Easy Sunday Cooking

So, Sunday is our lazy day. To be exact, Patrick let me sleep in until 2 this afternoon that's right, I said 2...as in 2 PM! I couldn't even believe I was capable of such things. I haven't slept in that late since I was a teenager in high school. So, I walk out and I'm like..."um...you let me sleep in until 2?!!" and he goes "I thought you needed the rest" as he's sitting there holding our dog watching Rocket City Rednecks. I have a theory that really "I let you sleep in until 2 because I'm awesome" somewhat means "I let you sleep in until 2 so I can watch the shows you won't let me watch while you're awake because they're bloody or the same court case shows over and over again". Regardless, I must have needed the sleep (or he drugged me) either way, it was good rest. So, this brings me to our recipe tonight. This recipe is from my very talented mother who is a WONDERFUL cook. Yet, when she got married she took an entire year off of school and work to learn how to cook and my goodness, the woman can cook. Move over Julia...here's Cheryl's Divine Chicken Divan recipe as I call it.

Cheryl's Divine Chicken Divan
1 lb (or in our case tonight 4 leftover chicken fingers from lunch) boneless, skinless chicken
2 heads of broccoli (cut up and steamed in a ziploc steamer bag b/c it's easy and we all like easy)
1 can of cream of chicken soup (you may also use the 98% fat free or low sodium if you'd like)
1/2 cup mayo (I use Helmann's bc I'm southern and I cannot resist)
1-1/2 tbsp lemon juice (either fresh or bottled)
1 small block of cheddar cheese grated (or the already grated stuff)
5 slices of bread cut into 1 inch cubes (we use wheat but I love white on this too)
2 1/2 tbsp melted butter
2 packages of rice (we use the success kind in the boil bag)
1 9X13 casserole dish (or smaller if you'd like)

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. cook raw boneless skinless chicken in 1/2 water/ 1/2 chicken broth until cooked all the way through and shred (or throw in a food processor)
3. cook broccoli in steamer bags or steam the old fashioned way, directions will be on the bag
4. combine cream of chicken, mayonnaise, and lemon juice in a bowl,
5. spray dish with pam and cover the bottom of the casserole dish with steamed broccoli
6. Layer chicken over the broccoli
7. cover the broccoli and chicken with the cream of chicken mixture
8. sprinkle grated cheese over the dish
9. in a bowl, on a plate, or in a plastic bag combine melted butter with the cubed bread
10. layer the bread on top of the cheese and put it in the oven
11. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
12. boil rice during the last 10 minutes and serve with the chicken divan
13. enjoy!

This is an optional side dish but it's what we are eating with it tonight


Patrick's Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash
1/2 a casserole dish filled with water
a microwave

1. Halve the squash and take out all seeds
2. fill a casserole dish halfway with water
3. place the spaghetti squash halves in the casserole dish with the top of the sides resting on the side of the dish
4. cook in the microwave for 10 minutes
5. after it is cooked use a fork and scrape the inside of the squash out
6. use butter, salt, and pepper to taste.

I have never eaten spaghetti squash but I promise if this recipe is terrible I will post an update telling you not to eat it :) the Chicken Divan I can vouch for because it's legendary and awesome.

Eat Well and Be Well...

-Ashton, A tired (from running around all day) Sookie, and a semi-cooking (while he uses all kinds of different foreign accents quite well, actually) Patrick