Broccoli and Chicken Casserole

These type of casseroles have become a favorite for us . . . quick, easy, versatile . . . semi-homemade!

The original recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces dried medium noodles
• 2 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey
• 1 10 ounce package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1 10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (2 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• Paprika

Directions

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain well.

In a 2-quart casserole stir together noodles, chicken or turkey, broccoli, and green onions.

In a medium mixing bowl stir together soup, milk, cheese, basil, and pepper. Stir into noodle mixture.

Bake, covered, in a 350 degree F oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through. 

Sprinkle with paprika. 

Makes 6 servings.


Make Ahead Tip
Prepare casserole; cover and chill up to 24 hours. Bake as above.


Nutrition Information
Per Serving: cal. (kcal) 290, Fat, total (g) 11, chol. (mg) 61, carb. (g) 22, pro. (g) 25, sodium (mg) 508, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Source

Chicken-Broccoli au Gratin

The combination of chicken and broccoli is one of my favorites.  This semi-homemade recipe is courtesy of Pillsbury.  You can substitute the convenience foods to make a frugal version of the casserole.

Please note that this recipe is for two servings.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 small onion, sliced (1/2 cup)
• 1 box (10 oz) Green Giant™ frozen broccoli & zesty cheese sauce
• 2/3 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup chopped cooked chicken
• 1 can (4 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent dinner rolls (4 rolls)

Directions 

Heat oven to 375°F. 

In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onion; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. 

Meanwhile, microwave broccoli with cheese sauce as directed on box. 

Spread 1/3 cup ricotta cheese in bottom of each of 2 ungreased 2-cup au gratin dishes or individual casseroles.* 

Top each evenly with chicken, mushroom mixture and broccoli with cheese sauce. 

Unroll dough; separate into 2 rectangles. Place 1 rectangle over top of each dish, tucking corners into dish as needed. 

Place dishes on cookie sheet; bake 20 to 25 minutes or until tops are golden brown and edges are bubbly. 

Notes from Pillsbury:

*Recipe can be made in ungreased 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish. Spread ricotta cheese in dish; top with chicken, mushroom mixture and broccoli with cheese sauce. Arrange dough rectangles over top. Bake as directed.

Broccoli, Cheese and Ham Muffins

These muffins are O.M.G. delicious looking!  I can almost guarantee that these are going to be a regular part of our menu once we try them.  I'm already thinking about variations using breakfast sausage, sliced up little smokies, bacon.  Of course I would prefer fresh broccoli!

Vegetarians can easily convert it into a vegetarian meal by leaving out the meat.

They come together quick and easy, thanks in part to the use of Bisquick.  I'm a huge advocate of Bisquick, although I love to cook from scratch.  I am NEVER without a box or two in my pantry.  Why go through more work if  you don't have to?  I use convenience foods as much as I can as long as they are high quality and economical.  I'm not being paid to say this . . . just a big fan of the product :)  

I'm very anxious to try this recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 bag (12 oz) Green Giant™ Steamers™ frozen broccoli & cheese sauce
• 1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup diced cooked ham
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (2 oz)

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.

Cook broccoli as directed on bag.

In large bowl, stir together Bisquick mix, milk, oil and egg. Stir in broccoli, ham and cheese just until well mixed. Spoon mixture evenly into muffin cups.

Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Serve warm.



Expert Tips

Wrap and refrigerate any leftover muffins. Unwrap and reheat 1 at a time on microwavable plate 15 to 30 seconds or until warm.

Broccoli Rice Casserole

This broccoli rice casserole that I have adapted from a Campbell Soup recipe is the perfect side dish or a main meatless meal.

Variations to this casserole . . . use cream of broccoli soup instead of cream of chicken for a richer broccoli flavor.  It is excellent with fresh mushrooms . . . add them with the onion in the beginning step.  Add shredded or cubed cooked chicken before stirring the mixture into the baking dish.  Vary the type of cheese.

You can make a lighter version by using low fat or no fat cream of chicken soup.  Substituting the milk with no fat half and half is one of my tricks for making these types of dishes lighter.

Fresh or frozen broccoli is up to you!  I always go for the fresh if it is available.

