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RIBSTICKERS: Casseroles and One-Dish Meals

© Lisa Casey Perry

And so, without further adieu here are this week's recipes.

Chicken and Dumplings

Like so many dishes, this one is especially good along side buttered cornbread. Also try adding carrots and peas to gravy mixture for extra color and nutrition.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken

3 stalks celery, chopped

3 cups milk

1 cup flour

1 refrigerated, canned biscuits

Salt and Pepper

Rinse whole, thawed chicken and put in large pot or dutch oven. Cover with water. Add celery. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for about 1 to 1 ½ hours until "fall apart" tender. Remove from heat. With great care not to splash boiling broth all over the sweet cook, remove chicken from broth to a cooling platter. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove meat from bone and shred to bite-size or easily managed pieces.

Strain chicken broth and reserve 5 cups for preparing "gravy". If you do not have 5 cups total of broth, add water to make up the difference. Return strained broth to pot along with celery over low heat on stovetop. Add 2 cups of milk to broth and about 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

Mix together 1 cup of milk and the flour together until smooth. Add slowly to simmering broth and celery. Mixture will begin to thicken as it cooks Add boned chicken and bring stew to a simmer. Pinch each canned biscuit portion into 3 or 4 pieces and drop onto top of stew. Cover tightly and make sure heat is at a low simmer. Cook covered for 15-20 minutes until biscuit dumplings are done. Makes a lot-about 10 servings.

Wyatt's Cafeteria Style Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients:

¼ cup margarine or butter

1/3 cup flour

3 cups warm milk

1 tsp salt

1 8 oz. jar cheese spread

2 Tblsp vegetable oil

1 Tblsp salt

4 cups cooked elbow macaroni

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a saucepan and add flour. Cook and stir for about 3 minutes until bubbly but don't allow to brown. Stir in warm milk. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Add salt, pepper and cheese spread. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add macaroni to cheese sauce and stir gently. Pour into a 2-quart casserole dish and bake for about 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Top with shredded cheese while still hot from the oven and serve. Yum.

Broccoli-Cornbread

Believe it or not, with a tall glass of ice-cold buttermilk and a couple slices of tomato, this is a very satisfying little meal.