Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute

I have been making this for a couple of years now.  There is just something about the way that cream of chicken slides out of the can....it looks like chicken jello.  Ick.  I feel like a food snob but I just can't use it any longer!  This substitute is really simple and tastes so much better in your casseroles!

1/4 c. flour
6 Tbsp. butter
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
salt and pepper, to taste

Over medium heat, melt the butter in a sauce pan.  After it is melted, whisk in the flour until it is bubbly and smooth.  Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in the chicken and milk.  Return the pan back to the heat and bring to a soft boil until the soup thickens, whisking continuously.  Add salt and pepper as you see fit.  This recipe is equal to two cans of cream of chicken soup.

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

This is a super speedy dinner that you can throw together and walk out the door in the morning.  The chicken is so tender and juicy--this would make a perfect dinner for a cool fall evening!

3 large frozen, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bag of frozen corn
1 can of cream of chicken soup or this substitute
1 can of frozen biscuits

Place chicken and corn in crockpot.  Pour soup over the top.  Cook in the crockpot on low for 8 hours.  Shred chicken and return to crock pot.  Place biscuits on top of the chicken/corn mixture.  If you can take the insert out of your crock pot, place in oven and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.  Or, you can place the lid back on your crock pot and cook for another hour.

Beef Burgundy

I always knew that someone special was coming for dinner when my mom made this dish.  This isn't your run-of-the-mill Tuesday night dinner!

It's special for another reason too.  This recipe was my Mammaw's.  She taught my mom how to make it, my mom just taught me how to make it, and now I am passing the recipe to you!

Don't be too worried about getting the measurements exactly right; mom doesn't measure and everything is guesstimated! :)

Salt pork or jowl bacon for drippings
About 3/4 cup flour
2 1/2 lbs sirloin, cubed
1 carton beef stock
12 oz. burgundy wine (I found a small bottle next to the vinegar at the grocery)
Half an orange, somewhat hollowed out
Thyme (I used a few fresh sprigs)
Marjoram (I probably used about 1 tsp.)
Tarragon (I probably used about 1 1/2 tsp.)
Black peppercorns (ummm...about 1 1/2 tsp.?)
Kosher Salt (about 1 tsp?)
2 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves
Jar of pearl onions
Mushrooms (Ick, I pick these out!)

Fry salt pork in a dutch oven until done.  Dredge sirloin in flour.  Remove salt pork from grease and discard.  Brown sirloin in salt pork drippings.  (Don't cook it through, just enough to brown it!)  Drain meat of remaining grease and add broth and burgundy.

In the hollowed out orange, combine spices and garlic.  (I didn't measure, just filled it with a little of each.) Wrap up the orange in a cheesecloth and tie off with a knot.  Place orange in the center of the meat and broth.  Place in oven and cook at 325 degrees for about three hours.

Remove from oven and add onions and mushrooms.  Cook an additional hour.  Remove orange and serve over noodles.  You can also cook this in the crock pot on low for 4-5 hours.