Curry Chicken And Broccoli Casserole and Canned Cream of --- Substitute

Curry Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

• 1 can cream of celery soup (Or homemade substitute*)
• 1 c. mayonnaise
• 1 T. curry powder (more or less to taste)
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 2 c. cubed chicken, cooked
• 1 bag frozen broccoli
• 1 -2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1. Combine soup, mayonnaise, curry powder, and salt & pepper, to taste. Layer chicken and broccoli in a 13 x 9 casserole dish. Pour sauce over top. Top the whole thing with shredded cheese, cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Serve over rice.

*I always make a homemade substitute for any recipe that calls for a canned, cream of soup. I think learning how to make a white sauce, and all the variations thereof, has been the best kitchen skill I've learned for cooking from scratch. I use this basic recipe to make cheese sauce, cream of substitutes, gravy, and many other things.

• 1/4 c. butter, margarine, or meat drippings/fat
• 1/2 c. appropriate veggies (ie. onions, celery, mushrooms, etc.), optional
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1 3/4 - 2 c. liquid
• salt & pepper to taste, and any other appropriate seasonings

For tonight's cream of celery substitute:

1. Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add 1/2 c. finely diced celery; cook until translucent.
2. Whisk in 1/4 c. flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add 1 1/2 c. milk and 1/4 c. chicken stock. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Continue to cook until desired consistency. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Use as you would canned cream of celery soup.

For a chicken gravy, I would do the same thing except use 2 c. chicken stock instead on the 1 3/4 cups of liquid from step 3 above. I would also add some more appropriate seasonings.

For a beef gravy, I would use drippings or drained fat in place of butter or margarine. I would also use 2 c. beef stock and appropriate seasonings.