Broccoli & Rice Gratin

Broccoli & Rice Gratin By Lois M on September 13, 2004 at Food.com



Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 50 mins
Servings: 4-6

About This Recipe

Note by recipe author:  "Creamy baked rice and broccoli, an easy delicious side dish or light lunch with a salad and sliced tomatoes! My DD will only eat rice if cooked like this (or chinese) it is really easy, and tastes great! Good re-heated too! I have also used spinach or 1 cup of frozen peas instead of the broccoli. I think this came from a milk calander."


Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 cup long grain rice
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon, zest of

Crumb topping
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 In a large fry pan, melt butter.
Add onion and garlic and cook for 1 min over med heat.
Add thyme, rice, and flour, stirring for 1 minute Pour in chicken broth, stir and bring to a boil, cook for 1 minute Remove from heat.
Stir in broccoli, milk and parm cheese.
Mix well 

pour into a buttered 6 cup casserole dish.

Cover and bake for 35 min or until tender.
Meanwhile, to make crumb topping, toss together all ingredients and set aside.

Directions
Remove casserole from oven, stir in lemon zest and sprinkle with crumb topping.
Broil for 1 to 2 min until golden.

Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole

This recipe is from EMeals  Walmart Classic Family Plan Feb 5-11, 2014

2 T butter
1 c Chopped Onion
2-6 oz boxes brocolli au gratin rice (see below for Broccoli Au Gratin Rice Recipe)
3 c Shredded Rotisserie Chicken
2 c Chicken Broth
10 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup
8 oz container Sour Cream
8 oz Can Diced Water Chestnuts, drained
1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Melt butter in a large skillet over med heat.
Add onion; saute' until tender
Cook rice according to package directions;
Stir into onion mixture in skillet with chicken, broth, soup, sour cream, water chestnuts and pepper.
Spoon into a 13x9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Bake 30 Min or until hot and bubbly.

MY NOTE:  This is really sodium heavy so I changed as follows:
Butter
Onion--saute onion til clear
Homemade Brocolli Au Gratin Rice Recipe (see below)
3 c shredded chicken (use your own baked chicken as rotisserie has a lot of sodium)
2 c chicken broth (homemade or low sodium)
10 oz can cream of chicken soup (or make a bechamel with flour and chicken broth and add chicken broth and cook until creamy)
8 oz container sour cream
8 oz can dice water chestnuts, drained (adds a nice crunch!)
1/4 tsp pepper (fresh ground of course!)
MY NOTE:  Adding some Nutritional Yeast to the Bechamel will add protein and a chickeny flavor to it as well

BROCCOLI AU GRATIN RICE RECIPE
1/4 cup butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 cup long grain rice
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon, zest of

Directions
In a large fry pan, melt butter.
Add onion and garlic and cook for 1 min over med heat.
Add thyme, rice, and flour, stirring for 1 minute 

Pour in chicken broth, 

stir and bring to a boil, 

cook for 5-20 min depending on the type of rice used 

Remove from heat.
Stir in broccoli, milk and parm cheese.
Mix well 

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

This recipe is from Chow

Total Time: 25 mins, plus draining time

Makes: About 2 cups (16 ounces)

Ingredients

8 cups (half gallon) pasteurizedwhole milk (not ultrapasteurized)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

Why do we assume certain foods are a challenge to make, when really they’re no more difficult to prepare than a pot of coffee? In the time it takes to create a pint of ricotta, you could have gone to and from the grocery store. Ricotta is typically made from whey, the watery byproduct of cheesemaking. But since whey can be difficult to find, we use a combination of whole milk and cream instead. This ricotta is similar to a queso fresco or paneer. It’s delicious baked into a cheesy spread, swirled into pancakes, stuffed into pasta, or just spread on bread with a little salt and olive oil or honey.

Special equipment: You will need a large nonreactive bowl, a fine-mesh strainer, butcher’s twine (optional), ultrafine woven cheesecloth, an instant-read thermometer, and a ladle.

Game plan: For drier ricotta, gather the corners of the cheesecloth and tie it into a sack with butcher’s twine. Tie the free end of the twine to a spatula or spoon handle and suspend it over a tall container with at least 1 inch of clearance from the bottom. Then refrigerate overnight. | by CHOW Food Team

Instructions

1Line a large fine-mesh strainer with a double layer of ultrafine woven cheesecloth and place over a large nonreactive bowl; set aside.

2 Place milk, cream, and salt in a large saucepan, set over medium heat, and heat until mixture reaches between 175°F and 180°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes.

3  Remove from heat and drizzle in vinegar while slowly and gently stirring.
Stop stirring as soon as all of the vinegar has been added. Let mixture sit undisturbed while the milk solids coagulate and float to the surface, leaving the whey underneath, about 20 minutes.

4  Gently ladle the solids into the strainer, leaving as much whey in the saucepan as possible; discard the whey.
Let the ricotta drain, without pressing down on the curds, until most of the liquid has drained, about 1 hour.
5  Remove the ricotta from the cheesecloth and store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

This one is dryer and I found it at Epicurious

FRESH HOMEMADE RICOTTA

GOURMET APRIL 2006
4/4


When creative director Richard Ferretti came to Gourmet two and a half years ago, he brought along a recipe for homemade fresh ricotta. It is more delicate in flavor than any store-bought version and has a lovely dry curd. Some of us make it at home often because it takes just a few minutes of active time. Topped with honey and cinnamon, it's also great for dessert.

YIELD: Makes about 2 cups

INGREDIENTS
2 quarts whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Special equipment: large sieve, fine-mesh cheesecloth


PREPARATION

Line a large sieve with a layer of heavy-duty (fine-mesh) cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl.

Slowly bring milk, cream, and salt to a rolling boil in a 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Add lemon juice, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture curdles, about 2 minutes.

