Menu: Chicken casserole and Fried Rice

This week is all about reusing ingredients and STOCKING our FREEZERS! With the holiday season coming up, if you are like me, there are so many nights with events that it is hard to plan a cook once/eat twice weekly menu. So, use your trusty freezer to have dinner in a pinch!

Day One:

Chicken Artichoke Casserole

I love this casserole, it's always a hit. It freezes well, so while you are making it this week, make another one to freeze for later! When you double it, do not fully double the milk (it is a little too much). For this week's menu, make another cup of cooked rice to put in the fridge and use for your fried rice if you are cooking for two. If you are cooking for four, make two extra cups.

Ingredients :

1/2 cup chopped carrot (about 1)

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1/4 cup sliced green onions (about 2)

1 T butter

1 10 3/4 ounce can low sodium (healthy option) condensed cream of chicken soup

1 9 ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and cut up

1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I always use a rotisserie)

1 cup hot cooked rice (white or brown)

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (I always use a little more)

2/3 cup milk (1% works great)

1 tea garlic powder

1 tea poultry seasoning

1/2 tea salt (more to taste)

1/4 tea fresh cracked black pepper

4 slices crispy, cooked bacon, crumbled

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. In a large skillet (you can also use a wok or soup pot) melt butter over medium high heat. Cook carrot, pepper, and green onions in melted butter until the carrot is crisp-tender. Remove from heat. Stir in the chicken soup, artichoke hearts, chicken, rice, mozzarella cheese, milk, spices, and bacon.

2. Transfer the mixture to a 2 quart rectangular baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

3. Bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Uncover, and bake about 20 minutes more or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Freezer directions: Place doubled casserole in a freezable container (I like foil pans). Let it cool down a little and then put it in the freezer. DO NOT top with parmesan until you thaw it and are ready to cook it.

Tossed Salad

Day Two:

Leftover casserole & tossed salad

Day Three:

Fried Rice w/ Hoisin marinated chicken

If you are cooking this recipe for two, halve it (then you will only use the 1 cup of rice you saved from the casserole) but make FOUR chicken breasts so you can have them for your salad tomorrow.

Recipe changes for the fried rice:

1. I use fish sauce instead of oyster sauce and use little (if any soy sauce) until I serve it at the table.

2. I cook mine in a wok and move the rice to the side and pour in a scrambled egg. Let it cook fully, then combine with the rice mixture.

Hints:

*For great fried rice always use old, cold rice!

*For quicker grilling, pound the chicken a little thinner to make it more even before putting it in the marinade.

Day Four:

Hoisin chicken tossed salad with Asian vinaigrette

Make your favorite salad meal! Suggestions: bib lettuce, bell peppers, mandarin oranges, red or green onions, and peanuts.

OR

A chicken/starch/vegetable meal if you don't want a salad meal (Ex: Leftover chicken, roasted asparagus, and sauteed zucchini/squash.)

Day Five:

Roasted Shrimp with bell peppers

Time to double up and stock the freezer again! Either make the recipe and freeze half of it for 2 two person servings, or double it and freeze an entire recipe for 2 four person servings. Follow the directions from the website about freezing.

Cous-Cous or Orzo

The recipe online says to serve with rice, but we have eaten so much rice this week, let's change it up!

Happy eating!

~Mamacita

Menu: Pantry "lasagna" and Turkey Chili

This week was all about using things in my pantry because I didn't get to the grocery store until late in the week. So, if you have read my staple list, you can easily make these things, too! I think you will like them a lot, and they are very "family friendly."

Day One

Pantry "Lasagna"

Homemade lasagna is so good, but who has the time that often? I made this from things I always have. I keep ravioli in my freezer, and I didn't even thaw it to make this! You could double this and freeze one, but I honestly think it's just as easy to assemble and make it

that day.

Ingredients:

1 package large cheese (or other flavor) ravioli (No need to thaw or cook!)

1 jar pasta sauce

1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 can chopped artichoke hearts, drained

2 garlic cloves, minced (or 2 tea jarred minced garlic)

1 package shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a medium skillet over med-high heat, sauté garlic in olive oil for 2 minutes (do not brown or burn). Add spinach and artichoke hearts and sauté until warmed through. Season well with salt and fresh ground pepper.
3. Layer in a rectangular baking dish: 1/3 of the pasta sauce, 1/2 of the ravioli, 1/2 of the spinach mixture, and 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat, ending with cheese on top, adding parmesan on the top.
4. Bake, covered in foil, for 25 minutes or until bubbly

Tossed Salad

Bread

Day Two:

Leftover Pantry lasagna

Steamed green beans

Bread

Day Three:

Turkey Chili

Every time the weather turns, I make this chili. It is truly one of our favorite meals. I have made it with beef and venison, and it is good with both. I have also made it with chicken broth instead of the beer, and it's fine, but with the beer it's better. Chipotle chilis en adobo are a great ingredient. They are smoked jalapeños, and are not spicy (trust me, I can't handle spicy).

Instead of the can of whole, peeled tomatoes, I use a can of diced tomatoes with their juices. For toppings, I always use: avocados, cilantro, cheese, and tortilla chips.

Cornbread

Day Four:

Leftover turkey chili

Cornbread

Day Five:

Pantry "Minestrone"

I found this recipe in an old Real Simple (such a great magazine) because I was trying to use things I had in my pantry to make a soup. I was pleased with how it turned out. I hope you have these things in your pantry, too! If you make this amount, enjoy some for lunch.

I brought the soup to a boil and added some small pasta for a real minestrone feel and omitted the green beans. I did not add the kidney beans, just the white beans. Remember, every time you use canned beans, rinse and drain them first.

Broiled cheesy bread or grilled cheese

Happy Eating!

~Mamacita