Beef Enchilada Casserole

a "before" photo

Another casserole...but we had a similar meal recently that was a big hit (Tamale Pie) & I wanted to try this version.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can tomato soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can diced green chiles (I forgot to get these at the store, so we went without...but it was probably better for Finn that it wasn't too spicy)
1 small can (15 ounce) hot enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 pound longhorn cheese, grated (I used Colby Jack)
1 dozen corn tortillas (we ran out & had to use some flour tortillas...which was a bummer!)

Directions:

Cook ground beef in large skillet until meat is done; drain. Then add each can of soup, chiles, and hot sauce. Heat mixture to boil and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Take mixture off heat. Put four corn tortillas in bottom of 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Add one-third of the meat mixture and one-third grated cheese. Continue making layers of tortillas, meat mixture and cheese until all ingredients are used. Bake in 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes.

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We liked eating this with tortilla chips - yumm! It was very tasty & we'll definitely make it again. Next time, I'll be sure to have enough corn tortillas! Such an easy, delicious meal & the leftovers are even better!!

Whipped Cream

Don't want to forget where I found this recipe. Always a winner, once I get over the stress about it turning into butter. Hasn't happened yet, knock on wood! :)


HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM

1/2 pt. whipping cream
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Whip cream with mixer (I love my Kitchenaid!). Be careful not to overbeat or else will get too thick like butter. When it begins to thicken, add sugar and vanilla; stir. Refrigerate.

Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole

This is one of my go-to meals because I usually have enough ingredients on hand to throw some version of it together. :) This time, I didn't have any cream of mushroom soup but I did have chicken broth. I probably could have just used the broth, but I wanted to try to make homemade condensed cream of chicken soup. I tried this recipe & thought it turned out nicely.

Yield: 3 cups (about 2 cans)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning (I skipped this)
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (or less; taste to test)
1/4 teaspoon parsley (I skipped this too - just didn't have any on hand)
dash of paprika
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup flour

Instructions:

1. In medium-sized saucepan, boil chicken broth, 1/2 cup of the milk, and the seasonings for a minute or two (longer if using fresh onions or garlic).

2. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup of milk and flour. Add to boiling mixture and continue whisking briskly until mixture boils and thickens.

Preparation Time:

5 minutes

Cooking Time:

10-15 minutes

Then I loosely followed this recipe for the casserole.

CHICKEN, BROCCOLI, RICE CASSEROLE

1 (5 oz.) can Swanson boned chicken (I used about 10 frozen chicken tenders & put them straight into the casserole, frozen & all)
1 c. milk
1 (10 oz.) can cream of chicken soup (I used my homemade version)
1/2 c. chopped onions (skipped this cause we don't really care for onions)
1/2 c. chopped green peppers (skipped this because I wanted to keep it simple)
1 med. size bag broccoli (I used about 3/4 of a head of fresh broccoli)
1 1/2 c. Minute Rice (I used long grain white rice & followed the directions in the previous post for baking rice - I said I "loosely" followed this recipe, right?) :)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
American cheese, shredded (or cheddar - it's what we had)

Combine all ingredients except cheese and put in casserole. Cover and bake for 25 to 30 minutes (mine baked for a total of 1 hour, since this chicken was frozen & the rice was not minute rice). Uncover, sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Bake at 350 degrees.

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It turned out great & I was super excited that EVERYONE ate it! Even the kids. Finn ate some broccoli after being bribed with gum. :P And Cedar got to try the same dinner as the rest of the family (for the first time), only his version was chopped in the food processor. Anyway, not a super exciting meal, but it's pretty tasty & I didn't have to buy anything extra to make it! Sounds like a winner to me! :)

Baking rice

Here's a cool site that explains how to bake different grains. I like baking rice & chicken together & this method works for me!

Apple & Gorgonzola Salad with Celery Seed Dressing

Easy, yummy salad made from ingredients I often have on hand. I skipped the ham & raisins, because I was in a hurry & didn't have those ingredients. It was still very tasty & I'm sure those 2 ingredients would have been yummy, too.

Celery Seed Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• Pinch salt

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 head Boston lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 1/2 apples, cut into julienne strips
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/3 cup cashews
• 2/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
• 6 oz. shaved Rostello Roasted Ham

Directions:

1. To make dressing whisk together mustard and vinegar. While whisking, drizzle in oil and whisk until emulsified. Add sugar, celery seed and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine lettuce, apple, raisins, cashews and reserved Celery Seed Dressing; toss well.

3. Divide salad between four plates. Sprinkle with gorgonzola, and place shaved Rostello Roasted Ham on salad.

Crock Pot Chicken Stock

I've used this recipe a few times recently & it is so convenient! I've enjoy using every bit of a roasted chicken to make several different dinners. Plus, using the crock pot to make stock means that I can get it altogether before bed & let it cook all night or do it right before I head out to work. So easy! I will definitely continue using this "recipe".

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
• 6 cups water
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 tablespoon dried basil

Directions

1. Place the chicken pieces, water, celery, carrots, onion, and basil in a slow cooker.
2. Cook on Low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Strain before using, and discard vegetables. Chicken may be removed from the bones, and used in soup.