Food Fun Friday-Red Sauce Chicken Enchaladas

Red Sauce Chicken Enchiladas

If you like enchiladas, you should definitely try these! I happened to find this AND had all the ingredients.

Red Sauce:
12 oz can of tomato paste
4 c water
2 packages of enchilada seasoning (any brand will work)

Filling:
2 C chopped cooked chicken (I used both dark and white meat)
1 c grated cheddar cheese
1 can black olives
16 oz bag frozen corn

12 Burrito/large size flour tortillas

Make sure to have your chicken ready; cooked and chopped, put in a bowl. Lightly fry the tortillas one at a time in a large skillet with vegetable oil until it is a little crisp and lightly browned on both sides. Set aside. Make your red sauce by combining two packages of seasoning, tomato paste and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let it lightly boil for 15 min, stirring frequently. I like to cover the pan with a lid so the sauce doesn't get everywhere. In the bowl with the chopped chicken, mix in 1/2 c cheese, 1 c red sauce, 1 c frozen corn and most of the black olives (save some for the topping). Put 1/2 cup of the chicken mix in each tortilla and roll it up like a burrito. Place in a 9X13 greased pan. Repeat with all the remaining tortillas, if they don't fit into the pan, just get another smaller pan to place the remaining enchiladas. Pour the remaining sauce on top and spread. Put remaining cheese and olives on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 mins, cheese should be melted and sauce bubbly. Serve with shredded lettuce and the remaining corn.

found this here:
http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/2010/02/red-sauce-chicken-enchiladas.html

Blogville

I love this blog... she refinishes furniture, and does all sorts of decorative painting. AND has blog workshops on how-to's!

Miss Mustard Seed's Blog Series here

love this table:
love love love this desk
yep, can you see a trend here...
anyway she does more than just chalkboard stuff...
check her out if you are looking for inspiration, or a tutorial in DECORATIVE PAINTING

Wednesday Wisdom

Bargin Lamp Light

Last summer Lauren bought these (2) lamps at an Elks Lodge garage sale for $2.00 a piece. Since she lives in AZ..... well you get the picture, you can't 'mail' these antique glass lamps...especially when you want to keep them as a bargain !!!
I finally found a lamp shade, but sadly only one shade, oh well, I love the look!!!

Now to find 2 shades and ship them to her, hahahaha never going to happen!
Hey Lauren, I owe you 4 bucks!!

Food Fun Friday-M&M Blondies

These didn’t turn out to be the best-looking treat to come out of my kitchen, but they taste good anyway. I had a bag of Valentine-themed m&ms in the pantry at the same time I saw the recipe.

m&m Blondies

(from Blisstree)

1 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 12-oz. package m&ms

1/2 c. chopped walnuts, optional

Cream butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Combine flour and baking soda; add to mixture. (Dough will be thick) Stir in m&ms and walnuts. Spread into a greased 13×9″ pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until golden and baked through.

(got the recipe here)ok, how's THIS picture!!!!!

Bloggville

Just wanted to let you know that grandmayellowhair (who won my Anniversary contest) not only is lucky lucky lucky.... but is pretty funny funny funny. You'll have to stop by and visit her. She always has something interesting and worthwhile to say.

Wednesday WIsdom

Will you be the rock that redirects the course of the river?
Claire Nuer

ten things I've learned from being away from home for 18 days

1. AZ's sun is warm and a bright spot for us winter/cold dwellers.
2. Having a new baby in the family changes your life-all logic tells you this... or that will happen but until you actually experience it.. you are changed forever.
3. A daughter will always want her mommy, thank goodness.
4. Memories are always close at hand.
5. You miss things you knew you would: husband, pillow, bed. And things you didn't know you would: sewing machine, books, computer files, facewash, conditioner.
6. No matter how homesick you are it sucks to go back to 'the real world' (work)
7. There is SO much creative information out there in bloggville.... I could never have enough time to capture and take it all in.. and NOW I have way too much inspiration to follow which means I'll NEVER have enough time to make what I have seen.
8. House plants survive when only watered twice in 18 days.
9. Families are for loving.
10. Home is where your heart is so 'home' is never far away.

Happy 1 week Birthday Carson Bradley

Here is the little guy that has won our hearts.
so cute all the time
how can I bare to leave tomorrow?

Food Fun Friday-baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (for extra yumminess, use grilled taco chicken!)
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas (and actually, flour ones are really good as well)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.
Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.
Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown
Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or this dressing. down below:

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
ignore directions on the packet
1C mayo
1/2 C milk
1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C green salsa*
hot sauce

This is tough folks. Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend 'er up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken.

