Casserole & One Pot Meals

Classic Chicken and Dumplings

Dear Sis,

William’s very favorite dish at Cracker Barrel is Chicken and Dumplings. This week we made some at home with success. It’s a new family favorite!

Classic Chicken and Dumplings

b
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Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 10 c chicken stock
  • 1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 t basil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 t garlic powder
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1 rotissery chicken, shredded
  • 1 1/2 c frozen peas

Dumplings

  • 2 c flour
  • 3/4 c buttermilk
  • 1/4 c slated butter, melted
  • 1/2 t baking soda
  • 1/2 t salt

Instructions
 

  • Combine stock, carrots, and seasoning in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil.
  • Whisk dry dumpling ingredients together. Add wet ingredients and stir until combined. Roll dough out on a floured surface to less than a 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 2 inch squares with a pizza wheel. Toss a few dumplings at a time into boiling broth.
  • Boil 10-15 minutes until carrots are soft and dumplings are cooked. Stir in peas and serve.

Dinner is served!

Love,

b

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Beef Ramen for Grown-Ups

Dear Sis,

We all loved Ramen as kids! Its high time those greasy curly noodles grew-up too!!!

Grown-up Beef Ramen

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Course Main Course
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 (3 oz) pkg beef ramen
  • 1 lb beef top sirloin sliced
  • 1 T avocado oil
  • 1 T steak sauce
  • 2 carrots shredded
  • 2 T green onions sliced

Instructions
 

  • Set aside seasoning and cook pasta according to package instructions.
  • Fry steak in oil until browned.
  • Add seasoning, steak sauce, and vegetables and cook until soft.
  • Stir in pasta and serve.

Love,

b

Great Grandma’s Cabbage Rolls

Dear Sis,

Our neighbors gave us a cabbage a few weeks ago. I haven’t bought cabbage in the better part of a decade because Josh doesn’t enjoy it, but since this one just showed up I decided to turn it into an old family classic. 

Great Grandma's Cabbage Rolls

b
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 head of cabbage
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 1 lb. ground turkey breakfast sausage
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1/2 c rice uncooked
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed tomato soup

Instructions
 

  • Core and boil cabbage, pulling off leaves as they cook and soften.
  • Brown meat and onion. Stir in rice and diced tomatoes.
  • Wrap meat mixture in cabbage leaves.
  • Combine soup and 1 cup cabbage water. Pour over cabbage rolls.
  • Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes at 350.

Notes

Great Grandma used ground veal and pork breakfast sausage instead of turkey. 

We invited Carter’s family to help us eat it all up. Mama Jenn was kind enough to make and bring mashed potatoes to go with it. We had your Cheater Apple Dumplings for dessert. Your batch is too big for our family, so I always make a half batch instead.

Cheater Apple Dumplings

b
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 (8 oz) can crescent rolls
  • 2 apples peeled, cored, and quartered
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 t vanilla extract
  • 1 (7.5 oz) can Mt. Dew soda

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350. Butter a square baking dish.
  • Wrap each apple slice in a crescent roll and arrange in prepared pan.
  • Combine sugar, butter, and vanilla. Spread over rolls. Pour soda into the corner of the dish carefully, so it doesn't disturb the sugar mixture.
  • Bake 30-35 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Love,

b

Lunch with Aunt Angel

Dear Sis,

This morning my sous chef and I had an early start, so we could me Shepherd Pie and Cookie Pudding for Aunt Angels lunch visit.

While I chopped the onion, Sous Chef William chopped the potatoes. Daddy is in the background sitting on the floor while baby sister spins counter-clockwise in the doorway bouncer:) She always uses her feet to spin counter-clockwise (shoulder shrug).

Josh browned the beef for me, while I put Charlotte down for her morning nap. Making lunch was a family affair:) When I came back, we put William’s potatoes on the stovetop to boil. 

While I made gravy and mixed veggies into the beef, my sous chef got busy crushing the chocolate sandwich cookies. He has a few refined techniques:

This first technique is a broad spectrum approach to cookie smashing.

The second technique is more precise and can be used to target cookies that escaped smashing during the application of the first technique.

I have a homemade shepherds pie recipe on the blog, but I have made some changes to accommodate life with a baby and toddler. When I’m in a real pinch, I use Bob Evans pre-made mashed potatoes from the grocery store. I thought I’d share my new mom hacks. Also, though I have not tried it yet, I’m pretty sure this could be a freezer meal. 

