Overnight Chicken Bake

Isaiah 32:16  “My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undistrubed places of rest, ” Says the Lord.

It has been a long time since I last posted.  So sorry I have neglected this blog.  Thank you to everyone who has continued to visit.  This is a recipe that is great for busy people.  We used this at our Saturday Free Meal program.  You just need to multiply the amounts and fix each casserole.  Each casserole feeds 12-15 in a 9 x 13 pan.

2 cups UNCOOKED macaroni – that’s right uncooked, that is what makes it so easy

2 cups water

2 cups cooked chicken

4 hard boiled eggs – optional

2 10oz. cans of cream of mushroom or chicken soup

1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese – cubed

Combine all in the refrigerator overnight.  Bake uncovered 1 hour at 325^.  You may need to add some additional water while cooking.

Variations:  You can use ham instead of chicken and use cream of mushroom or celery soup.

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Help name the New Cookbook

Psalm 119: 32  I run in the path of your commands, O Lord, for you have set my heart free.

I have finished editing my newest cookbook.  I will be selecting the cover, design, etc.  The only problem is that I don’t have a NAME for this new book.  It will contain 250 recipes that I have prepared for my family on Sunday dinners, church pot lucks and regular dinners.  The first book was “Family Favorites”, which is currently sold out.  This book has many of the recipes from Family Favorites, but many new recipes as well.  Let me know your creative titles.  If I choose your Title you will WIN a FREE cookbook when it is published.  Looking for some creative ideas.  Get Ready – Set – Go – Get Creative.

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New Cookbook Coming

So sorry I have neglected this blog.  I am truly amazed at the number of people who continue to find the blog through searching for recipes, etc.  Thank you for visiting.  I have been working on Cookbook #2 and I am within about 20 recipes of finishing.  The new cookbook will have 250 recipes.  Some are from the first book, but many are new ones that I have developed over the past few years.

At least half of the profits from the book will benefit our church building fund.  The first book is sold out.  I was amazed at the interest in the first book, so I am hoping that the response will be just as good for this second one.  These recipes are the ones that my children grew up with and additional ones that we use for Sunday dinners for the grandchildren, church potlucks, etc.  They are not anything fancy, but they are good nutritious recipes (except for the desserts of course) that we enjoy.

If you are interested give me a post and I will contact when it is available.  To allow for printing we are anticipating 2-3 months from now.

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2010 in review

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is on fire!.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2010. That’s about 29 full 747s.

 

In 2010, there were 15 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 259 posts. There were 5 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 2mb.

The busiest day of the year was February 22nd with 220 views. The most popular post that day was Spaghetti for 100.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were frugalhacks.com, en.wordpress.com, search.aol.com, jamiegates.wordpress.com, and cookeatshare.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for church dinner recipes, diaper cake, spaghetti for 100, spaghetti for 100 people, and how to make a diaper cake.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

Spaghetti for 100 September 2008
2 comments

2

Diaper Cake April 2008
1 comment

3

Pork Chops and Potatoes June 2007

4

Taco Casserole for 40 – 50 people February 2009

5

Let me introduce myself April 2007
25 comments

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Chicken Souffle Casserole

I Corinthians 15:57 Thanks be go God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We served this today at Manna. The original recipe is for 200, but I have broken it down for about 15 servings.

1 Chicken – use about 20 oz. of canned chicken or one whole chicken that is cooked and the meat is pulled off
6 eggs
4 cups bread crumbs
4 cups of chicken gravy or cream of chicken soup that has been slightly thinned
1/2 cup of pimentos
1/2 cup of chopped celery

Mix all together and place into a deep dish 9 x 13 pan. Cook at 350′ for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to sit for a few minutes. Plate and you can top with some additional gravy if desired.

We served this at our Manna meal today and 170 diners thought it was great.

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Cheese Strata for 30

John  16:24  Jesus said, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.  Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

Prepared today for another Manna Meal (free meal program).  We had an abundance of leftover hotdog buns that I had frozen.  I found Ham on sale this week, so I thought a Cheese Strata would be a good side dish for the ham. You can also use leftover bread. 

