Stuffed Mexican Chicken Shells

These were super yummy and were introduced to me by my sister-in-law, Tamara Greenwood, from the six sisters blog. She made them for us after Thomas was born while we, crazy as we are, decided to move to our new house when he was a month old. Pretty awesome sister-in-law!! Anyway, they were super yummy. We liked them with a scoop of guacamole on top. Freezable!

 

4 cups chicken breast, cooked and diced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
6 green onions, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
3 (8 oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened (not melted)
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes with chiles, undrained (Rotel or store brand)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups salsa
40 large pasta shells

Cook pasta shells in well salted, boiling water until al dente (still have a little bite to them- if you cook them too long, they will be difficult to stuff). Drain the pasta and set aside while you make the filling.
For the filling, add diced chicken, drained black beans, green onions, diced peppers, and cumin into a  large mixing bowl. Mix well.
In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese, chicken broth and undrained tomatoes with chiles. When thoroughly combined, pour it over the chicken mixture and mix well (if you have trouble incorporating the cream cheese and tomatoes, you can heat it slightly in the microwave).
You will need either 2 13x9" baking pans OR one large baking sheet. Spread 3/4 cup salsa in the bottom of each 13x9" baking pan.
Using a spoon, fill each of your cooked pasta shells with chicken mixture, setting them into the salsa-covered pan. Continue until all shells are filled and arranged in the pans.
When the pans are full, drizzle the shells with the remaining 1/2 cup of salsa (1/4 cup per pan) and then sprinkle with the shredded cheddar cheese.
Cover the baking pan tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

*I did have about 1 1/2 cups of the chicken mixture leftover- we just wrapped it up in flour tortillas for lunch the next day and it was delicious!
(I put one pan in the oven to bake for dinner and then wrapped the other uncooked pan with foil and threw it in the freezer for another night. When you are ready to eat it, pull it out of the freezer 24 hours in advance and let it thaw in the fridge. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes)

Butterhorns

Seriously amazing. You will never want to make another dinner roll in your life. A very forgiving dough and very versatile. We like to take this dough and fill it with all sorts of things; from ham and swiss to raspberry jam and chocolate. This came from Crystal Paine of Money Saving Mom fame. Another great thing about this recipe, you just half it and it fits perfectly in a breadmaker and then the machine will do all the work for you. Also freezable! :)

(makes 32 rolls)

2 Tablespoons dry yeast, heaping
1/3 cup warm water
9 cups flour, divided (you can use any mixture of white or whole-wheat flour you’d like)
2 cups warm milk
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
3-4 Tablespoons butter, melted


In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add 4 cups flour, milk, butter, sugar, eggs and salt. Beat 2 minutes or until smooth.
Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto floured board and knead lightly. (Or, knead in mixer until sides of bowl are clean, then knead two more minutes.)
Place in a greased bowl, turning dough once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (1-3 hours).
Punch dough down and divide into four equal parts. Roll each part into a 12-inch circle and brush with melted butter.
Cut each circle into 8 pie-shaped wedges.
Roll up each wedge for wide edge to tip of dough and pinch to seal. Place rolls, top down, on baking sheets.
Bake at 375 degrees until lightly browned (about 8-10 minutes). Brush with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven. Remove and serve immediately or cool on wire racks.

Caribbean Jerk Chicken Freezer Recipe

This is by far the most yummy chicken marinade that I've ever had. We do two different things with this. We'll cook up a lot of chicken cubed and then use it up in stir fries or rice or pasta dishes or we'll just put the raw chicken into a marinade and then grill it. The grill version seems to be the preferred. :)

2 1/2 lbs chicken pieces
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp ground red pepper flakes
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix

Combine ingredients except chicken in a small bowl. Add chicken to a freezer bag, then add Caribbean Jerk mixture. Carefully move the chicken around so it is thoroughly coated, then freeze.

On cooking day, thaw in refrigerator and remove chicken pieces, disposing of the leftover marinade. Barbeque on a grill or bake in a 375 oven for approx 60 minutes (may vary depending on which chicken pieces are used.

Fajitas

This is a really awesome fajita marinade that actually came to me through a MOPS cookbook for a steak marinade. We tried it for the steak and thought it would make super fajitas and now that's what we use it for.

Fajita Marinade:

1 1/2 pounds Steak (I use half sirloin and half top loin)
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon onion flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice

First, trim your steaks, getting as much fat off as possible. Next, slice lengthwise into strips and then half lengthwise again, depending on the size of your steak. Prepare your marinade and then place your strips in, making sure to stir to coat and cover the strips with the marinade. Chill this in the fridge for at least six hours, but overnight is best.

You will cook the strips over medium heat until done and then to low to keep them warm, tossing occasionally.

We like peppers and onions with ours, which you can cook with the meat, but I find the veggies cook much better (don't turn to sludge) if you cook them separately in olive oil.

Serve with tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, tomatoes and salsa.

Note: You can make this ahead and freeze your marinade covered raw beef strips in a Ziploc to use later.

