Archive for the ‘Chicken’ Category

Grandma’s Chicken & Rice Casserole

I love Stouffer’s Grandma’s Chicken and Rice Casserole, but it comes in a pretty small package for a family of  our size.. and at $7.00 a box it’s not too cost effective either.  I worked on the recipe.. and here’s what I came up with.  I believe the secret to this recipe is sharp cheese.. so the sharper the better.

Here’s what you need:

1 small onion                                                      2  carrots diced

1 cup of peas                                                       4 cups of rice

1 large can of Cream of Chicken soup        1 small can of Cheddar cheese soup

3 large chicken breast                                      2cups milk

8 ounces Sharp cheddar Cheese                   salt & pepper to taste

1 stick of  butter or margerine

• In a stock pot put water and chicken breasts. Boil the chicken until it’s cooked.  Once cooked, shred the chicken and put it aside.
• Cook rice according to the instructions on the box.  Set aside.

Time for the Sauce…

• melt butter in a sauce pan.

• add onions, carrots and peas.
• cook until the onions are soft
• add cream of chicken soup, cheddar cheese soup and milk  to the vegetables, stir together

• Chicken and shredded cheese stir together

• Stir everything together..
• add salt and pepper to taste.

• pour into a casserole dish
• add bread crumbs
• cook at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Recipe: Grandma’s Chicken and Rice

Here’s what you need:

1 small onion                                                      2  carrots diced

1 cup of peas                                                       4 cups of rice

1 large can of Cream of Chicken soup        1 small can of Cheddar cheese soup

3 large chicken breast                                      2cups milk

8 ounces Sharp cheddar Cheese                   salt & pepper to taste

1 stick of  butter or margerine

• In a stock pot put water and chicken breasts. Boil the chicken until it’s cooked.  Once cooked, shred the chicken and put it aside.
• Cook rice according to the instructions on the box.  Set aside.

Time for the Sauce…

• melt butter in a sauce pan.
• add onions, carrots and peas.
• cook until the onions are soft
• add cream of chicken soup, cheddar cheese soup and milk  to the vegetables, stir together
• add Chicken and shredded cheese stir together
• add salt and pepper to taste.
• pour into a casserole dish
• add bread crumbs
• cook at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Makes enough for 10  ***recipe can be cut in half.. or frozen.

The first time I went to The Cheesecake Factory I fell in love with the food, the look of the place, the cheesecake and well.. the food.  One of my favorite dishes there is the  Louisiana Chicken Pasta.  I tried and tried to duplicate the taste of it, and I think I’ve finally done it.

Here’s what the Cheesecake Factory says this about their Louisiana Chicken Pasta: Parmesan Crusted Chicken Served Over Pasta with Mushrooms, Peppers and Onions in a Spicy New Orleans Sauce.  **Just a little note.. I’m not crazy about mushrooms.. so mine doesn’t have the mushrooms.

Louisiana Chicken via the eBay Queen.

Here’s what you need:

Chicken:

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

1 cup Italian style bread crumbs

1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup  grated parmesan cheese

3/4 cup of milk

1 egg

Cajun Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

1 small red bell pepper

1 small yellow red pepper

1/2 a medium red onion (or any color)

3 cloves of garlic minced

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper  (I usually add more for taste later)

2  cups of milk ( you could use cream .. but I have found milk is lower fat and tastes the same)

1 box of chicken broth

1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

1 box of bow tie pasta

salt and pepper to taste.

Here’s what you need… I realize I have more than 6 chicken

breasts.. there.. but I’m cooking for my family.. and they eat a lot.

Flatten or piard the chicken.  To do this, Wrap 1 chicken breast in plastic

wrap or put it in a zip lock bag and take your frustrations out on it.

Mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and flour.  In another

dish mix milk and egg together.  This is the time I get my oil in my

frying pan to start cooking the chicken.

Dip the flatten chicken in the bread crumbs..

Then into the egg and then back into the bread crumbs.

I like a good crust on mine, and find that a double dip in the crumbs

does the trick.

Put the chicken in the hot oil and cook until golden brown.

Here’s a little tip.. I cook my chicken first and put it on a rack (with

a cookie sheet under the rack) in a 180 degree oven to keep it warm until

the vegetables and pasta are done.  Can you see the nuggets?  I make

chicken nuggets for the monkeys…

On to the Pasta and Sauce…

Now is the time I put the water on to boil…. and start cooking the pasta.

Chop up the peppers, onion and mince the garlic.

**I really like to use red peppers and onions because I think it

looks prettier.. but all I had was orange and yellow peppers with

a white onion.. so it’s not as pretty as I think it could be.  But

still tastes AWESOME!

Melt butter in a large pan.

Add garlic, peppers and onions and saute.

Add flour and stir.

Add chicken broth.. (I like to stir it with my KOOL-Aid Spoon.

Everything tastes better when the spoon has a smile on it’s face)

Add milk.

Add red pepper, salt, and Parmesan cheese.  This is where I turn

turn the heat up and let the sauce thicken.

Once your sauce has thicken, add your cooked bow tie noodles to

the sauce.  I like enlisting the help of my favorite ginger… to dump

my noodles.

Mix the noodles in.. and give it a taste.  This is where I add more

crushed red pepper, Parmesan, salt or pepper. (if it needs it)

Serve with the chicken on top… The Man likes the chicken on

the bottom with the noodles on top.  Whichever way it’s an awesome

dish!