Cheese Strata

48 slices of bread to yield 22 C. of coarse crumbs (I used 16 hot dog buns-8 for each casserole)

6 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

16 eggs

10 cups milk

2 T. Worchestershire

1 T. mustard

salt and pepper

Crumble 1/2 of the bread into TWO 1/2 sheet pans.  ( you can use 9 x 13 pans, but you need the sides to be deep, more like Lasagna pans)

Top with 2 cups of cheese per pan

Put the other half of the bread on top.

Top with the remaining cheese – about 1 cup per pan

Wisk together the 16 eggs.  Add the mustard, Worchestershire, salt and pepper.  Add the milk and mix.  Pour 1/2 of the mixture onto each casserole.  I poured 2 cups at a time into each casserole.

Refrigerate covered overnight or at least 1 hour.  Bake at 325′ for 50 minutes or until puffy and brown. 

You can make this a main dish by adding:  Asparagus, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Ham and/or Bacon to the middle layer.  Serve with a salad for a perfect Brunch meal. 

This is a savory Bread Pudding type meal and resembles a souffle.  After baking this can be frozen for later use.  This can easily be reduced for the home kitchen, or made into multiple casseroles for a large gathering.  I made 12 of these today for the meal tomorrow.

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Weekly Menu Plan -July 19-25, 2009

Malachi 4:2  “For you who revere my name, the sum of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings,”  says the LORD.

This menu Plan will be featured on my son’s radio show:  Remodeling Your Life.  If you would like to hear the broadcast you can visit his site:   www.jrcsi.com and click on Radio Show.  This will be broadcast on Saturday and Sunday, July 25 and 26.  It may take a few days to get onto the site.

Most of the recipes that are in this plan at on this site.  Just search the categories, etc. for these and many other recipes.

Weekly Menu Plan – July 19 – July 25

Store shopped this week would be Kroger

Weekly meat Specials:  Roast for $2.99 per pound, Chicken tenders (3 lb bag) $1.99, Ground Chuck $2.49 per pound,  Boneless Sirloin Chops for $1.99 per pound.

 Other good buys this week:  Frozen Pizza for $2.49 – great to have in Freezer for emergency, Seedless grapes for $1.99 per pound and a dozen of eggs $.99 

Menu Plan 

Day 1 – Purchase a 3-4 lb roast.  Slow cooked roast beef cooked with potatoes, carrots and onions.  Serve with a green vegetable or salad and bread.  Save leftovers for soup later in the week. 

Day 2 – Meatless meal – Pinto beans cooked in slow cooker, cornbread, fresh or canned greens (kale, mustard, etc.) and friend  (fried) potatoes.  Save the leftover beans for Chili later in the week.

 Day 3 – Fried, baked or bar-b-que chicken tenders, Couscous or Mac/Cheese, green beans 

Day 4 -  Vegetable beef soup or stew.  Place ingredients in slow cooker in the am.  Salad and good bread complete the meal.  

Day 5 – Microwave meatloaf (make more than one and freeze one),  Mashed potatoes and peas.  Save leftovers for sandwiches and chili.

 Day 6 -  Crock pot chili – use leftover meatloaf and pinto beans.  Serve with cornbread or crackers.  Grilled cheese sandwiches are also good with chili.  

Day 7 -  Boneless pork chops – grilled, broiled or fried.  Baked sweet potato, coleslaw or salad. 

In addition to the meat specials you will need to purchase:  Potatoes,  Sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, salad for two meals, slaw mixture or cabbage, macaroni and cheese dinner, breads, cornmeal, pinto beans, canned tomatoes, green beans, peas, cheese, canned diced tomatoes.

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Spaghetti Carbonara Tartlets

2 Corinthians 8:9  You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that thought he was rich, yet for your sakes he become poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

I found this recipe when visiting my daughter in Colorado.  This is a wonderful way to use leftover spaghetti.  This is a great appetizer, snack or a portable breakfast item.

1/2 lb. spaghetti – cooked

Bacon or Panchetta – 3-4 slices of bacon or 2 1/4 inch pancetta

3/4 cups grated parmesan cheese

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

salt and pepper to taste

Cook the bacon/panchetta and pour the fat into the cooked spaghetti.  Add 1/2 of the cheese and salt and pepper together.  Spray 12 muffin tins with non-stick spray.  Place forkful of spaghetti mixture into each muffin tin until 1/3 full.  Mix the eggs and milk together.  Pour approximately 1 T.  of the egg/milk mixture into each muffin tin.  Sprinkle remaining cheese and panchetta/bacon onto the top of each muffin tin. 

