Crockpot Broccoli Cheese & Rice Casserole

This is such an easy casserole to make and you don't have to do a lot of cooking. No boiling rice, no steaming the broccoli, no sauteing the vegetables - just throw it all in a crock pot and cook it until done! 

Who has a lot of time Thanksgiving morning to do a whole lot of cooking? I like to use some of my small kitchen appliances to help me make the day easier...so why not cook some traditional Thanksgiving side dishes in unconventional ways?

Here's a traditional side dish found on most Turkey Day tables. I make this from ingredients I usually have stocked in my pantry. This casserole is so creamy and delicious! It always turns out perfect. It is an excellent side dish to compliment chicken, turkey, or fish! Stand back because there will be a stampede for second helpings.

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups UNcooked long grain white rice

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

1 bag (about 16 ounces) frozen broccoli florets, frozen (Do not thaw)

5 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

1 small onion, peeled and chopped finely (about 1 cup)

1 can (10 ¾ ounces) condensed cream of chicken

1 can (10 ¾ ounces) condensed cream of mushroom Soup

1 can (10 ¾ ounces) condensed cheddar cheese Soup

1 teaspoon ground dry mustard (optional)

1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth (or chicken stock)

You do not have to add salt because the soups are condensed and rather salty. Add additional salt & pepper after cooked if desired.

*Optional ingredients to make this recipe with chicken for a complete meal:

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - thawed (or chicken tenderloins … I use frozen chicken tenderloins and I don’t thaw them).

Directions:
1. Line a 5-quart crockpot with a crockpot liner or spray generously with vegetable cooking spray and set the temperature to low.

2. In a separate large bowl, stir together all the condensed soups…do not dilute; and then stir in the dry mustard very well.

3. Now it's time to layer the ingredients into the crockpot: FIRST LAYER: Place the rice in the bottom of the slow cooker.

*OPTIONAL:  chicken would be the next layer if making the complete meal  

4. Next layer is the broccoli and carrots; 

5.  Now pour in the entire mixture of soups. DO NOT STIR.

6. The final topmost layer is the 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.

7. Slowly, pour the broth around the edges of the crockpot; DO NOT STIR!

8. Cover the crockpot with the lid and slow cook on low for 6 hours (Or high for 3 hours) or until the rice (and or chicken) is cooked through.

9. Stir the rice and vegetables before serving.

Football Party Bread

Our family loves football Sundays; the fall weather, hanging out with family and friends, being lazy...and FOOTBALL FOOD!

If you're having a crowd of people over to watch the game...and you're on a budget, this loaf of bread...or should I say... this football stadium sized bread, is the best!
I really enjoy this bread recipe because it is so easy to make and tastes so good! It is sturdy enough to slice up for the best and biggest sandwiches, or to make a pull-apart appetizer, or even shape into Hoagie rolls for sub sandwiches. However you like your bread sliced, this recipe is fast, easy and cheap.

NOTE: I really like to make a pull-apart appetizer for huge parties. After the bread is baked and cooled, I cut a smaller grid on the top. I then melt butter and pour over the cut bread, then I generously sprinkle it with jalapenos, cheddar and pepper jack cheeses and cooked bacon crumbles. I warm the bread in a very warm oven until the cheese is gooey and all melted. I serve this monster bread on my football stadium sized, 20-inch pizza pan and let the hungry mob of people have at it. They dive int and pull off bite-sized pieces and eat! This is THE BEST, big party appetizer and will feed an army of family and football friends.
I use this as my "go-to" appetizer for huge tail-gate parties.

BTW, this recipe makes a yummy pizza dough. ;D

ENJOY!

The small pin holes are where I tested the inner temps with the digital

digital thermometer. My baking pan is a 20" pizza pan...

so this bread is HUGE in my picture.

Ingredients:

• 5 & 1/4 cups of bread flour (all-purpose will work, too, just not as well as bread flour. Click here to see why bread flour is different.)
• 2 cups of warm water (105F degrees - 110F degrees)
• 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon of fast rising yeast (the fast rising yeast allows you to throw the recipe together without proofing of the yeast in warm water).
• 4 Tablespoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons of cooking oil
  (I use extra virgin olive oil but you can use: vegetable, safflower, canola...any cooking oil you choose)

Directions:

1. Prepare a large baking pan (I use a big, 20" round pizza pan), lined with parchment paper, but you can also sprinkle your pan with a bit of corn meal to prevent the dough from sticking to the bottom of your baking pan. Set aside.
2. Warm your oven to 170F degrees.
3. Now, put the water, oil, sugar, salt, and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer, with the dough attachment, and turn the mixer on low speed. (I use a heavy duty stand mixer...but if you dare, you can hand mix and knead this bread).
4. VERY S-L-O-W-L-Y add in the flour with the mixer on the lowest speed. As the dough incorporates you can speed up the mixer to handle the stiffness of the forming dough.
5. The dough will be sticky. Turn the mixer up to a medium speed and let it KNEAD the dough for about 5 minutes to release the gluten in the the flour.
6. Turn off the mixer. Lightly grease your hands and remove the sticky dough from the bowl and place it on a large baking pan.
7. Smooth the top into a nice, big, round dough ball. I swirl a bit of extra virgin olive oil over the top of the bread and coat the exposed dough.
8. Spray a sharp knife with cooking spray and cut a grid or some venting slices on the top of the bread. You have to push a bit to get the dough to slice, but this makes the bread fancier in looks after baked and allows the bread to rise taller as it bakes.
9. Place in the warm oven, uncovered. TURN OFF THE HEAT! Let the bread rise for about 25 minutes.
10. Remove the bread, gently.
11. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
12. Bake the bread in the center-most-position of your oven for about 25-35 minutes (it depends on your oven).
13. I pull my bread out at about 25 minutes to check the center-of-the-bread-temperature with a digital thermometer. (If you don't have a digital thermometer, you should really invest in one!) When the inner temp is 190F Degrees, IT IS DONE!
14. Pull the bread out of the oven, cover it with a dry dish towel, and let it come to room temperature before slicing.

ENJOY!