Tip of the day: Keeping Rice Grains Separate

Rice grains will stay separate and white if you add a teaspoon of lemon to the water for each quart made.

Loaded Cheesy Rice

2 Cups of Uncooked Rice

Make according to directions with Chicken broth instead of water and adding some minced onion

Melt in about 2 Cups of Cheddar Cheese.  (Enough to coat all of the rice)

Place in bowls topped with sour cream and bacon bits

This was not an all around hit in our house.  Exactly half and half, actually.  It tastes like the rice version of a loaded baked potato.  I dug it, personally, but the potato purists felt it would be better to stick with the good stuff.  LOL

If I ever make this rice again, I think I might add broccoli.



Crockpot Creamy Chicken and Rice

This is probably my #1 go to thing I do with my crockpot. You know those packages of rice mixture thingies?? You know these ones:

Yeah! So I use these glorious mixes to make crockpot chicken. I've only used these 2 flavors so far but it is always a hit and always yummy and so easy! In my photo above I've used the cheddar broccoli one with frozen broccoli. Here is the recipe.

2 chicken pieces I usually use boneless skinless breasts

1 package of rice mixture

2 cups water/broth

1 can of cream of chicken

1 package of cream cheese. I love using the new cooking cream ones from Philadelphia

1 package of frozen veggies

2-4 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper optional

(Recipe can be doubled)

Place chicken in crockpot with butter and you can salt and pepper if you choose. Dump in the rice package and pour the water/broth over that. Then mix together the cream of chicken and cream cheese in a bowl and pour over chicken and rice.

Cook on low for about 6 hours or on high for 3. Can use frozen chicken if you want just adjust your cooking time. At the last hour or 2 pull out the chicken and cut it up or shred it. Put it back in the rice mixture and stir everything together. Add frozen veggies and stir to combine. Sometimes I add a little milk to thin it out just a tad but that is completely optional. Then let it all come back up to temperature and the veggies thaw as well. You could even add some cheese if you wanted.

Enjoy!!

Chicken, Avacado, and Wild Rice Salad

1  4.3 oz. package mixed white and wild rice
2 ripe avacados, sliced
3 cups cooked chicken cut into bite sized pieces
4 scallions, chopped
1 cup italian dressing
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds
1 cup cherry tomatoes


1. prepare rice according to package directions
2. stir in chicken and scallions; add the dressing and toss well.
3. Pour into a serving dish (and if you want a cold salad, chill up to an hour)
4. Toss avacados with lemon juice.
5. garnish salad with avacados, nuts and tomatoes

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

5 2/3 c water
1 pkg. long grain and wild rice mix (uncle bens)
1 env. chicken noodle soup (lipton)
1 celery rib chopped
1/3 c chopped onion
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 c cubed chicken.


Combine and mix ingredients in pot and simmer until tender.

Beve's Stir Fry

My Mom made this last night and it was so easy and the whole family loved it....  I forgot to take pictures.

She doesn't measure so add enough for your family to eat.

Cut up chicken breast (She used the precooked grilled chicken strips from Costco)
Stir Fry Veggies
~Fry in Skillet till cooked all the way through.
~add:
Mandarin Oranges (Whole can, juice and all)
Brown sugar (About 2 Tb)

~add
Water or chicken broth and cornstarch (about a spoonfull of cornstarch to about a cup of water or chicken broth) mix water and cornstarch together seperately with no lumps. 

~Boil till cornstarch mixture turns thick and caramel colored.
~Serve over rice

(She says she adds cayenne pepper but didn't because of the kiddos.)

Chicken and Rice Casserole Variation

Long live casseroles! I am a busy mother of 4 and absolutely love the fact that
A.) casseroles are quick and easy to throw together with minimal dishes dirtied,
B.) they can be  assembled early and cooked at your convenience and
C.) they feed a lot fairly inexpensively and are pretty tasty. 

Sorry these are not exact amounts, I typically just dump it all together, sometimes even using leftovers.

Prepare to make your normal chicken and rice casserole. 

