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School will soon begin another session, which is very evident wherever you shop. New clothes, shoes, books and backpacks are just a few of the items you’ll find moms shopping for. Not only are all these items needed, but a whole new schedule for meals while working around all the activities the children become involved in must be taken into consideration. To help with those uncertain meal hours, here is an assortment of dishes that could make your menu planning simpler and leave fewer dishes for cleanup.
Apricot Barley Casserole
2/3 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup butter, divided
2 cups quick pearl barley
1 cup sliced green onions
7 cups chicken broth
1 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup golden raisins
Sauté the the almonds in 2 tablespoons of butter until lightly browned. Remove almonds and set aside.
Add barley, onions and remaining butter to same skillet; cook until onions are tender. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add apricots, raisins and almonds. Remove from heat and pour into buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until barley is tender. Serves 8.
Birthday Club Dried Beef Casserole
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups milk
4 ounces shredded Velveeta cheese
1 (8-ounce) package egg noodles, cooked and drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 ounces dried beef, chopped
Crushed potato chips
Melt butter in a saucepan; whisk in cornstarch so that no lumps appear. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth.
Fold in cheese and cook until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in remaining noodles, soup and dried beef and pour into buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Just before serving, top with crushed potato chips. Serves 8.
Southern Nacho Chicken Casserole
1 cup cooked, diced chicken
1 cup crushed nacho cheese-flavored tortilla chips
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies, drained
1/4 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
Combine all ingredients; mix well and pour into 1-quart buttered baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
Note: I like to sprinkle the same amount of cheeses used in the casserole on top of the dish before baking.
Chicken and Veggies Casserole
3 cups cooked, diced chicken
4 carrots, peeled, sliced thin
3 medium red potatoes, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks (ribs) sliced thin
1 can cream of chicken soup
2/3 cup water
Salt and pepper to suit taste
Combine all ingredients; mix well and pour into buttered 2-quart casserole dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until vegetables test done.
Serves 6.
Honey Glaze for Pork Chops
1 cup honey
3 tablespoons mustard
Brown chops on both sides and place in baking dish. Mix honey and mustard; pour over chops. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. (Time will vary on size of chops).
Fruit Cocktail Cake
2-layer yellow or white cake mix
1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 (14-ounce) can fruit cocktail with juice
1 jar maraschino cherries, halved
1 cup chopped pecans
Brown sugar
Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil; beat 2 minutes. Fold in fruit and pecans. Pour into greased and floured 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle desired amount of brown sugar over top of batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until it tests done.
Strawberry Dream Cake
3/4 cup powdered sugar
5 ounces sweetened condensed milk
16 ounces sour cream
16 ounces whipped topping
1 baked, cooled, angel food cake, torn into bite-size pieces
2 quarts sliced fresh strawberries
1 carton strawberry glaze
Fold together powdered sugar, milk, sour cream and whipped topping. Fold in cake pieces and spread over bottom of 9-by-13-inch dish. Mix strawberries and strawberry glaze; spoon over cake mixture. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.
Serves 12.
Marilyn Block can be reached at news@winonadaily news.com or Winona Daily News, P.O. Box 5147, Winona, MN 55987.
