Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Enchiladas

My mom made these all the time growing up.  I believe she got the recipe from a good friend years ago and it has been one of her staples ever since.  This is the best recipe for cooking for a large group...especially a large group of hungry boys (or men).  This is comfort food at it's max.  Also, making this on a Sunday and enjoying for the rest of the week for yourself is another option.  The enchiladas get miraculously better in the fridge after a day or so!

Ingredients:


-1 package large flour tortillas
-1 can cream of mushroom soup
-1 can cream of chicken soup
-1 small can of green chilies
-1 small package of sliced mushrooms
-1 (8-ounce) package shredded Monterrey jack cheese
-1 roast chicken, meat torn off in small pieces
-1 (16-ounce) tub of sour cream
-1 tsp cumin
-1 Tbsp Mexican seasoning
-3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
-1 bunch of green onions, chopped
-1 Tbsp butter
-1 Tbsp olive oil

Mini Crab Rangoons

My most popular recipe, by far, is the Crab Rangoon Dip.  I've taken the same recipe and stepped it up a notch.  Here, the dip is divided up into little wonton wrappers and baked until golden brown.  It's the perfect party appetizer and to make it even better, I've made the recipe a little lighter!

Ingredients:


-1 package of wonton wrappers/skins (found in the bagged salad section of the grocery store)
-2 cans of crab meat
-16 ounces (2 blocks) light cream cheese, softened
-1/2 cup light sour cream
-4 green onions, chopped
-1.5 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
-2 Tbsp. powder sugar
-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
-1/2 tsp lemon juice

Gadgets Needed:


-1 mini-cupcake pan

Spinach and Feta Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Mushrooms may be one of my favorite foods.  There's nothing more I like as a side dish than a grilled portabella mushroom.  With it still being a bit chilly in Denver, the grill is not an option.  I stumbled on this recipe and altered it a bit.  This would make a wonderful meatless meal.  I served it with chicken and couscous and found it to be way to much food! This is a vegetarian's heaven.

Ingredients:


-2 large Portabella mushroom caps
-1 roma or plum tomato, diced
-2 large handfuls of fresh baby spinach
-1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
-1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
-small pinch of red pepper flakes
-small pinch white pepper
-1/4 cup Italian or Olive Oil & Vinegar dressing
-1/4 cup chicken broth

Smoked Salmon Spread

I've been on a Smoked Salmon kick recently.  I usually buy a huge salmon fillet from Costco and freeze portion sizes for a quick easy dinner.  I have a Cameron's Stove-Top Smoker and smoked a couple fillets with Alder Chips for this recipe.  Don't have a smoker?  Did you know you can smoke fish using a Wok and some foil.  Genius! I was looking for an appetizer to bring to a party, but didn't want some typical cheese dip.  I loved it even more the next morning spread on a bagel for breakfast.  It's hard to beat with thinly sliced red onions and capers.

Ingredients: 


-12 ounces smoked salmon, roughly torn into pieces
-8 ounces light cream cheese
-3 Tbsp light sour cream
-2 Tbsp light mayo
-2 dashes Tabasco sauce
-2 cloves garlic
-1 bunch green onions, chopped
-1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
-juice from 1/2 lemon
-1 tsp horseradish
-1 Tbsp tomato paste

Serve with sliced English cucumber or crackers

Easy Tip to Freezing Bacon: How-To

Do you have bacon left-over that you know will go to waste if leave the rest in your fridge?  Ever frozen bacon in the package before to find a huge frozen hunk that would take forever to thaw and you only want 2 pieces!?  I read this recently and thought I'd give it a try after making my Zesty Broccoli Salad,  which only called for a few pieces of bacon.

Needed:


-leftover bacon
-parchment or waxed paper
-rubber bands
-gallon plastic freezer bag

Zesty Broccoli Salad

Most people don't like their dorm or sorority food in college, but I found ours to be pretty darn good! I was a Pi Phi at the University of Kansas and our cook, Mary whipped this up every few weeks.  I've been craving this for years and finally found a few recipes, merged them and created my own.  The Pi Phi broccoli salad never had bacon, but it seemed to be a common ingredient in the recipes I stumbled on.  I gave it a shot.  Wow, was it a great idea.

Ingredients: 


-2-3 large heads of broccoli
-6 slices bacon
-1/2 cup sunflower seeds
-1/2 cups golden raisins
-1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
-1 cup light mayo
-3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
-1/4 cup honey
-salt and pepper to taste