Easy Soul Food Recipes - Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole and Mexi-Skillet Dish

Lately, I have been cooking to feed my soul.  I've made super simple meals that are yummy, creamy, one dish and EASY.  I thought I'd share some of the great recipes that I have used and the ways that I have tweaked the recipes to my liking.  I hardly ever follow a recipe exactly. I see them as mere suggestions.  Then, I can just tailor it to what I have available in my kitchen.  You can do the same!

I made this chicken crescent roll casserole the other night and every one of us cleaned our plates.  I thought my kids were actually going to lick their plates!  I went ahead and made two of these casseroles so I could freeze one.  I am so glad that I did.  I like to freeze recipes like this because it is so helpful on those days that you just don't have time or you don't want to make time.  I also love being able to offer up one of my freezer meals to someone else who might need it.

Photo credit Dine & Dish

I made a variation of Kittencal's Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole. But it was my inspiration that I found on Pinterest.

Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole

2 cans crescent rolls
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken breasts
2 cups Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (I added celery, carrots and peas to mine)
1 cup shredded colby jack cheese

I oiled a casserole dish about the size of the one above.  I laid out the crescent roll strips with the small part hanging over the sides of the dish and overlapping the rolls on the bottom of the dish quite a bit.  I didn't do individual bundles like above.  I did one big roll.  I felt like it was too hard to do them separately but you can try it that way too.  Then I spread the chicken on top, then topped with the cheese.  I folded the rolls over the top. Then poured my cream of chicken soup all over the top.  All the seasoning and spice is in the soup mixture.  I made my soup a little less thick so it would cover nicely instead of being so thick.  I also added veggies to my soup mix too.  Then Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.


This next dish is one that I make a lot.  I love a good one dish meal.  I hate having a lot of dirty dishes and I am always up for Mexican food.  I love my hot sauce!! It's a flexible recipe that allows for all kinds of substitutions.  My kids dig it too!

Photo credit healthy-delcious.com

Mexi-Skillet Dish

1 lb meat of choice - chicken, pork, ground beef, turkey, tofu
1 can beans rinsed - black or pinto
1 can Rotel (tomatoes w/chiles)
1 chopped small onion
1 cup cooked grains - quinoa or rice
1 T olive oil
1 cup grated cheese of choice - colby, queso fresco, cheddar, monterey
Sour Cream, Sliced Avocados, Hot Sauce, Chips, Tortillas

Saute onion in olive oil.  Add meat until browned.  Add beans, rotel, grain and heat up.  Then top the skillet with cheese.  Place in heated oven to melt the cheese.  Serve with condiment of choice and either chips and/or tortillas.  So yummy and good!
*You could cook the grain in with the skillet but mine always ends up mushy.  I like to make this dish when I have leftover rice from the night before.