Chicken & Potato Casserole

4 med. potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 med. onion, sliced
6 slices cheese
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a baking dish (9 x 13 x 2) with non-stick spray.  place potato slices in dish.  Top with onions.  Top onions with cheese.  Cut chicken into thin strips.  In a large frying pan heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil.  Brown chicken on both sides.  Place on top of cheese.  Add soup and milk to the frying pan.  Whisk together and heat.  Pour over chicken.  Cover with foil.  Bake 45 minutes or until potatoes are done.  Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes to brown top.  Serves 4 - 6.

Martha:  I found a version of this recipe in a 1983 cookbook.  It actually called for pork chops, not chicken but when I decided to Think With My Taste Buds I knew the switch would work, and it did.  The original called for American cheese, I used cheddar.  I also increased the oven temp from 325 to 350 and increased the cooking time from 1/2 hr. to 45 minutes.  When I checked my potatoes after 1/2 hr. they weren't quite done so I added the additional 15 minutes.  This dish is delicious and you can, of course, change it back to pork chops.  This would also be good made with ground beef.

Chicken Broccoli Rollups

1 stalk fresh broccoli
6 slices deli ham (1/8" thick, approx.)
6 slices cheese
6 strips leftover cooked chicken (1/2 x 1/2 x 4 long approx.)
horseradish sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut broccoli florets off the stalk.  Boil in water for about 5 minutes.  You want them about half way done.  Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.  Roll 2-3 broccoli florets and 1 piece of chicken in the cheese, then roll everything in the ham.  Place seam side down in baking dish.  After all six slices have been rolled, bake for about 15 minutes or until cheese has melted and the dish is hot.  Top with just a slight coating of horseradish sauce.  Serves 2 - 3

Martha:  I found the basic recipe for this in a 1974 cookbook.  The original called for broccoli, ham and Swiss cheese.  I made mine 4 different ways.  2 had Swiss cheese, 2 had cheddar cheese, 1 had Swiss cheese with chicken and 1 had cheddar cheese with chicken.  The original didn't call for the horseradish sauce but I thought it would be a great addition and believe me it was!  This is an easy, quick dish to make.  It's something you can whip up in no time and have not only a tasty dish but a healthy one too.  Now for changes - try covering the dish with Alfredo sauce when baking.

Chicken Hash

3 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. grated onion

1 1/2 Tbsp. flour

1 cup Chicken stock or broth

1/2 cup cream

2 to 3 cups chopped, cooked chicken

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 beaten eggs

1/2 cup grated cheese

Dash of Paprika

Heat the butter, add onion and cook over low heat until soft but not browned.  Add flour and stir until blended; slowly add the stock and stir until thickened and smooth.  Add cream and chicken, season to taste. 

Slowly add a little of the hot sauce to the beaten eggs; add to remaining chicken mixture, stirring constantly. 

Turn into a shallow baking dish, sprayed with non-stick spray, and sprinkle with cheese and a dash of Paprika.  Heat under the broiler until lightly browned and bubbly.  

Serves 6

Lillian:  This is a dish from the early 1940'S and is still a great family or pot luck dish.  You can add some buttered bread crumbs or buttery crackers, crushed, if you like a crumb topping.  You can divide it into smaller casseroles and freeze some for a later meal.  This is just good plain cooking and eating.

Martha:  Lillian is right.  This is just good, plain cooking and eating!  The flavors blend together creating a comforting feeling with each bite.  This recipe is so simple, yet so good that I really believe it would be delicious made with pork or beef.  And I like the idea of adding the buttery crackers or better yet some cheezy crackers crumbled over the top.  Everytime I make a dish from the past I can't help but wonder why we quit cooking like our mothers and grandmothers did.  When did we lose this simple but beautiful art of cooking?  I'm ready to bring it back.

Southwestern Quinoa Black Bean Chicken Soup

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg. (4 oz.) Urbane Grain Quinoa Southwest Black Bean
2 qts. of water

Boil the two chicken breasts in the 2 qts. of water until done.  Remove chicken, allow to cool and shred.  Strain the chicken water/broth.  Return to the water/broth to the pot.  Bring to a boil and add the Quinoa Southwest Black Bean and chicken.  Cook until quiona is done, about 35-40 minutes.  Serves 6-8.

Martha:  When I worked up this dish I had no idea how it would come out.  I did as I always do and that is to Think With My Taste Buds.  Well, I'm here to tell you that this soup is delicious!  And it's healthy too.  Since I'm trying to eat gluten free, which the  Urban Quinoa Blends are, this dish worked perfectly into my diet.  I enjoyed it with my gluten free pretzels and had a perfectly delicious, healthy, filling meal.   This is a dish I'll be making often.

Carol:  Thanks so much for a sample of your new soup.  You know that we are always looking for delicious "white" dishes and this was superb because we love the Southwest seasonings, the healthiness of the quinoa and the lightness of the "white" chicken dish.  Using these ingredients in a soup is perfect for us because we tend to like the delicious flavors together with the ease of preparation and digestion and nutrients offered in this dish.  It tastes like some very trendy soups now found on restaurant menus and we like to think of ourselves as being right up to date.  This Southwest soup hits the spot!!!!

Sharon:  I wish I had been lucky enough to have a second bowl of this delicious dish!