Chili Rellenos Casserole

I've had my Body for Life cook book for awhile now.  But I'll be honest and say that I haven't ventured much past the Taco Pasta.  Until my husband found this recipe and wanted me to make it.  I had looked at it (pre-husband) but thought it seemed too complicated, and complicated and I in the kitchen just do not get a long.  But what husband wants, I try to get.  I've made this twice now, and I knew immediately upon having it the first time I would make it again and share it with all of you.  It's a little hard to make (in my mind), but oh so good.  I did make some not so healthy modifications noted below. 

What you'll need: 3 cans (4oz) whole green chiles, drained.  Monterey Jack Cheese (I used a hot pepper blend).  1 1/4 cup egg substitute (I used 2 eggs).  1/2 cup flour.  1/2 cup skim milk (I used 1% low fat milk).  Cheddar cheese (I used a mexican style blend, just whatever yellow cheese you have on hand). Chili powder.  Green onions.  Salsa (I omit this altogether).

 To be honest I had never even heard of whole green chiles coming out of a can before.  But you open 'em up and you get an instant New Mexico Fall smell!  It's fantastic!

As noted, make sure you drain the chiles before you take 'em out.  Place them out on a paper towel.

Stuff the peppers with the cheese.  This is the slightly messy part, but perfect for snacking! The recipe wants you to cut up cheese and place a piece in the chile.  I just stuff it with the shredded bagged stuff.

Mix together the flour, eggs, and milk.  I should have added a 3rd egg.  Probably just depends on the size of the egg.

Pour the mixture over your chiles, add a layer of the cheddar cheese, and sprinkle some chile powder on top. 

Bake for 35 minutes @ 350*, or until toothpick comes out clean.

And serve with spanish rice, and put on green onions as a garnish.  You're also suppose to add salsa on top.  Again I haven't done this, but the dish is just as good I'm sure!

Being from New Mexico and loving cheese, this dish is wonderful.  I can definitely see it has a regular in my household.  It's not overly spicy and the flavor is fantastic!

Body for Life: Chile Rellenos Casserole
3 cans (4oz) whole green chilies, drained
Monterey Jack Cheese (enough to fill/stuff your peppers)
1 1/4 cup egg substitute (or 2 or 3 eggs)
Cheddar cheese (enough for topping)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup skim milk (or whatever milk you have on hand)
1 tsp chili powder
2 green onions
1/2 cup salsa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
Lay whole green chiles out on a paper towel.
Stuff chiles with cheese, and place in baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, and milk.  Pour mixture over chiles.
Layer cheddar cheese over chiles and mixture, and sprinkle chile powder.
Bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

ENJOY!

Lemon-Orzo Salad

 We interrupt this regularly scheduled Wedding Wednesday program for some delish food!  I realize it's been awhile since I've done a recipe, and I think that just because time got away from me, and cooking and taking pictures, then doing the blog, well it's time consuming, and I've been busy.

But I found this salad last summer, and have made it quite a bit over the past year, so I thought it would be perfect to share.  It's a Lemon Orzo Salad that I found here, and one thing I love about this recipe is that it's so interchangeable!  You can do just about anything with it.  I've only made it with the chicken once, as I usually make it as a side, I've also changed the veggies.  I've done tomato's, zucchini, squash etc...  This recipe works with just about anything!

I recently made this dish to bring to a birthday party, so I made a BIG serving.  And for this occasion I followed the recipe as is but with no chicken.  For a normal side you could easily cut this recipe in half (or more depending on the size of your family). 

What you'll need:

Orzo pasta, Lemon, EVOO, Minced garlic, Honey, S & P, Cucumber, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onions, Fresh Dill, and Feta Cheese. 



First things first.  Cook your pasta, as you need to give it time to cool.



All your pretty veggies!  I love a colorful meal!

Cut up your veggies.  I cut up a whole cucumber, a whole big red bell pepper, and 4 green onions.
Again for a normal portion, you only need 1/2 a cucumber, 1/2 a pepper, and 2 green onions.

