Entree Recipe: Mom's "Chicken 'n' Shit"

Ingredients
1 package of chicken - whatever is on sale (mix of thighs and breasts is best in my experience)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can chicken broth
1 soup can's worth of milk
poultry seasoning, salt and pepper to taste
1 package of sliced mushrooms OR a couple of cans of sliced mushrooms
3/4ths of a regular sized package of Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Dressing mix, unprepared
PAM or oil for the casserole dish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350.

In a pot, boil the chicken until done (about 15 mins) with a little salt. Once cooled, shred the meat and set aside. Discard the fat and bones.
In a bowl, combine the soups, broth, milk, and spices with a whisk.
Open the bag of dressing and package of mushrooms so you're ready to roll.

In the greased casserole dish, ladle enough of the soup mixture to cover. Next layer is chicken, topped with a layer of dressing. Alternate layers of soup, chicken, dressing, soup, mushrooms, dressing, soup, chicken, etc. until you run low on chicken or soup. Top with the dressing, and dot butter on top if you're into that. Add extra pepper to the top. Cover and bake on 350 for 30 minutes.*

Good with green beans (canned green beans boiled with dried minced onion, pepper, and a slice of lunch ham cut in strips, and a dab of butter) and apple sauce, or if you feel fancy/have a coupon, Ocean Spray Cran-Apple for Chicken really sets it off well.

This reheats beautifully in the microwave or its original corningware casserole dish.


*Note: Mom's original recipe included the directions, "Put it in the oven on 350. Take a nap, and when you wake up and smell it, it's done." Most of Mom's recipes include that directive.

that 70s vibe

As a child of the 70s, I have great nostalgia for that period. Things that, now, seem kitschy were a part of daily life back then.



Granted, a LOT of the 70s totally sucked: polyester, avocado colored appliances, leaded fuel, Weight Watchers diet cards, Tab... let's leave that wherever it's buried. But don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. Don't throw that Tickle deodorant away just yet.



There is a lot of the 'aughts that are very similar to the 70s: unrest in the middle east (okay, that's pretty much timeless, but stay with me anyway), Russia is going batshit crazy on its neighbors, everyone's talking about gas (cost, not supply, but still, it's GAS), and we're all trying to cut corners and make the most of what we've got.

We are a two person household, both of us working a lot of hours. We spend a lot of money dining out each week. We are no strangers to Starbucks and $5 beers. I have a ridiculous number of shoes. We have a lot of stuff that we really don't need, and we also have a fair amount of debt.

And so, with the economy looking moderately bleak, the effort to simplify is on. The effort to buy less is going well. The plans to increase long term investments are in progress. And what I realize as I plan my grocery list around the weekly circulars, surf online for coupons for things I buy, and make meals that my mom used to make, I realize that we're not eating comfort food: we're eating smart food. We're eating meals that are light on the debit card, healthy, and ultimately, will help us get where we're going financially. When she was raising us, my mom was a lot more than just a whiz with a can of Campbell's. She was a freaking genius! (P.S., you still are, Mom)

As our household tries to get a handle on groceries, dining in 6 days a week, I'll use this space to post recipes and tips for ways to simplify, do more with less, and live in a manner that is frugal but feels honest and (dare I say it?) abundant. And I hope you will join in and share your tips too. Please use the comments section to do so!