Potato/Veggie Casserole with Cumin Chicken

Ingredients & Cooking Instruction for the Casserole:

4 Potatoes

6 Carrots

1 Large Onion

1/3 Cup Cooking Oil

Lipton onion Soup Mix*

Butter or Margarine

Salt/Pepper to taste

Peel and cut potatoes, carrots, and onions. Put all ingredients in a casserole dish, then bake at 450 for 75 minutes (or until the potatoes and carrots are soft and onions have caramelized).  *Note: If you're able to find a packet of Lipton onion soup mix, I put the chopped potatoes into a gallon ziplock bag with one packet, a little water, and olive oil. I shook the bag up really well to make sure all the potatoes got covered and then let it sit in the fridge over night to absorb flavor. The Lipton onion soup mix is not essential to this recipe and can still be made without it.

Ingredients & Cooking Instruction for the Cumin Chicken:

4 Chicken Breasts
2 tsps ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cooking Oil
salt/pepper to taste

Cut chicken breast into 1-2" pieces. Mix all seasoning together in gallon zip lock bag. Add the (uncooked) chicken into the bag and shake until all chicken is covered (I let it sit in the fridge overnight also). Then cook with oil in skillet over medium heat.

Voila! A very easy, fairly inexpensive, delicious meal! There was enough casserole to last three days (family of two and a half). We ate it over steamed rice when we ran out of chicken and it was just as delicious! Enjoy.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

*Serves 6 to 8

Topping:

4 slices stale bread, torn into quarters

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

4 medium russet potatoes peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter 1 medium onion, chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup milk 6 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded, about 2 cups

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

9 ounces deli ham, chopped

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

For the topping, crumble the stale bread and mix with the butter. Set aside.

For the filling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, making sure the oven rack is in the middle. Place the potatoes, 6 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are partially cooked, about 2 minutes (don’t overcook because they will continue to cook in the oven!). Carefully drain potatoes, or remove them with a slotted spoon, and transfer them to a bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the onions are softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute (this helps cook out the flour taste in the roux). Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking often, until slightly thickened. Off the heat, whisk in the Swiss cheese, Dijon, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside until ready to use.

Mix the potatoes with half of the sauce and spread into the bottom of a lightly greased 9X13-inch baking pan. Layer alternating pieces of the chicken and ham over the potatoes, overlapping as needed. This is not a scientific procedure, just make sure that the chicken is in a single layer (not on top of each other) so that it cooks thoroughly. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the chicken and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the casserole is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes (add about 5-7 additional minutes onto the baking time if baking it after it has chilled in the refrigerator for more than a couple of hours). Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

(adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe)