Enchilada Casserole

I brought dinner to a new mom this week and thought id try something new. I love the crockpot chicken with black beans but its hard to bring to a new mom. This was perfect because i brought it to her in the morning and she could take it out and cook it right before they were ready to eat dinner.

corn tortillas

cooking spray

4 pieces of cooked chicken- you can shred it or chop it

1 can black beans

1 can corn

kraft garlic cooking creme (its new...in the cream cheese section..its cream cheese with the consistency of sour cream)

2 cans green chile enchilada sauce

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tsp garlic minced

cheddar jack cheese or kraft mexican cheese

spray pan with cooking spray

arrange tortillas on the bottom of the pan

in a food processor, add the enchilada sauce, sour cream, garlic and 1 package of kraft garlic creme. Process it until the mixture is blended well. Reserve half of the mixture to add to the top of the casserole later...Add half of the mixture to a large bowl. Then add chicken black beans and corn to the bowl and mix that together.

Then add the chicken mixture on top of the corn tortillas and add cheese to the top of that. Then add another layer of corn tortillas and add more chicken mixture and cheese. (Like you would a lasagna.) Add the reserved cream cheese enchilada sauce mixture to the top of the last layer of corn tortillas and add a little more cheese to the top of that. Cover and bake for 45-60 min at 350. YUMMY!

Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been making the boys chocolate chip cookies for years and i finally found the best recipe ever on smittenkitchen.com. (one of my favorite cooking blogs) You can add different kinds of chocolate chips and nuts or add m&ms...whatever your kids like. I usually make half with just chocolate chips and half with both chocolate chips and nuts. Its chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside...cookie perfection.

Chocolate chip cookies

1 cup butter cold but cut into small pieces

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp flaky sea salt

2 1/2 cups flour

2 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 1/2 cup nuts (toasted and chopped)-use less if you are only putting nuts in half the recipe

Preheat oven to 350. Cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs, vanilla and baking soda. Then add flour and salt. Mix together well and then add chocolate chips and nuts. Scoop into balls with a cookie scoop and bake until pale golden brown. Its about 12-14 min in my oven.

Tortilla Soup

I make this in the crockpot because i think its better if it cooks all day and I can make it when the kids are in school. You can make it on the stove too if you dont have 8 hours to wait. I just add shredded rotisserre chicken from costco or sams club.

Tortilla Soup

2 TBSP olive oil

1/2 onion diced finely

4 to 5 cloves of garlic

1 pablano pepper, seeded and diced OR one green pepper and 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 teaspoon coriander

2 tsp cumin

cayenne pepper to taste (i use about 1/2 teaspoon if kids are eating it and more if they arent)

2 TBSP tomato paste

6 cups organic chicken broth (i like pacific brand from costco best)

2-3 chicken breasts

1/4 of a bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped finely

juice of one lime

tortilla chips (or make your own from corn tortillas)

Put Chicken breasts and chicken broth in the crockpot. Heat olive oil on medium high, add onion, peppers, garlic, salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Cook about 5-7 min or until the onions and peppers are tender. Make sure you stir often so it doesnt burn. Add the tomato paste and stir. Go add this to the crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hrs and then add cilantro and lime before serving. Add tortilla chips to each bowl and serve.