Recipe Chain - Chicken?

I got an email from a good friend that was titled , "Recipe exchange". I was excited until I opened it up and read it.

You have been invited to be part of a recipe exchange.  (That sounds good so far!)  Please send a recipe to the person whose name is in number 1 position.  It should be quick, easy and without rare ingredients.

Then copy this letter into a new email; move my name to the number 1 position and put your name as number 2.  

/

Send to 20 friends.  If you cannot do this within 5 days; let me know so it will be fair to all those who do participate.  It' a  lot of fun and should receive 36 recipes.

Okay!  I  guess I could do this even though I usually delete these chain emails.  I guess I will play along.  But one problem is that my friend and I are in the same circle and she just used up about 10 people that I might possibly send it to.  I guess I'm just not that popular.  Then the other problem is that the email says to send it back if you can't comply.  I hate rejection. My friend  Mary said that she had already received 5 emails back saying that they couldn't play along.  

I have to admit that I have friends that don't actually email.  They are not tied to their computers.  My friend and neighbor Beth who is a kindergarten teacher only uses a computer during the school year when it is absolutely, positively required to keep her job.  We exchange recipes, but it is through the old-fashioned way.  She has lovely decorated index sized cards that she gives me when I request a recipe.  I just copy recipes for her onto an unadorned index card. 

I did send out a couple of recipes that are standbys and I will include them in my blog today.

 

Both of these recipes are very flexible and you can adapt them very readily to what you have on hand and to your family's preferences.

Spinach and Egg Drop Pasta Soup

½ lb. tubetti, ditali or other small pasta

2 quarts chicken stock ( I used canned broth.)

4 cloves of garlic, minced ( I use 2.)

5 oz. baby spinach ( More or less - I buy organic baby spinach at Costco and throw it into whatever I am cooking at the time.)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 large eggs, beaten

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggino ( I use cheese that was already grated.)

Extra virgin olive oil, lemon wedges, and more cheese for topping

1. Cook the pasta until al dente and drain well.

1. In a saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer with the garlic for 3 minutes.

1. Add the pasta, the spinach and cook over moderate heat until the spinach wilts.

1. Season with salt and pepper. Gently stir in the beaten eggs, breaking them into long strands.

1. Gently simmer the soup for a 1 minute. Stir the cheese. Ladle the soup into the bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and serve, passing lemon wedges and more cheese on the side.

This is a great recipe to use with leftovers. I usually make it when I have some leftover chicken and throw that into the mix. I have also added turkey and leftover peas. It is very flexible and even picky eaters seem to like it.

Chicken and Wild Rice

1 6 oz. box of long grain and wild rice mix
3 to 4 cups diced chicken
1 4 oz. jar chopped pimento, drained ( or diced red or green pepper)
1 16 oz can green beans (or diced artichoke hearts, or sautéed mushrooms)
1 medium onion, chopped ( I sauté mine in olive oil.)
1 can cream of mushroom (or celery) soup
1 cup mayo ( I only use 1/2 cup and only Hellmann's.)
Ground salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese

Cook rice according to package directions. Mix together the next 8 ingredients. Place in a greased 3-quart casserole. Top with cheese. Also good if topped with toasted almonds or pecans. Serves 8-10.

This recipe is very forgiving. You can use whatever you have on hand. It is great to take to a family who needs a home-cooked meal.