Beef Enchiladas

1 28 oz can enchilada sauce
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 medium onion browned with the ground beef
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
6-8 flour tortillas (depending on how big you fill them) fajita size

Optional: Some people like to add a can of corn and green chilies to their enchiladas, but I don't really like to have that much spice inside because of the girls. We'll add more spice to the outside. I also see a lot of recipes that add a cup of sour cream to the inside. I don't do this and am not sure how well that'd freeze.

Serve with your typical sides: Lettuce, sour cream, refried beans, salsa, guacamole...

Pour 1/3 of your enchilada sauce into the bottom of your pan. Mix another third with your ground beef and Monterey Jack cheese. Fill your tortillas, about 1/3-1/2 cup each and roll up. I place them in the pan seam side down, which is not the traditional way, but what I do. Top with the remaining 1/3 can of enchilada sauce and your cheddar cheese. Spray a piece of foil and place sprayed side down over your enchiladas.

Bake at 350 degrees from fresh for about 45 minutes to an hour until warmed through and bubbly. From frozen, either thaw and bake the same way or give it an extra hour from frozen.

Sweet and Sour Pork

1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks… only use the juice when preparing- add chunks when ready to eat
½ cup water
½ cup vinegar
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbls. Ketchup
2 Tbls. Soy sauce
2lbs. boneless pork, cut into 1 in. cubes
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp garlic salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 Tbls. Vegetable oil
2 Tbls. Cornstarch
1 large bell peppers, cut into 1 in. pieces… added when ready to eat
1 large onion, cut into 1 in. pieces… added when ready to eat
Hot Cooked Rice… to be served on

*Drain pineapple, reserving juice in a bowl. Add water, vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce to pineapple juice; set aside.

*Sprinkle pork cubes with salt, garlic salt and black pepper. Preheat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown pork cubes in hot oil. Turn heat to low. Add 1 cup of pineapple juice mixture to skillet. Cover and simmer gently about 20 minutes or until pork is tender.

*Add cornstarch to the remaining pineapple juice mixture, whisking to break up any lumps; whisk into skillet. Turn heat to high, whisking constantly until mixture boils and thickens. STOP HERE IF FREEZING… and put into a freezer bag and freeze up to 2 months. Defrost completely in refrigerator and then continue with next step.

*Add pineapple chunks, bell pepper and onion to skillet. Cook about 5 minutes more or until vegetables are heated through. Serve over rice.

Calzones

I had never made calzones before and I do not know why... these (though a little challenging at first to get the hang of) were fun to make and everyone loved them:)

Calzones
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
mozzarella cheese, shredded
toppings (whatever you like on a pizza- we used onion, olives, sausage, pepperoni and mushrooms but you can use whatever:)
pre-made pizza dough

~Lay out the pizza dough and cut it into the size you want... we made 8 calzones out of one refrigerated pizza dough.
~Sprinkle with cheese and your toppings.
~If freezing, wrap in foil and put in a ziplock bag. If cooking, bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

*If you froze it, bake in the foil for 15 minutes... do not thaw first. Then open up the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes... until heated through. Enjoy:)

Brown Bag Burritos

This is another one of those recipes that I am not sure where it came from but boy, am I glad that we found it... almost all of my family likes these:) They are delicious and the best part is we can just microwave them!!!

Brown Bag Burritos
2 lb. ground beef
2, 31 oz cans refried beans
1 1/3 c. enchilada sauce (We like El Paso)
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. minced onion
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried oregano
3 c. shredded cheese (cheddar, Mexican blend, whatever)
20 flour tortillas (burrito-size, not thin)

~Brown ground beef; drain. Add remaining ingredients (except tortillas). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
~Heat 3-4 tortillas at a time (you can put a wet paper towel on the top and the bottom of a stack of 10 and microwave for 10 seconds and it does the same thing). Spoon 1/4 c. beef mixture down the side of each tortilla (a cookie/ice cream scoop keeps the mess to a minimum:)
~Roll up. Wrap each burrito in a paper towel.
~Refrigerate or freeze. You can pack them back in the tortilla ziplock bag... usually you can fit 10 in a bag:)
~When ready to eat, remove foil and microwave for about a minute. The paper towel keeps the burritos moist. You can also stick them in the oven to reheat them:)

Stove Top Easy Chicken Bake

Easy... Easy... Easy... that is about all I can say about this dish:) Other than it was delicious:)

Stove Top Easy Chicken Bake
1 pkg. Stuffing Mix for Chicken (generic is fine)
1-1/2 lbs. boneless, chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 can (10 3/4oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/3 c sour cream
1 bag (16oz) frozen mixed veggies, thawed, drained

~Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare stuffing as directed on pkg; set aside.
~Mix chicken, soup, sour cream and vegetables in a 13x9 baking dish; top with stuffing.
~Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Makes 6 servings (this fed all eight of us and we had some leftovers:)

*You can freeze this... just thaw before you bake it:)

Farmhouse Chicken

This is a yummy dish... it is basically chicken in a white, cream sauce with stuffing on top:)

Farmhouse Chicken

4T butter
4T flour
2 cups milk
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 sm onion, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
12 oz. pkg of stuffing mix

