Magic green sauce

5 minute magic green sauce

serves: makes about 2 cups (8 servings) - serving size ¼ cup

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 avocado
• 1 cup packed parsley and cilantro leaves (combined)
• 1 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed
• 2 cloves garlic
• juice of one lime (or two - get lots of limey goodness in there!)
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup pistachios (you can sub other nuts - see notes)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pulse all ingredients - except pistachios - in a food processor until incorporated.
2. Add pistachios and pulse until mostly smooth (depends on what consistency you want).
3. Serve as a dip, spread, or sauce -- or add additional water or oil to thin the sauce for use as a dressing or a marinade.

RED ENCHILADA SAUCE

RED ENCHILADA SAUCE

This homemade red enchilada sauce is WAY better than anything you can buy in the can, and quick and easy to make as well!

PREP TIME: 5 MINS

 

COOK TIME: 15 MINS

 

TOTAL TIME: 20 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose or gluten-free flour
• 4 Tbsp. chili powder (*not cayenne, see recommendations for brands and tips on reducing the heat level if you don't like spicy sauces below*)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir together over the heat for one minute. Stir in the remaining seasonings (chili powder through oregano). Then gradually add in the stock, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until thick.

Use immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

*I consider this sauce pretty mild.  But if you are wary about heat/spice in your sauce, I would begin with 2 tablespoons chili powder and add more from there once the sauce has reached a simmer if you'd like.

Again, I am using chili powder for this recipe, not cayenne.  From the comments, it sounds as though chili powders vary significantly from country to country.  But the traditional American chili powder is fairly mild, and should not be overly spicy.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP

This slow cooker chicken enchilada soup recipe only takes about 10 minutes of prep time, and it is oh-so-delicious and comforting.

PREP TIME: 10 MINS

 

COOK TIME: 4 HOURS

 

TOTAL TIME: 4 HOURS 10 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
• 2 cups good-quality chicken stock
• 1 1/4 cup (or 1 10-ounce can) red enchilada sauce*, homemade or store-bought
• 2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 (15-ounce) can whole-kernel corn**, drained
• 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 white onion, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt, or more/less to taste
• optional garnishes: chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado, diced red onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips/chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add all ingredients to a slow cooker, and stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 hours on high heat or 6-8 hours on low heat, until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily. Use two forks to shred the chicken.
2. Serve warm, with optional garnishes.
3. You can also refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months.

SLOW COOKER CREAM CHEESE CHICKEN TAQUITOS

SLOW COOKER CREAM CHEESE CHICKEN TAQUITOS

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PREP TIME

15 mins

COOK TIME

4 hours

TOTAL TIME

4 hours 15 mins

Creamy chicken taquitos made in a slow cooker, then rolled and baked til crispy! Soooo yummy and incredibly easy!!

Author: Tiffany

Recipe type: Main Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• salt + pepper
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• ⅓ cup water
• ½ cup shredded colby or Mexican blend cheese
• 12 6 inch corn or flour tortillas
• optional: cilantro, salsa, sour cream, or other toppings as desired

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add chicken, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper to taste, cream cheese, and water to crock pot. Cover and cook on low 8 hours or on high 4 hours.
2. minutes before serving, remove chicken from crock pot, shred with two forks, and return to slow cooker. Give it a stir. Let it cook about 15 minutes longer.
3. Preheat oven to 400. Place about ¼ cup of the chicken mixture onto the middle of each tortilla. Top with 1-2 tablespoons shredded cheese. Roll tightly and place in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, until tortillas are slightly browned and shredded cheese is melted. Serve with desired toppings and sauces.

Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos

Ingredients

1 1/2

cups shredded cooked chicken

1

package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/4

to 1/2 cup green tomatillo salsa (salsa verde)

1

package (8.2 oz) Old El Paso™ flour tortillas for soft tacos & fajitas (10 tortillas; 6 inch)

Olive oil or olive oil cooking spray 

Directions

• 1 Heat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheet with foil.
• 2 In small bowl, stir together chicken, cream cheese and 1/4 cup of the salsa. Taste for spiciness; add more salsa to taste.
• 3 Lightly brush each tortilla on both sides with olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Place 2 tablespoons chicken mixture in center of each tortilla. Roll up; place on cookie sheet, seam side down.
• 4 Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti

YIELD: ABOUT 6-8 SERVINGS

CHICKEN ALFREDO BAKED ZITI

Delicious chicken and ziti are tossed with a lighter alfredo sauce and baked up to cheesy perfection.

