Chicken Cheddar Casserole

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I posted.... had a very busy week, and also have had a new (happy) development in my life that's been distracting me a bit.....

Anyway, I just had to post this casserole recipe. I've been making it for years. It's a great one for picky eaters. If you have leftover chicken (or turkey) on hand, this is a great way to use it up. It makes enough for a 9x13 baking dish, but for our small family, I split it into two smaller square casseroles - I bake one for our dinner, and then I freeze the other to have on hand for later. It's a great dish to take to a potluck or to give to a new mom or someone dealing with an illness. I adapted the recipe from the More-With-Less Cookbook, by Doris Janzen Longacre.

Here's what you need:

• 1 box (12 oz.) Farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
• 5 Tbsp. butter plus 2 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 5 Tbsp. flour
• 1-1/2 c. chicken broth
• 1-1/2 c. milk
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3 c. cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 3/4 c. seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, and place in the bottom of the greased baking dish. Add the cooked chicken and and stir into the pasta.

In a medium saucepan, melt the 5 tbsp. of butter over medium-low heat. Note: feel free to add some chopped onion or pepper in at this point, or some sliced mushrooms, if you prefer. Next, stir in the flour, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the milk, chicken broth, dry mustard, salt, and pepper.

Turn heat to medium-high. Stirring constantly, cook until the sauce has thickened. Taste-test and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Pour the white sauce over the pasta and chicken, mixing thoroughly so everything is combined. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese, pushing it down into the casserole in places, so you'll have pockets of melty goodness when it bakes.

Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter and mix into the bread crumbs so they are coated well. Sprinkle the buttered bread crumbs over top of the casserole.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees, for about 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Serves 8. Enjoy!

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Scalloped Potatoes & Ham

This is what I would call a "rustic" dish... Rustic is a nice way of saying it doesn't look very pretty, lol. My husband was a meat and potatoes kind of guy, and he loved hearty dishes like this, especially in the winter months. So this has been a family favorite for years. It doesn't require many ingredients, and if you dice up your ham the night before, you'll save yourself a little last-minute prep time. And since the potatoes don't need to be peeled, that's a time-saver as well. It does take a while to bake - an hour and 15 minutes, so you need to plan for that. I serve it as a main dish with a salad or some broccoli on the side. Recipe adapted from the More-with-Less Cookbook, by Doris Janzen Longacre.

Here's what you need:

• 4 medium potatoes
• 2-1/2 Cups diced ham
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1-1/2 Cups milk
• 1 Cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• *Optional - 1 medium onion, sliced

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and start slicing your potatoes. You want them sliced thin. This is how I do it: Slice each potato in half the long way. Do a half-potato at a time - place it flat side down on your cutting board, then slice thinly through it.

When you finish slicing the potatoes, place them in a greased casserole. (I'm goin' retro with my old Corningware dish today.) Put the ham into the dish with the potatoes - any which way; like I said, it's "rustic". If you're adding onion, throw it in there too.

Next, start on your cheese sauce: Melt the butter over medium-low heat, then add flour and salt. Stir and cook for a bit until smooth. Slowly add the milk, and stir. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly:

Let it boil for 1 - 2 minutes or until it thickens. Then add the cheese and stir until smooth and creamy:

Pour the cheese sauce over the ham and potatoes. Mix it all around to make sure everything's covered with that cheese sauce. Don't worry if it looks like there's not enough sauce. There will be plenty. As it bakes, the ham and potatoes release their juices, which add to the cheese and make the perfect amount of flavorful sauce. You can add some fresh, ground pepper on top before popping it in the oven - I usually do.

Cover, and bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Then remove the cover, and bake 15 minutes longer. Potatoes should be nice and tender. I typically serve this dish with a side of steamed green beans or broccoli...(I love it when the extra cheese sauce runs into the veggies on the plate!) Serves six.

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Favorite Mac & Cheese

I got this recipe many years ago from a Taste of Home magazine, but can now be found on tasteofhome.com. I haven't changed it much. The only thing I've done is occasionally experimented with different grades of cheddar cheese. But if all you have on hand is a regular bag of shredded cheddar cheese, it will still taste delicious and creamy. It's very filling, so I don't normally serve it with a protein... just a salad. (A spicy salad goes nicely with the creaminess of the mac.) This is also a great dish to take along to a potluck or church dinner.

Here's what you need:

• 7 Oz. elbow macaroni (this equates to about 2-1/3 dry measuring cups).
• 3 Tablespoons flour 
• 8 Oz. cream cheese, cubed (I use 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese, aka: Neufchatel cheese.)
• 8 Oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (I use reduced fat & it's still very rich and filling.)
• 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
• 2 Cups milk (I use 1%.)
• 6 Tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 Cup dry, seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, you're going to make a white sauce: melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan. Stir in flour until smooth and let cook for a minute over medium heat. Gradually and very slowly add the milk, stirring constantly. The white sauce, so far, should look like this:

Bring the white sauce to a boil, cooking and stirring for about 1 - 2 minutes or until it's thickened. Once it's thickened, it's ready for the cheeses and flavorings. Reduce the heat to low; add cheeses, mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth:

Drain the macaroni and add to the cheese sauce, stirring to coat. Pour into a greased, shallow 3-quart baking dish. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and toss with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the macaroni. Bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Serves 8.

Use leftover mac and cheese the next day to make Nachos - just spread the mac and cheese onto tortilla chips. Reheat in the microwave for a few minutes, then top with salsa or taco sauce, jalepenos, olives, shredded lettuce, sour cream, etc.

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