How about this for your next dinner?
Broccoli chicken casserole
2 C cooked chicken, cut into cubes
2 C broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
2 C red bell pepper, chopped
2 C cubed bread
1-1/2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 C white onion, chopped
1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
3 TBS unsalted butter, melted
2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. garlic powder
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat and sauté red pepper and broccoli until tender crisp. 8-10 minutes. Add onion and cook for another 5 minutes, or until softened. Season everything with salt and pepper and garlic powder.
Combine chicken and veggies in a 9×13-inch baking dish and stir in mushroom soup. In a bowl, drizzle melted butter over bread cubes and toss to coat thoroughly. Spread bread out over chicken mixture, then top evenly with cheddar cheese. Place baking dish in oven and cook for 30-35 minutes, or until cheese is melted and mixture is bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes for serving.
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Pull-apart cheesy garlic bread
1 large loaf sourdough bread
1 C mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/3 C green onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. poppy seeds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a sharp, serrated knife to cut bread diagonally in both directions to create small diamonds. Note: be careful not to cut bread all the way through; cut 3/4 way down the loaf, making sure the bottom is still connected. In a microwaveable bowl, combine butter, garlic and poppy seeds and microwave at 20-second intervals until melted.
Stir green onion into butter. Wedge your fingers into the diamond cut-outs in bread to open them up and drizzle melted butter and green onion down into cracks. Fill cracks with shredded mozzarella (it’s OK if some pokes out on top), then wrap loaf in aluminum foil. Place wrapped loaf in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Carefully unwrap and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
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S’mores brownies
2 C semisweet chocolate chips
1 C butter
1/2 C light brown sugar, packed
1-1/2 C granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 C all-purpose flour
Graham Cracker Crust ingredients:
2 C graham cracker crumbs
1/4 C granulated sugar
6 TBS butter, melted
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
marshmallow topping ingredients
8 oz. marshmallow fluff
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9×9-inch baking pan with foil making sure edges of foil hang over sides of pan so it will be easy to take brownies out when they are done cooling. Spray bottom and sides of foil lightly with no-stick cooking spray.
Graham cracker crust directions: Combine graham cracker crust ingredients in a medium bowl and mix with a fork until well combined. Press mixture into bottom of the prepared foil-lined pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven to wire rack.
Brownie directions: Melt chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler over medium heat until smooth. You can also melt in microwave in 20 second intervals at a time stirring in between until smooth. Let mixture cool for 5-7 minutes then add brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth. Carefully fold flour into chocolate mixture all at once, making sure not to over mix. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see the white of the flour. Pour brownie mixture on top of graham cracker crust and bake at 350 degrees for 42 minutes. Brownies will continue to cook when you take them out of oven so do not over bake if you want to have a perfect fudge-like brownie.
Remove from oven and place on wire rack. Let brownies cool slightly and while still warm top with marshmallow fluff. Using a rubber spatula carefully spread fluff over warm brownies in a nice even layer. Place pan under broiler for one minute or until lightly browned. Do not place too close to broiler because you don’t want the marshmallow to get too dark. Let brownies cool for at least an hour before trying to lift from pan. Cut into squares.
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Thought about hugs – I love the kind of hugs when you can physically feel the sadness leaving your body.
If you would like to share a recipe with me, just send it to the J-T or email it to me.
(Melanie Behrens – melb@marysvillejt.com)