~Saute onion, and prepare stuffing mix according to pkg. directions and set aside.
~In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and then add flour. Stir until bubbly, then cook one minute. Slowly add in milk, stirring continually to avoid lumps.
~Add chicken, onion, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 5-10 minutes, until chicken is done.
~Pour mixture into an 8x8 casserole dish. Top with stuffing. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

*You can freeze this for a later date... just thaw first:)

Mini Meatloafs

This is a recipe I found on Money Saving Mom that is absolutely delicious. Raegan ate three of them by herself:)

~Favorite Meatloaf recipe (like the one found here)
~BBQ sauce (I used KC Masterpiece... best BBQ sauce in my opinion:)
~salt & pepper
~cheddar cheese

Thoroughly spray your muffin tin with cooking spray. Place in a handful of prepared meatloaf into each muffin tin. Press your thumb into each meatloaf ball, making a space for toppings. Squirt a dollop of BBQ sauce into the space and salt and pepper. Bake in a pre-heated 375* oven for 30 minutes or until cooked through (160F). Add your favorite cheese and bake for another 5 or so minutes. Enjoy!!!

Lasanga

Here is my go to recipe for lasanga... after several bad attempt to make lasanga, Drew had some over at some friends of ours' house (Andrea & Aaron) and 'begged' for the recipe after telling her that mine was not that great. Oh, well... I am glad that he did. This lasanga is wonderful.

Lasanga:
-6 lasanga noodles- cooked according to the directions on box
-3/4 to 1lb. ground chuck
-1 large jar (2lbs. 13oz) Ragu Sauce (I use chunky Tomato, Garlic & Onion)
-4-6 oz. sliced mushrooms... fresh or in jar (I use fresh)
-4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
-cooking spray or solid crisco
-3 Tbsp olive oil
-1 tsp onion powder
-1/4 tsp garlic powder
-1/4 tsp ground black pepper

*In a med. to large frying pan, brown meat over medium heat. As meat browns, add seasonings. Drain grease from meat and return to frying pan. Measure 1 1/2 cup Ragu sauce and reserve. Add remaining sauce to meat and stir well. In separate pan, saute sliced mushrooms in olive oil until just tender. Drain off oil and add mushrooms to meat. Lightly grease sides and bottom of a 13x9 baking dish. Spread 1 1/2 Ragu sauce evenly on bottom of dish. Place 3 lasanga noodles on top of sauce, then spread 1/2 of meat mixture on noodles, then 2 cups cheese on top of meat. Repeat layering with rest of noodles, meat and cheese. Cover baking dish with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and return to oven for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!

You can also freeze your lasanga... which is what I usually do because I make 3 at a time- so that there is always one in the freezer. Just thaw and bake the same way you usually would. You may have to add a few more minutes of cooking time if it is not quite done.

Meatballs

This is a delicious recipe for meatballs that I absolutely love... it is one of the only ways that my family will eat spaghetti now:) I believe that it is from the wonderful kitchens of the Greenwood family or at least one of its family members...

Meatballs
1lb ground chuck (or 1/2lb ground chuck and 1/2 ground pork)
1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
2 tsp Italian seasoning

~Mix together. Form into balls and bake for 1/2 hour at 350 degrees on a rack on a cookie sheet. Drop into spaghetti sauce and simmer (after sauce comes to a boil) for 30-40 minutes.

You can also freeze them after you have baked them (before you have put them in the sauce). Just thaw and then drop in spaghetti sauce and cook them as you would usually.

Chicken Tater Bake

This recipe is another kid pleasing meal... what kid doesn't like tater tots?!? And what mom does not like only having to dirt the kitchen once for two meals- one of them goes in the freezer to be used during one of those chaotic times in every mom's life.

Chicken Tater Bake
Prep: 20 min. Bake: 40 min.

2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, cubed
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 package (16 ounces) frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 package (32 ounces) frozen Tater Tots

~In a large saucepan, combine the soup, milk and butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through. Remove from the heat; stir in the chicken, peas and carrots, and 1 cup cheese. ~Transfer to two greased 8-in. square baking dishes. Top with Tater Tots; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
~Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through. To use frozen casserole: Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before baking (do not thaw). Cover and bake at 350° for 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours or until heated through. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Chicken Potpies

Here is a wonderfully, delicious recipe from Taste of Home's Simple and Delicious magazine. This is one of those meals that your children will love- especially when you tell them they get to eat pie for supper:)

Chicken Potpie
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
4 cups frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 pkg (16 oz) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed & drained (if needed)
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of onion soup, undiluted
1 cup milk
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
2 Tbls flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 pkg (15 oz) refrigerated pie crust

~In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. Divide between two 9-in. deep-dish pie plates. Place crust over filling; trim, seal and flute the edges. Cut slits in the top of each pie.

~Cover and freeze one potpie for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining pie at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown on a baking sheet.

*To use the frozen potpie: DO NOT PRE-THAW. Cover edges loosely with foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; remove foil and bake an additional 50-55 minutes or until golden brown.