Wild Rice Chicken Casserole

The first time I had wild rice I swore I would never eat white rice again. Wild rice is filling and hearty and stays with you for hours, the way food should. It's healthy too and many nutrition experts say it contains lots of Vitamin E and folate and is a good protein source.  Mix it with fresh vegetables or meat and you've got a healthy full meal deal. This would also be a great side dish (then you might have a little left over!).

Wild rice is fairly easy to find now, but this wasn't always the case. Years ago, it was only in certain grocery stores and a bit expensive so Grandma didn't have it often, but when she prepared it, it was done up in a special way like this one with almonds, chicken, and onion. The recipe is flexible though. You can add whatever you want--water chestnuts, mushrooms. Throw in anything that brings you joy! 

Wild Rice Chicken Casserole

1 cup wild rice, prepared with chicken broth
½ cup onion, chopped
1 stick butter
¼ cup flour
1 can chicken broth
1 cup light cream
3 cups cooked chicken, diced
¼ cup pimiento, diced (optional)
2 tablespoon dried parsley
1½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup slivered blanched almonds

Prepare wild rice according to package directions (use chicken broth for liquid when preparing). 

Preheat oven to 350F. Cook onion in butter until tender but not brown. Reduce heat. Stir in flour then add chicken broth gradually stirring into flour mixture. Add cream. Cook and stir until thick. Add wild rice, chicken, pimiento (optional), parsley, salt and pepper. Pour into large casserole dish and top with slivered almonds. Bake 25 to 30 minutes in 350F oven. 8 servings. 

French Green Bean Casserole

It's a shame what's been done to Green Bean Casserole. 

In an effort to make it "convenient" it's been turned to mush! The old-fashioned-from-scratch way is not at all difficult and the results are superior. So why serve mush?

Grandma always made hers from scratch. The one time she made it the "convenient" way, she quietly returned to the old way the next time. Without a doubt, she knew what tasted good and you will taste the difference too!

French Green Bean Casserole

2 pkg frozen French-style green beans
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
½ to ¾ cup Corn Flakes, crushed with 2 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Cook beans; drain on paper towel. Put in buttered 9x13 baking dish.  In saucepan melt butter, stir in flour, salt, pepper, and sugar until mixed then sprinkle over beans. Spread sour cream over bean mixture and top with grated cheese. Mix cornflakes with melted butter and put on top of green bean mixture. Bake covered for 10 minutes then uncovered for another 10 minutes. Serves 6.

Golden Potato Casserole

Back in the saddle again and glad to have a couple of deadlines behind me!

However, in front of me are potatoes. Lots and lots of potatoes. They're on sale this month because February is supposed to be the ever-memorable "National Potato Lover Month" and all sorts of potato varieties are on sale. I picked up a bag of Idahoes and thought I'd pull out the recipe archives to see what sounded delicious, different, and befitting these worthy spuds. Lo, and behold, I found a casserole that sounded especially hearty and a great pairing to the meatballs we were having. 

In posts past, we've shared a couple of potato casseroles: Hamburger Potato and Cheesy Potato. But compared to both of those, this one is a little lighter, cheesier, crunchier and just plain good!

Another plus to all this excitement was my 16 year old son, "hovering" high above me (he's 6'1" to my 5'6") and willing to help out with the prep--which I'm all for! I peeled, grated, and chopped and he mixed, seasoned, and poured. What a great kid!

So here it is and it may be your new favorite potato side! Let me know what you think or if you have suggestions for improvement!


Golden Potato Casserole

8 medium potatoes, cooked and cooled
1/4 cup butter
1 can cream of chicken soup (try Grandma's Basic Cream Soup instead of canned)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 pint sour cream
1 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cornflakes, crushed with 2 tablespoons melted butter

Peel and grate the cooked/cooled potatoes. Heat soup and butter in large pan. Blend in onions, sour cream, cheese, salt, pepper, and grated potatoes. Put in buttered casserole dish and top with buttered cornflakes. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes.

Hasselback Potatoes

We have really traveled the world with our cuisine this week. Today we've migrated from Ireland all the way to Finland. Seems like a real stretch, but this potato recipe gem is worth it. 

There's some controversy surrounding the name of these potatoes. Hasselblad or Hasselback. I'm going with Hasselback because that's what Grandma's recipe book says. Either way, they're an easy peazy keeper. Try the technique given for slicing the potato. It really does work!

The only thing I might do differently is the cheese on top. There just wasn't enough. I didn't recall Grandma having used Parmesan cheese (unless she really piled it on there--which may very well have been the case). Next time I might pile on some cheddar or Swiss. Either one would be a great substitute but the heat would have to be reduced I'm sure. We'll have to play with this one a little.

Here's the charming recipe directly from one of Grandma's quaint guild cookbooks. It was a well-loved and well-used book!

Potato Gratin Francais

A Christmas menu that boasts a beautiful prime rib should never feature side dishes that would steal the show! A side dish of heavy potatoes or other vegetable just wouldn't do. Something had to be different and this Potato Gratin dish was just the ticket. Light, not overpowering, but a delicious accompaniment to the rib roast. (It is also a wonderful breakfast side dish!)

