Cheesy Fiesta Chicken

Kaelyn asked for this today. Apparently "Cheesy Chicken" was a hit! There is a similar recipe in the P90X cookbook but we've modified it for us, as usual. I am using all of the standard "ok ingredients" and rules. Like "Cheese isn't an ingredient, it's a condiment". As in don't drown your foods in cheese and other dairy based products. Just add a little for flavor and move along.

Please ignore the fuzziness... I didn't realize the lens got steamed till it was too late!

Meal Plan Monday May 14

Linking up with Laura @ OrgJunkie today!

Click the image to visit other meal planning bloggers!

PS. Getting on her website on Mondays is tough. Bandwidth issues.

With very few days until the move actually starts in earnest I've got to get back into meal planning so I can get the most tasks done with minimal effort.

I have packed up my kitchen, keeping out what I thought I would need and in cooking a full, SIMPLE meal on the stove I kept reaching for things I had packed up. So this week I'm going back to the crock pot - ALL WEEK!! I'm also using what is already in the freezer (less to move!) so that means lots of chicken!

Monday & Tuesday: Second Chance Meals Chicken Enchiladas & Enchilada Bean Soup
Wednesday: BBQ Rubbed Crock Pot Chicken
Thursday: Chuckwagon Stew
Friday: Four Bean Chili
Saturday: MOVING DAY #1! We'll eat somewhere, at some time... I promise?
Sunday: Leftovers or Creamy Farmhouse Garden Soup

I'll also be adapting a few of these recipes. I pulled these from OLD blog posts before we started eating healthier, so I am going to do my best to adapt them to something a litte more suotableto match teh P90X@ meal plan we've been eating.

• Less salt (the BBQ Rub has 1/4 cup!!!!!)
• Less fats (including whole milks, butters, & creams)
• More whole grains, like brown rice, etc.

I'll update the recipes in a new post if I make any major changes, otherwise I'll just add a note to the original. :-)

Gluten FreeTamale Pie!

I made this "shepard's pie" style where you make a filling and add a "crust". I'll definitely be making it again and SOON!!! It seems like a lot of ingredients, but I keep all these spices on hand. I can't use pre mixed taco seasoning because it has flour in it.. big no-no on the GF diet!

Second Chance Meals: Chicken Enchiladas into 15 Bean Soup

I decided I'm tired of having leftovers as leftovers. this means a slight rise to the food bll (10%??) but it also means I'll be throwing away less food because people are sick of eating it.  So since hubby is on a business trip, I decided to test this out with the girls... and of course I used my crock pot!

Day 1: Chicken Enchiladas with "Instant" Spanish Rice

Mexican 2 ways in 2 days!

CLICK HERE FOR INGREDIENTS & PICTURE until I get it transferred over :)

Night 1: Nacho & Tacos!!
Layer it! Wrap it! Do it however you want!

I like to season my taco meat with Alton Brown's Taco Potion #19. Use what you like.

Night 2: Mexican Pasta!!
~ Saute your leftover onions.
~ Add in the leftover meat and a jar of salsa.
~ Simmer on low while you cook your pasta to al dente.
~ Drain pasta and add into sause mixture.
~ Serve with a sprinkle of cheese, dollop of crema, and a side of chips for some crunch!

Simple but OH! SO! YUMMY!

Quickie!! Beef Fajitas

So while shopping at Sam's we got this bag of John Souls Foods Fully Cooked Restaurant Quality Beef Fajitas. Just click the link.. you'll see why I got it. It was a sampler and OOOOooohhh man was it tender!!!

So we cooked it according to package directions.
Greated some Oaxaca cheese.
Browned some onions.
Warmed some tortillas.
Slapped them all together.
Dipped it in Mexican Crema....

and YUUUUM!!!!

Tortilla Soup - revisited

We loved this stuff from a friend's blog that I blogged about before so we had it again. YUM!!!

Except this time I sautéed the chicken & seasoning blend then tossed it all in the crockpot on high for 4 hours while we went shopping (school clothes)! The chicken was melt in your mouth when we got home!

Mexi-Vegi-Chicken.... Tortilla Soup???

I wanted "Mexican" food tonight. Tacos, nachos, burritos... SOMETHING.. but I didn't want to run to the store to get ingredients. Digging through the freezer I found... vegetables. Lots of them. We're veggie eaters here. Now while I could live on a meatless veggie soup, George isn't so happy about meatless eating.. but I had chicken, too!!! No potatoes.. what to do????

