Easy Chicken Rice and Mushroom Bake

 

What’s not to like about a one-pan meal that makes a weeknight supper deliciously doable with little prep time and minimal clean-up.

 

 

Rice is combined with cream of chicken soup, mushrooms, paprika and seasoned pepper, then nestled in chicken breasts and baked.  Can’t get much easier than that ~ it’s a tasty delicious moist and tender dish!

 

Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms and Ripe Olives

This is a fabulous side dish of squash that I could actually make a meal of!

It’s fall and squash season again, with spaghetti squash one of the best, due to its unique texture that has a similarity to spaghetti.  

Creamy Chicken-Broccoli Mac & Cheese with Mushrooms with Birdwatching on the Side

  With this version of mac and cheese, you can eat all you like ~ there’s a helping of greens is in it, as in broccoli.  Broccoli is full of vitamins and minerals and is a classic example of a superfood. 

Actually, there has not been much cooking here lately, as Bill and I have been busy “birding" for a while ~ watching 2 bird nests in bushes on the side of our house; one, a nest of cardinals and the other, a nest of robins.  

Delicious ~ One-Skillet Italian Sausage Pasta!

The alluring temptation of a one-skillet meal, what cook can resist?

I’ve seen this recipe many times, many places, had the ingredients on hand, and plunged in.  The original has just 5 ingredients ~ I cooked it with 7 ~ added mushrooms and black pepper.

Delicious Savory Mushroom Casserole!

No mushroom foraging for me ~ that’s a practice that could kill a person if a mistake was made!  The grocery store is my mushroom source.  

Morel foraging

Turn Your Easter Ham into a Lighter Ham Tetrazzini!

When Easter's over, wow those around your dinner table with this tasty ham dish!

I’ve made Turkey Tetrazzini from time to time, but this slightly adapted recipe from Cooking Light, replacing turkey with ham, caught my eye.  It’s filled with the same great tetrazzini flavors and is easy to make also, however, it’s that touch of horseradish that takes it up a notch!

Midwestern Chicken and Noodles over Mashed Potatoes and My 8 Year Blogiversary!

Spoon chicken and noodles over what?  Mashed potatoes, really!  Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!

It isn’t soup, it’s not a potpie, it’s a hotdish ~ it’s thick and creamy noodles topping a mound of mashed potatoes.

Creamy, rich gravy smothers bites of savory chicken, chewy noodles and mashed potatoes. You haven’t eaten Midwestern food until you eat this for supper!

We like mushrooms with the noodles, skip them if you don’t.  Chop up and add carrots or celery, if you desire.  I poached chicken breasts, but I’ve also picked the meat off a rotisserie chicken when in a hurry.  

It may not make a pretty picture, but it more than makes up for it in goodness.  And if you have leftovers, it’s your lucky day!

Chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes is a great hearty homestyle one-dish meal for a crisp evening, any day of the week!

As a side note ~ I was recently reminded that I  have been blogging for 8 years now.  I started this blog October 29, 2009, that's a lot of posts!  Back then, I just wanted a way to organize and document family recipes.

I look back and cringe at some early posts, the writing, the photos.  But what makes up for that is the great people I have virtually "met" along the way.  I feel like I truly know many of you who share the same passion I do:  food.

I've seen a lot of blogs come and go over the years and I've learned a lot along the way from reading what you share ~ whether your travels, books you've read, music you like, food from your kitchen or in restaurants, I've enjoyed it all!

Thank you for all for visiting here and your positive comments!  

And I give a special thank you to our older son, Bill, Jr., Bubba here on my blog, for helping me to start it all!  Couldn't have done it without you, son! 

Here's to 8 more years... 

Yield: 4-6 servings

Midwestern Chicken and Noodles over Mashed Potatoes

Midwestern hearty chicken and noodles at it's best!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large jar of Heinz Homestyle Chicken Gravy
• 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
• 4-6 cups chicken broth, divided
• 1/4 cup flour
• 8 ounces egg noodles
• 2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Enough mashed potatoes for everyone

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large skillet, or pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms, and sauté until cooked.
2. In a liquid measuring cup or blender, whisk 1/4 cup broth and flour until smooth, no lumps. Stir into skillet mixture.
3. Add remaining broth, gravy and soup to mixture, stir well, bring to a boil.
4. Add noodles. Cover and cook until noodles are almost tender, about 7 minutes. Add more broth if needed.
5. Stir in chicken and heat through. Add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
6. Serve immediately over mashed potatoes.

notes

Add more broth or water as needed, the noodles soak it up.
This dish should be just a touch soupy, but much thicker than a noodle soup.  
Takes about 1 hour, total time to prepare.

