GRANDMA'S CHICKEN CASSEROLE

 I've always been into easy and quick recipes. Maybe that is because I was teaching school and that is a job that doesn't stop when you walk out of the classroom. Also as a mother of two athletic boys who were always playing a sport, I didn't have time for elaborate dishes that took a lot of ingredients and time to make.

Now that I am retired I have the time, most of the time, but I still like quick and easy. I'm fortunate that Wayne will eat the same meal until we eat it all - as long as he likes it. That is especially helpful on the days that I have a full agenda.

This recipe called Grandma's Chicken Casserole is not one of my grandma's - just the name of it from Betty Crocker. It fits all of my requirements for quick and easy plus I could make less by cutting the recipe in half. It still lasted us several days, but that was okay because I really enjoyed it. If you have a larger family or having friends over, just double the recipe and bake in a 9 x 13 - inch glass baking dish.

The can of soup is the only fixed ingredient. The rest of the ingredients can be adjusted to fit your baking dish.

PRINT the recipe.

GRANDMA'S CHICKEN CASSEROLE

1-1/2   cups chopped cooked chicken

1         can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup

1         cup shredded cheese ( 4 oz)

1-1/2   cup crispy bread crumbs

3         tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place prepared chicken evenly in bottom of ungreased glass baking dish. My dish is about 7 x 11 - inches. (I had cooked two chicken breasts and used enough chicken to cover the bottom.)

Spoon and spread the soup evenly over the chicken.

Sprinkle with cheese. 

Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the cheese.

Drizzle the melted butter over top.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread crumbs are golden brown and thoroughly heated.

Serve warm.

CHICKEN TETRAZZINI

 I'm attempting to try recipes that I recently added to my binder in addition to ones I find in cookbooks I buy at estate sales. I also haven't made a casserole in a few weeks so when I got to thinking what I could cook for us to eat this week, I thought this recipe for Turkey Tetrazzini would be good except I would make Chicken Tetrazzini instead since I didn't have any turkey. Sounds like a good plan, wouldn't you say?

Since there is just the two of us and the recipe makes enough to serve at least six, I took some to Friend Fran to enjoy. She was getting bored with her meals and asked for some recommendations. I sent her some but then decided if I took her some of the casserole we wouldn't have to eat it for so many meals this week. She said it just hit the spot.

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CHICKEN TETRAZZINI

1/2     pound (8 ounces) uncooked spaghetti

1/4     cup finely chopped onion

1        garlic clove, minced

1        tablespoon butter

3        tablespoons cornstarch 

1        can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth (I made my own using two chicken bouillon cubes with 14 ounces hot water)

1        can (12 ounces) fat-free evaporated milk

3        cups cubed cooked chicken breast

1        can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained

1/2     teaspoon seasoned salt

Dash pepper

2        tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/4     teaspoon paprika

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 - inch deep casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in the butter until tender.

Combine the cornstarch and broth until smooth.

Stir into the onion mixture.

Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or

until thickened. Reduce heat to low.

Add the milk;

cook and stir for 2 - 3 minutes.

Stir in the spaghetti, chicken, mushrooms, seasoned salt and pepper.

 

Transfer to the baking dish and

cover with lid.

Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover;

sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and paprika.

Bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until heated through.

Serve warm        

SIMPLE CHICKEN/TURKEY SOUP

 Friday morning we attended the dedication ceremony of our newly opened library about a mile from us. We are really fortunate in Kansas City and the surrounding area to have a library system called the Mid-Continent Public Library that covers three counties - Platte, Clay, and Jackson counties. The city limits of Kansas City is in all three counties but the library system covers many more cities in these three counties. 

The library near us was thirty years old and needed updating and enlarged so after voters approved tax money to build a newer, considerably larger state-of-the-arts library a mile or two away and right down the road from us. Green Hills Library Center is the result. The Culinary Center is the only one in the region and will open next year. It is going to be really spectacular. I am so looking forward to it. At the bottom of this post I will share some pictures of my first visit with grandkids Madison and Tyler. They were so excited about going as they watched it being built every time we drove past it this year.

We ran an errand to Menards afterwards and then went home to make some turkey soup with the leftover turkey from our belated Thanksgiving. Wayne immediately started looking for a recipe but I stopped him with, "Wait! I have a recipe I recently found that I wanted to try."

Finding the recipe our turkey noodle soup became a chicken soup using turkey instead of chicken. I had started cooking some rotini to use in place of the noodles but then changed my mind when I read the recipe and saw the ingredients especially the mixed vegetables. (I told Wayne he could just eat them with some butter.) 

Jump to the end by the time the soup was finished I had dished out some for him and added the cooked pasta. So the simple chicken soup turned into still a simple recipe but not exactly what the recipe intended. BUT it is very delicious. AND the little bit of turkey we had leftover after a couple of cold turkey sandwiches made us meals for several days.

