Monday's Menu

I guess as long as I am schooling Rugrat at home, I'm just destined to be a day late (or 4) and a dollar short -- as the saying goes.

But I really wanted to share this recipe with you. Since going real food, most can foods are no-no's. That includes one of my favorites:  canned cream of chicken soup. This stuff is in every casserole. People love it in my pot pie. I wasn't real sure how I could cut it out of my life forever, even with all of its naughty, yucky extra chemical ingredients.

Until this recipe came along. It's not exactly a real food recipe. It's a frugal, cut your budget recipe. And it works like a charm.

At least the chicken version does. I always used cream of chicken. I didn't care if the recipe said some other kind. That's the way I am. Once I find something I like, I'm good. I'll just hang out with it for a while.

Hubby hates that about me. He's the exact opposite. He doesn't care if it is perfectly good just the way it is. He wants to try something "new." So I stand and cringe on the sideline as he goes searching for a recipe that's "different" and I just wonder what's wrong with the one we like. Obviously, I'm not crazy about this trait in him either.

So if you feel the need to try out the mushroom or celery version, let me know how it turns out. I'll be enjoying the chicken one.

It comes from here if you'd like to check out the original.


Cream of 'whatever' soup

3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
1 1/4 cups liquid (milk/stock/etc.)

Melt butter. Whisk in flour and seasonings. Cook until bubbly. Add liquid slowly, whisking to avoid lumps. Cook until thickened. Makes 1 regular size can amount.

Chicken: Use chicken broth for half (or all like me) of the liquid. Add 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning (or sage like me).
Mushroom: Saute 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms and 1 Tablespoon minced onion in butter before adding flour.
Celery:   Saute 1/4 cup chopped celery and 1 Tablespoon minced onion in butter before adding flour.