Shopping List for Chicken Divan and Beef & Cheddar

 Veggies:

6 coloured peppers (not green)

6 bunches of green onions

6 yellow onions

3lbs (1.3kg) broccoli

12 carrots

Protein:

12lbs (5.4kg) chicken breast (or thighs?? It shouldn't matter?)

4.5lbs (2 kg) ground beef

Dry Ingredients:

30 oz (850 gr) pasta - penne or a corkscrew variety

8 cups (1.5kg) of uncooked brown rice (we need 24 cups of cooked rice)

2.25 cups (532 ml) flour

6 cups (1500ml) panko (or enough Ritz to crush into 6 cups)

Dairy

4 cups (1000 ml) butter

9 cups (2.25 L) whole milk

27 cups (approx 3-4 kg) grated cheddar

13 cups (3 L) sour cream

3 cups (750 ml) parm

Cans

9 cups (2.25 L) chicken broth

1 can of tomato paste

3 cans x 796ml diced tomatoes

Maybe already at the church?

Garlic powder

Italian seasoning

Onion powder

Mustard powder

S & P

Foil Pans

Bags 

 

Beef and Cheddar Casserole

Original Recipe here - below is six times the recipe

 

Update:  The recipe below contains changes after this recipe was made on November 1.  
We made 1 9x12 and 8 - 9x9 pans.

It is important to mention that we used two different pastas from the church's pantry instead of buying pasta so we don't know exactly how much we made. 

This feels like a winner that could easily be included in future big cooks. 

    Cook according to package instructions:

salt

30 oz pasta  **cook pasta before hand to save loads of time**

    Drain, mix with

9 cups of sour cream

3 cups of parmesan

    put in the bottom of sprayed baking pans **we used pasta water to loosen up the noodles

    Meanwhile, brown

6 lbs of ground beef

    add:

6 coloured peppers (diced)

6 bunches of green onions (sliced)

    make space in the pan and toast for 1 minute:

6 T tomato paste 

    sprinkle:

6 T Italian seasoning

Garlic powder  (exact amount not recorded, Bonnie measured with her heart) 

salt if deemed necessary

    add and simmer until slightly thickened:

6 cans of diced tomatoes 

    pour beef mixture over noodles, sprinkle with:

12 cups of grated cheddar

To bake:  Put fully thawed casserole in 450F oven for 15-20 minutes.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. 

Shopping List for Alfredo and Divan

21(ish) lbs of chicken breast

8 cups uncooked rice

1800 gr pasta

4 L whole milk

2½ L half and half

15 cups shredded cheddar cheese

9 cups shredded mozzarella

2¼ cups Parmesan

6-8 yellow onions

12 carrots

3 lbs broccoli

garlic (2 T minced)

4 cups flour

2.5 L chicken broth

6 cups crushed Ritz crackers of Panko

Seasonings:

Italian, Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Mustard Powder

Chicken Divan

See original recipe on Scratch Pantry

On May 13, 2023 we made a six times recipe for a total of 2 - 9x12 pans and 8 - 9x9 pans.  We agreed that this recipe was a win, both in flavour and recipe balance.

We made this recipe again on Nov 1, 2025.   We made 9 - 9x9 pans and 3 - 9x12 pans

Filling

24 cups cooked brown rice  ** bring pre-cooked to save loads of time

12lbs chicken breast, diced, cooked

¾ cup butter

6 yellow onions, diced

12 carrots, diced

24 cups broccoli florets (approx 3 lbs)

salt and pepper to taste

Sauce

2¼ cups salted butter

2¼ cups flower

9 cups chicken broth

9 cups whole milk

4 cups sour cream

2 T garlic powder

2 T onion powder

2 T mustard powder

salt & pepper to taste

Topping

15 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

6 cups crushed Ritz cracker or panko (we used panko)

¾ cup melted butter

Method

Start the sauce by melting the butter and whisking in the flour.  Cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and milk

When the sauce has thickened, take it off the heat and add in the sour cream, garlic, onion, mustard, salt & pepper.

Sautee the onions and carrots in the butter.  When mostly soft add the broccoli and cook until the broccoli is bright green.

