CHICKEN CASSEROLE

This is my new favorite chicken casserole recipe. It came from a Southern Living cookbook. (Nuff said) I am not a huge fan of celery or water chestnuts, but trust me when I tell you that they add just the right amount of crunch to the incredible texture in this dish. Make this for your family tonight. They will thank you for it. Mine did.

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped deli roasted chicken

(I used 6 chicken breasts instead which was about 4 cups)

2 cups of finely chopped celery

1 4oz. can of water chestnuts (drained and finely chopped)

1/2 Cup of slivered almonds

1 Cup of grated cheddar cheese

1/2 Cup light sour cream

1/2 Cup light mayo

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

1 1/2 Cup French fried onion rings

Mix together the first 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together well with spoon.

(Do NOT mix in the Kitchen aid. It will mess up the consistency of this recipe.)

Spoon into lightly greased 13x9 baking dish.

Bake @ 350 degrees for about 40 mins.

Sprinkle with onion rings and bake 5 more minutes or until bubbly around edges.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings.

HOT MEXICAN DIP

Ingredients:

1 package Taco Seasoning Mix

1 can of Fat-free Refried Beans

1 80z. container of Sour Cream

1 jar of Salsa

1 cup of shredded Cheddar or Mexican cheese

Mix together taco seasoning mix and refried beans.

Spread in the bottom of a 9x13 dish.

Next, add a layer of sour cream.

Pour a layer of Salsa.

Top with cheese.

I like to remember it as layers of red and white.

Beans, Sour cream, Salsa, and Cheese.

Yes, it is that easy. Yes, it is that good.

Bake @ 350 for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Serve with tortilla chips.

HAMBURGER SURPRISE!!!

My mother made this yummy casserole when I was growing up.

I reminds me of my childhood.

Now I make it for my kids.

Here is what you will need for this comforting surprise:

1 1/2 pounds Hamburger meat

1 16oz. can of Tomato Sauce

2 cups of Macaroni noodles (uncooked)

1 cup of Cottage Cheese (low fat, small curd)

1/2 cup Sour Cream

6oz. Cream cheese (softened)

1 cup Cheddar Cheese

What?

I never told you it was low fat.

I just said it was yummy!

Brown and drain the hamburger meat.

Boil your noodles.

Drain.

Layer half the noodles on the bottom of 9x13 casserole dish.

Mix together the cottage cheese, sour cream, and cream cheese.

Pour this mixture over hot noodles.

Spread.

Layer the second half of noodles on top.

Mix the hamburger meat and tomato sauce together.

Pour this meat and sauce mixture over the noodles.

Top with cheddar cheese.

Cover and bake @ 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. (or until hot and bubbly)

Enjoy!

Ham, Bacon and Mushroom Quiche

Ingredients:

2 (9-inch) pie shells

6 slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 cups shredded Swiss Cheese

1 (8oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained (I dice them very tiny so my children will not detect their presence)

2 cups Coarsely shredded Ham

8 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups Evaporated milk

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Dry Mustard

dash ground Nutmeg

dash white pepper

Defrost pie shells. Prick bottom and sides with a fork. Bake @ 425 degrees for 6-8 minutes.

Let cool.

Combine cheese, bacon, mushrooms, and ham.

Toss gently.

Spoon half of mixture into each pastry shell.

Combine eggs with remaining ingredients.

Beat well.

Pour half of egg mixture into each pastry shell.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until set.

Yield: two 9-inch quiches.

Note: Unbaked quiche may be covered with aluminum foil and frozen. To serve, thaw overnight in refrigerator; bake @ 350 for 40-50 minutes.

Mexican Chicken

This has to be the easiest dinner ever.

It is also delicious.

Easy and delicious are always a good combination.

Ingredients:

1 can of sweet corn

1 can of black beans

1 jar of salsa

3 chicken breasts(frozen)

Mexican cheese

Sour cream (optional)

Place the frozen chicken breasts in the bottom of your crock pot.

Pour the corn, beans, and half of the salsa on top.

Cook all day...or part of the day. (it is up to you)

When the water is mostly cooked out, start stirring the chicken with a fork.

It will fall apart.

