•8:48 PM
We have standing joke in our family. Actually, the men in my family have a standing joke ... I don't think it is funny at all. Neither does my Mom.
When I was growing up,my Mom made chicken and rice casserole; she learned it from her mother. It was in the regular rotation of weekday meals and it was ALWAYS one of my favourites. In fact, if she made some spinach with it ... well, I was in heaven.
As an adult, I know that it is simple to make and you can even do all the prep work in the morning and throw it in the oven 30-40 minutes before you want to eat. Plus, it is easy on the budget. But as a kid, I just knew it tasted good.
And, so when I grew up and got married, I made it for my husband, too. Because it was easy on the pocket book of a newly-married couple and, more importantly, I loved it.
But, apparently, the husbands do not share the same level of adoration for the chicken and rice as the wives do. Probably because they are not in charge of every single week-day meal. Oh, they endured it and smiled appreciatively as they quietly choked back the delicious meal that had been placed in front of them. But they did not like it much ... apparently. And being the wonderful men that they are, they just suffered in silence.
Until recently ... when my Dad let it slip that he is not so fond of the chicken and rice casserole.
"Actually, it's not that I don't enjoy the taste," he explained, trying to dig himself out the hole he had just dug for himself. "It's just that I am so sick of it because it seems like it was all we ate when we were first married. So now, I've been eating it for almost forty-six years." My Dad really has a way with words, doesn't he?
"Yeah," Jonesy adds. "I was starting to think that chicken and rice was the only thing Jill knew how to cook when we first got married." Ummmm ... looks like Jonesy brought his own shovel.
The boys had their chuckle. But I'm pretty sure I'll get the last laugh.
Throughout the summer, the kids and I have been learning about different places around the world. I found a (colouring) map of the world on the Internet, and each week we locate a new country, colour it in, and then we make the flag for that country. We have done crafts associated with that area of the world and learned about animals indiginous to that nation, as well.
However, the most fun part (for me) has been learning about the cuisine of all these undiscovered (to us) regions of the world. And the kids have enjoyed it as well ... learning what other kids around the world eat for breakfast is interesting, I guess. Caiden loves trying new foods ... and the girls do too, as long as it looks good and not weird. Which for two princesses can be almost anything they have not seen before.
This brings me back to chicken and rice. It seems as though every single country in the world has their own version of chicken and rice casserole. Spanish chicken and rice. Thai chicken stir-fry and jasmine rice. Pakistani chicken and basmati rice. It's everywhere ... everyone in the world loves chicken and rice. Except my Dad and my husband.
So, with each country we visit, we try chicken and rice. See? I told you I'd get the last laugh ... because we have not eaten this much chicken and rice in years. Try it ... pick a country (any country) - and I assure you there is a national "chicken and rice" dish associated with it.
But if you want to try the best chicken and rice casserole, make my Grama's recipe.
Chicken and Rice Casserole
(By Grama Marnie Smyth)
~3lbs Chicken Pieces (use whatever you like - thighs, legs, (bone-in) breasts)
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp dried parsley
Minute Rice (see recipe)
Season the chicken to your own tastes - salt, pepper, sage, etc. Bake the chicken in a large casserole, until cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken from the casserole dish and drain away the majority of the chicken fat; however, remember that the chicken fat will add lots of yummy flavour. If you are not eating straight away, cool and refrigerate the chicken until later.
Meanwhile, combine the can of soup with a can of water in a sauce pan. Add the celery, onions and spices; bring to a boil. Simmer for just a few minutes, and then, using the soup can as a measuring device, stir in two cans of Minute Rice. Pour the rice mixture into the casserole dish, scraping up all the little bits of chicken and flavour off the bottom.
Nestle the chicken on top of the rice and cover with a lid.
Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30 minutes.
Serve with your favourite vegetables for a great family meal ... according to the ladies in my family.
Okay ... if you have been reading this blog for any length of time, I'm sure it will come as no surprise to you that I find Minute Rice absolutely appalling. So, I have messed around with this recipe, so that I could find a suitable substitute. I use the canned soup, diluted with one can of water plus the spices (never measured, just sprinkled); and to it I add almost one can of long grain rice (Basmati, or Jasmine, or just plain ol' rice). I will also add whatever vegies I think I can sneak past my kids ... shredded carrots, broccoli cut very small, cauliflower will sometimes blend in nicely ... what do your kids like? I bring it to a boil, and then pour into the casserole pan. I do not pre-cook the chicken; I raw chicken drumsticks or thighs. Cook at 375F for at least one hour, maybe even 1 1/2 hours. The result is a creamier rice. And you can use whatever soup you like ... Cream of Broccoli/Celery/Mushroom.
