Easy Chicken Pot Pie

 * Recipe Adapted from Campbell Soup "Ultimate Chicken Pot Pie" recipe

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees (maybe 375)

1 package (about 14 ounces) refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts), at room temperature

1 can (10 oz) Cream of Chicken Soup

1/3 c water or milk

2 cans (10 oz each) of canned chicken

2 c frozen mixed vegetables (thawed)

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

Combine cream of chicken soup, water and seasonings in a bowl (salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder to taste) and stir

Add canned chicken & vegetables and stir to combine. 

Roll out crust onto bottom of pie plate, pour chicken mixture in and spread. Sprinkle cheese over the top of mixture. Place the remaining pie crust over the filling.  Trim any excess.  Crimp the edges of the top and bottom crusts together.  Using a sharp knife, cut several slits in the top crust.

Bake for approx 35 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Mushroom & Spinach Chicken Bake

4 small chicken breasts (alternatively use 2 cans of chunk chicken)
1 c uncooked long grain white rice
2 c chopped mushrooms (about half an 8 oz pkg)
1 c fresh spinach (just tear the stems off and throw in )
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c sour cream
1 3/4 c water
1/2 c shredded colby jack cheese
1/2 t onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

Dump everything in a 9x13 pan, stir together. Bake at 400 degrees, about 45 minutes but make sure chicken is cooked through and rice is done

Yum-o Chili Mac

My version of Rachel Ray's Chili Mac. I don't usually like Chili because I don't like beans, but this is yum- o! It's super-easy and makes incredible leftovers.

1 pound of pasta (penne, macaroni, rotini or bowtie, something bite-size)
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 an onion
one green and one red pepper (or two green red are sometimes really expensive)
2-3 cloves garlic or 2 tsp crushed garlic (I LOVE the kind in a jar - my hands don't smell afterward)
1 cup of beef stock
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 cup of shredded cheddar, smoked cheddar, colby jack or whatever you have on hand


Start a big pot of boiling water, add the pasta when ready. While pasta is cooking, brown meat in large stock pot. Drain meat if desired, and add chili powder and crushed pepper. Stir and then add onions, garlic and peppers, cook until peppers are soft. Add beef stock and crushed tomatoes. Cook a couple of more minutes, add the pasta, mix well and pour into casserole dish. Cover the top with shredded cheese, pop in the oven to broil (or put it on 400 if you don't have a broiler like me). Take it out and serve with sour cream, avocados or crushed chips.