SOOO GOOD!

These were a treat we discovered when we lived overseas, SOUR CREAM ENCHILADAS. Now I'm not going to lie they are sinful filled with enough butter to last you for the month but once you try them I know you'll know it's worth the extra workout.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lb. cooked chicken chopped or shredded and seasoned with fajita or a little taco seasoning (I used a little bit over 2 c. and it worked fine since I added some black beans)
1 c. butter or margarine
1 c. flour
1 ½ cups milk
2 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
1 large white onion, chopped
2 c. sour cream
10-12 tortillas
Grated cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 green onion, chopped, for garnish

1. Prepare chicken with taco or fajita seasoning. (I added some black beans because we had some in the fridge.) And preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Start the sauce by melting butter over medium heat in saucepan. Once melted add flour and stir until smooth.

You'll want this consistency

3. Add milk and crushed bouillon cubes. Give it a good stir until it's nice and incorporated

4. Add chopped white onions. Stir and simmer for a minute or two. (It will start to really thicken up)

5. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

6. In tortillas, place desired amount of grated cheese, cooked seasoned chicken, a spoonful of sauce and some salt and pepper.

7. Roll tortillas and place side by side in 9x13 inch pan. After filling tortillas, pour remaining sauce on top of enchiladas. Sprinkle with more grated cheese.

8. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 minutes uncovered. When ready to serve sprinkle chopped green onion on top as garnish.

Enjoy!

For more great recipes this week check out the Recipe Swap on Friday over at GCC.

Blessings!

Erica

P.S. Don't forget about my apron giveaway this week. I'll select a winner on Sunday so make sure you enter.

Recreating with Leftovers

I'm always trying to find new recipes to use up meat or veggies we have remaining from previous meals. Chicken Fried Rice is one of my go to meals when I have chicken and rice leftovers. It's ready in less than 30 minutes, so it's a fast meal to prepare too.

Chicken Fried Rice

Here's what you'll need:
Enough Rice Cooked Rice to feed your family(leftover rice works better than freshly cooked rice for this recipe)

• Cooked Chicken ( I usually use around 1 c. add more for a larger family)
• Oil
• Veggies of your choice (Onion, carrots, zucchini, peppers, broccoli all make excellent choices)
• A couple Eggs
• Soy Sauce

Here's what you do:
1. Cut up your veggies
2. Heat small amount of oil in skillet and add your veggies. Cook until the onions are translucent and veggies are tender stiring frequently. (When using a variety of veggies it may be necessary to start things at various times. On this day I cooked my carrots first then added zucchini later since it doesn't take as long to cook.)

3. Once your veggies are tender add your rice, and chicken and a little more oil to coat the rice. Stirring constantly mix together. Meanwhile heat a small pan and scramble a couple of eggs. After you've done this add some soy sauce to your rice. I generally pour it over the rice mixture until I think it's had enough, but you probablly use 1/4 c. or less. Mix this together

4. Add the scrambled eggs and combine well.

5. Sit down and enjoy this easy tasty meal.

For more great recipes check out the Recipe Swap over at Grocery Cart Challenge on Friday.

Yum!

Erica

Freezer Week Recipes

Simple BBQ Chicken
Desire amount of cooked, shredded chicken
Favorite BBQ Sauce

Combine and heat through. Serve over rice or on sandwiches.

Baked Chimichangas
2 ½ c. shredded chicken
1 c. salsa
1 small onion chopped
¾ t. cumin
½ t. dried oregano
Simmer until heated through and most of the liquid is evaporated

Place mixture in 6 flour tortillas, add 2 T Cheese and roll. Bake 15 minutes at 425

Sauce:
1 c. chicken broth with 1/8 t. pepper to a boil
Then add 1/4 c. all-purpose flour and 1 c. half-and half cream. Stir until smooth. Add 1 can green chilies and heat through.

Serve ½ Chimichanga with sauce poured over the top.

Chili Kolachesuncooked dinner rolls
10 oz. canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cooked)
1 c. chunky salsa
1 t. chili seasoning mix
½ c. plus Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 400, spray cookie sheet evenly Place rolls on sheet. Make an indention in the center of each roll. Spoon bean mixture into the center of the the roll indention. Top bean mixture with cheese and bake 12-15 minutes. Remove and cool.

