Chicken, Rice, Broccoli, and Mushroom Casserole

(picture from For the Love of Cooking)

There is nothing especially adventurous or amazing about my take on this dish from For the Love of Cooking; it is welcome-home comfort food, and it was gobbled up promptly and enjoyed by everyone. The water chestnuts add a delicious, subtle crunch to an otherwise soft and creamy dish. This is a good way to get some more veggies into my kids. This recipe makes a lot: a full-to-the-brim 13 x 9" casserole dish. I chose to make the full amount, and freeze some of it in another dish for later. I froze about 1/4 of it, and still fed 4 adults and 3 kids with the part I cooked (everyone went for seconds--that always warms my heart). :)

1 T. olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

1 lb. mushrooms, quartered

1-2 stalks celery, diced

2 c. uncooked rice (about 6 cups cooked)

2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed

1 6-8 oz. can of sliced water chestnuts, diced.

1-2 c. broccoli florets

1 10 oz. can of Cream of Chicken soup

1 10 oz. can Cream of Celery soup

1 10 oz. can Cream of Mushroom soup* (these soups could easily be changed for what you have)

1/4 c. light mayonnaise

1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated (opt.)

salt and pepper to taste

bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare rice per instructions, adding chicken bouillon and parsley to water for flavor. In a heated pan add 1/2 tbsp oil and cook mushrooms until golden brown - remove from pan. Add the other 1/2 tbsp of oil to the pan and cook onions and celery until soft. Steam broccoli until just fork tender, then cool. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.

Put into a baking dish, top with bread crumbs, and heat uncovered for 30 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes prior to serving. I served this with a green salad, jello, and rolls. Enjoy!

Makes approx. 10-12 servings