Cozy Chicken and Rice Casserole from @KorinaMossAuthor

KORINA MOSS: November calls for cozy casseroles. Here's an easy chicken and rice bake that's the ultimate comfort food. You can swap out the vegetables I use for the ones you like best. This could also be made with leftover Thanksgiving turkey. This casserole keeps well in the fridge for several days of leftovers, which is one of my favorite things about it. 

Ingredients:

4 TBL butter, divided

3 TBL flour

pinch of dried thyme or seasonings of your choice. I used Mrs. Dash onion & herb and Mrs. Dash original.

1 cup chicken broth or stock (you can use unsalted)

1 cup milk

1+ cups of cooked & seasoned chicken, diced 

1 cup cooked white or brown rice

Vegetables of your choosing. Mine are thawed string beans, fresh mushrooms, diced onions, corn. You're going to use a 9x9 dish, so cut as many or few vegetables as you'd like.

1 TBL dry seasoned breadcrumbs (you can use salt free)

1 TBL grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

(Make sure you cook the rice and cook and season chicken to your liking.)

Preheat oven to 400°

Melt 3 TBL butter in saucepan over medium heat. 

Whisk in flour and thyme/seasoning and cook for 1 minute to make a roux. 

Gradually stir in broth and milk, stirring until thick and smooth.

Stir in cooked chicken, add salt & pepper. Set aside.

Grease a 9x9 baking dish.

Pour a thin layer of the cream sauce on the bottom. 

Spread cooked rice on the bottom of the dish. 

Add vegetables evenly over rice. 

Pour the rest of the cream sauce with chicken mixture evenly over the dish. 

Dot with remaining TBL of butter.

Mix together bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle evenly over top of mixture. 

Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes until it's hot and bubbly. Enjoy! If having leftovers, reheat in microwave.

Readers: Today is Veteran's Day. To all veterans, I'd like to thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your bravery. If you know a veteran, please give them a shout-out in the comments below. 

 

Available Now!

KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop cozy mystery series set in Sonoma Valley, including the Agatha Award winner of the Best First Novel, Cheddar Off Dead and the finalist for Best Contemporary Novel, Case of the Bleus. Her books have been featured in USA Today, PARADE Magazine, Woman’s World Magazine, AARP Magazine, and Fresh Fiction. 

For the past several years, Korina has been on her own Eat, Pray, Love journey, which seems to have stalled at the Eat phase. When not writing or sampling new cheeses (a perk of the job), she can be found with a new favorite cozy, doing jigsaw puzzles, or discovering new travel destinations. She has an affinity (some might say addiction) to coffee mugs, loves cats, and can't pass up a new notebook or journal with all those fresh, empty pages. 

The Cheese Shop Mystery series is available wherever books are sold. To find out more and subscribe to my FREE monthly newsletter, visit my website and follow me on Facebook and Instagram. 

CHICKEN & BISCUIT BAKE + BOOKMARK GIVEAWAY from @KorinaMossAuthor

KORINA MOSS: Now that we're well into October and the weather is rapidly cooling down here in Connecticut, I am ready for all the cozy casseroles! But I still need them to be easy peasy! So if you get a hankering for chicken and biscuits with gravy but don't want all the fuss, this might be one to try. I can't remember where I found this recipe -- I've had it in my recipe folder for as long as I can remember. When the leaves and the temperature both start dropping, I pull it out!

I indicated the ingredients you can get in lower salt versions if, like me, you have to watch your salt intake. Unfortunately, Bisquick is high in salt, but this makes about 8-10 servings, so the total recipe still comes in at about 400 mg per serving. 

For reheating: I cut and freeze individual servings to have at a later date, and it freezes and reheats well. It also reheats well if you eat it within a few days from the fridge, however I did find that the Bisquick tends to sop up the liquids. So I add a bit of extra stock and milk to it before reheating. It really hits the spot for a warm, comforting meal. 

Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked & seasoned chicken, chopped or shredded. (You can use store rotisserie chicken if you're not concerned about salt content.)

1-3/4 cups chicken stock or broth (Can use unsalted)

Half stick of unsalted butter, melted

1-1/2 cups Bisquick

1-1/2 cups whole milk (not shown in photo, oops!)

1 can cream of chicken soup (Campbell's has an unsalted version)

2 to 3 cups your favorite fresh or frozen vegetables, thawed. (I used corn off the cob, mushrooms, onions, string beans -- no need to cook veggies)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°

Butter or spray 9x13 casserole dish or large 12" casserole dish

Pour melted butter into the bottom of the dish and swirl to even coat

Layer on the cooked chicken

Sprinkle on the thawed veggies. Season, if desired. 

In a mixing bowl, whisk milk and Bisquick together. (It's ok if there are a few lumps left)

Gently pour mixture evenly over the chicken & veggies. DO NOT MIX.

Warm chicken stock/broth.

Whisk the cream of chicken soup into the warmed chicken stock/broth. (It seems to combine better when the chicken stock is warm.) 

Once blended, gently pour mixture evenly over the Bisquick layer. DO NOT MIX. (It will look like a soupy mess and that's what it's supposed to look like.)

Carefully place in oven and bake for about 45-55 minutes or until it sets and is golden on the top and bubbly. 

Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Readers: Do you crave cozy casseroles once autumn hits? If you'd like a chance to receive a Cheese Shop Mystery bookmark, include your email in your comment below before 10/16, and I'll choose one person at random. (U.S. address only.) 

ONE MORE WEEK!

PREORDER NOW

Releases October 22, 2024

KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop cozy mystery series set in Sonoma Valley, including the Agatha Award winner of the Best First Novel, Cheddar Off Dead and the finalist for Best Contemporary Novel, Case of the Bleus. Her books have been featured in USA Today, PARADE Magazine, Woman’s World Magazine, AARP Magazine, and Fresh Fiction. 

For the past several years, Korina has been on her own Eat, Pray, Love journey, which seems to have stalled at the Eat phase. When not writing or sampling new cheeses (a perk of the job), she can be found with a new favorite cozy, doing jigsaw puzzles, or discovering new travel destinations. She has an affinity (some might say addiction) to coffee mugs, loves cats, and can't pass up a new notebook or journal with all those fresh, empty pages. 

The Cheese Shop Mystery series is available wherever books are sold. To find out more and subscribe to my FREE monthly newsletter, visit my website and follow me on Facebook and Instagram. 

Welcome guest author Rebecca Adler! + book #giveaway

Rebecca Adler is the pen name of author Gina Lee Nelson. Gina grew up on the sugar beaches of the Florida Gulf Coast. Drawn to the Big Apple by the sweet smell of wishful thinking, she studied acting on Broadway until a dark-eyed cowboy flung her over his saddle and high-tailed it to the Southwest.

Prior to writing women's fiction, Rebecca always found a way to add a touch of the dramatic to her life: dinner theatre in Mississippi, can-can club in Florida, flower shop in Germany, acting school on Broadway, sweatshirt boutique on Madison Avenue, all night dive on the Lower East Side, video series in Jersey, and a giant Furskin at the New York Toy Fair...

...plus the occasional play and musical.

She's currently content to pour her melodramatic tendencies into writing cozy mysteries with a hint of romance and a sweet, Southern-fried flavor.

BOOK GIVEAWAY!! 
see below

Take it away, Gina/Rebecca!

Growing up in small town Florida, my exposure to Tex-Mex was limited to the locally-owned Pancho’s on Okaloosa Island. This local favorite offered everything my young heart could desire: tacos, queso, and enchiladas. Occasionally, I would try something exotic from my mother’s plate. Guacamole, refried beans, or tamales.

Have you heard the old saying, I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got there as fast as I could? That’s me. After living in NYC and Maine with limited access to quality, lip-smacking Tex-Mex, I was thrilled to be in the midst of an overabundance of restaurants and taco stands offering, not one, but countless varieties of my very favorite foods.