Busy Mama Shepherds Pie
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Ingredients
  1. 1 pound lean ground beef
  2. 1 onion, chopped
  3. 2 cups beef gravy
  4. 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables
  5. mashed potatoes
  6. shredded cheese (opt)
Instructions
  1. Brown beef and onion in a skillet over medium heat.
  2. Stir together beef, gravy, and vegetables in a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
  3. Top generously with mashed potatoes.
  4. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees.
  5. Add shredded cheese during last 10 minutes of baking time, if using.
Adapted from b
Adapted from b
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/
I used GFS beef gravy mix: 2 c water and 1/2 c mix, whisked and microwaved in 30 second intervals until thick.

We had a wonderful afternoon with Aunt Angel! Our monthly lunches are such a treat:)

Love,

b

Cheesy Instant Pot Chicken Veggies and Rice

Dear Sis,

I made this dish during our visit, but this time I didn’t burn it. The sauté function heats very quickly. I learned the hard way that it is best to have all your food prep complete before go time, and to stay close by to stir frequently.

Cheesy Instand Pot Chicken Veggie Rice
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Ingredients
  1. 2 chicken breasts, cubed
  2. 1 onion, diced
  3. 1 T minced garlic
  4. 2 T avocado oil
  5. 1 t ground pepper
  6. 1 t salt
  7. 2 c uncooked rice
  8. 3 1/2 c chicken stock
  9. 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup
  10. 2 c shaded colby cheese
  11. 1 (12 oz) pkg. frozen mixed vegetables
Instructions
  1. Using the sauté function, panfry chicken, onion, and garlic in oil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. When cooked through, cancel sauté function and stir in salt, pepper, and rice.
  2. Add chicken stock and place lid on Instant Pot. Set to manual cook and put 8 minutes on the timer.
  3. Quick release pressure. Stir in soup, cheese, and vegetables until cheese is melted and vegetables are warmed.
Adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff
Adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/
Love,

b

Homemade Nachos

Dear Sis,

The final week of July, I was sick. Between being sick and pregnant I didn’t have energy for much, so Josh picked up Taco Bell one night for dinner. He picked up Nachos to go with our usual Tacos and Chicken Quesadilla. The Nachos were okay, but it gave me a notion that Nachos could be really delicious homemade! They are:)

Chicken Nachos
Serves 6
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Ingredients
  1. 6 oz corn tortilla chips
  2. 2 T avocado oil
  3. 1/2 an onion, chopped
  4. 2 c baby spinach
  5. 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  6. 8 oz salsa
  7. 1/2 t cumin
  8. 1 t garlic powder
  9. 2 c shredded rotisserie chicken
  10. 2 c shredded cheddar cheese
  11. 1 jalapeño pepper, diced
  12. 1 c chopped tomato
  13. 1 green onion, chopped
  14. sour cream
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a jelly roll pan with foil. Scatter with chips.
  2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion in oil. Add spinach, beans, salsa, and seasonings. When heated trough, mash. Remove from heat. Scatter spoonfuls over chips.
  3. Top with chicken, pepper, tomato, and cheese. Bake 10 - 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with green onion just before serving. Serve with sour cream on the side.
Adapted from Healthy, Happy Pregnancy Cookbook by Stephanie Clarke & Willow Joarosh
Adapted from Healthy, Happy Pregnancy Cookbook by Stephanie Clarke & Willow Joarosh
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/

Vegetarian Nachos: Omit Chicken and Double onion, spinach, beans, salsa, cumin, and garlic powder.

Beef Nachos: Omit Chicken and replace it with 1/2 lb. browned beef seasoned with taco seasoning. 

Josh likes the traditional liquid cheese served with nachos better than the melted cheddar cheese. In future, I’ll use 1 c cheddar on half of the nachos and liquid nacho cheese on the other.

William’s eyes got big when he arrived at the lunch table. “We’re having chips for lunch!” he exclaimed with excitement. Toddler seal-of-approval! Your toddler might not like “spicy” like ours. Consider omitting the jalapeño pepper for a normal toddler:)

Love,

b

Chicken Burritos to Freeze

Dear Sis,

Today I started the day bright and early. I originally planned to try a new recipe for Chicken Burritos to Freeze, but forgot I needed chili in the recipe. Chili I was supposed to make before the Burritos. To self-correct, I ended up making 4 pans of Chicken Burritos and 4 batches of Chili to Freeze. It was a much longer duration on my feet than I had anticipated, but I got the job done. 

When making Chili, I realized that my recipe has evolved since I posted it a few years back, so I thought I’d take the time to repost it.