Make your dressing.  I sorta just wing it and taste it to make sure nothing needs adjusting.
Some Extra Virgin Olive Oil, some Honey (we have some homemade honey from Chris' grandmother's ranch!, YUM!), lemon juice and rind, minced garlic, S & P to taste, whisk it all together.

Mix all your chopped up veggies into the cool and cooked orzo pasta.

Stir in the dressing, some feta cheese, and chopped up fresh dill.
So delicious!!!

 That's it.  Pretty simple, and full of flavor.  It's perfect summer side as it isn't too heavy and very light, but again the flavor is plentiful!  Enjoy!

Here are the directions from the cooking site:

Lemon-Orzo Salad with Veggies and Chicken

Adapted from Cooking Light

3/4 C uncooked orzo pasta

1/4 tsp grated lemon rind

3 Tbs fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/4 tsp honey

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 C cooked shredded or diced boneless, skinless chicken

1/2 C diced cucumber

1/2 C diced red bell pepper

1/3 C sliced green onions

1 Tbs chopped fresh dill, or 1 tsp dried dill

1/2 C crumbled feta cheese

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until pasta feels cool to the touch. Drain and place in a large salad bowl.

While orzo cooks, combine lemon rind, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, garlic, honey, and black pepper. Whisk to combine.

Add chicken, cucumber, bell pepper, green onions, and dill to pasta. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. Divide onto 4 plates and sprinkle with feta.

pumpkin bread

with thanksgiving right around the corner, i thought it appropriate to share my mother's recipe of pumpkin bread! this is some good stuff!, and i promise no calories are included! ;) have fun with this and enjoy!

what you'll need:
sugar, flour, veggie oil, water, canned pumpkin, eggs, nutmeg,
cinnamon, baking powder, vanilla, optional: walnuts and raisins

mix together 3 cups sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, 2/3 cup H2O, 1 large can canned pumpkin, and 4 eggs.

add in seasonings: 1 t. nutmeg, 1 t. cinnamon, 2 t. baking powder, and 1 t. vanilla

then stir in 3 1/2 cups flour

mix it all together, then add in 1 cup chopped walnuts (and raisins)

pour evenly in 3 loaf pans and bake @ 350* for 50-60 minutes.

yummy!

my mother usually always makes this recipe without the nuts, and it is very good without the nuts, but i prefer the nuts. i've never had this pumpkin bread with raisins, but i'm sure it is very good. so the walnuts and raisins are completely up to you. this bread freezes very well. it is just as good warm right out of the oven as it is cold out of the freezer! enjoy.

pumpkin bread
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 water
1 large can of canned pumpkin
4 eggs
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. cinnamon
2 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts - optional
1 cup raisins - optional

mix sugar, oil, water, pumpkin, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda, and vanilla. add flour, nuts, and raisins. mix well.
pour evenly into 3 loaf pans, ungreased.
bake @ 350* 50-60 minutes

STRIKE! 60min
625

grandma egan's orange cranberry bread

i never knew my grandma egan, but what i do know i love. including her cooking skills. remember her pork pie? if you thought that was good, you gotta try this. orange cranberry bread. yummmmmm.

what you need: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, shortening,
water, egg, orange, and cranberries.

sift together: 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1.5 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda

zest/grate your orange

squeeze your orange to get all of the juice

(L): pour the orange juice into your orange shavings
(R): put 2 tbsp shortening into a bowl

pour 3/4 cup boiling water into shortening and stir until melted...

...combine that with orange juice and zest and mix.

then add all the wet ingredients, including the egg, to the dry...

...and mix

add 1/2 cup halved cranberries...

