King Ranch Casserole

 

 

 

 I have had this recipe for years. It is THE Texan casserole.  

Chicken Seasoning:

4 cups chopped or shredded chicken (a large Rotisserie works)

2 t chili powder

1/2 t cumin

1/4 t garlic powder

1/4 t Cajun seasoning

Sauce:

1/2 stick butter

2 T all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped red or yellow bell pepper

1 cup chopped poblano pepper

1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, drained

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup sour cream

2 t lime zest

1/8 cup chopped cilantro

S&P

For layering:

12 corn tortillas

2 cups shredded jack or pepper jack cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Assembly and Sauce:  

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray or butter; set aside.

Place chicken in a large bowl and add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and Cajun seasoning and mix well.

Melt butter in a large skillet and stir in the flour. Cook for a few minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the chopped onion and peppers and cook until tender. Add the drained tomatoes and then slowly add the chicken broth and cream until heated through. Remove from the heat and set aside 1/3 cup of the sauce. Add the chicken to heat. Add the sour cream, lime zest, cilantro and S&P; mix well and remove from the heat. 

Add reserved 1/3 cup of sauce to prepared baking dish and cover the bottom. Add 6 corn tortillas to the bottom of the dish, overlapping them. Spoon chicken mixture over the top. Combine the two shredded cheeses together and sprinkle some on top of the chicken mixture. Repeat one more layer of tortillas, ending with cheese. 

Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. Let casserole sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

 

 

Mex Mix - Like Chex Mix - But Better

 

 

 

 A holiday mix with Mexican flavors.

Ingredients:

Roasted Nuts:

2/3 cup raw cashews

2/3 cup pecans

Spiced Sugar:

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 T and 2t pure maple syrup

1/8 cup coconut oil

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1 and 1/2 t  unsweetened cocoa powder

1 and 1/2 t kosher salt

3/4 t cayenne pepper (I use a 1/2 t)

For the Snack Mix:

1 1/2 cups pretzel sticks

1 cup plantain chips

6 T pepitas

Directions:

Roast the nuts: Heat oven to 350. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Roast nuts for 10 minutes and set aside.

Make the spiced sugar: In a small saucepan, heat the dark brown sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon, cocoa powder, kosher salt and cayenne over medium heat. Stir until mixture is liquid and slightly bubbles. Remove from heat.

Bake the snack mix: In a large bowl, combine the roasted nuts, with the remaining ingredients and pour the spice mixture and stir until well coated.

Spread on one (or two) sheet pans lined with parchment and bake until it bubbles. 350 for about 15 minutes. 

Let cool completely, break into smaller pieces if necessary. Store in a air tight container.

 

 

Stuffed Bell Peppers

 

 

Ingredients:

6 nice-sized bell pepper (assorted colors look nice)

Salt & Pepper

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 (16 oz) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup uncooked rice

1-2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 

 

Directions:

Cut a thin slice off the top of the pepper and remove the core and seeds. Dice the tops and reserve.

Drop the peppers into a large pot of boiling water and cook for 5-6 minutes. Remove from the water and placed in a greased shallow baking dish. Season the insides with salt.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the onion and reserved green pepper. Cook until the meat is browned and onion tender. Drain off any excess fat.

Season with salt and pepper, add tomatoes, water, rice and Worcestershire sauce.  Bring the skillet to a boil. Cover and lower the heat. Cook for 20 minutes until the rice is tender. 

Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese.

Stuff the beef mixture into the peppers.

Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes.