Week 2 Recipes

I'm considering breaking down all recipes into categories (like main dish, desserts, soups, etc) instead of by weeks. Possibly by week 3 I'll have gathered enough recipes to make that necessary. For now here are the recipes for our week 3 menu.

Creamy Enchilada Chicken
**this is a new recipe that I'm trying for the first time this week

4 boneless chicken breasts
1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups salsa
8 ounces neufchatel cheese, cubed (can substitute cream cheese)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoons cumin
salt and pepper, to taste

Add all ingredients to crock pot, except Neufchatel cheese.
Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Stir in cheese cut into cubes, turn off heat. Let sit for 20-30 minutes.
Stir to blend in cheese.
Serve over rice or spoon into tortillas, enchilada style

Baked Rigatoni

White sauce:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup and 2 Tbsp flour
1 cup whipping cream (or heavy cream) at room temperature
3 cups milk at room temperature
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 pound dry rigatoni or other tube shaped pasta
3 Tbsp butter, diced
1/2 cup cubed ham (optional)

preheat oven to 425.

In a large saucepan, melt the stick of butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Always stirring, add the cream and milk and continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Simmer until it's thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (about 10 minutes). Take off heat and stir in a dash of nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the cheese, and ham if desired (I don't).

In a large pot, boil 6 quarts of water. Add rigatoni and boil for about 5 minutes. Do not overcook pasta since you will be baking the pasta in the oven also. Drain pasta and return to pot. Pour white sauce over pasta and mix well.

Pour into a greased 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Dot the top with butter (makes a beautiful brown crust) and bake in oven for 25 minutes.


Tostadas (crockpot option)

3/4 to 1 lb ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

3 tsp sugar

1 can (6-oz) tomato paste
1 can (8-oz) tomato sauce
1 can kidney beans

Brown ground beef. Add onion and garlic toward the end and let them saute for a few minutes. Drain fat off of ground beef if necessary, and then add all other ingredients. Simmer 2 hours over low heat, or place in crockpot for 2-4 hours. (The flavor is great the longer it simmers). Serve over tortilla chips with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, olives, salsa, sour cream or other. We usually eat this taco salad style, using this as the meat layer.


Mom's Potato Soup

3 cups diced, peeled potatoes uncooked
1/2 cup diced celery
1 1/2 cups chicken bullion (2 cubes with 1 1/2 cups hot water)
1/2 cup onion diced
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp chives, chopped (optional)

Cook potatoes, celery and onion in bullion, water and salt. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender. DO NOT OVERCOOK potatoes - you almost want them a little undercooked. Do not drain off liquid. Add 1 cup of the milk and heat. Watch so that it doesn't burn. In a medium bowl, mix sour cream, flour and remaining milk. Add that mixture to the potato mixture. Cook over low heat until thick and heated through. I like to serve this with a little grated cheese on top.


Maui Chicken (crockpot)
(Fix It and Forget It Recipes for Entertaining - see link on the right)

6 boneless chicken breast halves
2 Tbsp oil
14 1/2-oz. can chicken broth
20-oz. can pineapple chunks
1/4 cup vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Brown chicken in oil. Transfer chicken to slow cooker/crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on high 4-6 hours. Serve over rice.