For me, that would roughly include rice,  1 can cream of chicken soup, cut up chicken and cheese. 

To "spice it up" add to that the following:

1 CAN STOKES GREEN CHILI SAUCE

FROZEN CORN

1 CAN DRAINED BLACK BEANS

FRESH CILANTRO

SEASONING TO TASTE (I used a little garlic and onion powder)

In the past I have even topped with a bit of Salsa before baking, but my kids aren't big Salsa fans, so I left it out this time. Goes well with a green salad and corn chips. YUM.

Chicken and Rice with Garlic and Mushroom Asparagus

The Chicken and Rice is actually a Campbell's recipe. You can get it HERE.



The Asparagus was a concoction of stuff I had around the kitchen. I hate mushy green vegetables, so I normally bring the asparagus just to a boil on Med heat in a bit of water. Today I added mushrooms and minced garlic with some Smartbalance butter.

Oh! and for those few who are as asparagus ignorant as I used to be: You need to break off the thick end of the spear. My rule of thumb is to hold the thick end with one hand and the base of the leafy part and bend. it breaks where it should.

Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole

I got this recipe out of the Campbell's Casseroles & One-Dish Favorites.

Prep is about 15 mins
Mkes about 4 servings

1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked regukar long-grain white rice
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese.

1) Heat oven to 375 degrees. Stir in soup, water, rice, onion powder, black pepper, and vegetables in a 2-quart shallow baking dish.
2) Top with the chicken, season are desired. Cover and bake for 50 mins or until chicken is cooked all the way through and rice is tender.
3) Sprinkle with cheese and let stand for 10 mins or until the cheese is melted. Stir rice and serve.

The magazine also has a few variations for a different flavor:
Mexican: In place of the onion powder and pepper use 1 tsp chili powder. Substitute Mexican cheese blend for Cheddar cheese.
Italian: In place of onion powder and pepper use 1tsp italian seasoning. Substitute 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan for Cheddar.
Alfredo: Substitute broccoli flowerets (I found these in the frozen veggie section at the grocery) and 1/4 cup Parmesan for Cheddar. Add 2 tbsp Parmesan with the soup and sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan on the chicken at the end.

I found this super easy and liked that you use only one dish to make. This also reheated wonderfully for leftovers.

Supremes de Volaille a Blanc (Chicken breasts poached in butter)

From Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child, Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle. Knopf, 1961.

We served this over risotto (Italian rice) with broccoli and hollandaise sauce as the side.

Ingredients:

Risotto
1 cup uncooked risotto
2 cans chicken stock (14oz cans)
3 pads butter

Supreme's (chicken cutlets or breasts)
4 thin boneless, skinless chicken cutlets
salt & pepper and (drops) lemon juice
4 tbsp. butter

Volaille a Blanc (Wine Sauce)
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup Chardonnay
1 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper, and drops lemon juice
2 tbsp. minced parsley (for garnish)

Risotto: Combine 1can of stock, 1cup risotto and 3 pads butter in a pan and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer with lid on for 5-10min, as the risotto thickens slowly add 1/4 of the second can of stock at a time and allow to thicken on simmer. Cooking time approx. 20-30min depending on the stove you are cooking on. When done the risotto should be creamy and nutty.

For the chicken: Preheat oven to 400. Season meat with salt, pepper and drops of lemon juice. Melt the butter in a pan or casserole that can go from the stove top tot eh oven and back again. Roll the chicken in the melted butter, and cover the surface of the casserole with wax paper. Place in oven for 6 to 7 minutes, or until the meat feels springy when you push on it. Remove from oven and remove chicken to a plate covered with foil to keep it warm.

For the sauce: Remove all but 1-2tbl of butter from the pan or casserole. Place the pan onto a burner on high. Pour stock and wine into a the saucepan and boil rapidly until liquid is syrupy. Then pour in the cream whisking rapidly as you stream it in and boil rapidly until lightly thickened (the right consistency coats the back of a spoon with a thin layer). Season with salt, pepper and drops of lemon juice as needed.

