I think I got the feed-a-crowd-gene from my Chicago Slovak relatives. There were eight brothers and sisters, four were bachelors/spinsters, the rest were married with an average of two offspring. That meant setting a big table, even if it was one family at a time.

I learned with the best: when you cook, cook for an army, even if it’s only an army of one.

The upside? I can cook once a week, eat well and fill the freezer. Bonus.

Yesterday was basically a rescue operation. With the Firstborn partying at DragonCon, I’d indulged my fancy for take-out Chinese, allowing two bottom drawers of fresh veggies to languish and go limp. Time to cook.

Just a sidenote: if it requires more than a pot and a frying pan, fuggedaboutit.

Ingredients (what was on hand):

Cooked Basmati rice ( 2c water, 1c rice)

EVOO + pat of butter (heat to lightly smoking)
1/2 skinless, boneless chicken breast, bite sized pieces
Saute chicken until browned, remove to plate & add veggies+seasonings, saute until tender-crisp
1-sweet medium white onion chopped
1-sweet red bell pepper chopped
1/2 package sliced mushrooms
2-celery stalks diced
1 tsp crushed garlic
Coarse Kosher salt
Bourbon infused coarse black pepper
2 tsp dried tarragon leaves
Add 1 can Campbell’s Cheese & Broccoli condensed soup, thin with white wine (I used cooking wine) or water
Add cooked chicken and a generous handful of cherry tomatoes, cook on low for 10 minutes
Top rice with chicken/veggie mix.