Potato Gratin Francais

4 cups frozen hash browns
1 cup Swiss cheese, grated

Sauce:

1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp Johnny’s seasoning
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
4 eggs
1 cup cream
3 Tbsp melted butter

½ lb cooked bacon, crumbled
½ cup thawed frozen spinach

 

Grease oblong baking dish and place hash browns on bottom of pan.  Combine sauce ingredients then pour onto potato mixture.  Sprinkle layer of 1 cup grated Swiss cheese over this.  Top with spinach and crumbled bacon and bake at 350F for 35 minutes.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

This is a no-frills potato dish that is a delicious side to serve along with almost anything. It's sort of an alternative to Macaroni Au Gratin (the fancy pants name for Mac & Cheese) and it is--well, you know...delicious AND easy! 

If you have a mashed potato technique that you prefer, then by all means use it with this dish. Some folks add in sour cream or even whipped cream--there are no set rules with this. Matter of fact, Grandma had a note in the margin of this recipe that said, "put slices of smoked sausage on bottom of casserole dish and top with potatoes."  Now I haven't tried that and I don't remember her ever preparing it that way, but it really sounds good and would convert this side dish to a main course! Grandpa didn't care for Kielbasa, Polish Sausage, or hot dogs, so that's probably why I don't remember that variation. However, for you recipe pioneers out there, it's worth a try!

Cheesy Potato Casserole

8-10 russet potatoes, peeled and halved

1/2 stick of butter

1/2 cup whole milk (or half & half)

1 tsp granulated garlic

salt and pepper

1 cup shredded cheese (we used Colby)

Boil the potatoes until done (if easily poked with fork, they're done). Drain water and add butter. Using potato masher, mash until butter is melted and combined. Add in milk and continue mashing until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Put in buttered casserole dish and top with shredded cheese.  Bake in 350F oven for 1/2 hour or until lightly browned and cheese is melted.

Grandma's Smashed Potatoes

No matter how Grandma served up potatoes they were always delicious and she never used a recipe. It was about how the potatoes "looked" while she was preparing them. She probably asked herself if they were smooth enough, creamy enough, and seasoned enough. If the pot of taters passed the requisite tests, they were ready. I think this tradition has been passed down and most of our family gatherings still include some variation of delicious potatoes.

In the early days, our family usually enjoyed traditional whipped mashed potatoes using the Russet variety but later on the Yukon Golds became favorites. Not only were they delicious, but when they were mashed and put in the serving dish they livened up the Thanksgiving table with their golden goodness.

Red potatoes became yet another favorite, although they weren't prepared by "whipping" the tar out of them. Instead they were "smashed" with a potato masher and looked a little more "rustic" than the whipped mashed.  We liked the fact that they were delicious, rustic looking, and they didn't require any peeling. (Grandpa would have loved that because he was always the designated potato peeler.) Today, our family grows our own organic reds. Grandma would have appreciated that because she was a farm girl at heart and the flavor of organically grown potatoes is unsurpassed!

So here is an "adaptation" of Grandma's recipe for "smashed" potatoes using reds (which we prefer, but you can use whatever variety you like--Yukon Golds, Finnish and fingerlings). For this recipe the starchy, baking variety of potatoes like Russets would probably not do as well. They are better served peeled, boiled and whipped in the traditional way (although you don't want to "work" them too much when preparing them or they get weird. Don't know any other term for it than that--just weird.)

Another trick that's popular now on the food channels (although Grandma never tried this) is flavoring the potatoes using garlic cloves directly in the boiling water. The flavor permeates the potatoes and the garlic mixed in at the end is wonderful. Try it!

Grandma's Smashed Potatoes

8 medium red potatoes (or whatever variety of boiling potato you prefer; stay away from the starchy baking potatoes on this one)
10 peeled garlic cloves
½ stick butter (no substitutes and no apologies ;)
1 cup milk plus more to reach desired consistency
salt
pepper

Place potatoes, garlic, and 1 tsp salt in large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft (about 20 minutes). Test this by inserting a knife or fork into one of the potatoes. If it can be inserted easily, they are done.

Drain water thoroughly, then add butter and milk while mashing with a potato masher and add salt and pepper to taste.  Continue incorporating the ingredients until butter is melted and the consistency is to your liking. It will not be quite as smooth as whipped, but still delicious with butter or gravy on top.

Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing

Lessons in Thanksgiving preparations...

Grandma told us about the differences between stuffing and dressing very early on. She used to cook one of each to accommodate our various tastes, but it was the stuffing that always won us over. There is nothing like stuffing the turkey and letting the juices do their magic. Grandma always used Mrs. Cubbison's cornbread stuffing in the big box. Now this is no advertisement for Mrs. C's, but I will attest that theirs is the best (unless, like Martha, you bake real cornbread rather than buy store bought).

