Scrumptious Chicken Broccoli Divan with Bacon

A couple of nights ago, I was clueless about what to make for dinner.  I had 2 thawed skinless boneless chicken breasts, but no plan!  I could not think of anything so I started going through some old recipes I used to use and found this "oldie but goodie".  Fortunately, I had all of the ingredients on hand (hardly ever happens!).  Finally, a plan for dinner ~ YAY!


The original recipe from Campbell's Kitchen does not include bacon or the seasonings I used for the chicken, but one of my sons requested bacon to be added so I did.  The bacon and seasonings added some really great flavor to the casserole!


The recipe is below.  I hope you and yours enjoy it!

Scrumptious Chicken Broccoli Divan with Bacon


*** I seasoned the chicken breasts with coarsely-ground garlic powder, Lawry's Seasoned Salt, black pepper, and a little Himalayan pink salt (any kid of salt is fine) before sauteing them in olive oil.  The casserole was served with steamed brown rice (simmered in chicken broth for more flavor) and steamed butternut squash . . . it was a very yummy dinner which my kids really liked! ***


Serves:  4 to 6


4 cups cooked broccoli florets (cook/steam until tender, yet firm)
11/2 cups cubed cooked chicken (can also use rotisserie chicken)
1 can (103/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup (reduced sodium or fat free soup will work fine in this recipe)
1/3 cup milk
3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp. dry bread crumbs (I used French's fried onion rings instead!)
1 Tbsp. butter, melted (omit if using French's friend onion rings)


Preheat oven to 450 degrees.


Spray 2-quart shallow baking dish with cooking spray.  Place cooked broccoli and chicken in baking dish.


In a small bowl, mix soup and milk; pour over the broccoli and chicken.  If adding bacon to the casserole, sprinkle the bacon crumbles on top of the soup mixture.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Mix bread crumbs with melted butter and sprinkle on top.  (If using French's fried onion rings instead of bread crumbs, omit the butter and sprinkle the onion rings on top of the bacon and cheese.)

Tasty Restaurant Style Salsa

Since I have obviously been in a Tex-Mex frame of mind lately, I am going to post a great recipe I made recently for salsa!  It was really easy and yummy!  I only made half a batch of the salsa, but am posting the full recipe below.


I found the recipe on Pinterest (my new favorite obsession!).  I believe the original is from www.browneyedbaker.com and was adapted from a recipe by The Pioneer Woman.


The next time I make it, I plan to use fresh tomatoes (instead of canned) to see if it tastes even tastier!


The recipe is below, with my changes notated in parentheses.  Grab a bag of tortilla chips and enjoy!

Restaurant Style Salsa


***This makes a large quantity so use an 11-cup food processor or larger.  You can also work in batches OR half the recipe if you have a smaller food processor.***


Yield:  About 6 cups


Prep Time:  15 minutes


1  28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes with juice
2  10-oz. cans Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles (I used Rotel Mexican Lime & Cilantro)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno, quartered and sliced thin (remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeno for a milder salsa)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
juice from 1/2 a fresh lime
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cumin


Add all ingredients to a food processor.  Pulse until you get the desired consistency, about 10 pulses.  Refrigerate for at least one hour and then serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Can't Get Enough Guacamole!

I absolutely LOVE Tex-Mex (a.k.a. Mexican food) and have been eating it since I was a toddler, from what my mother has told me.  In the 70's and 80's, we used to eat at the El Fenix Restaurant (a Dallas institution since 1918; http://elfenix.com/ ) on Northwest Highway, near NorthPark Center, in Dallas several times a month.  My mother would always offer me the guacamole-donned tostada that came with her meal, as one did not come with the children's meal.  Of course, I always gladly accepted her tostada and devoured it and the creamy guacamole in short time!  :-)

Below is a terrific guacamole recipe I have been using for awhile.  I am not sure where the recipe originated from, but it's really fresh, easy, and yummy!  Each time I make this for a gathering, it's one of the first things to get eaten up!  (Will post a pic the next time I make it!)

The recipe follows!

Can't Get Enough Guacamole

5-6 large ripe avocados

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & chopped

1/2 medium sized red onion, finely chopped

3-4 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 lime, juiced

1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mash together until smooth.  Add additional lime juice or salt to taste.

Serve with tortilla or corn chips!

Frito Salad

Here is another family favorite!  I usually serve this salad with my enchilada casserole and some jalapeno cornbread . . . it's sooooo good!  (Please refer to my blog entry dated 1/22/12 for the enchilada casserole recipe!)   


I apologize for not having a photo to post with this recipe (will post a pic the next time I make it), but trust me this is a really yummy salad!  You and yours will love it!


The recipe is below ~ dig in and enjoy!

Frito Salad

Salad Ingredients:

1 head iceberg lettuce (I use Romaine lettuce and iceberg lettuce.)
1 can chili beans, rinsed and drained
chopped green onion
tomatoes, diced
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 cups Original Fritos corn chips (the small ones)
Catalina salad dressing, chilled


Toss all of the ingredients in a bowl and serve!