Chicken Daniel (Divan)

Our son spent 10 weeks in Basic Training this summer and just about every letter we received listed the food he was missing (in addition to his family). The number one menu item he wanted to eat as soon as he got home was Chicken Daniel. A simple casserole I do with chicken or turkey leftovers... or when I don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Imagine, this is what he wanted FIRST after 10 weeks of tough training! Without further ado, here is my version...

INGREDIENTS:
- Enough turkey or chicken leftovers (already cooked) and cut into bite-sized pieces to layer in a 10x13 baking dish OR 1 grocery-store cooked chicken, meat pulled off the bone and skin removed OR 3 boneless chicken breasts, seasoned and baked and cut into pieces
- 1 pkg frozen broccoli, steamed in microwave for 5 minutes
- 1 jumbo can of Cream of Chicken Soup (or 1 1/2 small ones plus a small Cream of Celery)
- 2+ cups mayonaise
- the juice from 5 squeezed lemons
- 1 large onion, sauteed
- Kosher salt & ground pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Rice

STEPS:
1. Layer the steamed broccoli in the bottom of the large baking dish, followed by the chicken pieces. Be sure everything is covered.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the soup, mayonaise, sauteed onion, lemon juice with salt and pepper. Pour this over everything in the baking dish. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, or til top is golden and cheese has melted.

3. While the casserole is baking, make the rice. We like to make our rice with two parts chicken broth to one part rice. Use a larger pot and cook on medium-low for 18 minutes (or so) with a wooden spoon propping up the lid. The rice is done when you see "pock marks" in the texture and the liquid has been absorbed.

Spot gives this 4 paws and for comfort food, so do we. I have even quinteppled this recipe and made it for a church youth gathering of 60. Yum city!

Roast Beast

This is my "go to" meal when I want to serve something yummy and more than a casserole. I actually thought I had already posted this, so here goes.

MENU
Roast Beef
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Veggie Choice

INGRED'S
Roast Beef
1/2 cup Newman's Lite Balsamic salad dressing
Kosher Salt
Ground Pepper
Refrigerator Basil
Red Potatoes
@ 1/2 cup Buttermilk
1 32-oz carton of low sodium beef broth
3 beef bouillon cubes
1 stick unsalted butter
Wondra
Kitchen Bouquet

Either a day ahead of time or at least 3 hours before cooking: salt, pepper and basil your roast. Place it in a Ziploc with the Lite Balsamic and refrigerate. Rotate/shake as you think about it.

Preheat oven to 350. 30 minutes before you want to cook it (and it will take 1.5 hours at least), put roast on counter to sit at room temp. Place beef in roast pan, lower oven temp to 325 and bake for 1 hour. When timer rings, take temp and continue to cook until meat is at 150 for rare or 160 for medium.

When the 1 hour timer rings, bring large pot of water to boil. When water is a rolling boil, add desired amount of red potatoes, halved. Bring to boil and cook til tender, about 20 minutes but check at 15. You don't want soggy potos. It's okay if they are done earlier than the meat, just drain and mash with enough buttermilk to your desired consistency, then cover.

The gravy takes about 15 minutes. Place the cubes of beef bouillon and the stick of butter in a large skillet on medium. Cook til butter is melted. Bring to boil. Whisk in Wondra, 1 TBSP at a time, til butter is absorbed. (About 2-3 TBSP) Boil about 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the beef broth. Add some pepper, some salt, and some Kitchen Bouquet if you'd like the gravy more brown. Bring to boil again for 60 seconds, then simmer until everything else is ready.

We use a version of this gravy with all kinds of menus. If chicken, the cubes and broth are...chicken! Wondra is our gravy friend. You could also add drippings from what you're cooking to the gravy. Just promise you won't use canned gravy anymore.

Leftovers? Try this! Slice chilled Roast Beast on a wooden platter with Tuscan bread, Brie Cheese (or Cream Cheese) and make mini sandwiches. Throw in a sliced cucumber or sprouts. Serve with Tomato Soup.

Spot was not near the kitchen tonight, so NO PAWS. :( She was busy plotting ways to meet the neighbors by pacing underneath a window. Go figure.