Potluck Chicken Casserole Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 cups milk
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 4 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 3 cups cooked long grain rice
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 jar (2 ounces) diced pimientos, drained
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 cup coarsely crushed cornflakes

Directions

Saute mushrooms and onion in 3 tablespoons butter in a large sauce pan until tender. 

Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in flour until blended. 

Add milk gradually and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. 

Remove from the heat and add mayonnaise until smooth. 

Add chicken, rice, celery, peas, pimientos, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Place in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. 

Melt remaining butter and toss with cornflakes. Sprinkle over top. 

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly. 

Yield: 8-10 servings.

Originally published as Potluck Chicken Casserole in Taste of Home October/November 1996, p37
Photo and recipe source

Mexican Chicken Alfredo

Love chicken alfredo and the addition of salsa and taco seasoning sounds awesome for a different twist on my regular recipe.

When I make chicken alfredo the fast way, it is similar to this recipe . . . except I add a combination of bell pepper and spicy hot peppers.  I also use green onions including green part instead of plain onions.  Of course I add garlic.  I like to use no fat half and half if I have it in the fridge.

This recipe comes from Taste of Home . . . one of my favorite recipe sources from the time was a young adult and have a collection of their yearly cookbooks.  If you love cookbooks, you need to check it out on their website.

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 ounces) gemelli or spiral pasta
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 jars (15 ounces each) Alfredo sauce
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup medium salsa
• 1/4 cup 2% milk
• 2 teaspoons taco seasoning

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken, onion, salt and pepper in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in Alfredo sauce; bring to a boil. Stir in cheese, salsa, milk and taco seasoning.

Drain pasta; toss with chicken mixture. 

Divide between two greased 8-in.-square baking dishes. 

Cover and bake 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.

Yield: 2 casseroles (4 servings each)

Recipe and Photo Source: Taste of Home

Originally published as Mexican Chicken Alfredo in Simple & Delicious

August/September 2011, p22 

Amaretto Almond Pound Cake

AMARETTO ALMOND POUND CAKE

(recipe and directions for the glaze after the cake)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups butter, softened 
• 1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese, softened 
• 2 1/2 cups sugar 
• 3 tablespoons almond liqueur
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 large eggs 
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°. 
2. 
   
3. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. 
4. 
   
5. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. 
6. 
   
7. Add liqueur and vanilla, beating just until blended. 
8. 
   
9. Gradually add flour to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition.
10. 
    
11. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. 
12. 
    
13. Sprinkle almonds over bottom of a greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan; pour batter into pan.
14. 
    
15. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
16. 
    
17. During last 10 minutes of baking, prepare Amaretto Glaze. 
18. 
    
19. Remove cake from oven, and gradually spoon hot Amaretto Glaze over cake in pan. (Continue to spoon glaze over cake until all of glaze is used, allowing it to soak into cake after each addition.) 
20. 
    
21. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour and 30 minutes).

AMARETTO GLAZE

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup almond liqueur
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions

Bring sugar, butter, almond liqueur, and water to a boil in a small 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat, stirring often; reduce heat to medium-low, and boil, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and use immediately.

Ethleen Scarborough, Augusta, Georgia, Southern Living 
MARCH 2011

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

BAKED MONTE CRISTO SANDWICHES

Puff Pastry Sheets should be a staple item in the freezer.  I always forget how many delicious things you make with it.  These sandwiches prove my point! The Captain makes an awesome chicken pot pie that is topped with puffed pastry . . . one of the best I have ever had.

Although this recipe sounds awesome, I'm not sold on the addition of sweetness, so I will make mine without it and have some maple syrup on the side to dip the sandwich in to try it out.

The sandwich recipe and photo comes from Pepperidge Farms . . . the link is at the end of the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. water
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
• 8 slices deli ham (Black Forest)
• 4 slices deli Swiss cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup pure maple syrup

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.

Sprinkle the flour on the work suface. Unfold the pastry sheet on the work surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 12-inch square. Cut into 4 (6-inch) squares. Brush the edges of the pastries with the egg mixture.

With a corner of 1 pastry facing you, place 2 slices ham and 1 slice cheese on the bottom half of the pastry. Fold the pastry over the filling to form a triangle and press the edges to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork. Repeat with the remaining pastries. Brush the pastries with the egg mixture. Place the pastries onto a baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Sprinkle the pastries with the confectioners' sugar. Serve with the maple syrup.

Source