Mix up the panko and melted butter - pack in ziplocks

Layer rice, chicken, veggies, white sauce and cheddar.  Add the panko if cooking immediately.  If not, freeze it separately and sprinkle on after thawing the dish.

If frozen, thaw for a day or two in the fridge.
Bake at 350F covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for 10 minutes.

Chicken Alfredo Bake

See original recipe on Spend with Pennies

On May 13, 2023 we made a six times recipe for a total of 2 - 9x12 pans and 8 - 9x9 pans.  This recipe was mostly successful.

We all agreed that the flavours of this dish were on point, but there are things we would change if we made it again.  Hopefully the notes below include all the changes we would make.

9 lbs of chicken breasts, cubed, cooked (an approximate.  We wanted more than the six lbs called for)

30 cups of short pasta, cooked al dente  (approximately 1800 gr)

9 cups mozzarella cheese (this is a guess.  We needed more than the 6 cups it called for)

1 cup Parmesan cheese

Alfredo Sauce

1½ cups butter

1¼ cups flour

10 cups milk

10 cups half and half

1 T salt

2 T Italian seasoning

¾ tsp pepper

1½ cups parmesan cheese

2 T minced garlic

Method

Melt butter. 
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. 
Add flour to create a roux, cook for approximately 2 minutes.

Mix in the milk and cream, whisking very often.
Stir in the salt, Italian seasoning, pepper and Parmesan.
Continue whisk over medium low heat until thickened and smooth.

Layer pasta, chicken, sauce, mozzarella and Parm in the pan.

Thaw in fridge for a day or two if the dish has been frozen.
375F covered with foil for 20 - 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Broil to brown the cheese.

Cabbage Noodle Salad

I had this at a BBQ yesterday and loved it. It's almost identical to what I've always done - it's the soy sauce that makes it different.

1 small head cabbage,
1/2 cup diced onions,
3/4 cup diced celery,
1 pkg of ichiban broken up,
1/4 cup roasted salted sunflower seeds.

Combine and toss with dressing.

Dressing:
1 tablespoon sugar,
1 pkg of ichiban seasoning,
1/2 cup canola oil,
3 tablespoons soy sauce,
3 tablespoons white vinegar,
pepper to taste.

Rosemary Buns

I make these using the dough setting on my bread maker.

It makes a single pan of really really yummy buns.

Fresh Veggie Pasta

This pasta is faintly based on a recipe from Chef John

But almost none of the ingredients are the same:

I started with mostly cooked bacon (I keep it in the freezer).  I diced it fine and started frying it.

Next, diced onions and peppers were added - doing the blotting thing with the towel.

When they were cooked, in went the mostly cooked penne.

Coffee cream, frozen corn and fresh ground pepper went in next.

When the cream was mostly soaked into the penne, tomatoes, fresh basil and parsley were stirred in.

I forgot the parm.  I meant to parm.

*shrug*  It tasted really good without it.

Pancit

This is a "reprint" from my mother's blog.

As part of our family gathering today, Flaviana taught several of us how to make my favourite Filipino dish, Pancit. 

A little research taught me that Pancit is really a generic term for noodles but this is the only version I have eaten.  Flaviana did say that she does make variations in the vegetables depending on what is on hand.

She started by sauteing garlic in oil and then adding onions. 

 After a while she added chicken and soy sauce and cooked it for a while. If she had been at home she would then have been chopping up the vegetables, but on this occasion they were conveniently all ready chopped and waiting in ziploc bags.  They included savoy cabbage, carrots and celery. Before adding them, she pulled out half of the meat.

After the vegetables were cooked, they were removed and she returned the chicken, any juices, and some hot water to the pan and threw in her rice noodles. She does not pre-soften these noodles, though some people do.

The noodles were stir fried along with more soy sauce and eventually everything was mixed together along with some shrimp and it was poured onto a platter, 

 

garnished with lemon and served.

Lovely mid afternoon snack!

Granola Bars

I am always on the look out for a new granola bar recipe.  Here's the latest based on the recipe from a friend at church.