PRINT RECIPE.

SIMPLE CHICKEN/TURKEY SOUP

2     cans (14.5 ounces each) chicken broth. (I made my own broth using chicken bouillon cubes and hot water) 

1     tablespoon dried minced onion

1     package frozen mixed vegetables

2     cups cubed cooked chicken breast or turkey

2     cans (10 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted (low sodium)

1     teaspoon Nature Seasons

In a large saucepan, bring the broth and onion to a boil. Reduce heat.

Add the vegetables; cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Stir in the chicken or turkey and soup;

add seasoning

heat through.

I cooked 1 cup of chickpea rotini and

added it to some of the soup and then

added the rest of the soup to it. The turkey I used was smoked turkey our son Patrick made for our Thanksgiving so it gave the soup an extra yummy taste to it. 

At the dedication we learned that the fork outside the front of the library is the fifth largest fork on display in the nation.

Cups hanging over the "cafe" which is opening in January. 

The kids found books and they wanted to read them to me. I'M MY OWN DOG by David Ezra Stein was the cutest book and I would highly recommend it. It is told from the dog's point of view.

STRAWBERRYCHICKEN SALAD

 I love sharing recipes with you. Most people you read my blog consider it a recipe or food blog even though I started it for more of a tutorial blog for quilting/sewing/crafts projects. If I were to collect the posts into categories (which by the way, if you view the web version of my blog would could see the index by "Labels" or categories), I do have more recipes than I do tutorials for projects. Tutorials take several hours to write, but I do feel good after I have written them.

AND most of my recipes lean more toward desserts than anything else, but everyone or at least most people like and want a little sweetness in their life. I say "a little" because I do try to reduce the sugar in many of my recipes but not the sweetness.

Saying this, I always enjoy sharing a recipe that isn't a "dessert" and that is what this recipe is. It all started with my cooking a frozen chicken breast in my slow cooker earlier last week to use in something that called for cooked chicken that we might enjoy for a meal. That day I threw together a chicken salad with half of the "pulled" chicken with things I had in my refrigerator. 

Move forward two days and Friend Janice and I were out going to estate sales and enjoying lunch out. We went to an estate sale for a Berry Farm in a nearby town. The house was what I would call an old farmhouse and most of the things were beautiful but I didn't have room or a need for anymore. As we were leaving, Janice stopped at a small bookcase in the kitchen of cookbooks. I told her I hadn't even looked at the cookbooks at the two previous sales we had been to as I proceeded to pick up one that looked interesting. I settled on a smaller one called Berry Lovers Cookbook. The "o" in Lovers was a drawing of a strawberry. It contains recipes using Blueberries, Blackberries, Cranberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, and other Berry Recipes. I actually found more interesting recipes in the cranberry section that I will be making and sharing soon, but this recipe in the strawberry section was the first one I tried.

Saturday I decided to use the rest of the shredded/pulled chicken making another chicken salad. I have never had a chicken salad using strawberries and admit it was different, but we really enjoyed it. I didn't have all of the ingredients (lime peel and chutney) and a few ingredients I omitted on purpose (curry powder and red onion) because they aren't my favorite, but you probably do the same thing when you make a recipe. I will share the original recipe since I referenced the cookbook, but indicate my changes. Would love to hear from you if you decide to follow the original recipe in the comment section below. I also cut the recipe in half since I only had a cup of cooked chicken. One other personal note: As I said I cut the recipe in half which meant 1/2 teaspoon of salt. This was too much salt for our taste since we don't eat our food with a lot of salt. Since I didn't use the chutney either, I did sprinkle a package of stevia over the salad to help combat the salt taste.

A printable copy of the RECIPE

STRAWBERRY CHICKEN SALAD

1/2       cup mayo or salad dressing

2          tablespoons chopped chutney*

1          teaspoon grated lime peel** 

1          teaspoon salt

1          teaspoon curry powder*

1          tablespoon lime juice**

2          cups diced cooked chicken

1          cup sliced celery

1/4       cup chopped red onion*

1-1/2    pints (2 cups sliced) fresh strawberries

lettuce leaves

In a large bowl, combine the mayo, chutney, lime peel, salt, curry powder, and lime juice.

Add chicken,

celery, and onion.

Toss, cover, and chill. (I omitted this as I was making it for us to eat then.)

Just before serving, slice enough strawberries to make 2 cups; gently toss with chicken mixture.

 

Line platter or individual serving plates with lettuce. Mound chicken salad in center. Garnish with remaining 1 cup whole strawberries. (Since I was making this for our lunch, I omitted the last step, but admit it would be impressive if serving friends for a luncheon.) 

*omitted

**I substituted lemon peel and lemon juice

I also made a sandwich for us which we shared.

The remaining I ate later as a salad with wheat thins. Yum!