Recipe(tried): Thursday Night Supper - Chicken and Rice, Yummy Chicken Strips, Green Beans

I cleaned out our downstairs freezer today and found two packages of homemade chicken stock. I decided to make chicken and rice for supper. Tonight we had, along with the chicken and rice, Yummy Chicken Strips, green beans, watermelon and cantaloupe chunks, and sweet tea with lemon.

I make my stock using the crockpot. After the chicken or turkey has finished roasting, I cut the meat from the bones, put chopped onions, chopped bell pepper, chopped celery, and minced garlic along with 4-6 cups of water in the crockpot. Season the bones, skin, vegetables, with seasoned salt, poultry seasoning, rosemary, and black pepper. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.

Pour the stock through a colander discarding the bones, skin, and vegetables. Put the stock into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator overnight. When you are ready to use the stock, remove the plastic wrap and most of the fat will be on it. To get even more fat out of the stock, wrap an ice cube in cheesecloth and skim over the surface. Fat will cling to the cheesecloth.

To freeze the stock, put the refrigerated stock in freezer bags making sure to write what is in the bag and what date that you put it in the freezer. To enjoy, just defrost and use as you would regular homemade chicken/turkey stock.

CHICKEN AND RICE

4 qts. homemade chicken stock
1 can 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup white wine
2 1/3 cups rice
1/2 pkg. sliced mushrooms
seasoned salt
pepper

In a large dutch oven, place the chicken stock, the cream of chicken soup, and the white wine. Bring to a boil. Add the rice and the sliced mushrooms. Season with seasoned salt and pepper. Let the rice/chicken stock mixture simmer until rice is cooked. Serve in soup bowls.

YUMMY CHICKEN STRIPS

1 1/2 lbs. chicken strips, cut into long pieces with fat removed
1 large bottle of Hellman's Citrus Splash Salad Dressing--I used Ruby Red Ginger
2 tsps. minced garlic
splash of lemon juice
splash of lime juice
2 Tbsp. honey

Mix the salad dressing, garlic, lemon and lime juices, and honey together. Taste and see if the marinade is too sweet or too tangy. If it is too sweet, add another splash of lemon and lime juices. If it is too tangy, add a teaspoon of honey. After the marinade has been adjusted to your liking, remove 1 cup of the marinade and put it in a bowl in the refrigerator.

Put the chicken strips in a plastic Zip-Loc Bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken strips and marinate for at least 4 hours, can be longer if you desire.

When ready to cook, place 1/4 cup of reserved marinade in a non-stick skillet. Heat the skillet. Add the chicken strips and sear on both sides. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Baste the chicken strips with marinade as needed. Braise the chicken strips until they are thoroughly cooked.

GREEN BEANS

1 pkg. frozen green beans--These were some that I had frozen during the spring
1 tsp. corn oil
pinch of sugar
seasoned salt

Add the green beans to a medium saucepan. Add 1 1/2 cups water, the corn oil, and the pinch of sugar. Season with the seasoned salt. Let cook for 25-30 minutes on medium or until green beans are done.

Happy Friday!