It will look like shredded chicken.

It is.

Stir everything together.

Pour the contents of the crock pot onto a dish.

Top with shredded cheese and sour cream.

I like to serve it with Tortilla chips.

My family also likes to roll it up in tortilla shells.

I usually double this recipe.

The pictures shown are of a doubled recipe.

Remember: Easy and Delicious!

Strawberry Pie

This is my favorite pie. I look forward to "Strawberry Season" every year just so I can sink my teeth into this. It is so yummy! This recipe makes 2 pies. Which is always a good thing. One for me and one for everyone else!

Ingredients:

3 cups of boiling water

1 package (3oz) strawberry jell-o

2 Cups sugar

5-6 tablespoons Cornstarch

2 pie crusts (cooked)

3 cups of strawberries (washed and chopped)

How to:

Cook pie shells according to directions.

Cool.

Mix jello- sugar and cornstarch.

Add boiling water.

Cook on medium heat until thickened.(about 15 mins)

Cool.

Add berries.

Pour into two baked pie shells.

Freeze for 1 hour

Enjoy!

Susie's Zucchini Bread

When you see a recipe that has "Susie" in front of the title, you are in the right place. Susie would be my mom. She is a fabulous cook. Most of my recipes are hers. You will find a lot of "Susie" here. Most of her recipes do not require a great deal of ingredients or time. They are tried and true. I hope you enjoy them. She hopes you do too.

Ingredients:

3 C. AP Flour

2 C. Sugar

1/4 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Salt

2 tsp.Vanilla

2 Eggs

1 C. Vegetable Oil

2C. Shredded Zucchini

* optional:

1 C. nuts

1 C. raisins

Mix the sugar, powder, soda, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and oil.

Beat in the eggs.

Add the flour gradually.

It will look like this. (your children will think it is play dough. Don't let them play with it!)

Next, grate and add the zucchini.

It will add just the right amount of moisture to the mix.

The consistency should look like this .

Next, grease 2 loaf pans or one of these.

Pour the mixture into the greased pan.

Bake @ 350 degrees for about 60 minutes. (45 minutes if you are baking four)

Enjoy.

Wendi's La La Lasagna

Not long after I was married, I bought a Stouffers Lasagna. I popped it in the oven for dinner. It was easy. It was not great. I knew there must be better. Over the years I have made many lasagnas. I have added and changed the ingredients. I never composed a recipe. I also never made another Stouffers. (sorry Mr. Stouffer) This is the recipe I used for dinner tonight and may I say, it was de-de-de-licious!!!

Meat sauce:

2 lbs. Hamburger ( cooked and drained)
1 clove of garlic ( or 1/2 tsp. minced garlic)
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 tsp. Oregano
1 tsp. Basil
2 Bay Leaves

Other Ingredients:

1 container of Ricotta cheese ( or small curd cottage cheese)
2 lbs. of Mozzarella Cheese
Lasagna Noodles ( NOT cooked)
1/2 C. water

Brown hamburger. Add garlic to the meat while browning. Salt to taste.
Drain.

Put hamburger back into pot.
Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.

Add Oregano, Basil, and bay leaves.

Let simmer. ( for at least 30 mins.)

Get a 9x13 casserole dish. Spray with cooking spray.
Remove bay leaves from sauce. ( they give a wonderful flavor to the sauce, but are not good to eat)

Put a small layer of meat sauce in the bottom of the dish.

Put a layer of lasagna noodles on top of the meat sauce.

Spoon the ricotta cheese over the noodles.

Pour a layer of mozzarella cheese over the ricotta.

Continue layering.





Meat sauce, noodles, cheeses.
You will be able to get four layers in a 9x 13.
The topping will be the small amount of meat sauce left in the pot.






Drizzle that over the last layer of cheese.

Take 1/2 cup of water and pour evenly around the outside edge of the lasagna.* This is a suggestion from Paula Deen. I do everything Paula says. It works. Your lasagna will be so moist. I promise you will thank me.


Cover with foil.




Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Take the lasagna out and let it stand for about 10 minutes.

This will give you time to put the bread in the oven and put the finishing touches on your salad.

Enjoy! I promise your taste buds will thank you!!!