Chicken & Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

This is a great recipe I found on Pinterest.  It's borrowed from this blog.

Chicken & Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

2 cups diced or shredded chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 4.5oz can diced green chili peppers, drained
1 10oz can red enchilada sauce
8 6-inch tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 8oz container sour cream

Preheat oven to 375.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and spray with cooking spray.  Saute chicken with cumin and coriander until chicken is cooked through.  Transfer to a medium bowl.  Stir in the cilantro, black beans, and green chili peppers.

Spread half of th eenchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11x7 inch baking dish that has been prepped with cooking spray.  Place 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary.  Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, and springkle with half of the cheese and half of the sour cream.

Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese, and make another layer of tortillas.  Top with the remaining chicken mixture.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove th ecover, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and dot with sour cream.  Continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes (until cheese melts).

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*I topped the casserole with diced tomatoes, avocado, and the rest of the cilantro.

Chocolate Cake in a Mug

Honestly, we had guests over for dinner last night and something had to give in the prep work.  It was all I could do to have the kids dressed, toys picked up, Christmas decorations in place (b/c my kids move them at least 4 times each hour), bathroom cleaned, a quick trip to the bank, table cleared off and cleaned...and well, I didn't even put makeup on!  So, I thought I'd branch out and try this recipe that cooks in the microwave.  As a general rule I don't try new recipes on first-time guests...but they are college students.  And, well, college students will eat anything!  It was a fun recipe and allows for a lot of customization: extra chocolate chips, pecans, candy pieces, etc.

Chocolate Cake in a Mug

3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
2 or 3 Tbsp sugar (I went with 3)
1 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp egg whites
1/4 tsp vanilla
Goodies to mix in...choc chips, nuts, candies, etc.

Mix in a bowl for about 2 minutes- stirring vigorously!  Pour into a mug, add any toppings, and microwave for 2 minutes.

***I sprayed Pam on some and not on some.  Didn't make a difference.
***You may need to vary the cook time based on your microwave.  If it cooks too long the cake gets rubbery.

Here is the link to view the full blog post and see more info and pics.

Lime Chicken Tacos

This recipe is from Taste of Home via Pinterest. It's great because it only uses a few ingredients (pantry staples) and cooks in the crock-pot.  The chicken was very tender and moist.  It was not very limey, but not a disappointment.

Lime Chicken Tacos

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 cup corn
1 cup chunky salsa

• Place the chicken in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Combine lime juice and chili powder; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender.
• Remove chicken; cool slightly. Shred meat with two forks and return to the slow cooker; heat through. Stir in corn and salsa.
• Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve in tortillas with sour cream, cheese and lettuce if desired. Yield: 12 tacos.

***I did not add the corn.  We also had guacamole and black olives with our tacos!

Beefy Pizza Casserole

I can honestly say that I have had this recipe on hand from a 2005 Southern Living! Seriously! But, only first made it last night! 6 years later! It was very tasty. Chris and the kids ate it up! It's a great one-dish dinner or to take to share with another family. Lots of "making it your own" options too.

Beefy Pizza Casserole

2 pounds ground beef
2 med onions, chopped
1/2 c chopped green bell pepper
4 tsp Italian seasoning, divided
1/4 c flour
1 26-oz jar tomato-and-basil pasta sauce
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 13.6-oz can refrigerated pizza crust
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Cook first 3 ingredients and 3 tsp Italian seasoning in a large skillet. Drain well and return to skillet.
Add 1/4 cup flour, stirring until blended. Stir in pasta sauce. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
Spoon mixture into lightly greased 13x9 casserole dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
Unroll pizza crust, and place on top of cheese. Brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning.
Bake at 425 for 15 to 20 minutes.

***I added Pepperoni to the top of the meat mixture. Chris would have me use more and add other pizza toppings to the mixture (Canadian bacon, sausage, and other veggies too).

