Creamy Chicken and Stuffing Casserole.

I like to cook, but I am not a purist and have been known to stock a variety of cream of something soups and the like in my cupboards.  Sometimes you just need the convenience that these types of things afford.  Sometimes on a Friday night, after a long week, you just need to be able to throw something together without a lot of fuss.

  The following recipe is a take-off of a recipe on a Stove-Top Stuffing box.

• 1 box of Stove-top stuffing prepared as directed (but I never really put the margarine and no one cares!)
•  4-6 boneless chicken breasts
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup (could be cream of anything)
• 1/3 cup onion dip (because I had that, and not the sour cream called for.)
• 1/2 teaspoon chervil
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/3 teaspoon celery seed.

Mix all the soup, dip, and herbs.  Place chicken in a baking dish. Top with soup mix.  Then top with stuffing.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes until chicken is tender and cooked through and stuffing is nicely browned.

The Basic White Sauce

Today has been a day for recipe requests. This is the second recipe that's been requested today. I am always up for those quick calls for help from someone in a grocery store or in the middle of a new recipe!

White Sauce is a basic recipe that every good cook should know. It is the base for things like cream gravy, macaroni and cheese and carrot broccoli soup. This recipe can have as many variations in flavor as there are ingredients. It can be made into cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, an herb sauce or a cheese sauce.

For a medium thick sauce to be used in things like sausage gravy, or creamed chipped beef.

• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 4 Tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk.

In a small sauce pan melt the butter. When melted whisk in flour. Whisk until this is very smooth. Let it bubble for a little bit- 30 seconds or so. Add milk and then stir until sauce thickens and bubbles. Stir in (sausage, dried beef, cheese for mac and cheese) or use in recipes calling for a white sauce or cream of something soup.

If you are making something like cream of mushroom or cream of celery, saute these ingredients in the melted butter before adding flour.

To make macaroni and cheese add the following to the white sauce after it has thickened and been removed from heat.

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon mustard (more or less to taste
• 1-2 cups sharp cheddar or cheddar-jack blend.
  

Pour this cheese sauce over 1/2 pound hot macaroni, cooked and drained.

Bake macaroni and cheese in oven till bubbly, about 20 minutes. This is a great recipe to double for freezer meals. We often freeze it in individual portions for those random times when someone needs and easy meal.