Welcome, Fall!

     I've noticed over the past couple of weeks I've had a lot for which I'm so very grateful.  I got into the Nursing program at my school.  My husband got home early from his training exercise.  I got to spend two weeks with my sweet baby girl, and now I find myself sitting next to an open window, enjoying the crisp fall breezes!  That's right; we finally got a taste of Fall here in the south, and of course that means it's the perfect running weather.  And it's not just because I can now run without feeling like my lungs are caving in; I also no longer have to worry about what types of wildlife I'll run into.  Thankfully, since it's been cooler, the most "wild" form of creature I've seen has been a sweet little turtle crossing my path.  I love this weather!

     Of course this type of weather calls for a certain type of food.  The possibilities are endless during sweater weather:  warm soups, savory stews, hearty breads, and filling casseroles are just a few that come to mind this time of year.  And of course, I have just the thing to share to fit the bill.  Here's a recipe for an awesome Shrimp and Rice Casserole from a lovely lady I went to church with as a child:

Shrimp and Rice Casserole
1 stick butter
1 bell pepper
1 stalk celery
1 onion
1 can French onion soup
1 can cream of celery
1 can Rotel
2 lbs shrimp, peeled  *Can substitute crawfish*
2 cups rice, uncooked

Finely chop vegetables.  Preheat oven to 350.  Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat; and in vegetables and sauté.  Add the soups and rotel.  Mix well.  Add uncooked rice and shrimp.  Pour into 3 quart casserole dish.  Cover with foil, and bake for 1 hour.
   

This is one of those "throw it in the oven a forget it" recipes so that you have more time to go outside and enjoy this beautiful weather :-)

Rainy Day Recipes

    At the moment I am attempting to type one-handed, because my monkey has wedged herself between me and my lap top.  I would enjoy the rare moment of snuggling, but she is much more interested in The Little Mermaid than in me.  She just doesn't want me to be more interested in my laptop than in her. She's a lot like her father in that aspect.

   We've had a good day so far.  Monkey had a play date at Monkey Joe's.  She loves that place, and who could blame her?  It's basically an enormous warehouse filled with bouncy houses and inflatable slides.  She and her two friends had a blast, and usually she has a good nap afterwards.  Unfortunately, the nap only lasted until we walked through the door.  Oh well.

   Today is feeling like one of those days where all I want to do is sit on the couch and blog.  It's also raining here....again.  I love the rain, but it's rained here almost daily for the past week and a half.  And I'm out of books to read.  (Any suggestions?)  So what do I do for dinner on days like today?  I'm soooooo glad you asked.

   I actually have quite a few "go-to" recipes just for occasions like this.  I'm going to share my two favorites with y'all.  The first is a casserole that my mom found.  I think it's a Campbell's recipe, but I'm not 100% sure.  I love it, because I usually have everything you'd need right in my pantry.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked white rice (I've used brown rice before and had to lengthen the cook time, but it's not as yummy)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

  Stir soup, water, rice, onion powder, black pepper, and vegetables in a two-quart baking dish.  Top with chicken.  Season as desired (this means "add Tony's" in my house).  Cover and bake at 375 for 50 minutes or until chicken and rice are done.  Top with cheese.

   I love casseroles, because they're perfect for those days when you want to turn the oven on and forget about it.

   Here is my newer favorite "go-to" meal.  We actually had this for dinner last night.

Panko-Breaded Chicken Breasts
   I originally found this recipe here, but I've never been able to find the sauce they mention.  So I've made my own.  I also double everything, because we love leftovers in this house.

   Here is my sauce:
(I'm sorry. I don't use actual measurements in this; just taste and tell.)
Teriyaki Sauce- half of a cereal bowl full
Brown Sugar- about 3 spoonfuls
Garlic- about one big spoonful
Stir it all up and pour over your warm chicken.  I love it :-D

Eureka!  I had a picture on my computer!!!

  So there you go, you now have two yummy, simple recipes to add to your cookbook ;-)

   And, I apologize for not having a spread of beautiful pictures with my lovely Willow Tree models.

Oh, a for anyone looking for a good laugh, this made me giggle uncontrollably the other day.