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

We had some rainy and cold days last week- perfect for a dinner of soup and cornbread. This recipe is a great "clean-out-the-pantry" meal and can be easily adjusted to fit what's in yours! Both kids ate all of their helpings, and rumor has it my brother licked the bowl the next day at lunch!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

1 small onion, chopped

1 c shredded carrots

5 c water

1 (6.2 oz) package fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix

1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped broccoli

2 c chopped cooked chicken

1 (8 oz) loaf Velveeta, cubed

1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup

Saute onion and carrots in a lightly greased Dutch oven over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add 5 c water, seasoning packet from rice, broccoli, and chicken. Bring to a boil, and stir in rice; reduce heat, cover, and cook 5 minutes.

Add cheese and soup; cook, stirring constantly, 5 min or until cheese melts.

Serve immediately.

Easy Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

This was a great find in a magazine! I've made them twice and Chris always wants leftovers for lunch! Which, to be fair- the recipe only makes 6 enchiladas so you may need to double it to feed your crew. I've used both rotisserie chicken and left over grilled chicken- both worked well. These are great topped with tomatoes and avocados! {But, what isn't?!}


Easy Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas
from Campbell's Kitchen

1 can (10 3/4 ounce) cream of chicken soup
1/2 c sour cream
1 c salsa
2 tsp chili powder (I'm out of this so I replaced with cumin)
2 c chopped cooked chicken
1/2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or whatever you have!)
6 flour tortillas

Heat oven to 350. Stir the soup, sour cream, salsa and chili powder in a medium bowl.
Stir 1 cup soup mixture, chicken and cheese in a large bowl.
Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side up in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Pour the remaining soup mixture over the filled tortillas. Cover the baking dish.
Bake for 40 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Chicken Dijon - sorta

While browsing my January 2010 Southern Living this recipe caught my attention. I had all the ingredients and the picture looked lovely. Ok, well. It looked nothing like the picture, but oh my! It is delicious. It's sorta like the recipe because I had to make some changes. And, honestly, I'm not sure SL got the right servings. The original recipe called for 6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts. Well, I used 3 and not sure it could take more. Anyhow, just wanted to give clarity.

Chicken Dijon - a la Miss Kitty Cooks

3 chicken breasts
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp butter
1 medium-sized red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 medium-sized sweet onion, cubed (I didn't have this, so I added a small can of chopped mushrooms instead)
1 (14 1/2-oz) can chicken broth
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp dijon mustard (I didn't have this, so I used horseradish mustard instead)

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
Melt butter in a large skillet over med-high heat; add chicken, and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from skillet; add bell pepper and onion, and cook, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables get tender. Return chicken to skillet. (I cubed the chicken. And, at this point, it will not be cooked all the way through!)
Whisk together broth and next 2 ingredients, and pour over chicken.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until chicken is done.

The magazine mentioned serving it with mashed potatoes. I think wild rice would be good with it. I served it with scalloped potatoes (recipe is on blog). I also think it would make a fantastic filling to a grilled sandwich, kinda Quizno's style. Enjoy!

Scalloped Potatoes

It's a bit eerie how good these taste...especially with such few ingredients. The nutmeg gives the potatoes a deep, almost smoked flavor. Eli had two helpings!

Scalloped Potatoes

1 clove garlic, smashed
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 1/4 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced very thinly
2 cups half-and-half
1 Tbsp salt
black pepper
pinch of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8x8x2 dish with Pam (or butter!). {I sprinkled garlic powder in the bottom}
In a medium saucepan, combine butter, garlic, potatoes, half-and-half, salt, pepper to taste, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to med-high, and cook, stirring, until the mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish.
Bake the potatoes, basting occasionally, until lightly browned and bubbly, about 1 hour. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

*I saw on a comment of this recipe that someone put half of the potatoes in the dish, topped them with thawed and strained spinach and ham. Then, added the rest of the potatoes. After cooking, they added cheese and broiled until melted and bubbly. I think this would be a delicious version! {although, I would use turkey or chicken}

Ultimate Beef Stew

Back in August 2008 I was walking (b/c I was pregnant with Abi Jean) on a treadmill at work, watching the Food Network. Tyler Florence had me so into this dish that I went back upstairs to my cube, turned my computer on, and printed the recipe. It's only now, January 2010 that I've gotten around to making it. I've talked about it. Thought about it. And, today, tasted it. It does not disappoint. This ain't your Mama's beef stew. It's fancy and flavorful enough to serve to guests. And, it helps that Chris licked his bowl!

