Menu #2 (although not from the Amish Cookbook today)

Okay, I said I was on this Amish cookbook kick, but I am veering slightly off-track today (and maybe tomorrow, depending). I have a few recipes up my sleeve that you are sure to enjoy, and they are sooooo simple! Let me know what you think.

Menu #2: Chicken Casserole, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Fruit Cobbler

Chicken Casserole

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth (or more, if desired)
2 boxes chicken flavored stuffing (prepare according to directions)
1 sleeve crackers (TownHouse or Ritz type, not saltines)
2 T. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare chicken stuffing according to directions, set aside. Mix together soup, chicken, and broth. Fold in stuffing mix. (You can add more broth at this point if it appears too dry). Spread in a 9x13 greased baking/casserole dish. Crush crackers until only crumbs, mix with melted butter. Sprinkle mixture on top of casserole. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Mashed Potatoes

5 or 6 medium size potatoes (russets are the best)
2 T. cold unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup *milk or evaporated milk (the evaporated milk makes them creamier)
1 tsp. mayonnaise or sour cream
Salt

Wash, peel, and slice potatoes into half-inch slices (this makes the potatoes cook faster). Put them in a pot and cover with water (I usually put a teaspoon of salt in the water so it will cook into the potatoes). Bring potatoes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer potatoes for about 20 minutes or until fork-tender. Remove from heat, drain well. Add mayonnaise or sour cream (or both!), 1 tablespoon butter, and half of the milk. Start mashing (or do what I do and use a hand mixer!). Add more milk until you have the consistency you want. Taste the potatoes and salt them to your taste. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to finish them off. (If you have leftover mashed potatoes, check out my recipe for Potato Cakes below!)

*You can use chicken broth instead of the milk for more flavor and less fat.

Green Beans

1 *can green beans of your choice (I like Stokely's)
2 pieces bacon, cooked and chopped (or 1 T. RealBacon bits)
1 T. butter, cold
1 drizzle EVOO
Salt & Pepper to taste

Open can and pour contents into saucepan. Drizzle with EVOO. Crumble bacon pieces over green beans and top with butter. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes (or however long you want). Salt and pepper to taste.

*You can use fresh green beans, but this is supposed to be easy!!

Fruit Cobbler

1 large can *fruit in own juice, 1 lg. bag frozen fruit, OR 1 can pie filling
1 cup self-rising flour (must be self-rising)
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 T. cold unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray a 9x13 glass or metal baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour fruit into dish and set aside. In mixing bowl combine flour, sugar and milk. Blend well so as not to have too many lumps (a few are okay, and not worth the trouble). Pour mixture over fruit in baking dish. Cut up butter and sprinkle little pats all over mixture. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (or in the south, we like to serve it with more butter!)

Here are the fruits I like to use when making this cobbler:
*Cherry pie filling (can)
*Mixed berries (frozen)
*Peaches (can or frozen)

I also found a great Weight Watchers recipe for cobbler. Check it out!! (The only thing I do different is use Fresca instead of the others because it has more flavor, and I mix half of it with the cake mix to form a dough to crumble over the fruit. Then I pour the remaining soda on top.)

I hope you will enjoy this easy menu. Let me know your thoughts! :)