Chili Casserole December 14, 2009

I haven’t made a casserole yet, so I decided it was the perfect time! I also decided to use beef, since I haven’t done too much with beef so far.

Ingrediants:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 (15 ounce) can chili

1 (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes with juice

1/4 cup taco sauce

1 (15 ounce) can corn

1 (8 ounce) package egg noodles

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees In a large skillet over medium high heat, saute the beef and onion for 5 to 10 minutes, or until meat is browned and onion is tender; drain fat. Add the celery, chili, tomatoes, taco sauce and corn. Heat thoroughly, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer. Meanwhile, prepare the noodles according to package directions. When cooked, place them in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Pour the meat mixture over the noodles, stirring well. Top with the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted and bubbly.

This was a decent recipe. It probably is not one of the healthiest recipes that I have cooked. But hey, it’s the end of the semester! I would defiantly make a salad as a side to this, so I could get my veggies in for the day. It took a decent amount of time to cook. It did have a good taste and texture to it. Although, it’s just my dad and I living in my house, we had way too many leftovers with this recipe. I would recommend it though!

Chicken and Rice Soup December 14, 2009

I once again decided to make my favorite soup! It was so cold out this weekend. I needed something warm. I have never made chicken and rice soup, so I tried it!

ingredients:

1  cup  uncooked quick-cooking wild rice

Cooking spray

1  cup  chopped onion

2  garlic cloves, minced

3  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2  cups  cubed peeled baking potato

3  cups  2% reduced-fat milk

1/3  cup  all-purpose flour

10  ounce  light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)

2  cups  chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)

1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

1/4  teaspoon  salt

1/4  cup  chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Recipe:                                                                                                                              

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth and potato; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until potato is tender.

Combine milk and flour, stirring well with a whisk. Add the milk mixture to potato mixture; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in rice, chicken, pepper, and salt. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

I liked this soup a lot. It was tasteful! My dad also said he enjoyed the flavors of the soup. It was a great soup for a chilly night. I have thought about adding some celery and carrots to it next time for a little more nutritional value.