Chicken Enchiladas II

"I found this recipe on pinterest, and you can find the original HERE .  The original was called White Chicken Enchiladas", but since I didn't want the chicken plain, it ended up not being "white" when I got done with it, so I renamed the recipe.  I still think the white sauce was lacking in something, so if you make this, let me know if you modified that, but it was still very yummy.  I included directions on what I did to cook the chicken, the original just said: 2 cup of shredded.  I also changed the cheese from Monterrey jack to cheddar jack."

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Sauce to cook chicken in:

1/2 c. taco sauce

1 large tomato

1/2 lg. onion

1 t. chili powder

1 t. cumin

1 t. paprika

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 t. pepper

10 standard sized soft taco shells

3 cups shredded Cheddar Jack cheese

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1 (4 oz) can diced green chillies

DIRECTIONS:

Place chicken breasts in slow cooker.  Put "sauce ingredients" into food processor, blend and pour over chicken.  Cook chicken breasts on high for 4 1/2 hours.  Remove chicken and shred with fork, put back into slow cooker and stir back into sauce.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 pan

Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese.  Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.

In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute.  Add broth and whisk until smooth.  Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.  

Stir in sour cream and chilies.  Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.

Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.

Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

Hot Tamale Pie

"I found this recipe on allrecipes.com when looking for a Mexican casserole.  This was AMAZING and all of my kids loved it including my one year old.  I would say the heat compares to "medium" salsa, so it's not too spicy.  You can find the original recipe HERE, my changes are included below."

INGREDIENTS:

cooking spray
2 pounds ground beef (I used sirlion)
2 cups diced poblano peppers
2 10 oz. cans tomatoes with green chilis (I used original Rotelle)
1 c. diced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried or 2 T. fresh chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon ground dried chili powder
1 teaspoon ground dried chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon dried cumin
1 T. lime juice
2 cloves minced garlic

2 (8.5 ounce) boxes dry corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy®)
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk, divided
8 oz.(2 cups) shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 oz.(2 cups) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, divided
8 ounces frozen corn, thawed

sour cream if desired


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
Saute beef with tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, lime juice and spices over med-high heat until meat is cooked through.  Take off burner and set aside to preserve  "sauce" so it doesn't completely cook out.
Meanwhile mix one package of corn muffin mix with 1 egg and 1/3 cup of milk in medium mixing bowl. Spoon into greased 9x13 baking dish, and spread evenly in bottom of dish.
Sprinkle corn over the muffin mix, followed by half of each of the cheeses, then the beef mixture.
In same medium bowl, mix the second package of corn muffin mix with 1 egg, 1/3 cup of milk and remaining cheeses.
Spoon the corn muffin mix with cheese on top of the beef and carefully spread over the top with a fork, leaving about half an inch from the edges of the pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top of each piece if desired

Serves 8

Jen's Beef Enchilada Casserole

"It's been a long time since I tried making a new recipe. I am really into learning to make more authentic-tasting Mexican food, so I wanted to try my hand at a sauce from scratch. Canned enchilada sauce tastes cheap to me, so I made my own and it was so yummy. Looking forward to getting some reviews of this...enjoy!"


INGREDIENTS:

23 small corn tortillas
4 cups Mexican-Blend shredded cheese

Meat Mixture Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I use sirloin)
3 green onions finely chopped
1 Pablano Pepper diced
1 large tomato diced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin

Sauce Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups beef broth (I use no salt added)
6 oz. tomato paste
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine meat mixture ingredients together and saute in large pan until meat is browned. Run mixture through food processor. In medium saucepan over medium heat melt butter and add flour to make roux. Stir in broth and tomato paste continuing to stir until smooth. Add vinegar and spices and stir until smooth and sauce starts to simmer.

