We have three "local" PBS stations.
WETA, Washington DC, programs its Saturday afternoons with cooking shows. Including Julia Child's episodes from the late '80s, early '90s. It's not Julia cooking, but Julia watching other cooks and commenting.
"And the aroma, viewer, which you can't smell at home, so I will take another inhale, is full of rich and satisfying beefiness." Thank you, Julia.
One of the cooks piped potatoes around one end of the service plates and I got a flashback to Fanny Craddock.
There is another guy, Nick Stellino, but he talks too much. Cook more Nick, talk less.
There is Cristopher Kimbal, who was with America's Test Kitchen (which I love) and is now on Christoper Kimball's Milk Street", a name I find disturbing. It's named after the organization Milk Street, Boston address. But I am troubled by Kimball's "milk" in the "street".
My favorite is, and she has always been my favorite, Sarah Moulton and Sarah's Weeknight Meals. I simply adore her - she seems like a friend who invites you into the kitchen and says "this is so easy and tastes for good and I am going to show how easy it is, and we'll have fun cooking!"
Ah, but tonight, it's about comfort food, and leftovers. Tonight the husband is cooking "Chicken and Greenbean" casserole. Here's the recipe its old school - hold your disgust - it's yummy.
Pound and a half of chicken breasts, off the bone.
1 bag of frozen green beans
1 box of Uncle Ben's Wild Rice
1 cup mayo (or a half cup of mayo grosses you out)
1 Can of Campbells Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup of diced pimento
1 can water chestnuts, drained and rinsed in water
1 container French's "French Fried Onions"
Two cups sharp cheddar cheese
Bring to boil a large pot and add a pinch of salt when the boil becomes roiling. While it's heating, cut the chicken into strips and then add that to the boiling water. Cook until done. Remove the chicken and shred. Leave the "stock" in the pot - we're still not done with it.
Prepare the rice according to the box instructions in a saucepan, but instead of water, use water from the stockpot.
Add the frozen green beans to the stock water and cook until tender and drain. Dispose of any stock water left.
In a bowl, mix the mayo, soup, pimento, and one cup of cheese.
In a 9x13" pan, scatter evenly the shredded chicken, water chestnuts cooked green beans, and rice. Pour a mixture of the soup/may over the chicken. Add the other cup of cheese over this and then add the French Friend Onions on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-minutes (Gas Mark 4 if you use that, 177c if you use that.)
Remove from oven and let it stand for 15 minutes.
we are having chicken tikka masala with jasmine rice tonight. and apple crumb pie for dessert.
ReplyDeletePS - LOVE the carol channing pix!
DeleteSounds delightfully good. No invite? DAMN COVID!
DeleteThat recipe is a right old hotch-potch - sort-of-a-risotto, yet has Chinese water chestnuts and English Cheddar cheese and "French Fried Onions" (whatever they are; presumably meant to be crispy?) in it? I'll take your word for it that this tastes good... Jx
ReplyDeletePS Following Anne-Marie's lead, we also had chicken (saag) curry with rice and naan bread, which was yum!
Sometimes I think she took my aunt's recipe for Broccoli Chicken surprise, got ride of the broccoli and add this, and that and the waterchest nuts had to been a million years old. Knowing mom, she adding them and said "there's your surprise."
DeleteI didn't grow up in a casserole house, but when we moved to Minnesota, my landlady (who became a best friend, who up & died) made us a Tater Tot Casserole with hamburger, some kind of "Cream of" soup Green beans & covered in tater tots. When the first forkful went into my mouth, I understood why it is so beloved here.
ReplyDeleteTator Tot Cassarole is to die for.
DeleteThis recipe doesn'yt have the green beans, but you could put them down first, pour the beef and soup mixture overtop, then layer the tots and the cheese.
Deletehttps://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/222037/tatertot-casserole/
Love Julia. Remember Dan Akroyd's impression on SNL? Classic. Julia made me laugh, too.
ReplyDeleteI have been to see her kitchen at the Smithsonian - its the whole damn kitchen - walls and everything.
DeleteI love watching entertaining chefs make things I usually won't eat while I am eating some kind of quick food. Julia Child was the best. I just checked out Sara Moulton and will watch some more of her later--thanks for the suggestion.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Sarah M is the BEST. I could tell her my secret aspirations, if I had any.
DeleteCookie, are you sure you don't have Minnesota (or even Iowa) blood somewhere? Green bean casserole is a classic and yes, that mayo is non-negotiable. And like Norma said, its all about the tots. I like good food, gourmet or ethnic, but sometimes, just sometimes, a good ol' casserole topped with a layer of tots fills my heart with gladness. I pretend sweet potato tots make it healthy, but I secretly prefer the original ones.
ReplyDelete*I like SPAM too.
LOVED Sara Moulton's FoodTV - Cooking Live, where she made the same meal with a novice on the other end of the phone. I found it great fun. Kimball, always had a stick in his ass on ATK and Cook's Country, and his crew on Milk Street is just creepy, save the Asian / Mexican guy.
ReplyDelete