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Author: vscson

Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

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Yield: 8 to 10

Adapted from: Delish

Chicken and broccoli casserole is a meal that many people grew up eating, and this recipe will make you feel like a kid again. This creamy, cheesy, Ritz cracker-topped casserole is packed with chicken, rice, and freshly blanched broccoli with the quintessential cream of mushroom soup.

Notes: With bread, salad and dessert, total cost is approximately $35.

Oven only method takes longer than expected to cook the rice. Do the initial cook of the rice and sauce on the stove top and then mix with the chicken & broccoli and put in casserole dish.
The original recipe also called for sautéing the chicken with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt. I used plain salt and don’t see any need for the Lawry’s. Certainly an option though
Prep: 10 Cook: 90

  • 4TBS unsalted butter, divided, plus more for greasing
  • 24oz cooked Chicken Breasts. I used sous vide to get nice tender chicken
  • 1TBS AP salt (use Lawry’s Seasoned Salt on chicken instead of regular salt during cooking)
  • 2TBS neutral oil
  • 1large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • Kosher salt
  • 4garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1½cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
  • 3½cups chicken broth
  • 2(10-oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
  • 2heads of broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1½cups crushed Ritz crackers
  • ¼tsp garlic powder
  • ¼tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1½cups shredded cheddar, divided


Prepare chicken:

Shred or cut cooked chicken into bite sized pieces.

Prepare Broccoli:

Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a boil, than salt the water.

Place ice cubes in a medium bowl and fill with cold water.

Cook broccoli in boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until bright green and slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer broccoli to ice water to stop cooking. Drain and transfer broccoli to a bowl with chicken, season with ½ tsp salt. Cover and refrigerate if not making casserole the same day.

Stovetop Rice Cooking:
In a large pot over medium heat, melt 2 TBS butter. Add onion, season with ½ tsp salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add 1½ cups rinsed rice and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice is lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 3½ cups of broth and scrape any browned bits from bottom of pot. Bring to a boil.

Stir in 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup. Set heat to simmer or low, cover and cook, stirring after 15 minutes, cook until rice is almost completely cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes total.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Grease a 13″ x 9″ baking dish with butter.

Prepare cracker topping:
In a medium heatproof bowl, microwave 2 to 4 TBS butter until melted, about 30 seconds. Add 1½ cup (1 sleave) crushed Ritz crackers, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp pepper, and ½ cup cheese and toss with a fork to combine.

Finish:
Add chicken and 1/2 to 1 cup of water to skillet, cover and heat over medium heat until water is boiling. Add broccoli to skillet on top of chicken, cover and heat for 1 minute, turn off heat.  Set covered pan aside until rice is done. Drain water from skillet and add chicken and broccoli and remaining 1 cup of cheese to casserole dish, pour rice and sauce over and mix to distribute. Top with cracker topping.

Place casserole in oven, uncovered, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, until bubbling slowly and topping is slightly browned. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.


Storage and re-heating:
Let casserole cool to under 90°F, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Remove from refrigerator, cover with foil and heat in a 350°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove foil and heat uncovered for 10 to 20 minutes, until contents are hot and topping is browned.

Pinwheel Sandwiches

Pinwheel Sandwiches

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Yield: 40

Delish

Pinwheel sandwiches are here with their totally retro swirls, ready to be packed into lunchboxes, piled onto game day spreads, or just eaten as an afternoon snack. They’re easy to assemble, look great on a platter, and are ideal for a party. To make them, you’ll layer flour tortillas with ranch-flavored mayonnaise, sliced cheese, deli meats, and lettuce.
Prep: 25

  • ¾cup mayonnaise
  • 2TBS ranch seasoning
  • 8(10″) flour tortillas
  • 8oz sliced American or cheddar cheese
  • 1lb deli-sliced baked ham
  • 1lb deli-sliced turkey breast
  • 16butter lettuce leaves

In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise and ranch seasoning.

On a clean surface, lay tortillas flat. Spread each tortilla with 1 TBS mayonnaise mixture. Place 2 to 3 slices cheese on bottom two-thirds of each tortilla. Top cheese with ham and turkey. Top meat with 2 to 3 lettuce leaves and tightly roll up.

