Thursday, February 28, 2013

Avocado Cream Chicken Enchiladas

We love Mexican Food.  I found this recipe over on a great blog - Greens & Chocolate.  Taylor has a great blog with tons of wonderful recipes.

I love this recipe!  I used precooked white meat chicken so it was so quick and easy to assemble after a busy work day.   The avocado cream sauce was a nice change to the typical chicken enchilada sauce.  My family was very pleased - I bet yours will be too!


Avocado Cream Chicken Enchiladas (adapted from www.greensnchocolate.com)

for the avocado cream:
     1 Tbsp salted butter
     2  (4 oz) cans diced green chiles
     2 cloves garlic, minced
     1 Tbsp flour
     1 tsp cumin
     1/4 tsp salt
     1 cup chicken broth
     1/2 cup sour cream
     1/4 cup chopped cilantro
     2 avocados

for the filling:
     2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded/or diced
     2-3 cups Monterey Jack cheese
     8-10   6 inch flour tortillas
     additional avocados and cilantro, for topping

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray a glass 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside;  In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add green chiles and garlic and cook for one minute.  Add flour, stirring constantly, and cooking another minute.  Add cumin, salt, and broth - bring to a boil.  Lower heat and add sour cream and cilantro, stirring til smooth.  Add green chile mixture and avocados to blender and puree until smooth.  Add 3/4 cup sauce to bottom of prepared dish.  Prepare enchiladas by spreading 1 -2 Tbsp sauce along with chicken and cheese in middle of each tortilla.  Roll up tightly and place seam side down in pan.  Pour all but 1/2 cup remaining sauce on top of enchiladas and then sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until bubbling.  Also, can put the broiler on for a minute to get the top nice and golden.  Let sit for a few minutes before serving.  Drizzle with the rest of the avocado cream and top with avocado and cilantro.  Enjoy!

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Friday, February 22, 2013

Pork Chops and Potatoes

I have had this recipe for years.  I got this recipe from my roommate at Baylor, Jennifer, and her sister, Gretchen.  They are both amazing cooks.  I cannot tell you how easy this recipe is and also - how yummy.  I especially love the potatoes and onions under the pork chops.  This recipe takes very little time to prepare and about an hour to cook.  It is COLD here in Nebraska - this is some great comfort food!!

You can definitely make this recipe in larger quantities - or add more potatoes.  Just vary the amount of butter, salt/pepper, etc.


Pork Chops and Potatoes

6 boneless pork chops
2 - 3 baking potatoes
1 onion
1/3 - 1/2 stick butter -
salt/pepper
flour

Brown seasoned pork chops; Spray a 9 x 13 glass pan with Pam.  Layer - thinly sliced potatoes, raw onion rings, little pieces of butter, salt and pepper, sprinkle with flour;  Repeat twice.  Top with browned pork chops.  Cover with foil and bake at 400 for about one hour.

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Friday, February 15, 2013

Spicy Shrimp

Kelly teaches preschool with me and she recently brought this yummy shrimp for her lunch.  She just opened the container - and people were flocking wondering what the yummy smell was.  She hadn't even heated it yet.  She said she makes this regularly - just to have to snack and to bring for her lunch to preschool.  Another teacher said she and her husband make something similar on the weekend just to have as an appetizer.

I bought frozen, raw, deveined, shelled shrimp.  I could only find a small bag but I am in search of a larger bag.  This was wonderful.  I ate a few as they came out of the oven, my husband snacked on a few and my youngest finished them off for dinner.  They are good warm or cold!  Add them to your favorite pasta or grab as a snack as you pass the refrigerator.


Spicy Shrimp

4 tsp olive oil (or Pam with olive oil)
2 tsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp cayenne papper
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Spray the broiler rack with nonstick spray; preheat the broiler.  Combine first six ingredients and toss with shrimp. Place on broiler rack and broil 6-8 minutes or until golden - turning once.  

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Monday, February 11, 2013

Granola Bars

I went scrapbooking last weekend with a group of about 30 ladies.  We have been doing this weekend for about 12 years.  Great fellowship with wonderful ladies plus I get to work on my girl's scrapbooks - such a fun weekend.

Amanda is in my Sunday School class and she made these yummy Granola Bars and put one in each of our Goodie Bags.  A couple of ladies didn't show up and it was a race to see who could get the extra Granola Bar from the extra Goodie Bags.

I decided to try them to see if my girls would eat them before they quickly rush out the door for school each morning.  I made a batch and cut them in granola bar size.... and wrapped them individually in plastic wrap.  We Love Them!  I took some to preschool today and the teachers loved them. too.  I think you can be creative with ingredients.  I added Craisins instead of raisins and I threw in some slivered almonds - which really added a nice crunch.  I think your family will love these!!



Granola Bars

1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup or honey (I used honey)
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix together until well blended and add the following:

3 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup coconut  (I didn't put in - didn't have any)
1/2 cup sunflower kernels
1/2 cup raisins (or Craisins)
1/3 cup wheat germ
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 -3/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/2-3/4 cup chocolate chips

Mix well.  Pat into a lightly greased jelly roll pan.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.  Cool and cut into bars.  Wrap in plastic wrap for a grab and go breakfast!

*I wanted my dough a little dryer - I added a more oats, kernels, wheat germ and almonds to reach desired consistency

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