Sweet and Sour Chicken or Pork
1 can pineapple chunks
1/3 c. water
3 T. Vinegar
1 T. Soy sauce
½ c. packed brown sugar I just substituted ¼ c. regular sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1-2 c. Cooked cubed chicken or pork
1 large green pepper
1 red onion cut
Hot cooked Rice

Cook chicken or pork until it is fully cooked, set aside.

Drain pineapple; reserving juice. Set aside pineapple and add water to the juice if need to measure to 1 c. Pour into large skillet. Add 1/3 c. water, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and cornstarch; still until smooth. Cook over med. Heat until thick, stirring constantly. Add pineapple, chicken, onion, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Serve over rice.

Bierocks
homemade uncooked rolls
1 lb. Hamburger
1 can cream of chicken soup
6-8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Brown hamburger and drain grease, then add soup and cheese to hamburger mixture. Roll out dough and put 1 heaping T. of hamburger mixture on dough. Pinch all sides closed, place on greased cookie sheet with pinch sides down and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake 15-20 minutes at 375 or until golden brown. Brush with Melted butter when taken out of oven. (This usually makes aroudn 16 Beirocks.

If You Love Indian food, you'll love This

This was awesome! I love how Indian food fills your house with such amazing aromas. I was dying to try this as I was preparing it because with every spice I added the air changed making me hungry and curious. It was great, a tad on the spicy side for me and I even cut back the chili powder. Unfortunately I didn't read the directions for naan very carefully the night before because it was still rising while we were eating dinner. Bummer, this would have been awesome with naan, but we made do with french bread that was leftover from the night before.

Curried Chicken with Cashews $3.30
Serves 6

From The 99 Cent Store Cookbook
1 large onion, chopped .093 T. butter .13
3 t. minced garlic .15
1 t. ginger powder .02
3 T. curry powder .101 t. chili powder .023 t. salt .01
1 c. canned whole tomatoes or 2 whole tomatoes skinned and then chopped .50
1 c. cooked chicken cubed or shredded 1.682 t. coriander powder .02
2 t. pepper .01
1/2 t. cumin seeds (or 1/8 t. ground cumin) .02
Dash of ground cloves (or 2 whole cloves), nutmeg & cinnamon .021/2 c. plain yogurt .10 (homemade)
1/2 c. cashew pieces finely chopped or ground .60 (I left them whole)

Heat butter in a large saucepan and gently fry onions, garlic and ginger until golden.

Add curry and chili powder and stir 1 minute.

Add salt and tomatoes and cook to a rich pulp stirring with a wooden spoon. Add chicken stirring well to coat. cover and simmer 5 minutes.

Stir in the rest of the spices and yogurt and simmer uncovered for a few minutes, stirring to ensure that the spices do not stick. stir in the cashews, heat through and serve with naan.

Naan $0.71
Makes 8 loaves

3/4 c. lukewarm water
1 pkg. yeast .203 t. Sugar .011/4 c. plain yogurt .051 egg, beaten .091/4 c. butter melted, plus more for greasing .202 t. Salt .01
3 1/2 c. Flour .152 T. cumin seeds (I omitted)

Fill a small warm bowl with 1/4 c. lukewarm water and sprinkle yeast on top. Leave for a few minutes to soften, then stir to dissolve.

Add 1 t. sugar, stir and leave in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until it starts to proof (it will become frothy). Make sure this happens or you'll need to start over.

Stir yogurt until smooth in separate bowl and mix with remaining sugar, and remaining lukewarm water, egg, 1/4 c. melted butter and salt stir in the yeast mixture.

In another bowl put 2 c. flour and make a well in the center. Pour the liquid in the well and beat until a smooth batter is formed.

Add remaining flour a bit at a time until stiff enough that must start using your hands to knead. Knead for 12 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Add as little extra flour as possible. Form into a ball and let rest.

Warm a large heat proof bowl with boiling water for 3 minutes. Dry it well and then grease it.

Put dough in bowl and then turn over so top is greased. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place until it has doubled in size and a finger leaves an impression, about 1 hour.

Punch down and divide into 8 balls. Let balls rest for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 and place two ungreased baking sheets in the oven to heat.

Pat dough into circles about 1/4 inch thick.

Pull one end out until the loaf resembles a teardrop the size of your hand with the edges slightly thicker than the center. Repeat with the remaining loaves.

brush both sides of each loaf with melted butter and sprinkle with cumin seeds.

