CHICKEN SLOP
(or if you want to sound fancy, ‘Potpourri du Poulet’)
[serves 4-6]
Easy meal for a weeknight. A favorite with my kids growing up.
Ingredients
3-4 boneless chicken breasts
(2) 22 oz. cans cream of chicken soup
+ 10 oz can soup for larger amount
2-2 ½ cups rice (white or brown)
8-10 oz. frozen peas
1-2 Tbl. lemon juice (½ – 1 lemon)
1-1 ½ Tbl. smoked paprika
Directions
Start cooking your rice of choice first (per package directions)
Cut chicken into bite-size chunks
Fry in a deep skillet over medium heat
When meat is cooked through (no pink in larger pieces),
reduce heat to med/low and drizzle lemon juice over chicken.
Stir to coat evenly.
Add soup to the skillet with chicken and heat til starting to bubble, stirring occasionally.
Sprinkle paprika over mixture and stir together for nice, even golden/orange color.
Cover and reduce heat to low to keep warm.
Microwave peas in a bowl with a little water per package directions.
When rice is ready, spoon slop mixture onto a bed of rice and generously sprinkle peas on top (for those who wish)
Leftovers reheat easily the next day.
Enjoy!
–Eldjarn
DELICIOUS BACON-WRAPPED APPETIZERS
Allow a good 45-60 minutes for assembly. These are well worth the time involved!
Type I –
1lb. thin bacon
1lb. dates
4 oz. blue cheese
Carefully slice dates open along side and remove pit.
Stuff a generous pinch of blue cheese into the date.
Wrap with half a slice of bacon.
Skewer with a toothpick to secure.
Place on baking sheet with sides.
Preheat oven to 375
Bake 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and turn appetizers over.
You may need to swap ones along edges with those in center of tray.
Bake approximately 10-20 minutes more – until bacon is desired crispness.
Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before eating.
Eat the entire batch yourself
Make some more for other people.
Type II
1lb. thin bacon
2 cans whole water chestnuts
1 can pineapple chunks
1 cup brown sugar
1 ¼ cup soy sauce
1 tsp. Garlic powder
Mix soy sauce, garlic powder, and brown sugar together thoroughly in a bowl.
Drain water canned water chestnuts and marinate in the mix for minimum 30 min.
Strain water chestnuts out of marinade. Discard marinade.
Place a water chestnut in the middle of a half strip of bacon.
Place a chunk of pineapple onto the water chestnut.
Fold the bacon over the top.
Secure by piercing with a toothpick.
Place on aluminum foil lined baking sheet with sides – there will be grease and juice.
Preheat oven to 350
Bake 25 min
Remove from oven and flip appetizers over.
Bake another 15-30 minutes – until bacon is desired crispness.
Allow to cool 5-10 min before eating.
Be the hit of your gathering!
Enjoy!
–Eldjarn
“You Won’t Believe This Is (Mostly) Vegetarian” (Sweet Potato & Bean) Burritos
[from Eldjarn]
Serves 10-12
Ingredients:
4 sweet potatoes
3 (15.5 oz.) cans black beans (or kidney beans)
2 Tbl. vegetable oil
1 large, sweet onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 large, green bell pepper, seeded & chopped very fine
3 Tbl. Chili powder
4 tsp. Spicy, brown mustard
2 tsp. Ground Cumin
3 Tbl. Soy sauce
1¼ cups hot water with 1½ – 2 tsp. beef bouillon (recommend Better Than Bouillon brand)
(use plain water or veggie bouillon if avoiding meat)
Moderate sprinkling of Tabasco or Frank’s hot sauce (to taste)
10” soft, flour tortillas
16 oz. Shredded cheese, cheddar or mexican blend
Cook potatoes individually in microwave until soft enough to easily pierce with a fork (~8 min ea). Cut open and scoop potato out of skins into very large bowl. Mash well and set aside.
Drain beans and scoop into food processor. (1-1½ cans at a time) Run on low or repeatedly pulse until a mix of paste and small chunks. Set aside.
Heat 1-2 Tbl. vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat. Add cut onion and garlic – saute until soft and translucent. Add chopped green pepper and cook several minutes. Add beans to skillet and stir together with onion mixture… Gradually add the bouillon and mix together well.
If you have a large, deep skillet you can add the potatoes now (to get a better idea of the consistency), otherwise, mix them together after adding the spices, etc.
When mixture is gently bubbling remove from heat and add spices, mustard, and soy sauce. Mix in thoroughly. Combine beans and potatoes together until uniform. (If you have not already done so.)
Fill tortillas with bean/potato mixture, add shredded cheddar or mexican blend cheese. Bake in oven for 12 minutes at 350.
(Add tomatoes, sour cream, or enchilada/taco sauce as desired. I like mine topped with medium salsa and chopped scallions.)
Enjoy a savory, addictive, and VERY filling meal!
**This burrito filling freezes and reheats well – freeze plain, in small, plastic containers or pre-made burritos in storage bags for a quick, reheated meal.