Chicken Tortilla Casserole

This recipe is meant for 2 people- if you are feeding more, please double the quantities!

INGREDIENTS:

2 (6-8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast

Salt/Pepper

2 TBL vegetable oil

1 shallot, minced (about 3 TBL)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 tsp minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

5 ounces tortilla chips, broken into 1-inch pieces (about 5 cups)

1 tomato, cored, seeded and chopped

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

2 TBL chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

1. Adjust an oven rack to be about 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 TBL of oil in a 10-inch ovensafe skillet over med-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

2. Add the remaining 1 TBL oil, shallot, garlic, chipotle, and 1/4 tsp salt to the skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits.

3. Stir in half of the tortilla chips. Nestle the chicken into the broth and chips, cover, and cook over med-low heat about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a carving board and when cool enough to handle, shred (pull apart) it into bite-sized pieces with 2 forks.

4. Return the chicken to the skillet, along with the tomato, 1/2 cup of the cheese and 1 TBL cilantro. Stir in the remaining chips until moistened.

5. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and broil until golden- 2-3 minutes. Using potholders, remove the skillet from the oven. Let the casserole cool for 5 minutes, and then sprinkle the remaining cilantro on and serve.

Roasted Asparagus

INGREDIENTS:

Asparagus

Olive Oil

Salt/Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse and take off the tough ends of asparagus. Lay in a single layer on a cookie sheet and pre-heat the oven to 425. Coat asparagus with olive oil and salt/pepper. Cook for about 7-10 minutes, until at the preferred texture (some people like crunchy asparagus, others like soft).

Steamed Potatoes

Don't let the Crystal Hot Sauce fool you in these recipes- they are not spicy- just adds flavor!

INGREDIENTS:

Red Skin Potatoes

Melted Butter

Crystal Hot Sauce

Lemon Juice

Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Scrub the potatoes and slice into 1/4-1/8 cubes. Put into a steamer for 20-30 minutes until soft. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, hot sauce and lemon juice. Pour over potatoes when done steaming. Top with salt and pepper and coat evenly- toss potatoes.

Pork Tenderloin with Black Cherry Sauce

This meal is so easy- and so great! It actually would be a delicious date meal (Valentine's Day!) although it's one of Tyson's favorite, too- he even at all his meat!! I got the recipe from one of my music professors who is also an awesome chef!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2-1/4 lb of pork tenderloin per person

Crystal Hot Sauce

Salt and Pepper

Sauce:

8 oz. jar of Polaner All Fruit (Smuckers) Black Cherry (you can use other flavors, but black cherry is the best!)

4 TBL soy sauce

3 TBL red wine vinegar

1 TBL dry mustard

1/4 tsp allspice

DIRECTIONS:

Set the pork tenderloin out until it reaches room temperature. Rinse it and pat dry- and trim all extra fat. Slater in hot sauce and salt and pepper.

Preheat a cast iron skillet on high and saute on each side for 3 minutes. Move the meat onto a baking tray and cook on the top rack in the oven for 17-20 minutes at 425. (The meat thermometer should read 150 degrees when it's fully cooked). Take out and cover pan with aluminum foil and let rest. Slice diagonally with a good knife.

While the meat is cooking in the oven, mix the sauce ingredients in a pan on low until it simmers. Stir very well. When ready to eat, pour over the meat and enjoy!

We love to enjoy great bread with our dinners- I sometimes brush olive oil over the loaf of bread and add italian seasonings before I bake it to give it a crispy, delicious taste. For this meal, I made Parmesan butter and cut the bread into slices- spreading the butter inbetween each slice and also on top. Then I wrapped it in foil and baked until warm and the butter was melted. I usually use french or italian loafs. Here is the butter recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

1 stick of butter (or you can use margarine, or I can't believe it's not butter)

1 TBL Romano/asidago/Parmesan shredded cheeses

1 TBL lemon juice

1 TBL white wine- use penogresso or chardonnay

Salt/Pepper

Garlic Powder or Garlic Salt

Put all ingredients into a food processor and mix. You can also mix by hand- just be sure everything mixes up evenly! This is SO good on bread- either before or after you've cooked it!

Josceline's Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS:

1 small box of noodles (I used macaroni noodles)

1 can of tuna, drained

1/4 purple onion

2 stalks celery

1/2-3/4 cup of mayonnaise

Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Cook noodles according to the box. Put the tuna, purple onion and celery into a food processor and chop until very fine. When noodles are done, rinse in cool water. Combine noodles, finely chopped tuna, purple onion, celery, mayo and salt/pepper to taste. Refrigerate for several hours.

Vinnie's Spinach Salad

My favorite spinach salad of all times- recreated at home!!

INGREDIENTS:

Spinach leaves, washed and drained

White Onion, Sliced

Mushrooms, Sliced

Black Olives, Sliced

Banana Peppers, Sliced

Tomatoes, Sliced

Feta Cheese, Crumbled (optional)

Balsamic Vinagerette Dressing (I use a seasoning packet and make my own)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!

Calzone

INGREDIENTS:

Pizza Dough (refrigerated or home-made)

Pizza Sauce

Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

Ricotta Cheese (optional)

Pizza Toppings (Pepperoni, Sausage, Bacon, Green Peppers and Onions is what I used)

Italian Seasoning

Olive Oil

DIRECTIONS:

Roll out pizza dough into small circles. Mix pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings in a bowl and then spread on 1/2 of the dough circle. Fold the crust over, and brush with olive oil and sprinkle on italian seasonings. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes (or follow directions on dough package).

Tasty Kitchen BCRC

Still on the search for 'our' Chicken, Broccoli, Rice Casserole... here's one we tried off the Tasty Kitchen. It was good- Andy and Tyson loved it.... still not what I'm looking for. Not sure how to explain what I'm looking for!! Anyways, if you haven't checked out Tasty Kitchen, YOU SHOULD! Here's the recipe for this: