Fiesta Nacho Casserole

I know I am a little late in posting today, sorry!
(sorry, I was eating a Milky Way)

We went away for the weekend with my aunt and uncle, it was very relaxing to do not much of anything!
Except get sunburn...in the shade...with no sun in the sky. Yup, that's my souvenir!

Came home last night as hubby was more than a little anxious about traffic today. I get it, with him still healing from the back surgery and all, I am lucky he was willing to go 2 hours away to begin with!
He loved it too though, it was nice for him to get out of the house and have a change of scenery too.

It was cold and rainy on Friday, so my aunt and I ran to the store and got stuff to make a big batch of Chili and a hunk of fresh bread.
Warm your bones!

We did manage some sun the next couple of days and temps in the low 60's. Doesn't quite feel like the un-official kick off to summer like it should!

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend.
What were your plans?





Ingredients:

3 Cups shredded chicken

2 Large tomatoes (chopped)

1 Cup Carrots (shredded)

1 Cup Corn kernels

½ Cup Salsa verde

2 Cloves garlic (pressed)

1 Tsp Chili powder

Tortilla Chips

½ Cup crumbled feta

Cilantro leaves

Hot sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Spray 2 qt baking dish with cooking spray

3. In large bowl, combine chicken, tomato, carrots, corn, salsa, garlic, and chili powder

4. In baking dish, arrange a layer of chips

5. Top with half of the chicken mixture

6. Top with half of the feta

7. Repeat all layers

8. Arrange a layer of chips around the top of casserole

9. Bake 20 minutes or until hot

10. Top with cilantro and hot sauce

Print

Adapted from: Good Housekeeping

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Mom's Clam Chowder

This is called Mom's Clam Chowder, but it didn't come from my mom.
It did come from a mom...my aunt's mom.
(no, that does not make her my grandmother...this would be an aunt by marriage)

She did not make this up, she found it somewhere once upon a time.
Mom B has been making this for so many years now, she wasn't sure where it originally came from.

This is quick enough to make as a weeknight meal (oh how I love those!), it was done in less than 30 minutes.

The girl child is a clam chowder purist. She likes it one way and one way only (so far). She took about 3 bites and respectfully asked to make something else for herself.
Hubby and I enjoyed it though. It has a nice clam flavor without being overpowering.

I would make this again, but probably not when the girl is at home looking to be fed.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp butter

1-2 Onions (sliced)

1 Cup water

2-3 Potatoes (cubed)

1 Can corn (drained)

1 Can baby clams (with juice)

1 Can minced clams (with juice)

1 Cup dry milk powder

Salt

Pepper

Garlic powder

Directions:

1. Heat butter and onions in saucepan

2. Heat onions until cooked through and browning

3. Add water, potato, corn, minced clams (and juice), and baby clams (and juice)

4. Cook until potatoes are tender

5. Add dry milk powder

6. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic powder

7. Cook about 10 minutes

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Tamale Pie

My life has been a little freaking insane busy as of late.
I don't remember the last time I didn't have 500 things to do every day...until today!

I can sleep in!
Those words don't come out of my mouth!! Due to my normal M-F schedule (alarm at 4:30) my internal clock doesn't allow for this sleeping in thing...but due to the amount of stuff going on, I was the poster child for exhaustion last night.

Head hit pillow=Jay was out!

Yeah. 4:30am. I hear this noise.
Mr. Sir, cat master of the house, is having himself a jolly good time playing with the doors on the entertainment center. Seriously? :::sigh:::
Get up, chase him away...convince my body that it's not a work day, that I can go back to bed...and so I do.

Then 5:30am happens.
Mr. Sir...again. Now he has managed to wiggle his FAT bum into this 2 inch opening in hubby's sock drawer...and now he is stuck. He's wiggling all over the place making the dresser creak.
(how am I the only one in the house to hear all this noise?)
I get up...rescue chubby man...and that's it. I'm done.

So much for sleeping in.

Thanks fuzz butt. It's a dang good thing you are a handsome sir...otherwise you might become an outdoor cat.

Ingredients:

Filling:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Medium onion, chopped

1 Green bell pepper, chopped

2 Jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

1 ½ Lbs ground beef

1 ½ Cup corn kernels (canned, fresh, or frozen)

1 (14.5) oz can diced tomatoes (drained)

3 Tbsp tomato paste

2 Tbsp chili powder

4 Tsp ground cumin

2 Tsp salt

4 oz shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Topping:

1 ½ Cup yellow cornmeal

1 Cup all purpose flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 Tsp salt

2 Eggs

1 Cup milk

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Filling: in a large skillet, warm the oil until hot

3. Add onion, green pepper, and jalapenos. Cook until softened. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

4. Add ground beef to pan, breaking up the meat, cook until browned.

5. Add onion mixture to the cooked meat in the skillet

6. Stir in corn, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin and salt. Stir well.

7. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.

8. Topping: Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

9. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and melted butter

10. Pour the wet ingredients over the cornmeal mixture. Mix until just moistened.

11. Assemble: Stir cheese into beef mixture

12. Pour beef mixture into a 9 x 13 pan, smoothing top

13. Pour cornbread mixture over the beef mixture, smoothing for an even top.

14. Bake for 30-40 minutes

15. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving

Print

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

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http://celebrateanddecorate.com/

Nacho Chicken Chowder

On the day I made this soup, I got up to leave for work...and it was 1 degree.

That weather is not fit for man nor beast!

I knew we had to have something warm, comforting, and delish. I had seen this recipe on Cooks.com and knew it was going to be the right fit for this cold, cold, COLD night.

I went to the store and could not find Mexican style stewed tomatoes, nor could I find nacho cheese soup. Did I let this get me down? NO!

I can handle this mini crisis. 

I ended up buying regular cheddar cheese soup and just regular stewed tomatoes. When I was putting everything together to cook, I added a sprinkle of cumin and a bit of chili powder to make up for what I was missing. At the end of it all, I didn't know any difference....tasted like I thought Nacho Chicken Chowder should.

Next time though, I think I will buy diced tomato...or dice up the stewed. Having the tomato a little more bite-sized would have been a little easier.

When I served the chowder, not only did I sprinkle it with some cheese, but I added a small dollop of sour cream. The cool sour cream was a nice contrast.

Not too sure how it is going to work in your house, but I dealt with lots of Cheez-It style "Nat-cho Cheese" bad jokes from the hubby ALL NIGHT.

He redeemed himself by coming home from work the next day and devouring an entire bowl for lunch. He is now forgiven for the cheesy jokes. (ha-ha, see what I did there?! Cheesy? Do I hear crickets? Whoops)

Ingredients:
1 Lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into ½ inch pieces
2 (14 ½ oz) Mexican style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 (10 ¾ oz) can condensed nacho cheese soup
1 (10 oz) package frozen whole kernel corn
⅓ Cup shredded taco cheese or cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. In Crock Pot, combine chicken, undrained tomatoes, soup, and corn.
2. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-2 ½ hours.
3. Sprinkle each serving with cheese

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Ingredients: With my basic stewed tomato and regular cheddar cheese soup

Bubbly and crock pot-a-licious

Chipotle Sloppy Joes with Crunchy Coleslaw

I found this recipe in a Woman's World magazine and decided to give it a try.

Hubby is opposed to corn in almost anything, so we had a "pizza is on speed dial" compromise.

We all ate, and decided we liked it!

Changes I would make:
1. None of us were crazy about having the slaw on the sandwich. When I make it again, I will leave it off.
2. The slaw itself didn't have much flavor. I would boost the vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Ingredients:
COLESLAW
¼ Cup plain non fat yogurt
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tsp cider vinegar
½ Tsp hot sauce
⅛ Tsp salt
⅛ Tsp pepper
1 ½ Cup prepared coleslaw mix
½ Red pepper, diced

SLOPPY JOES
1 Lb ground beef
¼ Cup chopped onion
¾ Cup ketchup
½ Cup frozen corn
½ Cup canned black beans (rinsed and drained)
½ Cup tomato sauce
1-2 Tsp minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
½ Tsp cumin
¼ Cup chopped cilantro
¼ Tsp salt
¼ Tsp pepper
Hamburger buns


