Chicken Ravioli

Recently, I got a whole cookbook worth of recipes from my friend Brea (Nelson) Harms. Boy, have they become a regular part of my life. One recipe she sent was Chicken Tortellini. I have adjusted it to meet what ingredients I could find in Wal-Mart (I curse every time I enter that store) or have in the freezer. So, I am giving her original recipe and my edits in parentheses.

8 oz fresh cheese tortellini (half a 25 oz bag of frozen cheese raviolis)
4 oz Monterey Jack Cheese, sliced (4 slices Provolone cheese)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
flour
1/3 cup margarine (I don't even look at a margarine, I only use BUTTER!!)
(2 garlic cloves chopped)
(2 tsp red pepper flakes)
salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
4 oz of mushrooms
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp sugar
4 oz Monterey Jack Cheese (Italian blend shredded cheese)
1/2 cup sour cream


Spread the ravioli in the bottom of an 8 x 8 pan. As you can see, I split one bag in two pans.

Cut the chicken into bite size pieces.

Coat with flour, salt and pepper.

Melt butter in pan and add chopped garlic.

Add coated chicken to pan.

Cook on low flame or whatever that translates to an electric stove. I sprinkle with red pepper flakes too.

In the meantime, put cheese slices on top of ravioli.


Layer the chicken on top of sliced cheese.

Saute onions in drippings left from cooking the chicken. If you use fresh mushrooms instead of canned, saute them with onions once onions are almost cooked.

Add broth, bouillon, sugar and bring to boil for five minutes. Add shredded cheese.

When cheese is melted add sour cream.

Pour over chicken.

If you are making right away, bake at 275 for 45 minutes. You may prepare up to 2 days in advance and store covered in the refrigerator. Freezer for up to a month. Put in refrigerator night before you want to bake to thaw. Bake cold at 300 for 45 minutes.

Tater Tot Beef Casserole

This is a yummy recipe that has turned into a little of this and a little of that.

1 lb hamburger browned in Worcestershire sauce and 2 cloves garlic finely chopped (I use 2 when I make a 9x13. We like a lot of meat;))
1 onion
1 can beef and vegetable soup
1 can of corn
1 can of mushrooms or about 8 ounces of fresh
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
6-8 ounces of velveeta sliced as thin as you can (if I don't have velveeta I use 2 cups of shredded colby)
1 bag of tater tots
salt and pepper

Layer meat followed by the veggie soup and veggies. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. I have also substituted green beans for corn. One can of soup doesn't completely cover, so you could use two if you want more of it. Spread the cream of mushroom soup over the mushrooms, place sliced velveeta on top of the cream of mushroom soup. As with the beef and veggie soup, you may want two cans of cream of mushroom soup. Pour tater tots on top of cheese. Bake for 30 minutes on 350. This is a great casserole to freeze. Bake for 1 hour on 325 if frozen. For best results, let thaw before baking.

Can you see why I call it a little of this and a little of that. I think you could also subsitute any creamed soup for mushroom. I sometimes dose the veggies with Worcestershire sauce if i happen to not have the veggie soup.

Sausage Casserole

Ingredients
1 lb. sage sausage
5 medium potatoes sliced
1 small onion - thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Directions
Grease 1 1/2 qt. baking dish. Put sausage in bottom. Put onions and potatoes on top of meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix the 2 cans of soup together and pour on top. Cover and bake at 350 for 2 hours.

Broccoli Chicken Supreme

Ingredients
4 cups cooked chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen broccoli
1 pkg. chicken flavored rice
1 1/3 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth (saved from cooking breasts)
1 cup chopped celery
1 can diced water chestnuts
3/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup onion

Directions
Combine all and put in 3 qt. dish. Cover and bake at 325 for 1 hour. Uncover and bake another 15 min. til it begins to brown a little.