Broccoli Rice Chicken Casserole

Simple to make, since most of it is done in the microwave. If you have leftover chicken and/or rice it's even FASTER!

Ingredients:

 

• 2T olive oil 
• 1 cup frozen seasoning blend
• 1 lb chicken cut into bite-size pieces
• 10 oz bag broccoli florets
• 3 cups cooked (leftover?) rice
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 chicken soup can of lowfat milk
• 8 oz shredded or cubed American cheese
• Seasonings & fresh herbs to taste

 Directions: 

1. Saute seasoning blend and chicken in olive oil until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through. 
2. Put broccoli and a few tablespoons of water in a microwave safe bowl and microwave 5-7 minutes until tender (or use the steamable bags to save a dish). Drain water from broccoli, mix in rice, herbs, and salt/pepper to taste.
3. In another (larger) microwave safe bowl add soup, milk, and cheese & microwave 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally.
4. Combine all ingredients in the cheese mixture, tossing to coat evenly.
5. Allow to sit 5-10 minutes to absorb all the cheese mixture. It thickens up like a grown up mac & cheese!

Goes great with a side of garlic bread!

 

This week's Meal Plan

Meal Plan Thursday

This week I continued cooking some things out of my old blog posts, some that I never blogged about after doing the meal plan.


Thursday (7/22) - Broccoli Rice Chicken Casserole

Friday (7/23) - Burgers on the grill at a friend's house

Saturday (7/24) - Beefy Potato Hash

Sunday (7/25) - Taco Salad

Monday (7/26) - Tamale Pie

Tuesday (7/27)- Cowboy Stew

Wednesday (7/28) - Left over night!!

Things I miss..

 
I miss... mammaw & pawpaw having us visit for the weekend for some tlc.
I miss... being able toconvince at least one of my BR friends that it is time for some Starbucks or CCs!
I miss... being able to send the kids and dog to thr yard without a leash or form of communication.
I miss... huge cheap seafood dinners.
I miss... Maggie ('nuff said).
I miss... babysitting my little sunshine once a month.
I miss.. having more to blog about LOL!

Crema Beef & Pasta

I took my old Beef & Pasta recipe and jazzed it up with the leftover mexican crema.

Quickie!! Beef Fajitas

So while shopping at Sam's we got this bag of John Souls Foods Fully Cooked Restaurant Quality Beef Fajitas. Just click the link.. you'll see why I got it. It was a sampler and OOOOooohhh man was it tender!!!

So we cooked it according to package directions.
Greated some Oaxaca cheese.
Browned some onions.
Warmed some tortillas.
Slapped them all together.
Dipped it in Mexican Crema....

and YUUUUM!!!!

Tortilla Soup - revisited

We loved this stuff from a friend's blog that I blogged about before so we had it again. YUM!!!

Except this time I sautéed the chicken & seasoning blend then tossed it all in the crockpot on high for 4 hours while we went shopping (school clothes)! The chicken was melt in your mouth when we got home!

Mom's Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• 2pk box of sour cream & chives instant potatoes
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup Italian Dressing
• 1 lb.  Extra-lean ground beef
• 1 cup frozen seasoning blend
• 1 cup frozen peas*
• 1 cup frozen corn*
• ½ cup frozen spinach*
• 1 large carrot, sliced on an angle (or use store bought sliced!)*
• 2 T fresh chopped parsley or 1 t dried
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup shredded cheese (I used… colby jack LOL)
• (**** or your favorite vegetable mix)

 Directions:

1. Combine potato flakes, 1 c broth, water and milk in a large microwaveable bowl.
2. Microwave, covered with wrap, for 5 minutes.  Set aside.
3. Put carrot in another microwaveable bowl with a little water. Microwave 3-5 minutes until tender.
4. Heat dressing over medium-high  heat. Add meat and seasoning blend. Sautéing until meat is browned.
5. Add, reduce heat & simmer until almost tender.
6. In a large oven-safe skillet ( I use cast iron), warm together ¼ cup of light oil and 2 heaping table spoons of flour.
7. Stir frequently until it starts to color, whisk in 1 c broth and enough water to create a not-too-thin gravy.
8. Mix vegetable/meat mixture into gravy and smooth down.
9. Spoon potatoes over mixture, leaving little peaks (they’ll brown pretty).
10. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350° until cheese melts and peaks brown.

GO VEGETARIAN!

Omit meat and add beans, tofu, or more hearty veggies like zucchini and other squash! Use vegetable broth in place of chicken.. VOILA!

Pictures soon!!

That's the plan Thursday!!!

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!! 

And boy have I got some deals for you!!! I cireated a 4 week meal plan and went shopping. Everything for 4 weeks (other than milk, bread, eggs type stuff that I'll replace weekly) and I also bought some gifts and other assorted things and my whole bill came to $272!!! I'm guessing I spent a little over $50 per week!

This week we'll have some things out of my old blog posts, some that I never blogged about after doing the meal plan. I will this week, I promise!!

• Thursday - Dinner Out! 35 Chinese Restaurant, Chapel Hill, NC YUM!!!
• Friday - Mom's Shepherds Pie
• Saturday - Tortilla Soup
• Sunday - Beef Fajitas
• Monday - Dinner out! Village Diner Buffet GREAT PLACE!!!!
• Tuesday - Italian Beef &Pasta
• Wednesday - Left over night!!

A fitting return...

My last post pre-move (which went fine btw) was about National Infertility Week.  Today I'm posting.. I'm an infertile. Two years ago I lost my right fallopian tube to an ectopic pregnancy, I have hypothyriodism, and a luteal phase defect. Today marks my 10th cycle trying to concieve another child.

Infertility hurts. We've all heard it, but let me explain.

Imagine wanting something so bad your heart literally aches when one passes you by. You're saving up for it but you're just NOT. QUITE. THERE. You save all your money in a little tim box. You count it every day to see if you've gotten there yet, but the answer is always "Not Yet!" Then one day the little tin box you've been saving your cash in... catches fire and you catch it when your money has all but burned up.

My body is like that money.

I use natural supplements to keep my body healthy. I use Natural Family Planning. I chart my morning temps. I chart symptoms. I chart things from places better left to the imagination. I use ovulation predictor kits (opks). I spend a small fortune on home pregnancy tests... only to see a single line staring back at me month to month when a second line that would change my world so much is all I am looking for.

I'm not giving up.

One day soon i will see two pink lines.....

Until then?

Hello, My name is Anne Marie, and I'm an Infertile on cycle day 1 of yet ANOTHER cycle.  Are you ready to ride this rollercoaster with me??

Did you know??

Coming soon!

Hints, tips, and ideas for all the things I babble about on this blog in a handy to find area!