Almond Chicken Casserole

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can Chicken Broth (You can use the soup can for a measure, I just used 1 can 14 1/2 ounce can of Chicken Broth).
4 Cups Cooked and Cubed Chicken
2 Cups Water Chestnuts, Drained
2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
1 1/2 Cups Mayonnaise
2 Cups Celery
1 small Onion, Chopped
2 Teaspoons Salt
2 Cups Rice, Cooked
1/2 Cup Butter (I did not use this as I just used Bread Crumbs)
1 1/2 Cups Crushed Buttery Crackers (again I just used Bread Crumbs.
1 Cup Sliced Almonds
1 Cup Colby Cheese, Shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pan over medium heat, stir together soup, broth, chicken, chestnuts, lemon juice and mayonnaise. Stir in celery, onion, salt, and rice. Combine well; pour into a buttered (I used spray Pam) casserole dish. Melt butter; mix with crushed crackers or bread crumbs. Sprinkle crackers or bread crumbs over casserole. Sprinkle with almonds and shredded cheese. Bake in preheated oven about 30 minutes.

I haven't made a casserole in years. But I couldn't think of what to have for dinner. I had all of the ingredients for this and it was a hit. Even the grandchildren ate it and enjoyed it. I served it with cooked fresh asparagus and fruit salad which added a little more color to the plate and it was a great dinner.

Pretty Authentic Greek Salad

2 English Cucumbers ( I think any cucumber will work)

7 tomatoes

1 can black olives

1 green pepper Julienned

1 red onion Julienned

2 teaspoons Mediterranean Oregano ( I have used regular Oregano, the Mediterranean is a little stronger in flavor)

1/2 Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

1 Cup Feta Cheese

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Just mix everything together and enjoy. This amount makes a very large salad. You can cut back to any size you want. It has become one of my favorite salads. I made certain to plant cucumbers so I could eat it all summer long. It is so healthy. My cooking class ladies also loved this salad. I am hoping the picture shows how pretty it can look. It tastes as good as it looks

Snickers Salad

4-6 Snickers Candy Bars, Frozen (I only used 4)
4-6 Granny Smith Apples ( I used 3 large Fuji)
1 (8-oz) Cool Whip
1 (3-0z) package Instant Vanilla Pudding made according to directions

Core apples and cut into bite size pieces. Keep the apples cut small, it just seems to work better for all ages. You can use any apples you like, the Granny Smith are tart with the sweet candy and they stay crisp. Smash the frozen candy bars into bite size pieces while still in the wrapper. (I didn't have much success with this so I put the candy into a plastic sandwich bag and it worked great.) Mix the pudding and Cool Whip together by hand. Fold in the apples and Candy bars. Chill in refrigerator for best results.

Finally a salad for kids. I justified it for Braden's 6th birthday as the broccoli salad and others weren't as taste friendly as this one. I figure you have apples, milk, and a smile which is all that is required for healthy eating. It went over better with the adults. The kids liked it they just didn't care as much as the adults. But it's always fun to try anything to make them think you are the coolest Nanna in the world.

Strawberry Whipped Sensation

4 Cups fresh strawberries, divided

1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened condensed Milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tub Cool Whipped topping, Thawed, divided

8 Oreo Sandwich cookies, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon melted butter

Line 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with foil. Mash 2 cups of strawberries in large bowl. Stir in condensed milk, juice and 2 cups of the Cool Whip; pour into pan. Top with combined chopped cookies and butter; press into mixture. Cover. Freeze at least 6 hours. To serve invert onto plate. Remove foil. Frost with remaining Cool Whip. Top with remaining strawberries, sliced. Makes 12 servings. (I put mine into an aluminum bread pan so I could just throw it away and didn't have to line anything.)

I served this tonight at our Empty Nester's Family Home Evening. We had a couple who had just returned from a European Mission where they established the Especially For Youth programs and Out Reach programs for Young Single Adults. They leave in July to be Mission President and wife of the Sweden Mission. You can imagine how incredible these people are. They are Larry and Sally Anderson. It was a great evening. We had 22 people in attendance and yes, the dessert was a hit. I am not certain how the picture will turn out. But we will try. It takes about 20 minutes to make, then let the freezer do the work. It's perfect right now while strawberries are in season. And despite the picture, it looks absolutely magnificent when you serve it.

Cafe' Rio Burritos

I just made this for Sunday Dinner. It was so delicious I can't wait for left overs. I tried to take a picture, but it really wasn't attractive, which didn't make it appetizing. But try it anyway, it is the best.

Rice

1 Cup rice (again, I mix 1/2 cup white rice with 1/2 cup brown rice)
2 cups chicken broth (or two cups water to 2 tablespoons dry bullion)
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 can diced green chilies
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
* salt to taste
* zest of lime (which is just grated lime peelings on the smallest grate)
(*optional)

I heat a little bit of olive oil then add the garlic, onion and dry rice. After it is heated through I add the broth, green chilies, and lime juice. Bring it to a boil then cover and let it sit for 15 minutes. Add the cilantro at the end.


Chicken - (or I'm sure you could do Beef or Pork the same way)

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
* 1 Tablespoon chili powder (optional, I have never used it)
1 tablespoon cumin
3 cloves minced garlic
Chicken (1 small bottle is enough for up to 5 pounds)

Crock pot everything on high for 4 hours, then stir up the chicken and shred it (it will fall apart at this point), and cook on low for another hour. Watch your moisture level, you may need to add a little water. This is by far the easiest recipe for Cafe Rio style chicken that I have found.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

Sour Cream
Dry Buttermilk mix
Ranch Dressing
Tomatillos, quartered
cilantro
garlic
lime juice
green onions (with ends)

Don't bother with fresh buttermilk. If you use it your dressing will only be good for about a week in the fridge. You can always use mayo instead of sour cream if you want.

This recipe was eyeballed. Put about 6 ounces of sour cream, 4 tablespoons of butter milk mix, 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing, 4 tomatillos, 2 tablespoons of cilantro, 5 0r 6 green onions, and probably a tablespoon of both garlic and lime juice. Blend it all up, then adjust the flavor to taste, (more buttermilk mix for a creamier dressing, etc.) Don't underestimate the amount of liquid in the tomatillos. It will be quite runny at first, but should set up nicely in the fridge and become thicker.

Black Beans

Canned black beans
Sazon Goya
** Sazon Goya should be in the Latino section, in a small orange box. We buy the one that has Coriander and Annatto don't be alarmed that it turns your beans a shade of orange.

I have made dried beans dozens of times, and they turn out amazingly well, but it really isn't worth the effort, (the hours of soaking and cooking). Add one packet of Sazon Goya to 1 cup of beans, and increase as the amount of beans you use increases. It is easiest way to make beans. (Sazon Goya is excellent with re fried beans as well). I could only find this spice in two stores in my area, one was Wall Mart which means it should be every where. The other was Fiesta Foods which is mostly Latino.

Put the above ingredients in a tortilla and enjoy. When I taught this in my cooking class it was a huge hit. A lot of families in my ward are having great meals.

Carrot Rice Pilaf

This rice is a great change from potatoes. It's quick and has a wonderful flavor.

2 teaspoon butter or margarine
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup long grain rice
Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Melt butter in pan and saute' onions until tender. Add grated carrots and saute' briefly. Add rice and stir until well mixed in pan. Pour in Chicken broth. Bring mixture to a boil and add lemon pepper to taste. You might want to add the lemon pepper after the rice is cooked. It will work as well. And you can make certain you have the right amount of lemon pepper. It's hard to taste it before the rice is cooked. Turn down the heat. Cover and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

Yield 5-6 1/2 cup servings