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 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.

My favorite salmon to smoke at home is Scottish Salmon. You can order it online at Chef's Fresh Fish.

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