Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Recipe From: The Sisters' Cafe
This took a lot of work and I was surprised there wasn't more flavor. It almost just tasted like a can of green chili enchilada sauce. I reserved about a cup of the salsa for steak tacos tomorrow night.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa:
1 pound tomatillos (husked, rinsed, halved)
1 white onion ( peeled and quartered)
4 garlic cloves
2 jalapenos (rinsed and seeded)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup cilantro leaves (chopped)
1/2 lime (juiced)

Enchiladas:
Extra-virgin olive oil or butter
1/2 medium onion (diced)
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock or bouillon
1/2 cup cilantro leaves (chopped)
2 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 large flour tortillas
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese (shredded)
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On a baking tray, roast tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapenos for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices on the bottom of the tray to a food processor. Add the cumin, salt and cilantro and pulse mixture until well combined but still chunky.

Meanwhile heat a olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and caramelized - this should take 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin then cook for a further minute. Sprinkle on the flour and stir to ensure the flour doesn't burn then gradually add the chicken stock. Continue stirring over a low simmer until the flour cooks and the liquid thickens. Turn off the heat, add half of the roasted tomatillo salsa, some additional fresh chopped cilantro, the sour cream and fold in the shredded chicken meat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Change the temperature of the oven to 350 and begin assembling the dish. Take a large baking dish and smear the bottom with some of the reserved tomatillo salsa. Using a shallow bowl, coat each tortilla lightly with the reserved salsa mix. Put a scoop of the shredded chicken-enchilada mix on top of the tortilla followed by a sprinkle of the shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and roll up. Place the tortillas in the baking dish and continue to do the same with all the tortillas. Finally pour over some more of the salsa and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top.

Tortellini Tomato Soup

Recipe From: Favorite Family Recipe Blog

Yummy and oh, so easy! Served 6 perfectly...to the last drop.

Ingredients:
1 pkg frozen cheese tortellini
2 cans Campbell's tomato soup
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
2 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)

In a large soup pot combine soup, broth, milk, cream, tomatoes and seasonings. Heat through, stirring frequently. Add tortellini and cook per package directions (2-3 minutes). Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted serve immediately.

Cheesecake Brownies

Recipe From: My Kitchen Cafe

I love brownies. These were a bit of work, but super yummy.

Ingredients:
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line dish with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on both long sides, then spray parchment.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. In another bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar with a mixer until smooth. Add 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla, and beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture. Increase speed to medium; beat until incorporated.

Reserve 1 cup of dough; cover, and refrigerate. Press remaining dough into bottom of prepared dish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Bake until base is set and edges are puffed, 22-25 minutes (don't overbake or this brownie layer will be too hard and crumbly). Let cool in dish on a wire rack.

Mix cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and remaining egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl. Spread over cooled base; crumble reserved dough on top. Bake until filling is set, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in dish on wire rack, then lift out using overhang. Cut into 24 squares. Squares will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

Artichoke Hearts & Tomato Pasta

Recipe From: The Pioneer Woman

I changed this up a little and added chicken.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Butter
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
1 can Artichoke Hearts, Drained
1 can Diced Tomatoes With Juice - I used 4 Roma Tomatoes
1 cup Heavy Cream
½ - 1 cup Chicken Broth - I used 1 cup with fresh tomatoes
½ teaspoons Nutmeg
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1 pound Thin Spaghetti - I used Campenelle
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives, Chopped

Cook spaghetti till al dente. Drain and set aside. Melt olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste (do not under salt!) Cook over low heat until heated through, then turn off heat. Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup Parmesan. Pour sauce over the top. Add chives. Toss lightly to combine and coat; add a tiny bit of reserved pasta water if sauce seems too thick.

Mushroom Enchiladas with Cilantro Cream Sauce

Recipe From: Recipe Zaar

This called for spinach, but I used chicken in it's place...so the last 2 ingredients are optional.

Ingredients
10-12 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese (shredded)
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion (minced)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 lb mushrooms (chopped)
1/4 cup chicken broth
12 ounces fresh spinach (washed, drained and coarsely chopped)
1-2 chicken breasts (boiled and shredded)

Cilantro Cream Sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
3/4 cup water
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 tbsp chicken bouillon granule
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
1 cup sour cream

Boil and shred chicken. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat and saute onions, garlic and mushrooms until soft and liquid has evaporated, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove half of the mushroom mixture and set aside, reserving for the sauce. Add broth and cook for 2 minutes more. Add optional spinach and cook until spinach is wilted and liquid has evaporated. Taste and add salt or season salt to taste IF NEEDED.

Sauce: In a small sauce pan combine water, wine/juice, seasoned salt, chicken bouillon and garlic powder. Stir to dissolve before adding reserved mushroom mixture, sour cream and cilantro. Reduce heat to simmer until sauce just begins to thicken. Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap tortillas in paper towels and heat in microwave for a minute or so just to soften them. Divide filling evenly among the warm tortillas, fill and roll and place them seam side down in a greased 9x13 pan. Pour sauce over enchiladas, top with shredded cheese and bake 10-15 minutes- just until cheese is melted- browned if you like- and the entire dish has heated through.

Spicy Orange Garlic Shrimp

Recipe From: The Pioneer Woman

I doubled the sauce (and thickened it a bit) then we served over rice with salad and sugar snap peas.

Ingredients:

1 lb Shrimp (peeled and deveined)
2-4 Garlic cloves
¾ cups Orange Juice
½ tsp Ground Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
3 Tbsp Salted Butter

Thaw and peel the shrimp. Thaw them by running them under cold water for a few minutes. Dry the peeled shrimp by draining them on a paper towel or two. Thinly slice your garlic cloves. Add the garlic to ¾ cup of orange juice. Use a nice high quality orange juice. Measure out and add all of the spices to the orange juice as well. In a large skillet over high heat melt 2 tablespoons butter. Once butter has melted add your shrimp. Cook them for about 30-60 seconds and begin flipping them over starting with the ones you placed in the pan first so they don’t get overdone. Cook for another 30-60 seconds. Remove the cooked shrimp from the pan, leaving the heat on high.

Once the butter and drippings begin to smoke ever so slightly add the spicy orange garlic mixture to the pan and give it a good stir. Add the last tablespoon of butter to the sauce and after a few minutes of cooking and occasional stirring your sauce should be slightly thicker. Return the shrimp to the pan and give them a nice toss to coat them in the sauce. Allow an intermingling of souls to take place for just a few seconds and then it’s time for the fireworks.