Tag Archives: Cheese

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

From Cooking Light

Cooking spray
1 1/4 pounds skinned, boned chicken breast
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup beer
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 (2 1/4-ounce) can sliced ripe olives, drained
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, drained
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
2 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten or 6 tablespoons egg substitute
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut in half
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup salsa

Preheat oven to 350°.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium heat until hot. Add chicken; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from skillet; let cool. Shred chicken with 2 forks; set aside.

Recoat skillet with cooking spray; place over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add shredded chicken, beer, red pepper, and tomatoes; cook 10 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates. Remove from heat. Reserve 1 tablespoon green onions and 1 tablespoon olives for garnish. Stir remaining green onions, remaining olives, and chiles into chicken mixture; set aside.

Combine flour, salt, cumin, and coriander in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Place over medium heat; cook 7 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Gradually add hot milk mixture to egg whites, stirring constantly with whisk. Set aside.

Place cheeses in a bowl; toss well. Set aside.

Spread 1/2 cup white sauce in bottom of a 2 1/2-quart round casserole or soufflé dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 tortilla halves over sauce; top with 2 cups chicken mixture, 1/2 cup white sauce, and 1/2 cup cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice, ending with sauce. Set remaining 1/2 cup cheese mixture aside.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese mixture, reserved green onions, and reserved olives; bake an additional 5 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

NOTE: You can assemble the casserole ahead of time; cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight, then bake at 350º for 1 hours or until bubbly. Or freeze casserole, thaw in refrigerator 24 hours, then bake for 1 hour or until thoroughly heated.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge, 1 tablespoon sour cream, and 1 tablespoon salsa)

Chicken Castellina – Olive Garden Recipe

Sauce

1/4 cup pancetta (or bacon), diced
6 Tbsp butter, cubed
1 tsp garlic, chopped
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ cups milk
1 oz cornstarch
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup smoked Gouda cheese, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
8.5 oz can sliced artichokes, drained
1/4 tsp pepper
¼ cup mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 lbs pasta of choice, cooked according to package directions

Chicken

1 1/2 lbs skinless/boneless chicken breasts, cut in 1 – 1 ½” pieces
¾ cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup white wine
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Procedures:

Sauce:

1. SAUTÉ pancetta (or bacon) in a 3-qt sauce pan or large pot, over medium/high heat until crisp and golden brown. Reduce heat, add butter and allow it to melt. Add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for approximately one minute, stirring frequently (do not brown).

2. WHISK in cream, milk and cornstarch. Raise heat to medium/high. Whisk in Parmesan and Gouda cheeses. Once cheese melts, add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring continuously.

3. REMOVE from heat and let stand uncovered.

Chicken:

1. MIX flour with salt and pepper. Coat chicken in seasoned flour, shaking off excess flour.

2. HEAT olive oil in large sauté pan. Add chicken in a single layer and cook until golden brown on both sides (approximately 7 minutes total). Juices should run clear.

3. ADD wine to chicken in pan (caution: there will be a low flame in pan). Toss gently until wine is evaporated. Add sauce and bring to a boil on medium/high heat.

4. TRANSFER drained, cooked pasta to large platter. Evenly distribute chicken and sauce over pasta.

5. GARNISH with chopped parsley and serve.

Chicken & Rice Casserole

2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
3 cups diced, cooked chicken
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans green beans, drained and rinsed
1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 (4-ounce) jar pimentos
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (6-ounce) box long-grain wild rice, cooked according to package directions
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat butter or oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.

Add all remaining ingredients to bowl and mix together until thoroughly combined.

Pour into a greased 3-quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Seafood Enchilada

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 tablespoons lobster base

3 1/2 cups 2% low-fat milk

1 cup white wine or cooking sherry

8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded

1 (4 ounce) can baby shrimp

2 (8 ounce) packages imitation crabmeat, flake style

10 (6 inch) flour tortilla, old mission restaurant style

paprika


Directions

FOR THE SAUCE:

Melt butter in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat.

Add flour. cook and stir for 5 minutes, add 1/2 tsp white pepper.

Stir in 2 tbsp lobster base and cook for an additional minute.

Add milk & wine. Add 2 oz. of the cheese, continue to cook until thickened.

FOR THE CRAB MIX:

Lightly chop the flaked imitation crab. Combine with shrimp in a medium size bowl.

Add 1.5 cups of cold sauce. Mix well.

FOR THE ENCHILADAS:

Lay out the tortillas on a flat surface.

Place 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of the crab mix across the center of each tortilla. Place flap of the tortilla over the crab mix and roll. Place flap side down onto a plate or in your baking dish

Ladle warm sauce over the enchiladas.

Top with remaining Monterey jack cheese.

Put into a preheated 425 degree convection oven for 12-14 minutes. In a conventional oven you may want to microwave on high for a minute or 2 before placing in the oven.

Watch and do not allow to burn (brown spots).

Sprinkle with paprika.

Beef Lombardi

Get gourmet beef sent right to your door!

1 pound lean ground beef

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chopped tomatoes

1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1 (6-ounce) package medium egg noodles

6 green onions, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

Garnish: fresh parsley sprigs


Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain.

Stir in chopped tomatoes and next 4 ingredients; cook 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and bay leaf, and simmer 30 minutes.

Cook egg noodles according to package directions; drain.

Stir together cooked egg noodles, chopped green onions, and sour cream until blended.


Place noodle mixture in bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Top with beef mixture; sprinkle evenly with cheeses.


Bake, covered with aluminum foil, at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover casserole, and bake 5 more minutes. Garnish, if desired.

Note: Freeze casserole up to 1 month, if desired. Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Bake as directed.

To lighten: Substitute low-fat or fat-free sour cream and 2% reduced-fat Cheddar cheese. Reduce amount of cheeses on top to 1/2 cup each.


Yield: Makes 6 servings