My pantry always has at least a couple of cans of Campbell's cream of chicken soup!  It is one of the greatest inventions ever :)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 package (16 ounces) frozen chopped broccoli (or fresh . . . one whole broccoli, florets only, I don't use the stems, but that is up to you)
1/3 cup milk
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups cooked regular long-grain white rice
Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat (watch the temperature to make sure the butter doesn't burn) and add the onion. Cook until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.

Add the broccoli in the skillet and cook until it's tender-crisp (when using fresh broccoli, I pre-steam the broccoli, keeping in mind it will continue to cook through the process . . . I don't like it crunchy).  Stir occasionally. 

Stir in the milk, soup, cheese and rice and cook until the cheese is melted. Pour the mixture into a 2-quart shallow baking dish.

Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

Trisha Yearwood's Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Have you seen Trisha Yearwood on the Food Network?  She's got an awesome southern style of cooking! Love most of her recipes . . . 

This recipe has so many of my favorite things for a comfort food meal, starting with cream of chicken soup and I can never resist a chicken and rice meal! One thing that is very interesting to me is the combination of sour cream and mayonnaise.

What an awesome meal with some hot biscuits!

Makes 10 servings
Work: 20 minutes
Total: 1 hour

Ingredients

• Vegetable cooking spray, for dish
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 3 cups chopped cooked broccoli
• 6 cups shredded, cooked, skinless, boneless chicken breasts (1 1/4 lbs.)
• 1 can (10 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 3 cups (10 oz.) shredded cheddar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Evenly spread out rice in dish. Cover with broccoli. 

2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, soup, 1 1/2 cups cheese, the sour cream, mayonnaise, juice, salt, and pepper. Pour over broccoli and top with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 40 minutes.

Nutrition facts per serving:
374 calories
25g total fat
10.5g sat fat
615mg sodium
14g carbs
253mg calcium
77mg chol
23g protein
1g fiber

Source:  Ladies Home Journal

from their collection of Trisha Yearwood's 5 Star Chicken Recipes

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

The Captain and I really enjoyed the Cornbread Stuffing Chicken Casserole made with Stove Top Stuffing so much!  We found this recipe on the box of Stove Top Stuffing the last time we made the casserole and thought it would be another great recipe using the stuffing mix.

It is another one of those semi-homemade meals that I am really loving as we try more recipes of this type.

We haven't made this meal yet, but plan to do so in the near future!

By the way, this is not a sponsored review for Stove Top Stuffing or Kraft Foods . . . it is just a product we love.

Ingredients

• 1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tsp. dried basil leaves
• 1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions

HEAT oven to 400ºF. Mix tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened.

PLACE chicken in 3-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray; sprinkle with basil and cheese.

TOP with stuffing. Bake 30 min. or until chicken is done.

Tips from the Kraft Kitchen . . .MAKE AHEADPrepare and bake recipe as directed; cool. Refrigerate up to 24 hours. To reheat, spoon each serving onto microwaveable plate. Microwave on HIGH 2 to 3 min. or until heated through.

Spicy Penne Tossed with Chicken, Broccoli and Chopped Olives

Now that my appetite is coming back from being sick and living on a bland diet way too long, I'm craving pasta!  So . . . I've been on a mission for new pasta recipes.


Can't wait to try this variation of a pasta dish that I make with chicken, broccoli and mushrooms with hot peppers . . . I also use mozzarella and parmesean cheese.  We prefer rigatoni pasta . . .

Kosher salt 
1/2 cup olive oil 
4 cloves garlic, smashed 
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary 
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 
1/2 lb. (about 1 large) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips 
2/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped 
1 lb. penne 
1/2 lb. broccoli florets, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups) 
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino-Romano 

---

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. 

Meanwhile, heat the oil and garlic in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring gently so the cloves don’t break up, until they become light brown in places and very fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. 

Add the rosemary and red pepper flakes and cook until they start to sizzle, about 15 seconds. 

Add the chicken, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring often, until the chicken loses its raw color, about 2 minutes. 

Remove from the heat and stir in the olives.

Add the penne to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until just barely al dente, 1 to 2 minutes less than the package instructions. 

Add the broccoli and cook until it turns bright green and the pasta is tender, about 1 minute. 

Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and then drain the pasta and broccoli. 

Discard the garlic from the olive mixture. 

Add the pasta and the pasta water to the skillet and cook uncovered over medium-high heat, stirring, until the pasta absorbs most of the liquid, about 2 minutes. 

