Smoked Chicken Fajita Soup

This is super easy, and a great one to use those leftover veggies in your freezer!

1C fajita-style veggies: red pepper, green pepper, onions
1C smoked chopped chicken
1 can fiesta cheese soup (or 1 can cheese soup & 1 can rotel)
4C chicken stock
2 ears corn grilled corn, cut off cob (or a can of fiesta corn or regular corn)
1 can rinsed black beans
fajita seasoning
bacon grease (trust me)


Use 1/2 tsp bacon grease to saute the vegetables until thoroughly tender, season generously with fajita seasoning. (I use Bolner's Fiesta brand - I especially like the Mesquite variety). Then add the corn & chicken until heated through, then add the chicken stock and black beans and condensed soup.

I serve with shredded cheese & sour cream topping. Husband discovered we also like topped with some crushed Doritos.

Slow-cooked pulled beef enchilada burritos

I promise to post a photo of these when I can, but let me tell you, if you have any steak hanging out in your freezer that you have forgotten to use - I strongly urge you to try this DEEEEEEE-LICIOUS recipe!! It started when I found some packaged steak nearly a year old behind something else in my deep freezer that kept it hidden. I know they wouldn't be fabulous on the grill at that point - so I decided to take a chance and try SLOW COOKING the steaks in enchilada sauce to use for nearly 7 hours. I took the 3 frozen steaks, placed them in the crock pot on high for 7 hours in a large can of enchilada sauce so that all the meat was fully covered. Then I let it cool & placed in the fridge to work with the next day. After living in the fridge, the meat was completely cooled & easy to pull apart by hand. I added in some of the enchilada sauce I cooked it in to give the meat a little moisture then warm it up a bit. I sampled some.... YUMMY!!!!! To finish off the most delicious burritos I have EVER made, here is what I did. Cooked up a packet of Spanish Rice & let cool. 1/2 package of cheddar or fiesta blend shredded cheese 10 Burrito size flour tortillas 1 can refried beans Use enough of the leftover enchilada sauce to place in the bottom of the casserole dish you will use to bake the burritos. Spoon & spread refried beans onto the burrito tortilla. Then spoon on some spanish rice. And then the pulled meat. Roll up on both sides & place in dish. Repeat until all meat has been used. Sprinkle 1/2 package of shredded cheese on top of the burritos. Bake in oven for 10 - 14 minutes until cheese is melted. To top them off, I used some rotel-cheese-dip!! Makes them HEAVENLY!!!! Enjoy!

Crunchy Toasted Parmesan Ravioli

My friend Doris told me how much she loved these. She loves the fried kind you get from a restaurant, so we thought we needed to try a baked, healthy version. Here is my version, that the hubs just loved. He wants me to try it on Baked Chicken Parmesan next... will do!!

1 bag ravioli
1 C panko bread crumbs
1 C italian bread crumbs
1/4 C flour
1/4 C parmesan cheese
Garlic salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Italian seasonings to taste
2 eggs
Marinara sauce

So take a cookie sheet, line it with foil. Place a wire rack on top of it and spray with oil. Preheat oven to 450. Bring a pot of water to boil, add ravioli. Boil for 2 minutes and let cool.

Beat eggs, dip ravioli in egg, then toss in the mixture of: panko, bread crumbs, and seasonings.

Bake 18 - 20 minutes. Serve with marinara.

Here is the original recipe: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/01/crunchy-oven-fried-cheese-ravioli/

Fish Pockets

Chef Kodi Wilson

I've made these before, but never thought to add veggies like corn and black beans! I saw the idea on Pinterest, so gave it a whirl. I had some leftover corn and black beans from a recipe earlier this week - so it was great to find a recipe to use up the rest. It was so easy, and my picky husband loved it!!

Tilapia filets or fish of choice
Veggies of choice - I used black beans, corn & some green peppers
2 TB frozen limeade (can also use orange juice or lemon - but I'd add some additional spice too, like Chipotle Tobasco for balance)
2 TB butter
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp freeze dried cilantro
garlic salt
fresh ground pepper
sea salt

Thaw fish, prepare foil, tear off about 16 inches for each piece of fish. Place veggies on bottom, add about 1 tsp of the liquid juice concentrate. Mix limeade, butter, garlic & cilantro. Place fish over veggies and top with a light dusting of garlic salt, then salt & pepper to taste, finish with butter mixture. The butter mixture will create a tender, juicy seasoning for the fish & veggies.

Bake in foil packets at 400 for 20 minutes.

If you wish to see the original recipe where the inspiration came from: http://www.pink-parsley.com/2011/06/foil-baked-fish-with-black-beans-and.html

Happy Eating!

Crockpot Chicken "Deelish"

Chef Kodi Wilson

So easy, so good. My favorite combination.

4 frozen chicken breasts
1 package vegetable dip/soup mix
1/2 a tub/pkg cream cheese
1/3 C sour cream
2/3 C italian dressing
2/3 C water
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Mix soup mix, cream cheese, dressing and water in a bowl. Drizzle crock pot with olive oil. Place chicken in pot. Pour mixture over chicken, ensuring chicken is practically covered. Cook on low for 8 hours. Mix well before serving. Serve alone or over buttered noodles or rice. DEE-LISH!

Cheesy Potatoes

3 medium potatoes, scrubbed, sliced
1 1/2 C milk
2 TB diced onion
1 1/2 C diced velveeta
salt & pepper to taste

Slice up potatoes & onion. Place in skillet over medium low heat with milk & stir constantly until potatoes are soft - about 15 minutes. Add cheese and keep stirring over low heat until smooth. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Hashbrown Egg Omelet "Muffins"

Chef Kodi Wilson

Saw a version of these on Pinterest, so I decided to try them. Hubby liked them, so they at least taste good. BUT I wish the hashbrowns would have stayed crispier after added the egg layer was added. But these will heat up nicely on our way out the door in the mornings on the way to work!

I tried a few versions: one egg in the cup (which was nice with some toast since they come out over-easy), Plain scrambled come out good, scrambled with some milk comes out nice and fluffy. Since I was going to all this trouble to make them, I grabbed enough ingredients to make 2 pans to bake at the same time.

Ingredients:
1 bag hashbrowns (I only used about 3/4 of the bag
Canola oil spray
1 dozen large eggs
1 bag shredded cheese of choice
1/2 diced green bell pepper
1/4 C diced onions
Fully cooked bacon
Spicy Tony Cachere's
Salt
Pepper

Spray muffin tins really well. Really well if it's an old pan, or they will stick.

Put 3/4 bag hashbrowns in a large microwaveable bowl. Heat in 45 second increments until unthawed and somewhat sticky or even mushy. Sprinkle with desired amount of seasonings. Press into oiled muffin tins. Bake at 425 for 15 - 18 minutes until desired crispiness. I added sprinkles of cheese before baking, thinking it might help get the potatoes to stick together easier.



Reduce oven to 350. Add scrambled eggs or a whole egg - whatever you desire. To the scrambled, I also added the bell pepper & onions to make it more like an omelette. Then I topped with the cooked bacon a sprinkled some cheese on top.Bake for another 13 - 15 minutes until desired level of doneness is achieved.



Prep photo