This first attempt from the new cookbook got sidetracked right off the bat because my grocer didn’t have turkey cutlets, so now it’s Chicken Tetrazzini, and I made a few changes to suit my families tastes.  For the original recipe feel free to click the link, but our dinner turned out fantastic.  I’d definetly categorize this dinner in the comfort food category.  It was sumptuous and satisfying.  It’s a great weeknight meal and it’s something that I think would be best prepared during the day, refrigerated (maybe even for more flavor), then popped in the oven for dinner.  It could easily serve six along side another veggie (I made green beans) and garlic bread if you do that sort of thing.  My only complaint is that it created too many dirty dishes because god knows I hate doing the dishes.  In fact, as a write this, they are still all over my counter.  That’s next on my list.  So let’s get on with it so I can clean up.  Enjoy!

Turkey Chicken Tetrazzini

10 oz spaghetti

2 tsp canola oil

1 lb chicken cutlets

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 Tbsp dry sherry

8 oz sliced mushrooms

2 tsp minced garlic

1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

3/4 cup milk (we use 2% in our house)

2/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

Cooking spray

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2.  Cook spaghetti according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.  Drain.

3.  Chop up chicken cutlets into bite-size pieces.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat then add chicken to pan.  Sprinkle chicken with onion powder, salt and pepper.  Cook until done.

4.  Add mushrooms, sherry and garlic to another pan.  Cover and cook on medium 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.

5.  Combine peas and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir well.  Add turkey, pasta and mushroom mixture to bowl and stir until combined.  Pour mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

6.  Combine breadcrumbs and butter in a small bowl until evenly mixed.  Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over pasta mixture.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated.  Remove and let set for 5 minutes to set.

From Cooking Light, Nov. 2003

I’m in a comfort food binge.  I think fall does it to me every time.  Here is a great recipe that I found for Green Chile-Chicken Casserole online.  It’s so good you’ll want to make it in a big casserole dish so you can have left overs.  This easily fed 3 adults and 4 kids (had a friend & her kids over) with a small take home for our guest.  Yes, even the kids loved it!

This is my favorite kind of recipe – throw in a bunch of ingredients into pan and mix.  Then throw in a bit more into casserole pan (or crock pot) then let bake for 30 minutes and viola!  Easy, breezy and Yum! Yum!

Green Chile-Chicken Casserole

From Cooking Light, November 2003

My notes are in [brackets]

1 1/3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 cup canned chopped green chilies, drained

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup fat-free sour cream

¾ tsp salt

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 (10 ½-oz.) cans condensed 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 garlic clove [I end up using more than one clove, for sure]

Cooking spray

24 (6-inch) corn tortillas [I ended up not using that many, but whatever]

4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 1 pound) [I use the grilled chopped frozen variety that I defrost in the microwave before putting in casserole]

2 cups (8 oz.) finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese [I like the Mexican blend]

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the first 9 ingredients (though the garlic) in a large saucepan, stirring with a whisk.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly [well close enough].  Remove from heat.

Spread 1 cup soup mixture in a 13×9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Arrange 6 [whatever covers the pan] tortillas over the soup mixture, and top with 1 cup chicken and ½ cup [read: handful of] cheese.  Repeat layers, ending with the cheese.  Spread remaining soup mixture over cheese.  [Sprinkle a bit more cheese on top.]  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Cheers, friends!  I hope you enjoy!

P.S.  Mine always turns out a bit soupier than the picture.  I think the picture looks too dry.  Maybe that’s because they really do use 24 tortillas!

Today, fall really started for me.  Last night it rained all night.  Our first real rain of the season.  It doesn’t really rain in the summer here, so it is welcomed.  All day today it’s been grey and cool (tho 68 degrees isn’t really that cool).  Husband pulled out our decorations last night and BigBoy and I put them out today.  Ahh, it always makes my heart feel good to pull out those beautiful colored decorations of orange, burgundy, green, and brown.  They are so my colors.  I feel uplifted and comforted.

I can’t wait to put candy corn and nuts in the dishes I have.  We’re having extended family over tonight and I’m choosing a delicious dish that uses pumpkin spice in it.  I’ll share it tomorrow if it’s good.

One seasonal tradition is that I put up pictures of Halloween and Thanksgiving past to remember fun, friends and family of long ago, near and far.  It’s also good to see how much my BigBoy has grown.  I so often relish in Baby right now, I forget that BigBoy not long ago was a baby too.  Four years have past since that picture was taken, so it’s nice to reflect and give thanks for the colors of the season and changing of the time.

I hope you are also taking pleasure in the changes and bringing those you love indoors and closer to you.  Keep them close to keep you warm.

My glass is full (of a gorgeous red wine!).  Cheers!

“Delicious autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.”
- George Eliot

1) easy

2) tasty

3) kids like it too

4) so very little prep & clean up

Here’s a good recipe from The New Creative Crock Pot Cookbook (2001) by Robin Taylor Swatt (oh thank you Sharon, my MIL, for getting me hooked on slow cooking).  Prep took about 10 minutes.  Throw it in the pot and stir occasionally.  Oh, so easy.

1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts (in my case 2 breasts)

1-14 oz can of tomatoes, drained and diced

1-14 oz can of artichoke hearts in water, drained

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

1 cup nonfat chicken broth

1/4 cup white wine (drink another 2 glasses for yourself)

3 Tbs quick cooking tapioca

2 tsp curry powder

1 Tbs fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1 tsp dried sweet basil

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

½ tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in the Crock Pot slow cooker. Mix thoroughly. Cover; cook on Low 6-8 hours or on High for 3½-4 hours.  Makes 6 servings; 4 grams of fat per serving.

I served this dish on brown rice with a side of green beans (which were frozen and I simply put in the microwave for 4 minutes).  Also I only cooked the meal in the crock pot for 3 hours and it was just fine and yummy, delicious.

Cheers, friends!

P.S. I’d like to thank The Sister Project for the image that I lifted.  LOVE your site!