Mary's Chicken -n- Rice

Whole Chicken (I crock pot the chicken…save the broth)

2 c. rice (cook in 4 c. chicken broth)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of celery soup

8 oz of Cheez Whiz

1 box of chopped broccoli (thawed & drained)

I crock pot the chicken putting it on about 8:30am. I covered the bottom of the crock pot with celery and onion then placed the whole chicken on top. I filled the crock pot with water almost to the top so I would have lots of broth. It was done by 4pm.

While I pulled the chicken off the bones I cooked the rice in broth. (If the casserole is too sticky at the end it may need a bit more broth, don’t get rid of it yet.)

When the rice is cooked, stir in the soups and cheese. Then stir in the broccoli and chicken. Dump into a 9x13 casserole and cover with foil. Bake at 350 until bubbly. This time I made it without the broccoli since my Gramp can't have broccoli. It looks a little better with the green.

Gram's Lil' Cheddar Meat Loaves

originally from Taste of Home

1 egg

3/4 c. milk

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 c. quick oats

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 t. salt

1 # lean ground beef

2/3 c. ketchup

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1 1/2 t. mustard

In a bowl, beat the egg and milk. Stir in cheese oats, onion, and salt. Add beef and mix well. Shape into 8 loaves; place in 9x13. Combine ketchup, brown sugar and mustard; spoon over loaves. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45 min. or until the meat is no longer pink and a meat thermometer reads 160. Yield: 8 servings.

Palouse Soup Mix

2 1/2 cups green split peas (1 pound)
2 1/2 cups lentils (1 pound)
2 1/2 cups pearl barley (1 pound)
2 cups alphabet macaroni (8 ounce pkg.)
1 cup dried onion flakes (2 3/8 ounce pkgs.)
/2 cup celery flakes (1 3/8 ounce pkg.)
1/2 cup parsley flakes (1 1/4 ounce pkg.)
Optional:1 1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Mix all ingredients together.
Store in a jar with a tight- fitting lid.
Stir before using. Makes 10 cup of mix.

To cook: Combine 1 cup of soup mix with 4 cup of water or seasoned stock in large pan. Add 1 cup of cooked chopped meat, if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover pan. Simmer gently for 45 to 60 minutes, or until peas are tender. (for me...I simmered a lot longer) Add 1/2 teaspoon salt if desired.

Minestrone Variation
Combine 1 cup of soup mix with a 16-oz. can of stewed tomatoes, 2 to 3 cup water or stock, 1 chopped carrot, 1 to 2 chopped potatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon basil. (Optional: 1 clove minced garlic). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover pan. Simmer 45 to 60 minutes or until peas are tender. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, if desired.

Personal notes: I made the mix without the celery flakes. They looked gross dried and I don’t really like celery in my soup. The second time I made this we left out the alphabet noodles. I thought they just got soggy when the soup was cooked long enough to make the peas tender. When I made this for dinner, I used 2c. mix, chicken broth, and 1# browned ground turkey. It was just enough for us for dinner and left-overs for M and I for lunch today. We ate the soup with toast, and M liked his with a bit of shredded pepper-jack.

Gram's Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes.

1/2# chedder cheese shredded.
1/4 c. margarine
5T flour
2 1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. minced onion ( I use about 1/2 Maui sweet onion diced and sauted)
1 1/2 t salt
3/4 t. pepper
7 1/2 cups sliced potatoes (1/8" thick...too thick and they won't cook well)

Make white sauce, turn off heat, add cheese, stir until melted.In a 9x13 pyrex layer sauce, potatoes, onions, potatoes, then top with remaining sauce.Bake at 350 covered for the first 45 min, then uncover for an additional 15 min.(The times here are aprox. Every cook/oven is different. And here we use recipes as guidelines not the law. When it's done, the potatoes will be tender to fork, and the cheese will be bubbly goodness.)

Mexican Lasagna

There is no “real” recipe, and feel free to add and change.

The basic:
9x13 Pyrex
6 Flour tortillas (I use soft taco size)
Enchilada sauce
Refried beans 30oz can
1# Ground beef (browned)
Taco seasoning packet (I use about ½ packet to 1# meat…but my kids don’t like spicy…and you can always add heat later but you can’t take it out)
Shredded Cheese (2c. shredded pkg…or more if you like)

In the bottom of the Pyrex, pour a little enchilada sauce.
Layer 2 tortillas to cover the bottom.
½ can of beans
½ seasoned meat
2 fistfuls of cheese
some more E. sauce
repeat
top with 2 tortillas and some E. sauce

Bake covered until heated through…maybe 20-30 min at 350
Then uncover…sprinkle with cheese and bake until cheese melts.

Variations…
Use chicken, use different beans, I’ve even used whole wheat tortillas (you could use corn…I just don’t like them) sometimes I’ll serve with olives, avocado, cilantro, or cotija cheese on top.