FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, OCT. 17, 2008

Gail Fuller takes home blue ribbon in House-Autry Mills
In Your Oven casserole contest

RALEIGH – Gail Fuller of Raleigh took home a blue ribbon and $250 for the top dish in the House-Autry Mills In Your Oven “casserole” recipe contest at the N.C. State Fair. Fuller’s recipe was Baked Chicken Enchiladas Casserole.

Sondra Bass of Dunn got second place and $100 for her Southern Cheesy Green Bean Casserole recipe, and Domino Ireland of Raleigh took home third-place honors and $50 for his Chicken Casserole. Judges also awarded an honorable mention to Janet Dunn of Dunn for her Spivey’s Corner Baked Beans Casserole. 

The winning recipe follows:

Baked Chicken Enchilada Casserole

• 8 House-Autry Mills crepes (see recipe below)
• 6 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup chopped cooked chicken
• 1 4-ounce can of diced green chilies
• ¼ chopped onion
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of pepper
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
• 1 can mild diced tomatoes and chilies
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• ½ cup whipping cream

Stir together cream cheese, chicken, green chilies, onion, salt and pepper with one cup cheese in large bowl. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each crepe. Roll up and place in a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Cook diced tomatoes and chilies, tomato sauce and cream in a sauce pan over medium-high heat until heated through. Pour mixture evenly over crepes and sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until cheese melts and tomato mixture bubbles.

House-Autry Mills crepes (makes approximately eight crepes)

• 2 eggs
• ½ cup of flour
• 1 package House-Autry Mills In Your Oven Chicken Seasoned Coating Mix
• 1 cup milk or cream

Combine ingredients in a bowl and whisk until completely mixed. The batter will be thick and lumpy. Cover and chill for one hour. Place a lightly greased 8-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Pour scant ¼ cup of batter into skillet and quickly tilt in all directions so batter covers bottom of skillet. Cook about one minute or until crepe can be shaken loose from skillet. Turn and cook about 30 seconds. Repeat procedure with remaining batter. Stack crepes between sheets of wax paper.

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Southern Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
Second Place: Sondra Bass, Dunn

• 4- 14 oz. cans whole green beans
• 6 oz. can sliced mushrooms
• 8 oz. sweet red peppers
• 2 lbs. sweet onions
• Brown sugar to taste (approx. 6 Tbsp.)
• 5 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3 oz. goat cheese
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 packet House-Autry Mills “In Your Oven” Pork seasoning mix

Put green beans, mushrooms, and sweet peppers in a 9 X 13 dish and mix gently tossing with olive oil and soy sauce to coat.  Roast at 375 for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, sauté sweet onion wedges or circles in a pan with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and brown sugar to sweeten.  Coat with seasoning mix and set aside. Soften cream cheese and goat cheese together in microwave.  After 15 minutes of roasting, mix in the cheese mixture.  Top with onion mixture and bake another 10 minutes.  Serves 8 to 10.

*For a sweeter flavor, use more cream cheese and for a tangier flavor use more goat cheese.

Chicken Casserole Recipe
Third Place: Mr. Domino Ireland, Raleigh

• 2 (10 oz.) cans chunk chicken, drained (or approx. 2 cups any cooked chicken, chunked)
• 1 (6 oz.) packet of House-Autry Mills In Your Oven Chicken Coating Mix
• 1 tsp medium hot chili powder (have and extra pinch to dust with)
• 8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
• 4 Tbsp butter
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 1 can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
• 3 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 12 oz. package egg noodles
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 Tbsp cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup crushed Lays potato chips

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In shaker bag put 1/2 House-Autry Mills Chicken Coating Mix, chili powder and chicken, shake and set aside.  In a 5 to 8 quart pot, bring 2-3 quarts of water to a boil. Add 2 tsp of salt then add noodles. Cook until just before pasta is al dente, add celery and cook 1 more minute. Drain in a colander and set aside. While boiling, in a small skillet, melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat, add sliced mushrooms, and sprinkle in garlic powder then saute for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add shaker chicken to a 3 or 4 quart rectangle oven baking dish lightly coated with butter, place in oven and cook 10 to 12 minutes or until chicken coating begins to turn golden.

Leave pasta in the colander, use the pot to heat 2 tablespoons of butter and saute the onions until translucent, add the pasta with celery back into the pot, add the mushrooms, add can of cream of mushroom soup and cream and mix together thoroughly.

In the large oven baking dish, combine mixture from the pot with 2 cups grated cheddar cheese and sour cream and mix together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover the entire casserole mixture evenly on top with remaining cheddar, dust with chili powder and mix remaining 1/2 House-Autry Mills Chicken Coating Mix and crushed potato chips and sprinkle over the top evenly. Cook for 20 minutes at 400°F in the oven, until the topping has browned.  Let casserole set for at least 8 minutes before serving.

Serves 4 to 6

Prep time -15 minutes Cook time - 45 minutes

Spivey’s Corner Baked Beans Casserole
Honorable Mention: Janet Dunn, Dunn

• 1-(28 oz.) can pork’n beans
• ½ pound fresh ground pork (optional)
• ½ pound dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup prepared mustard
• 6 oz. ketchup
• 1 small onion, chopped (optional)
• ½ green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1 envelope House-Autry Mills In Your Oven Pork seasoned coating mix
• ¼ cup oil (optional – as needed)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine pork’n beans, brown sugar, mustard and ketchup in an 8 X 11.5 X 2 casserole dish; stir well.  Set aside.

Using a medium-sized skillet, combine pork, chopped onion and chopped bell pepper; cook over medium-high heat until pork is done and onion/bell pepper are tender (about 15-20 minutes.)  Be sure to stir occasionally to prevent sticking and to ensure all pork is well cooked.  It may be necessary to add a little oil to the pork mixture to help with cooking, prevent sticking and allow a little moisture.  Once cooked (do not drain), add directly to the pork’n beans mixture and stir well to ensure distribution of pork mixture.

Evenly sprinkle the top of the casserole with the envelope of House-Autry mix. Place on center rack in preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until heated through.  Serves 6.

This recipe is great prepared ahead of time; just wait to add the coating mix until you are ready to place it in the oven.