New Recipe: Chicken "&" Spaghetti

So, yesterday I tweeted to Baseball Mom I was making a casserole. And, she inquired as to what it was....and, I shared and added the fact that it's cheesy.

Baseball Mom said, they are all about the cheese at her house so I told her I'd share the recipe. :-)  It's not really that cheesy; unless you make it that way.

This is another of my MIL's fabulous hand-me-down through generations recipes and as I do, make it your own.  Have I mentioned that my MIL ROCKS?  Maybe once, or so?  :-E) [Does that look like a cheesy toothed happy grin?  'Cuz it's supposed to.]

Question:  Ever giggle and sound like your Mother?  I just did; it's weird every time.

Oh, yeah.

 

The Recipe!  Chicken & Spaghetti!

Ingredients:  This is difficult since this recipe is written in cooking steps and not by ingredients but lets see if I can simplify it.  What I do is base it all around how much 'cooked chicken' I have.  Now, you can boil a small whole chicken or a package of split chicken or thighs and legs or breasts or whatever is your liking.  And, you have to decide how meaty you want it.

Typically, if I bake chicken (usually quarters or split fryer) I bake a little extra over what I know we tend to eat in one meal.  Then, I debone and save the rest to be chopped and used in a chicken casserole recipe later in the week.

With left over chicken I typically cook a 8 x 8 sized casserole dish.  I'd probably use a full chicken or split chicken package if you have big eaters and wanna' make a 9 x 12 sized casserole.

Be sure if you boil the chicken you add some chopped onion, seasoning and a couple cubes of chicken boullion to the water.

Sautee' 1 finely chopped green bell pepper and about 1/2 a finely chopped onion in a couple pats of butter until cooked and tender.  Add some 'Nature's Seasoning' and/or seasons of your preference (salt and pepper, garlic, etc.) while sautee'ing.

MIL says use 1 can of cream of Mushroom soup.  "I" use 1 can of cream of Chicken soup.

Add the can of soup to a large pan; add chopped cooked chicken, add sautee'd vegetables.  Warm them together and then add in some diced Velveeta -- enough to taste.  You can add in place, American Cheese or a combination of both.  Typically, about a 5th of a 1 lb block of velveeta.  Again, make it your own.  Melt and stir all the yumminess together. [sample] :-D

You might need to add a 1/4 cup of milk or a little more velveeta to make it a little creamier.

MIL adds 1 small can of chopped black olives; and, 1 small can of mushrooms (and 1 can of pimentos, but I leave these out).

Cook 1 small box or package of spaghetti....  Make it your own and cook as much or as little as you prefer in pasta. (MIL says to boil it in chicken broth.  This works great if you boil it in the broth you boiled the chicken in.) Really.

Once all the chicken, soup, bell pepper, onion, butter, seasonings, etc. have been warmed together -- add the 'drained' cooked spaghetti.  Mix it all together well.  At this point, you'd better sample it again.  Add what's needed.  [Probably nothing, he-he]

Pour into a lined pyrex or casserole dish.  (Easy Cleaning Tip:  spray it with non-stick spray first).

Pour mixture into your 'non-stick sprayed' pyrex/casserole dish.  Cover with grated American Cheese.  [Cheddar works good, but American tends to melt into the wholesome soothing creamy casserole taste with this dish -- but, make it your own.]

MILs Mother's recipe originally calls for topping with slivered almonds but we all leave these out.

Bake at 350 until cheese has melted and until hot and bubbly.  Serve to the family and expect them to ask for seconds!  YUMMY!

Happy "It's 55 minutes away from Thursday now!" 

New Recipe: Chicken "&" Spaghetti