Southwestern Chicken Casserole

I have seen a similar recipe to this floating around call King's Ranch Chicken.  It is almost exactly the same recipe as this one that I found years ago in a community cookbook. I made it the other night for the first time in a long time. It is very delicious. The recipe is a bit dis-jointed so read it all the way through before beginning, It really is very easy and the the leftovers are delicious.

Southwestern Chicken Casserole

Preheat oven to350 Degrees

1½ lbs.boneless, skinless chicken, about 2 breasts and 4 thighs
4 teaspoons of lime juice
4 teaspoons ancho chile powder - Divided

¼ cup of olive oil
Season the chicken with the lime juice, 2 teaspoons of ancho chile powder and a dash of salt. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken in the olive oil on each side for about 10 minutes.When chicken is done (after about 20 minutes), shred it with two forks and set aside. Taste and see if it needs more salt and pepper. Should yield about 3 cups.

3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoons of butter
½ onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 10oz. can of Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of chicken broth
2 tablespoons of flour
½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
½ cup of half and half

in the same pan used for the chicken, melt the butter over medium heat;  add the onions, red bell pepper and poblano pepper. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, flour, cumin, cayenne pepper and remaining 2 teaspoons of ancho chile powder, and cook for 1 minute.Add the chicken broth and cook on low until mixture is thickened, about 5 - 8 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half and Ro-Tel cover, and simmer  about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

⅓ cup of sour cream
½ cup of cilantro, chopped
2 tsp Lime juice

Turn off the heat and add the sour cream,  lime juice and ¼ cup of cilantro, and add salt and pepper to taste.

3 cups of grated pepper jack and cheddar
10 corn tortillas

Salt and pepper to taste. Ladle ½ cup of the sauce onto the bottom of an 11 x 7 inch baking pan.Layer half the tortillas on top of the sauce. Cut tortillas to fill any gaps..Add half the chicken, half the remaining sauce, half the remaining cilantro and 1½ cups of grated cheese.Repeat the layering, ending with cheese. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbling , allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.. Serves 8-12. Serve with sour cream and salsa if desired.

Baked Italian Sub

I found this recipe a while ago and have been meaning to try it and today was the day. Of course, I cannot leave well enough alone so I added my own twist to it. An Italian Sub cannot be an Italian sub without  adding pepperoncini rings and a couple of thinly sliced red-onion rings. The picture was taken when it first came out of the oven. The second was after it rested and was sliced.

 Cooking time is about 50 minutes. I used a 8x9 1/2 in. casserole dish sprayed with a little cooking spray.

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.
 1 - 12oz. refrigerator crescent rolls
 8 to 10 slices of deli ham
8 to 10 slices deli turkey
12 large slices or 24 small slices of hard salami
8 to 10 slices of Swiss Cheese
1 - 12oz. jar of roasted red peppers, drained
1 - 16 oz jar Pepperonicini Pepper rings, drained
1 small red onion, sliced thinly
Brown mustard - or your favorite
4 eggs, beaten


Unroll crescent roll dough carefully  into squares.  Place crescent dough to cover the bottom of the pan. Using fingers, press to fit. Spread desired amount of mustard over the dough-remembering that you will be adding more. Place 1/2 the ham slices on the mustard; 1/2 the turkey on the ham; 1/2 the Salami onto the turkey; 1/2 the Swiss cheese on the Salami and top this with the roasted red peppers, red onion rings and pepperonicinis. Pour 1/2 the beaten eggs over evenly over the pepperonicinis. Top with another layer of crescent dough- spread with mustard and repeat layering. Top with crescent dough and remaining beaten eggs. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes or until top is a gold brown and the "Sub" is bubbly and heated through. Remove from oven and allow to stand for about 10 minutes before slicing. This was really delicious.

You can eliminate the pepperonicinis and or onions if you like. Adding sliced black olives would be another option. This is a great dish for lunch or a dinner with friends. The original recipe called for an 8 x 8 pan and I used a pan that is a little bigger and adjusted the amounts. You could even go bigger yet by adjusting the ingredient amounts or simply by making 2 pans.

Pizza Casserole

I made this the other night and got rave reviews from my husband and the neighbor I shared it with. We ate leftovers the next day and they were even better.

