A Cooking Baker

I needed to use up some leftover chicken, broccoli, and cheese fondue from New Year's, and this is what happened!  The kids are not giant fans of casseroles - they're more of the "keep my food separate" school of thought, but they ate it and didn't die.  The adults enjoyed it - a simple comfort food dish.  Broccoli, Chicken and Rice Casserole 2/3 cup milk ( 2% or skim)  1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1 recipe cream soup mix 1/2 c. shredded Swiss cheese (I used the fondue here) - some people prefer more cheese 1 c. cooked rice 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli, thawed (I used fresh I had on hand, and steamed it) 2 c. chicken, cooked, chopped (I used leftovers - rotisserie chicken works great here, too) Cooking spray 1 (1-ounce) slice white bread (or use some pre-made bread crumbs - I had some Panko in the pantry) Optional: Sauté some chopped mushrooms (1/2 c. or so) and 1/2 diced onion in a little butter, and stir into mi...

We rarely have leftovers with a hungry teenage boy in the house, so I occasionally for lunch I like to "treat" myself with something they might not like as much.  Here's one I whipped up recently... "Caprese" Chicken Sandwich Good bread - I had some Ciabatta on hand butter or olive oil fresh basil leaves Roma tomatoes, sliced thinly sliced chicken deli meat (this was Boar's Head something or other we had left over from chicken "philly" sandwiches we had for dinner earlier in the week) or slice up a chicken breast if you have it optional: thinly sliced red onion, some garlic aioli, Dijon mustard, mozzarella cheese - or even better, basil farmer's cheese - a dangerously delicious treat a local store here sells (Brennan's) I heated my pan to medium-ish heat, and then lightly spritzed my bread with some olive oil.  I layered the ingredients on, topped with the other slice of bread, and then put my trusty bacon press on top to ...

My kids don't LOVE sloppy joes, but I feel like I grew up eating one version or another fairly often.  I remember having some good ol' wavy potato chips on the side to scoop up any of the meat that escaped the bun.  We break these out occasionally in the cold weather months, since it's a quick, easy meal.  The meat also freezes well, so you can make a double batch and have dinner plus a back-up in the freezer for you or someone who might need a quick meal. Weeknight Sloppy Joes  Adapted from Eating Well   1 lb. 90%-lean ground beef 1 large onion, finely diced 1 c. finely chopped mushrooms (I had sliced white mushrooms on hand, could use baby bellas, or whatever) 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes (or in season, 5 fresh plum tomatoes, diced) 1 green bell pepper, diced (finely diced for my picky people) 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour 1/2 c. water 1/4 c. cider vinegar 1/4 c. chili sauce, such as Heinz 1/4 c. ketchup Have on hand...

Interestingly, the kid who meticulously picks out any evidence of vegetables in most of his meals suggested this one for the meal plan recently.  While shocked, I was glad to oblige.  It's ridiculously simple, and everyone likes it! Slow Cooker Pepper Steak  1-1/2 – 2 lb. beef round steak, cut into smaller pieces ¼ c. soy sauce 1 c. chopped onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp. sugar or honey ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper ¼ tsp. ground ginger (you can also use fresh) 4 tomatoes, chopped or 1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes with liquid 1 green & 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips 2 tbsp. corn starch or arrowroot powder (reserve) 1 pkg. egg noodles or rice to serve Slice round steak into strips or bite-sized pieces.     If you're feeling fancy, you can sear the meat in a skillet before adding to the slow cooker (adjust time accordingly) to add a little flavor.  Add the next 8 ingredients, then c over and cook on low about 5...

This is barely a recipe - more of a meal inspiration... Tonight we needed a meal that would come together quickly since we had carpooling duties right at dinner prep time.  I always have chicken and beef in the freezer, and had pulled some sirloin steaks out last night to thaw. We purchase beef from a local farmer in bulk twice per year, so we get a great price on a high quality product.  We don't eat more beef than we did before, but we don't feel like certain cuts are only for "special occasions" anymore, either! I had decided on steak sandwiches, and grabbed a bagged salad mix, a bunch of carrots, our favorite cheese and some bread on the way home from school.  I had some potato wedges in the freezer to have as a side, too.  As soon as we got home, I would be able to throw it all together within 30 minutes. Simple Steak Sandwiches 4 rolls or a loaf of bread of your choice 1 lb. Sirloin steak or cut of your choice 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 1-2 tsp...

I learned this recipe in a cooking class I attended years ago.  Since then, the original paper copy has been buried in my stacks of recipes, but I can still make it from memory.  It's a quick, easy soup - perfect for a "Meatless Monday" or any night of the week.  You can make it in about 30 minutes if needed and serve with some good bread (the Rosemary Parmesan bread from Costco is ridiculously good), a side salad or whatever you like.  I've tried to approximate the measurements here. Broccoli Cheese Soup 5 tbsp. unsalted butter 5 tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 medium onion, diced (yellow or sweet) 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced (finely diced if you have kids who pick stuff out) 1/8 - 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional) 2 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth (I prefer low-sodium) 2-3 c. broccoli florets, chopped 2 oz. (ish) American cheese, roughly chopped (do NOT use the plastic-wrapped stuff!  I use Boar's Head White) 1 c. milk (2% or whole for a cream...