Beef Taco Bake

Looks like I'm on a Mexican roll, two in a row.  I forgot to take a picture of this before we dove into it, so I accept that a partially eaten casserole isn't the most appetizing way to present this recipe, but it tasted pretty darn good and was so easy and quick. 

This was originally off the Campbell's website, but I made a few minor changes to suit our tastes.  First, I sauteed 3/4 cup of chopped onions, then added a pint of my bottled hamburger rather than using fresh burger.  I also added a can of corn and stirred in a little dry cilantro before putting mixture into baking dish.

The original recipe called for 8 corn tortillas, I used 10 since I added the corn and the onions, thus stretching it a bit.  It still fit nicely in a 2-quart baking dish and was still plenty saucy.

Those were my only changes, but I think chicken would be a good substitute for the hamburger, or even leftover roast beef or pork.  I did, however, cut the corn tortillas into 8ths rather than 1" pieces.

Here's the recipe as I made it:

Beef Taco Bake

1 lb. Ground Beef

3/4 cup Chopped Onion

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Tomato Soup

1 cup Pace Picante Sauce (or substitute brand)

1 can (16 oz.) Corn

1/2 cup Milk

6 Flour Tortillas (8") or 10 Corn Tortillas (6"), cut into 1" pieces

1 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (about 6 oz.)

1.  In a 10" skillet saute onions in a little oil until transparent, then

      add the beef and cook over medium-high heat until well

      browned, stirring often to separate meat.  Pour off any fat.

2.  Stir in the soup, picante sauce, corn, milk, tortillas and 1/3 to

      1/2 the cheese into the skillet.

3.  Spoon the beef mixture into a 2-quart shallow baking dish.

4.  Cover the baking dish.

5.  Bake at 400 degrees F. for 30 minutes or until the beef mixture

      is hot and bubbling.

6.  Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Give it a try!  :)

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Whew!  I can't believe how long it's been since I posted something, but it just might be a long time before I do another one, too!!  I make no promises when the next one will show up, so just come back every so often to check.

This recipe was so easy, and tasted so good, with stuff that I bet is already in your pantry, that I thought I better share it with you. 

The hubby had to leave early this morning to start meetings at 6 a.m., so I thought I'd surprise him and actually have something for us to eat when he/I got home from church this afternoon.  (Trust me, it IS a surprise when I cook something, especially without him asking "So, what's for dinner?" first!!  I really hate that question!  I always feel like saying:  "I don't know, what are you fixing?!"  I know, I'm bad!)

The recipe came from allrecipes.com, makes 8 servings and is super easy!  Hope you like it.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 lb. shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 oz.) can whole peeled
       tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth
1 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
1 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen corn, or a can of corn
1 T chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chilies, and garlic into a slow cooker.  Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.  Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours.

2.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

3.  Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.

4.  Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.  To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

(I used green enchilada sauce, canned corn, 1 pint of my bottled chicken and garlic powder.  To garnish the soup, I sprinkled grated cheese over the tortilla strips then added a dollop of sour cream on top.  Oh yeah, and I didn't have any cilantro, so I just threw in some dry basil and dry parsley.)

Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe is one of my all-time favorite dishes.  I consider it "Comfort Food" because it gives me great comfort as I overeat it!!! 

The first time I ate this was the night before my hubby and I entered the MTC (Missionary Training Center) in Provo, Utah to begin our 18-month mission on the dairy/farm in Elberta, Utah for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2005.  We stayed the night with our daughter-in-law's (Melanie) parents, Rick & Pam Holmes who live near there.  I instantly loved it and have made it many many times since then, enjoying it just as much each time. 

Pam nicely rolled the ingredients into amazing little enchiladas, but being extremely lazy, I cut all the tortillas into six pieces and mix them all together then pour the whole lot into the baking dish... easy peasy!!

The ingredients listed here are what Pam used, but I'm giving you the way I make it as far as the quantities I use.  Hers were slightly different.  I hope you like this as much as I do...

Thanks, Pam!  Love it... Love YOU!

Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

2 - 12.5 oz. cans chicken

16 oz. sour cream

1 bunch green onions, chopped**

2 cans cream of chicken soup**

3 cups grated cheese, divided

2 - 4-oz. cans diced green chilies

3/4 cup sliced black olives

1 small can sliced mushrooms**

16-18 corn tortillas, cut or torn into pieces

Combine all ingredients except 1 cup cheese, reserving it for top.  Pour into 9x13 baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Top with reserved cheese.  Bake @ 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until heated through and cheese is bubbling.

**Mushrooms aren't necessary, but canned are best if you decide to use them.  You can substitute one can cream of mushroom soup for one of the cans of chicken soup if you'd prefer.  Either tastes great!!
Also, other types of onions are ok, too, if you don't have green onions on hand.

A little milk added to the mix before putting in baking dish adds a little more sauce to the casserole.

Easy Burros

These are so good and way easier!  I received this recipe from a friend here in Heber/Overgaard about 10 years ago... V. Hausmann.  Thanks again for this great little recipe.

I have, of course, changed things just a little, but the original is really, really good, especially if you don't want to go the Chimichanga route.  The biggest reason for the change is that the canned beef available now, it seems, is different than it use to be.  The directions say to drain the beef, reserving the gravy.  Well, the gravy just doesn't drain off!  There is very little liquid to pour off, so I warmed up the beef in a small skillet to melt the gravy, then poured it into a microwave safe bowl, added the chopped green chilies and the corn starch, stirred it all up and then microwaved it for a couple of minutes until it was thick.  I then put  it in the skillet with the meat, added the beans (I used pintos) and then heated all of it well. 

Then I put the filling on flour tortillas, rolled them up and placed them seam side down in a baking dish.  I poured on some green enchilada sauce, topped it with cheese and put it in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Dang!  They are so good! 

Put a little rabbit food on the side and a dollop of sour cream on top, YUUUMMM!  (OK, so I forgot the sour cream in the picture... use your imagination!) :)

Give 'em a try... I bet you'll like them, too!

Easy Burros

1 can (12 oz.) beef, drained, reserving gravy

1 can chopped green chilies.

1T cornstarch

1 can black beans

Combine gravy, green chilies, and cornstarch.

Microwave 1-2 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until thick.

Add beef & can of black beans.

Fill tortillas & heat in microwave for 1 minute.