Chicken Divan & Homemade Condensed Mushroom Soup

from my sister Elizabeth Behrens' kitchen

2 or more cups cooked brown rice
2 bunches fresh broccoli, chopped and lightly steamed
2 - 3 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
cream of mushroom soup (recipe below or sub 2 cans)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 - 2 tsp lemon juice
sea salt
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 - 3/4 cup bread crumbs
butter or oil

Combine soup, mayo, lemon juice, and salt. Keep the mixture relatively thin by adding milk or water.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan. Layer rice, then broccoli, then chicken. Pour soup mixture over layers. Sprinkle cheese on top. Combine crumbs and butter/oil (I sauteed the crumbs IN butter to make them crunchy), and sprinkle over all. Bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes or about one hour longer if casserole is coming out of freezer.


Cream of Mushroom Soup (equivalent of 2 cans)

2 T butter
2 T olive oil
1/4 cup whole wheat flour (I used arrowroot to make it thicker, but I should have done half and half or just used wheat. It made it TOO thick.)
1 tsp salt or more
12 fresh mushrooms (I used organic canned.)
2 cups of milk

Heat butter and oil then add flour and salt, whisking briskly. Add mushrooms and cook about a minute. Add milk and stir until thickened.