"Ben-chiladas"

These "enchiladas" have been floating around on a lot of the blogs I read, and EVERYONE has enjoyed them!

We gave them a shot as well, and found them to be delicious. They reeeeeeeeeally aren't enchiladas...I'm not sure they have a single authentic ingredient...but they're still amazing.

This recipe also makes a lot more food than it looks. We had ben-chiladas for dinner three times, and poor DH ate some for lunches as well! We enjoyed them plain the first night, but found on subsequent re-heating nights that the filling kind of congeals...so we added some canned enchilada sauce to our leftovers and it was delicious all over again!

To reheat, Annie recommends 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes

Ben-chiladas

(Annie's Eats)

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 oz. reduced fat sour cream

8 oz. ranch salad dressing

flour tortillas (10-15)

jar of salsa (i used fresh)

shredded mexican cheese blend (as much as you want...anywhere from 2-4 cups!)

Directions

- Cook chicken breasts by preferred method, set aside to cool. When cool, shred or cube chicken (I skipped this step by baking my chicken and shredding it a few days before I made them)

- In a large mixing bowl, combine half the sour cream, and half the ranch dressing

- In a small bowl, combine the rest of the sour cream and the rest of the ranch dressing

- Stir both until well combined, then add shredded or cubed chicken to the large mixing bowl and mix well

- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and grease a 9"x13" pan (and possibly another, smaller pan if needed -- it was needed for us)

- Take 1 tortilla and top with a little less than 1 tbsp of the sauce from the small bowl; spreading over the tortillas in an even layer

- Add some of the chicken mixture to the center of the tortilla, and top with salsa and cheese to taste

- Roll up the tortilla and place it seam-side down in your prepared baking dish

- Repeat until all ingredients are used up (Mine made 12 bursting-at-the-seams enchiladas on 10" tortillas with 4 chicken breasts)

- Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (30 for a crispier tortilla)

- Allow to cool a few minutes before serving

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts

Oh my god these were good. And, fast enough for a weeknight, but "nice" enough to serve to company!

We'll definately be putting these in our rotation!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken (Stuffed with Cheese and Spinach)

(Adapted from: A Taste of Home Cooking)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (this was 3 in my package)

black pepper

salt

4 oz. low fat cream cheese, softened

2 handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped

9 slices of bacon (3 on each breast)

Served with:

Mashed potatoes: 6-8 red potatoes, peeled and cubed, milk, butter

1 lb. fresh green beans, steamed

Directions

- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F

- Cut a slice in the thickest part of the chicken breast, making a pocket in the breast to stuff

- Combine the softened cream cheese, chopped spinach, salt and pepper to taste, and stuff into the pocket in each chicken breast.

- Wrap each chicken breast tightly with the slices of bacon, covering the meat

- Place the chicken breasts in a roaster pan with a drip tray (or just a nonstick cookie sheet will do as well -- but your juices and fat will accumulate on the bottom of your chicken) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until bacon is crispy and chicken is firm to the touch.

King Ranch Chicken

Once again -- casseroles and delicious things never photograph well. And this recipe is both, so that should explain the pictures!

This was tasty, though -- I think DH liked it more than me, because I find the Rotel Tomato/Chilis mixture to be too spicy for my liking.

King Ranch Chicken

(I can't remember where I found it!)

1/4 cup butter
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 oz.) ROTEL Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
12 corn tortillas, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

- In a large saucepan, cook pepper and onion in melted margarine until tender, about 5 minutes. - Add soups, ROTEL and chicken, stirring until well blended.

- In a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan, alternately layer tortillas, soup mixture and cheese, repeating for three layers.

- Bake 30 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

Serves 8

Note: Not sure what the idea was behind making the tortillas bite-sized, but I think it would hold together better for cutting/serving if you left the tortillas whole.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

I've said before how much I love Picky Palate. But I don't care, I'm saying it again -- I love Picky Palate!

She always takes nice photographs, and her meals are fantastic for weeknights.

This week I made her chicken cordon bleu casserole. DH says it's tasty, and to put it "on the rotation" -- we have a winner, ladies and gents!

I used all mozzerella and cheddar tonight, because it's what I had on hand...but I reeeeeeeeally think the shredded Swiss would make it taste more like actual Chicken Cordon Bleu.

