Review of Chicken and Rice Casserole

As I said before I am doing more crockpot recipes and pulling from the web site A Year of Slow Cooking.

So the first dish up is the Chicken and Rice Casserole.
It was ok, I think I'd give it 2 stars. We had to pull out the BBQ sauce for the girls to eat it.

First off, I had to cook on high. Sorry I don't feel well, dinner is getting started at around 11:30 a.m., not 8 a.m., so I don't have the time to cook on low. Unless I don't want my children to sleep, but that causes all sorts of other problems.
So the chicken was dry. As I made it, I kept looking at going 'I don't think this is enough liquid' and I was right. If I were to make this again, I think I would whip up another half batch of the "soup" and put it on top of the chicken. John says to do that, but split the 1/2 batch so half of it (1/4 of a batch, if you are keeping up) goes on the chicken then, and then the other half (1/4?) goes on about an hour before you are ready to eat.

We might try this again, but it would be completely re-vamped if we did.

Tonight we try the Indian Spiced Lentils with Chicken. Crossing our fingers that it comes out well. (Also being cooked on high.)

Menu Planning and meals I want to try

Ok I would loose my head if it weren't attached to me, so I am going to post here the crockpot meals I want to try over the next month or so. I will review them when we have them, but for now I need a "safe place" to store it.
As some may know I am pregnant with #4 right now. And for those who have known me through other pregnancies, I tend to have complications, and can't do alot. But in the effort of having good, healthy meals, rather than takeout, we will be doing about 4 crockpot meals a week.
All these ideas right now are being pulled from http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/ because she has lots of ideas and I don't need to go anywhere else right now looking.

Starting off tonight we will be having Chicken and Rice Casserole with broiled zucchini on the side.

In the Chicken category

• Pineapple Chicken
• Indian Spiced Lentils with Chicken
• General Tso's Chicken
• Chicken Korma
• BBQ Chicken and cornbread
• Brown Sugar Chicken

Now onto Pork

•  Maple Ham
• Pineapple Pork Tenderloin
• Asian Peanut-butter Pork

Beef and Vegetable I'll have to come back to. Unfortunately I  have to actually go and do things now.

Today's recipe comes from Food.com.
I have made this successfully twice now. Though I admit I have never made it with green beans. I don't normally have plain green beans on hand. I have used the frozen mixed vegetables (green beans, corn, peas, carrots mix) and it has come out delicious. At least adults like it, our girls...not so much, but maybe it's because of how it looks.

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

• 12 ounces green beans *or mixed vegetables*
• 1 1/2 cups French's French fried onions *I used Wegman's Brand, if you are an east coaster*
• 1 1/2 cups soymilk (unsweetened)
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube *Since we are just dairy free not vegan, I just used a chicken bouillion*
• 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 1/2 tablespoons cold water
• 1/2 onion (medium sized, diced) *I used a whole onion*
• 1 carrot *omitted since I used mixed vegetables that had carrots in it*
• 3/4 cup sliced mushrooms *again, I used more*
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. heat soy milk and bouillon in a sauce pan, stirring until cube disintegrates. Do not boil or scald the milk.
3. saute onions, carrots and mushrooms in the oil.
4. add salt, pepper, herbs and spices.
5. whisk starch and water well then pour into the pan of milk. Stir well because it thickens fast.
6. add can of green beans, vegetables and about half of the fried onions.
7. pour the mixture into a casserole dish and top with the rest of the onions.
8. bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the onions begin to brown.

In our oven it takes 15 minutes. And if you are making more, or even this much, make sure that there is enough cornstarch that it starts to thicken. Otherwise you end up with vegetables in milk, and if you transport it, it might leak milk all over your car trunk, not that that happened to us or anything (Hello? Delta Sonic, yes I'd like to bring my car in for a full exterior and interior cleaning. You include trunk correct?)

 

Idea--Needs Testing--Orange Rolls

So I made some orange rolls over conference weekend, and after we had them I decided I wanted to figure out a way to merge 2 recipes together.
Both from Taste of Home. Orange-Cheesecake Breakfast Rolls Recipe and Orange-Glazed Bunny Rolls Recipe.


So this is an Idea, never been tested, merging of the 2. Just saving here till I want to make orange rolls again. Try at your own risk. (And leave me a comment on how it turned out!)

Bunny Orange Rolls

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 tsp Yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
• 3/4 cups warm 2% milk (110° to 115°)
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 7 to 8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened (tofutti or similar non-dairy)
• 1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Orange Zest (from 1/2 an orange)
• GLAZE:
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel

Directions

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and about 1 tsp of the sugar. After proofed Add the milk, cream cheese, orange juice, vanilla, rest of sugar, eggs, butter, salt, orange zest and 5 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough.
• Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. 
• Punch dough down; turn on a lightly floured surface. Divide into 21 pieces. Shape 20 pieces into 12-in. ropes. Fold each in half; twist top half of the open end twice to form ears. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Shape remaining dough into 20 balls. Place one on the loop end of each roll to form a tail; press into dough. cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients; beat until blended. Spread over rolls.

Laundry Detergent--Do Not Eat!

Although not for the dinner table, this is a recipe we use quite often and saves us a ton of money.

