Fall is just around the corner. Be ready for it with a homey meal.
Fall brings back football, school days, and a return to the comfort foods that go well with both. Light a pumpkin-scented candle, make a cup of tea, and get ready to cook one of these delicious recipes for your family. Rich, creamy, cheesy… enjoy!
Chicken Pot Pie
Contributed by Renee Bunch – “I received this recipe from a coworker and modified it to get a better topping. It’s been a family favorite ever since. It’s healthy and reheats well for leftovers. It’s also great for family gatherings and potlucks.”
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients
3-4 pounds bone-in split chicken breasts
3 teaspoons salt
Dash of cayenne pepper
Dash of black pepper
12 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
10.5 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup
10.5 ounces condensed cream of celery soup
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 ¾ cups self-rising flour
1 ¾ cups milk
½ cup butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Boil chicken with salt, red pepper, and black pepper and save broth. Let chicken cool and cut into cubes. Place chicken in bottom of a 9 x 13 greased baking dish. Pour vegetables over chicken. Mix together the two soups and ½ cup of your saved broth. Pour evenly over vegetables. Mix flour, milk, butter, and baking powder and pour over casserole. Bake for one hour. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Kitchen Tips
Have leftover rotisserie chicken? Use that in place of the cooked chicken, sprinkled with a little bit of salt and pepper. Substitute canned broth.
Turkey Chili
Contributed by Anne Morgan – “Since my husband doesn’t like beans, we have discovered the great chili bean replacement: chickpeas. But if you don’t like chickpeas or just prefer beans, I’d go with a can of kidney beans instead.”
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients
1 pd ground turkey
1 large onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 ½ cups diced bell pepper, any color
6 ounces tomato paste
14.5 ounces canned, stewed tomatoes,undrained
2 cups chicken broth
1 heaping Tablespoon chili powder
1 heaping teaspoon cumin
¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
15.25 ounces canned corn, drained
15 ounces canned chickpeas or kidney beans,drained
Directions
In a large soup pot over medium heat, brown ground turkey and season with salt and pepper. When nearly cooked through, add diced onion and minced garlic. Cook an additional two to three minutes. Add oil and diced bell peppers and cook for another two to three minutes, until peppers are softened. Season again with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste and stewed tomatoes and stir. Add chicken broth and stir until mixture is completely combined. Season with chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes (adjusted to your liking for spice). Simmer for 10-15 minutes on low heat. Add corn and chickpeas and simmer for another 15-20 minutes.
Kitchen Tips
After adding the corn and chickpeas, you can simmer for as long as you want. The flavor will only get better over time.
Pineapple-Cheddar Cornbread
Contributed by Katie Martin – “Pineapple, cheese, and cornbread, how could you go wrong? Serve it with all different types of chicken dishes. It takes an ordinary meal and makes it special!”
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened
4 eggs
14.5 ounces canned creamed corn
8 ounces crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 pan. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another large mixing bowl, beat softened butter with a mixer for one minute. Add eggs to butter, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat until well-combined. Fold in creamed corn, pineapple, and cheese. Spread in pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool before cutting.
Kitchen Tip
To fold ingredients into a batter, use a spatula to go around the edges of the bowl, then over the center. Repeat as needed until all ingredients are incorporated. This method keeps the batter from being over-mixed and keeps your finished product light and fluffy.
Pantry List
Chicken Pot Pie – baking powder, black pepper, butter, cayenne pepper, milk, salt, self-rising flour
Turkey Chili – chili powder, cumin, garlic, onion, red pepper flakes, tomato paste
Pineapple-Cheddar Cornbread – baking powder, butter, cornmeal, cheddar cheese, eggs, flour, salt, sugar
Shopping List
Chicken Pot Pie – chicken, cream of celery soup, cream of chicken soup, frozen mixed vegetables
Turkey Chili – canned corn, chicken broth, bell peppers, canned chickpeas or kidney beans, ground turkey, stewed tomatoes
Pineapple-Cheddar Cornbread – creamed corn, crushed pineapple
This article originally appeared in HomeLife Magazine. HomeLife is looking for family-friendly, budget-conscious, original recipes from readers like you. Simply email us your recipe, name and contact info to homelife@lifeway.com. We will pay $25 for each recipe that is printed. We regret that mailed submissions cannot be accepted. Recipes become the property of HomeLife and may be edited prior to publication. Share your recipe with HomeLife!