And, as always...casseroles don't photograph well. Just trust me, it's tasty and it's quick (with a little prep work).

Cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

(Picky Palate)

6-8 servings

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced
1 clove fresh garlic, minced

1/2 lb. diced ham

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

14 oz. can chicken broth

3 cups cooked rice

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup mozzarella or swiss cheese (I think I would recc: 1/2 cup mozz, 1/2 cup shredded swiss)

Directions

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

- Heat oil in a large, rimmed skillet over medium heat

- Add onion and bell pepper; saute until softened, about 5 minutes

- Stir in garlic, ham, and chicken, cook for an additional 5 minutes

- Melt butter then stir in flour, salt, and pepper until combined (I melted the butter in the microwave and just added it to the pan)

- Slowly stir in chicken broth until well combined

- Stir in cooked rice, then transfer to a 9x13 baking dish.

- Top with cheddar and mozz/swiss cheeses

- Bake 20-25 minutes. Cover the dish with foil for the last 10 minutes for oozing cheese

Buffalo Chicken Dip

If you're a hot wings fan, then you'll adore this dip.

It's been passed around -- fondly discussed as "crack dip" -- with my friends for many years. However, I don't like hot sauce, so I never made it.

DH andI had a "reunion" to go to last weekend (basically, it was DH's 10-year high school reunion, but he and a bunch of his buddies didn't want to go to the REAL event -- so they held their own!) and I knew it would go over well with the boys.

Plus -- we had just moved in the week before...so my crockpot was about the only thing unpacked I could cook in!

You could also heat this dip up on the stovetop, or even toss it in the oven until it's bubbly, but if you leave it in the crockpot, it stays warm and ready to serve all day long.

Oh, and P.S. -- I've discovered it isn't nearly as spicy when it's cold...and I really like it cold!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

(Kelly's Recipe)

2-8oz. cream cheese, room temperature

2-10oz. cans of chicken, shredded

1 cup ranch dressing (You can also use bleu cheese dressing if you prefer. It does change the flavor of the dip)

3/4 cup hot sauce (I used Frank's)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

- Toss all of the above into a crockpot; keep on low for your party, stirring occasionally.

- Serve with tortilla chips (or some people serve with celery as well)

Admittedly, it doesn't exactly photograph well...

Turning Failure into Deliciousness

Ladies and gentlemen, I've had my first bread failure.

Seems like everyone's been making pita bread lately -- I saw it here, and here, and here, and here -- and a dozen other places, it seems!

So I dove in. Things progressed nicely -- I felt the dough was a little sticky, but nothing to make a fuss about. I let it rise. Rose beautifully. I rolled it out -- worked fine.

But when I covered it and let it proof, nothing happened. The recipe I was using said 20 minutes of proofing should produce a slight "puff" -- and I had no puff.

A few hours into the process at that point, I wasn't turning back. It rose, everything worked, except the proof...and I still have no idea why.

So I tossed it in the oven, and hoped for the best.

The end result was flatbread. Since I didn't get "puff" in my proofing stage, I didn't get "pockets" in my pita. But I did make a mighty tasty flatbread!

Admittedly, I'm still irritated at it -- mostly because I don't know what was wrong. I may try again, but not until my hatred for pita settles down.

Left with 8 slabs of flatbread, I had to figure out what to do with it. I fed several to DH -- in a variety of forms -- for lunch.

And with spaghetti on Friday, I finished them off as garlic breadsticks. A quick mix of oil and minced garlic (yes, from the jar -- I loves me some pre-minced garlic), brushed on the flatbread, then a sprinkling of italian blend shredded cheese, and some lovin' from the broiler....

And man -- they were JUST as good as Papa John's, or Domino's or whoever!

YUM YUM!

(DH tells me I need to screw up pita more often!)

"Daddy D's" Creamy Shells and Cheese

Well -- mine aren't shells, but they are creamy and cheesy! DH is always requesting a "creamier" mac and cheese when I make baked... so I thought this time I'd make stove-top style mac and cheese with a little velveeta to make it creamy.

I halved Katie's recipe, and still have enough macaroni and cheese to feed an army. The recipe below is what I made. If you feel a compelling urge to make 2 pounds of macaroni and cheese, you can double it (that's also the original recipe on Katie's blog).

