Chelsea Pyle's Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

Chicken
Chunky salsa
2 cans Herdez Salsa Verde
Corn tortillas
Fiesta mix shredded cheese

1.  Roast a whole chicken. I prefer the crockpot method. Throw your favorite seasoning on top to make the chicken flavorful.
2.  Shred chicken.
3. Saute chicken in skillet with chunky salsa. You want a healthy amount of salsa, about 1/2 cup per pound.
4. Take a heaping tablespoon of chicken and roll in a warmed corn tortilla.
5.  Spread a thin layer of salsa verde in your pan. Arrange enchiladas on top. When pan is full, cover with more salsa verde. Cover whole pan with cheese. Bake at 350 until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

Million $ Chicken - Moroccan Style

We taste tested this easy recipe at our Ronald MacDonald Enrichment Service Project! Thanks to Karen Thrailkill for sharing it!

1 Tb olive oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 chicken thighs, cubed SL & BL
2 Tb currants or chopped prunes
1 Tb honey
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups hot cooked rice
1 cup bottled salsa

In a large skillet, saute almonds in oil until brown. Remove with slotted spoon, set aside. Saute garlic in oil for a few seconds, then add chicken. Stir until chicken is no longer pink. Add in remaining ingredients except rice, stir well. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over rice, and garnish with almonds.

Stove-Top Barbecued Chicken

We taste tested this easy recipe at our Ronald MacDonald Enrichment Service Project! Thanks to Sarah Martinson for sharing it!

6 Servings

1 tsp oil
1 med onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
2 Tb vinegar
2 Tb brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp crushed celery seeds, or 1/2 tsp crumbled celery flakes
1 3-lb broiler-fryer, skinned and cut into serving pieces.

1.   Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the onion and cook it, stirring until it is softened
2.   Stir in the ketchup, water, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder and celery seeds or       flakes. Bring the sauce to a boil.
3.   Add the chicken to the skillet, placing what used to be the skin side down, and spoon the sauce over the       pieces.  Cover the skillet, and simmer the chicken for 30 minutes. Uncover, turn the chicken over and     cook another 15 minutes or until tender.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

We taste tested this easy recipe at our Ronald MacDonald Enrichment service project with the Young Women!

5 large chicken breasts
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup blackberry jam
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tb olive oil
1 1/2 minced garlic
1 1/2 minced onion
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 Tb cornstarch
sliced scallions, optional for garnish
sesame seeds, optional for garnish

• Layer chicken breasts in the slow cooker
• In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, blackberry jam, orange juice, olive oil, garlic and onion, then pour the sauce over the chicken.
• Cover the slow cooker; cook on high 4-5 hours or until fully cooked.
• Remove the chicken (reserve the liquids) and shred. Place the shredded chicken in a large bowl.
• Transfer the liquids from the slow cooker into a saucepan set over med-high heat and add cornstarch and broth mixture. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until reduced and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken, tossing to combine. Serve over rice topped with sliced scallions and sesame seeds.

Karen Thrailkill's Corn Chowder Soup

(from "The Schwarzbein Principle Cookbook")

2 T unsalted butter                                                 
1 C finely chopped shallots (green onions)              
2 minced garlic cloves                                            
1 red bell pepper, 1/4" dice                                    
1 sm diced jalapeno, or 1-2 T canned diced green chilies                            
2 red potatoes, 1/2" dice                                         
1 bay leaf
4 C ckn. stock (I use 3 C because I like it thicker-KT)
2 C raw diced chicken
1 C fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 C heavy cream
1 T finely chopped fresh cilantro
 freshly ground black pepper to taste
dash cayenne pepper

******************************

In a large pot, melt butter over med-high heat, add onions, garlic, and peppers; saute till softened, about 5 - 8 minutes.  Add potatoes, bay leaf, stock and chicken.  Bring to boil, then simmer uncovered till potatoes and chicken are tender, about 10 minutes.  Add corn, cream, cilantro, black pepper and cayenne.  Cook over low heat until well blended and heated through, about 5 minutes.  Do not boil.  Adjust seasonings and serve.