Place risotto in the bottom of a serving dish, arrange chicken over the top and then poor the sauce over the whole thing. Sprinkle garnish over top for color and serve hot.

Chicken and Rice

I got this recipe from my best-friends dad. I forgot to take a picture when I made it so this is in the tuperware before I warmed some up for my hubby for lunch yesterday. Boneless-Skinless Chicken breast
Cream of mushroom soup
Rice
water
S&P to taste


For every chicken breast use one can of crean of mushroom soup and half a can of water. Take your chicken, cream of mushroom soup, and water put in a casserole dish. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour. (the time may take longer depending on how big your pieces are and whether they are frozen or not). Make rice, they amount depends on how muchyou need.

Once the chicken is down place a piece of chicken and some of the cream of mushroom sauce over the top of the rice.

Note: This can also be done in the crockpot, if needed to start in advance.

Grandma Tracy's Swedish Christmas Rice

1 cup long grain rice (rinse)
6 cups whole milk
3 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar

Butter
1/2 and 1/2 Cream

After rice is rinsed, put in a large, heavy pan.

Add milk, 3T sugar, and salt
Heat over Med heat, stirring constantly until it bubbles around the edge.


For a fun Christmas party tradition, we hide one slivered almond in the rice and who ever finds it, gets a prize.

Round Steak Variations (Crock Pot)

Put enough round steak to feed your family in your slow cooker.

Cover with Cream of Mushroom Soup and season with Worchestershire Sauce and Pepper

Cook 4 hours on HIGH for Thawed meat
Cook 6-8 hours on LOW for frozen

Serve over Mashed Potates or Rice

~~~

1 Chopped round Steak cut up
1 onion chopped
1 green onion chopped
3 T. soy sauce
1 pkg French style green beans

Brown steak and put all ingredients on top of steak and cook on LOW all day. Serve over cooked rice.

Americanized Won-tons

I need to find my camera charger. This one is with out pics. But they look gorgeous on a plate, so i'll have to post pics when I make these again.

here goes...

~Combine cooked hamburger, cooked white rice, and cream of mushroom soup
(amounts vary depending on how many you need to feed)

~Egg roll wrappers (I find mine in the produce section next to the salad at Macey's)
With a brush or your finger, line the sides of each egg roll wrapper with Egg Whites

~Spoon rice mixture onto wrapper and fold into a triangle. Make sure that you can close the sides. (the egg whites seal the sides)

~drop in hot oil and fry until bottom is golden brown then flip it and brown the top side.

Let it sit on a paper towel for a minute to absorb some of the oil and serve.

We ate this last night with a Green Salad and Strawberries.
Also makes a great appetizer

Saucy Pork Chops...

So pretend the pic looks better. My daughter reminded me to take a picture after we'd already eaten most of the meal. I cut up the PORK CHOPS, which I don't normally do, but I forgot to take them out of the freezer until late. Also, I typically make these in a crockpot, but because of time, I baked them in a covered casserole dish at 350 for an hour and a half.

Naked Burritos

1 can black beans drained
1 can corn
1-2 cups rice
shredded cheddar and spicy jack cheese
salsa

Make rice according to pkg. Add corn and black beans to a medium sized sauce pan and heat through. Shred cheeses.

Combine a scoop of each ingredient into a bowl and enjoy.

The first time Jeff made this for me I was a bit sceptical but what can I say...I love it. It is tasty, cheep and takes about 7 min to make. I recommend adding everything from the beginning. On my first go I held back and didn't add salsa, but it is best with everything!

Black Bean Soup

*2 cans GOYA black bean soup
*Cooked white rice
*Cumin and/or Chili Powder
*Sour cream

Optional side: Tortillas

Heat black bean soup and season to taste. Serve over white rice and top with sour cream.

Options: We have served it in a bowl with fresh tortillas, or we've also stirred it all together and ate it burrito style.

Time: about 15-20 min. Serves 4-6 Cost: under $10