DH said it was a little too "cheese" tasting. I'm really not sure what that means. Perhaps next time I'll use some velveeta to make it creamy, but I'll also include some "real" cheese to make it taste better.

"Daddy D's" Creamy Shells and Cheese

(Good Things Catered)

1 pound of shells (I used whatever I had on hand...and the name totally escapes me at the moment)

16 oz. block of Velveeta cheese

1/2 stick butter

3/4-1 cup milk (I used 1%)

1 tsp. garlic salt (I used powder)

ground black pepper

Directions

- In an extra large pot 3/4 full of boiling water and a pinch of kosher salt, cook the shells until just past al dente

- Meanwhile, chop the block of Velveeta and butter into 1 inch cubes

- When the pasta is done, drain, rinse, and toss with a bit of hot water, then put back into the pot

- Toss in velveeta, butter, and about 1/2 of the milk

- Gently fold in ingredients until beginning to melt and becoming creamy

- Add garlic salt, and as much ground pepper as you like

- Slowly add the remaining milk until desired texture is reached

-Serve and enjoy!

I served mine with open-faced turkey burgers and steamed broccoli.

Mexican Sour Cream Rice

I saw this recipe at Brooke's website -- and I actually browsed on by. It had corn in it, and DH has an aversion to corn as a "filler" in foods.


But when we decided to make Tortilla Crusted Fish -- well, I wanted that sour cream-y rice! So I caved, and left the corn out.

Original recipe below. I thought it was only so-so (it bugged me that I could tell the chiles were canned), but DH said it's the best rice he's ever eaten, and he wants it again, immediately.



Mexican Sour Cream Rice
(Brooke's Blog)

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice ( I used a mix of white and brown rice)
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided (I used a Mexican Blend because I had it on hand)
1 (8.75 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained (I omitted)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (I used about 1/8 cup...DH was leery of it)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions
- In a large pot, bring the rice and chicken broth to a boil -- reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F -- lightly grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish
- In the pot with the cooked rice, mix the sour cream, green chile peppers, 1/2 cup cheese, corn, and cilantro -- season with salt and pepper
- Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and top with remaining cheese
- Bake uncovered 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned

I served it with broccoli and the tortilla-crusted fish

Baked Club Sandwich

I'm pretty sure Ally is my husband's new hero.

Last Saturday, while I was browsing blogs and my Google Reader looking for the week's recipes, my hubby walked up behind me and said "That. We're having that. I mean -- can we have that??"



The item on the screen? Ally's "take" on a club sandwich. Leave it to three kinds of meat to make my hubby's little heart flutter! ha!


Admittedly, I had it starred in my Reader -- so I was happy to indulge him. I served it basic -- just some steamed broccoli on the side to off-set all that meat!!


This is a delicious sandwich. I'd totally make it again -- really, any combination of meat and cheese would be amazing this way. On my list to try? Philly cheesesteak style sandwiches, and ham and cheese. Mmmm...

With my changes...

Baked Club Sandwich
(Culinary Infatuation)

(Serves 2-4, depending on how big everyone's appetite is!!)


1 frozen bread loaf, thawed -- OR -- 1 refrigerated french bread loaf (I used the latter this time because I forgot to pull the bread out of the freezer to thaw!)
6 slices each (about 1/4 lb.) deli meat -- turkey, ham, roast beef
6-8 slices provolone cheese
1/2 cup (approx) shredded cheese (I used pizza blend -- had it in the fridge!)
melted butter for brushing the top
italian seasoning to sprinkle on top (I just used parsley -- DH is picky)

Directions
- Roll the dough out until it is a large rectangle (no measurements -- just as large as you want it!)
- Layer the meats and cheeses on one side of the rectangle however you like
- Roll the dough up pin-wheel style and transfer to a baking sheet
- Baste the top with butter and sprinkle with seasonings
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes

Pinwheels

I'm astounded at how popular these are at parties. Don't get me wrong -- they're tasty. But everytime I take them somewhere, they're gone in seconds! It's crazy!

And I love them because they're super-easy :-)

You can add a lot of different things to it - I've seen them with salsa, cheese, broccoli, etc -- but the recipe below is my standard.