Bake 20 minutes at 375′ until browned on top.

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Taco Casserole for 40 – 50 people

I Corinthians  15:58  Stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Our Seventh Manna Meal (Free Meal Program) is tomorrow.  The last meal and this meal have been a challenge since the New Refrigerator (less than year old) has broken twice.  The last meal we did not have a refrigerator, so the menu had to be something that could be prepared that day:   ie:  Spaghetti.

The refrigerator was fixed yesterday, so there was not time to thaw and cook the turkeys that I had in mind.  So we “Stood firm” and “Let nothing move us”.  I prepared Taco Casseroles today and have enough things ready to prepare several more tomorrow if we need them.

This recipe developed when we had leftover Chili from a meal.  You can use leftover chili or plan on making this casserole.

1  # 10 Can (large industrial can) Chili with beans

4 cups corn (with some liquid)

2 cups ripe olives

12 cups cooked macaroni (any shape is OK, but I used the elbow type)

2 pkg. Taco Seasoning or 3-4 T. Chili Powder

Mix all of this together and place into a large pan or two small pans that are at least 2 1/2 inches deep.  Cover with foil.  Bake at 350′ for 30-45 minutes until heated through.  Uncover and top with shredded cheddar cheese (enough to cover the top – about 2 cups) and bake until cheese melted and lightly browned.

The Menu was:  Taco Casserole,  Cole Slaw,  Green Beans,  Bread and Desserts.

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Weekly Menu Plan – January 12th, 2009

Proverbs 27:6  Wounds from a friend can be trusted.

A strange scripture.  I take these from a book that has short inspirational messages.  I guess when a friend tells you something that is sharp or biting that we should trust that they are telling us things that need to be changed.  ??????

This weekly Menu Plan is rather difficult.  The two major chain stores in our area:  Kroger and Meijer do not have a lot on sale.  My main rule is to plan your meal around the meat that is on special for the week since that is usually the most expensive part of any meal.  Last week I gave several ideas for cooking and saving some meals.  If you followed this plan you should have several meals in the freezer and this is a good week to use some of those meals. 

Specials for Kroger:  Chuck Roast for $2.99 – not a great deal, I would rather get down around $2.49 or lower, but if you have to buy this, not bad.  Bone-in Chicken Breasts for $1.49 – again not bad, but would prefer to be around $1.19.  Whole Smoked Picnics for $.99 is a great price and Smoked Sausage for 2 for $6.00 is not bad.  Hot dogs and brats are on sale  (BarS hotdogs 4 /$5.00 and Brats/Metts 2 /$5.00)  Sausage is on sale for 2 lbs. for $5.00. The Ad also has Seafood sale for 33% off, so you would have to look at the bottom line prices.  I dislike this kind of  advertising because I have to do Math at the store.  Grape tomatoes are on sale for $1.48 per pkg.  I have found these TASTE like tomateos even in the winter.  Rice-A-Roni/Noodle-Roni on sale for $1.00. Bagged frozen vegetables for $1.00.

Menu Plan for this week:

Monday -  Chuck Roast in slow cooker with potatoes/carrots and onions, bread with green vegetable – save leftovers for soup to combine with additional mixed vegetables, tomatoes, beef stock base and barley.

Tuesday – Pinto Beans  or navy beans (prepare in slow cooker), hotdogs or brats and sauerkraut, cornbread – save pinto beans for soup later in the week

Wednesday – Breakfast for Dinner – Sausage, Eggs, Pancakes, etc.

Thursday – Vegetable Beef soup made from leftover Roast Beef Dinner – Bread and/or salad

Friday – Whole Smoked Picnic in the slow cooker, baked sweet potatoes, green beans – save leftovers for soup with leftover pintos or navy beans

Saturday – Soup from  leftover picnic/beans/tomatoes/corn, etc.  CornBread, cole slaw

Sunday -  Rice-A-Roni with Broccoli, Chicken Breasts with additional Broccoli – make a casserole or slow cooker recipe

If you have leftover roast beef you can make a Noodle casserole (noodles with Beefy Mushroom soup and additional mushrooms).  Rice/Broccolin/Chicken leftovers would make a lovely soup. 

Next week should be better.  Most of the recipes are on the blog.

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