Happy New (Year of the Rabbit)

That blizzard and a third snow day has kept us busy (and a bit stir crazy) at home and kept us from virtually heading to Indiana. But since today is the Chinese New Year, thought we'd toss out a recipe we're planning on having today or tomorrow in honor of the holiday. Happy New Year!

Though we just learned from our neighbors who celebrate the holiday that it's not considered good luck to shower (washes away good luck) or chop anything today. You can find other prohibitions HERE, including avoiding meats.

So technically, this dish makes more sense to fix tomorrow when chopping vegetables isn't considered bad luck. I've got enough problems with my knives that I don't need any more bad vibes. I'm not sure it sounds like good karma to fix rabbit today either. (Though Welsh Rabbit might be okay.)

Here's one of my favorite Chinese-inspired recipes from my friend, Shelly Trenholm in the Asbury United Methodist Church's "Treasured Recipes 2006" cookbook.

Chinese Chicken Bake
2 TABLESPOONS margarine or butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
2 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained well
2 cups cooked chicken or turkey — chopped, though might be better to get canned chicken today
1 (10 3/4 oz) can reduced fat condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 1/4 cup celery, — chopped, use food processor?
2 TABLESPOONS green onions — chopped, food processor?

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine butter and onion powder. Gradually add cereal, stirring until all pieces are evenly coated. Set aside. Place in an ungreased 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cereal mixture. Bake 30 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Chicken and Rice Casserole, Arkansas Style

If your town is anything like mine today, it's time for some good ol' comfort food. I asked my good friend Jennifer Ingraham for insight into her home state's culinary legacy. 

Here is Jennifer's insight:

"Nationally, Arkansas ranks No. 1 in rice and poultry production. I know this because I learned the rice fact in fifth-grade Arkansas history and I’ve seen some of the rice farms along the Mississippi River. I know the chicken fact because I grew up in Northwest Arkansas and my high school was next to a Tyson chicken plant. So it seems only appropriate that I offer a simple, traditional chicken and rice casserole, loaded with fattening ingredients and topped with butter and Ritz crackers. Mmm, mmm, good!

"This recipe took 3rd-place honors at the 2006 Arkansas State Fair," Jennifer says.

Check out this link at Serious Eats to see the new food items that popped up at this year's Arkansas State Fair. If you like your entrees and desserts deep-fried, you'll be pleased with the deep-fried and battered hard boiled eggs and deep-fried bacon bombs followed by chocolate smooches and chocolate cream cheese bites!

Jennifer Ingraham's 

State Fair Chicken & Rice Casserole

4 chicken breasts, boiled and boned

1 10 oz can cream of chicken soup

1 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

1 cup sour cream

3 cups chicken broth

2 packages Ritz Crackers, crushed

1 stick (1/4 pound) butter

Chop chicken. Combine chicken, soups, rice, sour cream, and broth. Place in two 2-quart dishes. Crush crackers and add dollops of butter. Sprinkle over dishes. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Thank you, Jennifer. This seems a great dish for a good weekend meal and another dish to freeze for another quick meal for a busy weeknight. What's better than a meal in the freezer?

MORE FUN: Here's a fun kids site with more Arkansas info.