SPICY ENCHILADAS WITH PUMPKIN SAUCE

This dish can be assembled up to 8 hours ahead of time; refrigerate, covered, until ready to bake (add a few minutes to the cooking time).
1/2 leftover thyme-roasted chicken, skin removed, meat shredded (see notes below)
6 scallions, thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 jalapeno, quartered (remove ribs and seeds for less heat, if desired)
1 t. chili powder
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (6 oz)

1. Preheat oven to 425. In a medium bowl, combine chicken and scallions. Season generously with salt and pepper; set aside.
2. In a blender, puree pumpkin, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, 2 1/2 cups water, 2 t. salt, and 1/4 t. pepper until smooth. Pour 1 cup of sauce in bottom of an 8 in square pan.
3. Layer tortillas on work surface; mound chicken mixture on half of each tortilla, dividing evenly. Roll tortillas; place, seam side down, in baking dish.
4. Pour remaining sauce on top; sprinkle with cheese. Place dish on a baking sheet; bake until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling, 25-30 minutes. Let cool 5 min before serving.
NOTES: You can cut way back on the amount of chicken by using black beans and mushrooms as a substitution...delicious! I will also leave out the jalapeno if I do not have one and just up the garlic a little. It is also yummy to use the water you boil the chicken in to thin out your sauce. The recipe calls for a thyme roasted chicken, but I boil a few breasts in a pot with a few dashes of thyme and that works fine as well!

Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

A hearty filling soup-comfort food to warm you up . . . great for a family or crowd!

2 14 1/2 ounce cans chicken broth
1/2 cup celery, sliced
1/3 cup leek or green onions, sliced
2 Tablespoons margarine or butter
1 cup half and half milk
1 cup carrots, sliced (may use canned to speed things up)
1/3 cup wild rice, uncooked
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped (bite size pieces)

In a saucepan, mix broth, carrots, celery, uncooked rice, leek (or onion), thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover, simmer 50 minutes or until rice is tender.
Melt margarine or butter. Stir in flour, then stir in half & half. Cook and stir 1-minute more. Slowly add half & half mixture to rice mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken; heat through. Best when served immediately or same day. (Next day it separates a bit and has some condensation that can be resolved by re-warming it.) Toppings like chives, bacon or cheese can be added, but are not necessary. The soup stands on its own fine without them.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

With this crowd pleaser, you'll be the hostess with the mostess!

• 2 acorn squash
  
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup couscous
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 pound ground beef, preferably lean chuck or sirloin
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut the squash in half crosswise and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Trim the ends so each half will stand upright. Place both halves in a baking pan, flesh side up, and pour hot water into the pan to reach about halfway up the squash. Add 1/2 tablespoon butter to the center of each squash and season with salt and pepper. Loosely cover the pan with foil. Bake the squash until tender when pierced with a fork, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Prepare the couscous according to the package directions and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Push the onion aside, add the meat, season with salt and pepper and cook through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the walnuts, cranberries and couscous; season with salt and pepper.

Remove the squash from the oven and, using a spatula, carefully transfer each half to a plate. Pour out any excess liquid from the centers. Divide the couscous among the squash.

*For a more hearty flavor, add some brown sugar to the squash before baking and also to the meat while cooking.

Crock Pot Lasagna

Crock Pot Lasagna

adapted from Tasty Kitchen

The beauty of this recipe is that you get 2nd day lasagna taste (you know, when all the flavors get better acquainted with each other) the 1st day you make it.  It's not going to be as pretty as when you make it in a casserole dish, but if it's just for the fam, it's fine! You could probably make just about any lasagna recipe this way as long as there is enough fluid to cook the noodles and still be juicy!

1 small onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb lean ground beef

1 jar spaghetti sauce (I actually use about 1 1/2 jars, or you can add extra tomato sauce out of the can-this is important, because the noodles are absorbing the juices to cook, and having too little sauce will result in a slightly drier lasagna)

2 cups cottage cheese, or ricotta is you're fancy!

