Hoosier Home Cookin'

This week, I continue with my holiday meal addition series with some fabulous main course dishes for holiday parties and buffets. Chicken Crunch Casserole is a tried and true favorite and is great for holiday carry-ins. The mother of all meats at holiday season, however, is beef - beef tenderloin to be exact. Here are two versions - one elegant and time-consuming, the other simple and delicious.

Next week: scrumptious holiday desserts. Happy eating!

Chicken Crunch Casserole

4 chicken breasts
4 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 C. broth
1 C. mayonnaise
1 pkg. Pepperidge Farm stuffing
1 C. butter, melted

Cook chicken in water with bouillon cubes. Cool in refrigerator. Chop in large pieces. Mix soup, eggs, broth and mayonnaise together. Gently fold in chicken and pour into a greased baking dish. Cover with stuffing mix. Pour melted butter evenly over stuffing. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Beef Tenderloin with Red Zinfandel Sauce

2 T. olive oil
1 (3-lb.) beef tenderloin
3/4 tsp. salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Sauce
1 1/2 C. red zinfandel (or any other
lighter red wine)
1 (14.5-oz) can beef broth
1 1/2 tsp. tomato paste
3 T. water
2 tsp. arrowroot
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Put oil in roasting pan and place over two burners. Add tenderloin and brown on all sides. Remove from heat and place meat on cutting board. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Discard oil in pan. Combine salt, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and pepper. Crush with back of wooden spoon into a paste and rub over the tenderloin. Return loin to roasting pan and cook for 35 to 40 minutes at 450 degrees or until meat thermometer reaches 145 degrees for medium. Remove from roaster and place on platter. Tent with foil to keep warm.

For sauce, heat wine to boiling adding any pan tidbits. Reduce to half cup. Pour into a small saucepan and add broth and tomato paste. Boil until reduced to one and one-half cups. In a separate cup, mix the water with arrowroot (or cornstarch). Stir into wine mixture. Heat to boiling and strain. Add salt and pepper along with any meat droppings. To serve, slice meat into half inch slices and drizzle with sauce.

Brown Sugar Tenderloin

1 (3-lb.) beef tenderloin
salt and pepper
brown sugar
yellow prepared mustard

Use mustard and brown sugar in equal amounts to make enough thin "paste" to coat tenderloin. Salt and pepper the beef tenderloin and broil in oven for 10 minutes on each side. Turn oven down to 350 degrees. Remove the tenderloin from the oven and coat with the brown sugar paste. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Turn off oven and leave door ajar for an additional 45 minutes.