Chicken Tater Bake

Here’s a two-for-one winner – a casserole that you can make from pantry staples that also freezes well.  

It's similar to the usual Tater Tot casserole that I used to make when I had children at home, but with a pot-pie like filling.  This is a casserole that everyone, especially children, will like, and would be a good choice for community dinners and potlucks.

Chicken Tater Bake

  2             Cans  Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup -- undiluted

     ½         Cup  Milk

     ¼         Cup  Butter -- cubed

  3             Cups  Chicken -- cooked, cubed or canned, drained

  16           Ounces  Frozen Peas and Carrots

  6             Ounces  Cheddar Cheese -- shredded, divided

  32           Ounces  Tater Tots

In a large saucepan, combine the soup, milk and butter.  Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through.  Remove from the heat; stir in the chicken, peas, carrots and 4 ounces of the cheese.

Transfer to two greased 8" square baking dishes.  Top with tater tots; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months.  Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350° for 30 minutes.  Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer until heated through.

To use frozen casserole: remove from the freezer 30 minutes before baking (do not thaw).  Cover and bake at 350° for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours or until heated through.

12 Servings

  "Taste of Home Casseroles and One Dish Meals”

  "2 Casseroles"

Per Serving: 248 Calories; 18g Fat (65.3% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 69mg Cholesterol; 520mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 1/2 Fat.

Cobre Valley Casserole

  The Taste of Home Casserole cookbook has some good casserole recipes. This one, is one I debated about making as neither Lyle or I are fond of Mexican food. Bettie however is, so thought I would try it.

  I must say that this might change my mind. All of us enjoyed it and it warmed up nicely for lunch the next day. 

  I used a can of chopped green chilies, and it could have stood a little more heat. The recipe calls for 2 cans of refried beans, and I used only one. Really this is plenty. Even if you like refried beans, I would try adding one can at a time and checking it before adding the second can. 

  I grated the cheese myself. The grated in the bags, has flour added so that it doesn’t stick together. 

Cobre Valley Casserole

YIELD: 6 - 8 servings  PREP: 15 minutes BAKE: 30 minutes

1 pound ground beef

1 medium chopped onion

1 celery rib chopped

1 envelope taco seasoning 

¼ cup water

2 cans (15 to 16 ounce each) refried beans

1- 4 ounce can chopped green chilies

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 green onions sliced

1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped

⅓ cup sliced ripe olives

1 -½ cups crushed tortilla chips

  In a large skillet, cook the beef, onions and celery over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the taco seasoning mix, water, beans and green chilies if using.

  Pour into a greased 2 ½ quart baking dish. Bake uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated through. Top with cheese, green onions, tomato, olives and chips.

  I used the same pan to brown hamburger and heat in oven. One less dish to wash.

Beef Fried Rice

If I’m going to have a one-dish meal, I like it in a wok.  I cooked my rice a day ahead, and preparing this meal took less than 20 minutes to do a little chopping and cook this recipe from "Taste of Home Casseroles and One Dish Meals.”  We liked the asparagus, but I would substitute the same amount of any vegetable or combination I had on hand – we thought mushrooms and green beans would have been good, or perhaps fresh spinach, celery and water chestnuts or on and on.  Pork loin or chicken could have subbed for the beef.   

I like a dish like this, that you can make your own, by simply following the pattern.  It would make a good recipe for the night before grocery shopping – you know, a “clean-out-the-fridge” meal.

Beef Fried Rice

  1        Tablespoon  Olive Oil

  3        Large  Eggs -- lightly beaten

  1        Teaspoon  Olive Oil

  16      Ounces  Top Sirloin Steak -- cut in thin strips

  2 1/2 Cups  Coleslaw Mix

     1/2 Pound  Fresh Asparagus -- 1-1/2" long pieces

     1/2 Cup  Onion -- chopped

  4        Cups  Cooked Rice -- cold

  3        Tablespoons  Butter -- cubed

  3        Tablespoons  Soy Sauce

     1/8 Teaspoon  Pepper

In large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of oil until hot.  Add eggs; cook and stir over medium heat until completely set, remove and keep warm.

In the same pan, stir fry the beef, coleslaw mix, asparagus and onion in remaining oil for 4-6 minutes or until beef is no longer pink and vegetables are crisp-tender.

Add rice and butter, cook and stir over medium heat for 1-2 minute until heated through.  Add eggs; stir in soy sauce and pepper.

6 Main Dish Servings

Per Serving: 386 Calories; 15g Fat (35.1% calories from fat); 23g Protein; 38g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 165mg Cholesterol; 653mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 2 Fat.

Sunday in Iowa

On a trip through the countryside, we were seeing the first corn emerging, about 2-3 weeks late, and could still find some of these lovely, traditional lilac hedges, so typical of Iowa's past, planted to protect homes from road noise and dust,  as well as be beautiful. 

Canned Food Sizes

Older recipes and recipes in community cookbooks often simply list a can size number or size can for certain ingredients.  If you want to cook your own, use your home-canned food, make a substitution, or you simply don’t know can size numbers, it can leave you stumped.  Here’s a chart for can sizes that I keep on hand.

