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It is about using canned foods in our cooking today. From apples to zucchini there over 2,000 varieties of food items in cans and more in the really larger supermarkets. Along with traditional canned favorites such as canned tomatoes, beans etc., you will find many food specialty foods that can quickly be put together for a meal, such as Oriental, Mexican, Italian, etc. It’s on the shelves waiting to make a quick meal for you.  

Let’s go right to recipes using canned foods.

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CAN-CAN CHINESE CASSEROLE
2 – 15-1/2 oz. cans French-cut green beans, drained
1 – 15 oz. can bean sprouts, drained
1 – 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 small onion, coarsely diced
3 T. soy sauce or low-sodium soy sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 – 3-1/2 oz. can French-fried onions

In a bowl, combine first 4 ingredients. Stir in soy sauce. Combine soup with milk; Gently mix into veggies. Turn into a greased 2-qt. casserole or 9 x 9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minute or until hot. Sprinkle French-fried onions over top. Continue baking for 10 minutes.  Makes 6 servings. If you wish you can serve hot rice on the side.  Note: If using a 9 x 9 pan, bake about 18 minutes or until hot.

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TAMALE CASSEROLE
1 lb. ground beef
2 t. chili powder
1 can tomato soup, undiluted
1/2 c. salsa
1/4 c. water
1 c. diced green pepper
1 – 8-3/4 oz. can whole kernel corn
1 – 12 oz. pkg. corn muffin mix

In a fry pan, cook beef with chili powder until beef is browned, stirring to separate meat. Spoon off fat.  Stir in next 5 ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 5 minutes. Turn into a 2-qt. casserole or 9 x 9-inch baking pan.

Prepare corn muffin mix according to pkg. directions.  Spoon evenly over soup mixture.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center of muffin mixture comes out clean.  Makes 6 servings.  Note: If using a 9 x 9 pan check bread at 20  minutes.

It doesn’t matter if the weather temperature is jumping up and down, it isn’t too warm to have a filling soup along with French, pumpernickel or some other type of bread and a salad to round out this soup for a good meal.

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TEX MEX CORN CHOWDER
1-14-3/4 oz. can cream style corn
1 – 8-3/4 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
1 – 14-1/2oz. can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, undrained
1 – 15 oz. can black, kidney or chili  beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. each, chicken broth (can use chicken bouillon to make broth) and water
Shredded Cheddar cheese or chopped fresh chili peppers, optional

In a large saucepan bring all ingredients to a boil except cheese and chili peppers; reduce heat and simmer, covered, 5 to 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle each serving with cheese or chili peppers if you wish.

Makes 4 – 5 servings.  Note: For a hearty chowder, add 1 – 8-3/4 can lima beans, drained or stir in 1 cup cooked, cubed chicken or 1/2 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained.

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This is a quick way to make cheese sauce in the microwave.

CHEESE SAUCE
6 T. cream cheese, cubed
1 – 11 - oz. can Cheddar cheese soup
1/4 c. milk
Dash cayenne pepper or a couple drops of hot sauce (Tabasco sauce)

Place cream cheese in a 1 qt. microwave-safe bowl or casserole. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 30 seconds or until softened. Stir in soup, milk and pepper. Microwave on HIGH 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth, stirring twice during heating. Serve over veggies, pasta or as a dip for raw veggies or heavy bread cubes, such as French Bread, baguettes or pieces of bagels.  If you like your sauce a little peppier, add a little more pepper or  hot sauce.

Thought for the Day: Over the years of cooking and baking  using the correct size pan or casserole dish is important for the best out-come. Don’t get me going on some cookbooks that will say, “pour into a pan and bake in a moderate oven” or doesn’t say how many servings it makes. Wow, I could go on but there wouldn’t be room for other stories on this page!

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