Tuesday Thoughts….A Southern Comfort Kind Of Meal….

I will admit that I cook for my own pleasure! 

What is wrong with that? 

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Everyone benefits in my opinion! I get the stress relief and the family gets the good meals! Today was exceptionally fun! It was a rainy day and I had read a post from my friend Mona Thompson about Chicken and Dumplings a few weeks ago and lo and behold…she sent me her recipe! 

I was hooked from Hello!

You can see her original Sunday Supper post HERE!

However….( and yes, there is always a however with me!) I like to get my cooking all done ahead of time so that when Jim and whatever children walk through that door…I'm not still flustered and washing dishes, etc…That can be a good thing or a bad thing. I've realized that I've created this unrealistic ideal for my kids that cooking is THAT easy! It SO ISN'T! It is hard and it is tiring…but if you love good food…if you desire time alone to yourself to think…if  you love to cook and create then cooking is a great outlet! All of that to say….we had a fabulous dinner tonight!

 Just the three of us! Me, Miller and Jim! I put everything into several casserole dishes as three people can only eat so much and I haven't quite mastered the art of cooking for 2 or 3 just yet!

 So…I did what everyone would do..I invited Mitch and Britney and Layton over tomorrow night for the rest of it! They will love it because I know their love of good old Southern style cooking!

 And we will have fun…that is always a given!

Of course I used Mona's recipe but turned it into a casserole that I could just have heating in the oven and not have to be stirring on the stove. Either way is fine and this is truly better than any Chicken and Dumplings recipe I've ever tasted!

Chicken and Dumplings Casserole

4 C shredded, cooked chicken breasts ( cooked in chicken stock with celery with leaves on)

1 package wide egg noodles

2 boxes Chicken Stock

1 can Cream of Celery Soup

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup

1/2 can Cream of Chicken with Herb Soup

2 1/2- 3 C Chicken stock from cooking the noodles

1/2 stick light butter

lots of pepper

salt to taste

Cook 4  large chicken breasts….preferably not boneless, skinless in chicken stock with a few stalks of celery. When chicken is done, let cool and shred into bite size pieces. Set aside. This can be done the day ahead. When ready to assemble the casserole, cook the noodles in enough chicken stock to cover or adding water along with chicken bouillon granules for flavor. Also adding about 1/2 T pepper. Don't over cook. Drain, reserving broth. 

Meanwhile, mix the soups, another 3 t pepper and 2 1/2 - 3 C hot broth from noodles together. Whisk well until blended. Add the hot noodles and the shredded chicken. You can either thicken or thin with more soup or more broth. Put in a deep dish casserole and bake at 325 degrees covered until bubbly. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes if you want! 

( I did use Healthy Request soups…it was still fabulous!)

What I haven't told you so far is that the whole reason for cooking this fabulous Southern Meal is the realization that when you plant many a bean seed in the spring….you will have many a bean in the 

summer! I have never cooked so many green beans in all my life as today! If you want that recipe…just ask me! First, you have to grow them, pick them and THEN cook them!

 After I finished that AND the chicken and dumplings I moved on to my new favorite side dish of all times…and I AM NOT KIDDING!!! IT WAS DIVINE!! I HAD TO HOLD MYSELF BACK! I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT!

I hope you get my drift here…this casserole is heaven on earth!

Summer Squash, Zucchini and Corn Casserole

3 large, yellow squash, sliced thin

3 large zucchini squash, sliced thin

1 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 T light butter

1/4 C water

salt and pepper

Cook squash, onion, salt, pepper and garlic in the water and butter until soft. Drain very well! 

Saute 3 C fresh or frozen white corn in 2 T light butter. Add to squash mixture. Toss with ….

1/2 C light sour cream

1/2 C light mayo

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 C parmesan cheese

1 C shredded swiss cheese

Place in a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with a few shakes of parmesan cheese and about 1/2 C swiss cheese. Sprinkle about 1/3 C plain bread crumbs on top and bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes or until browned lightly. So incredibly good! I never would've believed it!

I hope you enjoy cooking like I do! It is truly an outlet…for me! And I love cooking for family and friends! If you don't love it and don't desire it then don't beat yourself up over it! Order out! But I hope you will try at least one of these great recipes! They are nothing but pure Southern goodness! 
Let me know what you think! 
Thanks for taking the time to stop by!