Enchilada Casserole

EASY, chicken enchilada casserole in the crock pot



2 large chicken breasts (can be frozen)
1/2 small bottle of zesty italian dressing
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/2 tbsp red chili powder
3/4 of a ranch dressing powder packet (or 2 tbsp. if you have the bottle)
1/2 cup of water
1/2 tbsp of minced garlic

I started the chicken in the crock pot in the morning. Put all ingredients on top of chicken in crock pot and cook for a few hours. about a 1/2 hour to end of cooking, shred chicken. ( I use my kitchen aid mixer for this, takes 30 seconds, SO EASY!) also, the chicken will seem watery, but after you shred it and return it to put, the chicken will soak it up. even if its still watery, dont drain it. just add the rest of the stuff, it will be fine. ;)

Youll also need:
10 oz Can of red enchilada sauce
10 oz Can of rotel diced tomatoes and chilies
Corn tortillias (probably about 12)
shredded monterey jack cheese

After shredding chicken, return to crock pot and dump in rotel. Then add some cheese and mix well. Cut the tortillas up into strips and add into pot. Then top with enchilada sauce and again, Mix well. Top with cheese and cook for about an hour-hour and a half on low, until tortillias are soft. YUM! I don't have a photo because it was so delicious my neighbors and I ate it up, and I didnt even think to take a picture. Then everyone was asking for the recipe, so I'm sure I'll be making it again very soon and can add one later. But trust me, the photo doesn't do the taste justice! EnjoY!

Baked Enchilada Burritos

Tonight I was going to make a recipe I had tried and liked from Pinterest, but I decided to change it up a little. So came about the BAKED ENCHILADA BURRITO! I took the idea for the filling from the Enchilada Puffs from this fabulous lady over at TidyMom---the puffs are delicious as well so try them when you get a chance!

Here is what you'll need:

Chicken breasts or tenders (I use tenders, about 3)

Flour Tortillas

Taco sauce

3 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheese

1/3 cup taco sauce

2 teaspoons enchilada seasoning mix (I used McCormicks packet)

1/4 cup shredded cheese for top of burrito

Vegetable Oil

I love to use the crock pot anytime I can so I decided when I made the puffs I'd try to make the filling in that and it came out great, so I did it again for this..

Directions:

Place chicken in crock pot (can be frozen)

Pour taco sauce, cheese, enchilada seasoning, and cubed cream cheese over chicken.

Cook on high for about 2.5-3 hours (depending on your crock pot and what size chicken you use)

About 1/2 hour until done, shred the chicken and mix well.

I open the lid when I see its starting to melt and mix it up so the cheese doesn't burn on the sides of the pot. 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. If you have a cooling rack, you can use that while baking so it can crisp on all sides. (I got mine at the Dollar Tree!) Take filling by the spoonfuls and put it in the tortilla. Fold in the short edges first and then roll somewhat tight. Brush bottom with oil and place seam down. Brush the rest of the sides and repeat until chicken  mix is gone. Bake for about 15 mins, rotating halfway through and recoating the "new top side" so it can crisp up. Then top with shredded cheese! Very easy! I serve it with some shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and zesty Italian dressing. YUM!!! 

Manicotti Lasagna

I served mine with Cesar salad and homemade cheddar bay biscuits!!!

This recipe came from....ME! I had some manicotti noodles I wanted to use and wanted to make something with stuff I already had. It came out SOOO delicious!

What you will need:

1 lb. Ground beef

Small curd Cottage cheese

Onion

Italian seasoning

Garlic powder

Onion powder

12 Manicotti noodles

Marinara sauce

Mozzerella Cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Brown meat with seasonings (italian, onion and garlic powder) and add in chopped onion for extra flavor. Boil manicotti noodles to where they are slightly still stiff so you can stuff them easily. Drain noodles and let cool. (you may want to add some EVOO so they don't stick together). Coat bottom of baking dish with a little bit of the marinara sauce. Add in your desired amount of cottage cheese to the meat mixture. Fill each noodle with the mixture and lay in dish. Cover noodles with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 15 min. Then uncover and bake for an additional 5 min. MMM, so simple!!!

