Dinner Report

Ok, tonight we had the Chicken Ranchero Casserole.  It gets a little spicy after being frozen, not a lot, just a little.  Matthew topped it with ranch dressing and loved it more.

Since I last posted a dinner update we've enjoyed the Sesame Ginger Chicken, Fajita Burgers and Taco Mac and Cheese, Cafe Rio Chicken. 

All get thumbs up to make again (Sesame Ginger Chicken is a every time thing).

Later,

Easy Paella

1 ½ lb shrimp
16 oz smoked sausage, sliced
¾ lb chicken tenders
20 oz rotel w/lime & cilantro
28 oz chicken broth
½ tsp cumin
10 oz saffron rice
9 oz frozen peas
¼ c green onion

Peel and devein shrimp; set aside. Sauté sausage and chicken tenders in a large skillet over med-high heat for 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, and cumin. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice, and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 45 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed, stirring occasionally. Stir in shrimp and peas, and cook 4 minutes or until shrimp turns pink. Sprinkle with green onions, if desired.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

        Crust:
2 cans of crescent sheets or rolls
        Filling:
3  8 oz pkgs cream cheese
1 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
       Topping:
1/2 c sugar
1 TBS cinnamon
1 stick butter melted
In a 9 x 13 baking dish, roll out 1 can of rolls (make sure the cuts are pushed together). Then spread on the cream cheese mixture. After that, roll out 2nd can of rolls and pour on butter. Sprinkle the cinn/sugar mixture on top and bake at 350 for 35 minutes Serve hot, room temp., or cold.
 
This makes a great breakfast dish or a great dessert  This is my most requested dessert.

This is linked to Ear at Home Ingredient Spotlight.

Cheater's Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

16 oz cream cheese
½ c sugar
1 egg
2 rolls chocolate chip cookie dough

Put cream cheese, sugar and egg in a mixer bowl. Beat until combined. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Take 1 roll of cookie dough out of the freezer. Open the package, and slice the frozen dough in about 1/2” thick slices. Put the slices on the bottom of the 9x13 pan to cover it. Use the whole package on the bottom. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the cookie dough and spread evenly edge to edge. Take the second roll of cookie dough out of the freezer and slice it as you did the first. Cover the cream cheese layer with the cookie slices. Use broken pieces to fill in holes and cover the entire surface. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Use the jiggle test to check if it’s done. Also watch the edges to make sure they don’t get too brown. Cool completely. Can be frozen.  (easy if cookie dough is not cold)
 
**Make two 8x8 pans instead of one 9x13. Use one cookie dough roll per pan… half for the bottom and half for the top. Divide the cream cheese mixture between the pans. Bake both at the same time, still for about 45 minutes each.

Beef Enchiladas

1 lb hamburger
1 c picante sauce
1/2 c onion
3/4 tsp cumin
12 corn tortillas
1 ½ c cheddar cheese
1 can chili no beans
2 tsp taco seasoning

Brown meat w/onion, drain. Stir in ½ c of picante sauce, cumin and taco seasoning mix. Warm tortillas. Dilute chili with about 1/2 c of water. Spread ½ c diluted chili in baking dish. Spoon meat mixture down center of each tortilla, roll and place seam side down in baking dish, spoon remaining chili over enchiladas, top with cheese. Bake @ 350 for 15 to 20 minutes, until hot. Can be frozen before baking.

I think these are the original OAMC Enchiladas.  I usually make a pan of just cheese also -- to do that, just omit the beef  before rolling. Then cover with "gravy" and more cheese.

Pineapple Carrot Bread

2 c sugar
3 c flour
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 eggs, beaten
1 c oil
1 c crushed pineapple, undrained
1 c grated carrot
2 tsp vanilla
1 c nuts

Stir together the dry ingredients in a mixer bowl. Add the others in the order listed, mixing between each. Pour into 2 loaf pans that have been greased and floured very well. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. Remove from the pans immediately.
 
Our notes: We made in mini loaf pans and got 8 mini loaves.  Perfect for breakfast!

Tuscan Chicken and Gravy

3 - 4 blsl chicken breast
1 TBS oil
2 cans Chicken Gravy
1 can Italian tomatoes
¼ tsp garlic powder
2 TBS Parmesan cheese
Pasta

Coat chicken with flour. Heat oil in skillet, add chicken and cook until browned. Remove chicken and keep warm. Add gravy, tomatoes and garlic powder to skillet. Heat to a boil. Cook over low heat 5 min. Stir in cheese. Serve over chicken. Serves 4.

I have had this for years.  If you have cooked frozen chicken it makes for a quick dinner.  Is also good to take to someone for a meal.

Monterrey Chicken Quesadillas

2 c chicken, cooked and diced
1 ½ c bbq sauce
1 lb bacon, cook and chopped
1 c onion
4 c Jack Cheese
12 flour tortillas

Combine cooked and diced chicken and bbq sauce. Set aside. Heat a little butter or olive oil and cook the sliced onion in a skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes, until fully cooked. Remove onions with a slotted spoon. Place one tortilla into skillet and cook until starting to turn brown, turn over. Fill one side of the the tortilla with chicken, bacon, cheese and onion. Fold other half over mixture. Continue cooking until golden brown and cheese is melted, turning over at least once. Place on cooking rack to cool. When cool place in 4 gallon freezer bags (3 each). Freeze. To serve: Microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. 4 gallon freezer bags.  * Our notes: We made them up and used the griddle to grill all at one time.

Not all are freezer recipes

Over the next several days I will share family favorites.

Some have been frozen, some haven't -- if you try them and they freeze well let us know.

Great Dinners

Ok, so we've been eating out of the freezer (isn't that the plan?) and having teenagers home makes it nice having something to "pull out".

So far collectively we had buttermilk chicken, asian steak, baked ziti w/queso sauce (this needs more pasta-after baking sauce thins out, and really only feeds 3), Pam's family really liked the Cafe Rio Chicken (next on our list), the Black Bean and Mango Salad is a hit w/all of the teenage boys (with or without chicken), Bruchetta Chicken.

More updates as we dine, until then