To serve right away, slice into 1″ rounds and arrange on a platter. To make ahead, place seam side down on a baking sheet and refrigerate up to 6 hours. Slice when ready to serve.

Whipped Goat Cheese Spread

Whipped Goat Cheese Spread

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Yield: 8

https://julieblanner.com/goat-cheese-spread/#wprm-recipe-container-42857

Whipped goat cheese, blended with honey, herbs and black pepper makes it the easiest last-minute crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Cook: 5

  • 8oz goat cheese room temperature
  • 1TBS honey
  • 1tsp rosemary chopped
  • ⅛tsp black pepper thick flakes preferred

Whip goat cheese:

By hand:

In a small bowl, using a spoon, add goat cheese and whip by hand until silky smooth.

Mixer:

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat goat cheese on low, gradually increase speed to 3 until smooth. *I recommend doubling the recipe for workable volume.

Food processor or blender:

Add goat cheese and pulse until smooth.

Transfer goat cheese to a small bowl, shallow dish or jar. Drizzle honey around the exterior of the bowl and spiral in. Sprinkle rosemary and fresh cracked pepper and serve.

Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Vegetables

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General use roast vegetable mix. Adjust or swap vegetables to suite your needs.
Prep: 15 Cook: 20 to 30

  • 4oz fingerling potatoes or baby potatoes
  • 4-6carrots
  • 1head broccoli
  • Ranch spice mix, Optional, see below
  • Olive oil
  • Salt & pepper


Prep:

Adjust rack to top and middle positions and preheat oven to 450°F. Wash and dry produce.

Halve, peel, and cut onions into ½-inch-thick wedges.

Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces.

Cut broccoli into bite-size florets if necessary.

Roast veggies:

Toss potatoes on one side of a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, a good sprinkle of Ranch Seasoning and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Toss onion, and carrots on the other side of the baking sheet with a large drizzle of olive oil, a good sprinkle of Ranch Seasoning (optional) and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat with oil and spices.

Roast on top rack for ten minutes. Remove and add broccoli to onions and carrots, toss with onions and carrots. Return to the top oven rack and roast until done, 10-20 minutes.

Ranch Spice Mix

2 TBS

  • 1tsp dried parsley
  • ¾tsp dried dill weed
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • 1tsp onion powder
  • 1tsp dried onion flakes
  • ½tsp ground black pepper
  • ½tsp dried chives
Raisin Sauce for Ham

Raisin Sauce for Ham

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Yield: 4 to 6

Food Network

The raisins cook up plump and soft, and the lemon balances with the fruit’s sweetness and best of all it’s easy to make. This is a must served with ham
Cook: 9

  • ½cup packed brown sugar
  • 2TBS cornstarch
  • 1tsp ground mustard
  • 1½cups water
  • ½cup raisins
  • 2TBS white vinegar
  • 2TBS lemon juice
  • 2TBS butter

In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch and ground mustard.

Stir in water, raisins, vinegar, lemon juice until blended.

Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 mins or until thickened.

Stir in butter until it is melted.

Serve warm over sliced ham.

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas

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Yield: 4

adapted from: https://www.thelazydish.com/easy-canned-chicken-dinner-recipes/

Say some nice stuff about the recipe Jed. (Maybe after I test it.)

OK, tested and it’s pretty good. You could add spinach and/or black beans or swap out the chicken for shrimp or beef.

  • 12.5 oz can chicken, drained
  • 1cup pepper jack cheese
  • 1cup cheddar cheese
  • 4oz can diced green chilies
  • 28oz enchilada sauce or red or green salsa with 2 TBS tomato paste
  • 8flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350°F.

For salsa:

Pour salsa into a 2 qt pan. Add 2 TBS tomato paste. Heat to boil, reduce to simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. Use a stick blender or regular blender to puree. Adjust thickness with additional tomato paste or simmer longer.

Assemble:

Spread ½ cup of the sauce onto the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish.

