Economical Meal of Turkey & Rice Casserole and Make Ahead Frozen Salad

If you are trying to cut back on spending and are trying to feed your family for less, casseroles are one of the best ways to go. They are almost always inexpensive and combine several of the food groups into one dish. This Turkey-Rice Casserole is a perfect example. You have meat in the turkey (or chicken which works just as well), grain in the rice, a vegetable in the broccoli, and dairy in the cheese. For a combination salad and dessert, serve Make Way Ahead Frozen Salad. This will combine cream cheese and several fruits to add more dairy and fruit to your mix. Since it must be made ahead and will keep frozen for a long time, this makes a quick and convenient meal. The casserole is quick to assemble and bake and the frozen salad can just be pulled from the freezer. This is a very friendly busy family meal.

TURKEY-RICE CASSEROLE
This recipe is from an old Southern Indiana Electric Co-op Newsletter.

Meat Casseroles

2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can evaporated milk
2 cups diced or shredded turkey (or chicken would be fine)
1 cup processed, pasteurized cheese, cubed
2 cups frozen broccoli
4 cups cooked rice (any style)
Season to taste with the following spices:
salt
pepper
garlic powder
onion powder or dried onion flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, heat soups, milk, turkey, cheese, and broccoli. Stir often. Add seasonings. Butter a baking dish and spoon rice into the prepared dish. Pour the sauce over the rice and gently mix together. Bake 20 minutes or until bubbly.

MAKE WAY AHEAD FROZEN SALAD
This salad recipe is from an old rural farm newsletter. It is a perfect "make ahead" salad for holidays and other busy times as it requires freezing and can be kept for weeks in the freezer. That makes it a great dish to keep in the freezer to pull out when a dish is needed unexpectedly.

2 (8 oz. each) pkgs cream cheese
1 cup sugar
Mix together well.

In another bowl, mix together the following ingredients:
1 cup drained crushed pineapple
1 cup maraschino cherries
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup drained fruit cocktail
1 cup miniature marshmallows
Mix well. Add to the first mixture. Fold in one large container frozen whipped topping, thawed. Pour into a large freezer-safe dish, cover tightly and freeze. Set out of freezer a few minutes before serving. Keeps a long time in the freezer.

Yield: 12-14 servings

Enjoy!

Economical Meal of Turkey & Rice Casserole and Make Ahead Frozen Salad

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