Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
1 - 6 oz. box long grain and wild rice mix
1 cup frozen chopped onion
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
2 cups cooked chicken, white and dark meat (I use the dark meat but only out of preference)
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs mixed with 2 to 3 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
Prepare rice mix according to package directions.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, cook onions in hot butter over medium heat until tender. Stir in soup, sour cream, wine, garlic powder and onion powder until well blended. Stir in cooked rice and chicken.
Transfer mixture to a greased 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumb mixture. Bake, uncovered, about 35 minutes or until heated through. Makes 4 servings.
Footnotes - To shorten cooking time I used a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Also, you can find long grain and wild rice in microwavable pouches. 90 seconds and its done and you don't have to dirty another pan!
Spinach and Feta Cheese Casserole
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 - 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and VERY well drained
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons dried minced onions
Dash of ground nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 1 1/2-quart casserole; set aside. In a large bowl, combine eggs, ricotta, spinach, feta, melted butter, flour, dried onion and nutmeg. Transfer mixture to prepared casserole. Bake, uncovered for about 45 minutes or until center is nearly set.
Footnotes - I serve this with grilled lamb chops. To avoid the casserole from being soupy, make sure you squeeze out as much water from the spinach as possible. I also sometimes drain the ricotta in a coffee filter as well.
Pork Chop Casserole
8 boneless pork chops, cut about 3/4 inch thick, fat trimmed
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 - 10 3/4 oz. can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 1/2 cups French fried onions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a shallow dish, combine flour, salt and pepper. Dip chops in flour mixture coating both sides. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat. Cook chops in hot oil until brown on both sides. Remove from heat. In a medium bowl, combine soup, broth, sour cream, ginger and rosemary. Stir in half of the French fried onions. Pour sauce into an ungreased 3-quart rectangular baking dish, spreading evenly. Top with pork chops. Bake, uncovered for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining French fried onions. Bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
Footnotes - You can serve these over hot buttered noodles or on thick slices of toasted French or Italian bread.
Double Cheese Mac & Cheese
12 oz. dried penne or rigatoni
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded American cheese
2 tablespoons snipped fresh oregano
1/2 cup soft rye light rye bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package, drain. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook and stir garlic in hot butter over medium hear for 1 minute. Stir in flour. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low and gradually add the Monterey Jack and American cheese, stirring until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in cooked pasta and the 2 tablespoons oregano. Transfer mixture to an ungreased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake uncovered, about 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Footnote - If you do not like oregano, use chives or parsley.
Sausage and Zucchini Casserole
1 lb. bulk pork sausage
4 medium zucchini
1 - 10 3/4 oz. can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 - 8 oz. carton sour cream
4 cups chicken flavored stuffing mix
1/3 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 3-quart casserole dish, set aside. In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium heat. Drain off the fat and return sausage to the skillet. Meanwhile, cut the zucchini lengthwise then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces (they should look like half moons). Add zucchini to the sausage in the skillet. In a small bowl, combine the soup and sour cream and stir into sausage mixture. In a large bowl, combine the stuffing mix and melted butter. Spoon half of the stuffing mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Spread sausage mixture over the stuffing in the dish. Spoon remaining stuffing mixture evenly over sausage mixture. Cover with foil or over-proof lid for about 30 minutes or until stuffing is moist.
Footnote - I sometimes add a few pat of butter onto of the casserole before baking.
No comments:
Post a Comment