Hey, all! Today I decided to stay home to keep an eye on Man Child’s health, or lack thereof, as he was running a slight fever this morning, so I kept him home from school. Again. That’s 3 days in a row now, so I’m hoping he feels well enough to go in tomorrow.
Anyway, while I was home, I managed to finish a project (photos will have to wait until the intended recipient receives it), do a little laundry, and cook dinner. Yes, I cooked dinner. Last night, too. I am now eligible for worship as a domestic goddess. You may rise.
Last night, I cooked a super-easy meal. (Yes, me. Now stop snickering!) I used 2 lbs. chicken breasts, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can whole-kernel corn (drained), 4 ozs. milk, 2 cups water and 1 cup rice. It was pretty tasty, although I ended up adding too much water, so it was a bit too much liquid. If you reduce the water to about a cup, that should be about right. I pre-cooked the (frozen) chicken to save time, by boiling it for about 15 minutes (and I set a timer, so it wouldn’t boil dry and burn), then cut it up into bite-sized chunks. Mix everything together into a casserole dish, and bake it at 350 F for about an hour and 45 minutes. If you reduce the water, it should only take an hour or less to bake. It should have served 6-8, but the 4 of us ate nearly all of it. It was good enough that everybody said so, and in a very surprised tone.
All I can say is, everyone must have liked it, since this tiny portion was all that remained after we ate. No, that really isn’t mashed potatoes, although it looks like it. And yes, there were still a few bites of chicken in there, somewhere.
Yeah, even I am surprised. I mean, I never cook. Mostly because I usually work late, and it takes me almost an hour to get home; but also, when I do cook, it rarely turns out right. Except for things I can add water to and heat up, or throw into the microwave or in a pot and heat up. I do ok with scrambled eggs, pasta and sauce (I can even make my own sauce by mixing a can of tomato sauce, a can of tomato paste, a can of diced tomatoes, some onion and garlic powder, but I prefer to buy a jar of sauce and use that instead), mac-n-cheese (in a box), and I make a great meatloaf. Last year, I even made most of Thanksgiving dinner, including the turkey (I found the easiest, most fool-proof method ever! Even I can cook a perfect turkey using this simple, super-secret method!) and several casseroles.
My main problem is inattention. I just go off and forget I have something on the stove or in the oven. I’d rather be doing something else, instead of standing around watching water boil. Like catching up on email, FB and G+, blogging, sewing, crafting, reading through crafting books and magazines… Well, pretty much anything but cooking. Or cleaning.
For tonight’s meal: Ground Beef and Corn Chowder. Ingredients: 1 lb. lean ground beef, 1/2 medium onion (chopped), 1 can cream-style corn, 1 can beef broth (not concentrated), 1 packet onion soup mix, 4 oz. water, heaping tablespoon flour (to thicken). I served it over rice. (Yes, I cooked the rice first.) Brown the ground beef with the onions in a large frying pan, then add the corn, beef broth and onion soup mix, and stir over medium heat. Add the flour to the water, stir until the flour dissolves, then stir into the beef mixture. Reduce heat to simmer and cover for 15 minutes or so to thicken. Serve over (cooked) rice, or with crackers, rolls or bread.
And here is the result:
Hmmm… It doesn’t look nearly as good as it tasted. Once again, the family complimented the chef, with Woman Child wondering “What’s wrong with you? You never cook.” Ha!
Ah, well. You have to know that, if the recipe comes from me, it must be easy. Give either one a try, if you have a notion. They really were tasty!
