Can You Tell I'm Off Work Today ?

Wow, can you believe it, I am back again !!!

As I was reading the Recipe Curio blog a few minutes ago I came across a chicken casserole recipe that reminded of one I made years ago. Granted, it is one of those oh so NOT politically correct "cream of something" casseroles, but it is full of great flavor and gives us that comfort food feel that we need on these cold windy days.
Hope you enjoy!

Nacho Doritos Chicken Casserole

1 bag Nacho flavor Doritos (or Fritos, but they are boring)
3-4 chicken breasts
1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Cream of Celery Soup
½ cup sour cream
1 can green chilies - chopped
1 small onion - chopped fine
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. chili powder (or to taste)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
½ tsp. pepper
2 cups grated Taco seasoned cheese
Cook chicken in salted water (or Kitchen Basics stock) in *pressure cooker about 20-25 minutes.
Lightly spray a 9x13 inch pan with Pam. Cover the bottom with ¾ bag of Doritos.
Remove chicken and strain stock. Remove the skin and bones and dice chicken into small pieces.
Combine 1 ½ cup of the strained stock, chicken soup and celery soup, sour cream, green chilies, onion, minced garlic, chili powder, brown sugar, and pepper in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat 10 minutes, stirring as needed.
Remove from heat. Layer diced chicken over Doritos and top with soup mixture. Sprinkle grated cheese over top and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and crumble the remaining Doritos over top. Return to the oven for about 5 minutes.

So, until tomorrow.........
S~~~

New Product Alert

Yesterday as we were heading to Asheville I took an excited phone call from Lacy-Jay that went something like this:
" Oh my gosh, Mamma, you have got to try the new Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses!!"
To which I replied, where did you get them? Target was the answer, so, of course, Target became our new destination. Not only do they have Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses, but also Candy Corn Hershey Kisses. Don't you know I had to buy one of each, they were on sale. I love both varieties, but I might give a slight edge to the candy corn flavor. That said, pumpkin pie in a tiny Hershey kiss is incredible too. Give them a try and let us know what you think.
I am thinking that a homemade soft gingerbread cookie with the pumpkin spice flavor pressed into the top and returned to the oven for a couple of minutes just might be over the moon. I'll let you know!

Supper tonight is a recipe that I won a contest with back in 1985. I submitted it to the now defunct Home Cooking magazine that had readers vote on published recipes. I won $50 and had the recipe published in a blue ribbon winners edition.
I haven't made this main dish casserole in several years but today's rainy weather had me looking for comfort foods. Not only is it a work in simplicity and big on taste but it is economical to boot. I think I might add it back to my rotation. It may also be done in the slow cooker.

Potato and Beef Casserole*
Oven Fried Okra
Cottage Cheese
Florida Seasoned Garlic Pull a Part Bread
Decadent Heath Bar Cake

Potato and Beef Casserole

6 medium potatoes
2 large onions
1 lb. ground chuck
2 cans Golden Mushroom Soup
2 soup cans milk
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Brown and drain ground chuck. Set aside. Thinly slice potatoes and onions and layer in a sprayed 9x13 inch pan, salt and pepper, making two layers.
Spread browned and drained ground chuck over top of vegetables.
Whisk together soup, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and milk. Pour soup mixture over ground chuck.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350* 2 hours.

So, until tomorrow...........
S~~~

Friday - January 2, 2009

Happy second day of 2009. It was a gorgeous day in WNC, sunny and slightly cold, just exactly what you expect for early January. I never mind the colder temps on days I can hibernate. I go back to work on Monday after our winter hiatus and you can bet I will not be enjoying colder weather then!! I am truly a summer kind of girl, born in July.

Supper tonight is one of those easy meals, mostly from the freezer. I love making large quantities of our favorite dishes that freeze well for nights like this when I don't want to spend copious amounts of time in the kitchen.
Friday nights are great, the entire weekend is a blank canvas. Tonight I want to watch a movie I found in the cheapy bin at the WalMart, "Bobby".

Here is how supper is shaping up at the Taylor's.

Country Style Steak and Gravy
Julia's Squash Casserole*
Rice (for the gravy, of course, and maybe for breakfast too with milk and sugar, yum...)
English Peas
Biscuits (I can make biscuits, I just don't see why I should when Pillsbury does such a great job)
Hibiscus Tea

Julia's Squash Casserole

4-5 medium yellow squash
1 can cream of something soup (chicken, mushroom, celery or onion)
1 & 1/2 sleeve Ritz crackers ( I like the roasted veggie variety)
4 Tbsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Slice squash thinly and cook in salted water until tender. Drain well.
Combine soup, melted butter, sugar and salt & pepper with 3/4 of the crushed crackers. Fold in drained squash. Place in a buttered square casserole and top with remaining cracker crumbs and dot with butter.
Bake at 375 approximately 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Until tomorrow.