Place loaves on baking trays and cook until golden and puffy, about 10 minutes. You may brown under a broiler to achieve the desired color. Serve warm!

For more great recipes check out the Recipe Swap over at Grocery Cart Challenge on Friday.

Chicken Freezer Meals this Week

As promised here are the recipes for the 3 hour cooking marathon. For detailed instructions of how to prepare 5 freezer meals in 3 hours go here.

Chicken Pot Pie $3.39
I usually use a biscuit topped pot pie, but instead of having to add the "pie topping later I just made a pie crust so I wouldn't have to worry about it later.

Crust:
2/3 c. & 2 T. shortening or butter .55
2 c. flour (I used half whole wheat, half white flour and had to add more water) .20
1 t. salt .01
4-5 T. COLD water free

Cut shortening or butter into flour mixture until fine crumbles form, then add cold water until crust forms a ball.

Divide in half and roll out into a desired size for your pie plate.

Filling:
1 can cream of chicken soup .49
1 c. chicken .84
2-3 c. frozen mixed veggies .75

Mix filling together and add to pie crust. Top with remaining pie crust and vent. Before cooking add a bit of salt to the top and bake at 350 for 1 hour or until gold brown.

Chicken Noodle Soup $2.01
Broth from crock pot (free)
1 c. chopped celery .25
1/2 chopped onion .20
1-2 c. chopped carrots .20
1 c. cooked chicken .84
1/2 t. pepper .01
Favorite noodles .50
Salt to taste .01

Combine all above ingredients and salt to taste. (If freezing this recipe stop here and place in a freezer bag or container.) Bring to a boil and cook until veggies are tender. In separate pot cook noodles. Add to bowls when they are finished and pour broth mixture over the top.

(I learned this trick from friends and now I always keep my noodles separate in my soups and add as needed. It helps them to not become mushy.)

Chicken Burritos $2.85
1/2 c. brown rice uncooked .30
1/2 t. cumin .02
1/2 t. chili powder .02
2-3 T. Chicken broth (from whole chicken free)
1/2 t. salt .01
1 1/4 c. boiling water (free)

Boil water, add broth, spices & rice. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes or according to package directions. Fluff with a fork when finished.

1 c. cooked chicken .84
1t. taco seasoning (more or less as desired) .20
1 1/2 c. cooked pinto or black beans (or 1 can of beans drained and rinse beans) .25
1/2 c. Shredded Cheese .22
1 package tortillas .99

Prepare rice. Then add cooked chicken to skillet along with beans. Sprinkle on taco seasoning according to liking. Add a bit of water and simmer. Once mixture has simmer for about 5 minutes use a potato masher and mash beans.

Add rice to tortillas then chicken and bean mixture and top with cheese. Roll up tortilla and wrap in foil. Bake 12 minutes if defrosted or 30 minutes if frozen. These turn out nice and crispy. Top with shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa & guacamole.

Chicken Packets $4.90
(I did not make this into a freezer meal but it can be done. All you need to do is cook completely and store in a freezer bag once cooled.)

2 c. cooked chopped chicken 1.68
1 3 oz. pkg. cream cheese .79
1 T. Chopped chives or green onion .10
2 T. Milk .02
Salt to Taste .01
½ c. crushed seasoned crouton crumbs, or bread crumbs with 1 T. Italian seasoning & 1 T. Parmesan cheese .30
2 pkg. Refrigerated crescent rolls or homemade crescent rolls 1.00½ c. melted margarine or use cooking spray 1.00

Mix Chicken, cream cheese, chives, milk and salt in medium bowl with wooden spoon. Unroll crescent rolls. Press dough along each of the perforation so that the rectangles to not separate, or roll our homemade dough and cut with pizza cutter into . Place about ¼ c. filling into center of the rectangle. Fold dough over the filling and pinch the edges to seal tightly. Dip each packet into melted margarine and coat with crouton crumbs. Place packets on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

If freezing this dish place in ziplock bag. To reheat, thaw and either bake it or microwave it until it is warm.

For more great recipes check out the recipe swap on Friday over at Grocery Cart Challenge.

Jamaican Chicken

I absolutely love this recipe, don't be intimidated by the long list of spices, because when they meld it's heavenly! My husband gave me the sweetest compliment the other night as we were eating this meal. He said and I quote, "My dad always told me to marry a woman who could cook. I knew you like to cook when we got married, but I never expected it would be this good."

