Marleen's luncheon recipes

Chef Marleen (Miller) Pytlik, catered an incredible meal for us to share at our November, 2014, President's House luncheon. Here are the recipes for Marleen's wonderful luncheon offerings:

BEST EVER CHICKEN CASSEROLE:  4 cups cooked chicken; 1 c diced celery; 1 8oz can water chestnuts; 20 oz bag broccoli--2 cans cream of chicken soup; ½ c mayo; 1 c sour cream; 2 tbsp. onion & 2 tbsp. lemon juice; 2 tsp salt--2 1/2 c  stuffing bread(about 1 box); 1 stick of butter.  Use a 9X13 baking dish, line pan with stuffing bread, melt butter and drizzle over crumbs. Combine the cream soups and rest of creamy ingredients; fold in the chicken and veggies. Pour into pan, spread evenly and sprinkle almonds on top.  Bake 350 for 1hour, covered. Uncover for 10 minutes, remove from oven and let set up for 15 min. Serves 12.

STEAMED CRANBERRY PUDDING W/ BUTTER SAUCE:  place 1 1/2 c flour in a bowl, add 2 tsp soda-stir together and set aside. Heat 1/2 c milk then add 1/2 cup molasses, stir well and add to the flour/soda in bowl. Mix well.  Add 1/2 pkg fresh, washed cranberries.  Fold in; batter will be very stiff. Place in greased (sprayed) pan and steam in oven or in Crockpot for 1 1/2 hours or until top of pudding is firm and not sticky.  Turn pan upside down on a rack until pudding falls out on rack. Cool completely, wrap in plastic wrap and store in fridge or freezer until needed. Serve warm with butter sauce.

For those who are not familiar with steaming in a crockpot or the oven, here is a brief description of the processes. When using a crockpot, use an insert pan for the crockpot (available from Rival online for about $15).  It is about the size of a 2# coffee can which could be used if you can find one.  Just line it with parchment or foil and cover loosely with a piece of foil.  Kind of "tent" it so that any condensation runs off instead of going into the pudding which would ruin it. Then put the crockpot cover on the crpot.  The crockpot should be set on HI and put about 1/2 cup of water in it and steam for about 1 1/2 hours. Carefully remove can (pan) from the crockpot and place upside down on a rack to cool.  The pudding will drop down onto the rack.  Then just let it cool and wrap in plastic and store in the fridge.

To steam in the oven, place pudding in a pan that will fit into a bigger pan so hot water can be poured in around the smaller pan.  I would cover loosely with wax paper and the oven should be set at 325 deg.  I suppose it will take about an hour.  I have never done it this way.   But I know it works.  Check after an hour to see if the cake is done by tapping a finger in the middle of the top and if it springs back it is done.

BUTTER SAUCE:  In a saucepan, place 1 stick butter, 1/2 c cream & 1 cup sugar.  Heat until the ingredients  all come together and the sugar is dissolved.  Bring just to a boil.  Add 1 tsp vanilla if desired.  Serve warm over warm cranberry pudding.

Check your fat and cholesterol meters at the door & ENJOY!  -- Marleen (Miller) Pytlik