Welcome to My Kitchen

Christmas preparations are in full swing in many Inland Northwest homes. Turkeys over 15 pounds will be set to thawing in the refrigerator by Saturday morning, Sunday for lighter weight turkeys. Cookie baking and candy making will be weekend tasks, amid gift wrapping and last minute decorating. Make-ahead dishes like Hasselback Chicken Cordon Bleu and Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole, are perfect for busy days.

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

• 2 Tbsp butter

• 2 boneless chicken breasts, diced

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 1/4 cups long grain rice, uncooked

• 2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) broccoli florets

• 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) cream of chicken soup

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Topping:

• 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers

• 2 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish and set aside.

Season chicken with Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown. Add chicken broth, olive oil and rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 6 minutes. Add broccoli, cover and cook 9 minutes more until liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat and let stand covered, for 10 minutes.

Stir in soup, milk, sour cream and half of the cheese. Place mixture in prepared dish. Top with remaining cheese, cover with foil and bake 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine Ritz crackers with butter. Remove foil from dish and sprinkle with topping. Bake uncovered, 10 minutes more. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 6 servings.

Note: this recipe may be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated until baking, or frozen up to one month, then thawed before baking. Let either way stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking.

Hasselback Chicken Cordon Blue cooks quickly, or can be frozen and thawed to bake later. An entire column could be written on the term hasselback. The short story, it is Swedish in origin and refers to deep slanted slices cut into food and filled with other foods during preparation.

Hasselback Chicken Cordon Bleu

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast

• 1/2 cup honey Dijon mustard

• 2 cups panko bread crumbs

• 6 Tbsp melted butter

• 1 Tbsp salt

• 1 tsp ground black pepper

• 12 slices Swiss cheese, cut into quarter triangles

• 24 rounds Canadian bacon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a large rimmed baking sheet and set aside.

At a slight angle, cut 6 slits into each chicken breast, making sure to not cut all the way through. Brush each with the mustard.

In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, butter, salt and pepper. Sprinkle mixture over chicken breast and press into chicken with your hands. Place a piece of cheese and a bacon round half into each slit. Place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake until cooked through and the bread crumbs are golden, 20 to 22 minutes (160 degrees). Yield: 8 servings.

Note: assembled chicken breasts may be frozen, then thawed for later use. Increase baking time to 40 minutes. This recipe is ideal when cooking for one or two, as they may be frozen in desired size portions.

Macaroni and cheese is currently a popular side dish, and there are dozens of variations. Swiss-American Macaroni and Cheese, a slight variation on the traditional, goes well with any meat dish your holiday meal is centered on.

Swiss-American Macaroni and Cheese

• 2 1/2 cups dry macaroni

• 1/3 cup butter

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 cups milk, plus more for thinning

• 1 cup sour cream

• 2 cups grated Swiss cheese

• 2 cups grated or finely diced American cheese

• 3/4 tsp onion powder

Topping:

• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

• 1 cup finely crushed Ritz crackers

• 3 Tbsp melted butter

• 1 tsp ground paprika

Cook macaroni according to package directions.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir until well combined. Add the milk and stir constantly until thickened. Stir in sour cream and cheeses and continue stirring until cheese is melted and thoroughly combined. Stir in onion powder. Thin with extra milk if too thick.

Combine sauce with cooked macaroni and pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over surface of casserole. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and topping is golden. Yield: 8 servings.

Best Grape Salad, made by Juli Weishaar, was a hit at a recent Odessa Quail Court luncheon. Simple to make the night before, it is an impressive side dish for any celebratory meal.

Best Grape Salad

• 2 pounds green seedless grapes

• 2 pounds red seedless grapes

• 8 ounces (1 cup) sour cream

• 8 ounces cream cheese

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1 cup chopped pecans, or walnuts

Wash and stem grapes and drain well. Mix sour cream, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla by hand until blended. Stir grapes into mixture and place in a large serving bowl.

Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over grape mixture to cover completely. Chill over night and serve. Yield: 10 to 12 side servings.

Our next column will appear in the first issue of the new year. Share new recipes you tried in 2024, you plan to carry over into 2025 as keepers, with your fellow readers by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, Attn; Laura Estes, P.O. Box 151, Odessa, WA 99159,or email pandl@odessaoffice.com. Seed catalogs for 2025 are now arriving in mail boxes. Be sure to order seeds, bulbs and plants early before your favorite varieties sell out.