Melt together:
1 cup honey
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup dates, finely chopped

Take off heat and add:
2 tsp vanilla
1½ tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

Mix together:
3 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup coconut
2 cups dried cranberries
2/3 cup total sunflower and / or pumpkin seeds
2/3 cups chopped pecans or almonds

Stir the wet and dry together and press onto a large, greased cookie sheet.

I love this recipe because you can sub whatever you have on hand.  This time, some crushed Vector supplemented the krispies.  The original recipe called for an additional cup of dried apricots.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Treats

I don't make normal Rice Krispie treats for the girls often.  I like my snacks to have a little nutritional value.

I do not claim that these are nutritious, of course they aren't - but they do have a leg up on the original so I pretend :)

Melt together in a sauce pan:

½ cup peanut butter
½ cup honey

take off the heat and add 1 tsp vanilla

now, if you are patient, you will wait until the mixture has cooled and add chocolate chips.  If you are me, you will add them in right away and they will half way melt and become part of the sauce.

Pour over 3 cups of Rice Krispies mix well.  Press into greased 9x9 pan and allow to cool.  I put mine in the freezer and forgot about them until the next day.  They were yummy as an after school snack today.

This is my jumping off point - my base.  Now I want to try things like less honey and adding puffed what into the mix.  I wonder if Craisins would taste good in them . . .

Turkey

My turkey procedure comes from Chef John at Food Wishes - see link to side.  He's got a couple videos on how to do the most amazing turkey.  This is point form for my future reference, pretty much directly from his instructions.

The turkey will probably need 4-5 days to thaw depending on size.
Clean thoroughly.  Rip out excess fat.
Save neck, gizzard, heart for gravy stock.
Toss liver
Season bird inside with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning.
Toss carrots, celery, onions in 9x13 pan
Toss same inside turkey with sage and rosemary
Prepare sage / rosemary / garlic butter and rub under skin
Rub same all over the outside of the bird.
Season outside of bird with more salt, pepper and poultry seasoning
Put a little water in the pan
Loosely cover the top with foil
325F

For a 20lb turkey to be served by 5:30:

1:00 turkey in oven
2:00 start simmering stock for gravy with a bayleaf
3:00 saute veggies for stuffing
4:00 take foil off turkey
4:00 start with stuffing and potato prep
5:00 take bird out, start making gravy with pan drippings
5:00 start carrots to steam
5:00 put stuffing / potatoes (if appropriate) / pie in oven.
5:20 prepare salad / warm corn

No Knead Bread

This recipe comes from Alexandra's Kitchen with my own modifications because I can't seem to follow a recipe to save my life.

In a bowl, wisk together:

1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups white flour
1 T sugar
1 t salt
2 t yeast I'm using breadmaker yeast.  If you're using the stuff you need to put into water, you'll have to mix it into the water before adding it.

Mix in:

2 cups water (a little warm)  The dough is going to be very sticky and moist.  This is NOT your normal bread dough.

Grease up whatever dish you're gonna bake it in.  I chose a 9 x 13ish oval baking dish.  Tht was too large, next time I'll use a smaller casserole so it rises up the sides more.  Alexandra uses two pyrex mixing bowls.

Pour / dump the dough into your greased up pan and let it rise in a warm spot until it's doubled.  At least one - two hours.

Use a utensil to beat it down and pull it away from the edge of the baking dish.  Alexandra suggests forks.  One seemed to work for me.

Let rise for another 30 minutes.

Bake for 10 minutes at 425F.  Lower the heat to 375F and bake for 20 more minutes.

If your pan was greased well enough, the loaf should fall right out.  Mine didn't but I mentioned my inability to follow directions, right?

This took up so little of my time and it was so super good with the soup I made.  The outside was so crispy and the inside was wonderful.  I don't know what it tastes like next day yet, but I'm very optimistic.

Honey Mustard Chicken

This is my mother's recipe and I have happy mouth memories when I eat this now!  I'll write her recipe and then add my comments in another colour.

