Soup always reminds me of being a kid. I have so many distinct memories of soup as a child.
I remember sitting at my Nannie’s table eating Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom at lunch time. I’d bike from my school to Nannie’s house for lunch, then quickly back to school. Cream of mushroom was always on the menu.
I remember so many evenings when tomato soup and grilled cheese was our supper. Once again, a Campbell’s canned soup. To this day, it’s still one of my favourite meals.
I remember weekend lunches of Lipton Noodle soup, the envelope of yellow broth and fine noodles. I loved it. I’d scoop out and drink all of the broth first, and leave the noodles for last.
Soup’s just a part of everyone’s childhood isn’t it?
I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas season and are off on a great start to the new year. I had one of the best Christmas vacations I can remember. Lots of family, friends, and good food. Too much good food.
The apron’s gotten a bit more snug since last year, and like a lot of other people out there, I’m trying to do something about it. Be prepared to see more healthy recipes on The Frilly Apron. That doesn’t mean that I won’t be cooking some really great tasting not-so-healthy recipes too, but there will be a nice balance, as there should be in all things.
One of the things I’ll be focusing on a bit more is using real food to make really good food. Less chemicals, less processing, more preparation and cooking at home to make some of our favourites.
Since we like some dressing on the salads we’re going to be eating, I thought it would be a good idea to start there. Today I’ll be showing you how to make your own mayonnaise, then how you can turn that into into the best ranch dressing I’ve ever eaten.
Making your own mayonnaise and dressings is easy and delicious, not to mention healthier than buying that stuff on the shelves. Most of the ingredients you need, you should have on hand.
Doesn’t everyone love a good dip? Of course they do. I’ve never once heard anyone say, “You know, dips just don’t do it for me. I’m kind of a potato chip purist.”
Dips are great for any occasion! Maybe you’re having a board game night with friends. Yup, dips are good for that. Maybe you’re having a movie night at home. Dips? Good for that too. With the holidays around the corner, you might need an appetizer or two for a party. You guessed it – a dip would be perfect for that.
This dip, a play on french onion soup, is warm, hearty, and cheesy. It goes as well with sliced veggies as it does with crackers or chips. The flavours mimic a classic soup that nearly everyone I know loves, even the people who wrinkle their noses up at soup. It’s sure to please everyone who tries it. It’s also healthy, making it a bit more gentle on the waistline.
A few weeks ago, I put a request in a post for friends to send along any great casserole recipes so that I can try them for the frilly casserole series.
I received this recipe from my good friend Angela within a couple of days. I was very excited to try it, since I know Ang is such a great cook. I made it as soon as I could.
This is a FANTASTIC recipe!
As I told her, “We had [this casserole] for dinner tonight. Husband just sat eating, saying, “mmm, mmm, mmm”.
Now I can’t wait for lunch tomorrow. It’ll probably be next week’s blog post.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT RECIPE!”
So here it is. A VERY good casserole recipe, and one that I’m sure will become a favourite at your house, and put in the regular meal rotation. It is certainly going to be part of ours. This recipe is nutritious too – packed with protein in the chicken and beans, lots of veggies, and a healthy carb (if you use brown rice, or some other reasonable grain).
If you try this recipe, please let me know and I’ll pass along all the compliments.
Thanks again, Ang!
[Recipe] Mexican Chicken Rice Bake
Serves 8.
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups peppers, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp garlic, minced
4 cups cooked rice
1 tbsp cumin
2 cups chicken breast, cooked and chopped
1/4 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 – 1 cup salsa
1 1/2 cups corn, thawed (I used canned corn)
1 can black beans (or any bean of choice), drained (optional)
1/2 Cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Chop your veg and have them ready, to save some time.
Saute onion, celery, and peppers in a large skillet in the olive oil for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Stir in cooked rice and cumin and reduce heat to low.
Transfer mixed rice to a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Place chicken breast in the same skillet over medium heat. Season with seasoning salt, and salsa; mix and reduce heat to low.
Sprinkle corn over rice. Next layer the beans, cilantro, and chicken.
Top with cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
This is a great meal on its own, or have a nice side salad with it to really up your vegetable servings for the day.
Delicious!
Mexican Chicken Rice Bake
Recipe Type: Casserole
Author: thefrillyapron
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
This is a VERY good casserole recipe, compliments of my friend Angela – one that I’m sure will become a favourite in your home, and put in the regular meal rotation. It is certainly going to be part of ours. This recipe is nutritious too – packed with protein in the chicken and beans, lots of veggies, and a healthy grain.
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups peppers, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp garlic, minced
4 cups rice, cooked
1 tbsp cumin
2 cups chicken breast, cooked and chopped
1/4 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 – 1 cup salsa
1 1/2 cups corn, thawed (I used canned corn)
1 can black beans (or any bean of choice), drained (optional)
1/2 Cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.
Place oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, celery and peppers for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in cooked rice, season with cumin and reduce heat to low.
Transfer mixed rice to a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Place chicken breast into a medium skillet over medium heat. Season with seasoning salt and salsa. Mix and reduce heat to low.
Pour corn over rice. Layer the beans, cilantro, and chicken on the rice.
This paleo-friendly muffin is packed with blueberries. It comes together quickly for breakfast or a snack, being made in a microwave. Continue reading → […]
