Friday, June 4, 2010

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Again, I'm not so good with following a recipe.  Here's the gist of it!

2 large cans of cream of chicken soup
1 container of sourcream
2 cans of diced chiles
1/2 cup of frozen onions
As much chicken as you'd like! 
Lots of shredded cheese
2 tortillas per person you're serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Mix everything but the cheese and the tortillas together in a bowl.  Tear the tortillas into strips and layer the bottom of a glass baking dish.  Add a layer of the enchilada mix, followed by a layer of shredded cheese.  Repeat!  Put in the oven until it bubbles (about 20 minutes).  **Note:  This will make enough to feed about 10 people, so dial it down for a smaller group.  :)**

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Chicken-Broccoli Casserole

One of my family's favorites, though, come to think of it, I have no idea where we got it.

It has broccoli in it, so it's healthy, right?

Oh blast, I can't find the recipe card. I'll find it and finish this post later. :)

Minestrone

Another good start recipe that you can adapt to your taste and for what you happen to have on hand.

Add the following ingredients together in a crock pot, set it on low heat, and let cook for 3-4 hours.

4 c. raw vegetable pieces (frozen carrots, peas, green beans, spinach; celery, zucchini, chopped tomatoes)
2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes (regular or Italian-flavored)
1/2 t. basil leaves
1/8 t. pepper
1 medium onion (chopped and sautéed in olive oil on the stove beforehand)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 can kidney or garbanzo beans, undrained
2 cans beef broth (or 2 cubes beef bouillon with 2 c. water)
1-2 c. water (as needed)

Cook 4-6 oz. pasta normally about 1/2 hour before serving the soup. Mix in the pasta and you're all set!

It's experimental, easy, healthy, and hopefully delicious. ;)

Red Hot Biscuits

These were the biscuits that came with the minestrone soup.

2 c. flour (1 whole wheat, 1 all-purpose is what I used)
1 T baking powder
1/4 to 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. red pepper flakes, crushed
3/4 t. garlic powder, divided
1/3 c. shortening
1 cup milk
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 T butter, melted

1. Preheat oven t 425 degrees. Stir together the flour, powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix in pepper flakes and 1/2 t of the garlic powder. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture. Add the milk all at once. Using a fork, stir, adding in the cheese 1/2 c. at a time, until just moistened.
3. Drop dough by 1/4 c. full onto greased baking sheet (makes about twelve). Mix butter and remaining garlic powder; brush over dough tops.
4. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Veggie Baked Ziti

This is adapted from the back recipe label of a Hunt's spaghetti sauce can. The amount of ricotta I'm not sure on since the recipe doesn't call for it (and is therefore not good enough on its own) and I about doubled this all to make enough for eight hungry young folks. :) Feel free, too, to adapt the veggies you use as you need and like. I didn't use spinach in ours ...

2 T olive oil
3 medium crooked neck squash or zucchini
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 can (26 oz) Hunt's chunky vegetable spaghetti sauce
approx. 2 c. ricotta cheese
12 oz dry ziti (or penne, or other noodle of your choice), cooked and kept warm
3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
cooking spray

1. Preheat overn to 425 degrees. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; add squash and season with salt and pepper. Cook until squash starts to brown. Add spinach; cook until water evaporates.
2. Blend in both the spaghetti sauce and the ricotta cheese; heat through. Toss with pasta and half of the mozzarella cheese.
3. Spray a 13"x9" baking dish with cooking spray. Pour pasta blend into dish; top with remaining cheese. Bake about 10 minutes until cheese is melted (also look for the juices in the dish to start bubbling tantalizingly).

Friday, May 21, 2010

Easy Enchiladas

Items:

pkg of 10 tortillas
1 4oz can of diced green chilies
1 LARGE can of La Victoria enchilada sauce
1 lb chicken breast
grated cheese
spices to taste

Directions:

* Marinate 1 lb chicken breast in your choice of seasoning (I like crushed red peppers and Cholula hot sauce)
* Pre-heat the oven to 350
* Dice and pan grill, adding hints of black pepper, onion powder, and whatever else you'd prefer
* Add diced green chilies, a few spoon fulls of the enchilada sauce, and a small handful of cheese to the chicken and set aside
* Spread a layer of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish
* Grab a tortilla, smother it in sauce from the bottom of the pan, spoon a modest amount of the chicken mixture into the tortilla, sprinkle on some extra cheese, then roll up the tortilla and shove it into the pan
* Repeat :)
* When finished, drizzle remainder of sauce around the sides and tops of the enchiladas, add the cheese and toss it in the oven!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Italian Sausage & Chicken Soup

Since I don't use recipes very often, I'll just list the ingredients I used and guess at the measurements!

  • 2 lg. frozen chicken breasts
  • 1 pkg. Italian sausage
  • 2 green peppers
  • 1 red pepper
  • A handful of chopped onion (I always get the frozen kind. Then you don't have to cry while you're cooking. Besides, they are super fast and extremely convenient!)
  • 1 lg. can whole, stewed tomatoes
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes (I like getting the cans that have been packed in garlic and olive oil)
  • A splash of chicken stock (I only use this to make it more "soupy." It isn't necessary.)
  • As much Italian seasoning as you want!

Dump it all in a crockpot for 4-6 hours. (I haven't noticed a big difference between low and high...just make sure the sausage and chicken are done!) I also like setting out the frozen Rhodes rolls when I start the crockpot. By the time the soup is almost complete, the rolls are ready to pop in the oven. Viola! Dinner you didn't really have to think about. :)