8 chicken pieces, skinned
1 tsp curry powder
½ cup orange juice I used Orange Rasberry juice 'cuz all I had in the house was Veggie Juice
2 tbsp melted butter
½ cup liquid honey
2 tbsp prepared mustard  Oooooh - 'prepared' mustard.  I used dried.  This is probably why mine wasn't as yellow as I remember Mum's
salt

Rub chicken pieces with curry powder and arrange in a baking dish.  I just sprinkled it over top.  I'm lazy like that.
In a small glass measuring cup, mix together the rest of the ingredients until smooth.
Pour over chicken pieces and bake at 375F for about 1 hour, turning once and basting often.  I covered mine in foil for the first 45 minutes because I didn't feel like turning and basting.  I'm lazy like that.

Baked Oatmeal

I only had baked oatmeal for the first time this summer when my mum cooked at camp.  Just recently I went searching for a recipe that might be similar and found an amazing recipe on food.com.  Here it is with some Lisa mods.

3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant) 
1 cup brown sugar 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon cinnamon 
1 cup milk 
½ cup butter or margarine, melted 
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 handful of almonds (perhaps ½ cup)
¾ cup blueberries


I mixed this all up in a 9 x 9 glass dish (yay for less cleaning) and baked it for 30 minutes at 350F


Serve with more brown sugar and milk. 

Orange Balsamic Chicken

I discovered a YUMMY chicken recipe in a Rachel Ray cookbook.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs orbreasts or any combination of light and dark meat
• Salt and coarse black pepper
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
• 1/3 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 scallions, whites and greens, finely chopped

PREPARATION

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high to high heat.

Season the chicken liberally with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. When the olive oil ripples, add the chicken and brown for 5 minutes, then turn and sprinkle with rosemary. Cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 5 minutes more.

In a small bowl, stir together the marmalade, vinegar and stock and pour over the chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and becomes a thin glaze. Arrange the chicken on a serving platter and serve topped with the glaze, and scallions.

Sausage Pepper Spaghetti

I adapted this recipe from a Catelli spaghetti box.  It is such a quick, easy meal!  Serves four.


Heat in a heavy sauce pan:
½ cup olive oil
½ tsp chili pepper flakes
1 tsp dried rosemary (a sprig or two fresh)
Cook for 15 minutes, strain and discard solids.


Meanwhile, prepare your favourite pasta - I used whole wheat spaghetti.


In a large skillet saute for five minutes:
The flavoured oil you just made
1 each sliced red, orange and yellow sweet peppers
1 diced length of farmer sausage (6 or 8 inches worth)

Add and saute briefly:
4 cloves of garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
A little lemon zest

Toss with spaghetti, garnish with Parmesan

Lime Sherbet

I was given an ice cream maker for a mother's day gift.  I was SO excited.  Now I had an easy way to make inexpensive, healthier ice cream.  The machine came with several recipes for sherbet as well.  This is my favourite.


2 cups whole milk
1 container frozen lime concentrate (softened)
3 T sugar

This is mixed together and placed in the ice cream machine.  Prepare according to your machine's directions.


I like a tart sherbet.  The raspberries I paired with this dessert were sweeter than the ice cream!  It was so good and refreshing.  You may want to add more sugar.  You may also want to add a bit of food colouring to make it 'lime' green

Mexican Casserole

:

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and adapted it for our family's taste.  We really enjoyed it.


brown:
1½ lb ground beef

add:
1 cups salsa
Simmer until most of the liquid is gone


add:
1 can kidney beans, drained
warm through


Grease a 9 x 12 casserole dish
Spoon beef mixture into bottom of the dish


Spread on top:
1 cup sour cream

Layer on top:
½ cup green onions
½ cup diced tomatoes

Last layer:
Grated cheese (I used Tex-Mex)

Bake in oven for approximately 30 minutes at 350F or until bubbly.

If your family enjoys olives, add them to the onion / tomato layer.  The original recipe called for crumbled tortilla chips on the bottom, but I found they got lost once the casserole was baked.  We enjoyed scooping up the casserole with tortilla chips instead of a fork.

Gooey Caramel Popcorn

I have this distressing habit of throwing stuff together to see if it works.  When it does, I have to guess what my proportions were so I can repeat my success.

So I've "thrown" this together a few times and it's always yummy.  This is my best guess for amounts.

¼ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup mini marshmallows

Melt those together in a saucepan.

I'm too impatient, but almonds or pecans and a tsp of vanilla, mixed in after the sauce is off the heat, would be really yummy.