Chicken Divan Casserole

Boy, this casserole sure takes me back. This was one of my children's favourite meals when they were growing up. I haven't made it in a long time. I had a head of broccoli in my veggie drawer today that I wanted to use before it went off.



There are a lot of versions of this floating around that use cream of chicken soup, and you are free to do just that if you wish . . . I prefer it with my homemade cheesy bechamel sauce though . . .



It's like having a bit plate of broccoli cheese and chicken all in one go . . . of course the crisp cracker and cheese topping is awfully scrummy as well.



I add rice to make it a full meal, and a bit heartier. You can either use leftover cooked rice, or one of those pouches of steamed rice. I just happen to always have those in my cupboard. They come in really handy for all sorts and are usually on special. I usually like to use the Tilda brand . . . and I always stock up when they have them on for £1 a piece.



I try to use low fat or half fat ingredients as well . . . which just goes to prove that low fat can be tasty!



As the Toddster tucked into his second helping I was heard to say . . . "I do believe I have found a way to get you to eat your broccoli."



SCORE!! I served ours with a tossed salad on the side. It was all we needed.



*Chicken Divan Casserole*
Serves 4 to 6, depending on appetitesPrintable Recipe

A economical, delicious casserole that is so simple to make! By using low fat ingredients you can also keep it fairly healthy.

1 medium head of fresh broccoli
400g of chicken tenders (about 1 pound)
salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
splash of hot pepper sauce
1 2-serving size pouch of steamed basamati rice (about 2 cups cooked rice)

For the sauce:
2 TBS butter
2 TBS plain flour
500ml of milk (2 cups I use skim), warmed
1/4 tsp curry powder (I use medium)
1 chicken boullion cube
4 ounces grated strong cheddar cheese (1 cup, I use half fat)
2 TBS finely grated Parmesan cheese
salt and white pepper to taste

To top:
a handful of crushed crackers (about 1 cup)
2 ounces grated strong cheddar cheese (1/2 cup)
2 TBS finely grated Parmesan cheese

Place the chicken iinto a saucepan along with cold water to cover. Add some salt and black pepper, the bay leaf and a splash of hot pepper sauce. Bring to the boil. Take off the heat, cover and set aside to cool.

Wash and trim the broccoli. Break up into bite sized florets. Peel the stems and cut into chunks. Steam until crispy tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Melt the butter for the sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring for one minute. Whisk in the warm milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Crumble in the boullion cube and whisk in along with the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Taste and add salt and white pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Spray a shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Open the rice and sprinkle it over the bottom of the dish. Drain the chicken and break into pieces, sprinkle this over the rice. Top with the broccoli florets and stems. Nap the top with the warm cheese sauce, covering everything completely and allowing it to sink down into the casserole dish. Mix together the topping ingredients. Sprinkle them evenly over top of the casserole. If desired, spritz lightly with cooking spray.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until heated through, bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Delicious!

Note: You can use leftover cooked chicken in this as well instead of cooking chicken especially to use. You will need between 2 and 3 cups of cooked chicken depending on how meaty you want your casserole to be. Personally I would rather have more broccoli than anything else! You can also use frozen broccoli florets, thawed. I'd use about 3 to 4 cups of them, but then I am a broccoli nut!

Herb and Lemon Roasted Chicken Breasts

You've probably noticed by now that we eat a lot of chicken in this house. I am sure we eat it at least 2 or 3 times a week in at least one form or another.



I like to buy whole chickens and cut them up myself. It's not all that hard to do really and you can really save a lot of money by doing it yourself!



This is a really good video showing you how to do just that. I had contemplated doing one myself, but this lady does it very well and I just figured . . . why mess with success!



I always pack the parts together into separate freezer bags . . . one for legs, one for breasts and one for the wings and the backs ( to be used to make stock when I get enough of them.) I usually buy two or three chickens at a time.



I completely bone out about half of the breasts, and then I leave the bone and skin on the other half. Nothing tastes better or is moister than chicken breasts which are roasted on the bone with the skin intact.



This is a delicious marinade that I like to use when I am roasting them on the bone. It's nicely flavoured with lemon, garlic and a variety of herbs. You don't really need to let them marinate for that long, about an hour will do it . . . but of course the longer you marinate them the more flavour will be imparted from the herbs into the chicken.



Keeping the skin on helps to keep the herbs next to the flesh and also to keep in a lot of that moisture. I've eaten far too many dried up chicken breasts in my lifetime. There is a fine line when cooking boneless chicken breasts between perfect and dried out as heck!



