Fall is right around the corner. I can not wait for the cool air, the light breeze, and the beautiful colors of changing leaves all around. Right now in Atlanta, it feels as if Fall will never arrive. It's still hot, still humid, and still stifling without air conditioning. Though I know that in only a few short weeks, I will be wearing my sweaters and carving pumpkins and drinking hot chocolate reveling in my favorite season.
While this summer has been far too hot and humid for my taste so far, I felt like I needed to get my spirits up and send summer off right. What better way to celebrate summer than with a traditional low country boil. The delicious blend of potatoes, onions, corn, carrots, and shrimp mixed with the overwhelming mixture of spices cannot be recreated any other way.
I had my good friend R. teach me to make a Low Country Boil the good old fashioned southern way. According to R., there is no other way. He has been making this dish for years and has the timing down to a science. Even though we scaled the recipe down to feed four instead of 40, it still came out wonderful. All you need is a large stock pot, lots of newspapers, and hungry people.
It's casserole time! When you are looking for some comfort food for dinner, chicken tetrazzini is where you should turn. With layers of flavor and many different textures in this baked dish, this is perfect for a busy night's dinner after work or for a night when you just need something hearty.
Begin by placing 1/4 cup of diced onions in a skillet with some melted butter. Stir occasionally until the onions begin to get translucent. I used red onion because it's what I had, but you can use any type of onion you have on hand. Then, add 1/4 cup of mushrooms in too. I used the precooked, presliced mushrooms you get in a jar, but fresh mushrooms would be even better. Just stir around until they get tender. These two elements will make this dish have an even deeper level of flavor.
Next, you will want to cook the chicken. I used my boyfriend's George Foreman grill, which is absolutely amazing at cooking all sorts of things, but feel free to use whatever method you like best. Just make sure the chicken is cooked through.
Then, slice or shred the chicken into small pieces. Add these pieces to the skillet with the onions and mushrooms. At the same time the chicken is cooking, put 1/2 pound of spaghetti pasta in boiling water. Don't forget to salt the water before you add the pasta! Cook until just al dente or still has a little bite. Add these cooked noodles directly to the skillet after it has been drained.
The next step is to add one small can of cream of mushroom soup to the mix. After stirring around all the ingredients, add in 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and continue to stir until combined. If you feel the mixture is a little thick, add 1/4 cup of beef or chicken broth. Then, pour the entire mixture into a greased baking dish. I used my banana bread pan, but use whatever size or shape of pan you can get your hands on.
I then added a little something special to the top of the dish. I melted two tablespoons of butter and mixed it with 1/4 cup breadcrumbs. I then sprinkled this mixture all over the top of the caserole. Believe me, this delicious topping will absolutely make your dish! Put the chicken tetrazzini in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
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