PREP TIME: 10 MINS

 

COOK TIME: 30 MINS

 

TOTAL TIME: 40 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

CHICKEN BAKED ZITI INGREDIENTS:

• 12 ounces ziti (or any pasta shape)
• 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken (about 2 small chicken breasts)
• 1 batch alfredo sauce (see below)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I used 2% low fat)
• (optional toppings: additional shredded Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parsley)

ALFREDO SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup low-fat milk (I used 1%)
• 3/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper

*This isn't a super-saucy dish, so if you like a lot of sauce, you might want to consider doubling this recipe. If you don't have the time to make your own sauce, one standard-sized jar should be enough.

DIRECTIONS:

TO MAKE THE CHICKEN BAKED ZITI:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cook the pasta al dente in a large stockpot of well-salted boiling according to package instructions. Drain. Return pasta to the stockpot and add chicken and alfredo sauce. Gently toss to combine until the pasta is evenly coated.
3. Pour half of the pasta into a greased 11x7-inch or 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of cheese. Layer the remaining half of the pasta evenly on top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and just barely starts to turn golden. Remove and serve immediately, sprinkled with additional toppings if desired.

TO MAKE THE ALFREDO SAUCE:

1. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute one minute, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Sprinkle with flour, and stir to combine. Saute for an additional minute to cook the flour, stirring occasionally.
2. Slowly add chicken broth, whisking to combine until smooth. Whisk in milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let cook for an additional minute until thickened, then stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until the cheese melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Corey: Corey Valley

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

• 18- 6 inch corn tortillas
• 2 cups red enchilada sauce (about 2 (10oz) cans)
• 3 cups cooked chicken, diced
• ¼ cup onion, finely diced
• 3-3.5 cups Mexican blend cheese
• 4 Tablespoons caned, mild green chiles, diced
• 1 cup corn

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Place 6 tortillas in the bottom of a prepared baking dish (with no stick spray or butter), slightly overlapping
3. Top with ½ cup of enchilada sauce, spreading evenly over tortillas.
4. Top with 1.5 cups of your chicken, 2 Tablespoons of onion, 2 Tablespoons of green chiles, ½ cup of corn and 1 cup of cheese.
5. Repeat layer with six more tortillas, sauce, the remaining chicken, onion, green chiles, corn and another cup of cheese.
6. Complete the casserole with another layer of tortillas, 1 cup of enchilada sauce, and 1-1.5 cups of cheese. Bake in the oven for 30-40 min. Let stand 5- 10 mins before serving.

Beef and Bean Taco Casserole

Ingredients

1

lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef 

1

can (16 oz) Old El Paso™ refried beans 

1

jar (16 oz) Old El Paso™ Thick ‘n Chunky salsa

1

package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ 40% less-sodium taco seasoning mix

2 1/2

cups coarsely broken tortilla chips 

1/2

medium green bell pepper, chopped (3/4 cup)

4

medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

2

medium tomatoes, chopped (1 1/2 cups) 

1

cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)

1/4

cup sliced ripe olives

1

cup shredded lettuce

Directions

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F. In 12-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in refried beans, salsa and taco seasoning mix. Reduce heat to medium. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
• 2 In ungreased 2-quart casserole, place 2 cups of the broken tortilla chips. Top evenly with beef mixture. Sprinkle with bell pepper, onions, 1 cup of the tomato, the cheese and olives.
• 3 Bake uncovered 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted. Top baked casserole with lettuce, remaining 1/2 cup tomato and remaining 1/2 cup tortilla chips.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes and Ham

Creamy, cheesy potatoes with ham made in the slow cooker make perfect comfort food! Add a tossed salad, and dinner is ready.

Ingredients

6 

cups (6 medium) thinly sliced peeled potatoes (about 1 3/4 lb)

1 

medium onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)

1 1/2 

cups cubed cooked ham

1 

can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 

cup milk

1 1/2 

cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 oz)

1/4 

teaspoon pepper

Directions

• Spray 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix potatoes, onion and ham; spoon into slow cooker.
• In medium bowl, mix soup, milk, cheese and pepper; pour over potato mixture.
• Cover; cook on High heat setting 3 to 4 hours or until potatoes are tender. Gently stir potatoes before serving.