get one from a neighbor of buy one) and enjoy this great healthy (except for the cheese) meal.

1 LARGE zucchini
Tomatoes
1 jar prego or favorite sauce
1 can corn, drained
1 can chicken or cooked chicken breast
chili powder
onion powder
garlic
salt and pepper
mozzarella and cheddar cheese

In saucepan, mix sauce, can or corn, chicken, the middle of the zucchini that you scrape out, and spices. Let simmer for a while to blend flavors.
Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Dig out the seed center and chop it up. Lay each zucchini on a large piece of foil on a cookie cheet. Slice tomatoes and lay in the middle of zucchini. Broil for a few minutes. (sometimes I do this, sometimes I don't).
Put cheese on top of tomato layer then fill the zucchini with the sauce mixture. (Also, put a little of the sauce under the zucchini to soften while it bakes).
Wrap the zucchini up in the foil and bake at 350 for about an hour.
When it is done, the zucchini will be very soft (I like it mushy). Soft enough that the skin is really soft. Top with cheese and put it back in to melt.
Cut into slices and serve.
I have also fried bread cubes in butter and put this on top at the end. It just adds an extra yummy taste.

Yolanda's Famous Chicken

I got this recipe from Cooking Light magazine.  I don't know who Yolanda is, but judging from this recipe...I think I'd like her.  This was absolutely wonderful.  We served it with lemon wedge, as the recipe recommended.  Then we had vegetables and mashed potatoes.  The chicken with a hint of lemon was perfect.  But it would also be delicious with gravy or barbecue sauce.  My family absolutely loved them.  The recipe states that you can use pre-crumbed bread crumbs.  I think this would be quicker and okay, but using the actual bread slices leaves you with some yummy big and small crumbs. 

Directly from the magazine:

The family serves these crispy sautéed chicken breasts with lemon wedges only (no sauce). Because they're so flavorful, a spritz of citrus is all they need. You can easily double the recipe to accommodate a larger group—crisp two breast halves at a time in a skillet (or four at a time in two skillets), then finish cooking the whole batch in the oven.

Ingredients:

2 (1 1/2-ounce) bread slices
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon 2% reduced-fat milk
1 large egg
Cooking spray
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
4 lemon wedges

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°.  Tear bread into pieces. Place bread in a food processor; pulse until breadcrumbs measure about 1 3/4 cups.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound chicken to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet.

Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a second shallow dish. Combine milk and egg in a third shallow dish, stirring with a whisk.

Working with 1 breast half at a time, dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Dip into egg mixture; dredge in breadcrumb mixture, pressing to coat evenly on both sides. Place chicken on a large plate. Repeat procedure with remaining breast halves, flour, egg mixture, and breadcrumb mixture; refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray; add 2 teaspoons olive oil, swirling to coat. Add 2 breast halves to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and remaining breast halves.

Bake at 375° for 12 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°. Serve with lemon wedges.  Delicioso!

*By the way...I used this same recipe to bread some tilapia (fish) and it was also very tasty.

Grilled Chicken & Asian Noodle Salad

This recipe is a new fave.  It really belongs to Kristi, who served it to us while we were there visiting last week.  Kristi really knows how to pick amazing recipes.  Cooking just really seems to come naturally to her.  Anyway!  She used this chicken recipe and combined it with this recipe to make a delicious & complete meal with an amazing mix of flavors.  I have made it twice since being home from Oregon.

Chicken

The directions for this versatile grilled chicken are in this previous posting.

Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of rice vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and set aside. 


