The One True Casserole

It is true, Mormons love casseroles. And why not? Many of the recipes go hand-in-hand with serious church ideals such as frugality, the guideline to eat meat “sparingly," and emergency preparedness. Casseroles can be a delicious way to stretch grocery dollars and efficiently feed a large family. Many of their common ingredients are long-lasting and can rotate as part of a Mormon family's typical bunker food storage. Recombining these ingredients in different ways offers some variety while making the flavors palatable to even very picky children. And let's face it, if you've got 6 kids, some of them are bound to be picky.

 

Along with information about the Godhead and the Golden Plates, It is possible that Joseph Smith was given several casserole recipes using cheese and condensed soup.

We ate casseroles all the time when I was little - but Chicken Broccoli Casserole (now lovingly referred to as "Chicken Broc") was the classic. I admit, there were years that I ate around the broccoli. But over time, I grew to love all of it. The smell and taste now remind me of happy times, growing up in Holladay, Utah.

There are many versions of the recipe, but this is our family's. I am pretty sure if you pray about it, you will know it's true.

The One True Chicken Broccoli Casserole

• 2 - 3 big florets of Broccoli - cut up
• 2 chicken breasts - cooked and shredded*
• 1/2 C mayo
• 1 can cream of chicken soup (use healthy request if you have to avoid MSG)
• Enough grated cheese to top
• Cooked rice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put broccoli and chicken in an 8 X 8 pan. In a small mixing bowl, combine mayo and soup. Pour over chicken and broccoli. Top with grated cheese. Bake for 30 min until all is hot and the cheese on top is lightly toasted.

A humble prayer asking that the food to "nourish and strengthen your bodies" is optional but highly recommended.

Serve over rice and dig in!

*Frozen chicken breasts are easy to bake up for this. Preheat oven to 375. Bake uncovered frozen breasts 20 to 30 minutes, or until juices run clear when thickest part of chicken is pierced and temperature on instant read thermometer reaches 170°F.