Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Hope everyone had a great weekend! I made this casserole last week for dinner, and it was a hit. Casseroles get a bad rap, but I unashamedly love them...they're easy to put together; they freeze well; and they're great to take to a neighbor or friend.

 

I especially loved the addition of water chestnuts and almonds in this one. Added some crunch, which I liked. I used a Rotisserie chicken to make things a little easier. Hope you enjoy!

 

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Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

{Southern Living magazine}

 

1 (2.25 oz.) package sliced almonds

2 (6.2 oz.) boxes fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix

1/4 cup butter

4 celery ribs, chopped

2 medium onions, chopped

5 cups chopped cooked chicken

2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup

2 (8 oz.) cans chopped water chestnuts

1 (8 oz.) container sour cream

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 cups (16 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

2 cups soft, fresh breadcrumbs

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan 4 to 6 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

 

Prepare rice mixes according to package directions.

 

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add celery and onions. Sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in chicken, next 6 ingredients, rice, and 3 cups cheese. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 15- x 10-inch baking dish or 2 (11- x 7-inch) baking dishes. Top with breadcrumbs.

 

Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese, and top with toasted almonds. Bake 5 minutes.

 

Enjoy!

 



Stuffed Peppers with Grits and Sausage

Oh my...we loved this. Cheesy grits and spicy sausage made for a filling, well, filling. And the addition of grape tomatoes and fresh basil allowed us to use some produce from our garden and made the dish seem more summer-y. Not to mention how pretty is the final result? I served ours with roasted Brussels sprouts. Perfect summer meal.

 

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Stuffed Peppers with Grits and Sausage

{Southern Living magazine}

 

3 large red bell peppers (about 20 oz.)

1 Tablespoon canola oil

3 hot Italian pork sausage links (casings removed)

1 cup chopped sweet onion

1/2 cup coarse cornmeal

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup), divided

3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups heirloom grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup basil leaves

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Microwave bell peppers on high 2 minutes to soften slightly. Cut bell peppers in half through the stem. Remove seeds and white membranes using a serrated tomato corer or melon baller, leaving stem intact. Discard seeds and membranes.

 

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage to skillet; cook 4 minutes, stirring to break into small pieces. Add onion to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is cooked and onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Remove sausage mixture from pan. Add cornmeal to skillet; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth, milk, and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt to skillet; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in parsley, sausage mixture, and half of the cheese. Divide mixture evenly among bell pepper halves. Place side by side on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.

 

Bake in preheated oven until cheese is browned and peppers are tender, about 30 minutes.

 

Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, black pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add tomatoes and basil; toss to coat. Serve over peppers. (I did this but didn't photograph it...it was a tasty addition to the stuffed peppers!)

 

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Hope everyone enjoys their weekend. Summer is winding down, and I'm not happy about it!

 



Cheeseburger Pizza

When you can't decide between a cheeseburger or a slice of pizza, why not have both? This is a fun recipe too because you could easily add any of your other tried-and-true burger toppings. I may add a few dill pickles next time! The original recipe calls for a homemade pizza crust, but I don't have the time or the patience for that. I always buy the package of 2 premade crusts at Kroger and make 2 pizzas. Makes dinnertime so easy. Kids love this meal too, and I thought it turned out really pretty. Y'all know I love food that tastes AND looks good! :) Enjoy!

 

 

Cheeseburger Pizza

{Southern Living magazine}

 

Premade pizza crust of your choosing

12 ounces ground beef

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup chopped yellow onion

3/4 cup jarred pasta sauce

8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups pre-shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives

1/4 cup ketchup

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven according to premade pizza crust package directions. (Brands may vary slightly.)

 

Cook ground beef in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high, stirring often, until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

 

Add mushrooms to hot drippings and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden (about 5 minutes).

 

Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown. Remove mushrooms and onions with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

 

Brush premade crust with olive oil.

 

Top crust with pizza sauce, beef, mushroom-onion mixture, shredded cheeses, and olives. Drizzle with ketchup.

 

Place pizza on middle of oven rack and bake for 8-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

 

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Hope everyone has a happy Hump Day!

 

 

Tamale Pie Mix-Up

There's no better feeling than finding a recipe that the whole family loves! And there's no worse feeling than cooking something that your kids refuse to even touch. Anybody with me here?

 

I found this recipe in the January issue of Southern Living magazine. I bookmarked it immediately for a night when we needed some comfort food. And guys, it is so good. And the girls loved it too! If you wanted to add some spice I think some jarred jalapenos would go great in the mix. I served ours with a side salad and garnished with cilantro. Enjoy!

 

 

Deb Wise's Tamale Pie Mix-Up

{Southern Living magazine}

 

2 cups whole milk

1 cup plain yellow cornmeal

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 2 medium onions)

1 Tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 garlic cloves)

1 large green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 pound ground beef

2 cups tomato sauce

1 cup frozen or drained canned corn

1 cup drained canned sliced black olives

2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

6 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)

Sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together milk and cornmeal and set aside.

 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 8 to 9 minutes. Add beef; cook, stirring often, until meat crumbles and is no longer pink, about 7 minutes.

 

Stir beef mixture into cornmeal mixture. Stir in tomato sauce, corn, olives, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Transfer to a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.

 

Bake in a preheated oven until set and well browned around edges, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven, and bake until cheese melts, 3 to 4 minutes. If desired, top servings with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with cilantro.

 

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