Cornfields and Chicken Wild Rice Casserole

Running through cornfields
with my three beautiful daughters
who thought I was crazy
and unlawful to trespass
just to play tag!
But we have fun memories.
You can see the joy in Anna's face!
We
Giggled,
Squealed,
Got muddy.
And felt the joy of life.
I've had my second surgery to rid my body of thyroid cancer, and everything's going well. I have a well-earned scar on my neck that I wear with honor as a symbol of the tough stuff life throws at you to keep you brave. (I've banned the word strong from my vocabulary and can't wear my LiveStrong bracelet anymore!) You're not strong. You just have to go through the door put in front of you, whether you want to or not. And this year I've gone through enough doors. Separation in January. New job in March. Cancer and surgery in June. Second surgery in November.

I'm very lucky to work with wonderful people. One of them is Ted. He's like no other person I've ever met who always has a wild story and knows just what to say at the right time. He makes me laugh and enjoy life. {Sara, you're lucky to be married to such a wonderful guy.} Ted wrote this poem for me the day before my second surgery.


hospital poesy
--------------

there you
unmatched by fire
butterfly-throated
still shine

there you
who breathes by taste
and tongue

who small-to-big laugh
bites the world

bites this whole world
and holds fast
juices streaming
on your chin

do not waver

there you
not small but grand

there you
green gowned
still glow

strength is a story
we all tell each other
a whistle

in the dark
a feather clasped to breast

no cell, no knife
just you
just life

and onward, upward
past such strife

©Ted Rodney

I will be past such strife with friends like you.
Thanks, Ted. :)

This comforting Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole is a twist on a classic potluck favorite. With the skills I’ve learned at Le Cordon Bleu, I’ve enhanced the flavors of this simple dish, which originally came from the Best of Bridge (affiliate link) cookbook. The key is in how you build the flavors step by step, starting from the chicken itself.

What Le Cordon Bleu Basic Cuisine taught me: how to build flavor. At every step you can build flavor, starting with the chicken. Dry the chicken. Otherwise, it can't brown well. Salt and pepper it just before sautéing it. Heat the pan until hot and then add the oil. {I like peanut oil.} When all is good and hot, add the chicken, but only enough to cover one layer of the pan. Do not overcrowd. Make sure you get a good browning going. Don't turn the chicken over too soon. Let it do its thing, and get brown. {To avoid the smoke alarm from going off, clean the pan of dark bits in between each batch of browning and turn your overhead fan on!} When all the chicken is cooked, deglaze with a bit of chicken stock (or even better, wine!) to get all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan off and pour them over the chicken.

Butter makes everything taste better. Sauté the onions in butter until translucent (not brown!). Add the wine, deglaze, and reduce until half. Then add the chicken stock. {Use the best chicken stock you can find or make your own!}

Make sure you season with salt. This is basically a mushroom soup with chicken and wild rice. You can't go wrong unless you have friends like Ted who doesn't like mushrooms or other friends who are allergic to dairy! LOL

Recipe: Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

adapted from Best of Bridge (affiliate link)

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

3 cups diced chicken (cooked)
1 cup wild rice (cooked)
½ cup butter
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup white wine
¼ cup flour
1 cup sliced mushrooms (fresh is best!)
1 cup chicken stock
1½ cups light cream (I use whole milk sometimes)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
½ cup slivered almonds (I've used sliced almonds too)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish. Combine the cooked chicken and wild rice, and set aside.
   
   
2. In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms, sautéing until the onions are translucent (don’t let them brown!).
   
   
3. Deglaze with white wine, cooking until the wine reduces by half. Remove from heat and stir in flour to create a roux.
   
   
4. Add the chicken stock and water (to total 1½ cups), mixing well. Stir in the cream, salt, and pepper, and cook while stirring until the mixture thickens.
   
   
5. Combine the chicken, wild rice, and sauce, mixing well. Stir in the fresh parsley.
   
   
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish, and sprinkle with almonds on top.
   
   
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

Note: This dish can be made ahead of time. Simply prepare the sauce and chicken mixture, then bake when ready.

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