Another Rachel Ray recipe, and a good one. The first time I made the rice pilaf, I used extra sharp yellow cheddar because that’s what I had. We found it overpowered all the other flavors. The second time I made it I used the white cheddar and it was very good.
The original recipe calls for green beans, but they’re not a favorite in our house, so we just have a nice side salad instead.
The kids and I love chicken wings, so I make them when I can (usually when they’re on sale). I don’t like really spicy wings, and I don’t want to have to fry them, so I stick to recipes where the wings are baked. I got this recipe from Taste of Home, and it’s delicious. It doubles well, though it’s a bit labor intensive for my liking, but I’m willing to do it once in a while. The name’s great too – because that’s all you’re left with when you serve them.
I’m not a casserole person. Never had them while growing up, and the thought of canned creamed soups gives me the heebie jeebies. I can’t tell you how many recipes I’ve rejected simply because it called for a can of cream of mushroom soup.
Now, I love chicken marsala, and when I saw the Marsala Chicken-and-Mushroom Casserole recipe, I had to take a look. Wow! No canned soup. I gave it a try, making a couple of modifications to suit my family and the ingredients I had on hand. It’s being added into the rotation. It’s so easy to make too.
My kids and I love Chinese food, Matt not quite so much. If I waited for Matt to be in the mood for it, I’d be eating it less than once a year. I really enjoy lemon chicken, but I thought I wouldn’t be able to have it anymore. Then I found Rachael Ray’s Lemon Chicken recipe, and I was suddenly inspired. Why couldn’t I make this a low carb, diabetes friendly dish?
I did, and was told “make it again please!!”. 
My post yesterday about doing some food prep in advance got me thinking about what I do to save money and, in genera, try to provide healthier meals for my family. One of the things I do is make chicken broth from scratch, then divide it up into 2 cup servings and put it in the freezer. That amount works well for us, as most of the recipes I make call for chicken broth in multiples of 2 cups.
I decided I’d share with you my favorite way of making chicken broth – and in doing so, my favorite no fail way to roast a chicken.
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