Chicken Spaghetti

This dish is one of my kids favorites.

They ask for it often.

And I make it often.

Because I am their cooking slave.

And because it is easy.

Let's get started.

What you will need:

3 cups of dry Angel Hair Pasta (broken into 2 inch pieces)
4-6 chicken breasts (or 1 whole Chicken cut up)
2 cups of chicken broth reserved from the pot
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
3 cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp. of Lawry's seasoning salt
Salt and pepper to taste

(optional: green pepper, onion, pimentos)

First, fill your pot with water and boil your chicken.






Boil it until done.

I tend to boil my chicken really done.

I am a little scared of salmonella.

Just a little.

Once the chicken is cooked, take each piece out of the pot with tongs and place them in your colander.

Do not drain the water from the pot!

Repeat: Do not drain the water from the pot.

Instead set aside 2 cups of the broth in a measuring cup.

I will let you know when you will need it.




Put the pot of brothy water back on the burner to cook your pasta in.

Break up your pasta into 2 inch pieces.

Stack them neatly and methodically in a measuring cup and be sure you have exactly 3 cups.

Okay the neat and methodical is how I do it, but you can just throw it in there if it makes you happy.




Cook your pasta.

If you are using angel hair, it usually takes about four minutes.

Do not overcook.

While your pasta is cooking, go ahead and chop up your chicken.

You should have about 2 cups of cooked chicken.




When your pasta is done, mix it with the remaining ingredients.

Namely the chicken, the soups, the seasoning salt, and the salt and pepper.

Oh and Hello! The cheese. Just two cups though. Save the third cup for later.

Stir the mixture up and begin adding the reserved chicken broth gradually.

I told you I would tell you when you would need it.

You want the mixture to be moist and creamy, but not soupy.

Spoon the mixture into a greased 9x13 casserole dish.

Top with the last cup of cheese.

Place this dish of delish in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes.

Skillet Surprise

I am going to share with you yet another recipe from my childhood.

I think this dish is when I discovered my love of vegetables.

Vegetables covered in cheese, but veggies none the less.

Let's get started shall we?

Here is what you will need:

1 lb of Hamburger meat

1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)
6-8 potatoes
4 cups shredded cabbage
Small bag of carrots or 3 medium carrots
1 can of mushrooms
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of Shredded cheddar cheese

1 tsp. of salt

dash of pepper

1 Cup of water

First, brown your hamburger meat.

Try not to start chopping up the veggies and forget about the meat like me.



Ignore those bits of slightly overdone hamburger would ya?



Drain your hamburger of all unnecessary grease.

We are going to add lots of unnecessary cheese later.

We need to conserve calories at this point.

While your hamburger meat is draining, you can begin chopping.

Let's start with the potatoes.

Peel them and slice them like so.

Next, slice your cabbage and carrots.

You can open up your can of mushrooms, drain, and dump those on the cutting board too.

You may dice any of those that are too large for your taste.

I just prefer to pick out the big ones and eat them.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love mushrooms?

I do.





Now that you have all your vegetables chopped and looking pretty on your cutting board, you are ready to start assembling the surprise.

Sprinkle a layer of hamburger meat in the bottom of your pot.

Pour about 1 cup of water over that.

Now add your sliced potatoes.

It should resemble this.





Now begin layering.

Add a layer of cabbage.

A layer of mushrooms.

A layer of carrots.

A layer of life savers.





Okay I just threw that in to make sure you were paying attention.

Everyone awake?

Good.

Just keep layering.

Hamburger, potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, carrots.

Until you run out of ingredients.

Sprinkle the last bit of hamburger on the top.




Pour the Cream of Mushroom Soup over all of it.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook covered on medium-low heat for about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle cheese over the top.

Cook for five more minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Now take the lid off and enjoy your surprise!!!

Christmas Pretzels

I love making these little delectables during the holidays.

They are so cute and so very tasty.

It is a perfect marriage of sweet and salty.

How do I make these you ask?

It is really easy, but don't tell anyone. M'kay?

What you will need:

*A bag of waffle pretzels
*White chocolate almond bark
*Holiday MnM's

First you melt the white chocolate almond bark.

Just be sure not to overcook the chocolate.

Overcooked chocolate will not work for this.

Be sure it is nice and creamy smooth.

While your chocolate is melting, begin placing your pretzels on a cookie sheet.

Be sure they are in perfect lines and they are spaced evenly.

Okay that is only if you are me...sorry.

Next, you are going to drop a small amount of chocolate on each pretzel.

Like this.

Finally grab your bowl of MnM's and gingerly place one MnM on each chocolate topped pretzel.

Like this.

It is best to work with about ten at the time so the chocolate does not harden before you can slap an MnM on it.

Let cool.

I dare you to eat just one.

Let me know if you do!

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.