With the release of Here Today, Gone Tamale--the first book in my Taste of Texas series-- I am excited to share the recipes for some of my very favorite Tex-Mex, and Texas, culinary delights. My favorite recipe in the book is definitely Uncle Eddie’s Favorite Chile Rellenos. I recently made this dish with a dear friend. We shopped at our local Mexican grocer, enjoying the process of choosing poblano peppers of just the right size and ripeness. The prep time spent roasting, peeling, stuffing, and sautéing the chiles flew by as we shared fond memories of other meals we’d prepared and enjoyed together. The end result? A delightful afternoon filled with scrumptious fare and heartwarming conversation.

I hope you’ll enjoy this savory dish with someone dear to your heart. May your coming year be filled with cozy mysteries, heartfelt conversation, and delicious food.

Uncle Eddie’s
Favorite Chile Rellenos

6 fresh ancho, pasilla or Anaheim chiles, or 1 (27 ounce)
        can poblano peppers or mild whole green chiles
½ pound Oaxaca cheese, thinly sliced
6 raw eggs (separated)
¼ cup flour
2 cups salsa verde
2 cups homestyle Mexican salsa
1 cup corn oil
Salt or Mexican seasoning to taste

Rinse the chilies. Preheat your oven to broil. Place the chiles
in a 9x14” baking dish and place on the top shelf of your oven.

Watch and listen closely. When the skins start to make popping
sounds and to char and turn black in places, take the
chiles out and flip them over. Be sure and use a potholder so
you don’t burn your hands!

When both sides are fairly evenly charred, remove them from
the oven. Wrap each chile in a moist paper towel or place in
a sealed plastic bag to steam. After a few minutes, check
them. Once the skin comes off easily, peel each chile.

Cut a slit almost the full length of each chile. Make a small
T across the top, by the stem. Pull out fibers and seeds (this
is where the heat is) and replace with a slice of cheese. You
can set these aside, for a few minutes or a few hours if you
put them in the refrigerator.

Heat the oil in a skillet until a drop of water sizzles when
dropped into the pan.

Whip the egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer,
until stiff peaks have formed. Beat the egg yolks with one
tablespoon flour and salt. Mix the yolks into egg whites and
stir until you have a thick paste.

Roll the chiles in the remaining flour and dip each one in the
egg batter. Coat evenly. Fry, seam side down on both sides
until golden brown. Place on paper towels to drain.

Meanwhile, heat the salsa in a medium saucepan (either one
or some of each). Place one or two rellenos on each plate and
pour salsa over them. Serve them immediately.

Tips:

Fillings can be made ahead of time and refrigerated, then brought
to room temperature before stuffing chiles. Fillings should be at
room temperature or slightly chilled. If fillings are hot, the juices
will flow out and cause the coating to slide off. Use enough filling
to stuff each chile relleno as completely as possible, but not so much
that the seam won’t hold together.

GIVEAWAY

I am giving away a copy of Here Today, Gone Tamale to one fan. 

Leave a comment with your email and tell me what was your favorite food growing up!

You can contact me at:

Twitter: @GinaLeeNelson 

or on Facebook

Welcome guest author Gigi Pandian!

Two for One! Recipes from Guest Author Gigi Pandian (Green Smoothie) and Her Character Jaya Jones (Jazzing Up Steamed Greens)

Gigi Pandian writes the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery Series. The first book in the series, ARTIFACT, was awarded a Malice Domestic Grant and is now available from Henery Press [http://gigipandian.com/books-stories/]. Gigi is thrilled to announce that just this month she sold a new mystery series to Midnight Ink in a three-book deal -- and she’s especially excited that in the new series she gets to share her passion for cooking delectable vegan food!  THE ACCIDENTAL ALCHEMIST is the first in a new mystery series about a vegan alchemist and her French chef sidekick -- who happens to be a gargoyle accidentally brought to life by a stage magician.