Here's what I came up with:

Mexi-Vegi-Chicken Tortilla Soup

Throw it in Thursday - Mexican Skillet

I don't know what else to call this.. I've made it before, but I don't think I blogged it. Bad Anne!
Anyway it is neat simple and YUMMY!!! One pot folks! That's it!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 c frozen seasoning blend
• 2-3 cloves or 1 heaping teaspoon of minced garlic
• 2 cups of beef broth (or 2c hot water & 2 bouillon cubes)
• 2 cups of your favorite salsa (or 16 oz diced tomatoes)
• 3 cups uncooked pasta ( I used wheat penne)
• 1-2 cups fiesta/mexican blend shredded cheese

Directions:

1. Brown burger, veggies, and seasonings.
2. Add broth and salsa, and bring to a simmer.
3. Stir in uncooked pasta. Add water to just reach the top of the pasta, if necessary.
4. Simmer 7-10 minutes until pasta is al dente.
5. Stir in cheese and serve with sour cream.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Simple and YUMMY!

Am I really back???

YES!! And there is so much going on! I am in the process of copying my blog to WordPress. I am not leaving Blogger, but I have a lot of friends over there and this way I can accommodate more people. Still not sure on the layout there.... it's making me nuts trying to decide LOL! Meanwhile for here I found this Lil Piggy at Yummy Lolly and thought it was too cute. So he'll be out mascot for a while.

Now.. Dinner.. That's why we're here right?

My friend Kellie from an online forum I frequent had this AWESOME Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe up at her blog the other day and I had to try it. It is simmering right now and OMG the house smells so good!!

My changes (Yes, you know I can't just make a recipe):

• Uncooked chicken sauteed with the veggies, because I had none cooked.
  
• Frozen Seasoning Blend in place of onions, because I am lazy.
  
• Flour tortillas, because I didn't have corn tortillas.
  
• Added frozen corn... it was there & sounded good LOL!

Please check her blog out she is amazing!

Until we cook again,
Anne

Mom's Diner Enchiladas

I couldn't find a recipe I really liked so I created this from looking at several recipes. Exchange what we liked for what you like, and enjoy!

What you need:
2 lbs turkey burger
2 pkgs taco seasoning, or use your own blend
1 (24 oz) jar of salsa, divided 12oz/12oz
1 large can (32 oz) enchilada sauce
1 T cumin
2 bags shredded mexican blend cheese
flour tortillas - LOTS!
1 can chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk ranch salad dressing

What you do (filling/sauce):
Heat enchilada sauce with cumin in seperate saucepan. Set Aside.
Brown meat. Drain. Add taco seasoning.
Put 12 oz salsa to blender and pulse until smooth.
Add all salsa and 1/2 cup enchilada sauce to meat and heat through.
Stir in 1/2 bag (1 cup) cheese. Remove from heat. Set aside.
In shallow skillet, warm broth to simmer.


What you do (assembly line):
Preheat oven to 350°
Spray 11 x 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray, paying special attention to the SIDES of the pan.
Spoon a thin layer of enchilada sauce over the bottom of the pan.
Dip one tortilla in simmering broth to cover both sides.
lay flat and add 1/4 cup meat filling.
Roll tightly and place seam side down in pan.
Continue until pan is full, You will have about 10-12 across and 2 longways down the side, depending on the size of your tortillas. Fit snuggly so they don't unroll.
Spoon heavy layer of enchilada sauce over the top.
Put 1-1 1/2 cups shredded cheese over the top.
Bake for 15 minutes and serve with spanish rice or tex-mex cheesy fries!

Mom's Diner Tex-Mex Fries

Simple? Yes. Yummy? YOU BET!

What you need:

• 1 bag frozen seasoned fries
• cumin
• chili powder
• Tony's or salt
• 1/4-1/2 cup shredded mexican blend cheese

What you do:

1. Bake fries as directed until super crispy on the outside
2. Sprinkle lightly with cumin & chili powder.
3. Top with cheese

Mom's Diner Spanish Rice

What you need:

• Rice pot (unless YOU know how to cook rice on the stove top.. I can't LOL!)
• 2 1/2 cups rice ( I prefer medium grain)
• 1 tsp 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 TBSP Knoor Chicken Tomato Boullion
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5-6 cups water

What you do:

1. Melt butter in a non-stick skellet over mnedium high heat.
2. Add pepper flakes stirring constatnly for 1 minute then add rice.
3. Stir rice to coat with butter, then stir occasionally until it starts browning.
4. Add rice, water (start with 5), salt & boullion to rice pot.
5. Stir occasionally as the rice boils, adding water of it looks necessary. Browned rice will absorb more water than regular.