Enjoy!

Seasoned Summer Squash Sauté Side

Now that summer squashes and tomatoes are abundant in farmer's markets, backyard gardens, and in grocery stores, this fresh-tasting recipe is perfect for using up the produce and is over the top in goodness!

There are hundreds of varieties of summer squash, ranging from dark green to bright yellow, long to stubby, smooth to ridged to lumpy ~  from crookneck, to green and yellow and pattypan, to zucchini.

It’s a complicated family of veggies, and any one of them would be great for this recipe.  I used zucchini and crookneck summer squash, choose your favorites. 

Ready for tomatoes and mushrooms!

The squash was sautéed with garlic, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, seasoned with Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy, finishing with a little cheese melting over all.

This was simple, and delicious for dinner and just as tasty leftover at lunchtime the next day!

Yield: Serves 4Author: Pam

Seasoned Summer Squash Sauté

prep time: 5 MINScook time: 15 MINStotal time: 20 mins

This squash sauté is delicious and just as good later, should there be leftovers!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 pounds (about 2 or 3) zucchini and summer squash, sliced 
• 1 large Vidalia onion, cut into large pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 basil leaves, chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon Mrs Dash Extra Spicy
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ cup sharp cheddar, shredded

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add squash, onion and garlic, and cook just until slightly browned, 2-3 minutes.
2. Turn heat to medium-high, add tomatoes, mushrooms, and balsamic vinegar, stirring occasionally for about 5-6 minutes, allowing juices to evaporate some.
3. Add basil and seasonings, combine well.
4. Scatter cheese over top, allow to melt and toss lightly.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Enjoy!

Braised Cube Steak w/Mushroom and Onion Gravy

Cube steak is an underrated cut of beef.

The meat has great flavor, but tends to be on the tough side.  I have the butcher run top round steak through the tenderizer machine, which has a series of blades or nails that are designed to puncture the meat, giving it a cubed surface.

Grandma just grabbed a saucer out of the cabinet, and used the edge of it to thoroughly beat the meat to tenderize it.  A mallet will do also, I've used both methods with equal success.

First off, after dusting the meat with flour, I seared it in hot oil in the skillet, over high heat. I transferred the browned meat to a platter, then added onions and mushrooms to the skillet for searing.

The moisture from the vegetables deglazes the browned bits on the bottom of the skillet; scrape it well, and add a little flour. 

Once the onions were tender, the cube steak was returned to the skillet and covered for cooking, while sitting in beef broth with the mushrooms and onions.

This whole technique is known as braising,  cooking tougher cuts of meat into tender, fall-off-the-bone cozy dinner food.  

In other words, the meat is browned, or seared, in fat and then simmered over low heat in a covered pot; braised.  Crock pots, dutch ovens, pressure cookers are great tools for this. You decide, cooked on top of the stove or in the oven, you will like the results either way.  Plus, you'll have a little gravy!

I would normally serve this with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.  This time, though, I diced and browned leftover baked potatoes ~ they were taking up refrigerator space.

This is all it takes for a delicious comfy dinner on a chilly evening!

And, leftovers make a great tasty sandwich!


Braised Cube Steak w/Mushroom and Onion Gravy

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 (5-ounces each) cube steaks
Salt and seasoned pepper
½ cup flour, plus 1 tablespoon
3 large onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (8-ounces) can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 cups beef broth or water

Method:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.
Sprinkle both sides meat with salt and pepper
Place ½ cup flour on plate, coat each piece of meat.
Cook about 3-4 minutes, per side, place on platter and set aside.
Add onions, garlic and mushrooms to skillet, cook until onions are wilted, 3-4 minutes.
Stir to loosen up browned bits from bottom of pan.
Lower heat, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour, stirring constantly for about 4 minutes.
Gradually add broth or water, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and add steaks to pan.
Simmer, partially covered for 45 minutes.
Transfer to platter, taste pan sauce, adding seasoning, if needed, spoon onto meat.
Serve
Printable recipe


Enjoy!

Grilled Vegetable Kabobs in White Wine and Honey Marinade

Vegetable kabobs 

are the perfect side to accompany 

grilled meat!

These healthy vegetables get a burst of tang to enhance their flavor.  
 
A marinade of white wine, balsamic vinegar, honey and seasonings provides a sweet/savory coating for the peppers, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes. 

Marinating

This time, I skewered chunks of zucchini, whole mushrooms, red onion slices, a variety of peppers and plum tomatoes. Use whatever mix you like.  

