Daddy's Request

Reading that title did you think maybe Mr. Everyday was asking for something special and Monkey helped me make it? Well, that does happen in our house, a lot, but in this case, I'm not talking about my baby daddy...but instead my Daddy.

That's right, I'm 32 and I still call him Daddy. Always have, always will! Sure he's a father. And yep, a dad too. But to me, his little girl, he will forever be Daddy.

About a month ago, he was telling me about this dish he had at a buffet while out on the road. (For those of you who don't know, he's an over the road truck driver.) Cris-crossing the country on a weekly basis tends to lead to him trying to find decent food at decent prices that isn't always fast food, and tastes like home cooking when he can.

So anyway, he told me he had this amazingly yummy dish and wanted me to try to recreate it. Now, I was waiting for something I would have to really research and find a recipe for. But instead, he started describing something I think has graced most American's dinner tables at one point. Poor Daddy. Sometimes he lives such a sheltered life. LOL Okay, so that isn't true. What is true is that some of the ingredients in a standard version, and this one too, are things my mom can't eat, hence why he's never had it at home. I told him I would try to come up with my own recipe and see if I could re-create a close match to have.

The week of Thanksgiving I made this for our supper, and actually took him a bowl of leftovers when we celebrated with them. Well, it was kinda late, he had had a big meal, and dessert, but I still wanted him to taste it while I was there. So, my mom heated up a small dish for him to try. Well....let's just say that small dish turned into a bigger bowl, and he finished off the entire thing before we left! Yep, it was a hit! He declared it "delicious" and "absolutely what he was looking for." In fact, he loved it so much he made me promise to make him a couple to freeze and have on hand for simple suppers when my mom isn't home.

Ya'll know how much I love casseroles, and this is definitely going to become a staple in our house. See, what I didn't tell you yet, was Daddy was lucky to get the bowl he did because my "boys" were fighting over the dish as soon as it came out of the oven! They could not get enough and loved every bite.

This is a great simple weeknight supper, or pot-luck dish! It can freeze and travel well, and feed a crowd for pretty cheap! I'm so glad my Daddy enjoyed what I came up with for him; and I'm also grateful he requested it in the first place, because look at the yummy creation it lead to!

Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole

1 package chicken tenders

1 (12 oz.) bag frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained

8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 c. cooked rice

1/4 c. butter, diced

1 c. milk

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

1 small onion, chopped

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Arrange chicken tenders on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes until done. Remove and set aside to cool enough to handle. When cool, chop or shred.  Reduce oven to 350.

In a large bowl combine cooked chicken, rice, broccoli, cheese, milk, soups, onion, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray. Pour chicken and rice mixture into dish and spread evenly. Top with diced butter. Bake for 30-45 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted. Stir before serving.

Shared on The Country Cook Dec. 13, 2013