...and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

mix it all together

grease 2 loaf pans

and pour the mixture evenly into the pans

bake at 350* for 60 minutes
(i baked mine for 60 minutes, and i think they would
have been just fine at 50 minutes, so keep an eye on them)

enjoy!

grandma egan's orange cranberry bread
shift together:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

zest/grate and juice 1 orange

put 2 tbsp shortening in a bowl and add 3/4 cup boiling hot water, mix until shortening is melted then add orange zest/juice to melted shortening

add wet ingredients to dry, and egg, and mix all together

add 1 cup of halved cranberries, and 1 cup chopped walnuts, and mix all together

pour into well greased loaf pans

bake at 350* 50 - 60 minutes

the bread freezes very nice, if you want to make extra. this recipe makes 2 loafs.

45 min elliptical w/ arms

White Chicken Chili by Carol M

a few months ago we had a potluck at work. we each were assigned to bring our best dish. i brought these, and a co-worker brought white chicken chili. this was something i had never even heard of. but boy oh boy is this good! with highs only in the teens lately this definitely has helped keep me warm. i hope you make it and warm up too!

What you will need:
1 1/2 cup diced cooked chicken, 4 cans Great Northern beans (do NOT drain juices),
2 cups chicken broth, 2 seeded jalapeno peppers (chopped),
1 can (4 ounce) chopped green chilies, 2 cups grated low-fat cheddar cheese,
6oz. low fat cream cheese (do not use non-fat or the texture will be lumpy)

cut up and cook your chicken. season with what you like.
i seasoned mine with salt, pepper, and chili powder.

in a large saucepan mix in the beans...

...green chilies, chopped jalapeno peppers...

...chicken, chicken broth, and bring to a boil.

Then add the cheese...mmm cheese...

...and cream cheese. Stir until melted.

turn down heat to medium.
once cheese has melted, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
mmm tasty!

White Chicken Chili by Carol M
1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
4 cans Great Norther beans (do not drain juices)
2 cups chicken broth
2 seeded jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 can (4 ounce) chopped green chilies
2 cups grated low-fat cheddar cheese
6oz. low fat-cream cheese (do not use non-fat or the texture will be lumpy)
(since i cook for 1 i cut the recipe in half, and it still makes a lot)

Cook diced chicken.
In a large saucepan, mix the beans, green chilies, chopped jalapeno peppers, chicken broth, and chicken cubes. bring to a boil. turn down heat to medium and add the shredded cheddar cheese, and cream cheese. once cheese has melted, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

my mom's green chile chicken enchilada's

This recipe is one my mother has done for as long as I can remember. Growing up my mother didn't really cook. But this is one of my favorite meals of hers. She not one to really follow recipe's so I don't have exact measurements for the seasonings, so just go with it! With Fall in the air and fresh hatch green chile feeling the New Mexico air I thought it seems appropriate to share this meal. It's a very easy meal, enjoy!

What you need: a can of white chicken, 505 green chile, a can of cream of chicken soup, a can of cream of potato soup, oregano, garlic powder, corn tortilla's, cheese, and cilantro.

Drain and cut up the chicken, cook in a large deep skillet.

Add your soups: cream of chicken, and cream of potato

Add about 3/4 of the 505 green chile. If you are lucky enough to have some hatch green chile, add that right about now. Mix all together, and add some oregano and garlic powered. I probably do about a tablespoon of each, maybe more.

Layer a square pan with 4 corn tortillas.

Pour in half of your chicken mixture.

Top with cheese.
Repeat.

Cook in a 350* oven for 30 minutes.

Top with cilantro. Serve with rice, black beans, and sour cream.

my mom's green chile chicken enchilada's
1 can white chicken, drained and shredded
3/4 bottle of 505 green chile
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of potato soup
1 T oregano
1 T garlic powder
8 corn tortilla's
2 cups shredded cheese
chopped up cilantro

Mix chicken, green chile, chicken soup, potato soup, oregano and garlic powder in a large deep skillet. Bring to a boil. Layer 4 corn tortilla's on bottom of square pan, top with 1/2 chicken mixture, and top with 1 cups shredded cheese. Repeat. Put in 350* oven for 30 minutes. Top with desired toppings and sides. Enjoy!