Ultimate Beef Stew

1/4 cup EVOO
3 Tbsp butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 to 3 pounds beef chuck shoulder roast, cut into 2-inch pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bottle good quality red wine (or, since I have no clue what this means, 1 bottle of Great Value cooking red wine)
8 fresh thyme sprigs
6 garlic cloves, smashed
1 orange, zest removed in 3 (1-inch) strips
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 bay leaves
2 1/2 cups beef stock
9 small new potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut in 1/2
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cups frozen pearl onions, a large handful
1 pound white mushrooms, cut in 1/2
1/2 pound garden peas frozen or fresh

Preheat a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat wiht the oil and butter.
While the pan is heating, arrange the flour on a large dish. Season the cubed beef with some salt and pepper and then toss in the flour to coat. Shake off the excess flour and add the beef chunks in a single layer to the hot pan, being careful not to over crowd the pan, you might have to work in batches. Thoroughly brown all of the cubes on all sides. Once all the meat has been browned remove it to a plate and reserve.
Add the wine to the pan and bring up ot a simmer while you scrape the bottom of the pan with a wood spoon being sure to loosen up all those tasty bits. Once the wine has gotten hot add the browned meat, thyme, smashed garlic, orange zest strips, ground cloves, freshly ground black pepper and salt, bay leaves and beef stock. Bring the mixture up to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until the liquids start to thicken, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours.
After 2 hours add potatoes, carrots, pearl onions, and mushrooms, along with a pinch of sugar to balance the acid from the wine. Turn the heat up and bring to a simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables and meat are tender. Add the frozen peas during the last minute of cooking. Season with salt and pepper, remove the thyme sprigs.
To serve, place the soup in a bowl, top with parsley, sprinkle with olive oil and add a dollop of Horseradish Sour Cream. Right before serving add a slice of peasant bread, half submerged in the soup.

Horseradish Sour Cream
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp prepared horseradish
Olive oil
Chives, finely chopped

Combine sour cream, horseradish, and a drizzle of olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add a dollop to the stew and top with chives.

Hashbrown Casserole

Not much to say except this is a family favorite. And, well, anyone who tries it, it's their new favorite too!

Hashbrown Casserole

2 pounds frozen hashbrowns
2/3 cup melted butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup shopped onion
10 oz grated cheddar cheese

Topping:
2 cups corn flakes
1/2 cup melted butter

Thaw potatoes
Combine all ingredientsin a large bowl, adding hashbrowns last.
Pour into a 13x9 greased baking dish.
Sprinkle with toppings.
Bake for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours at 350.

Baked Potato Soup

Oh my! I usually don't like potato soups because, well, baked potatoes are my #1 favorite food and the soups don't usually have a lot of flavor. But, my, oh, my! This soup is fantastic! Make it today! My suite Tara made this the weekend of her baby shower. It's a crock-pot recipe, so you know, it's easy and dinner is ready without a lot of prep! Enjoy!!!

Baked Potato Soup

6 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
3 (14-oz) cans chicken broth with roasted garlic
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup whipping cream or half-and-half
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
bacon pieces
chopped chives
sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese

Combine first 6 ingredients in a crock pot.
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, or until potatoes are tender.
Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup in slightly thickened.
Stir in cream, and cheese.
Serve with bacon pieces, chopped chives, sour cream, and cheese.

*I couldn't find chicken broth with roasted garlic. So, I just used regular broth and added garlic powder.
*I made this with crumbled pepper bacon. The bacon adds some deep flavor!