Can #	Can Size	Volume in cups
	5 ounce (tuna)	5/8
	5 1/3 ounce (small evaporated milk)	2/3
	6 ounce	3/4
	8 ounce	1
#1	11 1/2 ounces	1 1/3
	12 ounce (new evaporated milk)	1 1/2
	13 ounce (old evaporated milk)	1 2/3
	14 ounce (condensed milk)	1 2/3
	15 ounce	1 3/4
#300	14-16 ounces	1 3/4
	16 ounce	2
#303	16-17 ounces	2
#2	18-20 ounces	2 1/2
#2 1/2	29 ounces	3 1/2
#3	46 ounces	5 3/4
#10	6 pounds	12

One of my pet peeves is how manufacturers have reduced can and package sizes in the last few years.  Your old recipe may not work as well if it called for a can of tuna expecting the 6 ½-7 ounce cans of yesterday and all you can get now are 5 ounce cans – a change made in the last year or two, or if it calls for evaporated milk, and the cans are no longer 14 ounces, not even the 13 ounce cans of fairly recent years, but are now 12 ounces!  If you are sharing recipes, do the recipient a favor, and specify the ounces of the can or package or bag of ingredients called for.

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Family Favorites - Chewy Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Worth Repeating

While baking these cookies, I thought, of all the cookie recipes I have this is the most requested. They are even good for you as they contain dried cranberries and oatmeal.  Never have decided if it is the cinnamon or the honey in them that is so good. They are a chewy cookie however, not a soft cookie. The recipe is from a Fine Cooking booklet of their favorite cookie recipes over the years.

 A cookie scoop makes fast work of filling cooky trays and saves sticky hands.

Chewy Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Yields about forty-four 3-inch cookies.

11/2 cups) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

8 ounces (1 cup) unsalted butter, slightly softened not too soft (about 20 minutes)

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

6 ounces (11/3 cups) dried cranberries

5 ounces (about 1 cup) chopped walnuts (I use Pecans)

Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease your cookie sheets or cover them with parchment.
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir in the oats.
With an electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then scrape down the sides of the bowl; add the honey and vanilla and beat until blended. Add the flour mixture in two additions, beating until well combined. Stir in the cranberries and walnuts.
Drop the dough by the heaping tablespoonful about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Bake until the centers of the cookies are soft and no longer look wet, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sausage Potato Bake

  New cookbook, new recipes, what fun. The Taste of Home Casseroles and one dish meals has so many it is hard to chose. The first one I made was a simple, tasty, breakfast casserole though we had it for supper.

  Sausage Potato Casserole was very good. I wondered as we don’t often like casseroles with potatoes and eggs together and we were pleasantly surprised. 

  All of us decided that we would like it again. I used Farmland pork sausage roll and Yukon Gold potatoes as I had some that needed to be used. The chives came from my pot on our deck. This was a excellent supper and we will have it again. Maybe bacon or ham next time though the sausage gave it a great flavor. It cut into neat squares for serving. Looked great and would be attractive on a brunch table.

  Sausage Potato Bake

PREP: 20 minutes    BAKE: 55 + STANDING

½ pound bulk pork sausage

3 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 jar (2 ounce) diced pimientos, drained

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup 2% milk

2 tablespoons minced chives

¾ teaspoon dried thyme or oregano  

  In large skillet, brown pork sausage until no longer pink; drain.

Arrange ½ of the potatoes in a greased 8 inch square baking dish; sprinkle with salt, pepper and half of the sausage. Layer with remaining potatoes and sausage. Sprinkle pimientos on top.

  In small bowl, whisk beaten eggs, milk, chives, and thyme. Pour over pimientos.

Bake covered in 375° oven for 45 - 50 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more until lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Breakfast Custard

When I started to mix this up, I was a little concerned that it might not be flavorful enough.  I was certainly wrong – the simple goodness of quality ingredients simply shines through.  I used Fontina cheese, as I had some on hand, but Swiss would be excellent too.  I have made this for brunch several times and also for a simple supper.  The biggest advantage for the cook is that it bakes for 15-20 minutes, allowing you some time to prepare your other dishes.    Try serving it with breakfast sausage or bacon and a fruit cup or a green vegetable for supper.                   

Breakfast Custard

  4           Large  Eggs -- lightly beaten

  2           Tablespoons  Butter -- melted

  1           Cup  Whole Milk

  1           Teaspoon  Cornstarch

     1/8    Teaspoon  Baking Powder

     1/4    Teaspoon  Salt

               Dash  Pepper

     1/2    Cup  Swiss Cheese -- shredded

In a large bowl, whisk the first seven ingredients.  Stir in cheese.  Pour into 4 buttered 4 ounce custard cups.

Place cups in a baking pan.  Fill pan with boiling water to a depth of 1 inch.  Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 15-20 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

4 Servings

  "Taste of Home Casseroles and One Dish Meals”

Per Serving: 218 Calories; 17g Fat (69.1% calories from fat); 12g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 249mg Cholesterol; 344mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 2 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.