*A note about green salsa:
There are several brands of green salsa available in most supermarkets and they have various degrees of heat. One of the most commonly seen brands is Herdez. Herdez brand is a lot spicier than any of the others I've tried. Even their medium green salsa is way too spicy for my liking. There's no way I could put the whole 1/4 C in my dressing like the recipe calls for (but then again, I'm a wuss.) I like to buy La Costena (pictured below) because their medium is actually really mild. That way I get all of the flavor of the tomatillos but I control the level of heat with the hot sauce. If you're not used to buying green salsa, make sure to sample it first before you put it in the dressing so you know what you're getting into!

I found these recipes here:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/05/baked-creamy-chicken-taquitos.html

Great Blogs-Patina Soul

Here's another Great Blog from Bloggville.

It is Patina Soul...
The love of all things old, timeworn, chipped, tattered, torn and aged to perfection.

The pictures are beautiful and the ideas - things old (duh) - can be beautiful and made into such interesting pieces of art!

She is having a contest now so head on over her way and take a peak at her eye-candy!
Patina Soul here

Wednesday Wisdom

The greatest thing you'll ever learn
is just to love and be loved in return.
~ Eden Ahbez ~

We have a Winner.

For my one year Blog Anniversary...We have a winner....
True Random Number Generator
Grandma Yellow Hair (here) YOU WON! yea!
Its been hard to concentrate on "worldly" things. I haven't watched the news in days and right now the things of the world don't matter....
and now that I'm a Nana, I just have to show off more pictures...
because of the C section, they need me to help with lifting&cooking&cleaning.... so I'm staying a bit longer in AZ to help with all that stuff.
and of course take more pictures... (look how long he is! basketball? football?)
just so stinking cute....... I may never leave!

Introducing, Carson Bradley

For those of you who have followed me at all or visited before, you know that my daughter was having my first grandchild.
HAD my first grandbaby.
It was not easy, (short story)
Wanted a home birth, at 40weeks and 4days baby had not dropped, though the sonogram showed he measured REALLY big (weight and circumference) TOO big and too high to give birth at home... or vaginally so a C section was scheduled.
1. the cord was wrapped around his neck twice, and tight.
2. He weighed 9lb 12oz and 23inches long
3. he has a pretty big head that was pretty hard to get out (even by C section) both doctors were drenched in sweat by the time the delivery was over.
Baby Carson is here, he has 10 fingers and 10 toes and is sweet (although in the above picture I think he had some gas... or Nana was taking FAR to many pictures with and without flash).
Mom & Dad are doing fine too!!!

Remember to enter my Blog Anniversary Give Away ........Here..........
not too many people have entered so there's a good chance to win this Fun book.

The Day I Become A Nana

It's a big one folks.
Sooooo there IS a reason baby Carson hasn't arrived yet.
He is a big one.
We had the ultrasound done on Friday... and..
he measured 10pounds 13 ounces
and his head and chest measured at 44 weeks and he is only 40 weeks 4 days.

There will be no homebirth instore for my little Lauren.
They are scheduled for 11am Sat Feb 6th to endure a C section.

Healthy Baby is our goal.
I'll keep you posted.

OH YEAH... don't forget to enter my give away for the really cute/creative/informative book
Blogging for Bliss.....
HERE

STILL waiting

OK, ready... waiting..... and waiting.
We took pictures on Monday... which is the day she was due.and now Friday... we are still waiting. Actually in about 5 minutes we are off to the Mid-wife again to figure things out. Then probably to the hospital for a bit more testing. So hopefully we will get answers, and more than that a baby.
We have been having a relaxing time of walking and walking and visiting Hobby Lobby, ( a wonderful wonderland of joannes/michaels/homegoods all mixed together!) and cooking, and sewing and watching TV.. and of course
WAITING...
don't forget to post on my anniversary blog day to win a really cool book!
****Blogging for Bliss**** Here

My Blog Anniversary!

Today I have had my blog for one year.
I had visited other "blogs" but not really understood the ins and outs... well I am still learning.
I have "met" so many great and creative and inspirational people.

For my anniversary I am having a give away!
I got this book for Christmas (from myself) and I would like to give away another copy to one of you lucky people!!!! (you read that right, ANOTHER copy, I'm not sending you my dog eared, marked up copy!!)

All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question?
What do you look for in a blog to become a follower....

lots of crafts?
lots of inspirational photos?
lots of recipes?
lots of quirky info about my life (quirky?)
interesting tidbits I find thru my blog-surfing?

what what what ...... I need to know.......

* * * * * * all you have to do is leave a comment. I will choose a Winner on Sunday February 7th at 10pm.
It could be you, and this really cool, creative, interesting, informative, eye-candy book can be yours!!!!
and I'm off to a second year of AN EVEN BETTER BLOG!!!

baby post

“A baby is born with a need to be loved – and never out grows it.” – Frank A. Clark

Wednesday Wisdom