Thai Chicken Pizza

This pizza is delicious! A very different taste that will please your palete! Lots of flavors...plum sauace, peanut butter, lime! I made this for company last night and they all liked it. It was great paired with a green salad! The credit for this recipe is given to Ashley over at her blog.

Thai Chicken Pizza

Plum Sauce (I used 1/2 jar per pizza)
Package of mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 lbs cooked chicken (I cooked mine in olive oil, salt, and pepper), cubed or shredded
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 Tablespoons of reduced sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon of hot sauce
2 Tablespoons of montreal steak seasoning
1 teaspoon of honey
1 teaspoon of lime juice
2 Tablespoons of peanut butter

Take your crust and brush with olive oil. Add the plum sauce & 1/2 bag of mozzarella cheese. Bake on 425 for 10 minutes. Take out and cool.

In pan heat the olive oil, soy sauce, hot sauce, seasoning, honey, lime juice, and peanut butter on low. Then poor in your chicken and mix. Once covered poor onto pizza and then cover with more mozzarella cheese. Place back into over until cheese is melted.

Here are my alterations:

-I used Pillsbury pizza crust, baked it for 13 minutes versus 10.

-I doubled the sauce mixture that coats the chicken (otherwise it was too dry looking!)

-I would only use 1 Tablespoon of the montreal steak seasoning, it is very powerful

-I would add chopped peanuts (for the crunch factor!)

Seafood Casserole

This is a delicious recipe from a missionary family from Mexico.

Seafood Casserole

Saute onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic in 1 stick butter.  Add 1 can cream of mushroom soup and 1 cup raw shrimp and 1 pound crab meat.  Mix with 2 cups cooked rice.

Place in casserole dish sprayed with Pam.  Add bread crumbs or cheese.

Bake at 350 for 20 - 30 minutes.

We LOVE to eat this with french bread and salad!

PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

This is the MOST delicious meal! If you're in a rut of same-ole, same-ole...this recipe has flavors that are refreshing! Plus, they make a whole meal versus the appetizer (that costs as much as an entree) at PF Chang's.

Lettuce Wraps

2 lbs ground turkey

5 cloves minced garlic

1/2 chopped onion

1 can water chestnuts (optional)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 tsp ginger

dash of all spice

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 head of lettuce

Plum Sauce (at WalMart in Asian section)

Place turkey in crock pot. Dump onions, garlic, and water chestnuts on top of turkey.

Mix liquids and spices. Pour over turkey and vegetables.

Cover and cook 4-6 hours on High or 6-8 hours on Low. Stir occassionally.

Serve over lettuce leaves.

*I've used purple onion and made it without allspice.

*For an American kick...add cheese and sour cream.

*You can also top with green onions.

BBQ Beef

I currently have this in my crock pot. It smells divine! I'll update the post with comments after we eat tonight!
Ok, yes! It is super good! I was a bit skeptical...but the meat was so tender and shredded easily! Perfect with cole slaw and lemonade!

BBQ Beef

3 lbs beef stew meat
2 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped green pepper
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
6 oz can tomato paste
sandwich buns

In slow cooker combine all ingredients except buns. Cook on low setting 8-10 hours or until meat is tender.
With wire whisk stir BBQ to break up meat pieces. Serve on buns.

*To prepare in oven, place all ingredients except buns in Dutch oven or large casserole. Cover; bake at 325 degrees for 4 hours
*I didn't have onion, green peppers, or dry mustard. I sprinkled in mustard seed.
*Instead of ground beef, I used round steak (for those with meat from the farm: 1 pkg of round steak)

Beef Stroganoff

Nothing says "Mom" like a meal that warms your insides! My Mom makes great stroganoff...and while at her house last week, I browed one of her cookbooks (Pots, Pans, and Pioneers - love the name!) and saw "good" written beside the stroganoff recipe. So, I made it. Sorry, no pictures...it was consumed as soon as it was made!

