Something is in the oven

When you are looking for somthing easy to cook, yet grocery shopping is something that needs to be done, the question comes up..."What to Cook?" I ran into this very problem and wondered what to do. I wanted to make something new; I wanted to make something edible; and mostly, I wanted to make something my family would enjoy. So....

Something is in the oven, and I am not quite sure what it is. Grocery shopping is a must, but there is so many things in the cupboard that must be used up. When push comes to shove, you got to make a meal for the family. Am I promising tonight we won’t be eating McDonald’s once my concoction comes out - nope! At this point I am not really sure if it is even edible or if it will taste good. We will see in about 25 minutes and then will be the test of time… to see if my family doesn’t get sick from food poisoning.

With only two chicken breasts left in the freezer (not enough to feed a family of five) I devised a plan and improvised a little on the way. I found a package of Broccoli and Cheddar soup mix (just add water) and some egg noodles in the cabinet. It’s bound to make something edible. I also found some Ritz Crackers and canned chicken. With some string cheese and parmesan cheese in the fridge, I came up with a plan.

I cut the chicken breasts in chunks and placed them on the bottom of an 8x13 pan. I sprinkled some garam masala and minced onion over the top. I cooked at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, I made the Broccoli and Cheddar soup mix and boiled the noodles.

Once the chicken was out of the oven, I crumbled up 1/3 of the Ritz Crackers over the top. I layered on half of the noodles and then spread half of the soup over the top. I then sprinkled some more Ritz Crackers on top of the soup mix. I added the canned chicken. And Sprinkled on some parmesan. I put the remaining noodles and soup over top. Then I decorated the top with the remaining Ritz crackers, added some more Parmesan and then I ripped off slices of the string cheese and placed it on top in a checkered pattern. Once completed, I put the whole concoction back in the oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. So I sit and wait, wondering if it is edible or not!

Supper is done. The concoction is on the table, along with some green beans and bread with butter. We all sit and just stare, the 1 year old baby is the only one brave enough to dig in without so much of a hesitation. We all sat and watched. He seemed to enjoy himself, so we all joined in.

I was pleasantly surprised at my little creation. Not only did it actually look good, but it tasted good as well. The kids loved it and my husband agreed. My little boy ate it all and my girls even licked their plates clean. We do have leftovers, so what can I really say, another successful night of supper at home. Maybe I will have to add this to the list of family dinners everybody will eat!

Now by no means am I claiming to be a chef. Usually nights like these usually end up in the drive thru at McDonalds. But what can I say, tonight was successful. We all have full bellies and were pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted. I could describe it as a cheesy noodle chicken bake, but honestly, if you want to experience it, you are going to have to make it yourself. I could give you a name for it, but it was never given one… so for now, I present “Something in the Oven!”