Layering (in 9x13 dish sprayed with cooking spray)

1/2 cup sauce
9 tortillas (place so they go up the sides of the dish)
1/2 of meat mixture
1/2 cup of cheese
1/2 cup sauce
8 tortillas
rest of meat mixture
1/2 cup cheese
1/2 cup sauce
6 tortillas
remaining sauce

Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, add remaining cheese and bake additional 10 minutes. Allow to sit and "set" for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6-8

Chile Relleno with Red Chile Sauce

"This is my favorite Mexican dish, but I was so nervous to try it since I don't have a lot of experience cooking Mexican food. I found this recipe by searching for a recipe for the sauce, and I'm so glad I tried this particular recipe because it's the best version I've ever tasted. HERE is the link to the original recipe. You might want to watch the first video because it was really helpful to me. I am including my chances and choices."


3/4 lb cold sharp Cheddar cheese cut into long matchstick pieces
8 Poblano Peppers, roasted and peeled *directions follow
1 batch beer batter *recipe follows
3 cups vegetable oil for frying
1 batch red chile sauce *recipe follows

Prepare batter first:


BEER BATTER

3/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, toasted
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 cup beer, any brand as long as it's not dark

Combine flour, cornstarch, salt, cumin and cayenne in medium bowl.

Measure beer into tilted measuring cup to be sure you have 1 cup liquid under the foam. Stir beer and foam into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk batter until smooth.

Allow batter to rest 20 minutes before using.

To Roast Peppers:

*TURN OFF SMOKE ALARM IN HOME* :) Put peppers directly onto Electric Stove Burner on high or gas burner on low. Turn peppers with tongs to blacken entire outside. Put into a bowl covered with plastic to allow to steam about 10 minutes. I don't think there is any easy way to peel peppers, but do the best you can. Cut small vertical slit at the top of each pepper just large enough to slide the cheese into...stuff until full of cheese. *Handle with care so the slit stays small.*

Heat oil to 350 degrees over medium high heat in deepish frying pan (I used a wok)(I don't have a thermometer so I just waited until I could hear it bubbling.) Dip peppers, one at a time, into batter and carefully slide them into the hot oil, be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Once they are golden brown, turn the chiles over and fry the other side. The second side will brown more quickly. Keep warm in oven until all chiles are fried. Drain fried chiles on paper towels. (Mine never got as dark as the video showed).

Red Chile Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup mild ground red chile powder
1 tablespoon ground ancho chile powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2-3/4 cups vegetable, beef or chicken stock* (I used chicken)
1 teaspoon salt

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until roux turns golden yellow, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat in stir in all three ground chiles. Return pan to heat and whisk in garlic, oregano, cumin and stock. Reduce heat to low.

Allow sauce to simmer for 10 minutes and season with salt.

(Red chile sauce freezes well.)

*Note: Use vegetable stock to make the chile rellenos vegetarian. Choose chicken stock for general use, or if you will be serving the sauce with a chicken dish. Beef stock is a good match for beef dishes, such as enchiladas.

Chile Pork

"I found this on allrecipes.com. It was so delicious, especially when dipped in sour cream. This meat would be great in soft taco or enchiladas, or baked in the crock pot all day and shredded."


INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
2 pounds pork tenderloin, cubed
1 dash ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Mix together: chili powder, salt, cumin, garlic cilantro and pepper. Coat pork cubes with mixture and let sit for 45 minutes in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
Coat bottom of 9x13 baking dish with olive oil. Put meat into dish, cover with foil and bake 2 hours.

Salsa

"I've always wanted to try making my own salsa. I found this on allrecipes.com. I changed it a little. The heat is probably similar to medium."


INGREDIENTS:

1 pound roma tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 lg. vidalia onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro minus stems

Directions:

Put all ingredients except for cilantro into med saucepan, mix well, put 1/3 of mixture into food processor with fresh cilantro, blend. Put back into saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and continue to cook until onions are soft.
Refrigerate until served.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

Chicken for Soft Tacos

"I found this on allrecipes.com. I added the changes suggested by a review."