Cut vegetables thick, or leave small ones whole, so they will stay on the skewer as they grill. 

Be sure to make plenty ~ they vanish quickly!


Vegetable Kabobs in White Wine and Honey Marinade
Printable recipe

Ingredients: 
 6 (12”) wooden skewers

Marinade:

¼ cup dry white wine
¼ cup honey
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Vegetables:

1 zucchini, cut into 1” chunks
6 plum tomatoes, whole
8 ounces whole button mushrooms
12 assorted whole small peppers
1 large red onion, cut in half horizontally, along its equator, to expose its layers.

Method:

Soak skewers in water for 1 hour.
In a large bowl, stir marinade ingredients until honey is dissolved.
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. 
Remove vegetables from marinade, discarding marinade.
Thread vegetables onto soaked skewers, alternating colors, and place on hot grill.
Cook until vegetables are tender and lightly charred, about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. 
6 servings



Enjoy!

Buttery Balsamic Corn with Mushrooms and Grilled Onions

Fresh and sweet summer corn 

has a short season here,

I like making the most of it!

About as sweet and fresh as you can get...

Those were the days ~ growing up on the farm, running outside to our own sweet corn field, picking a few ears for Mom to boil quickly for lunch or dinner, maybe even breakfast, if she had her way!

I definitely took the abundance of fresh vegetables, fruit and meat for granted and didn’t realize how lucky I was until years later.

By the way, as you're driving down the road here in the Midwest, and you're seeing acre after acre of corn, don't assume you can leap out of the car and grab a dozen ears of sweet corn for your next meal.  Chances are, it's field corn...


 

Gravel road by a corn field

  

Sweet corn and field corn are cousins with very different tastes, different purposes. 

Sweet corn is harvested when the silks at the top of the ear are brown, when the kernels inside are fully developed.  The leaves wrapping around the ears are nice and green, with a little brown at the edges maybe.  Perfect for any meal!

Field of sweet corn

Sweet corn ear on the stalk

Field corn, aka cow corn, not so sweet, nor does it taste as good right off the cob.  Corn has a very high moisture content and field corn needs to dry out while the ears are still on the stalk. 

Silks commence to turn dark brown, shucks around the ears turn brown, the remainder of the corn plant dies, turning brown.  Finally, instead of being supported by the main stalk, ears fall with the silks pointing toward the ground.  That's the farmers' indicator to harvest.

 

Harvest time - Illinois field corn

Field corn kernels are a darker yellow and larger than sweet corn kernels.  Some of them have "dimples," another sign that the kernels have dried out; hence the name, "dent corn."

Dent corn

Cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, geese, deer and other wild animals love the taste of field corn ~ you want to attract Cardinals to your bird feeder?  Attach an ear to it!
 
Field corn is also the corn that is processed into corn meal or corn flour, and used in foods that have corn as an ingredient, such as corn flakes, and tortilla chips.  

And then, there's popcorn, another story...

Back to this recipe that’s slightly adapted from Fine Cooking magazine:

This is an easy, savory side dish that you can whip up quickly.

Uncooked corn?  Yes!  Just cut it off the cob raw.  It cooks quickly and is delicious prepared this way with the mushrooms and onion.   

The balsamic vinegar punches up the flavor in the vegetables, and the olive oil on the onion and butter to stir-fry the corn adds a dose of richness to the dish.  

While you’re grilling the onion for this tasty side dish, throw some chicken, steak or fresh tuna on the grate also:  Voila, Dinner!



Buttery Balsamic Corn with Mushrooms and Grilled Onion
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

1 small Vidalia onion or red onion, cut into 3 or 4 slices
1 teaspoon olive oil, more as needed
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces button mushrooms, stemmed and chopped
3-4 ears fresh corn, cut off the cob
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, more to taste
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Prepare a medium-high grill fire.
Rub onion slices with a little olive oil, and grill, turning occasionally, until tender, about 6 minutes.
Remove from the grill and coarsely chop.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat.
Add mushrooms, season well with salt and cook until light browned and almost tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add corn, onion, remaining butter and cook, tossing occasionally, until the corn is tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper and more vinegar.
Serves 4



Enjoy!

Sautéed Asparagus w/Mushrooms and Bacon

We bought a couple of bunches of great fresh asparagus at the farmer’s market yesterday, and then I looked around for a new way to prepare; this is how it went:

We loved this dish!  It’s excellent!

The recipe is a slightly adapted Martha Stewart recipe:  After cooking the bacon, I drained all but a teaspoon of the drippings in the skillet, added the asparagus and mushrooms, and then a little water to make sure the asparagus cooked evenly.

