Chicken (Tuna) Divan

The recipe is really Tuna Divan, but since I didn't have any canned Tuna but a can of "chunk chicken," I decided to improvise! (I wasn't in the mood to make a wild dash to the grocery store!)

I found this recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens' Healthy Family Cookbook,  It is a very simple meal to make.  I did make a few changes.  The recipe calls for using margarine (shutter!!).  That is one word you will never hear in this household!!  We only use BUTTER!!

Tuna (Chicken) Divan 

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh broccoli, cut into small pieces or fresh asparagus (I used broccoli)
1 T margarine (UGH!!) - butter please!!
1 cup milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 T all purpose flour
dash of nutmeg
1 t lemon juice
1 6 1/4 ounce can of water pack tuna , drained (I used 12 ounce can of chunk chicken, drained)
4 slices of swiss cheese (I only had shredded swiss ).
dash of paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

In a large saucepan, cook broccoli or asparagus in boiling water for 3 minutes and drain.  Arrange in 2 quart baking dish.

For the sauce, melt the butter/margarine and stir in the milk.  In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt with the flour and add to the sauce pan.  Stir until the mixture is thick and bubbly.  Add the nutmeg, some pepper and lemon juice.

Arrange the tuna/chicken over the cooked vegetables and pour the sauce over them.

Bake in a 350 oven for 20 minutes.

Remove the baking dish and lay the cheese over the hot casserole.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.

ENJOY!!!

Entire Recipe:

Tuna (Chicken) Divan 

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh broccoli, cut into small pieces or fresh asparagus (I used broccoli)
1 T margarine (UGH!!) - butter please!!
1 cup milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 T all purpose flour
dash of nutmeg
1 t lemon juice
1 6 1/4 ounce can of water pack tuna , drained (I used 12 ounce can of chunk chicken, drained)
4 slices of swiss cheese (I only had shredded swiss ).
dash of paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

In a large saucepan, cook broccoli or asparagus in boiling water for 3 minutes and drain.  Arrange in 2 quart baking dish.

For the sauce, melt the butter/margarine and stir in the milk.  In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt with the flour and add to the sauce pan.  Stir until the mixture is thick and bubbly.  Add the nutmeg, some pepper and lemon juice.

Arrange the tuna/chicken over the cooked vegetables and pour the sauce over them.

Bake in a 350 oven for 20 minutes.

Remove the baking dish and lay the cheese over the hot casserole.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.

ENJOY!!!

Verdict:

I thought it was pretty good.  I don't think I would have liked it with the tuna.    I would have added some spice to the sauce because I thought it was rather bland.  I will have to experiment with that.  Overall, I thought it was pretty good.  Would my resident expert have liked it?  I think he would have.   
 

Chicken and Barley Bake

I haven't done a lot of baking or cooking since I lost my husband back in January.  It is hard cooking for only one. 

I have decided it is time to get back to eating healthy again.  I really wasn't eating "healthy", just a lot of "quick" type meals - breaded fish and such.  So I got out my various cookbooks and planned a menu from them for this week.  All new recipes that I have never tried before  

This is my first one on my menu.  It is from the The Big Book of Healthy Family Dinners by Better Homes and Gardens. 

Chicken and Barley Bake

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs, skinned
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup pearl barley
1 tsp instant chicken boullon powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1.2 tsp poultry seasoning

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350
Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels
Spray an unheated large skillet with Pam or something similar (I used olive oil)
Add the chicken and brown on each side for 10 minutes

Remove the chicken from the skillet.
Combine the onion, carrots, barley, water, boullon, garlic and poultry seasoning into the same skillet.  Bring to a boil.

Pour the hot barley mixture into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish and arrange the chicken pieces on top

Cover and bake for about 1 hour.

Enjoy!!

 

Entire Recipe:

Chicken and Barley Bake

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs, skinned
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup pearl barley
1 tsp instant chicken boullon powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1.2 tsp poultry seasoning

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350
Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels
Spray an unheated large skillet with Pam or something similar (I used olive oil)
Add the chicken and brown on each side for 10 minutes
Remove the chicken from the skillet.
Combine the onion, carrots, barley, water, boullon, garlic and poultry seasoning into the same skillet.  Bring to a boil.
Pour the hot barley mixture into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish and arrange the chicken pieces on top
Cover and bake for about 1 hour.  

Verdict:

I was pleasantly surprised by this recipe.  I wasn't sure if I would like or not with the pearl barley.  But it was really good.  I think next time I will cut the recipe in half since this makes 4 servings.  (the dogs and cats did like it also - LOL!!!)  Yes, this is a keeper recipe.  I do think my husband would have liked this.