Beefy Queso Enchilada Cups

My menu plan got thrown off a bit this week so I was left wondering what to make for dinner yesterday. I asked Nate what sounded good to him and he told me he was torn between these two recipes - Enchilada Cups and Beefy 5 Layer Burritos. Being the good wife I am, I suggested that we combine the two recipes. Sure enough, it was a winner idea. Nate loved these and definitely wants them made again. These beefy queso enchilada cups are rich so I recommend serving them with a nice crunchy green salad. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef, cooked and crumbled and seasoned with taco seasoning
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
queso (we like Tostito's brand salsa con queso)
shredded cheese
12 small flour tortillas

Ingredients:
Spray a muffin tin with some non-stick cooking spray. This recipe makes 12 enchilada cups. Now cut some circles out of your tortillas. I used the top of one of those hospital mugs and just cut around it with a knife. You want your tortilla circles to line the muffin tin like a baking cup, so it lines the bottom and the sides, but if they are really over-sized you might get some burnt tortillas. I left just a little bit of overhang so it would hold all the filling. Now make your refried beans and taco meat. Add the refried beans and 1 Tbsp. of taco seasoning and cook over medium low heat until hot. Spoon a small amount of refried beans into the bottom of each tortilla cup. Next spoon in some queso on top of the bean mixture. Now add some beef on top of the queso. I made a pound of ground beef and had exactly enough for 12 enchilada cups. Bake filled enchilada cups for 20 minutes in a 350 degree F oven. Remove from oven and top with a little shredded cheese. Return to oven and bake another 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve hot and enjoy!

Crock Pot Sante Fe Chicken

This recipe comes from Alisha. She said it was super good and fast and easy to make. This recipe and photo comes from Chef In Training, which is an awesome recipe blog, be sure and check it out. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds chicken
1 (14.4 oz) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
1 (15 oz) can black beans
8 oz frozen corn
1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
1 (14.4 oz) can chicken broth
3 scallions chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Okay, Alisha made this soup for her family the other night and it was a huge hit! It is the same soup Aunt Kathleen made at our chocolate dipping party, and I remember everyone loved it. This recipe comes from Simply So Good. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups onions, chopped
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
3 corn tortillas (6-inch size), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (10.5) ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 cups cooked chicken or turkey, shredded or cubed
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and pepper
Black bean Salsa
Sour Cream
Tortilla strips

Preparation:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high; add onions and garlic, and saute 3 minutes. Stir in tortilla pieces and saute until they begin to soften. Add tomatoes, broth, and spices, and bring to a boil. Removed from heat; let cool 5 minutes, then puree soup base in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return soup to pot.

Add Turkey, corn and cream. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes, or until beginning to thicken. Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle in cheese, and stir until melted. Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with salsa, sour cream and crispy tortilla strips.

Makes 8 cups. 267 calories per cup. Not including the salsa, sour cream or tortilla strips...Just so you know.

Lime Cilantro Rice

This is a recipe from Alisha. I think this is the same kind of rice that you can get at Costa Vida and Cafe Rio. Yum!

Ingredients:
1 cup rice
1 t. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. grated lime zest
1 can chicken broth (15oz)
1/4 cup water
2 T. lime juice
2 t. sugar
3 T. chopped cilantro

Preparation:
In saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, lime zest, broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook 15-20 min. or until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice. Serve warm.

Santa Fe Chicken Enchilada Soup

This recipe comes from Alisha.

Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 28 mins
Servings: 6 servings, about 1 cup each

Ingredients:
4 corn tortillas (6 inch), cut into strips
1 tsp. oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
1 tub (10 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Santa Fe Blend Cooking Creme
1 cup milk
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed
1 can (11 oz.) corn with red and green bell peppers, drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Toss tortilla strips with oil; spread into single layer on baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 min. or until crisp, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, cook chicken in large nonstick saucepan sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat 8 to 10 min. or until chicken is done, stirring frequently. Stir in cooking creme, milk, beans, corn and tomatoes; simmer on medium-low heat 6 to 8 min. or until heated through, stirring frequently.

Serve soup topped with tortilla strips and cilantro.

Butternut Squash Soup

This recipe comes from Alisha.


Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 1 stalk celery, chopped
* 1 medium carrot, chopped
* 2 medium potatoes, cubed
* 1 medium butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
* 1 (32 fluid ounce) container chicken stock
* salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot, and cook the onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, and squash 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Pour in enough of the chicken stock to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.
2. Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. Return to pot, and mix in any remaining stock to attain desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.



*****I did add garlic in with the butter in the beginning. Also you could add orzo pasta when you serve the soup. (I doubled the recipe and would only use 3 small potatoes not 4.************

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana

This is the soup that Alisha made and served at Jenni's shower.

Ingredients:
* 1 lb ground Italian sausage
* 1½ tsp crushed red peppers
* 1 large diced white onion
* 4 Tbsp bacon pieces
* 2 tsp garlic puree
* 10 cups water
* 5 cubes of chicken bouillon
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
* ¼ of a bunch of kale


Preparation:
1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
3. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.
4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve. Delicious!

This photo is from Olive Garden's website.

Sweet Potato Casserole

This recipe is also from Alisha.

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:
4-5 sweet potatoes (cooked and peeled) OR 1 40-oz can sweet potatoes (I use the canned yams)
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg

Streusel Topping:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup quick oats
Pinch of cinnamon
Miniature marshmallows (as needed)


Directions:
Mash the sweet potatoes. Add 1/3 cup butter, milk, vanilla and egg. Mix well and transfer into a well greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Prepare the streusel mixture in a plastic bag by mix all of the ingredients together until combined leaving out the marshmallows.
On top of the casserole, alternate the streusel mixture with the miniature marshmallows, making diagonal rows with each. Bake at 350 degrees until the streusel and the marshmallows are golden brown, approximately 30 - 45 minutes.

*If you prefer your sweet potato mixture to be sweeter, you can add ½ to 1 cup of sugar to the potato mixture, along with the butter, milk, vanilla and egg.

**If you are planning on feeding several, you may want to make 2 of these. Everyone will want seconds!

Poppy Seed Chicken

This recipe comes from Alisha. I've heard it is really good.

Ingredients:
8 Chicken breast, boiled and cubed
1/2 c. butter
2 Cans cream of chicken
12 oz. sour cream
Mix above ingredients in bowl.

3 c. cooked rice


Topping:
1-2 sleeves Ritz crackers
1/4 c. butter (melted)
1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
Mash Ritz, butter, and poppy seeds in bowl.

Directions:
In 9X13 pamed pan lay down cooked rice. Now mixed chicken and cream of chicken soup mix. Next top with Ritz and Bake for 30 mins in 350 oven.