Asparagus has a unique taste and does a great job of working with other flavors, such as the Dijon mustard and bacon here.  

This recipe succeeded from start to finish, producing a stir-fry asparagus that was absolutely perfectly cooked, surprising us with an excellent side.

If you’re crazy about asparagus, give this a try!  It’s truly mouthwatering delicious!


Sautéed Asparagus w/Mushrooms and Bacon
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

3 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 bunches (2 pounds) asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 jar (6-ounces) sliced mushrooms*
Coarse salt and seasoned pepper
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried parsley or 3 tablespoon fresh, chopped

Method:


In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned.
Transfer to paper towel to drain, remove all but a teaspoon of bacon grease.
Add asparagus, mushrooms and water to skillet and season with salt and pepper.
Cook until asparagus is tender, about 10  minutes. Do not overcook.
Remove from heat and stir in bacon, mustard and parsley.
Serve

*If using fresh mushrooms, add ¼ cup water only if needed.




ENJOY!

One-Pan Chicken Florentine Spaghetti Bake

This is about simplifying your day!

There’s very little prep work here ~ it’s a no fuss dish:  dry pasta, uncooked chicken, your favorite sauce, all blanketed with mozzarella cheese. 

To begin, break raw uncooked spaghetti in half, or thirds, over a layer of your favorite sauce; homemade or jarred, in a casserole baking dish. 

Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks and spread over the top, along with mushrooms and spinach.  Do this in two layers, finishing with mozzarella sprinkled over the top, then bake for an hour or so. 

That’s it!  One-pan, no fuss, little clean-up and a delicious comforting dinner for you and your family on a chilly day like it is here today!

It doesn’t get much easier!


One-Pan Chicken Florentine Spaghetti Bake
Printable recipe 

Ingredients:

8 ounces (1 box) dried spaghetti, broken in half or smaller
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed of excess liquid)
8 ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
14 ounces chicken breast, cut into bite-size chunks
42 ounces (one 26 ounce jar plus one 16 ounce jar) spaghetti sauce, or homemade
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°.
Pour 1 cup of sauce in bottom of 13” x 9” baking dish.
Layer half of spaghetti over the sauce.
Layer half the mushrooms, half the chicken and half the spinach.
Arrange more dried spaghetti over all.
Continue with layers of remaining chicken, mushrooms and spinach.
Place remainder of spaghetti on top.
Spread remaining sauce over the top, covering the entire casserole.
Be sure all of the noodles are covered with sauce.
Scatter mozzarella over top.
Cover and bake for 40 minutes.
Uncover, and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.




ENJOY!

Pappardelle with Mushrooms

Crazy weather ~ one minute, the a/c is on, the next, it’s off, then the windows are opened, then the heat, returning to a/c.  So, this dish is what’s great in this 65 degree rainy weather!

I just heard Orion, on the radio, saying there are ponds in the cornfields around here, that’s not good because our fresh sweet corn season is way too brief as it is. 

Anyway ~ Pappare, Italian, translates:  to gobble up.  And that’s what we did to this pappardelle pasta dish!

Pappardelle is a large, very broad, flat pasta noodle, cut into a ribbon shape, a cross between tagliatelle and lasagna, in width. The wide ribbons are very absorbent and sturdy, making them ideal for heavy sauces. In fact, they’re perfect for sopping up the sauce.

This is an old recipe from Cooking Light, which I adapted slightly.  The original used bucatini noodles, whipping cream, I had half-and-half; and one-half cup of dried porcini mushrooms. 

The great mix of ingredients delivers nothing fancy ~ just a good delicious dish of pasta ~ a perfect accompaniment to grilled meat! 


Pappardelle with Mushrooms 

Adapted 

Ingredients:

8 ounces uncooked papardelle pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup shallots, sliced
8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced*
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 ounces shaved Parmesan cheese, divided
¼ cup half-and-half
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper
1 teaspoon truffle oil 

Method:

Cook papardelle according to package directions, al dente; drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving ½ cup of cooking liquid.
Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel and slice.
Place olive oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add shallots, mushrooms and garlic, sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Stir in sherry, cook 1 minute until liquid evaporates.
Reduce heat to medium, stir in pasta, reserved cooking liquid, half of shaved cheese, half-and-half, and salt and pepper, into mushroom mixture.
Toss well to combine.
Drizzle with truffle oil, toss.
Serve with remaining Parmesan cheese.
4 servings
*Discard shiitake mushroom stems, as they are leathery and tough. 

ENJOY!