Here is Grandma's recipe for Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing. This particular recipe from the newspaper about 10 years ago was identical to hers. She would typically have the potatoes peeled, the casseroles prepared, the pies made, and salads chilling the night before, so her Thanksgiving day wasn't fraught with frenzy. 

The turkey was fresh, so there was no need to thaw, but she would take it out of the fridge to sit at room temp for about an hour before putting it in the oven, remove the wrapping and giblets (or "innards" included with the turkey) and put these in a pan of water to simmer all morning--except the liver, which was bitter. She would then use this simmered water later in her gravy roux.

The stuffing was the first thing Grandma made on Thanksgiving Day. This was strategic on her part, because if it was made the day before the bread would be soggy--and you can't have that! She would also never consider stuffing the turkey the day before either--mainly because raw turkey is known to cause serious illness if not properly dealt with.

Once the stuffing was prepared, she would place it loosely (loosely being the key word here) into the turkey so it didn't end up as a blob of bread and/or be difficult to remove once the turkey was cooked. That being said, there was always plenty to make a side dish of "dressing." It just was never as good as the stuffing!

This truly is a winner and you and your guests will love it!

Sweet Potato Casserole

Right about now Grandma would have been busy pulling out her recipe books and planning her Thanksgiving menu. The weekend would be spent organizing coupons and local grocery deals, then going to the various stores early Saturday to buy the ingredients before everything was picked over. Shopping was a little different then because once a store was out of something the chances of getting it restocked were slim, so the early birds got the goods! Grandma would also order her turkey on Saturday morning so it would be ready by Wednesday (and perfectly prepared by Thursday afternoon!).

Her menu typically consisted of the tried and true traditional dishes with variations every year. From year to year she might change up her salad, side dishes and dessert, but her turkey was always amazing with no need to change anything. As she got older, Grandma settled on the family favorites and kept things familiar for those last few years she hosted our family day.

One of Grandma's favorites was this Sweet Potato Casserole. The source is unknown, but the result is nothing short of miraculous. It's different than the standard marshmallow or brown sugar laden variety, but oh so good! You will NOT regret incorporating this into your menu and you can bet your family will request it next year (or even for Christmas!).

Sweet Potato Casserole

2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled/cored/sliced

3 (15 oz) cans of yams or sweet potatoes, drained thoroughly and patted dry with paper towels

1 stick butter, melted

1/3 cup corn syrup

1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp brown sugar, firmly packed

2 Tbsp Madeira

½ to 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or combination of cinnamon/nutmeg)

Dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (rack in center of oven).  Grease a 10-inch round deep pie pan or deep gratin dish. Combine sweet potatoes (or yams), 6 tablespoons of the melted butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, Madeira, pumpkin pie spice and salt in the work bowl and puree until smooth. Scrape down sides when necessary. Spread half of this mixture in prepared dish.  Arrange half of the apple slices over the sweet potatoes overlapping evenly. Brush with melted butter. Spread second layer of sweet potatoes with apple slices on top. Brush top with melted butter. Bake until apples are tender and mixture is well heated through, about 30-40 minutes.

Macaroni au Gratin

Au gratin is French for "cooked with crumbs, butter, and/or cheese on top." Enough said. I could probably live on those things if cholesterol wasn't an issue.

Grandma absolutely loved butter, cream, whole milk, eggs (and almost anything they tell you to stay away from today) and she cooked with these ingredients (no wonder everything tasted so good!). We used to joke that even though she consumed these foods regularly she never gained an ounce--she was about 90 pounds dripping wet with no cholesterol problems. Her trick was offsetting it with fresh vegetables and never--I repeat--never snacking. She just didn't do it (even when she had her own cookies in the house!). She always said eating should be done at table--not in bed, not in front of the television--nowhere but at the kitchen table. She never had "munchies" in the house, we never saw her eat pizza or much fast food (only a plain McDonald's hamburger once in a great while), and she consumed very little bread unless it was whole grain. She might have had a box of Triscuits (no doubt purchased for a Bridge Club hors d'oeuvre plate), but that's about it.  I honestly think that was her secret.

This recipe was one of those comfort foods she served us. We loved it and generally could persuade her to pour it right out of the saucepan onto our plates...heck with the crumbs, heck with baking it. It does taste excellent serving it the way the recipe recommends though. You be the judge.

Macaroni  au Gratin

½ lb uncooked elbow macaroni (2 cups)

3 Tbsp butter, melted

½ cup milk (whole preferred)

¼ - ½  pound Velveeta, cut into 1 inch chunks (no substitute)

¼ tsp salt

Crumb topping – Process together

¾ cup bread crumbs (sliced French loaf preferred)

½ tsp garlic powder

Cook macaroni until tender, drain. Add butter, milk, salt, and Velveeta. Stir into macaroni over low heat until melted and smooth.  Pour into well greased casserole dish. Top with bread crumb mixture and bake in 350F oven until golden brown. Serves 4.

You can adjust the amount of Velveeta to your taste...just make sure it doesn't get too thick. Enjoy!