Pizza Casserole

Makes 8 generous  servings

•  
• 2 pound · Ground beef
• 2 Italian Sausages- casing removed and crumbled
• 2 large · Onions, chopped
• 48 oz · Spaghetti sauce - I like Classico
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 ½ teaspoon · Salt
• ¼ teaspoon · Pepper
• 2 teaspoon · Italian seasonings
• 10 oz · Spiral macaroni
• 2 cup · Mozzarella, shredded*
• ½ cup · Parmesan*
• Pepperoni

 Brown and drain ground beef and Sausage, add onions to sauté briefly to soften.

• Cook and drain pasta. Make sure the pasta is slightly undercooked as it will cook more during baking.
• Add all ingredients except cheeses and Peperoni to a large bowl and mix well.
• Add the mix to either a large casserole or 2- 8x 8  pans.
• Sprinkle with Mozzarella and  Parmesan.
• Top with Pepperoni
• Bake uncovered at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes or until heated thru and cheese is melted and slightly browned.
• Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

*I did not add any cheeses to the meat mixture even though the original recipe called for it. You can, of course, do this if you wish but we liked it just the way it was. You can add both types or just one type.

This is really good, I had Filet Mignon ready to prepare for the next night but Garry asked for this again.

Chili-Braised Pork Sholder Tacos

This recipe came from the May 2011 Issue of Bon Appetite. I changed it a little both times I have made it but it is really good. If you are having a party- this is perfect because most an be done in advance. The flavors are rich and complex.

• 4 large dried ancho chiles (about 3/4 ounce), stemmed, seeded
• 2 large dried chiles de árbol or japones chiles, stemmed, seeded
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 5-pound boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt)
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 3 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 12-ounce bottle Negro Modelo or other dark beer
• 24 (or more) 6" corn tortillas
• 4 radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced
• Tomato-Serrano salsa
• Tomatillo-Chipotle salsa
• Pickled Onions
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Place chiles in a medium bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover, and set a small plate or bowl on chiles to keep submerged. Let soak until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain chiles, reserving 1 cup soaking liquid.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place chiles, sugar, lime juice, and 1/4 cup reserved soaking liquid in a blender. Purée chile mixture, adding more soaking liquid as needed to form a smooth paste. Season pork shoulder generously with salt and spread paste over pork. DO AHEAD: Can be rubbed 1–2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Let come to room temperature before continuing.

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, coriander, cumin, and allspice. Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add beer; bring to a boil. Add pork to pot; cover and transfer to oven.

Braise pork, basting occasionally with pan juices, until very tender, about 2 1/2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before continuing.

Transfer pork to a large platter. Let cool slightly. Pour pan juice mixture over pork; cover and keep warm. (Alternatively, shred the pork with 2 forks and pour pan juice mixture over pork.)

Meanwhile, working in batches, cook tortillas in a large heavy skillet over low heat until toasted, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a large sheet of foil; wrap to keep warm.

Serve pork with tortillas, radishes, both salsas, pickled onions, and chopped cilantro, encouraging guests to fill and garnish tacos as desired.

Chili and Chicken Pie

 This is quick and easy. You can use fat free products and skim milk if you like, I prefer to keep the ingredients as natural as possible. HAPPY CINCO de MAYO

 

 

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1¼ lbs Extra Lean Ground Chicken
• 1 Deep Dish Pie Crust
• 2 -4oz. cans Diced Green Chiles 
• 1 cup Original Rotel Tomatoes, Drained
• ½ cup Diced Yellow Onions
• ½ cup  Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• ½ cup Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
• ¼ cup Cream Cheese
• ¼ cup  Milk
• 2 tbsps Lime Juice
• 1 tsp Crushed or Minced Garlic
• 1 tsp Ancho Chile Pepper
• 1 tsp Sea Salt & Coarse Black Peppercorn – approx.

Instructions

1. Thaw frozen pie crust and bake as directed, baking until lightly browned but not fully cooked, ~75% complete. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
2. Saute onions in well-greased skillet over medium-high heat until translucent and browned. Reduce heat to medium, then add chicken, turning constantly until no pink parts remain. As chicken cooks, add salt, pepper, lime juice, garlic, and ancho chile pepper, combining thoroughly. Next, add rotel tomatoes, cream cheese, and milk, adding each one at a time. When all ingredients are well mixed, lower flame and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Using a slotted spoon, pour meat into pie crust until ¾ full, draining excess liquid as you do. Next, layer with chile peppers, then top with cheese. Bake at 450F for 15 minutes until cheese has melted and crust is well browned. Allow to cool slightly, then plate & se

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 Allow the pie slightly cool before slicing.