Dear Friends,
As many of you know, when it’s not summer, Menu-Mailer will often feature a delectable casserole without a can of soup to make it happen. We all love casseroles, but it’s hard to cook a good one without that goopy can of soup. But we do it all the time!
There’s something else that’s great about casseroles—they freeze well and they sure “gift” well! Having an extra casserole in the freezer could very well be a true Godsend in a friend’s life at the time of gifting it.
I remember after I had both children, ladies from my church would bring dinner over to the house. Having a fabulous dinner all prepared and ready to cook was just what I needed in that transitory time!
So here’s an Olympic event for you—the Frozen Casserole-a-thon! It’s easy to compete; just double your favorite casserole recipe, freeze it then gift it to a friend in need! You can do that! If you need a good recipe, I can do that for you! Check it out and keep reading for some great info on freezing your casserole.
Chicken and Artichoke Casserole (from the Low Carb Menu-Mailer)
Serves 4
5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut in 1″ strips
4 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, pressed (OPTIONAL—check to see if garlic bothers the baby if you’re gifting to a nursing mom)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
2 tablespoons flour
1 can chicken broth
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet over medium heat, brown chicken lightly in 2 tablespoons butter, add the garlic and mushrooms and keep cooking till chicken mixture is smelling very garlicky.
Transfer browned chicken strips to a baking dish (for your extra casserole, use an aluminum pan that can be tossed after use); arrange artichoke hearts on top.
In the skillet, melt remaining butter and add the flour, whisking to blend (no lumps!). Add broth and cook until thickened then pour over chicken mixture.
Bake the casserole, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 30 to 45 minutes.
Per Serving: 527 Calories; 17g Fat; 84g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 236mg Cholesterol; 560mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 11 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Fat.
LOW CARB SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Steamed broccoli, a big green salad (watch the carb count on your salad dressings. Higher fat dressings usually have lower carb counts)
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Follow LC Suggestion above and add brown rice.
After casserole has totally cooled, carefully place your casserole in a zipper-topped plastic FREEZER bag and remove all air before sealing. You can buy huge 1 1/2 to 2 gallon bags that are perfect for this. (IMPORTANT note about freezer bags: this will aid in the casserole tasting fresh. Those bags are designed to take the cold and regular bags are more permeable and will not keep your food as fresh)
Next, mark the bag with what you made (Cathy’s Cheesy Casserole, for example) and the DATE. Also, add the heating instructions—like Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbling, etc. Use a Sharpie pen for this task (it’s the only one that will hold up to the freezer without running. To keep your Sharpie from running off with the nearest child, hide your Sharpie in the freezer bag box—that’s what I’d do or I’d never see it again. Remember: this hiding place you will take to your grave—tell no one).
To cook the casserole, remove from the freezer the night before and place in the fridge to thaw overnight. By the time cooking time comes, it may not be completely thawed but that’s okay. You will most likely need to cook the casserole longer to reheat, but an easy way to do that is give the original cooking time and add the caveat, OR until hot and bubbly. That’s saved me more than once—LOL!
So let’s make an extra casserole and show our Olympic prowess! A comforting casserole warms the tummy and the soul. This is a way that God can use you mightily in someone else’s life. Who knew a casserole could be so powerful?
Let the games begin!
Love, Leanne
www.savingdinner.com
Twitter is where you’ll find me too, www.twitter.com/savingdinner
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