In a medium size bowl, combine the DRAINED chicken, diced green chilis, ¾ cup pepper jack, ¾ cup cheddar, and ½ cup of the sauce.

Evenly fill the tortillas with the chicken mixture and then roll and place them seam-side down in the baking dish.

Cover with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake:

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Remove from oven and rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve.

Sous Vide Salmon

Sous Vide Salmon

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Yield: 4

Serious Eats

Sous Vide Salmon Cooking Temperatures
Like firm sashimi 105°F (41°C)
Soft and buttery 110°F (43°C)
Translucent and starting to flake 115°F (46°C)
Very moist, tender, and flaky 120°F (49°C)
Firm, moist, and flaky 130°F (54°C)

Prep: 10 Cook: 50 Rest: 30

  • 4salmon fillets (5 to 6 oz each)
  • Kosher salt
  • 2TBS extra-virgin olive oil
  • Aromatics such as fresh thyme, dill, parsley, thinly sliced shallots, and/or citrus zest (optional)
  • 2tsp vegetable oil, if serving seared

Season salmon generously with salt on all sides.

Place salmon in a single layer in a gallon-size zipper-lock bag, or in batches in quart-size bags. Add olive oil to the bag or divide it between the smaller bags. Add aromatics to bags, if using. Close bags, place them in refrigerator, and let salmon rest for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Using an immersion circulator, preheat a water bath according to the chart above and in the notes section. Remove the air from the zipper-lock bags using the water displacement method: Seal bag almost all the way, leaving about an inch open. Slowly lower the bag into a water bath, holding the open end above the water level. As the bag is lowered, the water pressure should force air out of it. Just before it is totally submerged, seal bag completely. Use a rack, or clip bag to the side of the cooking vessel using a binder clip, to prevent it from moving excessively. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes for fillets 1 inch thick or less, or 45 minutes to an hour for fillets between 1 and 2 inches.

Carefully remove salmon from bags (it will be very delicate) and transfer to a double layer of paper towels. Discard aromatics and gently blot the top of salmon with more paper towels.

To serve immediately: Carefully peel away skin and discard. Serve salmon immediately with the freshly skinned side down for better presentation.

To serve cold: Transfer salmon to refrigerator uncovered and allow it to chill completely. Store in a sealed container for up to a few days and serve cold in sandwiches or salads, stirred into pasta, or on top of rice bowls.

To sear: Heat vegetable oil in a cast-iron, carbon steel, or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully add salmon skin-side down and cook, pressing gently on fillets with the back of a flexible fish spatula to help maintain pan contact, until skin is browned and crisp, 1 to 1½ minutes. Carefully flip and cook for an additional 15 seconds. Transfer to paper towels to blot off excess oil, then serve immediately.

Hamburger Soup

Hamburger Soup

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Yield: 4

Scott Nowell

Adjust all ingredients and quantities to suit.
Note: Gayle thinks I put too much cumin. I couldn’t tell. Now reduced to 1 tsp. I inadvertently left out all of the tomatoes. I guess they really are optional.

Update: 1 tsp of cumin, used mild fire roasted tomatoes and regular diced tomatoes. Excellent!

  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 1medium onion diced
  • 2stalks celery diced
  • 1lb ground beef
  • 3cloves garlic minced
  • 1quart beef stock or broth
  • 1tsp cumin
  • 1tsp chili powder
  • 1tsp oregano, dried
  • 1lb potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 14oz canned diced tomatoes, with juice
  • 110 oz can fire roasted tomatoes with chilies (optional)
  • 1cup corn, frozen or fresh
  • 1cup green beans, frozen or fresh
  • 1cup peas, frozen or fresh
  • 1cup pearl onions
  • Salt and pepper to taste

In a 4 qt or larger soup pot, over medium heat, heat 1 TBS of olive oil until hot.

Add the onion and celery and sauté to soften, but don’t brown. Add garlic and stir for 20 seconds. Add ground beef and cook until browned and mostly cooked through.

Add 1 quart of beef stock, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chili powder and 1 tsp oregano and mix in.

Add diced potatoes and bring to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes until nearly done.