INGREDIENTS:

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup lemonade (I used lemon juice and honey instead)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste
1 bay leaf

Directions:

Heat oil in large frying pan. Add chicken. Drizzle lemon juice, lime juice and honey over chicken. Add spices. Saute until chicken is cooked through (about 15-20 minutes)

Serves 4-6

Crock Pot Chicken with Black Beans and Cream Cheese

"I found this on recipezaar.com. The photo makes it look disgusting, but it was very tasty and made the kitchen smell fabulous!"

INGREDIENTS:

4-5 boneless chicken breasts
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can corn
1 (15 ounce) jar salsa, any kind
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Take 4-5 frozen, yes, frozen, boneless chicken breasts put into crock pot.
add 1 can of black beans, drained, 1 jar of salsa, 1 can of corn drained.
Keep in crock pot on high for about 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked.
Add 1 package of cream cheese (just throw it on top!) and let sit for about 1/2 hour.
All done and enjoy!

Notes:

-I recommend adding pepper and garlic to taste.
-I added about 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese with the cream cheese.
-Is great served over chips, but would also be good served over rice or in a tortilla
-I thawed my chicken slightly and cut it in cubes before adding to crock pot/slow-cooker.

Jen's Taco Pizza

"I've never tried making a taco pizza until now. I knew I didn't want refried beans on it because I'm not a fan of canned refried beans, so I decided to make the base a tomato sauce."


INGREDIENTS:

2 pre-made pizza crusts

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup diced onion

1 packet taco seasoning (I prefer Ortega)

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

4 oz can sliced black olives

2 -8 oz packages shredded cheddar cheese

diced tomato, shredded lettuce, sour cream and taco sauce for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Saute ground beef with onion; drain if necessary. Add taco seasoning (don't add water the seaoning package calls for), and tomato sauce. Stir until thickens. Spoon meat mixture onto crusts. Top with black olives and cheese. Bake for 15 minutes (alternating pans on shelves half way through). Garnish with diced tomato, lettuce, sour cream and taco sauce.

White Bean Chicken Chili

"First of all I would not call this chili. It is not thick at all, it's more like mexican flavored soup with chicken. It is very yummy, though. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. The following is the original, and I am putting my changes in the notes at the bottom."

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound diced, cooked chicken meat
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (18.75 ounce) can tomatillos, drained and chopped 1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15 ounce) can white beans
2 ears fresh corn
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 lime, sliced

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil, and cook onion and garlic until soft.
Stir in broth, tomatillos, tomatoes, chilies, and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Add corn, chicken, and beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with these toppings for people to choose from: limes, cilantro, cheese, avocado, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

Notes:

-I did not add coriander because I didn't have it, and I didn't want to buy a spice I'd probably never use again.

-I juiced the lime and poured the juice into the soup instead of using the slices to garnish it, which I thought seemed a waste.

-Instead of cooking the chicken separately, I sauted it with the in the oil with the garlic and onions.

-I used 1/2 cup frozen corn instead of the fresh "off the ear", and put it in to boil with the other ingredients.

-I found the tomatillos in the mexican food section at the grocery store, but you can sometimes find them at the produce market. If not, you can just add another can of diced tomatoes.

-I didn't know what kind of beans "white beans" were unless I just didn't see them. I just used "great northern" because they were white on the front of the can.

Mexican Tortilla Cups

"I was going to make soft and hard tacos for dinner and luckily I came across this idea in a coupon booklet, from our local grocery store. My kids normally don't like the wheat tortillas I buy, but they ate these...yay!"

Cut six 8 inch tortilla shells in quarters. Spray 12 cup muffin tray with cooking spray and place two tortilla quarters in each cup. Put a small amount of shredded cheese in bottom of each cup and then fill with desired filling and top with more shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees F for 12 minutes. Put cold toppings on after baking.