Parmesan Garlic Chicken

This was my first time making this and it was really good! I got the recipe off of the Good Seasons Italian dressing and recipe mix. Here it is!

You will need:

1/2 cup 100% grated parmesan cheese

1 envelope of Good Seasons Italian salad dressing and recipe mix

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix cheese, salad dressing, and garlic powder in small bowl.

Moisten chicken with water, and coat with cheese mixture. Place in shallow baking dish.

Bake for 20-25 min or until chicken is cooked through.

For a golden appearance, after chicken is done cooking set oven to broil. Broil for 2-4 min. or until chicken is golden brown.

Enjoy!!!

Weekly Menu Plan

My menu plans do not always start at the beginning of the week, but I do make them for a week. So here is our menu from Thursday to Wednesday!

THURS- Parmesan Garlic Chicken (first time making this..will post recipe if its good!) and salad with balsamic dressing

FRI- Shake N bake chicken, corn on the cob, and saffron yellow rice

SAT- Manicotti noodle lasagna and cesar salad (this is a creation from my own brain so again, if its good I'll post it.)

SUN- Turkey tenderlion stuffing casserole and garlic butter green beans

MON- Louisiana Chicken spaghetti

TUES- Pizza pasta and garlic crescent rolls

WED- Fajitas and mexican rice

(Ranch) Pizza Pasta and Garlic Crescent Rolls

P enjoying his pizza pasta!

This is a favorite among my family, as well as easy to throw together in a pinch, or usually in my case, forgot to defrost meat!!

YOU WILL NEED:

Ranch dressing (if desired)

Your choice of pasta noodles (we like bowtie or penne for this)

Your favorite pizza toppings

Mozzerella cheese

Marinara or spaghetti sauce (I like Newmans own Marinara)

Crescent Rolls

Butter

Garlic seasoning

Prepare noodles as box directs. Preheat oven while water is boiling. While noodles are cooking, take out your rolls and before seperating them, spread with butter and sprinkle with garlic seasoning. Then seperate and roll as normal. Cook as directed on package. When noodles are done, drain and add sauce and your favorite pizza toppings (such as onions, olives, green peppers, pepperoni, mushrooms, etc.) Put in baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese and bake for 10 min. When serving, add some ranch dressing and stir for a little twist on plain pizza pasta!

Another alternative to baking the pasta, is to use mozz cheesesticks and cut into chunks. Add to pasta and return pan to heat and stir. :)

Taco Chicken Twice Baked Potatoes

I have never made twice baked or mashed potatoes from scratch before, but I had some potatoes I needed to use so I thought I would give it a try! I wanted to make it the main course of the meal instead of a side dish so I added the chicken and super stuffed them. Here we go..

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

1 potato for each person

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

sea salt

pepper

EVOO

Season all (if you choose)

taco seasoning

1/2 small onion, diced

Chicken, diced (I am a huge fan of the Tyson Grilled and ready chicken strips found in the freezer aisle!)

1 cup Shredded cheese of your choice (I used Colby jack for this)

Start by cooking your potatoes in the microwave. I like to wrap them in saran wrap and poke holes in the top, then push the "potato" button on the micro!

While that is cooking, start sauteing your chicken and onion and add in some taco seasoning too. Cut chicken to desired size and put in bowl.

Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees.

After potatoes have cooled enough to handle, cut off about 1/3 or 1/4th of the tops. Scoop out the potato filling and add to the bowl, but leave enough of the sides for the potato to stand alone. Then peel the skin of the little tops and add in that potato too.

Then add in your salt, pepper, seasoning, milk, and sour cream and mash and mix. Then add your cheese and mix. leave a bit of cheese for the top of the taters too.

Flip the potato skins over and bush with EVOO and sea salt. Place upright on a baking sheet.

Put your potato mixture in a ziplock baggie and cut a hole on the bottom corner big enough for your chicken chunks to fit thru. Zip it up and you have a nice little piping bag to fill the shells! I like doing this because it gets your filling in every crevice and also allows you to make it fluffy and overfilled without being sloppy.

Top with extra cheese and put in the oven for 15 mins. DONE! Easyyyyyyy! And good to make ahead and refrigerate until you can finish baking them at your convenience.