Baked Chicken Salad Casserole

                                                                           

Baked Chicken Salad my way. Everyone has their version but I keep mine very simple. This recipe makes a large deep casserole and serves 8 nice big servings. 

2 Pounds Cooked Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, cooled and cubed 

2 Cups  Raw White Rice, Cook rice according to package Directions

1 Onion Chopped

2 Ribs Celery Chopped

2 TBS Parsley Chopped or use Parsley Flakes

1 & 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise

2, 10.5 Ounce Cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup

2 Cups Cheddar Cheese Optional

2 Cups Thawed Frozen Peas Optional

Place Chicken, Cooked Rice, Chopped Vegetables, Thawed Frozen Peas if using them, and Parsley in your large casserole dish. Stir everything together. In a large bowl stir together Mayo and Cans of Soup. Blend well.  Add this mixture to your casserole dish & stir until mixed well. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 Degree Oven  Covered for 1 hour. Remove lid and sprinkle with the Cheddar Cheese if you desire. Bake another 10 minutes.  The picture above does not have the peas and cheese. I love this both ways. Other stir in ideas that many people use is 1 Cup Slivered Almonds, 1 Cup Water Chestnuts, and many people like this with 2 Cups of  Dry Bread Crumbs Sprinkled over the top and bake uncovered. I prefer my basic recipe, but jazz it up as you choose! ENJOY! 

Rustic Pork Pie

                                                                           

                                                                                     

Whenever I have leftover roasts be it beef, chicken,  pork, or turkey, I  am making one of these! 

For  Pie Filling:

2 Cups of Leftover Roast, this recipe I used Pork

2 Cups Leftover Gravy, if you do not have gravy you may use canned or jarred store bought but homemade is always better

4 Large Leftover Peeled and Cubed Potatoes. If you do not have leftover potatoes, microwave 2 large baking potatoes , let them cool then peel & cube

Leftover Carrots and Onions from your roast chopped. If you do not have leftover just chop fresh & add them to the filling. About 1/2 of a large onion and 1 large carrot peeled sand chopped.

2/3 Cup Thawed Frozen Mixed Vegetables.

Stir everything together & now make your pie crust.

Pie Crust for a double 9 Inch Crust

2 Cup Flour

1/2 TSP Salt

1/4 TSP Sugar

1/3 Cup Cold Butter slice into small pieces

1/3 Cup Shortening

4 to 5 TBS Cold Water

In your large mixing bowl stir all the dry ingredients together. Now on low add the shortening & the butter a little at a time. Mix until you have crumbs. Now add a little of the water at a time on low speed until dough forms a ball. Take 1/2 the dough and roll out on floured surface. Use this to line your 9 inch deep pie pan. Dump all of the filling into the dough lined pie pan.  Roll out the other 1/2 of the dough on the floured surface. Use this to cover your pie. Cut a few slits in the top center so pie is vented. Bake in a 350 Degree oven for hour or until pie is golden brown and bubbling! Pure Comfort food! 

Chunky Apple Raisin Cookies

                                                                                

These are delicious and soft too! Loaded with Chopped Apples and Chopped Raisins! This is a great cookie for Fall! Recipes makes 5 Dozen Cookies!

1 Cup Shortening

2 & 2/3 Brown Sugar, I used Dark Brown

2 Eggs Beaten

2 TSP Vanilla

4 Cups Flour

2 TSP. Baking Soda

1 TSP Salt

2 TSP Cinnamon

2 TSP Ginger

2 Cups Peeled and Chopped Apples small dice

2 Cups Chopped Raisins

In your large Mixing Bowl cream Shortening & Brown Sugar together. Now add Eggs & Vanilla & beat again until fluffy. In a large separate bowl stir together your Flour, Salt, Baking Soda & Spices.  Once you have that stirred well slowly beat a little of the mixture at a time into your shortening mixture until half is incorporated. Now beat the apples and raisins into the creamed mixture. Then continually add a little more of the flour mixture until all has been beaten in. be sure that it is completely blended together. Spray your cookie sheets and drop batter by using a heaping tablespoon full onto prepared pans. Keep about 2 inches apart for baking. Bake in a preheated 400 Degree oven for 9 minutes, mine were done at the 9 minute mark! As cookies cool make the following frosting to drizzle over your baked cookies

FROSTNG:

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

3 TBS Butter Melted

1 TSP Vanilla 

Dash of Salt

Milk

Stir together the Sugar & Salt, Melt Butter add that to the sugar mixture along with the vanilla. Add enough Milk to get a soft Frosting that you can drizzle. I add about 2 TBS of Milk then stir. Then I Microwave it on high for 1 minute and then stir again. If still too thick add a little more milk & Microwave for 1 more minutes & then stir.  Now drizzle the frosting over your cookies & let them cool & let frosting harden. REALLY GOOD! Enjoy!

Tuna Macaroni Salad

                                                                             

This delicious Macaroni Salad may be used as a main course! It is loaded with Tuna and tastes great!

