Chicken Spinach Enchiladas!

These are the best enchiladas EVER and I don't even like spinach!

My whole family LOVES LOVES LOVES them and I love to make them!

Enjoy!

ENCHILADAS:

Ingredients:
*2 cups cubed chicken (cooked) I usually use the fajita chicken that you buy pre-cooked in the package! It's around $2.50!

*1 package of frozen chopped spinach (thawed & drained)

*1 small container of Sour Cream

*1 small container of Small Cured Cottage Cheese

*1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

*1 can Rotel (drain and save the juice in seperate bowl!)

*2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

*1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder

*1/2 tablespoon salt

*1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

*12-14 Tortillas (depending on the pan size!)

Enchilada Cheese Sauce:
Ingredients:

*1 block Philidelphia Cream Cheese

*1 cup chicken broth

*Remaining juice from "Rotel"

*1/4 - 1/2 cup flour

Additional:
about 1/2 cup rotel for garnish

cilantro for garnish

Enchiladas....

Combine all ingedients into a large bowl and mix well. This can be done the night before and the flavor is EVEN better! But they are still great if you cook them right after mixing it all up!

Sauce...

Pour chicken broth into saucepan. Once hot, put in cream cheese and wisk around until melted. Add Rotel juices and then the flour to "thicken" it up a bit. Should be the consistency of queso cheese. If it gets too thick, add more chicken broth or rotel juice if available, if not, use a tiny bit of water or milk. If not thick enough, add flour and wisk.

Assembly...

Pour enough cheese sauce into bottom of baking pan (I use an aluminum disposable one so I have easy cleanup! To me, it's worth the $2.00!) Spread cheese around. Then spoon mixture into tortillas and roll up and place in pan packed tightly. Place "open end face down" so that they are "smooth" across the top. Once full of enchiladas, pour remaining cheese sauce over top and spread evenly into all creases, etc. Sprinkle with some shredded cheddar to top and then spoon a little Rotel and sprinkle some cilantro on top and bake. There are 2 options on baking. The best way is to turn the oven on to around 200 and let them bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours without foil on top. Just slowly. Then, turn them up to around 450 for about 10 minutes right before serving. Let them sit on top of the stove for 5-10 minutes before serving so they will 'firm up' a bit. If you don't have this kind of time, you can bake at 350 for about an hour and they'll be perfect as well. They are BETTER though when they cook slow. :)

Catching UP in the kitchen....

Sorry Ladies....I'd taken a bit of a break! I've been cooking a lot of the same ol' stuff for a bit but now I'm back on track! New recipes, photos, etc. coming NOW!

enjoy and get cookin!

Sharon

Homemade Hot Cocoa

This is the recipe for my FAVORITE hot cocoa! It's yummy!!!!!!!!!!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa Powder

1/4 cup HOT water

Dash of salt

4 Cups milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Optional: 1 tablespoon of vanilla ice cream

Mix sugar, cocoa & salt together with wisk. (dry mix) Add HOT water and continue to wisk.

Bring to a boil over medium/high heat.

CONTINUE stirring constantly for about 2 minutes.

Pour in milk and vanilla.

Make sure to keep stirring occassionally so not to burn the milk.

Keep on stove until hot.

Pour into cups. For children, to cool it to the perfect temperature, add 1 tablespoon of vanilla ice cream and stir until melted. Test it first, but this usually takes it to the perfect warm temp and adds to the richness! Yummy for adults, too!!!!

enjoy!

I've been falling down on the job! LOL

Sorry, girls! I know I haven't posted lately. I've been so busy with everything else that I haven't even had a chance! So, here's a new recipe for you gals! (or guys)

Taquito Pie (easy beef enchiladas!)

Ingredients:
Package of frozen Beef Steak Taquitos (not the flour kind...the corn ones.)
1 Can chili with no beans
1 Large can refried beans (traditional)

Place frozen taquitos in a casserole dish. For a fam. of 4, I use nearly all of the taquitos in a 9x13 dish. Don't stack them. Just side by side all over the dish. Some will have to go sideways to fill in.

Spread refried beans over taquitos.

Spread Chili on top of beans.

Bake on 350 for approximately 25 minutes. Sprinkle top with shredded cheddar or mexi-blend cheese. Turn up the temp to 450 and bake until cheese melts.

Serve with tortilla chips! Delicious & EASY! Tastes like beef enchiladas!

Sarah helping make muffins!

We made muffins on Tuesday morning! She helped! So sweet!

Her hair was crazy because we had just gotten up and started cooking. I love these photos because of her wild hair!

I thought these were too cute not to share!

"Help" in the Kitchen!

Today, I hired some help in the kitchen! No, not actually...but I did utilize a great way to get dinner cooked AND keep Sarah entertained at the same time! Moms...listen up! Sometimes, we don't even think because we are sooooo busy trying to put dinner on the table and clean the house (or myspace, etc!) but this is the EASIEST and CHEAPEST entertainment I have found for my little "helper" that keeps her happy and helps me by keeping her out from under my feet as I cook. I give her a bowl, a wire whisk and about a cup of flour in the bowl. Then I give her a cup of water and she just stands there mixing it all up and sometimes will ask for a little more water, or flour, etc. I give it to her! She makes what she thinks is "gravy" and I get things done, myself! You can see from the photos how happy it makes her to think she is helping mommy cook! She is my little angel and loves helping out. Jason loves to set the table. That is his helping hands thing. I used to ask him to set the table and now, he asks ME if he can do it! It's great! Tonight, I cooked homemade lasagna, seasoned green beans, a fresh salad and spinach & cheese flatbread. It was YUMMY!

MOMMY'S SPINACH FLATBREAD RECIPE

1 thin crispy pre-made pizza crust

Butter or margarine

Mozarella Cheese

Parmesean Cheese

Chopped fresh spinach

Italian Seasoning

Spread butter or margarine on pizza crust. Sprinkle top with remaining ingredients and bake at 450 directly on the rack. Cut into squares and serve with salad or main course! Or both!

Mexican Chicken & Potato Packets!!!

These are AWESOME and delicious! My whole family loved them and they can be customized to each person's individual taste!

Ingredients & Items Needed:

Large squares of aluminum foil (however many you are making)
Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Red Potatoes (sliced thinly)
Sour Cream
Taco Seasoning
Salsa
Cilantro
Cheese (shredded)

Directions:

Coat the chicken with taco seasoning and sprinkle on potatoes.
Place one whole sliced potato on each foil piece.
Place cheese on potatoes.
Place a chicken breast on top of cheese & potatoes.
Scoop a dallop of sour cream in center of chicken.
Scoop salsa over sour cream and chicken.
Sprinkle with cheese. Top with pinch of Cilantro leaves.
Fold into a foil packet.
Bake on 400 for about 45 minutes - 1 hour.
Take out of oven.

Let cool for a few minutes and then open packets. Be careful for the steam.
Slide each packet onto a plate.

Serve with side dish such as corn if desired!

Enjoy!!!!