Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1

boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into thin bite-size strips

1/2

medium red bell pepper, finely chopped

1/4

teaspoon ground cumin

1

can (18.5 oz) Progresso® Light Southwestern-style vegetable soup

1/4

cup uncooked instant brown rice

1

oz fat-free cream cheese, cut into cubes

3

tablespoons Old El Paso® fat-free refried beans (from 16-oz can)

4

corn tortillas (6 inch)

1/3

cup shredded reduced-fat mild Cheddar cheese 

 

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook chicken and bell pepper over medium-high heat 4 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until chicken begins to brown and bell pepper is crisp-tender. Sprinkle with cumin.
2. Stir in soup. Heat to boiling. Stir in rice; reduce heat to low. Cover; cook 10 minutes or until rice is tender.
3. Stir cream cheese into chicken mixture until well blended. Spread 1 tablespoon of the refried beans on 1 tortilla; place, beans side up, in bottom of ungreased 1-quart casserole. Top with 1 cup chicken mixture; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the cheese. Repeat 2 times. Top with remaining tortilla; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
4. Cover; bake 20 to 25 minutes or until mixture is hot and cheese is melted.

Makes 3 servings 

 

I found this recipe here

 

Candy Cane Snowballs

Candy Cane Snowballs

• 3 c. powdered sugar, divided
• 1 1/4 c butter, softened
• 2 t. vanilla (or if you’d prefer a stronger peppermint flavor, you can replace 1 t. of vanilla with a teaspoon of peppermint extract)
• 1 egg
• 3 c. flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 3/4 c. finely crushed candy canes, divided
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 2-3 T. milk

1. In a mixing bowl, beat 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and beat until combined.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine. Slowly add to mixing bowl, beating until combined, about 1 minute. Stir 1/2 cup finely crushed candy canes in by hand.
3. Roll dough into small balls using just under a teaspoon of dough. Rolls balls through granulated sugar to coat and place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool.
4. While cookies bake, stir together remaining 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar with 2-3 T. of milk. Add just enough milk to form a thick glaze. Drizzle over cooled cookies and top with remaining crushed candy canes immediately.

Corn Chowder

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 small carrot, finely diced
• 1 small celery stalk, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups white corn kernels, fresh or frozen
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups half-and-half
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Melt 1 stick of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and saute for 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Cook until the roux is lightly browned; set aside to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, combine the corn and chicken stock in another saucepan, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the boiling stock with the corn (a little at a time) into the saucepan with the roux, whisking briskly so it doesn't lump. Return the skillet to the heat and bring to a boil. The mixture should become very thick.
In a small saucepan, gently heat the half-and-half; stir it into the thick corn mixture. Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste. Just before serving, cut the remaining stick of butter into large chunks. Add it to enrich the soup, stirring until the butter melts.

Mini Quiche

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 kg ready-rolled shortcrust pastry ( 6 sheets)
• 6 slices bacon, diced
• 1 onions, finely diced
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup cream
• 1 cup grated cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley ( I used dried)
• salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cook the onion and bacon over a low heat until the onion is softened.
2. Allow to cool a little.
3. Mix together with the eggs, cream, cheese, parsley and salt and pepper.
4. Using a cookie cutter or glass, cut 12 circles from each pastry sheet.
5. Use these to line a mini muffin pan.
6. Place about 2 teaspoons of the egg and bacon mix in each pastry base.
7. Bake in a moderate oven for about 12 minutes per tray (or until puffed, golden and set).
8. repeat with remaining pastry sheets and mix.

Citrus-Ginger Chicken

We have been trying to eat healthier so I found this recipe here and I was impressed with how food it was.

Ingredients

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon finely chopped gingerroot

1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black and red pepper blend

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 pounds)

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

1 medium seedless orange, peeled and cut into slices

Additional fresh thyme leaves, if desired

• Step 1 Mix orange juice, lime juice, honey, gingerroot and 1 teaspoon thyme in medium bowl.
• Step 2 Spray 10-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper blend over chicken. Cook chicken in skillet 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until brown. Stir in orange juice mixture. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Remove chicken from skillet.
• Step 3 Heat sauce in skillet to boiling. Add butter. Cook, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and sauce is slightly thickened. Serve sauce over chicken and orange slices. Sprinkle with additional thyme.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

I found this recipe here and it is already a favorite.

Coat 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Spread 2 cups cooked rice in bottom of baking dish.

Arrange 3 cups cooked chicken pieces over top of rice.

Layer 6 slices of Swiss cheese on top of chicken.

Then layer 10 slices of cut-up ham on top of the Swiss cheese.

Mix 2 cans cream of chicken soup, 1/2 cup milk, and 1/2 cup sour cream together.

Spread on top of ham.

Crush 10 saltine crackers then add 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, and 1/2 teaspoon parsley and mix together.

Sprinkle on top of soup mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Thai Peanut Chicken

3 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
3/4 cup medium or hot salsa
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 Tbs. lime juice
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. brown sugar
½ tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger root (or 1 tsp.
ground ginger)
1/3 cup coconut milk
cilantro
chopped peanuts

 
Place chicken breasts in a slow cooker. In a
small bowl, mix salsa, peanut butter, lim juice, soy sauce, brown sugar,

garlic and ginger root. Pour mixture over chicken. Cook on low for 4-5
hours. remove chicken from cooker and shred into large pieces. Return to

crock pot. Add coconut milk and turn to warm setting for 15-20 minutes
prior to serving. 

 
Serve over rice or noodles.
Top with cilantro and peanuts. 

 
Serves 4-6

Sherry’s Aussie Chicken

I got this recipe here, tried it last night and it was amazing.

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness (sometimes it’s easier to filet them, instead)
• seasoning salt
• 6 slices bacon, cut in half
• ¼ cup regular mustard
• ¼ to 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 cups shredded Colby/Jack cheese

Sprinkle and rub the chicken breasts with seasoning salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove bacon. ***Do not discard grease.*** Saute chicken in the bacon grease for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until browned. Move chicken to a 9×13 pan.

In a small bowl, mix the mustard, honey, mayo and dried onion flakes. Apply the honey mustard to each breast, then layer with mushrooms, bacon, and shredded cheese.

Bake in a 350° oven for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and chicken is done. (Be sure to cut into a breast to see that it is fully cooked before serving to guests who will find raw meat in their main dish. Ask me how I know…)

Serve with honey mustard sauce.

Carrot Cake

I am not a huge fan of carrot cake but it was my mother in laws birthday it is her favorite cake so I made this for her. It is by far the best carrot cake that I have ever had. I don't like chunks so I blended the carrots and pineapple....so good.

3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 c. sugar
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 c. buttermilk
3/4 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (1 lb.) bag carrots, peeled and grated
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. flaked coconut
1/2 c. raisins Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
Marzipan carrots (optional)

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside. Combine sugars, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract in a large bowl; stir until all ingredients are well blended. Add flour mixture, carrots, pineapple, walnuts, coconut and raisins, stirring just until well blended.

Grease 3 (8 inch) round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease and flour waxed paper. Pour batter into cake pans.

Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; loosen cake layers from edges of pans with a sharp knife and invert onto wire racks. Peel off waxed paper and cool completely.

Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with marzipan carrots, if desired. Cover and refrigerate overnight before cutting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (16 oz.) pkg. powdered sugar
2 tsp. grated orange rind
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl; beat until light and fluffy. Add sugar, orange rind and vanilla, mixing well.

Makes enough frosting for 1 (3 layer) cake.