Ingredients
* 1 Bar of Soap
* 1/2 C Borax
* 1/2 C Washing Soda
* 4 Gallons + 4 C Water

---Note---
Most recipes will call for a laundry soap like Fels Napta, but for sensitive skin it is best to use a bar soap that everyone in the family can use. I use Ivory

Items Needed
*saucepan
*grater/food processor/etc
*whisk
*5 gallon bucket
*long spoon (mine is wooden and it's great)
*Measuring cup
*Ladle
*Funnel

Instructions
1) Grate soap. I just use a regular grater using the smaller (not zesting) size. Be warned you might not want to breathe while grating or you might get soap up your nose.
2) Heat 4 C. Water to a rolling boil.
3) Add grated soap to boiling water.
4) Stir (with whisk) till dissolved. IF soap is small and water is a high boil, and whisk constantly this only takes 1-2 minutes.
5) In the 5 gallon bucket put in borax and soda
6) Pour soap mixture into bucket. Mix.
7) Add 4 gallons lukewarm water. Mix. (that's where the extra long spoon comes in)
8) Put lid on, cool overnight.
9) Using Ladle and Funnel, pour into bottles to be used in laundry room.
10) Use 1/4 C per load. (Same amount as marked on a regular (not concentrated) laundry soap.)

If you don't have a 5 gallon bucket-- Gather several laundry detergent bottles, remember this makes about 68 cups of detergent. Mix borax and soda into saucepan after soap is dissolved. Mix in other water right in the bottles. Add 1/4 C soap mixture to 4 C. water (adjust to whatever size bottle). Leave about a 2 inch gap at top. Shake before use.

Almost Shepherd's Pie

1/2 lb bacon, diced (I take the bacon almost thawed and slice it crosswise so that each piece is 1/2 in wide)
1 large onion diced
about 3/4 lb frozen mixed veg.
about 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 tbs flour
mashed potatoes
parsley
cayenne pepper

1.  Make mashed potatoes, enough  to fill a 9in X 9in pan 1in deep
2.  Brown bacon and onion in skillet
3.  Drain 1/2 the grease
4.  Add flour and brown it
5.  Add soy milk and stir until thickened
6.  Place veg mix in evenly bottom of 9X9 glass casserole dish
7.  Place the bacon gravy mixture on top of the veg mix
8.  Cover veg/gravy with the mashed potatoes, filling the pan so that it is nearly level
9.  Place in oven at 400 for 30 min

Egg and Bacon Pasta

This is a staple meal in our family. John was taught by a former roommate who went on his mission to Italy (my brain says Eric, help me out here John). It is Eric.
John in turn impressed me by making it while we were dating. The most impressive things were that he made it in my house, and I swore there was no food in the kitchen, He is amazing.

On to the recipe. First off, since this is an Italian dish, learned from someone who learned it in Italy, there is a rule. Garlic and Onion do not go in the same dish. Weird, huh? John has fits when I do Mexican and he's trying to use Italian logic and I say "Look! It's Mexican, it's SUPPOSED to have both!" Anyways, with that in mind there are two versions of this dish, the onion on (which I prefer) and the garlic one (that I think John secretly prefers.) There's no secretly about it.

Egg and Bacon Pasta with Onion

1 lb. Farfalle Pasta (also known as Bow-Tie Pasta, or in our house Bat Pasta.)
1/2-1 lb Bacon diced (Use what you and/or your family prefers, me I luvs me some Bacon.)
1-2 Eggs (Depending on the size of eggs used, 1 extra-large)
Crushed Red Pepper
1 Large Onion chopped
Parsley

Timing on this really depends on where you live and how long it takes to cook pasta, so please keep that in mind.
In a frying pan, crisp Bacon, Onion, Parsley, and Red Pepper. (On parsley I toss in about 2 good pinches, and Red Pepper is done to taste. A few shakes and it gives a nice flavor with no heat, more than that and you get flavor and heat.)
In a large saucepan (has to fit everything in) but not too large cook the pasta, time this so it will finish within about a minute of bacon being done. You want everything as hot as possible. Drain water, and return to pan on stove, stove turned off. By the way did I mention that your saucepan needs a lid? Because it does.
Put bacon mix in pan with pasta, quick toss. Crack egg(s) into pan, stir it up so egg is thinly coating everything. Put lid on, forget about for 5 minutes.........Put that lid down! What did I say?! 5 minutes!
If for some weird reason (like too much egg used) the egg is not completely cooked, you can turn the stove back on a low heat, let everything warm up a little more, turn off, wait 5 minutes again (with lid on).
Enjoy! I think this is best served with steamed broccoli or really any other green vegetable. John thinks it's best served with seconds. Thirds, fourths, whatever.

Egg and Bacon Pasta with Garlic

1 lb. Farfalle Pasta (also known as Bow-Tie Pasta, or in our house Bat Pasta.)
1/2-1 lb Bacon diced (Use what you and/or your family prefers, me I luvs me some Bacon.)
1-2 Eggs (Depending on the size of eggs used, 1 extra-large)
Crushed Red Pepper

Garlic (a clove or three, or if you buy the canned minced garlic, about a heaping spoon full)
Basil

Timing on this really depends on where you live and how long it takes to cook pasta, so please keep that in mind.
In a frying pan, crisp Bacon, Garlic, basil, and Red Pepper. (On basil I toss in about a good pinch, and Red Pepper is done to taste. A few shakes and it gives a nice flavor with no heat, more than that and you get flavor and heat.)
In a large saucepan (has to fit everything in) but not too large cook the pasta, time this so it will finish within about a minute of bacon being done. You want everything as hot as possible. Drain water, and return to pan on stove, stove turned off. By the way did I mention that your saucepan needs a lid? Because it does.
Put bacon mix in pan with pasta, quick toss. Crack egg(s) into pan, stir it up so egg is thinly coating everything. Put lid on, forget about for 5 minutes.........Put that lid down! What did I say?! 5 minutes!
If for some weird reason (like too much egg used) the egg is not completely cooked, you can turn the stove back on a low heat, let everything warm up a little more, turn off, wait 5 minutes again (with lid on).
Enjoy! I think this is best served with steamed broccoli or really any other green vegetable. John thinks it's best served with seconds. Thirds, fourths, whatever.