One of the funny things about being a writer is that readers frequently confuse us with our characters. I’m six feet tall in heels, and my character Jaya Jones is five feet tall in socks, so readers who’ve seen me in person have been known to comment: “but you’re not short!” Jaya and I do share some things in common. We both have one parent from India and we both love savoring delicious food. However, we have different favorite tasty foods we like to eat. So today I’m sharing one of my favorite snacks and one of Jaya’s.

Jaya Jones is a history professor in San Francisco. She’s often on a treasure hunt in an exotic destination, so she eats whatever tasty treats she can grab on the go. As for me, I’ve been a health nut ever since I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 36. I was never a big cook before, but after learning I had food restrictions, I gave it a shot. Oh my goodness, cooking at home is so much fun! Why wasn’t I told??? And even better than the fun of cooking, I’ve learned that the food you cook for yourself is more delicious than anything you can get at a restaurant, because you can prepare it exactly as you like it.  In the past two years, I’ve gone from eating out 75 percent of the time to cooking from scratch 99 percent of the time. And I feel amazing.

Here’s my recipe for my favorite green smoothie that I have for a light breakfast or a snack. If you’re not into the idea of smoothies with vegetables in them, you might be rolling your eyes around now. But stick with me for a minute! I’ve got some tricks to create a healthy smoothie that’s just as mouthwatering as it is good for you.

Gigi’s Favorite Green Smoothie Recipe (makes 2 servings)

Blend the following ingredients together in a blender:

Half an Avocado

1 Pear

Kale – 4 leaves or to taste

1 Cucumber

Knob of fresh ginger, to taste

Unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao nibs – 2 Tbsp or to taste

Optional added protein, such as hemp seeds

Filtered water – 1 cup or more, depending on how thick you want your smoothie

Tricks to sweeten this up, if you’re new to green smoothies:

*Use coconut water instead of regular water.

*Add a little bit of a natural sweetener, such as honey.

*Use frozen broccoli instead of kale – frozen broccoli has a natural sweetness!

The natural sweetness of the pear, the spicy kick of the ginger, and the chocolaty goodness of the unsweetened cocoa make for a delicious treat that’s like a healthy chocolate milkshake! OK, it’ll probably take a while before it tastes like a milkshake to you... But it’s still a delicious treat!

NOTE: if you use cocoa powder rather than cacao nibs, your “green” smoothie will turn brown, looking a bit like a chocolate milkshake. It’s just as tasty, and even tastier if you prefer a creamy consistency.

Next up, here’s how Jaya Jones jazzes up boring foods. Since Jaya doesn’t cook, this is a “trick” rather than a full recipe. She never has very much in her kitchen, but always has good coffee in the cupboard and lots of this Indian condiment in the fridge.

The Jaya Jones Secret to Jazzing Up Your Greens

Have a boiled or steamed vegetable that you were planning on dousing with butter and salt? Try adding Indian pickle instead.

Indian pickle is a spicy condiment that comes in a range of flavors from mango to lime to garlic. The fruits or vegetables are packed in oil with chili peppers and other spices like turmeric. The combo of a little bit of oil and a lot of flavor make simple steamed greens taste more like a flavorful Indian curry than a throw-away side dish.

In the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery Series I describe the foods in the different parts of the world where the books take place, but in my new series I’m happy I get to feature food even more, including some of the vegan recipes I’ve come up with since throwing myself into learning how to cook from scratch.

Learn more about Gigi at www.gigipandian.com.

Connect with her on Facebook [http://www.facebook.com/GigiPandian], Twitter [https://twitter.com/GigiPandian

], Pinterest [http://pinterest.com/GigiPandian/], and her blog [http://gigipandian.blogspot.com/]

Sign up for Gigi’s newsletter [http://gigipandian.com/newsletter/

] and you’ll also receive an exclusive Halloween-themed Jaya Jones short story this October!