List of Ingredients:
- 3 cups chicken, cooked; cubed
- 1/2 cup butter; divided
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2 teaspoons low-sodium chicken bullion
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 cups long grain rice; cooked
- 12 ounces processed American cheese; cubed
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1 tube butter flavored crackers; crushed
Preparation or Cooking Instructions:
Spread rice in greased 13 x 9 pan.
In a saucepan melt 1/4 cup butter, stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk, bullion, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, stir for 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Reduce heat and add chicken, cheese, and sour cream. Stir until cheese is melted. Pour mixture over rice.
Melt remaining butter, mix in crushed butter flavored crackers. Sprinkle over cheese mixture.
Bake uncovered at 425 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Let stand for a couple of minutes before serving.
Garnishments: (optional)
None.
Servings: 6 to 8.
Family Rating: 3 out 5 wanted seconds.
© Carol A. Wells
List of Ingredients:
- 2 cups chicken; cooked; cubed
- 1 bag of noodles; cooked
- 28 ounces cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup milk
- 1-1/2 peas
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 4 tablespoons bread crumbs
Preparation or Cooking Instructions:
Combine chicken, soup, milk, peas, and pepper together then gently stir in noodles. Pour contents into greased 13 x 9 baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Combine bread crumbs and butter together. Sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake for additional 5 minutes.
Garnishments: (optional)
None.
Servings: 6 to 8.
Family Rating: 4 out 5 wanted seconds.
© Carol A. Wells
I buy chicken breasts in bulk packaging; generally I go ahead and bake the whole package, let cool, then cube. I tend to bag the chicken cubes into 1 cup packages since most casserole recipes lean to calling for 1 cup or 2 cups portions. This is really handy for the summer months as our home isn't air conditioned but it also lends convenience to busy nights.
List of Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
- 3/4 cup green peppers; chopped
- 2 cups tomato sauce; divided
- 1/2 cup onions; chopped
- 2 cups long grain rice; cooked
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1-1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese; divided
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoons salt
Preparation or Cooking Instructions:
Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup chopped green peppers, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup of tomato sauce; Mix well. Divide in half. Pat hamburger mixture, across bottom and up the sides, of two 9-inch pie pans. Set aside.
Combine rice, 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup chopped green peppers, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Spoon rice mixture into the meat shells.
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Carefully drain fat from the pans, top each meat pie with 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, then bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully drain fat from pans, slice pies, then serve.
Garnishments: (optional)
None
Servings: 8 to 12; depending on if you have any side dishes, or not, with the meal.
Family Rating: 4 out 5 wanted seconds.
© Carol A. Wells
List of Ingredients:
- 2 pounds ground beef; cooked and drained
- 1/2 cup green peppers; chopped
- 1/4 cup onions; chopped
- 1 cup instant long grain rice; uncooked
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes; do not drain
- 1 can cream of tomato soup; undiluted
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar; packed
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1-1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1-1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
- 3-1/2 cups of water
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1-1/2 cups frozen corn (or 11 ounces canned corn; drained)
Preparation or Cooking Instructions:
Combine all ingredients, except for the rice, into a large dutch oven. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium. Cover and let simmer for 40 minutes.
Add uncooked rice, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 more minutes or until the corn and green peppers are tender.
Garnishments: (optional)
After dipping into a bowl, sprinkle with shredded Mild Cheddar.
Servings: 6 to 8, depending on how heavy-handed you are with the soup ladle.
Family Rating: 4 out 5 wanted seconds.
© Carol A. Wells
When I buy ground beef it is packaged in 5 pound packages. I crumble it up and cook it in a large deep-sided skillet then carefully drain off the grease.
After letting it cool, I weigh it out into 1 pound portions wrapped in plastic wrap put into the freezer. After the packets of meat are frozen, I slip them into a large resealable plastic bag with a label, sharing the packing date, for future use.
On the last package of ground beef, as I usually buy 3 to 4, I measure out into 1/2 pound portions. These come in handy for recipes that we feel a full pound is too much or we have company and I want to increase a recipe just a little versus doubling the amount.
Having the hamgburger already cooked does save on some of the prep time. For example, when cooking a pot of chili you don't have to wait for the precooked hamburger to fully thaw before adding it into the pot with all the other ingredients.
Notation : On days when nothing "sounds good" or I am just too tired cook, this recipe is not really that original but it is our good ol' Plan B alternative for those nights.
List of Ingredients:
- 2 cans of tuna; drained of water or oil it was packed with
- 2 boxes of Kraft Spirals & Cheese
- 1-1/2 cups frozen peas or, if preferred, 12 oz can of peas; drained
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation or Cooking Instructions:
Prepare the Spirals according to the instructions on the box. Take care not to overcook the noodles - the 7 to 8 minutes recommended cooking time seems to achieve the best results even when cooking 2 boxes worth.
