Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

From the Kitchen of Lisa Manning or Holly Weaver

6 cups chicken broth

1 pkg. original Uncle Bens wild rice

1/2 cup chopped scallions/ green onions

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 cups half and half or milk

1 cup cooked chicken breast

Bring chicken broth to boil. Add green onions and rice. cover and simmer for 35- 40 min.

In another pan melt butter. Add flour and S&P. Whisk in half and half/ milk. cook until thickened. Then add chicken and add to soup.

This is really yummy in bread bowls!

Chicken and Corn Fried Rice

Don't skip the spinach and lemon, it may seem weird, but it is sooo good. This comes from Chef Ming Tsai who responded to a challenge to some of the nation's best cooks: Come up with a meal that is family-friendly, budget-conscious, and delicious.

NOTE: Instead of ground chicken, I used Costco roasted chickens.

Chicken and Corn Fried Rice

1 pound ground chicken
2 eggs
1 large yellow onion, minced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ginger powder
2 ears of corn when in season, or 1 bag frozen (12 ounces)
1/2 (10 ounces) bag spinach (washed, spun dry, de-stemmed, leaves torn)
2 tablespoons naturally brewed soy sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
4 cups cold, cooked long-grain rice, brown and white combination, preferably day-old so it's nice and dry
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Canola oil

Heat a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat. Lightly coat with oil. When oil shimmers add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and brown, breaking up any large chunks with wooden spoon or spatula. Remove chicken to a plate. Add about 1/2-inch oil to wok and allow to heat; add eggs, which will puff up. Cook scrambled eggs and remove to a paper towel-lined plate. If necessary, add more oil to wok to lightly coat, then add onions, garlic, and powdered ginger, and cook until nicely caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add corn, rice, chicken and egg, and toss to combine. Add naturally brewed soy sauce, toss to combine, and check for seasoning. Place mound of raw spinach in center of four dinner plates. Drizzle with lemon juice and season. Top with fried rice to cover.

FREEZER DIRECTIONS: Heat a wok or pan over medium high heat. Coat with oil and add eggs (not included in freezer meal). Cook and remove to paper towel-lined plate to drain. Add the bag of rice, corn and chicken. Cook until heated through. Add more soy sauce if desired. Serve over raw spinach as described above. Enjoy!

Chicken and Shrimp Kabobs

Chicken breasts cut into chunks

Cubed red onion

Cubed fresh pineapple

Cubed bell peppers

Jumbo shrimp

Place all on sticks and pour teriyaki sauce on top.

Cook on grill and serve with a salad and or rice.

Chicken Jambalaya Wraps/burritos

1 box Zatarain's Jambalaya rice mix cooked

1 can black beans

1 can corn

1 Whole chicken cooked (i used rotisserie)

1 cup salsa

1 cup cheese

green chilies

2 chopped green onions

add 1/2 cup sour cream

Heat mix and serve in favorite tortillas. (i used the ones from Costco. Just put them on a skillet to cook them.)

Serve with shredded lettuce, sour cream and salsa.

Traditional Lasagna.

Ingredients

• 1-½ pound Ground Beef
• 1 pound Hot Breakfast Sausage
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cans (14.5 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes
• 2 cans (6 Ounce) Tomato Paste
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Basil
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 3 cups Lowfat Cottage Cheese
• 2 whole Beaten Eggs
• ½ cups Grated (not Shredded) Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 pound Sliced Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 package (10 Ounce) Lasagna Noodles
• (add 1/2 Teaspoon Salt And 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil To Pasta Water)

Preparation Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Cook lasagna until “al dente” (not overly cooked).

To assemble:
Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat mixture over the top.

Repeat, ending with meat mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.

Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.

**** Martha Stewart recommends reheating frozen lasagna like this:
Cover lasagna tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil; freeze up to 3 months. To Bake From Frozen: Remove plastic wrap; cover baking dish with lightly oiled aluminum foil, and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil, and bake until bubbling and browned, about 30 minutes more. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff - Martha Stewart

• 2 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into thin slices (about 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches long)
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and halved (or quartered, if large)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Cooked thin egg noodles, for serving
• Chopped fresh dill, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, toss beef, onion, and mushrooms with 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt and teaspoon pepper. Cover, and cook on low until meat is tender, about 8 hours (or on high for 6 hours).
2. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, whisk cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Ladle 1 cup cooking liquid into measuring cup; whisk to combine. Pour into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. With slow cooker turned off, stir in cornstarch mixture, then sour cream and mustard. Serve beef over noodles; sprinkle with dill, if desired.

Bean Burritos Prep: 1 hour Total: 1 hour Stock your freezer with these healthy single-serving dinners (or hearty lunches).

INGREDIENTS Serves 8. 3/4 cup rice (brown or white) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium onions, chopped 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 jalapeno chile, chopped (ribs and seeds removed, for less heat) 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin Coarse salt and ground pepper 3 tablespoons tomato paste 3 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed 1 bag frozen corn kernels, (10 ounces) 6 scallions, thinly sliced 8 burrito-size flour tortillas, 10 inches each 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese Salsa and sour cream, optional DIRECTIONS Cook rice according to package instructions; set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onions, garlic, jalapeno, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beans and 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add corn; cook to heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in scallions. Heat tortillas according to package instructions; fill with rice, bean mixture, and cheese. Assemble: Mound 1/4 cup rice, 3/4 cup bean mixture, and 1/4 cup cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold, and hold in sides. Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down, and prepare remaining burritos. Serve immediately, with salsa and sour cream, if using, or wrap individually in plastic and freeze up to 3 months Helpful Hint To reheat from frozen: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap. Place on a microwave-safe plate; microwave on high for 3 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet; bake at 450 degrees until crispy, about 10 minutes. If only using a microwave, remove from plastic wrap, and place on a microwave-safe plate, covered with a microwave safe bowl. Defrost at high power for 3 to 4 minutes; uncover, and microwave on high 3 to 4 minutes longer. If only using oven, remove burritos from plastic wrap; rewrap individually in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet; bake at 450 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove foil, and bake to crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. (To reheat defrosted burritos, remove any wrapping and bake for 10 minutes). Mexican Rice II Rated: Submitted By: Mommyto2 Photo By: CookinBug Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes Ready In: 30 Minutes Servings: 4 "Rice is sauteed with salt, cumin and onion, then simmered with tomato sauce and chicken broth." INGREDIENTS: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice 1 teaspoon garlic salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup tomato sauce 2 cups chicken broth DIRECTIONS: 1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin. 2. Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.