Directions:
COLESLAW:
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in bowl
2. Add coleslaw mix and red pepper, toss to coat
3. Cover, refrigerate until ready to serve

SLOPPY JOES
1. Heat large non stick skillet over medium heat until hot.
2. Add beef and onion, cook, stirring occasionally
3. Pour off drippings
4. Stir in ketchup, corn, beans, tomato sauce, chipotle peppers, and cumin, bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes, stirring often
6. Stir in cilantro, salt, and pepper
7. Place meat mixture on bottom half, top with coleslaw, and top of bun.

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Coleslaw ingredients

Mixed and ready to go

Sloppy Joe Ingredients

Simmering away

Ready to eat!

Corn Casserole

I had Thanksgiving with a friend many, many moons ago and she served this dish.

Quite comical, she had not read all the way thru the oh-so-easy directions and made this is a smaller, round casserole dish. It took forever to cook and ended up looking like a souffle gone mad!! Luckily, none of this changed the flavor.

When I moved back to MA, I made this for my first (back at home) family Thanksgiving. Everyone went nuts! I had to double the recipe the next year.

I tried looking on the Jiffy website, because I assume that is where the recipe came from, but it wasn't too user friendly.

So...no hyperlink for them! :)

Corn Casserole

1 Can whole corn (drained)

1 Can creamed corn

2 Eggs (beaten)

1 Box corn muffin mix (I use Jiffy)

1 Stick butter (melted)

1 Cup sour cream

1 Onion (diced)

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine all ingredients
3. Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan
4. Cook for 30-45 minutes

Add ins:

Cheddar Cheese

Jalapenos

Print me

Can you believe I forgot to put the eggs in this picture! Hello blonde me!

I was going to take a separate picture of eggs and add it, but it just didn't do the same thing. By the time I realized, all the ingredients had been used and I was not going to dig in the trash to get the containers.

I am sure, you, my faithful reader, can use your imagination to put the lonely eggs into this picture!

This recipe was shared with: Let's Dish Recipes and Tumbleweed Contessa

http://gooseberrypatch.typepad.com/blog/2015/11/thanksgiving-holiday-recipe-round-up.html

Easy Corn Chowder

Hubby dearest grew up with a thinner corn chowder than what I am used to. 

This recipe seems to be a nice happy medium for the both of us.

I adapted this from a pampered chef recipe.

Easy Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

Unpeeled Red Potatoes

1 cup cubed cooked ham

½ cup diced red bell pepper

½ cup coarsely chopped celery

1 teaspoon butter or margerine

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 can (14-14.5 oz) chicken broth

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

1 can (15 oz) creamed corn

2 tablespoons sliced chives

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Cut potato and ham into ½ inch cubes, set aside
2. Dice bell pepper. Coarsely chop celery.
3. Heat butter over medium heat. Add bell pepper and celery; cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
4. Stir in flour, heat until bubbly
5. Gradually add broth, evaporated milk, and corn,
6. Add potatoes, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until potato is tender.
7. Remove from heat, stir in chives and season with salt and pepper.

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Weeknight Corn Chowder

Once again, another long time recipe I found on the WWW a lifetime ago.

This is so incredibly quick to make! Instead of a proper chowder, which should simmer for some time, this is ready right away!

Instant mashed potato flakes are a great, sneaky way to thicken the soup and give it the potato flavor it needs without having to wait for potato to cook,



Ingredients:
1 c. half & half


2 green onions, sliced thin

2 tbsp. butter

Large can Vegetable broth

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 c. instant mashed potato flakes

15 oz. can whole corn, drained

1 (15 oz) can creamed corn

1 can sweetened condensed milk



Directions:
In large saucepan, add broth and pepper

Stir in potato flakes and corn until blended.

Add half & half; return to heat.

Add sweetened condensed milk to taste

Heat gently, stirring frequently

Add green onions at the very end

DO NOT BOIL

Click here for printable version