If using frozen peas, add those while cooking the noodles. if using canned peas, place them in the bottom of the colander while draining water from the noodles.
Add cheese mix, milk, and butter as described on the box then stir in tuna and black pepper. Reheat slightly, if you prefer, then serve.
Servings: According to the side panel on the Spirals - 8; According to my family: 5.
Family Rating: 5 out 5 wanted seconds.
© Carol A. Wells
I make this particular recipe twice a month, as my children love it, and have yet to have any leftover. I switch between medium or mild salsa and what cheeses I use on top to help have it a little different each time.
List of Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 to 2 pounds chicken breasts; cooked and cut into 1/2 to 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup green peppers; chopped
- 1/4 cup onions; chopped
- 2-1/2 cups instant long grain rice; uncooked
- 1-1/2 to 2 cups frozen corn (or 11 ounces canned corn; drained)
- 1 teaspoons sodium-free, or low-sodium, chicken bullion
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 24 ounces salsa
- 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack & Colby cheeses, Mild Cheddar, or Taco/Mexican Blend Cheeses (your choice)
Preparation or Cooking Instructions:
Combine chicken, green peppers, onion, salsa, bullion, water, salt, pepper, and corn into a large dutch oven or deep skillet. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium. Stir in the rice, cover, and remove from heat.
Let stand for 5 minutes or until the rice asborbs the liquid. Fluff with a fork. Sprinkle cheeses over the top, cover, and let stand for 3 minutes or the cheese is melted.
Servings: 8.
Family Rating: 5 out 5 wanted seconds.
To cut this recipe in half, for the lack of a better phrase, use the following mounts: 12 ounces salsa, 1/4 cup of green peppers, 1-1/2 cups instant rice, and 1-1/2 pounds of chicken. No need to reduce the other ingredients.
© Carol A. Wells
Many recipes typically list 1/4 or 1/2 cup of chopped onions among the ingredients needed. Go ahead and chop up the onions you purchased and measure out 1/4 cup portions.
Wrap each portion in saran or plastic wrap then freeze. Once frozen solid, I generally store the little packets of onions in a plastic container in the freezer.
List of Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef; cooked and drained
- 1/4 cup green peppers; chopped
- 1/4 cup onions; chopped
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes; do not drain
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons yellow or brown mustard
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar; loosely packed
- 1 envelope taco seasoning mix
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon minced garlic
Preparation or Cooking Instructions:
Combine all ingredients into a large skillet. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low-medium. Cover and let simmer, checking frequently, for 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Garnishments: (optional)
After dipping onto a bun, sprinkle top with shredded Mild Cheddar or Monterrey Jack & Colby blend cheeses.
Servings: 8 sandwiches.
Family Rating: 4 out 5 wanted seconds.
© Carol A. Wells
List of Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 to 2 pounds ground beef; cooked and drained
- 2 cups green peppers; chopped
- 3 cups long grain rice; cooked
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes; do not drain
- 24 to 28 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar; packed
- 2 teaspoons sodium-free, or low-sodium, beef bullion
- 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 10 cups of water
Preparation or Cooking Instructions:
Combine all ingredients into a large pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium. Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour; or until green peppers are tender.
Garnishments: (optional)
After dipping into a bowl, sprinkle with shredded Mild Cheddar or Monterrey Jack & Colby blend cheeses.
Servings: 8 to 10, depending on how heavy-handed you are with the soup ladle.
Family Rating: 4 out 5 wanted seconds.
© Carol A. Wells
All of the recipes, that I will share on this blog, were tested on my family of five prior to posting. In leiu of 'stars' you will notice that I went by 'head count' based, simplistically, on how many of the family members enjoyed the recipe.
For example:
- 5 out of 5 wanted seconds (highest rating awarded to a recipe)
- 4 out of 5 wanted seconds
- 3 out of 5 wanted seconds (borderline in my household)
- Recipes earning less than 3, with my family, will not be posted for sharing with others.
As a side notion of thought, although I used the phrasing "... wanted seconds" this does not mean they literally went back for more during the meal. The first serving may have been quite sufficient in satisfying our taste buds and hunger. So "... wanted seconds" simply boils down to that they approved of the recipe and would eat it again.
Many recipes, casseroles in particular, typically list 1/4 or 1/2 cup of chopped green peppers among the ingredients needed. Go ahead and chop up the green peppers you purchased and measure out 1/4 cup portions.
Wrap each portion in saran or plastic wrap then freeze. Once frozen solid, I store the little packets of green peppers in a plastic container in the freezer. When I need a quarter of a cup, I take out one packet. If needing a half cup, then I grab two.
Not the most original tip to share, I agree, but still a handy one to pass along ...