Chicken Enchilada Lasagna

If you're at all familiar with me or with this blog, you know that we are definitely fans of Tex Mex and/or Mexican food and creamy, cheesy, gooey, chicken enchiladas are a definite favorite. Back in the '90s, there was a local Mexican restaurant that served incredible creamy chicken enchiladas, but the restaurant closed and I missed those bad boys like you wouldn't believe. So, I did what any self-respecting food addict would do and came up with my own version. They turned out to be pretty good, (if I do say so myself, lol) but it takes a fair amount of time and busy work to prepare them. (all of that dipping and rolling and messy fingers....)

I knew that if I wanted to continue to satisfy my cravings for this dish, I was going to have to change up the preparation a bit so that it wouldn't be so time-consuming. The result?? Taaaa-Daaa! Chicken Enchilada Lasagna! Same ingredients... just a different way of putting it all together.

Chicken Enchilada Lasagna

• 2 Cups Shredded Chicken
• 1 Pkg (10) 6-inch Flour Tortillas
• 1 8 oz Brick Cream Cheese
• 1 Small Can Chopped Green Chilies
• 16 oz Sour Cream
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 2-3 Cups Salsa (homemade or your favorite jarred version)
• 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar or Mexican Blend Cheese
• Milk or Half & Half

Pre-heat your oven to 375°F.

Combine sour cream, cream cheese, green chilies and seasonings in a large non-stick skillet and cook over medium heat, until it comes to a slow bubbling simmer. Stir this mixture frequently as it cooks, to avoid sticking or burning. Add in a little milk or half & half as needed, to keep it somewhat loose. (about the consistency of a basic gravy) When it's all combined, set it aside to cool while you prep the rest.

In a medium bowl, stir 1 to 1&1/2 cups of the salsa into the shredded chicken. Set aside.

In a casserole dish, spoon in enough of the creamy mixture to just cover the bottom of the dish. Spread it out evenly. (I used an 11-inch oval casserole dish)

Place 3 to 4 of the tortillas on top of the sauce. (Depending on the size and shape of your dish)

Add another layer of the cream cheese/sour cream sauce and spread it out evenly.

Add about 1/3 of the chicken and salsa mixture, then sprinkle the top with a hand full or two of the shredded cheese.

Add another layer of tortillas and continue the process, just as you would with a lasagna until you've filled the dish, leaving enough of the creamy mixture and shredded cheese for the top.

Spread the last of the sauce and the cheese and bake in a 375°F preheated oven, until it's heated all the way through and lightly browned on the top. (about 35 to 40 minutes, depending on how many layers you end up with)

Allow it to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes before cutting it into squares or scooping it out with a spoon.

Serve it with extra salsa and sour cream and a little fresh cilantro or parsley.

Enjoy!

Mary 


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**Please keep in mind that the following blog parties might not exist if you are reading this after the date it was originally posted. Some blogs could still have parties but they might have changed the dates or names, etc.
**I'll be linking up with these fabulous parties this week:

Mouthwatering Mondays at A Southern Fairytale
All-Star Block Party at In The Old Road
Creative Thursday at Michelle's Tasty Creations
Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm
Friday Fun Party at Craftionary
Happy Hour Friday at Happy Hour Projects
Strut Your Stuff Saturday at Six Sister's Stuff
Saturday Night Special at Funky Junk Interiors
Scrumptious Sunday at Addicted To Recipes

Week of 9/25/12

Mix It Up Monday at Flour Me With Love
Thriving On Thursdays at Domesblissity
Live, Laugh, {Linky} Thursday at Live, Laugh, Rowe
Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense
Potpourri Friday at 2805

Thanks!!

Meyer Lemon Blueberry Shortcake

It's the end of summer and from a culinary standpoint, I'm finding myself somewhere between cooking up comforting colder weather foods and holding on to those last sunny, warm days with something bright and fruity.

Well, Monday night, the fruity summer flavors won out, in the form of my Meyer Lemon Blueberry Shortcake. I'm absolutely in love with the combination of blueberries and lemon and when the lemon happens to be a Meyer Lemon, I'm in citrus heaven. If you've never experienced the taste, the best description that I can think of, is somewhere between a lemon and a sweet, juicy mandarin orange. (they also happen to make the most awesome lemonade you'll ever taste!)

The Sandwich Board ~ Roast Beef with Creamy Horseradish Sauce

Let's face it... There are nights, especially during the "dog days" of summer, where a sandwich is just about all I have the energy to make or eat. But, that doesn't mean that it has to be boring or humdrum. As simple as a sandwich can be, each ingredient is important. Everything from the bread you choose to the way you cut your masterpiece (or not) can make the difference between a simple weeknight supper or the centerpiece of an elegant afternoon tea. Even a little "doctoring" of the basic condiments you might normally use can make a big difference. There's more to building a great sandwich than just slapping two pieces of bread around a filling.

