Garfield...Recipes with Cattitude! Cookbook (Everyday Cookbook Collection) (24 page)

Love a crunchy crumb topping on your macaroni & cheese? Toss some soft fresh bread crumbs with a little melted butter and sprinkle them on the unbaked casserole. Bake it, uncovered, until the crumbs are crisp and golden.

Batter-Top Chicken Pot Pie

With this recipe, you can turn Turkey Day leftovers into a delicious dinner too! Just use 3 cups leftover roast turkey, one cup turkey or chicken broth and 2 cups cooked veggies.

3 to 4 lbs. chicken

10-3/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup

10-3/4 oz. can cream of celery soup

16-oz. pkg. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. milk

1/2 c. butter, melted

Cover chicken pieces with water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken is tender, about one hour. Remove chicken to a plate, reserving one cup broth. Shred chicken when cool, discarding skin and bones. In a greased 13"x9" baking pan, mix together chicken, soups, reserved broth, vegetables and seasonings. In a bowl, stir together flour, milk and butter until smooth; spread over chicken mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to one hour, until bubbly and crust is golden. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Freeze extra homemade chicken broth in ice cube trays for down-home flavor when cooking rice or pasta. Cubes of frozen broth are handy when whipping up gravies or sauces too.

Dijon Beef Stew

Serve this savory stew ladled over split biscuits for an extra hearty dinner.

1-1/2 lbs. stew beef cubes

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

2 T. oil

salt and pepper to taste

14-1/2 oz. can beef broth

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 14-1/2 oz. cans diced tomatoes with garlic and onion

1 c. baby carrots

3/4 t. dried thyme

2 T. Dijon mustard

Combine beef cubes and flour in a large plastic zipping bag; toss to coat evenly. In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beef and brown on all sides. Season beef with salt and pepper; stir in remaining ingredients except mustard. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for one hour, or until beef is tender. Gently stir in mustard just before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

Browning adds lots of flavor to beef stew! For the very best flavor, pat the stew cubes dry with a paper towel before browning. Don’t crowd the pieces in the pan, and be sure to stir up all the tasty browned bits at the bottom.

Baked Chicken & Noodles

Perfect for Sunday dinner, Garfield-style…with a big nap afterwards!

2-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large cubes

3 T. butter, melted

1/2 t. lemon zest

1 t. paprika

3/4 t. dried marjoram

1/2 t. pepper

4 c. wide egg noodles, uncooked

1-1/4 c. chicken broth

1 T. cornstarch

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 T. dried parsley

Place chicken cubes in a single layer in a lightly greased deep 13"x9" baking pan. In a small bowl, mix together melted butter, zest and seasonings; spoon mixture over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, until chicken juices run clear when pierced. While chicken is baking, cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Remove chicken from baking pan to a bowl; cover to keep warm. Pour pan drippings into a saucepan over medium heat; stir in broth and cornstarch. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and bubbly. Stir in cooked noodles, cheese and parsley. To serve, spoon chicken over noodle mixture. Serves 4 to 6.

The lazy way to cook egg noodles…bring water to a rolling boil, then turn off the heat. Add noodles and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring twice. It really works!

Sour Cream Pork Chop Bake

If loving pork is wrong, Garfield doesn’t want to be right! Pork chops and potatoes in a creamy sauce…it’s a mouthwatering meal-in-one! Pig out!

1 T. oil

4 to 6 thick pork chops salt and pepper to taste

10-3/4 oz. can cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic

1/4 c. milk

1 c. sour cream

3 stalks celery, chopped

1/8 t. paprika

4 c. redskin potatoes, sliced

Garnish: dried parsley

Heat oil in a large skillet; add pork chops and brown on both sides. Season chops with salt and pepper; remove from skillet and set aside. In a bowl, mix together soup, milk, sour cream, celery and paprika. Arrange potatoes in a lightly greased 13"x9" baking pan. Spoon soup mixture over potatoes. Arrange chops over soup, pressing down to partially cover chops. Sprinkle with parsley. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 1-1/4 hours, or until chops are very tender. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Keep a big shaker jar of seasoned flour by the stove to sprinkle on pork chops and chicken before frying. A good mix is one cup flour, 1/4 cup seasoned salt and one tablespoon pepper.

Delicious Drummies

Bring on the napkins! You’re never too old to love eating chicken drumsticks with your hands…or paws!

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 t. paprika

1 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1/4 c. butter, melted

1-1/2 lbs. chicken drumsticks

Mix flour and seasonings in a shallow bowl; place butter in a separate shallow bowl. Dip drumsticks into butter; roll in flour mixture to coat. Arrange in an ungreased 8"x8" baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees for about 50 minutes, until chicken juices run clear when pierced. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Old-Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes

Add some cubed ham to make this casserole a hearty main dish.

2 T. all-purpose flour

1 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

4 c. potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

2/3 c. sweet onion, thinly sliced

2 T. butter, sliced

1-1/2 c. milk

Garnish: paprika

Mix together flour, salt and pepper in a cup; set aside. In a greased 2-quart casserole dish, layer half each of the potatoes, onion, flour mixture and butter. Repeat layers; set aside. Heat milk just to boiling and pour over potatoes; sprinkle with paprika. Bake, covered, at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and golden. Serves 8.

Crispy Chicken Nuggets

You’ll be crowing about this dish for days! Serve with little cups of your favorite dipping sauce…yummy!

1/2 c. butter, melted

1 c. dry bread crumbs

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 t. garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips or cubes

Place melted butter in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together bread crumbs, cheese and seasonings. Dip chicken into butter, then into crumb mixture. Place chicken in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear when pierced. Makes 4 servings.

Spicy Roasted Potatoes

Choose small redskins…no peeling or slicing required. So easy!

1-1/2 to 2 lbs. new redskin potatoes

1/4 c. Dijon mustard

2 t. paprika

1 t. chili powder

1 t. ground cumin

1/2 t. cayenne pepper

Pierce potatoes several times with a fork. Place in a large plastic zipping bag; set aside. Blend remaining ingredients in a small bowl; drizzle mixture over potatoes. Seal bag and shake to coat well. Place potatoes in a lightly greased shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Serves 4 to 6.