Thursday, January 22, 2009

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Casserole
by: cdkitchen.com

Ready in: 2-5 hrs
Serves/Makes: 10


Ingredients:
12 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
2 pounds cooked chicken, coarsely chopped
1 can (10¾ oz. size) cream of chicken soup
1 can (10¾ oz. size) cream of mushroom soup
1 can (7 oz. size) green chili salsa
1 package (8 oz. size) sour cream
1 tablespoon onion, grated
1 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

Lightly grease sides and bottom of crock pot.

In a separate bowl, mix together the soups, salsa, sour cream and onion.

In a crock pot, arrange alternate layers of the tortillas, chicken pieces and soup mixture, ending with soup mixture on top. Cover and cook on low 4-5 hours.

Sprinkle with Cheddar and cook for another 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Lemon Basil Chicken and Vegetables


Lemon Basil Chicken and Vegetables
by: Betty Crocker

Prep Time: 30 min
Total Time: 30 min
Makes: 4 servings

1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
1 bag (1 pound) frozen baby bean and carrot blend
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup lemon-basil stir-fry sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Total Time: 30 min
1. Cook rice as directed on package.
2. Meanwhile, cut chicken into 2x1/4-inch strips. Spray 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sprinkle with pepper and garlic powder. Cook and stir 4 to 6 minutes or until brown. Add onion; cook and stir 2 minutes.
3. Stir in frozen vegetables and water. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
4. Mix stir-fry sauce and cornstarch until smooth; stir into mixture in skillet. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Divide rice among bowls. Top with chicken mixture.

Substitution
Either Szechuan or ginger-garlic stir-fry sauce can be used instead of the lemon-basil stir-fry sauce. Add 1 teaspoon each lemon juice and chopped fresh basil leaves to match the flavor of this recipe.

Variation
Choose any blend of frozen vegetables that happen to be a family favorite. One suggestion: frozen baby peas, carrots, pea pods and corn.

Nutrition Information:
1 Serving: Calories 410 (Calories from Fat 65); Total Fat 7g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat ncg); Cholesterol 70mg; Sodium 630mg; Total Carbohydrate 61g (Dietary Fiber 8g, Sugars ncg); Protein 33g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 100%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 10%; Iron 18% Exchanges: 3 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 3 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Very Lean Meat Carbohydrate Choices: nc

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Phyllo Wrapped Chicken Mummy

Phyllo Wrapped Chicken Mummy
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse

2 pounds ground chicken
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
Dash Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows
2 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 thin slices deli ham
10 slices provolone
2 (16-ounce) boxes kataifi, defrosted
2 pimento stuffed olives
1/2 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/8 by 1 1/2-inch strips
1/2 orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/8 by 1 1/2-inch strips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine the chicken, garlic, onion, parsley, thyme, Worcestershire, Essence, eggs, and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper. Mix lightly until the ingredients are well combined. Do not overmix or the final product will be too dense.

Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Line the plastic wrap with the ham in an 8 1/2 by 14-inch rectangle, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Press the chicken mixture over the ham, leaving a 1-inch border. Spread the cheese slices over the chicken mixture.

Starting with the 14-inch side, grab the plastic wrap. Using the wrap to help you, pull the ham up and over the chicken and cheese mixture and roll like a jelly roll. Press the excess ham over the ends to seal. Leave the roll on the plastic wrap.

Gently unroll the katafi, making sure that you cover it with a damp towel to keep from drying out. Spread the kataifi on the work surface in a rectangle. Remove the plastic wrap and place the chicken roll on 1 side of the kataifi. Carefully roll up in the kataifi, making sure to cover both of the ends.

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place the wrapped chicken roll on the baking sheet. Gently press the roll so that it has a mummy-like shape - a head and shoulders at the top and tapering down at the bottom for legs.

Place in the oven and bake until golden brown and the chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes. If the mummy starts getting too brown, tent with foil. Internal temperature should be 165 degrees F.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before slicing. Decorate with pimento stuffed olives for eyes. Make neck decoration by alternating the pepper strips around the neck area. Place on a decorative platter.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Baked Eggs

Baked Eggs
By: Sarah Meyers

6 bread slices, cut in cubes ½ cup finely chopped onion

2 cups grated cheddar cheese (or your fav cheese) 6 eggs

1 cup cooked, cubed ham 3 cups milk

¼ cup chopped green bell pepper



Mix bread, cheese, ham, bell pepper and onion; spread in a 13x9x12 inch baking dish treated with nonstick spray. Whisk eggs and milk, pour over top. Bake uncovered in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Note: this dish can be prepared and frozen. To prepare for serving, thaw dish then bake as above.

Note 2: This dish can also be prepared the night before and baked in the morning.

Note 3: This dish is good with 6 slices cooked, crumbled bacon instead of ham.

Pot Roast

Pot Roast
From: Dede Ramsey

1-2 chuck roast (or other suitable cut of meat)
a sprinkle of bay leaves
garlic powder, crushed garlic, or minced garlic added liberally
2 whole onions chopped coarsely
salt
pepper to taste
a dash of cayenne pepper
bag of baby carrots
4-8 potatoes, red or yukon gold work best

place all in a crockpot early morning. Turn to high. (not low)
Cook on high at least 4-6 hrs, then turn to low for another 4. The longer you cook it, the juicier and fall-apart-tender it gets. Our cooking time is an average of 12 hours.