Thank you Lia for hosting the January cooking class!
Here are some of the recipes and great ideas she shared:
Chicken/Turkey Vegetable Soup
Skinless Chicken breast or left over chicken or turkey
Tomato soup
Black Beans
Kidney Beans
Corn
Green Beans
Dried Onions
1-2 tsp Salt and 1/2 -1 tsp Pepper depending how much chicken broth you are making. You can always add to taste.
Red Chili Pepper
Cooked Rice
You can always add whatever cans of vegetables or beans you like to eat.
To make the Broth-
Boil skinless chicken breast in water, add salt, pepper and dried onions. I always make extra broth to freeze or to use in rice. I usually boil 6 - 8 chicken breast. I use 3 in the soup and use the other shredded chicken in something else. You can also freeze the shredded chicken.
Bring the water and chicken with spices to a boil. Turn down heat to a simmer. Let simmer for about 30 minutes or until the chicken isn't pink in the middle.
Pull out the chicken. Let cool. Shred the chicken. I use my fingers. But if you don't like getting your fingers messy, use two forks and pull about. You can cut into pieces. But I like shredded chicken texture better. But if you don't care.. Just cut the chicken.
If you are using left over chicken or turkey, put the meat into water with salt, pepper and dried onions. Bring to a simmer.
While the chicken is cooling. I make the rice. (2 cups of broth to one cup of rice)
If you are making a big stock pan of soup.. I would use about 2 -3 cups of cooked rice.
I like to use the broth to make my rice.
Depending how much soup you are making; will depend on how many cans of soup and veggies you use.
When I'm making a big pot. I take out 1/2 of the broth... Save or freeze
Add 3 cans of tomato soup, 2 cans of black beans (drain and rinse), 2 cans of kidney beans (drain and rinse), 1 can of corn and 2 cans of green beans. Again, you can put in whatever beans or veggies you and your family enjoy.
If you like carrots and want to use fresh carrots, I would chop them up and cook them with your chicken broth. Carrots take a long time to cook. But add nice color.
I add the shredded chicken or turkey last.
Taste.. I usually add more salt, pepper and dried onions.
Chicken Broccoli Divan
When I make this I use left over chicken or turkey or you can even use bacon, or ham. But I will give you the recipe as it is and give little hints.
1 1/2 pounds of broccoli cut into bite size pieces
1 32 oz chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1 table spoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds skinless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
1 cup onion
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup dry sherry or dry white wine (you can use white grape juice.. but it will taste better with the wine)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 ounces of cream cheese (you can use reduced fat or no fat)
1 1/2 cups sharp cheese divided (you can use reduced fat cheese)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups plain croutons or any flavor crushed
Preheat oven to 400F. Spray 9X13 baking dish.
Cook broccoli in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside. (I like my broccoli to be a bit more crisp. I just use fresh broccoli.)
Place chicken broth in a medium sauce pan over a medium heat. Cook and reduce to 2 cups.
Melt butter and oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and onions; cook 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Chicken should look nicely browned.
***Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add reduced chicken broth, sherry, mustard and cream cheese; cook, stirring until the mixture is smooth.
Stir in broccoli, then stir in 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the broccoli mixture into the baking dish, sprinkle with crushed croutons.
Bake for 15 minutes add rest of cheese cook 5 more minutes or until mixture is bubbly and the topping is brown.
My tip for making this fast -
I cut up my broccoli set aside. You can use whatever amount of broccoli you want. Just adjust the cheese mixture.
****Next in a large wok or your largest skillet.. Add 2 cups chicken broth, 1/4 cup flour stir, until broth and flour mix. Add cream cheese, sherry, Dijon mustard, Dried onions about 1/4th cup, bring to a low boil and melt all the ingredients.
You'll need to watch.. or you could burn it. Once the cream cheese is melted add your sharp cheese. Add cheese more cheese if the sauce is too runny.
After your sauce is made, add your chicken, or whatever you'll be using, broccoli, I like to add red peppers for more color; stir together and mix well.
Pour into your baking dish, sprinkle your crushed croutons, bake minutes 15 minutes, sprinkle the rest of cheese and bake 5 more.
I like to make this the night before. But don't add the croutons until you are ready to bake it..
It will take about 25-30 minutes to cook if it has been in the fridge.
It's easy double and freeze. If you do this.. Cook your broccoli and don't add the croutons on your frozen casserole until you are ready to bake it.
To make your own chicken broth... fill pan with water, add dried onions or fresh chopped, salt, pepper, parsley, add a skinned chicken breast. (you can put in as many chicken breast or just use one.) Let simmer for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle. (You can shredded the chicken and use in this recipe, freeze for another day or use in salad or other things that calls for shredded chicken.)
Take the chicken out, put the juice in bottles to use later or throw in your freezer. You can use this broth when you make rice. It will make it taste really nice.
Hawaiian Haystacks
Chicken (you can use leftover roasted chicken or boil and shred)
Cream of Chicken soup (you can use mushroom if you don't have chicken)
Sour Cream
Chicken Broth
salt and pepper to taste
dried onions to taste
Mix shredded chicken with cream of soup, sour cream add enough chicken broth to make the mixture of gravy. Add salt, pepper and dried onions to taste. My family loves it when I put in red chili peppers.
Serve over rice.
Here are a few ideas you can put on top of the chicken mixture.
Grated cheese, pineapple, peas, slivered almonds or sunflower seeds, green onions, celery, red or green pepper tomatoes or anything else you might think sounds good.
My family like to top with cheese, dried onions and Chinese noodles.
Egg Soufflé
5 pieces of white bread, buttered and cut into 2 inch cubes
3 cups grated sharp Cheese. (You can use less)
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
dash of cayenne pepper.
The best thing about this recipe, you may add to it whatever you like:
Onions
red peppers
spinach (drain)
mushrooms(if you are using fresh, cook before and drain)
ham/bacon
You can add these to the dish or serve on the side.
I always add onions to almost everything I cook. It adds great taste. Chopped onions will add the most flavor, but if your in pinch throw in some dried onions.
Spray your cooking dish 8X8, or you can double the recipe and use a 9X13. Beat together eggs, milk, salt, mustard and pepper. Pour over top of bread and mash the bread down into the liquid. Let sit over night, bake at 350 for about an hour.
I bake right after I make it. If it is for the next day. I just reheat it in the oven.
Enchiladas
12 eggs
½ cup milk
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
4 TBSP dry onions ( another 4 TBSP to add with meat.)
Cheese
Veggies of your choice and meat of your choice
8 soft taco shells
The beauty of this recipe, you can fill the soft shell with whatever filling you want.
For Ham and spinach enchiladas –
Cut up ham and fry with dry onions.
Fill taco shell with ham, cheese and spinach. Wrap taco shell up, place in a 9X13 greased pan. Seam of taco shell towards the bottom of the pan.
Fill all 8 shells.
Mix eggs, milk, pepper and onions. Pour over filled taco shells. Put grated cheese on to of taco shells.
Bake 350 degree’s for 45 minutes.
For chicken enchiladas do the same as you would for the ham, but add chicken instead.
Other ideas - You can fill the taco shells just cheese or just add veggies.
If you use red or green peppers or mushrooms, make sure you sauté the veggies first.
I make enchiladas with my left over roasted chicken. I usually make ½ the pan with ham enchiladas and the other half chicken.
If you don’t have left over chicken. Just boil some chicken for about 30 minutes. Cool then pull/shred chicken. I also add dry onions to the chicken before I fill the shells.
