Mexican al a Carrie

Easy Mexican Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 cups salsa
• 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, drained
• 3 cups tortilla chips, crushed
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 (2 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef until no longer pink. Stir in salsa, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in beans, and heat through.
3. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread crushed tortilla chips in dish, and then spoon beef mixture over chips. Spread sour cream over beef, and sprinkle olives, green onion, and tomato over the sour cream. Top with Cheddar cheese.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

EMPANADAS

EMPANADAS  - Carrie

-FILLING-SPINACH
1 c. cooked chopped spinach

1 c. Cheddar, shredded

8 strips bacon, fried and crumbled

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Dough:

1 3 oz package Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

Pecan-Crusted Turkey Tenderloin with Grilled Peach Salsa

posted by Carrie


http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/pecan_crusted_turkey_tenderloin_with_grilled_peach_salsa.html

From EatingWell: July/August 2008

Here we top pecan-crusted turkey cutlets with a mildly spicy grilled peach salsa. It's better to prepare your own turkey cutlets from a whole tenderloin than buy them precut. The precut ones often vary in size and shape, leading to different cooking times. You can also use 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts in place of the turkey tenderloin.

4 servings
Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 1/4 hours

Ingredients

Turkey Tenderloin

1 pound turkey tenderloin, cut crosswise into 4 equal portions

2 cups nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 large egg whites

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat (see Note)

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

2 tablespoons canola oil,divided

Grilled Peach Salsa

1 1/4 pounds ripe peaches, (3-4 medium), halved and pitted

1 teaspoon canola oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion, preferably Vidalia

1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped

Zest and juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Preparation

Place one portion of turkey at a time between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even thickness, slightly thicker than 1/4 inch.

Pour buttermilk in a large sealable plastic bag. Add salt and sugar; seal and shake to dissolve. Add the turkey and seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible; refrigerate to marinate for 30 minutes (but no longer or it may be too salty).

Meanwhile, prepare salsa: Preheat grill to medium. Brush cut sides of peaches with oil. Grill the peaches until softened and browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Let cool. Chop the peaches into 1/4-inch pieces and place in a medium bowl. Add onion, jalapeño, lime zest and juice, cilantro and mint.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.

Remove the turkey from the marinade (discard marinade) and thoroughly dry with paper towels. Combine flour, paprika and pepper in a shallow dish. Beat egg whites and mustard in a second shallow dish. Combine breadcrumbs and pecans in a third shallow dish. Dredge each cutlet in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Then, dip both sides in the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip back into the dish to ensure a very thin coating. Then, dredge both sides in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the crumbs onto each piece to evenly coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place half the turkey gently in the pan without crowding; cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the wire rack on the baking sheet. Wipe out the pan and repeat with the remaining oil and turkey, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a cutlet registers 165°F, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve the turkey with the salsa.

Nutrition

Per serving : 474 Calories; 22 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 11 g Mono; 45 mg Cholesterol; 40 g Carbohydrates; 37 g Protein; 6 g Fiber; 390 mg Sodium; 368 mg Potassium

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 fruit, 4 lean meat, 3 fat

Tips & Notes

Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

Note: We like Ian's brand of whole-wheat dry breadcrumbs labeled “Panko breadcrumbs.” Find them in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets. To make your own, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until crispy, about 15 minutes. One slice of fresh bread makes about 1/3 cup dry crumbs. Or use prepared coarse dry breadcrumbs.

Chicken Breast Stuffed with Bacon & Feta

(Carrie's Inspiration for Aug. Meal Swap...)

1 tub TJ’s Crumbled Feta Cheese

1 package TJ’s Uncured Bacon, cooked and crumbled

6 TJ’s Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, pounded flat

Toothpicks or kitchen twine (or whatever you can find in your kitchen drawer)

1 tbsp TJ’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp (each) TJ’s Dried Oregano, Dried Basil

1 can (28 oz.) TJ’s Diced Tomatoes & Juice From Can

Combine feta and bacon in a mixing bowl. Place ¼ cup of the cheese/bacon mixture on the center of each

chicken breast. Fold breast over to enclose mixture; fasten with a toothpick or kitchen twine. Heat a large

sauté pan and add oil. Heat oil to medium and add stuffed breasts; turn breasts while cooking to brown on

all sides. Add tomatoes and seasoning to pan. Lower heat to a simmer; cook about 15 – 20 minutes or until

chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165º. Place chicken on a serving platter (remove toothpicks or

twine) and spoon tomato sauce over.

Serves: 5-6

Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes

TJ’s 2008

Salsa Chicken Casserole

"Layers of rice, chicken, cheese and a creamy salsa sauce bursting with sass."
submitted by Carrie

1 1/3 cups uncooked white rice

2 2/3 cups water

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast

halves

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream

of chicken soup

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream

of mushroom soup

1 onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups mild salsa

Directions:

1. Place rice and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place chicken breast halves into a large saucepan, and fill the pan with water. Bring to a boil, and cook for 20 minutes, or until done. Remove chicken from water. When cool enough to handle, cut meat into bite-size pieces.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

4. In a medium bowl, combine Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses. In a separate bowl, mix together cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, onion, and salsa. Layer 1/2 of the rice, 1/2 of the chicken, 1/2 of the soup and salsa mixture, and 1/2 of the cheese mixture in prepared dish. Repeat layers, ending with cheese.

5. Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes, or until bubbly.

Spinach Chicken Enchiladas

Submitted by Carrie

• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups cooked chopped chicken
• 1 (10 ounce) jar four cheese alfredo sauce
• 1 (.5 ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix
• 2 cups frozen cut leaf spinach, thawed and well drained
• 8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
• 1 cup green taco sauce
• 1/2 cup light cream or evaporated milk
• 1-1/2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese

Preparation:

In heavy skillet, cook onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until crisp tender. Remove from heat and combine in medium bowl with chicken, Alfredo sauce, taco seasoning mix, and spinach. Mix well.

Divide chicken mixture among tortillas and roll up. In medium bowl combine taco sauce and cream and mix well. Place 1/2 cup of the taco sauce mixture in bottom of 13x9" glass baking dish. Arrange filled tortillas on top. Drizzle with remaining taco sauce mixture. If desired, cover with foil and chill in refrigerator for 8-24 hours. Or bake it right away

When ready to eat, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the casserole, covered, for 35-40 minutes until hot. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven and bake 5-10 minutes longer until cheese is melted. If you're baking it from the fridge, add an extra 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time.

Chicken Tetrazzini

submitted by: Carrie

10 oz. dry spaghetti -- (10 to 12)
3 cups grated cheese - Jack or Cheddar
3 Tbsp. margarine
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup -- (10 3/4 oz)
1 can cream of chicken soup -- (10 3/4 oz)
1 (10 3/4 oz) soup can milk
3 cups cooked diced chicken
salt & pepper

To freeze: Cook spaghetti as directed until al dente; drain. Sauté onions in margarine. Mix onions and remaining ingredients with spaghetti in a large bowl. Put mixture in containers and freeze.
To serve: thaw tetrazzini and put in a baking dish. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350* oven until bubbly, about 30-40 minutes. For 2 people makes 5 casseroles.