Pour the mixture into the lined sieve and let it drain 1 hour. After discarding the liquid, chill the ricotta, covered; it will keep in the refrigerator 2 days.

Extra Easy Lasagna

I found this at Cookin at Home.  Note that there is a reader's note at the bottom with a homemade ricotta cheese recipe.  Awesome!

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
4 cups tomato-basil pasta sauce
6 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup hot water

Instructions
Cook beef in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Stir in pasta sauce.

Spread one-third of meat sauce in a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish; layer with 3 noodles and half each of ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese. (The ricotta cheese layers will be thin.) Repeat procedure; spread remaining one-third of meat sauce over mozzarella cheese. Slowly pour 1/4 cup hot water around inside edge of dish. Tightly cover baking dish with 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Bake at 375° for 45 minutes; uncover and bake 10 more minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Classico Tomato & Basil pasta sauce.


NOTES FROM A READER: I made my own
ricotta cheese (1 gallon of whole milk, bring to 120F, add 1/2 c. white vinegar, wait 20 minutes while it sits undisturbed off of the heat, strain mixture through a cheesecloth, squeeze out excess moisture)

and added Italian seasoning to it along with 2 medium eggs and a generous amount of parmesan cheese. I also used a 24 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce and blended it until smooth with a large can (16 oz?) of organic tomatoes with basil (drain and drink the juice, yummy). Also, when I cooked the ground beef, I pureed 1 carrot, 1 small onion, and 3 cloves of garlic and cooked the beef in that. My kids are picky about chunks so I have to be creative. This was a real hit and very easy.

Homemade Velveeta Cheese

I found this at Cookin-At-Home.com.  Looks interesting.  I don't use a lot of Velveeta but worth a try!

Ingredients
¼-ounce packet unflavored gelatin
6 tablespoons dry milk powder
1 cup boiling water
16 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions
1 _ Line a small loaf pan with plastic wrap, covering all sides and leaving excess to hang over the sides.

2 _ Place the unflavored gelatin and dry milk powder in a blender or food processor (I used my blender). Pour the boiling water over top and immediately pulse to combine. Add the cheddar cheese and puree the mixture until smooth.

3 _ Immediately pour and scrape the cheese mixture into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing it into an even layer with a spatula. Fold the excess plastic wrap over the cheese, pressing it against the surface of the cheese, ensuring that it is completely covered. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours, until set. The cheese will keep in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 1 month.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

MY NOTE:  This is from Steph at Plain Chicken but I also found one at allrecipes.com that looked like the flavor profile was great as well, so I am kind of putting the two together!  The ingredients I am adding from AllRecipes.com are in red.



From Steph:  This is one of the most popular recipes on Recipezaar.com and I can see why. This was really quick and easy to make. I cut up the chicken into chunks and sauteed it in olive oil and butter. I used half milk and half whipping cream to cut down on the calories. I also added about a tablespoon of flour to help thicken it up. This was really good and I will be making this again.






Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
serves 2

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips or chunks
4 ounces linguine, cooked al dente (I used whole wheat linguine)
2 tsp cajun seasoning
2 Tbsp butter
1-2 cup heavy whipping cream (I used half 1% milk and half whipping cream)
2 Tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

4 fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 green onion, minced

1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp ground black pepper sub (1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss to coat.

In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté chicken in butter or margarine until chicken is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Reduce heat add heavy cream, tomatoes, basil, salt, garlic powder, black pepper and heat through.

Pour over hot linguine and toss with Parmesan cheese




Read more at http://www.plainchicken.com/2009/06/creamy-cajun-chicken-pasta.html#IOk6LG6mEV2I21IP.99

This is the one from AllRecipes.com that I am combining to make one new recipe.  It is very Similar to Steph's but adds some flavors that sound delish!:

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Rated: Submitted By: Tammy Schill Photo By: DIZ♥ Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Ready In: 30 Minutes Servings: 2

"Serve up a spicy dinner for two with this hot and creamy linguini tossed with an eye-opening blend of chicken strips sauteed with Cajun seasoning, colorful bell peppers, mushrooms and onions. Cream, basil, lemon pepper and garlic powder finish the sauce."

INGREDIENTS:

4 ounces linguine pasta 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into thin strips 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning 2 tablespoons butter 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped 4 fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 green onion, minced 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1/4 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguini pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2.	Meanwhile, place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl, and toss to coat.
3.	In a large skillet over medium heat, saute chicken in butter until no longer pink and juices run clear, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add green and red bell peppers, sliced mushrooms and green onions; cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat, and stir in heavy cream. Season the sauce with basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper, and heat through.
4.	In a large bowl, toss linguini with sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

No-Boil Baked Cheese Tortellini

No-Boil Baked Cheese Tortellini


We love baked pasta dishes at our house. I especially love no boil baked pasta dishes! Just toss everything in the pan and let the oven do all the work! Saves on dirty dishes too! Chicken Legs loves any recipe
In addition to being super easy, this dish is also super delicious! It is packed full of great flavors. We ate this for dinner and again for lunch the next couple of days. It was equally delicious reheated! I used Italian sausage in this dish, but you can certainly use hamburger if that is your preference. You could also leave it out if you prefer a meatless dish.






No-Boil Baked Cheese Tortellini
serves 8

1 (24-26oz) jar pasta sauce
1 1/2 cups water
19 oz bag frozen cheese tortellini
2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 lb sausage, cooked and crumbled
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Preheat oven to 400 degreesLightly grease 9x13 pan; set aside.

Combine sauce, water, 1 cup of mozzarella, sausage, parmesan and cheese tortellini. Pour into 9x13 pan and cover with foil. Bake for 35 minutes.

Remove foil and top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until bubbly.