Crock Pot Taco Soup

I adapted this recipe because I couldn't find some of the ingredients here. It turned out wonderful. I especially liked it with Ritz crackers dipped into it. Super easy to make.

Crock Pot Taco Soup:

1 lb. shredded chicken (I used the leftover chicken from the double batch I made for the enchiladas)
1 can pinto beans
1 can white beans
1 can corn
1 can tomato and chilies
2 can diced tomatoes (or one large can)
1 TBSP green chili paste
1 envelope of taco seasoning
1/2 bottle of your favorite Ranch dressing (I used Delightfully Light)

1) Add all ingredients to Crock Pot (for the cans of beans and corn I drained the liquid and then filled them back up with water, but you can just dump them in). Stir to combine well.
2) Cook on low for 4 hours.

Garnish with sour cream and cheddar cheese if desired. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or drain some of the liquid off and eat it inside of a tortilla.

Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas with Chili Cream Sauce

I invented these the other night because I really really wanted enchiladas, but finding enchilada sauce here is pretty difficult. These were a big hit with the whole family (even the 1-year-old!) and we will definitely have them again soon. Sorry I didn't get a picture. They wen't too fast for me to even think about it!

Chicken Enchiladas with Chili Cream Sauce:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups chicken broth, divided
salt and pepper
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBSP green chili paste
1/2 tsp. chili powder (optional, don't use if you want a more mild flavor)
1/2 cup salsa (whatever your favorite happens to be)
16 small tortillas (corn or flour, whichever you prefer) <---I used flour
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Sauce:
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP flour
1 cup of whole milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 TBSP chili paste

1) I learned this nifty trick: Place the chicken breasts in a slow-cooker with 2 cups of chicken broth and a little salt and pepper on each breast. Cook on low for 5-6 hours, then remove and shred with two forks. You can use this methods for any recipe that calls for shredded chicken. I love it (the chicken is so tender and flavorful) and I usually make a double batch so I have enough for a whole other meal.
2) Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat and cook the onions for about 5 minutes (until translucent, but not brown), add the garlic and chili paste and cook additional 2 minutes. Let cool.
3) In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, 1 cup of the cheese, the onion mixture, and salsa and combine.
4) In a shallow dish, heat the remaining chicken broth in the microwave until warm (not too hot).
5) Dip one tortilla in the broth on both sides and then place a line of the chicken mixture down the center. Roll and place seam-side down in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.

For the Sauce:
1) Heat the butter over medium heat and add the flour, wisk together. Allow flour to cook for about 1 minute and then slowly add the milk and chicken broth a little at a tine, wisking constantly. Allow to thicken then add chili paste.
2) Pour over enchiladas in dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
3) Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Avocado Burritos

The hubby and I go back on forth on health kicks. This time it was him (I was content to just sit there and eat a tube of cookie dough). So I invented this meatless recipe since we LOVE both avocados and Mexican food. Perfect combo. Even my 20-month-old loved this recipe!

Vegetarian Avocado Burritos:

2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and mashed
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp lime juice (I didn't have fresh so I just used the fake stuff)
6 flour or corn tortillas

Garnishes:
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheddar cheese
chopped tomato
shredded lettuce

1) Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl and stir until well combined.
2) Warm tortillas if desired and spread with avocado mixture, then top with your favorite garnishes. We used all of the one mentioned above.

If you like beans, this would be a good way to add some protein to this meal. I ate these by themselves for lunch, but with some Mexican rice, this could definitely be a whole meal. I was surprised how satisfied I felt. Enjoy! :)

Sydney's Fabulous Nachos

Nachos are such an easy and yummy food. So we decided to make them "dinner" tonight. Here is my adaptation of Nachos:

Sydney's Nachos:

1 lb. good pork sausage
1 bag of your favorite tortilla chips
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
Garnishes of your choice (guacamole, sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce, etc)

1) In a medium skillet, cook the sausage with the garlic over medium heat. Add the seasonings and cook well. Drain on paper towels.

2) Arrange a layer of chips on a baking sheet and top with sausage, cheese, and onion. Add another layer of chips and repeat.

3) Bake in a 450 (F) oven for 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with any toppings you like.

Enjoy!

Crab Tacos

With the economy doing just FABULOUS, these are the days when being creatively frugal really count. If you're like me, there are only so many days per month when boring old tacos are a viable option. Sooooo, I adapted a recipe for crab tacos! The only "fresh" crab I can get here comes straight out of the polluted Gulf, so I opt for imitation crab. It's almost as good when it is used in dishes, and is very cheap, comparatively. So here is the recipe that I loved, the hubby still prefers his BEEF, but he liked them well enough.

Crab Tacos:
1 package imitation crab (or 8 oz. fresh crab), flaked
½ cup chopped onion
Dash of chili powder
2 limes, sliced
1 tsp. olive oil
8 hard taco shells
1 cup iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 cup shredded cheese (I used the Mexican blend)
1 avocado, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped green onion

1) Preheat oven to 350 (F). In a pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the crab and a dash of the chili powder, according to your own preference. Cook until crab is warmed, about 2 minutes.
2) Put taco shells on a baking sheet and warm in the oven for about 3 minutes.
3) To assemble tacos: put a little of the crab mixture in a shell, top with cheese, lettuce, avocado, and green onions and then drizzle with lime juice (this MAKES the taco, don’t miss this step!) Enjoy!

If you have leftover crab mixture, use it to fill an omelet the next morning (like I did!).

Chicken Chimichangas

Sydney's Chicken Chimichangas:

1 -2 pounds of chicken breasts, cut into cubes

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 small can of chopped green chiles (or cut up the whole ones if that is what you have)

1/4 cup cooked white or brown rice

1/2 cup chredded fat free cheddar cheese, divided

salt and pepper to taste

1 package flour tortillas

oil for frying

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2) In a large bowl, combine onion, chiles, cooled rice, 1/4 cup of the cheese, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3) Season cubed chicken with salt and pepper and cook in small amount of olive oil until lightly browned, remove from heat and add to other ingredients in bowl. Stir well.

4) Place a heaping spoonful of the mixture into the center of each tortillas and fold corners in and roll into a pouch.

5) In a small frying pan, add about 1/4 inch of oil for frying, heat over medium heat. Test the oil with a tiny piece of a tortilla. When it lightly bubbles and floats to the top, the oil is hot enough.

6) One roll at a time, place the fold side down in the oil, turning once. Fry about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels. Finish remaining rolls.

7) Place all fried chimichangas on a baking sheet and sprinkle with cheese. Put in oven 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve with rice and vegetables.