by Linda M Hahn

Created on: January 13, 2009   Last Updated: March 29, 2012

1 cup cooked chicken strips

2 new red potatoes, quartered but unpeeled

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 stalk broccoli, separated into florets

2 large or 5 small mushrooms, sliced

Seasonings: salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Use 2 quart casserole or 8 by 8 baking dish.

2 servings

Combine all ingredients except cream of mushroom soup in baking dish. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder. Stir a bit to mix.  Pour cream of mushroom soup over all ingredients. Don't worry about stirring, once it starts bubbling, the heat will melt it all together.

Cover with lid or foil and  bake for one hour. If most of the ingredients are leftovers, cut cooking time to half an hour. To test for doneness, stab potatoes with a fork.  Potatoes should be tender when done.  Sauce will be tinged with golden brown.  Serve with bread and butter and small salad.

My grandmother always cooked proper meals, with gravy in the boat and a plate for the bread. She always accused me of liking to cook everything in one pot, less work, saves on dishes. She was absolutely right. One dish meals are fantastic and can be done ahead of time as well. You've got your meat, potatoes, vegetables, and gravy all in one dish. Another advantage of cooking everything together is that the flavors blend together and complement each other. What I like best about this recipe is that every ingredient is interchangeable.

As an example, the cooked chicken can be replaced with tofu, leftover roast beef, pork, or even hamburger.  This could be a no meat recipe or a couple of slices of cooked, crumbled bacon could be used. The potatoes can be replaced with rice or noodles. For rice, add 1/2 cup of uncooked rice and 1 cup of water. Noodles can be cooked, partially cooked, or uncooked, depending on what you have. Just add a little water if they are uncooked.

The cream of mushroom soup is the most brilliant part of this recipe. It could be cream of celery, cream of chicken, or cream of broccoli.  You could even use French onion soup or a clear chicken broth. Then you just let the broth soak into the uncooked potatoes, rice, or noodles and don't add water. Or try a cup of sour cream in place of the soup.

The broccoli can be exchanged for 1 cup of uncooked spinach, or for 6 or so asparagus stalks. The vegetables should be raw; however, cooked vegetables could be added halfway through the cooking time so they don't completely disintegrate. Green beans, corn, or peas can be used. Replace the mushrooms with chopped onions, white, red, or green. Or try it with a couple of cloves of garlic, sliced or chopped. 

The amounts used are adjustable as well, creating a meatier recipe or a vegetarian meal. Bacon bits or croutons can be sprinkled on top of the casserole, or any kind of cheese. What this all means is that the recipe will never be the same. Don't be afraid to be creative.  Every time the dish will taste a bit different, making it your very own recipe.

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