My Ideas:

Taco - taco meat (optional..black beans and corn), with cheddar cheese, and then top with sour cream, tomatoes, and lettuce

Fajita - chicken or steak with sauted peppers and onions and topped with monterey jack or pepper jack cheese

BBQ chicken club - BBQ chicken, bacon and cheddar jack cheese

Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs, bacon or sausage, and cheddar cheese

Jen's Taco Supreme Meatloaf

"This is the first attempt at a mexican meatloaf. Hope you guys like it. The idea of the sour cream and cheese inside and making it into a roll came from my friend Lainie. She made regular meatloaf like that when we were over for a meal."

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. ground beef (I use sirlion)

1/2 cup onions, diced

1 medium tomato, diced

1 packet taco seasoning (I prefer Ortega Brand)

pinch of pepper

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

8 oz. sour cream

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

small can of sliced black olives

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix first seven ingredients together by hand in large bowl. Flatten out to about 1/2 inch thick on large piece of foil. Spread sour cream onto meat, and sprinkle with cheese. Roll up using foil as a guide. Place into 13x9 baking dish. Press black olive slices over visible part of loaf. Bake uncovered for 1 hour and 30 minutes in a 350 degrees F. oven. Slice and serve.

Jen's Guacamole

"I had never made guacamole before last summer. It was just an okay thing for me. It was just kind of plain, and I never really ate it unless it was given to me at a restaurant with my meal. I didn't realize that it didn't excite me because it was so plain. I decided to try it using my friend's advice of citrus juice, garlic and salt, and then I decided to add more and make it my own. I have never made it without a food processor, so I don't know what other options are available."

INGREDIENTS:

2 standard avocados, peeled

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup onions, diced

Put all ingredients together in food processor and blend until smooth. Serve with tortilla chips. Best if used same day

Chicken Enchiladas

"Not your traditional enchiladas. These are cheesy and creamy. I found this on allrecipes.com. I have changed the measurements so that you get enough for four people to each have two."

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups green onions (ends up being just under two bundles from the store), chopped

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 (4 oz) cans diced green chilies

2 (10.75 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream

3-4 chicken breasts, cut into small chunks

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

8 flour tortillas (medium to large sized)

1/2 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large frying pan, saute chicken with either cooking spray, butter (not the butter listed in the ingredients) or olive oil (depending on how much fat you want to add) and saute until chicken is cooked through. In medium to large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat and add green onions, chilies and garlic and saute until onions are soft. Next add the mushroom soup and sour cream, and mix well. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and place in medium bowl. To the remaining sauce add cooked chicken and 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Fill tortillas with chicken mixture, and roll up. Place seam side down in 13x9 baking dish. To the remaining sauce in bowl, add the milk and mix well. Pour over tortillas in dish, and top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese. Bake 30-35 minutes.

Serves 4

Jen's Cheesy Mexican Pasta

"Another one I made up. I've been making this for a few years, and it's a quick meal to throw together. I put in the tomatoes at the last minute so they keep their consistancy."

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb box of pasta noodles (if you use wheat pasta that isn't quite a pound...as I do, it's not a big deal) cooked and drained according to package

1 pound package of pre-cooked sausage or kilbasa cut into small chunks (this is also where you can cut some fat by using Jenny-O turkey sausage or Ekrich light)

2/3 Jar of Cheese Whiz (or use a 1 whole jar of Con Queso dip like Tosito's Brand for less fat)

1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes

1 small or 1/2 large onion, diced

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese (I like to use 2% milk cheese to cut down on fat)

1/2 cup taco sauce

1/4 cup miracle whip (this is optional. I wouldn't substitute mayo...I just add this for flavor)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Optional Add-in Ideas (depending on what you like)

-Green and or Red Pepper, diced

-Cooked Corn

- sliced Black Olives

- Black Beans (maybe only 1/2 can)

DIRECTIONS:

While you are preparing pasta, sautee sausage or kilbasa in large frying pan with onions and any of the veggie add-ins you chose, adding garlic and pepper, until meat is browned. In pot used for boiling noodles combine noodles, meat mixture, and remaining ingredients, and cook over med.-low heat until cheese is melted.

Serves 6