cooking – Girl Uprooted

This time of year it seems like we are constantly “going”. Christmas shopping ,crafting, baking, card-sending; it all adds up to being extremely busy. Dinner is not another task I want to worry about.

Enter chicken and rice. Its the kind of meal you need this time of year. You throw it together and put in the oven. Oh, and it only uses ONE dish.

I am very familiar with the classic Campbell’s Chicken and Rice but I wanted to put my own spin on it. I also wanted something more on the natural and healthy side.

You can find the Pacific brand of condensed soups in almost any grocery store. I always purchase several whenever they are on sale. Same goes for their all natural chicken/beef/turkey stock. I found some turkey stock on sale the week before thanksgiving and loaded up. These are key ingredients that can be used in many things and using the all natural or organic means you aren’t consuming unnecessary preservatives or chemicals. They are great to have on hand at all times and they have a very long shelf life until opened.

Another way I like to stretch my dollar is switching out chicken breasts for chicken tights. I purchase all natural/free range/organic chicken whenever I can but those kind of chicken breasts can be very expensive. That is where the thighs come in. They are considerably less expensive than the breast meat and when they go on sale I buy them in bulk. The best are the boneless and skinless thighs. They are much easier to eat, leaner and since they are dark meat you don’t need the skin to keep them from drying out.

Simple Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tights

1 cup long grain rice (I used brown basmati because that’s what I had on hand but any long grain rice will work.)

1 12 oz package Pacific Natural Foods Organic Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 cup stock low sodium (I would suggest turkey, chicken, or vegetable. If you are all out and don’t have time to hit the store water will work too!)

1 cup water

Salt

Pepper

Paprika (I like it so I used it and I used it a lot. If its not your thing then use less or just leave it out completely.)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350. Pour the rice, stock and water into a large baking or casserole dish. Stir together. Sprinkle in seasonings. Stir in half of the cream of mushroom soup.

On a different plate place the chicken thighs upside down and salt, pepper, and paprika. Place tights right side up onto of rice mixture. Season the top side with salt, pepper and paprika. Take the remaining soup and spread onto the tops of the chicken thighs.

Place in the oven. Let it bake for about 30 minutes and then check on the liquid levels. If it seems like the rice is close to soaking up all of the liquid add about 1/2 cup more water or stock and gently stir it in. It will take 50-60 minutes total to finish cooking.

This is what it should look like right before it goes in the oven.

Let the casserole sit for a few minutes to let all the liquids absorb before serving. This dish goes great with green beans or roasted brussel sprouts.

What is your favorite “go to” week night meal?

-Christy

One of my favorite things to do as a child was to sit on our kitchen stool and watch as my mother made dinner. I asked all sorts of why and how questions knowing that this was something I wanted to figure out. Then at holiday meals I would watch my grandmother, my mom and my aunt gracefully and deftly move around the kitchen; each knowing what needed to be done and (even more importantly) how to do it. The kitchen held a fascination to it. I wanted to be part of what I saw.

Now, many years later, I consider myself a pretty decent cook. I tend to makes messes, so I am missing a bit of that grace, but I figure as long as the food is good a mess is a small price to pay! I love cooking just as much as about anything, but my favorite things to cook are “homey” dishes; especially those from my mother’s recipe box. When I make certain dishes I am transported back to my childhood when I sat and watched her cook.

This is one of those dishes. She made it countless times and it was a favorite of the entire family. It was quick and simple and inexpensive- all good things when she had been teaching all day. Even now when I smell curry I think of this dish, not Indian food.

I have listed the recipe first, then there are pictures below for clarification of specific steps.

CURRIED HAMBURGER GRAVY

Ingredients:

1lb Ground Beef (80/20)

3-4 Tbsp Flour

2 cups Milk (anything but skim)

1-2 Tbsp Curry Powder

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium heat brown the hamburger. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to break the hamburger apart. Add a light pinch of salt, pepper and curry powder to the ground beef. This is to give the beef just a hint of flavor so you don’t need much. Make sure to taste as you work through this recipe.

Turn the heat to low and remove the ground beef from the pan onto a paper-towel lined plate. Make sure to drain the fat as you remove it by pressing it against the side of the pan. If there are a few crumbs left, that’s ok.

Add your flour slowly wisking as you go. The fat should soak up the flour. Keep wisking until the flour has been completely incorporated. Add the milk and increase the temperature to medium.

Stir the sauce often. A few bubbles is ok, but do not let it boil. When the sauce coats the back of the spoon it is done.

Season the sauce with the salt, pepper, and curry powder. Some curry powder is stronger than others and it is a very strong flavor, so tasting as you add is very important! I used 1.5 tbsp., but I like a strong curry flavor.

Fold the drained meat back into the sauce. Serve over rice, toast, or a baked potato.