Now, now, these are NOT made from scratch, but, they are a few of my family's favorite recipes of mine. So, without much ado:Chicken Broccoli Casserole
2-3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
2-3 cans cream of chicken (or 1 family can)
1-2 cans cream of celery
(both soups depend on how many people you're feeding AND how 'moist' you like your casserole - I typically use 3 cream of chicken and 1 cream of celery)
1 bag Birdseye Steamer broccoli bits - precooked for a few mins to soften them
1 bag extra wide egg noodles (cooked for 3-4 mins)
Cheddar cheese chunks - use whatever amount makes your mouth happy :)
Garlic salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste
To start, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a stock pot/Dutch oven, bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add your extra wide noodles, and only cook 3-4 mins. While they're cooking, prep your frying pan with EVOO or vegetable oil on medium-high heat. By this time your noodles should have cooked 3-4 mins. Remove from heat, drain, and rinse with cold water. They'll finish cooking in the oven-set aside to finish draining. Sprinkle each side of your chicken breasts with garlic salt & pepper to taste. In my opinion-you can never have enough garlic :) While your chicken is cooking, crack open each can & empty them into a medium size roasting pan, 9x13 cake pan, whatever you have in that general size (oven-friendly obviously). Throw your frozen broccoli in the microwave for just 3 mins. At this point flip your chicken and cover over medium heat. Drain the broccoli and add to the soup mix in the roaster/pan. Add your noodles to the soup mix at this point. Check your chicken to make sure it's done (I usually cook mine 5-6 mins on each side so not to overcook it). Take your block of cheddar cheese and chop into bite size chunks and throw into the roaster as well. Your chicken should be done by now. Remove from heat, and pull them from the pan & put onto a cutting board to rest for 5 mins. Once it's rested, take your best butcher knife & slice into bite size pieces & add to your roaster/pan. Now take your strongest metal spoon and mix everything thoroughly. Cover and bake for 45 mins at 375 degrees. Serve immediately. Ideal sides are garlic toast of some sort, or bread sticks, or just sliced bread! You have your veggies in it already so it's up to you if you want your kiddos to get a double dose of their veggie servings.
Tator Tot Hot Dish
1 lb ground beef
2 cans cream of mushroom
1 can cream of celery
1/2 bag of frozen tator tots
1 bag Birdseye Steamer mixed veggies
Cheddar Cheese chunks
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Over medium-high heat, brown 1 lb burger. While that's cooking, empty your 3 cans of soup in the roaster/cake pan. Empty your frozen bag of mixed veggies into the soup mix. Check & stir your burger. Cut your chunks of cheddar cheese into bite size pieces and set aside for now. Your burger should be done by now, drain any excess grease and add to your roaster/pan. Mix well. Pour half a bag of frozen tator tots and distribute them evenly across the top of mixture. Grab your cheese chunks and do the same. Cover & bake for 45 mins at 375 degrees. I like to take the cover off the last 5 mins. Serve immediately, and as above, choose your bread side, as you already have your veggies in this dish as well!
Both make enough to feed 4-6 HUNGRY people, and make great leftovers. As for the chicken broccoli casserole, if it gets dry after a few reheats-add another can of cream of chicken.
Enjoy!