Brandy's Chili
Serves 8
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Ingredients
  1. 1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
  2. 1 onion, chopped
  3. 1 T minced garlic
  4. 1 (24 oz jar) tomato sauce
  5. 2 (15 oz cans) kidney beans, rinsed
  6. 1 (14.5 oz can) diced tomatoes
  7. 1 T chili powder
  8. 1 T cumin
  9. 1 t oregano
  10. 1 t pepper
Instructions
  1. In a large stock pot, brown beef with onion and garlic. Drain grease if needed.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 1 hour.
Slow Cooked Option
  1. 4-6 hours on Low
Adapted from Chili Stew
Adapted from Chili Stew
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/
Brandy's Chili to Freeze
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Ingredients
  1. 4 (1 gal) freezer bags, labeled
  2. 6 lb. lean ground beef
  3. 4 onions, chopped
  4. 4 T minced garlic
  5. 4 (24 oz jars) tomato sauce
  6. 8 (15 oz cans) kidney beans, rinsed
  7. 4 (14.5 oz cans) diced tomatoes
  8. 4 T chili powder
  9. 4 T cumin
  10. 4 t oregano
  11. 4 t pepper
Instructions
  1. Brown beef 1 1/2 lb. at a time with 1 onion and 1 T minced garlic. Drain if needed. Cool a bit before placing in a freezer bag. Repeat 3 more times, with remaining ingredients.
  2. Add 1 jar sauce, 2 cans beans, 1 can tomatoes, 1 T chili powder, 1 T cumin, 1 t oregano, and 1 t pepper to each bag. Seal.
To prepare freezer meal
  1. Thaw completely in fridge. Simmer 1 hour on the stove top or slow cook for 4-6 hours on low.
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/
Once my 2 c of chili was ready, I was able to finish the burritos I’d started a few hours before:)

Chicken Burritos to Freeze
Yields 28
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Ingredients
  1. 4 square foil pans
  2. 6 T unsalted butter
  3. 1 onion, chopped
  4. 1/2 green pepper, chopped
  5. 1/2 c unbleached flour
  6. 3 c chicken stock
  7. 1 (10 oz can) tomatoes & green chilies, undrained
  8. 1 t chili powder
  9. 1 t cumin
  10. 1/2 t garlic powder
  11. 1/2 t salt
  12. 1/2 jalapeno pepper, chopped
  13. 2 c chili with beans
  14. 1 (8 oz pkg.) cream cheese
  15. 2 rotisserie chickens, deboned and shredded
  16. 28 uncooked flour tortillas
  17. 6 c Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Instructions
  1. In a stock pot, melt butter. Sauté onion and green pepper. Stir in flour. Gradually stir in broth. Simmer. Stir in can tomatoes and chillies, seasoning, and jalapeño. Cube cream cheese and stir in until melted and smooth. Stir in chicken.
  2. Cook tortillas according to package instructions and keep warm.
  3. Place a scant 1/2 c of filling and a scant 1/4 c of shredded cheese in each tortilla. Roll up and place in greased pans. Each pan holds 6 across and then one burrito along the bottom edge.
Adapted from Taste of Home
Adapted from Taste of Home
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/
Love,

b

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Dear Sis,

Today we had leftovers for lunch when we got back from family story/craft time at the library. William had the rest of the creamy cauliflower soup we made yesterday when Mama Jen, Carter, and Brother Zach came to play.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Serves 8
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Ingredients
  1. 1/2 c butter, divided
  2. 4 stalks celery, diced
  3. 2 carrots, peeled & shredded
  4. 1 onion, chopped
  5. 4 c water
  6. 1 head cauliflower, cut in florets
  7. 1/2 c unbleached flour
  8. 4 c whole milk
  9. 4 oz cream cheese
  10. 1 c shape cheddar, shredded
  11. salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Saute celery, carrot, and onion, in 2 T butter, in a stock pot until soft.
  2. Add water and cauliflower. Cover and simmer 15 minutes until cauliflower is soft.
  3. In a saucepan, melt remaining 6 T butter. Stir in flour to make a roux. Add milk gradually, stirring as it cooks. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Stir in cheddar until melted. Remove from heat.
  4. Mash cauliflower into small bits with a potato masher. Stir in cheese sauce. Season to taste.
Notes
  1. Goes well with crackers.
  2. Leftovers can be frozen.
Adapted from Not Your Mother's Make Ahead and Freeze Cookbook
Adapted from Not Your Mother's Make Ahead and Freeze Cookbook
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/

William loves cauliflower! This is a great way to turn it into a meal:)

Love,

b