Add tomatoes, corn, green beans, pearl onions. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are done.  Add peas, mix. Season to taste and serve.

.

Irish Apple Cake with Custard Sauce

Irish Apple Cake with Custard Sauce

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Yield: 12

Billy Parisi

This delicious homemade apple cake recipe is easy to prepare and is topped off with an amazing vanilla custard sauce.

For the cake:

  • 4cups AP flour
  • 1cup sugar + 3 TBS
  • 1TBS baking powder
  • ½tsp sea salt
  • 1½tsp cinnamon
  • 8oz cold unsalted butter
  • 2peeled cored and large diced granny smith apples
  • 2peeled cored and large diced golden delicious apples
  • 4large eggs
  • 2tsp vanilla extract
  • 1cup whole milk

For the custard:

  • 4egg yolks
  • 1cup whole milk
  • ½cup sugar
  • 1tsp good vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Cake:

In a food processor, cream the flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and butter until the butter is the size of rice. Remove to a large bowl.

Fold in the apples using a spoon until they are completely coated.

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, vanilla and milk and then combine it into the flour-butter-apple mixture until combined. It should resemble a thick dough.

Transfer the mixture to a 9” greased spring form pan and bake in the oven at 375°F for 80 to 90 minutes or until golden-brown on top and firm in the center.

Cool completely on a rack to room temperature before slicing and serving.

Custard:

Whisk together the egg yolks in a medium size bowl. Set aside.

Heat the milk and sugar in a medium size pot over medium heat just until lightly boiling.

Slowly pour the mixture into the bowl with the eggs while continually stirring and then pour the mixture back to the pan over low heat and stir until it becomes very thick, think alfredo sauce.

Finish by whisking in the vanilla and then pour a small amount over a cooled slice of cake.

Make-ahead: You can make this cake up to 2 days ahead of time. See storage instructions below.

How to store: You can cover and keep at room temperature for 3-4 days. Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for 5-6 days and freeze it covered for up to 3 months. Be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving.

If you want to prep everything up to make for another day, the apples will hold well in pineapple juice for up to 3 days.

To cream the dry ingredients together with the butter, feel free to put all of it in a food processor and pulse until the butter is incorporated.

If the top of the cake starts to brown too quickly, place a piece of parchment paper on top by just laying it on there or tent it with a piece of foil.

Shrimp and Vegetables

Shrimp and Vegetables

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Yield: 2 to 4

Scott Nowell

Yum. Tasty, tasty, tasty. Your choice of vegetables. Whatever you want.

Premix sauce:

  • ½cup water
  • 1spoon BTB chicken, heat and stir
  • 1-3TBS Hoisin sauce
  • 3tsp Shaoxing cooking wine
  • ½tsp sugar
  • 1TBS of oyster sauce
  • ½-1tsp sesame oil
  • 1tsp soy sauce, mix well

Shrimp:

  • 1lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined, rinsed, patted dry
  • salt & pepper, season shrimp, add
  • 1/4cup corn starch, mix well to coat shrimp

Vegetables:

  • 1carrot, peeled and sliced thinly diagonally. Precook in MW 2 to 3 minutes.
  • 4oz green peas
  • 4oz green beans, other vegetables optional, e.g.,
  • 2oz red and orange peppers, sliced thin

Stir-fry:

  • vegetable oil, divided
  • 1tsp ginger, sliced
  • 1tsp garlic, minced
  • ½onion, julienned and separated
  • 1-2scallions, cut small

Slurry:

  • 1TBS corn starch mixed with 2 TBS water

Stir fry shrimp: In a hot wok add 1-2 TBS oil and add the shrimp. Cook until browned on bottom, then flip and brown other side. About 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove to bowl.

Vegetables: If the wok is dry add a little oil. Add the garlic and ginger to the wok and stir fry for 30 seconds.

Next add vegetables to the wok, stir fry until lightly browned.

Add premix sauce to the wok and let it boil for a couple minutes.

Add slurry to thicken.

Return the shrimp back into the wok and stir everything together. Adjust seasoning.