Our local grocery store has a great on-site bakery department and the ciabatta rolls are amazingly good!

To start building the perfect sandwich, you'll need bread. Or a hard roll, or wrap, or croissant, bagel, biscuit, etc. Choose carefully though. If your filling happens to be subtle in flavor, (say, maybe cream cheese with a tiny bit of snipped chive) a heavier bread or one that has added flavors (like olives or garlic) can easily overpower that delicate filling. Now, should you add veggies or maybe a slice or two of cheese? Are you looking for the savory flavor or added moisture of a sauce or spread? To butter, or not to butter? Phew! It's a lot to think about, no?

Hubs and I are both pretty fussy when it comes to cold cuts. Especially, roast beef. It's probably the one deli item that we'll cross right off of the shopping list, if what's available in the case doesn't live up to our expectations. 1) it must be lean, with just the right amount of added seasoning. 2) it should be sliced quite thin, but not so thin that you can't pull it apart from the rest of the slices and 3) {this is a big one for us, folks} it has to be just this side of mooing. OK, OK... for those of you who just thought Eeeeewwww! it's really just a personal taste thing. By all means, go right ahead and choose the deli brand with the doneness that best suits your taste.

The "meat" of the sandwich... Literally!

OK, So we've covered the bread and meat for this sandwich. The next decision to be made, is what to use by way of condiments and/or "fixin's".

We enjoy all types of sandwiches, but when it comes to roast beef, we usually prefer the more highly seasoned versions, (like Italian style) that are generally bolder, with a blend of zesty herbs and spices. That kind of flavor can stand up to a serious sauce or spread and in our house, that translates to creamy horseradish sauce.

It's super simple to make at home and is delicious with a sprinkling of crumbled bacon as a topping for baked potatoes, or as a zippy little dip for crispy homemade french fries or crunchy fresh veggies.

Creamy Horseradish Sauce

• 8 oz Sour Cream
• 1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
• 2 Tbls Prepared Horseradish (mild or hot)
• 1 Tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper

(***if you want a little added heat/flavor, you can add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce)

Next, just throw in a handful of leafy greens and pile it all on your bread of choice, or a savory whole grain wrap, or a thick slice of crusty Italian bread and that's all you need for a delicious and satisfying summer supper. Oh, and make sure you have plenty of napkins on hand. A few crunchy potato chips and a crisp kosher dill pickle never hurt, either.

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We will never send any advertising or provide your email address to any other blogs or businesses.

Don't forget that you can print this (or any) recipe using the "Print Friendly" button at the foot of each post. It's a great little feature that allows you to remove any pictures (or any text that isn't relevant to the recipe) before printing. That can save on ink and paper & in today's economy, who doesn't want to save a little cash when you can?!

I'm Still Here... With Explainations and Apologies

Hello, everyone...

I'm so sorry that I've been MIA for so much of the summer. I've been trying to check in here and there when I can, through facebook or the blogosphere and I truly had every intention of getting back to more regular posting a couple of weeks ago. But you know how life goes.... Just when you think things are finally settling down, something else happens and the world goes spinning out of control, all over again.

There have been some very sad events for our family over the past few months. In mid-July, my husband's 65 year old uncle, (who has early onset Alzheimer's Disease) went missing, several hours away from his home in Maryland. From the look of things, his car ran out of gas on a very rural, desolate stretch of highway, in Pennsylvania. According to the state police, it's an area where the nearest store, gas station or residential area is miles and miles away, in any direction. The area surrounding the highway is densely wooded, which has made the ground and air searches they've performed, quite difficult. To date, we've had absolutely no leads... no clues whatsoever, as to where he is or what has happened to him. Unfortunately, the more time passes, the less hope we have of a positive outcome.

Happy 100th Birthday, Julia!

Source

Today would have been the 100th birthday of the iconic woman and incredible chef, who inspired my love of cooking and all things "food".  On Saturday or Sunday mornings, I sat in front of our old black and white TV and watched, wide-eyed and eager to soak up all that I could, as she created everything from the most basic dishes to the most spectacular culinary works of art I could have imagined. And she did this with an incredible passion and an almost child-like enthusiasm. She had a way of making us believe we could cook the way she did with her common sense and realism and taught us that one should never apologize for a fallen souffle or a cracked flourless torte.

Greek Chicken Salad and My First Guest Post!

Good Sunday morning, friends...

There's a whole lot of crazy in my world at the moment, but I wanted to jot off a quick note to let you know that I'm doing a guest post over at Passionately Artistic! (A first for me, btw) It's a fantastic blog, full of Cuttlebug craft ideas, delicious recipes and great tutorials!

Stop by and say hello to Maggie and the team and check out my Greek Chicken Salad!

I'm linking up with the fabulous parties listed in my sidebar --->

Wow!  Just found out that this salad was featured at the All Star Block Party, co-hosted by the lovely Shasta at In The Old Road!