This is a great recipe to serve guests that won't completely break the bank. It's not often where meat is the center of our plate, so this meal is an extra treat for us. I'm guessing this meal cost around $5, sweet potatoes were on sale this week at Aldi, I used beans I soaked and cooked and the pineapple was a gift from my parents. The meat is your largest expense. Sorry not to include a price break down but this chicken came from an Angel food box and I never did the math.

Jamaican Chicken

2 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
½ t. ground ginger
½ t. dried thyme
½ t. ground allspice
¼ t. salt
¼. Ground nutmeg
¼ t. ground red pepper
1/8 t. ground black pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs or legs (I used chicken leg quarters)
Cooking spray

Combine first 9 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture evenly over chicken. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken thighs and cook 5 minutes on each side or until done if using boneless chicken. If using Chicken legs or other pieces with bones, brown these in the skillet on all sides and place in a 9x 13 inch Pyrex. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. You'll hardly be able to contain yourself because you house will start to smell amazing while you wait. Serves 4. 2 pieces = serving.
Check out the recipe swap on Friday over at Grocery Cart Challenge for more great recipes.

Enjoy!
Erica

Some Good Eats for the Week

I am posting my recipes for Chili Kolaches, our family's favorite rolls and Chicken Piccata with Rice. All are healthy easy options that are kind on your wallet. Chicken Piccata makes a great meal for company. It tastes impressive but is budget friendly and a very fast meal to make.

Chicken Piccata with Rice $4.42

Adapted from Prevention Magazine's The Healthy Cook

4 servings 449 calories, 9.8 g. fat, 4.9 g. fiber

2 t. olive oil .054 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.) 1.67 1 ½ c. brown rice (soaked for 15 minutes prior to adding) .30
2 3/4 c. defatted chicken broth .10 from bouillon cubes or FREE if you boil your own chicken
1/2 t. salt .01½ t. dried oregano .02¼ c. minced fresh parsley or 1 T. dried parsley .02
¼ c. lemon juice .05
2 T. capers, rinsed and chopped 1.00
2 T. chopped roasted pine nuts or almonds .75
First soak your brown rice in water, allow to soak while you are preparing the other ingredients, at least 15 minutes. Coat large non-stick skillet with spray. Add the oil and warm over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned on both sides. Add the rice, broth, oregano, parsley, lemon juice and capers. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for the following:

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Cook until rice is soft and chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes before lifting lid. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts or almonds and serve.

To toast nuts place them in a dry non-stick skillet over a medium heat. Shake the skillet often for 3-5 minutes or until fragrant and golden.

Chili Kolaches $1.89

16 frozen yeast dinner rolls or homemade rolls (see recipe below) .64

10 oz. canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained or 1 1/2 c. cooked .20 if using beans you've cooked yourself
1 c. chunky salsa .75
1 t. chili seasoning mix .05
½ c. Shredded Cheddar Cheese .25

Preheat oven to 400, spray cookie sheet evenly. If using frozen yeast rolls place rolls on sheet. Cover with cloth and let thaw and rise about 4 hours.

If using homemade rolls use a dough ball about the size of a lime. Make 16 balls and place on greased cookie sheet.

Mix together beans, salsa & chili seasoning.

Make an indention in the center of each roll and spoon some of your bean mixture into the dip.

Add a bit of cheese to the top and bake 12-15 minutes. Remove and if desired brush a bit of butter to the outside of the bread. (I omit this step and they always turn out great.)

I use my favorite roll recipe instead of buying prepared rolls.

Family Favorite Rolls $1.28

1 T. yeast .20
1 T. sugar .01
½ c. Warm water free

Dissolve then add to mix:
½ c. oil .20
2 c. buttermilk (if you don’t have buttermilk use regular milk and add a tablespoon or two of vinegar. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and then it’s ready to be mixed together.) .20½ c. sugar .10½ t. baking soda .015 t. baking powder .051 t. salt .01
5 c. flour (approx. 2 ½ c. whole wheat flour 2 ½ c. all purpose flour ) .50


Knead well about 7 minutes. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Pull off what you need and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Make sure you go on over to Grocery Cart Challenge on Friday to find other great recipes.