VEGETABLE CHICKEN MAKE AND BAKE

RECIPES THAT MAKE YOUR EYES LIGHT UP AND YOUR STOMACH SAY, "HOWDY!"

Here is a recipe you may want to keep under your belt and make sure you have all the ingredients on hand because it makes a wonderful dish of something different that will fill the bill when you want to impress or make something fast and good or just make something, period. I heard about this recipe from someone who was explaining it to someone else--or maybe I should say "overheard" it, but it sounded good to me at the time and so I stored it away in my Recipe Memory Bank until I remembered it while I was shopping one day and bought all of the ingredients. I kept them on hand until the perfect time came for me to try it out. I was skeptical at first because it didn't sound like something that anyone would want to eat, but it worked. Consequently, I've decided to make sure I always have the ingredients on hand because it's so easy to make and it really does taste good. Even children will like this casserole, or I should say "most" children because there are always a few who turn up their noses at anything except macaroni and cheese or chicken tenders. I would say that it does come close to hitting the mark as far as getting them or anyone else to eat their veggies. I wouldn't say it was the healthiest way to do it, but at least it will help to get them off the plate and into their mouths and hopefully into their stomachs. I would call this recipe a good "filler" because it can fill people up or fill in with another main dish to even things out or both. It can also stand on its own as the main dish with a salad and bread of some kind. You don't even need potatoes or rice to go with it and they won't be missed. How great is that? Here is the magic combination:

2 cans Cream of Celery soup

1 C. sour cream

2 cans French-style green beans (I used frozen, but it takes too long for the beans to cook in the oven which is why I recommend canned.

1 pkg. frozen white corn (you can use canned if you prefer)

2 C. cooked chicken, cubed

2 C. crushed Asiago cheese cracker crumbs

1. Start with the soup which you put into a large bowl. Add the sour cream and blend together well.

2. Add the green beans and the corn. If you decide to use frozen, put them in a colander first and run hot water over them. This will help in the cooking process.

3. Now add the cubed chicken. Get a 9" X 13" casserole dish ready and heat the oven to 350 degrees.

4. I know you are wondering if you couldn't just use raw chicken. The answer is yes, but it doesn't work as well. It is much better to use chicken that has already been baked previously. Then you don't have to worry about making sure the chicken is cooked enough before serving the casserole. This is what I meant by having all the ingredients ready. Also, you can use canned chicken if you prefer or leave the chicken out entirely and just use the veggies. It's up to you.

5. Now crush up the crackers using the whole box and sprinkle them on top of the casserole. You can use a different kind if you prefer, but the Asiago really does give it a wonderful flavor that you wouldn't get from a plain old cracker like Ritz. Since it's rather bland without the cracker crumbs, it needs something sharp to jazz it up a little.

6. Now bake the whole thing for 30 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling. Serve immediately. Serves 6-8 generously. Enjoy!