This recipe is also very easily cut in when there are just two of you, like there is with me and Todd. When I am only cooking two, I like to cut some potatoes into wedges, toss them with some spices and a bit of olive oil and roast them right along with the chicken. Oh my . . . but it all tastes so very good at the end!!



Just look at that moist chicken meat. So tender and flavourful. I would have to say that this is one of my absolute favourite ways to eat it.

Oh yes . . . Nom Nom!!



*Herb and Lemon Roasted Chicken Breasts*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is a delicious way of preparing chicken breasts which keeps them moist and very flavourful. I like to buy whole chickens and cut them up myself. Plan ahead as the chicken needs to marinate for about an hour before cooking.

4 bone in chicken breasts, skin on (you can do this yourself, or ask your butcher to do it for you)
2 fluid ounces of extra virgin olive oil
the finely grated zest of two unwaxed lemons (cut the remainder of the lemons into thin slices and set aside)
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 TBS finely chopped fresh chives
4 TBS finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
4 TBS finely chopped fresh tarragon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix together the olive oil, lemon zest and minced garlic. Remove the leaves from the thyme and rosemary and mince. Stir them into the olive oil along with the chives, parsley and tarragon. Mix all very well together. Lift the skin from the chicken breasts and rub half of the herbe mixture underneath and replace the skin over top. Rub the remainder of the herb mixture over all of the chicken. Lay each breast in a flat plastic container, placing each one on top of two lemon slices. Lay another two lemon slices on top of each breast. Cover and chill for about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 5. Have ready a shallow baking dish. Place the chicken breasts into the dish, keeping the lemon slices on the bottom of each breast and the slices on top of each breast. Sprinkle with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Roast in the heated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken breasts are cooked through, with the juices running clear and the skin is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. These go very well with oven roasted potato wedges and purple sprouting broccoli. I sometimes roast the potato wedges in the pan with the chicken, which gives them a fabulous flavour as well. Delicious!

Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet Dinner

This is one of those delicious kinds of meals that you need to have up your sleeve when you have a house full of people, but don't want to spend hours slaving over a hot stove.



it's also a real family pleaser. My children always loved this and I confess to having a certain fondness for it myself. I also have been known to cook this for a few missionaries in my time. It always goes down a real treat.



They get lots of roast dinners during the week . . . everyone tries to feed them fab meals . . . so once in a while I like to treat them to a meal that would be similar to something that they would get at home, and cooked by their mums. This is comfort food, pure and simple, and something that keeps them coming back for seconds!



Something homey, comforting and filling, and incredibly tasty. Pasta combined with browned minced beef, garlic and herbs, onions, bacon, herbs and oodles of rich and gooey cheese. It has all of the elements of a bacon cheeseburger but without the bun.

All you need on the side is a delicious tossed salad and some crusty rolls. Really . . . this is VERY good . . . and quick . . . and easy . . . a real family pleaser. Another tasty treat from my Big Blue Binder. (It does make rather a lot, so if you want you can place half of the meal into a casserole dish, seal well, and freeze one for another time!)



*Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet Dinner*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

This is one of those great family style dishes that not only tastes delicious, but is also quick, easy and feeds a crowd. You can cut the quantities in half if you like, but I'd also like to add that it freezes very well and so it's one of those things you can have in the freezer, ready to whip out at a moment's notice!

16 0unces uncooked pasta (I find shapes work well like fusilli or shells, rotini or something like that) (1 pound)
1 kg of extra lean minced beef (2.2 pounds)
16 ounces streaky bacon (1 pound)
1 onion, peeled and minced
2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 tins of tomato soup
1/2 cup tomato ketchup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp mixed herbs (freeze dried basil, freeze dried oregano, parsley, marjoram)
8 ounces extra strong cheddar cheese, grated (2 cups I confess I probably do use more, but start at 2 cups and add as you wish)

Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove with and set aside to drain. Add the minced beef, onions and garlic to the drippings. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the beef is lightly browned and the vegetables are soft. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the herbs. Crumble inthe cooked bacon. Add the ketchup and tomato soup. Bring to the boil, then simmer while you cook the pasta.

Cook the pasta in lightly salted water according to the package directions until tender. Once tender, drain well and then stir into the beef mixture. Add 3/4 of the cheddar cheese and stir it in to melt, then sprinkle the remainder of the cheese on top and allow to melt. Serve right from the pan with lots of crusty bread and a tasty salad on the side.

Mrs McNevin's Goulash

When I was a very young bride I moved far away across the broad expanse of Canada to live on the wild Western frontier . . . ok, so it was really a vast urban centre . . . but it might as well have been the wild Western frontier, because I was young and away from my mom and dad for pretty much the first time in my life. I had nobody to call on for advice or help or company.



