I Did Not Win A New Sewing Machine

As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it. –Buddy Hackett

Last month, one of my favorite LQS's was giving away a sewing machine. A sewing machine I really want. The first day I went in there to enter I asked how many entries were allowed per person. They told me that you could enter once a day if you wanted. Since I work just two blocks from this quilt shop, I stopped by to enter the drawing on as many days as I could. Car trouble kept me from entering on about five different days, but I think that I filled out an entry 13 or 14 times out of a possible 26. The entry period ended on Saturday and I called yesterday to find out when the winner would be announced. They told me they would call the winner today. Since the only message on my phone when I got home from work was from the mother of a student in Grasshopper's class about a report they are working on together, I think I can safely assume that I was not the winner. Oh, well. You can't miss what you never had, right?

In place of winning a new sewing machine today, something that would only benefit me, I decided that sharing something that would benefit others might be a nice idea. How about a recipe?

Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole

½–¾ lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
1½ cups uncooked white rice
3 cups hot water
¾ teaspoon salt
2 medium-large heads of broccoli
1 can {10¾ oz.} condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 cup milk
½ lb. cheddar cheese, shredded

• Heat oven to 350˚. Place chicken in a baking dish, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, cover and bake for 35 minutes. When chicken has finished baking, wrap in foil and refrigerate until completely cooled. Cube chicken.
• In a 3-quart saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat; sauté onions and garlic until onions begin to turn clear.
• Add rice to the garlic and onions in the pot and heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the hot water and salt to the rice and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low; simmer for 25 minutes.
• While the rice is cooking, cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces; place in a covered, vented, microwave-safe dish, sprinkle with a little salt and add about ¼ cup water. Microwave on high for five minutes.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine cheese soup and milk until smooth. Stir the cubed chicken and about a third of the cheddar cheese into the soup mix. Drain any excess water from the broccoli.
• Heat oven to 350˚. Place the rice in a 9" x 9" baking dish. Add the broccoli and cheese soup mixture and stir to combine. Distribute the casserole evenly in the baking dish and top with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, uncovered.

Serves 4–6