Aren’t all moms busy? I don’t know a mom out there who would turn down help in the kitchen at mealtime. Unfortunately, I don’t have extra bodies to dispatch to harried moms the world over, but I can suggest some simple and affordable recipes that will help busy cooks create delicious dishes without breaking a sweat.
Take a look:
CRUNCHY CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
4 stalks celery, diced
1 cup finely diced onion
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cans (10 3/4-ounce) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 can (8 ounces) diced water chestnuts, drained
1 (2-ounce) jar pimento, drained
Ingredients for Crunchy Topping:
2 sleeves crushed Ritz crackers
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Saute onion and celery with butter in a skillet until veggies start to soften a bit. Season with garlic salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, chicken stock, lemon juice and milk. Stir in the chicken, onion, celery, pimento, and water chestnuts.
Spoon mixture into a greased 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Top with crackers. Drizzle butter on top and then sprinkle with almonds.
Cover with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 to 20 minutes until top is golden and bubbly.
MEATLOAF WITH CREAMY MUSHROOM SAUCE
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
Ingredients for Creamy Mushroom Sauce:
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
8 ounces sour cream
2 teaspoons dill weed, dried
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well. If too dry, add a little more milk or water. Shape into a loaf and bake for 1 hour.
To make sauce: Saute mushrooms in 3 tablespoons butter until tender. Remove and set aside.
Melt 1/4-cup butter in skillet over low heat, add flour and stir until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and cook over medium heat, whisking until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream, mushrooms, dill weed, salt and pepper.
Serve meatloaf with sauce on top.
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