That is until I met Lil. Lil was the mother of one of my ex husband's best mates. She lived in a small town in Alberta called Olds. She was the salt of the earth. She was rather robust and had no teeth . . . but her heart was filled with the milk of charity and she gathered me into her home and her family.



I loved to go and spend the weekend at their place. They had an old British Bulldog that used to pull our daughter around in her walker by holding gently on to her hand with his mouth . . . and Mr McNevin, Lil's husband, was very much a grandfatherly figure to my son. He had flown helicopters for heli-skiing and was just loaded with interesting and colourful stories! They had a houseful of girls, each one more colourful than the last . . . it was there that I learned how to play Canasta and it was there that I ate pistachio nuts for the very first time. To a young mum and wife, away from her parents for the first time, their home was a wonderful haven.



Lil was a fabulous cook, a very unpretentious cook. Her food was lumberjack food . . . as robust and loveable as she was, filling, uncomplicated and quite, quite delicious!



This was one of the things she used to cook. She gave me her recipe and it has been a firm favourite in my home for many, many years. My kids absolutely loved this when they were growing up. Lil and Mrs McNevin have been gone for many years now, but the memories of them live on in this delicious and unpretentious supper . . . it's goulash . . . Mrs. McNevin's Goulash . . . from the pages of my Big Blue Binder.



*Mrs McNevin’s Goulash*
Serves 4 - 6
printable recipe

I have an old blue binder that holds recipes that I have collected from friends and family and magazines throughout the many years. This one is a real treasure and I never make it but what I don’t think of Mrs. McNevin. The mother of a friend of ours, she was so kind to me, a young bride living far away from the bosom of my own family. She took me under her wing and treated me just like one of her own. This deliciously spicy stewed meat goes very well with rice or noodles.

2 pounds of stewing beef, trimmed of any fat and cut into cubes
2 TBS cooking oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
½ cup tomato catsup
2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
1 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
½ tsp dry mustard powder
¼ cup flour
1 cup water

Pre-heat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Season the meat lightly and coat it in the flour.

Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet and add the meat. Brown it very well on all sides. Add the onion and garlic, Cook for a few minutes longer until the vegetables are softened and quite fragrant.

Add the catsup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, paprika and dry mustard. Stir it all together well. Stir in the water.

Tip it all into a casserole with a lid and then put it into the oven to cook for 2 hours or so, until the meat is very tender and the sauce is thickened. Delicious!

Oven Hash

Question . . . does this look like stewing beef to you?? I thought not! It doesn't look like stewing beef to me either . . . but apparently it does to Todd. I sent him to the shops this morning to get me a pound of cubed stewing beef and this is what he brought back. I had in mind to make a beef curry in my crock pot as the gas is off again today . . .

Scratch the beef curry.



I tried not to grumble at him too much . . . meh . . . these things happen. Never send a man in to do a woman's job . . . most times they will mess it up, but . . . c'est la vie!



Instead I made a lovely oven hash . . . it occurred to me that whilst my gas burners wouldn't operate with the gas turned off . . . the electric oven still would. Duh . . . it only took me three days to figure that bit out.



I also have a beautiful Morphy Richard's crock pot which browns things, and so I browned my meat, onions and peppers for the hash in that. I stirred in all the other ingredients, poured them into a casserole dish and popped it into my hot oven.



This is a very old recipe. It's called many different things . . . Texas Hash, Macaroni and Meat . . . Oven Hash. It all boils down to the same thing.



Comfort food. Simple food. Family food. Economical and honest ingredients combined to make a delicious meal that your family will love.



All you need on the side is a tossed salad and perhaps some crusty rolls. I'll make the beef curry another day . . . today we feasted on this.



*Oven Hash*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Not a hash with potatoes, but a delicious mixture of spiced minced beef, baked with tomatoes, onions and noodles. Comfort food. Family food. Simple, maybe . . . but never plain.

3 TBS fat (You can use oil, drippings or butter)
3 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large green pepper, trimmed, seeds discarded, and flesh chopped
1 lb. extra lean minced beef
2 (400g) tins of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice (about 3 cups)
180g of uncooked noodles (2 cups) (You may also use 1/2 cup of raw long grain rice)
1 tsp mild chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano flakes
2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 2 litre casserole dish. Set aside.

Melt the fat in a dutch oven. Add onions and pepper. cook, stirring, until the onions are softened, but not browned. Add the minced beef. Cook and stir until the mixture falls apart and is no longer pink. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour this mixture into the buttered casserole dish. cover and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for 15 minutes longer. Serve hot.



Cooking in The Cottage today, a delicious Chocolate Bread Pudding with Raspberry Cherry Sauce.

