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Comfort Food from Mom's Kitchen

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Comfort Food

I love to read cook books and I love to try new recipes. My family sometimes wishes I would stay with the tried and true, but now and then I discover a dish that becomes a new family favorite. That's how we came to love King Ranch Chicken and Creamy Italian Chicken. I am always on the lookout for recipes that could become comfort food. Step inside and sample some comfort food from this Mom's Kitchen.

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Every family has those recipes that are associated with home. Those dishes that your mom prepared that everyone loves, those are your comfort foods. Those are the recipes that are taken to potlucks, passed around and handed down to the next generation. When you smell them cooking it takes you back to Mom's Kitchen. No one can cook like Mom! Here are some of those recipes from this Mom's Kitchen.

Pot Roast with Built in Left Overs

Yummy Pot Roast

Pot Roast

It makes my family happy to smell the aroma of pot roast simmering on the stove. I searched quite a while to find a pot roast recipe that lived up to my expectations and this is it! My family thinks so too. This pot roast recipe looks beautiful on a nice platter. It is easy to make a little extra and then you have beef stew for another day.
Photo by Dianne Loomos

Pot Roast with Planned Leftovers

POT ROAST with PLANNED LEFTOVERS

4 to 5 pounds of chuck roast or cross rib roast
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 pouches Lipton onion mushroom dry soup mix
2 to 3 lbs. small potatoes, cut smaller if needed
1/2 to 1 lb baby carrots
2 lbs. small stewing onions, peeled
2 T Flour
2 T hot oil

1. Flour the roast. Sear it on all sides in the hot oil. This will seal in the juices. Place the roast into a Dutch oven.

2. Stir in the mushroom soup, onion soup mix, and 2 cups water. Cover and simmer for about two hours turning the roast and stirring the gravy occasionally. It may need more simmering time to become really tender. About 30 minutes before it is done add the potatoes and carrots. About 10 minutes later add the onions. This will make its own gravy.

When everything is fork tender remove the roast and vegetables to a serving platter.

After dinner, cut up the leftover meat into stew size chunks. If the vegetables need to be smaller cut those up too. Refrigerate everything including the gravy, or freeze it all if you aren't making stew soon.

Octagonal Serving Platter

From BIA Cordon Bleu

I serve pot roast on my turkey platter which is fairly large. This platter measures over 14 inches and that is plenty big for pot roast.
BIA Cordon Bleu Octagonal Serving Platter, White

BIA Cordon Bleu Octagonal Serving Platter, White

Amazon Price: $23.81 (as of 02/17/2012)Buy Now

This beautiful platter is safe for the oven, microwave, and dishwasher. It has a classic style and is made of durable porcelain.

Now, About those Leftovers...

Beef Stew from Leftover Pot Roast

Beef StewBest Ever Beef Stew

Take out your pot roast leftovers, add a small amount of water and begin to heat it up. Just before it's hot add some frozen peas, as few or as many as you like. When it heats up it should have enough gravy. If not, it's ok to add a little water but don't over do it. Serve this beef stew with French bread or nice dinner rolls. This is a very hearty, filling meal.

Paula Deen Soup and Stew Pot

Porcelain 6 Piece Cookware

You need a good quality stew pot so the stew won't stick to the bottom. Cook on a low heat and stir often to keep the stew from sticking and burning.
Paula Deen Porcelain 6 Piece Cookware Soup and Stew, Red

Paula Deen Porcelain 6 Piece Cookware Soup and Stew, Red

Amazon Price: $47.95 (as of 02/17/2012)Buy Now

This beautiful red stockpot comes with a quality wooden spoon and 3 prep bowls.

Food, like a loving touch or a glimpse of divine power, has that ability to comfort.
~Norman Kolpas

Creamy Italian Chicken

A great chicken recipe ~ Good enough for company

Creamy Italian ChickenCreamy Italian Chicken

There are many versions of this recipe floating around the internet. I always tweak recipes so they are more to our liking. Feel free to do the same.

3 or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved or diced
1 (1 1/4 oz) envelope Good Seasons Dressing (dried)
4 oz water
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 (10 1/2 oz) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1. Place chicken in casserole dish
2. Combine Italian dressing mix and water until smooth
3. Combine cream cheese and cream of chicken soup
4. Combine the dressing mix and the cream cheese mix
5. Pour over chicken
6. Bake uncovered at 350 F for 40 minutes or until bubbly.
7. Serve over angel hair pasta

2-3/4-Quart Covered Bubble & Brown Casserole

Rachael Ray Stoneware

You don't need a lid to cook Creamy Italian Chicken, but you might want the lid if you're going to take this dish to a potluck. Obviously, it will be good to have the lid for dishes that need it.
Rachael Ray Stoneware 2-3/4-Quart Covered Bubble & Brown Casserole

Rachael Ray Stoneware 2-3/4-Quart Covered Bubble & Brown Casserole "Casserround", Red

Amazon Price: $34.95 (as of 02/17/2012)Buy Now

Dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe, this contemporary styled dish is pretty and fun. It is safe in the oven up to 500 degrees F and can go from oven to table.

There is nothing better on a cold wintry day than a properly made pot pie.
~Craig Claiborne

Grilled Turkey Sandwich

The best grilled sandwich ever!

