Chicken Enchildas

Here is another dish that I grew up on.  This Fun twist on enchiladas is super Easy and great to make on a busy night.  

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 cans cream of chicken soup

4 oz. diced green chilies (I used jalapenos instead.  We like the heat)

1 pint of sour cream

1/2 tsp dry onion flakes

1/2 pound of grated cheddar cheese

10-12 flour tortillas

In a crack pot, put your chicken breast.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and onion flakes.  Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours or until cooked through.  The chicken should be very tender.  Once it is done, shred it and set aside.

In a saucepan combine the cream of chicken soup, green chilies, sour cream, and onion.  Mix thoroughly and warm through.

On a flour tortilla, spread a heaping tablespoon of sauce.  Then top it with 1/4 cup of chicken and a couple tablespoons of cheese.   

Roll up the tortillas and place in a 9x13 in glass dish.  Repeat with remaining tortillas until the chicken is gone.  Top the enchiladas with the remaining sauce and the remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Avocado Salsa Cups

These fun appetizers are always requested when I have get together's at my house.  They are light and fresh and absolutely wonderful.  

Tortilla Cups

6 flour tortillas
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Avocado Filling

2 small plum tomatoes
2 small avocados
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp lime juice
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream
Additional chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. For cups, using Pizza Cutter, trim tortillas to form six 6-in. squares. Cut each square into quarters for a total of twenty-four 3-in. squares. Make a 1-in. cut from each corner toward the center of each square. Brush both sides of each square with oil using a basting brush. Press squares into bottom of a mini-muffin pan using a tart shaper. Bake 8-10 minutes or until crisp. Remove from oven.

For filling, core and seed tomatoes. Finely dice tomatoes and avocados. Chop cilantro. Combine tomatoes, avocados, cilantro, lime juice, minced garlic and salt in a bowl.

Fill cups with filling. Spoon sour cream into resealable plastic bag; trim corner. Pipe sour cream over avocado mixture. Garnish with additional chopped cilantro, if desired.

Mom's Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I grew up on this bread and it is a family favorite.  You can always omit the chocolate chips and add chopped walnuts if you want.  But, I always go for the chocolate! 

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup butter shortening 

(If you do not like using shortening you can substitute with butter).

4 eggs

4 ripe bananas

2 tsp soda

1 cup cold water

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 cups flour

2tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1 bag chocolate chips

Mash bananas and combine with water and soda. Set aside.  Cream shortening and sugar together.  Add eggs 1 at a time.  Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.  Alternate dry mixture with the banana mixture into the sugar mixture.  Add vanilla and chocolate chips.  Grease bread pans.   This will make 4 regular size loaves or 8 mini loaves.  I really like the mini loaves the best.  Bake at 360 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown and center has cooked completely through.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are one of my favorite cookies and I don't feel as guilty giving them to my kids since they have oatmeal in them!

2 eggs

2 cubes butter

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 TBS vanilla

3 cups oats

1 3/4 C. flour

1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup finely chopped pecans

Cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar.  Then add the eggs and stir well.  Add the soda, salt and vanilla.  Cream together.  The add the oats, flour, chocolate chips and nuts.

Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes. Enjoy!!

Homemade Wheat Bread

There is something about homemade bread that makes me feel young again.  It reminds me so much of my childhood.  I remember watching my mom bake early in the mornings.  She taught me almost everything I know about baking and cooking.    She is a wonderful teacher and has always been a great example to me!   

It has been about three months since I bought bread from a store.  I love knowing that I am getting all healthy ingredients with no preservatives.  I have tried several recipes and this is my favorite so far.  It is soft and holds together great.  I put some white flour in it but you can definitely do all wheat!  If you are scared to try it don't be, who can resist the smell of the house when fresh baked bread is in the oven. 

Whole Wheat Bread (Makes 5 loaves.  Bake 350 degrees for 30-35 min.)

Into your mixer, put :

5 cups warm water

1/2 cup honey

1 Tbls. liquid Lecithin (avoid getting on hands) You can just pour it from the bottle.  Lecithin can be found at your local health food store.

1 cup powdered milk

1/3 cup gluten 

Turn mixer on and off several times till mixed up a little 

Then add:

6 cups whole wheat flour 

2 Tbls. instant yeast 

Mix well

Let sit for 20-30 min. until a nice sponge has developed

Then, add:

1/2 cup oil

2 Tbls. salt

6 more cups of flour (4c. wheat and 2c. white)

Mix until mixture pulls away from bowl (about 7 min.).  It should

be slightly sticky

Grease large bowl and put dough into it, turning over once to coat.

Cover  with towel and let raise for 1-1 1/2 hrs.    Punch down and

divide into 5 loaves. 

To roll out bread: Lightly grease counter top. Stretch dough lightly

and roll out lengthwise.  Roll up tight, tuck ends under.  Place in

greased pan upside down, then turn right side up.  Cover with towel 

and raise for 1 to 1 1/2 hrs. (1" above pans) then bake until nicely

browned on middle rack.  Cool on racks (I butter the tops of bread

while hot.) 

Yogurt Parfait

There has finally been some great fruit showing up in the stores here.  These are one of my new favorites for breakfast or a bedtime snack. YUM.  

INGREDIENTS

1 CUP VANILLA YOGURT

1/2 CUP FRESH STRAWBERRIES 

1/2 PINT FRESH BLACKBERRIES, RASPBERRIES OR BLUEBERRIES

3/4 CUP GOOD QUALITY GRANOLA

DIRECTIONS

Layer 1/3 cup vanilla yogurt into the bottom pf a tall glass.  Combine strawberries berries.  Alternate layers of fruit and granola with yogurt until glass is filled to the top.  Serve parfait immediately to keep granola crunchy.

Easy Calzones

I know that there are nights that we are all looking for something super easy to make.  On those nights, this is the recipe for you.  The following recipe will make 2 large calzones.  Double if you have a large family.

4 oz. pepperoni, quartered

4 oz.  Canadian bacon, cubed

1 cup mozzarella cheese

5 button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1/4 yellow onion, dices

1 TBS. pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning

Frozen bread dough or rolls (I use rolls

Pizza Sauce (recipe follows or buy some pre-made)

In a large bowl combine the first eight ingredients and mix well.  I use 3 rolls per calzone if they are large rolls or 4 of the small rolls.  I usually do not have time to thaw the bread so I microwave the rolls in 20 second increments, turning after each 20 seconds until they are workable.  Then I roll them into a 10-12 inch circle, fill with half of the mixture, fold in half and seal the edges.  Make a couple slits in the top of the dough and place on a baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with hot pizza sauce on the side!

Pizza Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (4-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

DIRECTIONS

Mix together the tomato paste, water, and olive oil. Mix well. Add garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, oregano, basil, and rosemary. Mix well and let stand several hours to let flavors blend. No cooking necessary.