WILD RICE CASSEROLE

Tonight's supper was a rummage through the fridge & pantry and some cross-referencing between Kraft Canada, Campbell's, and All Recipes websites.  A bit o' this, a bit o'that, and a new casserole was concocted... and it was very good!

1 cup wild rice blend
3 cups water
1 Tbsp butter
Salt

Add all ingredients to pot, bring to a boil, mix, cover pot with lid and simmer for 50 minutes, stirring once.

10 mushrooms, chopped
olive oil
1-2 stalks celery, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 Mennonite sausage, chopped
1 clove garlic
herbs: tarragon, paprika, salt, pepper (add to taste)
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 can cream of mushroom soup
milk (fill soup can once)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Saute mushrooms in oil, add rest of vegetables, sausage and spices/herbs.
Add vinegars, soup and milk.
Simmer.

Add mushroom mixture to wild rice blend when cooked through; mix thoroughly.
Cook at 350 F until heated through.
Optional: add shredded cheese & cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve with a salad.

Made by Wilma

CHICKEN CAESAR PASTA CASSEROLE

• 2 cups tri-colored pasta, cooked and drained
• 2 cups rotisserie-cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 cup caesar salad dressing, Creamy Style
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/3 cup green onions, finely sliced
• 1/4 cup red bell peppers, diced
• 1 1/2 cups Italian cheese blend, shredded
• 1 cup croutons ( I use my Recipe#195639!)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients EXCEPT croutons and parmesan cheese.
2. Pour mixture into a greased, 2-quart casserole dish. Top dish with croutons and parmesan cheese.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until casserole is heated through and croutons are golden brown.
   www.food.com

ANCIENT CHINESE SECRET, HUH?

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1" cubes

1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

1 cup trimmed and halved snow peas

1 cup thinly sliced sweet red pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp grated ginger root

3 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain white rice

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp honey

2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine chicken and five-spiced powder in a large bowl. Toss or stir to coat chicken evenly with spice.

Spray a large saucepan with nonstick spray. Add chicken and cook over medium-high heat; stirring often, until no longer pink.

Add snow peas, red pepper, garlic, and ginger root. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.

Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, until liquid is absorbed by rice and chicken is very tender.

Makes 4 servings.

Looneyspoons by Janet & Greta Podleski.

CHEESY ITALIAN SAUSAGE BAKE

2 cups penne pasta, uncooked

3/4 lb Italian sausage, casings removed

2 cups halved zucchini slices

1 red pepper, chopped

3/4 cup pizza sauce

1/2 cup Cheez Whiz

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Heat oven to 350F.

Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, brown sausage in large deep skillet on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to break up sausage. Drain; return sausage to skillet. Stir in zucchini, peppers and pizza sauce; cook 5 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta. Add to sausage mixture with Cheez Whiz; mix lightly. Spoon into 13" x 9" baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with Parmesan.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.

"What's Cooking" magazine by Kraft Foods, Fall 2010, pg 39

MEXICAN CHICKEN CASSEROLE

3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 tsp ground cumin

1 green pepper, chopped

1 1/2 cups salsa

1/4 of 8-oz package Philadelphia cream cheese, cubed (I used the entire block)

1 can (15 oz) no-salt-added black beans, rinsed

1 tomato, chopped

2 whole wheat tortillas (6")

1/2 cup finely shredded four cheese, divided

Heat oven to 375F.

Cook and stir chicken and cumin in nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat 2 minutes. Add peppers; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salsa; cook 2 minutes. Add cream cheese; cook 2 minutes or until melted. Stir in beans and tomatoes.

Spoon 1/3 of chicken mixture into 8" square baking dish; cover with 1 tortilla and half each of the remaining chicken mixture and shredded cheese. Top with remaining tortilla and chicken mixture; cover.

Bake 20 minutes or until heated through. \sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese; bake, uncovered, 5 minutes or until melted.

www.kraftrecipes.com

CALGARY CASSEROLE

This recipe is a variation of a recipe called "California Casserole" that I found in "Cook Great Food" by the Dieticians of Canada (2001). I wanted to use up vegetables & condiments that we had at home, so this worked perfectly for us. Hubby said it was a good recipe that could be repeated again. So, here is my "Calgary" rendition of the California Casserole.

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup basmati rice

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup salad dressings (I used Caesar & Italian dressings mixture)

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup asiago cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 onion, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1/2 zucchini, chopped

1/2 - 1 stalk celery, chopped

1 tomato, diced

4 mushrooms, diced

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 - 1 tsp Tex-Mex spice

1/2 - 1 tsp basil

1/2 tsp tarragon

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp celery seed

1/4 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Cover rice as per instructions or as preferred method.

Combine hot rice, sour cream, mayonnaise, salad dressings, cheese, vegetables and spices.

Pour into a lightly greased baking or casserole dish.

Bake, uncovered, in preheated 350 F (180 C) oven for about 25 minutes

Enjoy!!

Pierogi Lasagna

Ingredients

12 x Lasagna noodles

2 c. Cottage cheese
1 Egg
1/4 tsp Onion salt

1 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 c. Potatoes, mashed
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Onion salt (2)

1/2 c. Butter
1 c. Onion, minced
1/4 tsp Paprika


Directions

Cook and drain noodles. Line bottom of 9 x 13-inch pan (4 noodles).

Mix together: cottage cheese, egg and onion salt. Spoon over noodles. In same bowl, mix: cheese, potatoes, salt, pepper and onion salt.

Spread over noodles. Cover with layer of noodles. Heat butter; saute/fry onions. Add in paprika. Pour over the top. Bake 350 degrees for 30 min. Let stand 10 min.

Note:  I add a layer of cheese on top of the whole dish.  I buy the Tex Mex pre-shredded cheese and it gives it a little kick.

Pam's Cheater Shepherd's Pie

I asked on FB what to make with meatballs.  I had a box of ready made Italian meatballs in the freezer and wanted to make something for dinner with them.  Pam suggested this recipe and we made it for dinner and I'm sure it's loaded with calories and fattening stuff but it was very delicious!

Meatballs for the bottom layer
Corn for 2nd layer
Tater tots for the 3rd layer
Cream of mushroom soup (I pureed mine in the blender to get lumps out) - I needed 2 cans
Shredded cheese

Baked at 350 for 1 hr.

Enjoy.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 cup cut-up cooked chicken
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 cup Bisquick Original baking mix
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix vegetables, chicken, and soup in ungreased 9" pie plate. Stir in remaining ingredients with a fork until blended. Pour into pie plate. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Serves: 6

I've been using this recipe for years, but every time I improvise differently. You can add onions and garlic to your cooked chicken, and occasionally I will add some curry or another favourite seasoning.