Chicken and Rice Casserole with MaMa's special cornbread

Saturday Nov 6

so these are two of my favorite foods.

The chicken and rice Casserole is from a cookbook called mama dips but I have slightly modified it and don't measure exactly. and it is so yum, everyone in this house loves loves it!!!!! (recipe below picture)

SUNDAY CHICKEN CASSEROLE



Large frying pan, 2qt sauce pan, and an 8x8 casserole dish

1 box of uncle bens wild grain rice (I use the fast cook)
1-2 TBS of olive oil for pan
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
S & P to taste
2 TBS butter
1 TBS flour
1 C chicken broth (I actually use a cube of bullion for an 8 oz cub and 1 C of warm water)
about 1/2 C sour cream
1/2 -1 C of shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350

Cook rice according to box directions (I always start with the rice, so it is done before everything else)

warm pan with oil in it but not to frying temperature. add chicken breast and cook on both sides until chicken *looks* done ( doesn't need to be actually done I like it get a nice golden crust on it though) salt and pepper to taste while cooking (I usually only ass pepper, especially if I am using salted butter)

put rice in the bottom of the casserole dish and then put chicken on top of rice.

lower heat to low-medium add the butter and melt in the bottom of the pan, do not let butter brown, add the flour and form a paste (rue), try to avoid lumps. now add the 1 C chicken broth and de-glaze the bottom of the pan the best you can with a whisk. let the rue and broth thicken just a little bit. Add sour cream and bring to a simmer, not a boil, stirring almost the whole time. taste sauce and see if it needs more salt or pepper. when sauce has thickened pour over the chicken and rice in as evenly as possible. now spread the cheese over it all and place on middle rack in oven for 30 minutes or until the chicken is done and the cheese is yummy golden brown, ENJOY :)

The second dish I call MaMa's special corn bread :) it is actually like a custard bread and I could eat just this for my dinner, its that yum! This is a very easy recipe that I have modified extensively and have no idea where the original came from but my mom used to make it. but essentially this is my own recipe for better or worse. oh and it's super easy :)



small frying pan and a small casserole like a 4x6 you could do a 8x8 too probably, the 4x6 you just have to make sure it's deep enough.

Preheat oven to 350

1/2 either yellow or sweet onion
one box of jiffy corn muffin mix
one egg
1/3 C milk
1 can of sweat creamed corn
and 1/2-1 C shredded cheddar cheese
Caramelize the onions ( I always have a mixture of fried and caramelized onions because the pan is to hot, but it works really well, but I wouldn't actually fry them, it's better if they are slightly sweet) when finished but in the bottom of the casserole dish.

mix up the cornbread egg and milk when combined well add the cream corn and mix well. pour this mixture over the onions and top with cheese. put on middle shelf of oven and cook for 30 minutes until cheese is slightly golden and bread looks done, you can't test with a toothpick as it is a wet bread. YUM YUM enjoy!!!

you can actually cook these 2 together, just start the bread a little before.

that's it for now!!!

(am)