Chicken Torta

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Greek yogurt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 12 (5 1/2") corn tortillas cut in half
• 1 (16 oz) jar tomatillo salsa
• 3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
• 2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chilies, drained
• 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Preparation: 

1. Combine yogurt and cream.
2. Place 1/3 of tortillas in a lightly greased 11 x 7 baking dish. Layer 1/2 each salsa, chicken, yogurt mixture, chilies, and 1/3 of cheese.
3. Place 1/3 of tortillas in baking dish; layer remaining salsa, chicken yougurt mixture, chilies, and 1/3 of cheese. Top with remaining tortillas and cheese. 
4. Cover dish tightly with foil; bake 15 minutes. Remove foil; bake 10-15 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Earthquake Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25 oz) package devil's food cake mix
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plus 6 T. butter, softened
• 2 (3 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar plus more for dusting cake
• 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 9 x 13 baking pan.
2. Combine cake mix, water, eggs, and 1/2 cup butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer just until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes or until batter is smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Beat cream cheese and 6 T. butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add vanilla, beating just until blended. Gradually add 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, beating at low speed, just until blended. Stir in coconut and pecans. Dollop mixture by tablespoonsful over cake batter to withing 1-inch from sides of pan; do not stir.
4. Bake 40 - 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into squares; dust cake with powdered sugar before serving.

Shoney's Chicken Enchilada Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 medium onions, finely diced
• 1 medium-size red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 medium-size green pepper, finely diced
• 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
• 2 T. vegetable oil
• 2 pounds chopped, cooked chicken breast
• 1 (12oz) can beer
• 1 (16 oz) jar medium salsa
• 2 T. ground cumin
• 2 T. chili powder
• 1 T. salt
• 1 T. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (32 oz.) containers chicken broth
• 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 - 2 cups crushed tortilla chips
• 1 1/2 - 2 C (6 - 8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
• Toppings: tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced jalapenos

 Preparation:
1. Cook onion and next 3 ingredients in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes.
2. Add chicken and beer; cook 2 minutes. Stir in salsa and next 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
3. Stir in chips and shredded cheese; cook 10 minutes. 
4. Serve with desired toppings.

Fish Tacos with Avocado Sauce

Fish:

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 T olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound halibut or tilapia fillets

Sauce:

• 2 medium ripe avocados, divided
• 1/4 C sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1 T lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp dill weed
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
• Dash cayenne pepper

Salsa:

• 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 4 1/2 tsp chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
• 1 T minced fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 tsp lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/8 tsp salt

Tacos:

• Flour tortillas
• 2 C shredded cabbage

Preparation:

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine lemon juice, oil, and garlic. Add the fish; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• For the sauce and salsa, peel and cube avocados. In a small bowl, mash 1/4 cup avocado. Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients. Place remaining avocado in a small bowl; stir in remaining salsa ingredients. Refrigerate sauce and salsa until serving.
• Drain fish and discard marinade. Broil fish 4-6" from the heat for 8-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Place fish on the center of each tortilla. Top each with 1/4 cup cabbage, about 1 T sauce and 1/4 cup salsa.

Slow Cooker Beef Strganoff

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds beef top sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 C water
• 1 envelope beef stroganoff seasoning
• 1 pound sliced baby portobello mushrooms
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 T butter
• 1/4 cup port wine or beef broth (I used one can, about 14 oz, & it was fine.)
• 2 tsp ground mustard
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 C sour cream
• Hot cooked egg noodles

Preparation:

• In a large skillet, brown the meat in oil. Add the water and stroganoff seasoning mix, stirring to loosen the browned bits from the pan. Transfer meat and drippings to a 3qt slow cooker.
• In the same skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in butter until tender. Combine the wine, mustard and sugar; stir into the mushroom mix. Add to slow cooker; stir to combine.
• Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender. Stir in sour cream. Serve with noodles. 
• FYI: I did mine in a 250 oven for about 5 hours and it was perfect.  I also used 1/2 the mushrooms and diced them since I'm not a fan of mushrooms. That added the flavor without noticing them in there! I didn't mess with the olive oil and butter, I just used canola for it all.

Hoppin' John Risotto

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 (32 ounce) box PLUS 1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth, warmed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Garnish: chopped fresh parsley and bacon crumbles


In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic; cook 5 minutes or until tender. 
Stir in rice. Cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
Stir in wine, cook until wine is absorbed, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat to medium low and stir in black-eyed peas.
Add 1 cup warm chicken broth; cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed.
Repeat procedure with remaining chicken broth, 1 cup at a time, allowing liquid to be absorbed after each addition, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat, and stir in salt, crushed red pepper, and bacon.
Serve immediately.
Garnish with fresh parsley and bacon crumbles.

Philly Brownie Cheesecake

A family favorite!

Ingredients:

• 1 package (19 to 21 oz.) brownie mix (9 x 13 pan size)
• 4 bricks (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 eggs
• 2 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate (I just use chocolate chips. :)

Preheat oven to 325. Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Prepare brownie batter as directed on package; pour into prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes or until the top of brownie is shiny and center is almost set.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each egg just until blended. Gently pour over brownie layer in pan. (Filling will come almost to top of pan.)

Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set. (I usually have to bake it longer.) Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen side of dessert from pan; cool. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Melt chocolate as directed on package; drizzle over cheesecake. Refrigerate 15 minutes, or until chocolate is firm.

Store in refrigerator.