Stir in the lemon juice and half of the Pecorino. 

Serve sprinkled with the remaining Pecorino.

Sources:

photo: Maren Caruso

From Book Big Buy Cooking, pp. 12

September 21, 2010

by Tony Rosenfeld

Pasta-Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Sour Cream
3/4 cup Mayonnaise
1/3 cup Scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh Dill (or 1 teaspoon dried)
8 ounces medium Shell Pasta, cooked
3 cups Broccoli Florets
1 1/2 cups Red Pepper, thinly sliced


Dressing:

Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, scallions, and dill.


Combine cooked pasta, broccoli, and peppers.

Spoon in dressing and toss gently.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.




Recipe source: Cooking Light

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Mary Catherine Muir

Ham and Broccoli Bake

SERVINGS: 8
CATEGORY: Main Dish
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 15 min. + chilling Bake: 35 min.


Ingredients:

1 loaf (8 ounces) day-old French bread, cubed
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper


Directions:

Toss bread cubes with butter. Place half in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with half of the cheese and broccoli; sprinkle with ham. Top with remaining broccoli, cheese and bread cubes.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and pepper. Pour over casserole. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.


Yield: 8 servings.


Source:
Taste of Home
October/November 2008 issue

Frittata

I'm bumping up this article on Frittata since I consider this one of the best "cheap meals" ever. It is one of my favorite recipes to go to when I am low on funds and have leftovers. Since I eat rice often, I've perfected my frittatas and vary them often.

Last night I made a basic Broccoli Frittata and decided to add some seasoned bread crumbs to the mix and it was AWESOME. I was low on many ingredients that I normally use in my frittata . . . so this was very basic . . . rice, broccoli, egg, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and a handful of seasoned bread crumbs . . . seems like you can't mess this up!

Frittata is a type of Italian omelet that frequently features fillings such as meats, cheeses, and vegetables . . . the main ingredient is usually rice or pasta. This is one of my favorite meals that is great with a salad.

My way of cooking has changed since becoming a widow and cooking for one. I always cooked as if I had a large family since my husband and I always had company just showing up and ended up eating dinner with us. That practice taught me how to cook using leftovers and has come in handy now that it is just me. Especially since I really don't want to eat the same meal night after night and hate to freeze food that I end up throwing away.

The frittata is one of those versatile meals you can throw together fast and vary the ingredients to what you have on hand. My cooking style does not take a recipe and follow it . . . I use it as a guide.

The frittata is perfect for my type of cooking. For instance, I've never used the frozen chopped broccoli . . . since I eat lots of fresh steamed broccoli or green beans, I use the left overs . . . whatever I have left. If I have leftover mushrooms, they go in too. You get the idea. You can also vary the type of rice or substitute rice with any type of pasta.

You can't really mess it up! Just experiment, try to keep the ratios balanced, using the basic ingredients and have fun with it!


Here is a recipe for a Broccoli Frittata that I use as a guide:


2 1/2 tbsp onion, chopped


1 pkg. frozen chopped broccoli (cooked and drained)


2 1/2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese


1/4 cup milk


1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded


2 tbsp. butter or margarine


1 small garlic clove, crushed


1 cup Rice, cooked


2 eggs, slightly beaten


1/2 tsp. salt


dash of pepper . . . great with cayenne or red pepper if you like hot



Saute onion in butter until tender. Do not brown. Add broccoli, garlic, rice and Parmesan cheese, mix well. Combine eggs, milk and seasonings. Stir into rice mixture. Turn into well-buttered shallow 1 qt casserole dish. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until set. Makes 2 servings.

Broccoli and Pasta Bianco

from Campbell's Kitchen

Prep Time: 20 min.
Bake Time: 25 min.


Ingredients:
1 pkg. (1 pound) uncooked penne pasta (about 6 cups)
4 cups fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese


Directions:
Heat the oven to 350°F.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Add the broccoli for the last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain the pasta and broccoli well in a colander.

Stir the soup, milk and black pepper in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Stir in the pasta mixture, 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the pasta mixture is hot and bubbling and the cheese is melted.

Tip: Creamy white pastas like this one taste great with the tang and heat of crushed red pepper flakes. Serve it on the side.



Serves 8.