Mothers Day

I decided that a wonderful way to celebrate Mothers Day would be to cook one of my Mom's favorite dinner party recipes. So, I will be making Chicken Divan served with a side of rice. To remember my Nana, an Irish soda bread will be part of breakfast and then served up again at dinner - you can't have too much soda bread.

I looked through my Mom's recipes but could not find her original Divan, so after searching online this one is the closest to what I remember.

Chicken Divan Casserole

serves 6 to 8

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 2 pounds)
2 heads of broccoli (approximately 2 1/2 - 3 pounds)
4 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 cups scalded milk
1 cup grated Parmesan, divided
1 cup grated Gruyère
3 tablespoons cream sherry
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Add chicken breasts to a large pot. Add water to cover, season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Simmer until cooked through, and internal temperature has reached 160 °F. Remove chicken from pot, reserving broth. Cool and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. (Feel free to use 4 cups of rotisserie or leftover chicken, if desired.)

Stem broccoli and cut into 1 – 2 inch florets. Bring chicken broth back to a boil and add broccoli (adding water if necessary). Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until broccoli is bright and tender, about 2 – 3 minutes. Strain broccoli and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt butter in a thick sauce pan on medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth (and flour taste is cooked out), about three minutes. Reduce heat to low. Pour in scalded milk and cook until thickened, approximately three to five minutes. Mix in 1/2 cup of Parmesan and one cup of Gruyère and stir until creamy. Add sherry, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

Butter the bottom and sides of an oblong casserole dish. Layer half of the broccoli and chicken and cover with half of the cheese sauce. Repeat. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan on casserole and bake until bubbly and golden brown, approximately 35 - 40 minutes. Serve with white rice.

Soda Bread - Mary also has a good soda bread recipe -

This is the recipe I have always used - The New McCall's Cookbook - now out of print:

2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour 
2 tbls sugar 
2 tsp baking powder 
1 tsp baking soda 
1/2 tsp salt 
3 tbls butter, softened 
1 cup buttermilk 
1 tbls butter melted 
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease cookie sheet. In large bowl sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in softened butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add buttermilk; mix in with a fork only until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn out on a lightly floured pastry cloth or board. Knead gently until smooth - about 1 minute. Shape into ball. Place on prepared cookie sheet; flatten into a 7-inch circle. (Dough will be 1-1/2 inches thick.) Press a large floured knife into center of loaf almost through too bottom. Repeat at right angle to divide loaf into quarters. Bake 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove to wire rack to cool. Brush top with melted butter. Dust with flour. 

I add about 1 cup of raisins( not in recipe) which I add with the flour mixture at the beginning. Coating with flour blends them better. I don't add the melted butter on top.