Chicken and Wild Rice

Ingredients: 

1 box wild rice with seasoning packet (4.3 oz)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can water
1 small can mushrooms, drained
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, uncooked
1 cup slivered almonds 

Directions: 

1. Mix together rice with seasoning packet, both cans of soup, and water.  Stir in mushrooms.
2. Pour in to 8X8 freezer dish, I use the foil pans.  Top with 6 chicken pieces and sprinkle with slivered almonds.
3. Double wrap in heavy duty foil, label and freeze.
Cooking Instruction: Thaw and bake uncovered at 350 for 1 hour until chicken juices run clear and rice is tender. 

I like to serve this dish with a side of broccoli and fruit.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken with Fried Rice

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

The chicken coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

The sweet and sour sauce:

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup ketchup

1/3 cup distilled white vinegar

2 TB soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

       Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.  Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for 35 minutes.

Fried Rice                                                                                             

3 cups cooked white rice (day old or leftover rice works best!)

3 tbs sesame oil

1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)

1 small onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup soy sauce

      On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok.  Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated!   **You could really play around with this rice too! Try adding some diced ham, or green onion :) Yum! 

Crawfish Etoufee

1 OR 2 POUNDS OF CRAWFISH
1 OR 2 STICKS OF BUTTER (I USE ONE STICK BUTTER PER POUND OF CRAWFISH)
USE THE REST OF THESE MEASUREMENTS REGARDLESS IF YOU USE 1 OR 2 POUNDS
½ CUP GREEN ONIONS
1 CAN CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP
1 CUP CHOPPED CELERY
1 TBSP. CREOLE SEASONING
1 BELL PEPPER, CHOPPED
1 TBSP OF FLOUR
2 CUPS WATER
1 TSP. MINCE GARLIC
1 MEDIUM ONION, CHOPPED
1 TSP. CAYENNE PEPPER
½ TSP. SALT
½ TSP. EACH OF BLACK PEPPER AND PAPRIKA

MELT BUTTER IN A SKILLET, ADD ONIONS, BELL PEPPER, GARLIC, GREEN ONIONS, CELERY AND SAUTE UNTIL TENDER. ADD THE FLOUR TO THICKEN. ADD CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP AND WATER. POUR SOME OF THE WATER INTO THE CRAWFISH BAG AND SHAKE TO TRY AND GET AS MUCH CRAWFISH FAT OUT AS POSSIBLE. STIR AND SIMMER UNTIL HEATED AGAIN. ADD THE CAYENNE PEPPER, CREOLE SEASONING, PAPRIKA, SALT AND BLACK PEPPER. STIR UNTIL MIXED. ADD CRAWFISH TAILS AND SIMMER FOR ABOUT 30 TO 40 MINUTES. STIR OCCASIONALLY MAKING SURE NOT TO SCORCH. IF YOUR GRAVY IS TOO THICK JUST ADD A LITTLE MORE WATER AND SEASON TO YOUR TASTE.

SERVE OVER RICE.

Creole-Style White Beans and Andouille Sausage over Rice

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 ham hock, skinned and scored
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 pound dried white navy, cannellini, or great Northern beans, rinsed and sorted over, soaked overnight and drained*
• 8 to 10 cups chicken stock or water
• Salt
• Cayenne pepper, to taste

1 pound andouille or other smoked pork sausage, cut into 2-inch lengths

• Cooked white rice, for serving
• Louisiana red hot sauce, for serving

Directions

Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the ham hock, onions, celery, and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves, thyme, and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the beans and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so that the beans just simmer and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the skin on the beans is tender and the beans begin to soften, about 2 hours. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the sausage and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are soft and creamy, about 1 hour longer*. (If desired, the ham hock can be removed at this point and either discarded or, when cool enough to handle, the meat can be removed from the bone and returned to the beans and the bone and skin discarded.) Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs and serve the beans and sausage over hot white rice.

Pass the hot sauce at the table for guests to use at their own discretion.

*The cooking time for dried beans can vary greatly depending on the type of bean as well as the freshness. Salt should not be added until after the skins on the beans soften.

