Recipes by Barbara Eden: Chicken and Rice Supreme; Company Green Beans; Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms; Stuffed Grape Leaves

Barbara Eden's Chicken and Rice Supreme

Chicken and Rice:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken, cubed
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 (10.5 - 10.75 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon curry powder
4 cups cooked rice
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Topping:
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup dry bread or cracker crumbs

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat: cook onion and mushrooms until softened. Remove to mixing bowl. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to hot saucepan and cook chicken pieces (skin removed) until golden brown; remove to bowl. Add wine to skillet, stirring to deglaze pan; add soup, broth, sour cream and curry powder, whisking together until blended. Stir into chicken and mushroom mixture along with cooked rice, peas and green onions; mix until well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to greased 10-cup baking dish or casserole. Top with a mixture of cheese and crumbs. Bake uncovered in 350 degrees F. oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until mixture bubbles and topping is golden brown. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Barbara Eden's Company Green Beans

1 1/2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

Cook the beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the beans and set aside. Dry the pot: add butter and melt over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper strips; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 1 minute. Return the reserved beans to the pot and toss until vegetables are well mixed and beans are reheated. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with almonds. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Barbara Eden's Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

24 large mushrooms
2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
4 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 tablespoons bread crumbs
4 ounces crab meat, rinsed and tossed with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons Cognac
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Remove mushroom stems. Combine 2 tablespoons of the Romano cheese with remaining ingredients in a bowl; beat with mixer for 5 minutes. Fill mushrooms with a 1/2-inch crown left on top.

Lightly butter a large baking sheet and arrange stuffed mushrooms with a space between. Bake 10 minutes. Remove mushrooms from oven; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Romano cheese. Heat broiler.

Place mushrooms under broiler until cheese melts and is golden. Yields 24 servings.

Barbara Eden's Stuffed Grape Leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground lamb
3 tablespoons minced onion
1/2 cup rice (raw)
1/3 cup chopped pine nuts
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon mint flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound grape leaves (or leaves preserved in brine)
1/2 cup water
Washed lamb bones
3/4 cup lemon juice
Yogurt (or sour cream)

Heat olive oil in skillet. Add lamb, onion and rice to heated oil. Cook slowly 5 minutes, stirring often. Add pine nuts, parsley, mint (pulverized), allspice, salt and pepper. Cook slowly 2 minutes longer, stirring often; set aside.

Place grape leaves in warm water 1/2 hour to soften so they will roll easily (if preserved grape leaves are used, rinse leaves carefully in water to remove excess salt; dry carefully on paper towels). Place leaf shiny side down; flatten on wooden board. (If preserved leaves are used, handle gently to prevent splitting.) Place 1 teaspoon lamb mixture in center of leaf. Fold over sides forming an envelope. Roll up firmly allowing room for rice to expand during cooking. Repeat with other rolls.

Place lamb bones in bottom of deep saucepan; cover bones with grape leaves (lamb bones add flavor and prevent rolls from sticking to the bottom of the pan during cooking). Arrange rolls close together in a neat row covering bottom of the pan. Place second row of rolls in the opposite direction. Continue in this fashion until all the rolls have been used. Pour salted water (omit salt if preserved leaves are used) to within one-half inch of top of rolls. Sprinkle lemon juice over the rolls.

Place a dish on top to hold rolls in place during cooking. Cover saucepan, simmer 35 minutes (25 minutes if preserved leaves are used) or until the rice is cooked.

Remove rolls from the saucepan, discarding cooking liquid, bones and leaves. Serve rolls hot with chilled yogurt (or sour cream) as an appetizer or salad course. Makes 50 rolls.