1, 16 Ounce Box Elbow Macaroni cooked according to package directions and drained

2, 12 Ounce Can Tuna Packed in Water Drained

3 Hard Boiled Eggs Peeled and Chopped, I do a larger dice but use what size you prefer

1/4 Cup Chopped Sweet Onion

3 Ribs Celery Chopped

3 Large Carrots Peeled and Chopped

2 Tsp Parsley Chopped or use Parsley Flakes

I a large Bowl place your cooked drain Macaroni. Then add everything to the bowl and stir. Now make the following dressing.

DRESSING:

2 & 1/2 Cup Mayo

1 & 1/2 TBS Prepared Yellow Mustard

3 TBS Vinegar

3 TBS Granulated Sugar 

Milk to suit the consistency you like. 

In a deep bowl add the may & Mustard and whisk it together, Add the Vinegar & Sugar and whisk again until sugar is dissolved. Now taste and se is you want your dressing sweeter or more tart. Add more sugar for sweeter or more vinegar for tart. I only add a little then whisk & taste again until it is they way I like it. I usually go for a more tart dressing but do this to suit you and your family. Now add a little milk until the dressing is as thick as a Ranch Dressing would be. Now stir in the dressing to your Macaroni mixture. If you do not need to use all the dressing keep the remainder if the refrigerator. Once the Macaroni Salad has chilled you might need to add more dressing  as the pasta will absorb a good bit. Chill the salad  at least 6 hours but overnight is best! This is really very good! 

Piggy Potato Salad

                                                                             

This great potato salad may be used as a main course! The cubed ham is a very nice addition!

8 large Potatoes Peeled and Diced to the size you choose. I use about a 1 inch dice for chunky potato salad

1 Pound Cooked Ham Diced in 1/2 Inch Dice. I use Deli Lunchmeat Ham that I have the Deli give me in a 1 Pound Block so I can dice it up. 

3 Hard Boiled Eggs Peeled and Diced into 1/2 inch size dice

1/4 Chopped Sweet Onion

3 Ribs Celery Diced

3 Large Carrots Peeled and Chopped

2 Tsp. Chopped Parsley or Parsley Flakes

Cook potatoes in pot large enough that potatoes are covered with water. Add 1/2 Tsp. Salt to the pot and cook on low boil until potatoes are tender about 10 to 15 minutes. You do not want mush, check with a fork every now and then until you have fork tender potatoes.  Remove from heat and drain. Place potatoes and remaining ingredients in a large bowl and stir. Now mix up the following ingredients for the dressing.

3 Cups of Mayo

2 TBS Yellow Mustard

3 TBS Vinegar

3 TBS Granulated Sugar

Whisk all of this together until sugar is dissolved and everything is blended well. Taste, if you want sweeter you may add more sugar or if you want the dressing a little more tart add more vinegar.  Now add 2 to 3 TBS of Milk and whisk again.  Now stir the dressing into your Potato Salad.  If you do not use all of the dressing save it in the refrigerator. Once the salad is chilled you might find you may need to add the rest of the dressing. This is best chilled overnight. 

Cowboy Cavier

                                                                              

Great dish for anytime! Pasta, Chicken, Beans, Corn, & Peppers in a Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing!

3 Pounds Cooked White Meat Chicken Diced

18 Ounces Tri Color Rotini Pasta Cooked & Drained

40.5 Ounces  Canned Black Beans Drained

39 Ounces Hanover White Corn with Poblano Peppers Drained, If you cannot find Hanover Brand just use canned White Corn & add some diced Poblano Peppers about 3/4 of a cup.

1/2 Cup Diced Red Onion

1 Green Pepper Diced

2 Cans 10 Ounce Each Canned Tomatoes with Green Chilis Drained

15.5 Ounce Can Black Eyed Peas Drained

16 Ounces Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Cook your chicken in enough water to cover on simmer until done. Remove from water Cool the Dice.

Cook Pasta according to package directions, Drain.

Put everything except dressing in a large deep bowl & stir well. Now pour dressing over everything stirring until combined well. Chill at least 4 hours best overnight! Good served with Tortilla Chips! ENJOY!

Crockpot Beef Nacho Dip

                                                                         

                                                                                       

This dip is delicious! It made a huge crockpot full! It served about 35 people! We went through 4 family sized bags of tortilla chips! It is beefy, cheesy and has refried beans too! Enjoy!

4 Pounds Ground Beef

1 Can 16 Ounce Refried Beans

1 Can 10.5 Ounce Cheddar Cheese Soup

1 Packets of Taco Seasonings

1 Jar 24 Ounce Salsa

3 Pounds Shredded Cheddar Cheese

16 Ounce Sour Cream

In large pot brown the ground beef. Drain very well. Return to the pot. Now add the packets of taco seasonings and the water as per directions. Cook and simmer. Now add everything but the sour cream. Stir and cook until well combined and cheese is melted. Now stir in the sour cream and blend well. I mixed this up the day before and refrigerated overnight. The next day spooned the dip into the crockpot and cook on low 3 hours until everything is hot and melted. If you are using it right away just put in crockpot and cook on low for 1 hour then keep dip on warm. Serve with tortilla chips! Really good! Feel free to cut the recipe in half for smaller groups.