Popeyes Red Beans

3 (15 1/2-ounce) cans red beans, divided
1/2 to 3/4 pound smoked ham hock
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon lard
4 to 5 cups cooked long grain rice, drained

Pour 2 cans of beans with their liquid into a 2-quart pan. Add the smoked ham hock and water. Bring the pan to a simmer on medium heat for an hour, until the meat starts to loosen from the bone. Remove from the heat and cool until the ham hock is cool enough so the meat can be removed from the bone. Place the meat, beans, and liquid in a food processor. To the mixture add the onion powder, garlic salt, crushed red pepper, salt, pepper, and lard. Process for only 4 seconds. The beans should be chopped and have a soupy, liquid consistency. Now drain the liquid from the remaining can of beans and add the beans to the food processor. Process just for a second or two—you want these beans to remain almost whole. Pour the bean mixture back into the pan and cook slowly on low heat, stirring often, until ready to serve. Serve the beans over the cooked rice.

Benihana Style Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces steamed rice
• 2 ounces cooked chicken
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon onion, chopped
• 2/3 teaspoon carrot, chopped
• 2/3 teaspoon green onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame seed
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 6 pinches pepper
• 6 pinches salt (optional)

Directions:

1 Scramble eggs and chop after cooking.

2 Saute chopped onion, green onion and carrots until done and mix with chopped scrambled egg and chicken.

3 Break off chunks of steamed rice and mix with vegetable, egg and chicken.

4 Add sesame seed and salt and pepper, stirring well.

5 Add butter and soy sauce into the mixture, stirring well until done.

Herbed Pork with Sauteed Wild Mushrooms

Serve over brown rice to soak up the mushroom sauce, or with instant polenta and Parmesan cheese. If you don't have steak seasoning - a blend of black pepper, crushed red pepper, salt, and garlic - use 1 teaspoon of cracked black pepper.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop and about 1/3 cup sauce)

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• Cooking spray
• 3 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps
• 1 1/2 teaspoons steak seasoning (such as McCormick Grill Mates)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
• 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Preparation

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Remove mushrooms from pan.

Rub steak seasoning and thyme over pork. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Combine broth and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk. Add mushrooms and broth mixture to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened.

Kitchen Notes

If you don't have steak seasoning - a blend of black pepper, crushed red pepper, salt, and garlic - use 1 teaspoon of cracked black pepper.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) can green beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1 medium onion, diced and sauteed
• 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 1 (4-ounce) can pimentos, drained
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 (6-ounce) box long-grain and wild rice, cooked according to package directions
• 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
• Pinch salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 3-quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.

White Beans and Rice

1 pound dried white or navy beans	2 teaspoons salt
1 pound tasso, fresh smoked sausage or cured ham	1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 medium onions, chopped fine	½ teaspoon ground red pepper
1 large bell pepper, chopped fine	½ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup chopped parsley

It is best to soak the beans overnight in water to cover, but it is not essential -- unsoaked beans simply take longer to cook.

If you are using tasso or ham, cut it in ½-inch dice; if you are using sausage, slice it half inch thick. Place the beans in a Dutch oven or other large heavy pot and add water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil and add the onions, bell peppers, tasso, ham, or sausage, salt and peppers. Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender. Soaked beans will take 1 - 1 ½ hours, unsoaked beans up to 3 hours. If the mixture begins to dry out, add more water.

When the beans are tender, remove 2-3 cups of them, mash with a fork, and return to the pot. This makes a thick gravy base for the beans. If there still seems to be a lot of liquid in the pot, mash another couple of batches of beans the same way. Stir in the green onions and parsley and serve over rice.

Serves 6-8 as a main course, 10-12 as a side dish.

Jambalaya

This is the easiest and most mouth watering way to make jambalaya. It's all about the meats and how you cook them!!

Ingredients:

1 Box of Zatarain's Jambalaya Mix

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

Andouille Sausage in links

Jimmy Dean hot breakfast sausage

Prepare:

• Cook the breakfast sausage first. In the same pan cook the andouille sausage, then the chicken. Cut the chicken and andouille sausage into bite sized portions to cook faster.

• Follow the instructions on how to cook the jambalaya and add the meat. Be sure to add all the juices from the meats.

Enjoy!!

