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.  :)**

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).

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!

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. :)