Chicken and Rice

This recipe is super easy, and contains ingredients I usually have on hand, so it's good for those "Wait, I was supposed to make dinner?" nights. And yes, you heard me right, I am posting a recipe with RICE in it, and I love it. My mom reminded me of this one, that I loved growing up, when she came to help out after my second was born.

I've included proportions that feed Curtis and myself, for a bigger family simply double the recipe and prepare in a 9x13 pan.

1 Large chicken breast, defrosted and cut in half
1 cup of rice
2 cups of warm water
1 can of cream of chicken soup
approx 2 teaspoons (or half of a season packet) Italian dressing mix

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix everything except the chicken in a 7x11 casserole pan.
3. Place chicken on top and cover with tinfoil.
4. Bake for 30-45 min, remove tinfoil and bake for an additional 15 min.
5. Let cool, and enjoy!

Pictures to follow

Paula Dean's Squash Casserole

Looking for something to do with all that extra squash? Looking to eat more vegetables or there's a great sale going on? This recipe is so delish! You can find the original recipe here, I didn't change much, but if you are curious go check it out.

6 cups large diced yellow squash and zucchini
Vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon House seasoning, recipe follows
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup crushed butter crackers (recommended: Ritz)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Saute the squash in a little vegetable oil over medium-low heat until it has completely broken down, about 15 to 20 minutes. (I just put all the squash in my biggest pan and cover it so that the squash steams.) Line a colander with a clean tea towel. Place the cooked squash in the lined colander. Squeeze excess moisture from the squash. Set aside.

In a medium size skillet, saute the onion in butter for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and mix all ingredients together except cracker crumbs. Pour mixture into a buttered casserole dish and top with cracker crumbs. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

House Seasoning:
1/4 cup salt
1T black pepper
1T garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.