Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole

I'm sure you can tell by the title of this dish, that it's a little low in vegetable content. Unless you count an onion and some green chiles as veggies. So just do what I do, and serve it alongside an enormous helping of salad. (Easy on the dressing!)

This is one of those dishes that you can whip up in no time. It's incredibly simple. 

And very delicious!

It's always appreciated at potlucks. By new neighbors. Sick friends. And starving husbands. (Well, mine, anyway.) 

I don't just go around feeding 'random' starving husbands. 

But that would make for an interesting blog post, hmm?

No matter the occasion, there's never a speck left!

My family likes it best with white rice. But if brown rice is your thing, go for it! 

For the chicken, I usually go with two breasts and one thigh. Or two thighs and one breast. It really all depends on who I am cooking it for. And whether or not they prefer dark or light meat. I suggest a mix of both. But go with what you like. A rotisserie chicken works nicely with this dish. So just keep that on the back burner (of your mind) in case you're ever pressed for time.

I don't use a standard 9x13 dish for this casserole. I find that it's better when baked in an off-sized dish like the one pictured above. This one is a 3 quart dish. It makes for a thicker casserole that doesn't dry out. 

So keep that in mind.

Garnish as you like! Sour cream, black olives, and pickled jalapenos are really nice.

Curried Beef & Vegetables

Hello!
It feels so good to be back among the living! 

I have spent the last week or so, just absolutely sick as can be! And when I am sick, I really try to stay out of the kitchen. No sense in infecting the entire family, just for the sake of dinner! 

Besides, that's what take out is for, right?

After a week of bad pizza, good pizza, burgers, and even cereal, I thought I'd bring my family, and myself, back into the world of real food, with a delicious bowl of my curried beef and vegetables.

This is one of my dishes that is POWER PACKED with all kinds of FLAVOR and NUTRITION.

(My husband says he can live off of it.) Nice!

I have it featured here, over a very simple mix of basmati rice with cilantro. 

(I will include that in the recipe). But feel free to serve it as you like. It's excellent over mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, in a pita, with naan, or just by itself.
Ground sirloin not your thing? Simply sub with ground turkey or lamb.

Enjoy!

Vegetable Beef Soup

This is an awesome dish! Part slow cooker, part stove top. 

And 100% delicious!

I love that I can brown the meat and let it simmer all day in my slow cooker; giving it a really rich flavor. Then I just dice up all my veggies, toss it in my stock pot for a bit, and voila!...

You've got yourself one AMAZING pot of soup!

Don't let the list of ingredients or the length of instructions scare you away! 

This really is a super simple pot of soup!

Meltaways

Let's start the week off with something simple and sweet, shall we? We shall!

These cookies are one of my latest Pinterest finds, and are now a new family favorite. 

Seriously, these are SO good! My family cannot get enough of them!

I did play around with the recipe a tad. Not the list of ingredients; just the mixing method. I have made these three times in the last week, and found that by mixing all the dry ingredients together, (before adding them to the creamed butter), really cut down on the flour cloud that I got the first time I made them. You know, the flour cloud? That's when you dump everything in the mixing bowl, turn on the mixer, and...POOF! You're instantly surrounded by a fine white flour cloud. Please tell me I'm not the only one this happens to!

 (I am so NOT a baker!)

Anyway...These are so simple. You really must try them! I insist!

Skillet Kielbasa

I love one-pot dishes! And my Skillet Kielbasa is always a winner! 

You can pretty much add any vegetable medley you like. I usually go with the potato, green bean, and pepper trio. It gives you an excellent starch, vibrant color, and  incredible flavor.

You can't really tell from this photo, but you get a really nice sauce from all the veggies, kielbasa, and broth as they cook down.

I always serve this dish with a basket of warm garlic bread. Perfect for mopping up all the savory, saucy, goodness. 

Enjoy!

Super Bowl Snacks

I am not the biggest sports fan in the world. I do watch the Super Bowl, though. I look forward to it every year! I love the commercials. The halftime show. 

And of course, the food!

I know I'm squeezing this post in at the last minute, but I'd feel rather remiss if I didn't share some of my favorite game day grub with you.

Enjoy!

(Click the title highlighted in green for the recipe)