Well, I made a decision today to begin sharing recipes, crafts, and other kinds of random things on our blog.   I am alone for most of every day… so it also gives me a chance to “talk” with others during the day. I’m TOTALLY in need of some companionship! The puppies are great, but they don’t do a lot of talking. I NEED AN OUTLET!! I’m going NUTS being alone all day!! (Wow… what a whiner I am…. oh well… deal with it. It’s me. )
So… let’s start by telling you a bit about myself. I am married to a great guy who has joined me on a crazy journey starting a small farm. The reason for the farm is to share our produce, eggs, and anything else that we make, with others who have less than we do.  It may sound “noble”… but it’s really just something that we feel strongly about it. Also, since there are only 2-3 people living here at the farm at any one time, you would not BELIEVE the amount of leftovers we have. LOL!
Other things about me: I’ve got two great kids (20 and 16). I don’t work because I have severe rheumatoid arthritis. I am waiting to hear back from the social security administration about my application for disability. (Seriously… could the government be ANY SLOWER??) Since I’m unable to walk, drive, or use my hands on some days… think about that and you can imagine how long it takes me to type this blog. lol…… disability seemed like the only way to go for now. I am hoping it is temporary.

NOW…. let’s move on to the business at hand. I thought I’d share some fun recipes, craft ideas, and other kinds of stuff that you might be interested in. At least, I HOPE it’s interesting. (insert uncomfortable pause here.)

Today, I’m going to share with you what I’m making for dinner tonight. It’s a super simple chicken dish. You can use rotisserie chicken from the store or just cook your own and shred or dice it up. (I’ll tell you a secret. I cook chicken pretty often. Since I have lots of recipes that call for diced chicken, I cook a bunch of chicken ahead of time and pop it into the freezer in 1-2 cup pouches. I’ll share HOW I make the chicken soon, I promise.)

This recipe is super easy and can be switched up to match YOUR family’s tastes. I’m not the kitchen police… your house, your rules. Change it any way you want! The way it is written is pretty yummy. I usually change it up depending upon what I’ve got in the kitchen at the time. 🙂

Crunchy Chicken Casserole

2 cups of diced rotisserie chicken {or any other cooked chicken}
1 can cream of chicken soup {can use low-sodium or Healthy Request}
1 cup uncooked rice, cooked {about 2 1/2 cups cooked}
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 c diced celery
1/2-3/4 crushed corn flakes- {today, I’m using crunchy onions instead of corn flakes!}

Preheat oven to 350. Toss the first 7 ingredients into bowl. Grease a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. (This will fit in a 8×8 or 9×9 pan… but I like more “crunchies” on the top. I mean, seriously, who wouldn’t?) Stir all the ingredients and put into your pan. Top with your crunchy topping of choice. (Wow… the possibilities are endless: ritz crackers, potato chips, tortilla chips, grasshopppers for extra protein. LOL… just checking to see if you were paying attention) Drizzle the melted butter over the top of your crunchies. (You actually don’t HAVE to drizzle butter on the top if you’re using chips or crunchy onions. I would use it if I was using crackers, panko, or cereal… just my opinion)

Bake for 30-40 minutes until hot and bubbly.

I serve this with a side salad or other green veggie. This next week I’ll share with you my go-to salad recipe. It’s what my family loves. 🙂

Thank you SO much for joining me on this foodie journey. Please spread the word and subscribe to gather and try all the yummy recipes, crafts, and… well… ramblings that I post. 🙂 TTFN! (Ta-ta for now!)