White Chicken Enchilada Casserole

White Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of chicken soup
2 (4 oz) cans diced green chilis
1 (16 oz) container sour cream
1/2 onion, finely diced
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
1 (10 oz) package tortilla chips
1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients except for the chips and cheeses together. Spray a 9×13″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place chips in the bottom of the baking pan and pour chicken mixture over chips. Top with grated cheese and bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with your favorite toppings (lettuce, tomato, salsa, avocado, hot sauce, etc).

Serves 6-8.

Blueberry Mango Quinoa Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing Recipe

Blueberry Mango Quinoa Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing Recipe

Serves about 2

For the quinoa
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water

For the fruits and veggies
½ cup fresh blueberries
½ cup cubed ripe mangoes
½ cup cubed cucumbers
1/2 tablespoon dried cranberries

For the lemon basil dressing
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
10 Basil leaves, chopped finely
Salt and pepper

Place the quinoa and water in a medium skillet and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat, and simmer covered for about 15 minutes or till the quinoa is cooked. Remove the lid, and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Let it cool to room temperature.

While the quinoa is cooking, combine the fruits in a bowl and refrigerate till you are ready to serve the salad.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients, except the chopped basil. Refrigerate till you are ready to serve. Chop and add the basil to the dressing just before serving. If you add it earlier, it will go black.

Add half the dressing to the quinoa and mix gently.

Assemble the salad just before serving – toss the quinoa, fruits and cucumbers together. Serve other half of the dressing on the side. Serve  immediately.

Chicken Taco Casserole

Chicken Taco Casserole

Ingredients:
1 (10 oz) bag tortilla chips
2 (10.75 oz) cans cream of chicken soup (I used 98% fat free)
1 1/2 cups sour cream (I used light)
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes and green chilis (Ro-tel)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning
3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
2 cups cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9×13-inch pan.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken soup, sour cream, Ro-Tel, black beans, taco seasoning and chicken. Set aside.
Crush chips (I just crush them with my hands) and spread half of them on the bottom of the pan. Spread half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas.  Top with 1 cup of cheese.  Repeat layers.
Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is starting to brown.

Cinnamon Rolls & Maple Frosting

Cinnamon Rolls

Pioneer Woman
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_/

Prep Time 2 Hours Cook Time 30 Minutes

Servings 8

Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

• 1 quart Whole Milk
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
• 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
• Plenty Of Melted Butter
• 2 cups Sugar
• Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
• _____
• MAPLE FROSTING:
• 1 bag Powdered Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
• ½ cups Milk
• ¼ cups Melted Butter
• ¼ cups Brewed Coffee
• ⅛ teaspoons Salt

Preparation Instructions

For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.
Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.
To make the filling, pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar over the butter. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar! Gooey is the goal.
Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log.
Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. One “log “will produce 20 to 25 rolls. Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pans and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.)
Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 20 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown.
While the rolls are baking, make the maple icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt. Splash in the maple flavoring. Whisk until very smooth. Taste and add in more maple, sugar, butter, or other ingredients as needed until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable.
Remove pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor. They only get better with time… not that they last for more than a few seconds. Make them for a friend today! It’ll seal the relationship for life. I promise.

Homemade Taco Seasoning {large batch}

Homemade Taco Seasoning {large batch}

Rachael Ray

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon

Serving Size: 2-3 tablespoons per pound of meat

Ingredients

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2.5 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2.5 teaspoons onion powder
• 2.5 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 2.5 teaspoons oregano
• 2.5 teaspoons paprika
• ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon cumin
• ¼ cup salt (more to taste)
• ¼ cup finely ground pepper

Instructions

1. In small bowl, mix all ingredients and store in airtight container. (Or you can mix it together in the container you are going to store it in–just give it a shake.)
2. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of this mixture plus 1/2 cup of water to one pound of cooked meat (of your choice). Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently until there is very little liquid left in the pan. 

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Homemade Taco Seasoning
Rachael Ray

1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1/2 to 1 tsp sea salt (more or less to taste)
1 tsp black pepper
1. In small bowl, mix all ingredients and store in airtight container. (Or you can mix it together in the container you are going to store it in–just give it a shake!)
2. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of this mixture plus 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water to one pound of cooked meat (of your choice). Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently until there is very little liquid left in the pan.
3. Serve with your favorite taco topping! I recommend lots of sour cream, fresh salsa, guacamole, lettuce, cheese and tomato.

Sloppy Joes

The View: Mario Batali Sloppy Joes Recipe Directions

• 1 lb Ground Meat
• 1 Onion
• 1 clove Garlic
• 5 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
• Cayenne
• Cinnamon
• Paprika
• 12 oz Ginger Beer
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

The View: Mario Batali Sloppy Joes Recipe Directions

1. Slice an onion and garlic. Saute it in a skillet with a pound of ground meat in olive oil.
2. Add brown sugar, cayenne, cinnamon, and paprika.
3. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Mix in tomato paste, stirring all ingredients constantly.
5. Add 12 oz ginger beer to the skillet.
6. Bring to a boil. Then simmer for 25 minutes, until done.

The View: Mario Batali Island Style Relish

1. Combine fresh pineapple, a shallot, jalapeno, cilantro and red wine vinegar in a bowl to create a relish.
2. Toast your buns before serving sloppy joes topped with a little relish.

Mario Batali’s advice when cooking for others is to strike a balance and find something that all your guests can enjoy and feel great about. That is easier said than done, but I appreciate the sentiment.