Chicken Enchiladas

Not the best picture.  Guess I'll have to work on that.  Regardless, these are delicious & easy!

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken breast, cooked & shredded or cubed

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 can green chilis OR 4-5 green onions, sliced

1 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

10 tortillas (I've been using whole wheat, or you can get fresh ones at a local bakery that add to the experience)

1-28 oz can green chile enchilada sauce

In a medium bowl, mix chicken, soup, chilis OR onions, and 1/2 of the cheese.  Lay out tortillas on a large workspace and distribute filling evenly.  Pour a bit of enchilada sauce into the bottom of your baking dish to prevent sticking.  Roll up tortillas tightly and place in baking dish.  Top with enchilada sauce and remaining cheese.  (At this point you can top with sliced black olives before baking if you'd like.)  Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes, uncovered.

Variations:  If you're not a fan of the spicy sauce, I've used cream of chicken soup mixed with sour cream and a bit of water in its place.  Also, pre-cooked rice and black beans may be added to the filling if you want to beef them up.  Also, a note about the chicken - to save time I often boil a large package of chicken breasts (about 40 minutes to make sure they're done).  Then, allow them to cool and cube or shred.  Place in ziploc bags in the freezer to use at your convenience.

Chicken Pot Pie

Probably the best thing I make.  Sad, but true.  So I 've made this a variety of ways: in the oven, in the crockpot, with biscuit dough, with pie crust...it's up to you.  But I will say, the best tasting pot pie is when it's been in the crock pot all day, and then finished off in the oven with your topping of choice.  This just gives it more time for the chicken and vegetables to be tender, and for all the flavors to meld.  This recipe is super easy.

Mix together the following:
1 lb. cubed chicken
1/2 bunch celery, diced
1/2 bag (8 oz.) carrots, diced
3 medium potatoes, diced
1 onion, minced
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 T lemon juice
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. lemon pepper

Simmer in a crockpot for 6-8 hours.  Add 1/2 bag frozen peas & 1 can of corn.  Transfer to a large baking dish and top with either biscuit dough or a double pie crust recipe.  Bake @ 400 degrees for 15-20 more minutes or until golden brown.  If you're short on time, mix all ingredients together and bake @ 350 for one hour with the pie crust on, or for an hour, then add your biscuit dough and bake for an additional 15.  (You'll have to crush your bouillon or use use granules.)

Some notes: Dusty's favorite topping is the garlic cheese biscuit recipe on the back of the bisquick box - so try that if you'd like.  My favorite topping is pie crust.  Also, if someone in your family doesn't like the smell of onions permeating every corner of the house, you do have options.  One time, I made this the day before we left on vacation.  When we arrived at our destination and opened our suitcases, there it was...the aroma of chicken pot pie.  I won't mention any names, but someone at my house isn't a fan of that onion smell and this incident was the final opportunity for its offense.  I now lovingly place the crockpot in the garage anytime I want to make this dish.

Sweet & Sour Pork with Fried Rice

I LOVE Asian food - more than Italian, more than Mexican; it is just so good!  I could eat take out from our favorite place a couple of times a week and never tire of it.  But alas, our budget cannot handle all that eating out, so I make this from time to time to stifle my cravings.  This recipe is from none other than Marjorie Pay Hinckley.  You can find it in its original form in her book, "Small and Simple Things".  But here's my slightly modified version:

Sweet & Sour Sauce (make first & set aside)
1/2 cup sugar (or Splenda if you want low cal)
1 1/2 T. cornstarch
1/3 cup vinegar
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup

Combine sugar & cornstarch. Stir into vinegar & water & whisk to remove lumps.  Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly.  (You can also do this in the microwave - just stir after each 60 seconds.  It takes 2-3 minutes.) Add ketchup after removing from heat.

Sweet & Sour Pork
Cut one pound of pork or chicken into 3/4 inch cubes.  Toss in one beaten egg white and then coat with 2 T. flour & a pinch of salt (I like to use season salt).  Deep fry pork in hot oil until brown.  Remove from pan & set aside on some paper towels to drain.

Remove most of the remaining oil from the pan (leave about 2-3 T.) and saute the following:
1 onion, large diced
1 green pepper, large diced
8 oz (half bag) of baby carrots, cut on a bias

Don't cook to long, just a few minutes should get the vegetables softer, but still crisp.  Add the pork back in along with a can of drained pineapple chunks (or you can use fresh which is fabulous!).  Stir in the sweet & sour sauce and serve immediately over steamed rice or with fried rice.

Fried Rice
1/4 cup butter
Approx 4 cups cooked white or brown rice (if it's been cooked the day prior and refrigerated it works great)
soy sauce
salt
2-3 eggs
1 cup frozen peas or pea/carrot combo

Melt butter in a large skillet.  Toss in rice and cook until browned.  Sprinkle with soy sauce & plenty of salt.  Add veggies at this point (you can also add cooked cubed chicken if you want this to be a stand alone meal), stir and move rice to one side of the pan.  Break eggs right into the skillet.  Salt and stir to scramble.  Combine entire mixture together and let sit on low heat until ready to serve.