1 egg, beaten

Parsley

Shredded Mozzarella cheese

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Uncooked, regular Lasagna noodles

Brown ground beef with onions and garlic. Add sauce, mix. Separately, combine the cottage/ricotta cheese with the egg and parsley. Put a small amount of sauce on the bottom of the crock pot, then layer the uncooked noodles (you may have to break them a bit to fit), then more sauce. Drop spoonfuls of cottage/ricotta cheese mixture on top of the sauce, mix slightly to combine. Sprinkle cheeses on top, repeat the layers until you have about 3 layers of noodles. Cook on low for 4 hours. Mangia!

Grandma's Sloppy Joe's

2 lbs. Hamburger meat
1 can Campbell's chicken gumbo soup
1 cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tb. vinegar
2 Tb. ketchup
2 Tb. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tb. mustard
2 Tb. chopped onion

Brown hamburger and onion. Drain the fat. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Lime and Garlic Meat Marinade

Summer is upon us so I thought I'd post this fabulous marinade in honor for the grilling season. I made it last night and it was a hit with the whole family!

Lime and Garlic Marinade

1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. lime juice (I use a little less juice add in some of the zest)
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. dijon mustard
2 T. maple syrup
2 T. minced garlic
2 T. fresh minced basil (if you don’t have it on hand, omit. It still tastes great without)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix together and let meat marinade at least 30-45 minutes. Grill. I usually use this for pork chops but you could use it for chicken as well.

Pot Roast

I'm convinced this roast recipe came straight from Heaven. I've never tasted anything quite like it! It's my grandma's own....Enjoy!

1 boneless chuck pot roast (costco has the best prices!)
1 package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 yellow onion
medium bag of carrots
beef bullion granules
seasoning salt to taste
3/4 c. water

I always start with a thawed roast. Sprinkle 2-3 teaspoons of beef bullion granules in the bottom of a large pot. Place roast on top and sprinkle with packet of onion soup. Peel and slice onion into large slices and cover roast and surrounding area. Add carrots on top and sprinkle everything with seasoning salt. Pour water around roast.

Bake for 3-4 hours at 280 degrees. This roast will fall off your fork and melt in your mouth!! Good for practically anything---mashed potatoes, rice, salads or wrapped in a tortilla.

CHICKEN PASTA SALAD

This is the salad from Stake Women's Conference

16 oz. Rotini pasta, cooked al dente

16 oz. Bow Tie pasta, cooked al dente

1 cup diced celery

1/2 cup chopped green onions

12 oz. fresh green beans (or substitute fresh snow peas)

2 cups red grapes, halved

1 can 12-20 oz. pinneapple tidbits, drained reserving juice

1 cup sliced toasted almonds

1 bag baby spinach (10-11oz.)

1 & 1/2 lbs cooked, shredded chicken breast

DRESSING

1 cup mayonaise

1 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing

2 tlbs finely minced fresh ginger root

1 tsp garlic salt

3 tbls reserved pinneapple juice

1 tbls soy sauce

2 tbls honey

Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain, rinse and cool.

In a large bowl, combine pasta and salad ingredients except for almonds and spinach. In a small bowl mix dressing ingredients. Add 1/2 of almonds to salad along with dressing and toss gently to incorporate. Layer salad and spinach to serve. Sprinkle spinach and the rest of almonds on top.

Recipe serves 12 1 1/3 cup servings.

To roast almonds preheat oven to 350. Spread almonds on a cookie sheet and roast for 5-7 min.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

A Fun and Festive Meal for Halloween Night!

2 lbs hamburger
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T. brown sugar
1 onion chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 c. cooked rice
4. oz can mushrooms (optional)
8 oz can sliced water chestnuts (optional)

Cut off top of pumpkin and clean out the inside. Cook hamburger with onion and add salt and pepper to taste. once browned, add soy sauce, brown sugra, msuhrooms and soup. simmer 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add rice. Mix together and spoon into pumpkin. Replace the pumpkin top. place entire pupkin on baking sheet and bake at 350 for an hour.