New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

6 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 onions, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can (13-3/4 or 14-1/2 oz.) beef broth

1 cup brand rice

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. salt (optional)

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

2 cans (16 oz. each) red kidney beans, drained

Cook bacon in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until browned but not crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon from skillet; drain off all but 2 tablespoons drippings. Add onion and garlic to skillet; cook until onion is tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add enough water to beef broth to make 2-1/2 cups. Add to skillet and bring to a boil. Stir in rice, bacon, thyme and salt. Cover tightly and simmer 15 minutes. Add green pepper, cover, and continue cooking 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in beans. Let stand covered until also liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Makes 6 servings

French Quarter Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

6 cans creme style red beans

2 large packs ground sirloin

3 large onions

3 large bell peppers

3 stalks of celery

Minced garlic and seasoning

Sausage

In large pot, brown ground meat. Do not drain. Add onions, bell peppers, garlic, celery and season. Cook down for about 30 minutes. Take 3 cans of the beans and mash them in a bowl with a fork and add to ground meat mixture. Add the other 3 cans whole and 1 can of water. In a skillet on the side, brown some sliced sausage then add it to the red bean mixture. Add 1 tablespoon hot sauce. Serve with cooked rice that has chopped parsley & green onions mixed in with it.

Serves 6-8.

Chinese Rice

1 qt Peeled Shrimp

1 stick Margarine (1/4 lb)

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 4 oz Can Pieces Mushroom

1 Can Chinese Vegetables

1 Medium Chopped Onion

1 Medium Chopped Big Bell Pepper

1 cup Raw Rice

To Taste Salt & Pepper

*** Sauté shrimp in margarine. Add all ingredients including rice. Bake 300F for 1 hour covered. Stir after 1/2 hour. If recipe is doubled, then cook two (2) hours.

Yield: 6 Servings

Cajun Rice Dressing

1-1/2 lb ground meat

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1-1/2 cup raw rice

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can of French onion soup

2 stalks chopped celery

1/2 cups chopped parsley

1/2 cup onion tops

Mix all ingredients and pour into 12x9x2 inch pan - raw. Seal tight with foil. Place in preheated oven at 400F for one hour.

Black Eye Peas With Rice

2 slices bacon

1 medium onion, chopped

One 15 oz can black-eyed peas, drained

One 14-1/2 oz. can stewed tomatoes, undrained (diced)

1 cup cooked regular rice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove bacon, reserve two tablespoons drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon and set aside. Saute onions in drippings until tender. Add remaining ingredients, stirring well. Spoon mixture into a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Garnish with bacon.

6 Servings.

Crawfish Etoufee

1 OR 2 POUNDS OF CRAWFISH

1 OR 2 STICKS OF BUTTER (I USE ONE STICK BUTTER PER POUND OF CRAWFISH)

USE THE REST OF THESE MEASUREMENTS REGARDLESS IF YOU USE 1 OR 2 POUNDS

½ CUP GREEN ONIONS

1 CAN CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

1 CUP CHOPPED CELERY

1 TBSP. CREOLE SEASONING ( I used Slap your Mama)

1 BELL PEPPER, CHOPPED

1 TBSP OF FLOUR

2 CUPS WATER

1 TSP. MINCE GARLIC

1 MEDIUM ONION, CHOPPED

1 TSP. CAYENNE PEPPER

½ TSP. SALT

½ TSP. EACH OF BLACK PEPPER AND PAPRIKA

MELT BUTTER IN A SKILLET, ADD ONIONS, BELL PEPPER, GARLIC, GREEN ONIONS, CELERY AND SAUTE UNTIL TENDER. ADD THE FLOUR TO THICKEN. ADD CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP AND WATER. POUR SOME OF THE WATER INTO THE CRAWFISH BAG AND SHAKE TO TRY AND GET AS MUCH CRAWFISH FAT OUT AS POSSIBLE. STIR AND SIMMER UNTIL HEATED AGAIN. ADD THE CAYENNE PEPPER, CREOLE SEASONING, PAPRIKA, SALT AND BLACK PEPPER. STIR UNTIL MIXED.

ADD CRAWFISH TAILS AND SIMMER FOR ABOUT 30 TO 40 MINUTES. STIR OCCASIONALLY MAKING SURE NOT TO SCORCH. IF YOUR GRAVY IS TOO THICK JUST ADD A LITTLE MORE WATER AND SEASON TO YOUR TASTE.

SERVE OVER RICE.

What it looks like all put together

I found my crawfish tails at WalMart

I cook my rice with 3 TB of butter and some Slap your Mama's

The finished product!

Sooo yummy!