Creamy Chicken Manicotti

I've always thought I must have a little Italian blood in me somewhere. I've never found any in my periodic genealogy searches but it's got to be there. I love pasta and I talk with my hands. Isn't that some kind of qualification for being Italian? Okay. Maybe it's just another weird Southern trait looking for an excuse.

This is a wonderful company dish. It's also a wonderful anytime dish. Be prepared for lots of laughs as you prepare it though. I never have managed to stuff those manicotti shells too well. I tend to shove the ingredients in one end of the shell and watch it come out the other. I know there's a trick to it. It's just that after all these years, I still haven't found it. This is worth the effort though. Just remember to laugh.

Chicken Manicotti

8 manicotti shells
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 (4-oz) can sliced mushrooms, undrained
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Cook the manicotti shells according to the package directions except don't add the salt. Drain. Set them aside.

Combine the soup and sour cream together, stirring well. Combine half the soup mixture with the chopped chicken. Stir well. Stuff the chicken mixture into the manicotti shells. Remember to laugh as you do this. Place stuffed shells into a greased 12 x 8 x 2 Pyrex dish. It's okay to use another type of dish. I just have a Pyrex dish that's perfect for Chicken Manicotti.

Place onion and margarine in a skillet. Saute until the onion is tender. Add the mushrooms. Stir in reserved soup mixture. Pour this over the manicotti shells.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake an additional five minutes.

This serves about four people.

Chicken Parmesan

A friend of my parents recently asked for a recipe for Chicken Parmesan. Of course, he asked my mother. The woman who batters and fries just about everything.

I rarely make this anymore. (See above for the reason.) However, I once baked Chicken Parmesan quite a bit. The little recipe card has the splatters and edges to prove it. I love it because it doesn't require a great deal of time to prepare. I could focus on the remainder of the meal while this baked, just turning it when the little timer told me to. I always set the timer. Some folks blame memory loss on age. I've always had that problem. It's called distraction. So I set the timer.

Chicken Parmesan

1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon oregano
dash garlic powder
dash pepper
2 lbs chicken breasts
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
Paprika

Combine crumbs, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic and pepper. Roll chicken in the mixture. The original recipe (I have no idea where it came from!) called for "chicken parts." In my world, skinless, boneless chicken breasts are the only way to go.

Arrange the battered chicken breasts in a shallow, 2-quart baking dish.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken over. Bake another 20 minutes.

Stir the soup and milk together. Pour it over the chicken. Sprinkle with paprika and the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.

Bake 20 minutes more or until the chicken is tender. Arrange chicken on a fancy platter. Okay, a regular platter will do but it will effect the table presentation. Stir the sauce that is still in the baking pan. Pour it over the chicken.

Serve. The recipe said this feeds 4 people but if you serve it with vegetables, bread and dessert (and you will because this is the South) it will feed 6.