Miserly Meal #6- Enchilitos

Another of Jonni's meals today, Enchilito, and this one really was a budget saver because I had refried beans & homemade cheese sauce in the freezer from last week.

I turned a bottle of ketchup from the pantry to into a bottle of taco sauce a few days ago (because I knew this recipe was coming up and I didn't have any....) I made a mess of the kitchen but it turned out ok, though a little thicker & sweeter than you'd think of a taco sauce... I think next time I'll try tomato sauce or canned tomato juice. I'll update you on that one when I get it right.

About 12¢ ber Enchilito or 48¢ per serving using my frozen things!! Just about $1 per serving using all store bought... still a HUGE bargain!

We went the microwave route and it was great.

Enchilito

• 1 lbs ground meat ( I used taco flavored turkey burger)
• 1/4 c flour
• 1 t chili powder
• 1/3 c diced onion
• 4 cloves of pressed garlic
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 c water
• 16 oz refried beans
• 16 eight inch flour tortillas
• 1 1/2 c taco sauce
• 1 1/2 c grated cheese

Directions:

1. Brown ground meat and drain.
2. Add next five ingredients, and mix well.
3. Add water and simmer 8-10 minutes until creamy.
4. Warm beans.
5. Put 3 T beans and 3 T beef on a tortilla and roll up.
6. Arrange folded side down cover with sauce and cheese Microwave or bake until cheese is melted.

printer friendly version

South of the border: Chocolate? For Dinner????

If you have never had mole (pronounced mo-lay), you have GOT to try it.

It may seem a little strange. It has a slightly sweet flavor. The cocoa powder gave us a little pause.. as my daughter and I figured it.. "Chocolate? For Dinner???? We gotta try this!"

It easily served us for the night with enough left over for a midnight snack I couldn't resist during mid-terms and dinner for another night as well. I don't suggest freezing, the sauce would loose it's consistency, but it holds well in the fridge for 3-4 days if stored properly.

Chicken Mole and Spanish Rice


Recipe:
(I didn't count the spices and pantry items in the prices.
They are one time investments used pennies at a time.)

Chicken Mole
2 T flour -- 1/4 t salt -- 1/4 t pepper
1 lb chicken (3 lb IQF/$6 = 1 lb/$2)
1 T olive oil

1 lg onion sliced in thin moons (currently 50¢)
2t (or 4 cloves) minced garlic (I use jarred so pennies)
2 bell peppers (currently 50¢/ea = $1)

1 1/2 c (or one can) diced tomatoes (72¢)
1 T cocoa powder -- 2 1/2 t brown sugar
2 t red wine vinegar -- 1 t ground ginger
1 t cinnamon -- 1/8 t allspice
1/4 t salt -- 1/4 t pepper

1 1/2 t cornstarch in a slurry
12 tortillas (@ 40 for $4= 12¢)

Total $4.32

• Combine 1st three ingredients on wax paper & dredge chicken.
  
• Brown in oil.
• Cook onions and garlic till tender then add peppers until tender.
• Stir in tomatoes, 3/4 c water, and 8 following spices and vinegar.
• Bring to a simmer.
• Thinly slice chicken and return to pot.
• Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked, about 15 min.
• Put tortillas in oven, wrapped in foil at 400 to soften (about 5 minutes) .
  
• Add slurry (corn starch dissolved into a splash of tap water).
• Return to simmer, stirring to thicken, (about 1 minute).
• Serve along side sauce with tortillas.

Spanish Rice

1T oil
1/2 t crushed red pepper
2c rice - I prefer medium grain (approx. 50¢)
1/4c or 2 cubes chicken tomato bouillon (approx. 50¢)
salt
Less than $1 for 4 servings

• Heat oil over medium heat,
• Add crushed pepper to release flavor into oil
• Add the rice and stir occasionally until browned lightly.
• Add bouillon and salt to taste.
• From here cook as you would any rice. I do mine in the cooker. NOTE: once browned the rice may need more water than it normally would. Just keep a cup or two of water heated in the microwave in case you need to add to the cooking rice.
  

Serve as a side to the mole.