But, I have to admit ... every once in awhile I like to make my Grama's original, with a side of spinach.
When I was growing up,my Mom made chicken and rice casserole; she learned it from her mother. It was in the regular rotation of weekday meals and it was ALWAYS one of my favourites. In fact, if she made some spinach with it ... well, I was in heaven.
As an adult, I know that it is simple to make and you can even do all the prep work in the morning and throw it in the oven 30-40 minutes before you want to eat. Plus, it is easy on the budget. But as a kid, I just knew it tasted good.
And, so when I grew up and got married, I made it for my husband, too. Because it was easy on the pocket book of a newly-married couple and, more importantly, I loved it.
But, apparently, the husbands do not share the same level of adoration for the chicken and rice as the wives do. Probably because they are not in charge of every single week-day meal. Oh, they endured it and smiled appreciatively as they quietly choked back the delicious meal that had been placed in front of them. But they did not like it much ... apparently. And being the wonderful men that they are, they just suffered in silence.
Until recently ... when my Dad let it slip that he is not so fond of the chicken and rice casserole.
"Actually, it's not that I don't enjoy the taste," he explained, trying to dig himself out the hole he had just dug for himself. "It's just that I am so sick of it because it seems like it was all we ate when we were first married. So now, I've been eating it for almost forty-six years." My Dad really has a way with words, doesn't he?
"Yeah," Jonesy adds. "I was starting to think that chicken and rice was the only thing Jill knew how to cook when we first got married." Ummmm ... looks like Jonesy brought his own shovel.
The boys had their chuckle. But I'm pretty sure I'll get the last laugh.
Throughout the summer, the kids and I have been learning about different places around the world. I found a (colouring) map of the world on the Internet, and each week we locate a new country, colour it in, and then we make the flag for that country. We have done crafts associated with that area of the world and learned about animals indiginous to that nation, as well.
However, the most fun part (for me) has been learning about the cuisine of all these undiscovered (to us) regions of the world. And the kids have enjoyed it as well ... learning what other kids around the world eat for breakfast is interesting, I guess. Caiden loves trying new foods ... and the girls do too, as long as it looks good and not weird. Which for two princesses can be almost anything they have not seen before.
This brings me back to chicken and rice. It seems as though every single country in the world has their own version of chicken and rice casserole. Spanish chicken and rice. Thai chicken stir-fry and jasmine rice. Pakistani chicken and basmati rice. It's everywhere ... everyone in the world loves chicken and rice. Except my Dad and my husband.
So, with each country we visit, we try chicken and rice. See? I told you I'd get the last laugh ... because we have not eaten this much chicken and rice in years. Try it ... pick a country (any country) - and I assure you there is a national "chicken and rice" dish associated with it.
But if you want to try the best chicken and rice casserole, make my Grama's recipe.
Chicken and Rice Casserole
(By Grama Marnie Smyth)
~3lbs Chicken Pieces (use whatever you like - thighs, legs, (bone-in) breasts)
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp dried parsley
Minute Rice (see recipe)
Season the chicken to your own tastes - salt, pepper, sage, etc. Bake the chicken in a large casserole, until cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken from the casserole dish and drain away the majority of the chicken fat; however, remember that the chicken fat will add lots of yummy flavour. If you are not eating straight away, cool and refrigerate the chicken until later.
Meanwhile, combine the can of soup with a can of water in a sauce pan. Add the celery, onions and spices; bring to a boil. Simmer for just a few minutes, and then, using the soup can as a measuring device, stir in two cans of Minute Rice. Pour the rice mixture into the casserole dish, scraping up all the little bits of chicken and flavour off the bottom.
Nestle the chicken on top of the rice and cover with a lid.
Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30 minutes.
Serve with your favourite vegetables for a great family meal ... according to the ladies in my family.
Okay ... if you have been reading this blog for any length of time, I'm sure it will come as no surprise to you that I find Minute Rice absolutely appalling. So, I have messed around with this recipe, so that I could find a suitable substitute. I use the canned soup, diluted with one can of water plus the spices (never measured, just sprinkled); and to it I add almost one can of long grain rice (Basmati, or Jasmine, or just plain ol' rice). I will also add whatever vegies I think I can sneak past my kids ... shredded carrots, broccoli cut very small, cauliflower will sometimes blend in nicely ... what do your kids like? I bring it to a boil, and then pour into the casserole pan. I do not pre-cook the chicken; I raw chicken drumsticks or thighs. Cook at 375F for at least one hour, maybe even 1 1/2 hours. The result is a creamier rice. And you can use whatever soup you like ... Cream of Broccoli/Celery/Mushroom.
But, I have to admit ... every once in awhile I like to make my Grama's original, with a side of spinach.