Pinwheels
(Makes 15-20 "bites")

2 - 8oz. softened cream cheese (I generally use 1 full-fat and 1 reduced-fat. I find fat-free cream cheese to be rather disgusting)
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped (In these photos, I did 1/4 cup red, and 1/4 cup yellow -- because I had it)
1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1 package (1 oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing Mix (the powdered kind)
4-5 flour tortillas

Directions
- Mix cream cheese until smooth
- Add ranch dressing and mix until well-blended
- Gently stir in the peppers, onions, and celery until well-combined
- Spread 2/3 to 3/4 cup of cream cheese filling on a tortilla (Make sure you don't spread completely to the edge or it will push out when you roll it)
- Roll the tortilla up to make a pinwheel design
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, twisting the ends to seal it
-Continue filling all tortillas and rolling and wrapping

- Refrigerate at least 2 hours (preferably overnight)
- After being chilled, remove from plastic wrap, cut off the ends (and eat as you go along if you're me!), then slice each roll into 1" pieces.
-Serve chilled!

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Mmmm...homemade mac and cheese. What I discovered while looking for this recipe is that -- dependent upon where you live -- mac and cheese can be VERY different!
I wanted a classic mac and cheese. Something creamy, with easy-to-find cheeses (no fancy, expensive type cheeses!).
This recipe fit the bill. Chelley's was good -- but I added a bit more cheese to make it a creamier mac n cheese. It's fantastic, and just creamy enough. DH and I love it!
Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese
(Altered from Chelley's Blog)

8 oz. macaroni (I like rotini)
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2/3 cup shredded swiss cheese, divided
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Directions
- Cook macaroni according to package directions and drain.
- Preheat the oven for 400 degrees.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and salt and stir until mixture is smooth. Add milk gradually, stirring constantly.
- Cook over low/medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 5 minutes).
- Stir in 1/3 cup of the cheddar cheese, 1/3 cup of the swiss cheese, and 1/3 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
- Mix the cheese sauce and macaroni in a large bowl.
- Spoon into a baking dish (I used a square pyrex -- Chelley reccommends 9x7). Sprinkle with remaining cheddar, swiss, and mozzarella.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave (30 seconds does it in mine)
- Combine bread crums and melted butter in a small bowl and mix well.
- Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture on top of the cheese.
- Bake until hot and bubbly; approximately 15 minutes.

Stuffed Shells and Garlic Toast

DH and I celebrated Valentine's Day on Friday, when we knew we'd have more time to enjoy a good meal, and each other.

Our menu was simple, but hearty: Stuffed Shells with Garlic Toast, and Angie's Famous Strawberry Cupcakes for dessert. Everything was delicious!

This stuffed shell recipe is very "classic" Italian -- it will taste just like those amazing stuffed shells you buy at the Italian restaurant -- and they're quick to make as well! The recipe I use is base recipe -- you can add mushrooms, or spinach, or meat, or anything you please to the cheese mixture to stuff the shells.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Shells
1 (12 oz) package jumbo pasta shells
2 eggs, beaten
1 (32 oz) container of ricotta cheese
1 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
8 oz. greated parmesean cheese, divided
1 tbsp. dried parsley
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 (28 oz) jars of pasta sauce (or your own homemade recipe)
1 lb. ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken -- your preference)

Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Get a 9x13 casserole dish to place your shells in for baking.
- Boil a large pot of lightly salted water. Add the pasta shells and cook them for 8-10 minutes; or until they are al dente. Drain the pasta, and rinse with cool water (so you can handle them to stuff).
- Brown the meat in a large skillet with sides (this way, you can add the sauce to this pan later to mix with the meat). Drain off any excess fat and return browned meat to the skillet. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, mix the two eggs, 32 oz. of ricotta, half the mozzarella, half the parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper until blended well.
- Add the pasta sauce, the rest of the mozzarella and the rest of the parmsean to your browned meat. Stir to incorporate.
- Stuff the pasta shells with the ricotta mixture and place them in the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. I like to stuff my shells to the brim -- don't hold back!
- Once all shells are stuffed, gently spoon the pasta sauce/meat/cheese mixture over the tops of the shells, coating liberally. You may not use all the sauce, that's ok!
- Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until edges are bubbly and shells are slightly set.