Recipes and Ruminations

You know,  I have a dear friend of over 25 years.  Throughout the  years we have remained  close friends even though we are states apart.  We are very comfortable with each other and can easily admit our mistakes and failures.  One area we struggle with is keeping our enthusiasm going about our meal preparations.  I'd say about every 6 months or so one of us will admit that we are doing a lousy job at our dinners again and we are in a "cooking rut".  We make jokes about our recent dinners of  "Raman" noodles or boxed mac n' cheese.   We confess our temptations to order pizza  and rationalize by talking about the great dollar menus.  Did you know that if you don't order drinks, you can feed a family of 4 for under 10 dollars!  Enough of this talk!  Doesn't this happen to us all?   I think it especially happens to those of us who are stay at home Mom's who prepare meal after meal for 20 years or so!  Anyway,  I thought I'd choose some very simple recipes that can help us get out of our cooking doldrums.  I hope you will give them a try.  Let's put some music on,  make a cup of tea and try some of these out.
Happy cooking!

Brenda
CREAMY CHICKEN CASSEROLE (5 MINUTE PREP TIME)

5 CUPS CHOPPED COOKED CHICKEN
1 CAN CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP, UNDILUTED
1 8-OUNCE CARTON SOUR CREAM
1 TABLESPOON POPPY SEEDS
1 1/2 CUPS CRUSHED RITZ CRACKERS
1/4 CUP BUTTER MELTED

COMBINE FIRST 4 INGREDIENTS AND SPOON INTO A LIGHTLY GREASED BAKING DISH.  COMBINE CRUSHED CRACKERS AND BUTTER AND SPRINKLE OVER CHICKEN MIXTURE.  BAKE UNCOVERED AT 350 FOR 30 MINUTES. SERVES 4
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SAUSAGE-STUFFED BREAD LOAF

1 LOAF FRENCH BREAD
1/2 POUND EACH OF GROUND PORK SAUSAGE & GROUND CHUCK
1 CHOPPED ONION
1 CUP MOZZARELLA CHEESE
1 EGG, BEATEN
1/4 CUP CHOPPED PARSLEY
1TEAS. DIJON MUSTARD
1/4 TEAS FENNEL SEEDS
SALT AND PEPPER
2 TBSP BUTTER
1CLOVE GARLIC CRUSHED

CUT OFF ENDS OF LOAF. HOLLOW OUT CENTER OF LOAF. PROCESS BREAD TO MAKE CRUMBS.
COOK MEAT AND ONION, DRAIN. ADD 1 CUP OF BREADCRUMBS, CHEESE AND NEXT 6 INGRED. STIR.
SPOON INTO SHELL. REPLACE LOAF ENDS AND SECURE WITH WOODEN PICKS.  MELT BUTTER ADD GARLIC BRUSH LOAF WRAP IN FOIL AND BAKE AT 400 FOR 25 MIN.  SERVES 4
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TORTILLA-CHILI CASSEROLE

1 PACKAGE TORTILLA CHIPS (9 OUNCE)
2 CANS CHEDDAR SOUP, UNDILUTED
2 CANS CHUNKY CHILE WITH BEANS
GARNISHES: SOUR CREAM, JALAPENO ETC
.
PLACE 4 CUP BROKEN CHIPS INTO A LIGHTLY GREASED BAKING DISH. SPREAD 1 CAN SOUP OVER.SPREAD CHILI OVER SOUP AND TOP WITH OTHER CAN.  BAKE 350 FOR 15 MIN. SPRINKLE WITH REMAINING CHIPS BAKE FOR 5 MIN. GARNISH. ************************************************************************************************

QUICK AND EASY TOSTADAS

1 PACKAGE OF PRE -MADE TOSTADA SHELLS ( MISSION OR OTHER)
REFRIED BEANS, CHEESE, LETTUCE, ANY LEFT OVER MEAT OR CHICKEN
SALSA, CILANTRO, SOUR CREAM

PASS THE SHELLS OUT WITH A SCOOP OF BEANS AND /OR MEAT AND HAVE EVERYONE PREPARE THERE OWN TOSTADAS

THIS IS SO SIMPLE AND YET EVERYONE LOVES IT!  KEEP THESE ITEMS  ON HAND.
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HAM AND POTATO CASSEROLE

1 PACKAGE FROZEN SHREDDED POTATOES
1 HAM SLICE CUT INTO BITE-SIZE PIECES (2 1/2 CUPS)
1 CAN CREAM OF POTATO SOUP ( OR ANY CREAM SOUP)
PEPPER
1/4 CUP PARMESAN CHEESE
1 CUP SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE
PAPRIKA

COMBINE FIRST 4 INGRED. AND SPOON INTO BAKING DISH.  BAKE AT 400 FOR 25 MIN. SPRINKLE WITH CHEESE AND PAPRIKA. BAKE 5 MORE MIN.  4-6 SERVINGS.
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BAKED CHICKEN NUGGETS

1/2 CUP FINE, DRY BREADCRUMBS
1/4 CUP GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE
1/2 TEAS. DRIED BASIL, THYME
1/4 TEAS SALT
4 SKINNED AND BONED CHICKEN BREAST HALVES, CUT INTO 1 INCH PIECES
1/4 CUP BUTTER MELTED

COMBINE FIRST 5 INGRED. IN A HEAVY ZIP LOCK BAG. SEAL AND SHAKE. DIP CHICKEN IN BUTTER AND SHAKE A FEW PIECES AT A TIME, INTO BREADCRUMB MIXTURE. PLACE CHICKEN ON A GREASED BAKING SHEET. BAKE AT 400 FOR 20 MIN. OR UNTIL BROWNED.  SERVES 4
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BROCCOLI AND CHEESE POTATOES
1 PACKAGE FROZEN BROCCOLI IN CHEESE SAUCE
2 LARGE BAKING POTATOES
4 OUNCES MEXICAN FLAVORED PROCESS CHEESE SPREAD
CHUNKY SALSA

BAKE POTATOES.   MICROWAVE CHEESE SPREAD  AND BROCCOLI. STIR. SPOON OVER SPLIT POTATOES TOP WITH SALSA IF YOU'D LIKE.  (VELVEETA MELTS BETTER THAN CHEDDAR AND MEXICAN VELVEETA ADDS SPICE)
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ASIAN  PASTA SALAD

8 OUNCES DRIED LINGUINE NOODLES
3 CUPS BROCCOLI FLOWERETTS
12 CHERRY TOMATOES, HALVED
4 GREEN ONIONS, SLICED
2 LARGE CARROTS SLICED DIAGONALLY
1/4 CUP SOY SAUCE
2 TBSP SESAME SEEDS, TOASTED
1 TBSP BROWN SUGAR
2 TBSP DARK SESAME OIL
1 TBSP LEMON JUICE
1/4 TEAS. HOT SAUCE
1 CLOVE GARLIC, MINCED

COOK PASTA. DRAIN. RINSE WITH COLD WATER. DRAIN. ADD BROCCOLI AND NEXT 3 INGRED.. TOSS WELL. COMBINE SOY SAUCE AND REMAINING 6 INGREDIENTS IN A SMALL JAR. COVER AND SHAKE. POUR OVER PASTA.  SERVES 4
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Thank you for reading my ramblings.
Brenda