Chicken a la King - From Momma's Recipe Box

Sometimes you just need a quick and easy meal that "sticks to the ribs".  This was one of my mom's go to recipes on those days when time was short and there was leftover chicken or turkey.   With just a few ingredients and a loaf of bread she was able to feed a family of five that included four hunger males.  It also serves as the base for a great chicken pot pie with the simple addition of some chopped cooked vegetables.  The recipe can be easily doubled.  I typically double it so we can have leftovers for supper or a quick evening meal after a long day at work.

Chicken a la King

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup butter (unsalted)
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup milk 
• 2 cups cooked chopped chicken or turkey (I prefer chunky - 1 inch pieces)
• 1 jar (2 ounces) chopped pimiento, drained
• 1 can or jar (3 or 4 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
• Salt and pepper to taste (I prefer white pepper)

PREPARATION:

Directions for chicken a la king
In a medium saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour and salt; cook over low heat for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and milk. Cook and stir until chicken a la king sauce is thick and bubbly. Add chicken, pimiento, and mushrooms. Heat chicken a la king through. Serve chicken a la king over toast points or rice. Chicken a la king serves 4-6

For a richer version:

• Sauté 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter
• When mushrooms are soften, add 1/4 cup butter (Unsalted) and 1/3 cup flour over medium heat and sauté
• Add salt and chicken broth and cook until it begins to thicken
• Add 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup whole cream/half and half and continue to cook (stirring constantly) until thickened
• When thickened add chicken and pimentos and heat through.
• Add salt and pepper to taste and serve over toast, rice or in puff pastry cups.

 

 

 

Calico Beans

Simple and delicious.

1 lb. ground beef (lean chuck works best)
1/2 lb. lean bacon
1 onion - chopped

Brown together.

1 cup ketchup (or tomato sauce)
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. dry mustard
4 tsp. vinegar
2 tsp. salt

2 cans pork and beans
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans lima beans

Drain and wash beans.  Add to meat and sauce mixture.  Pour into casserole and cover.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Simple Potato Soup

Here's a recipe I came up with last night.  It was one of my "cooking by ear" experiments that turned out pretty good.  My kids have always complained that I can never repeat anything because I cook on the fly.   I think I can remember all of this one.

Ingredients:

5-7 medium red or yellow potatoes - cubed (peels on)
1/2 medium onion - minced
1 clove garlic minced
2 stalks celery - minced (optional)
4 pieces of bacon chopped - I used hickory smoked (optional)
6 - 8 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 stick butter
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/2 cup cold water

(Shredded cheddar cheese and chopped parsley -  optional)

Brown the bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Add onion, garlic and celery and Sauté until tender.
Add potatoes and chicken broth.  Cook until potatoes are tender.  Once potatoes are cooked, roughly mash but leave large chunks of potato.

Add milk, sour cream and butter.  Heat and stir until they are incorporated.

Add cornstarch mixture is and allow to thicken.

Top with cheddar cheese and parsley if desired.

Microwave Peanut Brittle - From Momma's Recipe Box

Love peanut brittle but don't have the time or patience?  Try this.  It works.

1 cup raw peanuts

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp butter (not margarine)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

Stir together peanut, sugar, syrup and salt in an 8-cup glass measure.

Place in microwave and cook on HIGH for 8 minutes, stirring well after 4 minutes (Preferably use a wooden spoon)

Add butter and vanilla to syrup, blending well.

Return to microwave and cook 1 minute more. (Peanuts will be lightly brown and syrup very hot)

Add baking soda and gently stir until light and foamy.

Pour and spread mixture quickly onto lightly greased cookie sheet; let cool 1/2 hour.

Break into small pieces and store in air-tight container.

Beef Stroganoff - From Momma's Recipe Box

Here's a fairly easy meal 1 lb boneless beef round steak, cut 3/4 " thick

2 tbsp butter or margarine, divided

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

hot cooked noodles

Chopped fresh parsley

1. Slice beef across grains into very think strips

2. Cook 1/2 of beef and 1/2 of onion in skillet over high heat in 1 tsp margarine until beef is no longer pink and onion is tender.

3. Repeat with other 1/2 of onion and beef

4. Return meat mixture to skillet. Stir in soup and paprika. Heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally

5. Reduce heat to very low. Stir in sour cream. Gently heat through. Serve over noodles. Garnish with parsley.

6 servings. Recipe may be doubled.  Freeze beef one hour for easier slicing.

Bread & Butter Pickles with Attitude

1 GAL large dill pickles (whole), drain juice and cut into ¼ to 1/8 inch slices.

Put in large bowl and add:

4 cups sugar

2 – 3 tbsp minced onion (fresh or flakes)

3 – 4 cloves garlic (crushed) or more to taste

1 small bottle Tabasco sauce

Set our for 4 hours (stir or shake to dissolve sugar)

Return to jar and refrigerate.

Southern Pecan Pie

This a delicious recipe, but I have one warning.  This recipe might not work well if you double the recipe.  When I arrived for the first Christmas I spent with my wife's family, my future bride made this pie.  Wanting to be sure there was enough pie for everyone, she made two pies and just doubled the recipe.  One pie baked like normal with the pecans floating to the top, but for some reason, we still don't know why, the pecans in the other pie sank to the bottom.  Both pies tasted great, but the second one looked funny. 4 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp flour

1 1/4 cup Karo

pinch salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup pecan pieces or halves

Beat eggs well, mix flour with sugar and add to eggs

Add other ingredients in order given and pour into uncooked 9" pie shell. (Do not prick pie crust.)

Cook at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or until pie is firm in the middle.