Poppy Seed Chicken

I know that technically casseroles aren't the "in" thing but I do love them. Casseroles are what has made America great, I tell you.

A little of this, a little of that and an hour later you've got a meal that your family loves (casseroles are traditionally skimpy on scary vegetables and big on sauces, fat, meat and carbs) and your kitchen smells so good strangers will want to poke their head in and see what's cooking.

This is a recipe my friend Ruth shared and I trust her so implicitly when it comes to food that I knew right away it would be a keeper. I did mine a little differently than she did hers but the results are the same: happy families.

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (Ruth used 3 pounds of chicken tenders)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream (Ruth used 1 cup)
1/2 cup ricotta (I used ricotta instead of the extra sour cream)
1 cup shredded zucchini (I had to stick veggies in there somewhere to justify all that fat)
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 dozen Ritz crackers, crushed
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
16 ounces spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained (Ruth used wide noodles)

Mix soups, sour cream and ricotta then add chicken and zucchini. Add noodles and toss to coat. Pour into greased baking dish. Mix butter, cracks and poppy seeds together and use to top the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees until nicely browned.

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I've been sent several cook books lately to review and I can say confidently that they're good ones to have in your library.

First, there's The Art of Preserving by Williams Sonoma and if, like me, you have other Williams Sonoma cook books then you'll know without me saying a thing that this book is a great one.

I require LOTS of pictures in my cook books and this one does the trick, the photography is beautiful and there is something so inherently picturesque about jars of preserves that the book has a homey feel.

It has recipes for pickles, jams, marmalades, jellies, chutneys, sauces and condiments and ways to preserve them that are as creative as they are beautiful. I've made lots of jam but always with the pre-packaged pectins. These recipes generally don't call for pectin and I'm getting ready this week to give a few of the recipes to see how they fare. Something about lemon jelly sounds so delicious I've just got to try.

If you'd like to give jam making a try this fall this would be a good way to start and if you've made jams before it would be a good way to expand your repertoire. I'll be sure to report my own results.

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