Beef Stroganoff

1 cup minced onion
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup butter
2 lbs ground beef
4 Tbsp flour
4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 can mushroom soup
2 cups sour cream
Egg noodles, cooked

Brown onion and garlic over medium heat, add beef and brown. Do not drain.
Add flour, salt, pepper, and soup. Cook 5 minutes, then simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
Stir in sour cream. Heat through and serve over noodles.

*Since you don't drain the beef, use lean meet, or use less butter.
*I made this with 1/2 beef and 1/2 turkey.
*For color, top with green onions.
*This recipe is dynamic on top of a baked potato, add cheese (of course!).

Tex-Mex Salisbury Steak

1 pound ground round
1/2 pound hot or mild ground pork sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1 large egg
1/2 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup mild salsa
2 Tablespoons taco seasoning mix
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 (2.64 ounce) pkg country-style gravy mix
1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained

Combine first 7 ingredients and 1 Tablespoon cilantro. Shape mixture into 6 (1/3-inch thick) patties.
Heat a lightly greased large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add patties; reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 8 to 10 min per side or until center is no longer pink. Remove from skillet. Wipe pan clean.
Whisk together gravy mix, broth, tomatoes with chiles, and remaining cilantro. Cook over med heat 1 min or until thickened. Return patties to skillet, and cook until thoroughly heated.

Lasagna

This is also from Mama Loyd. I live by this recipe. Yes, Stouffer's lasagna is great...but it's hard to beat homemade lasagna! It is easy to divide the recipe into two, leaving one to freeze for later! I kept many of these in the freezer for when both Eli and Abi were born.

Lasagna

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound sausage (deer sausage is great too)
32 ounce thick spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cup water (less for a thicker sauce)
15 ounce Ricotta cheese
4 cups mozzarella cheese, reserve 1 cup to top lasagna
2 eggs
1/4 cup chopped parsley (or dried)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 ounce oven ready lasagna
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Brown beef and sausage, drain.
Add spaghetti sauce and water, simmer about 10 minutes.
In mixing bowl, beat eggs and rest of ingredients, except lasagna.
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 glass dish.
Pour 1 cup of spaghetti sauce in dish. Layer 3 or 4 pieces of lasagna. Noodles will expand to fill empty spaces.
Cover with 1 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce. Spread half of cheese filling over sauce.
Layer again: lasagna, sauce, and cheese mixture. Top with lasagna, sauce, and remaining cheese.
Cover with foil. Cook for 55 to 60 minutes.

Mexican Cornbread

This is a family staple!

Mexican Cornbread

1 cup yellow cornmeal (regular)
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 can cream style corn
1/2 pound shredded cheddar cheese
1 bell pepper, chopped (optional)
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 pound ground beef (I usually double this)
1 large onion, chopped
jalapenos (or green chilis)

Preheat oven to 350.
Grease a large iron skillet with a little oil and place in oven to heat.
Brown beef and onion. Drain.
Mix cornmeal, milk, salt, oil, soda, corn, and eggs.
Pour half of batter in skillet.
Add meat, onion, peppers, and cheese.
Top with rest of cornmeal mixture.
Bake for 45 minutes or until brown.

Beefy Pizza Casserole

Yeah for the first recipe! I made this tonight with my sous chef, Eli. It was a hit!

















Beefy Pizza Casserole
Makes 8 servings


2 pounds ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
4 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 (26 ounce) jar tomato-and-basil pasta sauce
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (13.8 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese


Cook first 3 ingredients and 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning in a large skillet over med-high heat, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain well, and return to skillet.
Add 1/4 cup flour, stirring until blended. Stir in pasta sauce. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 cups cheese.
Unroll pizza crust, and place on top of cheese. Brush with olive oil, and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
Bake at 425 for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.


My way:
I didn't have a refrigerated pizza crust, so I made my own with Bisquick. The recipe is 1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick and 1/3 cup very hot water. Mix well, roll to size.