Grilled Turkey SandwichI used to work next door to a restaurant that made this sandwich and I would order it for lunch. I told my husband about it and he helped me create it at home. Everyone here is happy when they see this sandwich cooking on the grill. We love it and hope you enjoy it too!

GRILLED TURKEY SANDWICH

Sourdough Bread
Butter
Monterey jack cheese
Deli turkey
Tomato slices
Mild canned chilies, whole

If you are using an electric grill, set it to about 350 degrees.

Butter the bread as for a grilled cheese sandwich. Place the bread butter side down on the grill. Place the cheese on one of the bread slices.
Place 2 or 3 turkey slices and the tomato slices on the grill.
Split open a chili and place it on the grill.
When the turkey is heated put it on top of the cheese. Be careful not to dry it out.
Do the same with the tomatoes and the chili.
Put it together, slice it in two and serve.

I didn't give exact measurements because it depends so much on what you like. If you use a round loaf of sourdough the sandwiches are much bigger and you might use more ingredients. Just make them to your liking. For a family of five I buy about 2 pounds of deli turkey. This gives everyone one sandwich with enough for seconds.

Cool-Touch Electric Griddle

Tilt 'n Drain Big Griddle

I use a griddle to cook our grilled sandwiches. You can use a regular frying pan but on a griddle you can cook more than one sandwich at a time. There are electric and non electric options including cast iron.
Presto 07046 Tilt 'n Drain Big Griddle Cool-Touch Electric Griddle

Presto 07046 Tilt 'n Drain Big Griddle Cool-Touch Electric Griddle

Amazon Price: $25.99 (as of 02/17/2012)Buy Now

Amazon customers love this griddle. It garners 4.5 stars out of 5 from 238 customer reviews. It has a non-stick cooking surface that can handle up to 12 pancakes at a time.

It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato. ~Lewis Grizzard

King Ranch Chicken Recipe

A Family Favorite Recipe

King Ranch Chicken

1/4 cup butter
1 med green pepper, chopped
1 med onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can RoTel
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Angel hair pasta

Cook pepper and onion in butter. Add soups, chicken and RoTel and mix. Layer soup mixture and cheese into a 13" x 9" pan. Make sure you end up with cheese on top. Bake 40 minutes at 325 degrees.

I serve this over angel hair pasta.

Notes:
You can use cheddar cheese, jack cheese, colby jack or any combination you like. You can use canned chicken.

The RoTel will add a little heat. If you don't like the spice use mild RoTel. Both are good.

The recipe I originally found called for 12 corn tortillas to be added in to the layers. I sometimes make it that way but we really like it over angel hair pasta.

Stoneware Baking Dish

Paula Deen

You can use a baking dish like this for King Ranch Chicken. It works in a 9 x 13 pan as well, so I'm sure whatever you have will be fine.
Paula Deen 11 Inch x 11 Inch Stoneware Baker, Green

Paula Deen 11 Inch x 11 Inch Stoneware Baker, Green

Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 02/17/2012)Buy Now

This beautiful stoneware baking dish is microwave, refrigerator, and freezer safe. It is dishwasher safe and oven safe to 500%uFFFDF. It has a swirl pattern and no two pieces of this line are exactly alike.

Here are a couple of meals that can be made in a hurry.

Stouffer's Macaroni and Cheese

An easy comfort food!

One of our favorite comfort food meals is not homemade at all. Stouffer's frozen Macaroni and Cheese with a frozen or canned green vegetable is easy and we all love it. Sometimes we have it served in bowls over hot cauliflower. I know that some consider macaroni and cheese to be a side dish and not a main dish but serving it this way works well for us. If there are any leftovers it is a favorite breakfast item.

Tuna Casserole

Tuna Casserole is one of our comfort foods.

TUNA CASSEROLE

1 box Kraft Mac and Cheese, prepared as to package directions with 4 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup milk
1 can tuna
1 can cream of mushroom soup

1. Prepare mac and cheese according to package directions.
2. Drain the tuna
3. Add the tuna and the soup to the macaroni and mix well.

Voila! Tuna Casserole. You can add frozen peas, sauteed onions or green peppers if you wish. You can also make this with a pound of ground beef instead of tuna. It doubles easily.

This casserole speaks of home to my children. I ate it growing up and so did they. Ease of preparation and economy are its virtues. One of my sons does not like many traditional breakfast foods but he will eat leftover tuna casserole for breakfast. Works for me!

Save time and money with Frugal Mom Menus

Favorite Comfort Food - Martha Stewart

Classic Favorites and Great New Recipes

Find some new comfort food for your family!
Favorite Comfort Food: Classic Favorites and Great New Recipes

Favorite Comfort Food: Classic Favorites and Great New Recipes

by: Martha Stewart Living Magazine

Amazon Price: $3.46 (as of 02/17/2012)Buy Now

Comfort food for all meals and snacks too! Amazon customers say that this is a great book for beginning cooks because it has lots of photos and great instructions.

Jessie Steele Apron

Cherry Apron

Cherry Apron

Jessie Steele Ava Bib Apron, Retro Cherries


Do you remember your mom or grandma wearing an apron while working in the kitchen? My grandmas always did. I remember my mom wearing an apron on Sundays when she still had on her good clothes from church. I have an apron similar to this nostalgic style cherry apron.

Recipes from my Recipe Files

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