National Library Week and Grandma's Chicken Casserole!

Happy National Library Week! This year’s celebration runs from April 19-25. Per the American Library Association website, “National Library Week is an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities.” As a librarian, I’ve always worked hard to prove the value of our library to you. I love my job, and if I’ve transformed any lives along the way, it’s been my honor to do so.

The original theme for National Library Week this year was, “Find your place at the library.” But as libraries closed to help flatten the curve, that theme was tweaked and became, “Find the library at your place.” We are here for you to find us! We are a creative bunch and have come up with awesome alternative programs for patrons of all ages. Additionally, we are taking calls, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., to answer your reference and circulation questions. From our places, to your place, your library is still here for you.

That brings us to my first offering to you this week: the recipe for Grandma’s Chicken Casserole. Another family favorite, it’s an easy to prepare recipe, with just eight basic ingredients which I hope you’ll have on hand. Before I share the recipe though, a little back story for you.

This recipe came from my late Grandmother. That’s why I call it Grandma’s Chicken Casserole; it was just chicken casserole to her. She was a great cook and a fabulous baker. And a truly wonderful grandmother who I’m proud to say I was named after. She lived up North, but rode the bus down often to visit, visits that we cherished.

She is the grandma who I previously mentioned taught me to crochet, and she taught me a lot of what I know about cooking and baking. She taught me how to crack hard boil eggs, how to measure out ingredients, and how to organize your kitchen so that it was most efficient; among other things. When we ate at Grandma’s, we always had to at least try what she served us. If we didn’t like something, we didn’t have to eat it. But we had to at least give it a try. I love cucumbers, especially those she used to pick fresh from her garden, but not when they're floating in sour cream as she served them. Sorry, Grandma. That is one dish I refused to eat as I don't like sour cream and never have. (The picture is of Grandma, my baby brother Patrick, and myself. Circa 1965.)

We often asked Grandma for her recipes of our favorite dishes she served up. And with 28 grandchildren all together, she was frequently asked for said recipes. At some point, she decided the best thing to do was to compile her tried-and-true recipes in a homemade cookbook and give one to each of us. She got one of the grands to type it up. My cousin Cami drew beautiful illustrations for the cover and each chapter. Grandma then had copies made and bound together. She titled it, Gram's Pets.

She lovingly signed one for each child and grandchild and gave them to us for Christmas one year. It was a great present that I cherish and continue to use to this day. And, I’m happy to say, I was able to get a second copy from Grandma, so that I can pass one on to each of my two daughters someday.

Are you ready to give it a try? Here's the recipe.

Grandma’s Chicken Casserole

2 cups chicken (cooked and cut up)

1 cup diced celery

2 T. diced onion

1 cream of chicken condensed soup

1 ½ cups cooked rice

¾ cups mayonnaise

1 cup cornflakes, crushed

2 T. butter

Mix together all ingredients and pour into a greased casserole dish. Crush the cornflakes and sprinkle on top. Dot the top with butter. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes.

Notes: I always use boneless chicken breasts. I cut the fat and skin off of them, cut each breast into 3 or 4 pieces, and cook by boiling them all together in a pot of water till cooked through.

I use instant rice for convenience.

I love Miracle Whip and that is what I always use in place of the mayonnaise. Your choice.

I use whatever flake cereal I have on hand. I’ve used corn flakes, Special-K, Wheaties, and even Rice Krispies one time when that was the only cereal I had available.

That’s all there is to preparing Grandma’s Chicken Casserole. I hope you get a chance to make this recipe and that it works out for you. Let me know what you think of it.

And remember, as we all stay home and stay safe the best we can, the librarians and library workers of CIDL are doing our best to be here for you. You’ve found my blog, so I know you’ve been to our CIDL website, Facebook page or Instagram account. Please go back and check out the variety of online programs we have scheduled for our children, teens, and adults. Find the library at your place as we work to fill the gap until we are able to open the doors to our library once again.

#Stay home and stay safe.