Country Chicken Casserole

 Are you looking for a new chicken dish that brings new flavor to the table?  Well, this may be just what you're looking for.  If you're a bacon lover . . . it may be your new favorite!

2 large chicken breasts

1 medium yellow onion

5 slices of bacon

2 large potatoes

1 cup fresh portabella mushrooms

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp melted butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of garlic powder

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Fry the bacon and crumble.  Set aside.  Reserve the bacon grease.

Peel and cube the potatoes and fry until tender in the bacon grease.

Dice the onion.  Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and fry in the bacon grease.  

Fry the mushrooms in bacon grease until softened.

Coat the chicken breast with melted butter and season with salt and peeper.  Sear in a skillet or on a grill.  

Cut the cooked chicken into cubes.

Mix the Cream of Chicken soup with chicken broth and season with salt and pepper to make a sauce.

In an 8" x 8" baking dish combine the chicken, mushrooms, onions and potatoes.  Top with the sauce and mix it well.

Bake for 30 minutes covered with foil.

Remove foil, top with crumbled bacon and bake for 10 more minutes uncovered.

Note:  If you want to make a healthier version, substitute bacon grease with olive oil.

Corn Casserole - Easy and Satisfying

 

My hubby loves corn bread and he always complains that I don't make it often enough.  This recipe takes corn bread to another level and he loves it!

8 oz Jiffy Corn Muffin mix

15 oz whole kernel corn (drained)

   or you may substitute 2 cups of frozen kernels            (defrosted)

15 oz creamed corn (not drained)

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup melted butter

2 eggs beaten

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup shredded cheese (your choice)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

2 Tbsp chives, for garnish

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients except the chives together and pour into a greased 8" x8" baking pan.

Bake uncovered for 45 - 50 minutes or until lightly browned.  Garnish with chives and serve.  

This has also been called Corn Pudding.  It has a damp texture, but should not be mushy.  

Perfect Baked Cod

 I'm not a true fan of most fish, but I do like Cod.  It tends to take on the flavor of what it's baked with.  This is my favorite baked Cod dish.

4 Cod filets, about 1" thick

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup of cocktail tomatoes, halved or quartered

1 lemon, sliced, plus zest

2 garlic cloves, smashed

4 thyme sprigs

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Pat Cod filets with paper towel until dry

Season all over with salt and pepper

Combine olive oil, tomatoes, lemon slices, garlic and thyme in a 9" x 13" baking dish

Bake until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, approximately 30 minutes. 

Serve garnished with parley, more lemon juice, and pan sauce.

Tonight's Dinner - Beef Stew - A great winter dinner!

2 lbs beef brisket

1 1/2 Tbsp Brisket seasoning

1 pkg Orrington Farms Slow Cookers Beef Stew seasoning

1 can Campbell's French Onion Soup

1 cup water

3 stalks celery, sliced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 lg green beans, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces

2 tomatoes, cut into 8 pieces

1 Tbsp "Better Than Bouillon" Roasted Beef Base

24 hours before you wish to serve, place brisket in a crock pot and season with brisket seasoning on all sides.  Place in the refrigerator (lidded) to sit until 1 hour before cook time.  This will cook for 8 hours, so if you want to serve at 6:00 PM, you need to remove it from the fridge at 9:00 AM and let it warm to room temp until 10:00 AM and then place it in the crock pot.  Add all of the veggies, top with the can of French Onion soup, and then mix the seasoning packet with the cup of water and beef base.  Let this cook on low for 7 hours. Remove the brisket and shred it, adding it back to the crock pot to cook the rest of the hour.  

Serve with crusty bread.