Turkey Casserole

• 1 package(s) (1-ounce) dried porcini mushrooms or 16 medium-sized mushrooms
• 2 1/2 cup(s) large pieces of roast chicken or turkey
• 8 ounce(s) wide egg noodles, cooked
• 3 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 3 tablespoon(s) finely chopped shallots or onions
• 1 teaspoon(s) chopped thyme leaves
• ground pepper
• 3 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cup(s) milk or milk/cream combination
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 cup(s) Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup(s) bread crumbs

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Soak mushrooms according to package directions, reserving 1 1/2 cups liquid. Chop mushrooms, then toss with large pieces of roast turkey and wide egg noodles in a large bowl.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté onions or shallots until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme leaves and cayenne pepper and cook until shallots become golden, about 2 more minutes.
3. Stir in all-purpose flour and cook until browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add milk and reserved porcini liquid. Scrape bits from bottom of pan and season with salt. Heat just to boiling, then pour over noodle mixture; toss. Transfer to a baking dish, cover with lightly buttered aluminum foil, and bake for 25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix Parmesan cheese with bread crumbs. Remove foil from casserole and sprinkle with cheese mixture. Continue to bake until golden, about 10 minutes

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-fricassee-2/

Apricot-Dijon-Glazed Chicken

8 chicken thighs (coarse salt and freshly ground pepper)
1 jar (12 oz) apricot jam
2 T. honey
2 T. Dijon mustard

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Rinse chicken thighs, pat dry, and transfer to a baking dish.  Season well with salt and pepper, set aside.
2.  Bring jam, honey, and mustard to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until thickened and reduced by half, about 15 minutes.  Spoon apricot mixture over chicken thighs, spreading with back of spoon to coat evenly.
3. Bake chicken, basting with sauce from bottom of dish every 10 minutes, until juices run clear when chicken is pricked with a fork, about 30 minutes.

Chicken Cacciatore

Our Best Bites   http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/02/chicken-cacciatore/

1 lb. chicken breasts or chicken breasts and thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 c. white flour

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. olive oil

1 onion, roughly chopped

5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and either crushed or halved

1 6-oz. can tomato paste

1 c. white wine, white cooking wine, or apple or white grape juice. I'll be honest with y'all, it tastes a whole lot better with wine. Just sayin'.

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

1/4 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp. marjoram

1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using cooking wine; you may shrivel up and die if you add the salt in addition to cooking wine because cooking wine is treated with salt to make it undrinkable)

1 bay leaf

1 c. sliced mushrooms (or more if you love them. Mushrooms are divine in this dish!)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions and garlic and stir frequently until onions are tender and garlic is fragrant. Remove with a slotted spoon (this is why you need to keep the onion and garlic pieces big), shake off excess oil (you don't have to go crazy here, a little olive oil never killed anyone!), and transfer to your blender. Increase heat to medium-high.

In a large Ziploc bag, combine flour, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. black pepper. Add chicken pieces, seal bag, and shake to coat pieces with flour. Dump the entire bag into the hot pan and stir quickly to prevent pieces from sticking together. Saute until chicken is golden. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Turn off the heat under the oil, lest you start a grease fire. I am NOT speaking from ANY kind of firsthand experience here... ;)

While chicken is draining, add wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, thyme, and marjoram to the onions and garlic in the blender. Blend until smooth. Place chicken and bay leaf in your slow cooker and then pour the sauce over the chicken. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on high for 3.5-4 hours. When you have about 1/2 hour to go, add the mushrooms and the chopped green pepper. Cook until mushrooms and pepper are tender. Remove bay leaf and serve over pasta.
Serves 6-8.

FREEZER MEAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Complete steps through browning the chicken. Instead of placing chicken in your slow cooker, place it in a freezer-safe container and cover with sauce. When ready to eat, place frozen mixture in your slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours. You can either cut the mushrooms and peppers ahead of time and freeze them separately from the chicken and sauce or you can just plan to have those in your fridge when you're ready to make this.

Chicken Adobo (freezer meal)

3-5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken
1/2 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1/4 c. soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
4 bay leaves (optional, remember to remove before serving if you use them)
1 yellow onion, sliced in rings
1 1/2 c. shredded carrots

Crockpot Directions:  Mix the chicken in a large plastic ziploc bag with salt, black pepper, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, and bay leaves (opt).  Freeze immediately.  Take out the night before you want to serve and place in refrigerator.  Use a 4-quart slow cooker.  Put sliced onions and shredded carrots in slow cooker.  Pour the contents of plastic bag on top.  Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.  Serve with rice.

On stove--Combine all ingredients (including the marinated chicken) in a large stainless steel pot.  Bring to boil, then lower heat. Cover and let simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer until sauce is reduced and thickened, and chicken is tender, about 20 more minutes. Serve with steamed rice.

Freezer Meals 2/24/2011

We put together x 3
Dump Teriyaki Chicken
Dump Honey Sesame Chicken
Dump Russian Chicken
Spaghetti Sauce using 2 #10 cans
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

I'll give a report when we take out of the freezer to eat.  The chicken recipes were quick and easy to put together.  The spaghetti sauce was easy.  The stuffed cabbage a little more time consuming

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Can be a freezer meal)

1 head cabbage

filling:
8 mushrooms, sliced
1 3/4 cups ground beef
1/4 cup of ground pork or sausage
1 16 oz can tomatoes-drained and chopped
1 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 minced garlic clove
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Sauce:
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons oil
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons beef bullion granules
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon basil

Cut the center core from the cabbage. Steam until leaves can be separated easily. Remove ten leaves and cut the rib from each leaf. Set aside. Saute the sliced mushrooms for the filling. Shred 2 cups of cabbage, add the rest of the filling ingredients and mix together. Spoon filling equally onto the center of each leaf. Fold in sides. Roll up and secure seam with wooden picks. Place cabbage rolls into a freezer bag seam side down. Saute onion in oil onion is tender. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients. Pour sauce into the bag over the cabbage rolls. Label and freeze. When thawed place in a baking dish at 350 degrees about 50 minutes.