Salad

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cilantro leaves (chopped)
1/2 cup basil leaves (chopped)
2 green onions (chopped)
1/2 red bell pepper (sliced into thin strips)
1/2 yellow bell pepper (sliced into thin strips)
1 cup carrots (shredded)
1/2 cup of toasted peanuts (optional)
1/2 pound noodles, cooked per instructions

Directions:

Prepare all the vegetables.  I happen to not like large chunks of certain vegetables, so I actually just threw all of the above, minus the noodles, into the food processor and pulsed about 8 times.  The sliced peppers do look prettier though. Cook your noodles according to instructions on package (not a moment over).  I used one box of fettuccini for this. Once the noodles have cooked rinse thorougly with cold water and drain. Once the noodles are completely cool, add the remaining ingredients. Mix the dressing again thoroughly then add to the noodles and vegetables. Stir until well combined and serve with sliced, grilled chicken or as a side to another entree. Serves 6.

Chicken-Broccoli Lasagna

I got this recipe from my grandma and she got it from her sister. It is really yummy. Anything my grandma makes is amazing. She's always been told she should have her own restaurant. She is 92 in two months and doesn't spend as much time in the kitchen as she use to and misses it. I raided her recipe box and found this recipe and it's pretty simple.

Ingredients:

(10 oz.) cooked lasagna noodles
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. basil
3 c. chicken broth
1 boiled chicken, cut up
2 c. cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 head broccoli, steamed
1 pkg. grated mozzarella
1 pkg. grated parmesan

Directions:

Boil noodles, drain. Melt butter in large sauce pan. Blend in flour, salt, basil; stir in chicken broth and cook until mixture thickens and comes to a boil Remove from heat. Add cut up chicken. Mix cottage cheese with egg. Start layering with 1/3 of chicken mixture and then noodles. Next 1/2 cottage cheese, next 1/2 broccoli broken up in pieces. Sprinkle 1/2 of each package of cheese. Start over and end up with 1/3 of the chicken mixture on top. Bake 1 hour at 350*

*Ending up with the sauce on top means you need to go out of order at the end and put the noodles on before the last layer of sauce. I then sprinkled it with a little cheese again.
*I used 3 cups of water and 3 chicken boullion cubes instead of 3 cups chicken broth.

Heavenly Chicken

Don't let the picture of this scare you. It's not the greatest pic but this recipe is worth posting because it is so simple and yummy. My kids love nothing more than chicken and rice and this went over well with all five of my kids. This recipe came from Lorinda LeFevre, a friend from my old neighborhood.


Ingredients:

6 chicken breast halves
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Cream of Celery soup
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika

Directions:
Place chicken in a 9x13 baking dish. Mix together remaining ingredients. Pour mixture over chicken and bake uncovered for 2 hours at 325*. Serve over rice or noodles.

Chicken Pot Pie

My friend Kelli brought this to us when I had Henry. Mm mmmm it was good-especially the homemade, flaky crust. I vowed that I would make this. I decided everyone needs a good ol' Chicken Pot Pie recipe.  This is a great one.  It is actually the Betty Crocker recipe straight from the cookbook.

Ingredients for Filling:

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup milk

2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey

2 cups (1 package) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

Directions for Filling:

Rinse frozen veggies to separate.  Drain.  Heat margarine/butter in large saucepan over medium heat until melted.  Stir in flour, onion, salt & pepper.  Cook, stirring constantly until mixture is bubbly then briefly remove from heat while you stir in broth & milk.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil & stir for 1 minute.  Stir in chicken & vegetables. 

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Prepare pastry.

Ingredients for 10" Pastry:

2 cups  all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening

4 to 6 tablespoons cold water

Directions for 10" Pastry:

Cut shortening/butter into flour and salt until particles are size of small peas.  Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans sides of bowl (1-2 tsp more water can be added, if needed). 

Gather pastry  and form into 2 balls.  Roll out one ball until it is big enough to cover bottom and sides of pan.  Press firmly against bottom & side.  Then roll out 2nd ball to lay on top.  Pour filling into pie.  Seal up sides of pie by pinching, fork, etc. and trim off excess. 

**Baking Instructions:  Bake about 35 minutes or until golden brown. 

For a 9x13 pan, double the above recipe. I usually triple or quadruple it!