Golden Rice and Chicken Pilaf

You can pick up some tasty little goodies in the grocery store, and I'm not just talking about food. For years now I have been collecting little recipe cards, pamphlets and booklets that I thought had tasty recipes in or on them.



I have quite a collection as you can imagine. The recipes are normally quite, quite tasty. My favourites have always been the Waitrose Cards, but I have found little gems in most of the shops.



I even have some very old Robin Hood baking pamplets that I had collected when I was a girl. They're just lovely. This recipe here today came from a magazine clipping advertising chicken tenders.



I have adapted it somewhat and it is a recipe we both really enjoy. It gives us a tasty dinner on the day and then leftovers to stick in the freezer for another time. It has just enough spice to suit our tastes, with middle eastern flavours. The frozen peas are my addition . . . because they add colour and texture and we like them.



Quick, easy and a great way to stretch a pound of chicken, this recipe pleases on many levels. I forgot to sprinkle the chopped nuts on top today . . . so you'll just have to imagine how pretty it is with them added!




*Golden Rice and Chicken Pilaf*Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is a quickie dish that I adapted some years ago from one of those booklets you pick up in the grocery store. It's delicious and always more than welcome.

2 tsp oil
1 pound fresh chicken tenders (or the equivalent of boneless, skinless chicken breast,
cut into strips, crossways)
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
210g of uncooked regular long grain rice (1 cup)
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced
a handful of sultana raisins
a handful of chopped dried apricots
1 heaped tsp of curry powder (I use a medium strength)
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp salt
500ml of chicken broth
white pepper to taste
a handful of frozen petit pois
to garnish:
chopped toasted almonds or pistachio nuts

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and the onion is softened. Stir in the rice, spices and the carrot and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until very fragrant. Stir in the fruit and broth, mixing all together well. Bring to the boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook, covered for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. Take off the heat, stir in the petit pois and set aside, covered, for about 5 minutes. Fluffy up the rice and serve immediately, garnished with some toasted nuts if desired.



Over in The Cottage today, Aunt Fern's Coconut Cookies.

Meat Loaf Pie

Time for another recipe that I have had kicking around in my Big Blue Binder for years and years. Meat Loaf Pie!



When I was a child I did not like meatloaf at all. I didn't like minced meat at all! My mom always bought the really cheap stuff that was full of grease, gristle and bits of bone. I hated it. Everytime we had it I wanted to gag . . . it was not my favourite thing at all.



I could never understand the false economy of buying cheap mince . . . half of it gets drained away in fat . . . I'd rather pay more and get my money's worth. I always buy extra lean minced steak and it is worth every extra penny.



We do like meatloaf in this house, but sometimes I want the flavour of a good meatloaf, but in a lot less time than it takes to cook a regular meatloaf! This tasty recipe fits the bill on all counts.



You press the meatloaf mixture into a pie tin so it cooks in about 1/3 of the time. I still use the traditional toppings of a tasty ketchup and brown sugar glaze, some cheddar cheese and streaky bacon.



It is some delicious. I serve it in wedges along with some fluffy homemade mash and green beans or cabbage. It always goes down a real treat. This is a doddle really.



Family Food = Comfort Food. It's a real favourite with the missionaries too!




*Meat Loaf Pie*
Serves 4

A lot quicker to make than a regular meatloaf and delicious as can be! A real family favourite!

1 tin (5 ounces) evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)
2 ounces dried fine bread crumbs (1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 single serving envelope of cup of soup (I like to use the cream of
mushroom or the onion)
1 pound of extra lean minced beef

To top:
2 ounces tomato ketchup (about 1/3 cup)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried mustard powder
1 dessert spoon of brown sugar
4 ounces strong cheddar cheese, grated ( 1 cup)
6 slices of streaky bacon, partially cooked and cut in half lengthwise

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 5. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie tin and set aside.

Whisk together the evaporated milk, bread crumbs, garlic salt, pepper and soup mix in a bowl. Crumble the meat over top and then mix it in, combining everything together well. Spread into the prepared pie tin, pressing it onto the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Whisk together the ketchup, oregano, mustard powder and brown sugar. Remove the pie tin from the oven. Spread this on top of the meatloaf. Top with the grated cheese and the bacon. Bake 5 to 10 minutes longer until cooked completely through and the bacon has crisped somewhat and the cheese has melted.

Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve. We like to have mashed potatoes and a green vegetable with this.

Note : This is also very easy to double. You can bake one and put the other, minus the toppings, in the freezer so that you have a delicious meal ready at your fingertips whenever you need one! You can cook from frozen, but of course it will take a bit longer.



Baking in The Cottage today, Not Quite Jammy Dodgers!