This is one of my new favorite dishes.  I marinate the chicken the morning before, and cook the chicken and rice the night before when I am making dinner.  Then I just have to throw everything together in the pan the next day for dinner.  I got this recipe from sugarbabybotique.blogspot.com.  You don't have to make the tomatillo dressing to drizzle on top but it elevates it to a new state of deliciousness.

2 pounds of chicken breasts marinated in:
 (put marinade ingredients all into the blender, blend and then pour it on top of chicken)
3/4 c vegetable oil
Juice and zest of 2 limes
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 c cilantro

Marinate for a few hours and then grill chicken.  Cut the chicken into bite size pieces

Cook 1 c uncooked rice with 1 c water, 2 c chicken broth.  When cooked, stir in 1 Tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp sugar and 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro.

Layer in a 9 x 13 pan:

1. All the rice
2. All the chicken
3. Most of a 16 ounce container of sour cream.
4. 2 c of mango salsa (I just get the Costco brand)
5. 2 c of shredded pepperjack cheese

Bake at 350 degrees until heated through about 20 - 30 minutes.  The cheese should crisp up a little bit.
Serve with tomatillo dressing drizzled on top.

Tomatillo dressing:
Put all ingredients into a blender and blend till smooth and then chill for at least 2 hours:
1 c mayonnaise
1 pkg buttermilk dressing mix
1/2 c buttermilk
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 c cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic
3 tomatillos

This is for my nephew Garion who requested this recipe.  In my house Allison calls these the good enchiladas as opposed to the regular yucky kind I make I guess.  As a warning they are spicy, but that is how we like them around here.  This is almost exactly the recipe from favorite family recipes, a cooking blog I like, with just a few changes for how we like to make it.


Enchilada Sauce:
3 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp flour
¼ c. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cumin
Stir in saucepan on low heat until bubbly, then add:
2 c. beef broth
2. c. tomato sauce
½ tsp. oregano

Enchiladas:
10-12 whole wheat tortillas
3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded ahead of time
1 can refried beans
3 c cooked white rice, cooked with 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp chicken bouillon added to the water
shredded cheddar cheese

Cook the sauce as directed, then simmer for 15 min over low heat stirring occasionally.
Stir in some of the enchilada sauce to the chicken. Take a tortilla and layer it with beans, chicken,  and rice. To get the amounts right, I will lay out all my tortillas and then put on ingredients assembly line style.  These are thick enchiladas, so be prepared.  Spray the bottom of a 9x13 pan and one 9x9 pan and cover the bottom with sauce, around 1/2 c and 1/4 c respectively.  Then add the rolled up enchiladas.   Cover the enchiladas with the sauce then top with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  You can serve with sour cream, tomatoes, and shredded lettuce on top if you want.

A great regular casserole.  Can't be made ahead of time as the filling has to be hot when you pour on the cornbread topping.  And it doesn't freeze.  But you can make the filling and then heat it up again when you are ready to assemble the casserole to cut down on the prep time.  It is a great winter dish, warm, spicy and hearty.


In a large pan brown: 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
Add 1 medium onion, chopped and 1 green bell pepper, chopped

Add: 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cans (14 1/2 oz) Mexican diced tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn
1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed
1 packet taco spice mix OR 2 tsp chili powder, 1 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp flour

Pour mixture into a 9x13 pan.
Top with a mixture of:
1 c cornmeal
1/2 c flour
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 c milk
1/4 c oil
1 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Cook at 400 degrees for 22 minutes.  Serve with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.

This is from my neighbor Elaine.  I picked my last zucchini of the year today and decided to use it in this frittata, one of my favorite recipes.  Served with a salad and some french bread, it makes a perfect summer meal.


2 c shredded zucchini
1 c bisquick
1/2 c parmesan cheese
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c oil
1/2 tsp each, salt, pepper and oregano
2 Tbsp parsley, optional

Stir all together.  Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.  Serve warm with salsa on the side.

This is our go-to breakfast for holiday mornings or for when company is over. You make it the night before, leave the butter out to soften and in the morning just mix the butter mixture together and you have a wonderful breakfast. This is Allison's favorite. When I make it for just my family I will leave the topping off and serve it with syrup and make it with a combination of whole and skim milk but when we have guests I go for the gusto.

Casserole:
1 loaf of white bread (don't do anything fancy, just the regular, cheap, white bread works the best)
8 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 cups half-and-half
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Topping:
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) butter softened
1 1/2 c packed (9 1/3 oz) light brown sugar
3 Tbsp corn syrup
1 c (4 oz) chopped pecans or walnuts

1. Toast the slices of white bread.
2. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Make 2 layers of bread in the pan with the slices tight together. Whisk together the eggs, milk, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and pour mixture over bread. Press lightly on bread to submerge in mixture if needed.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
4. When ready to bake, heat the over to 325 degrees. Mix together the topping and spread over the casserole. Place the pan on a cookie sheet in case of spill overs and bake for 60 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 to 8 people

Zucchini season is starting! This recipe was from one of my Mom's friends Francie McGrath. It is one of Jeremy's favorites. It freezes great and tastes best in the middle of winter. I will do 2 9x9 pans for my family and eat one for dinner and freeze the other. The frozen one can be cooked covered in aluminum foil for 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees and then remove the foil for the last 15 minutes.

6 c chopped zucchini/summer squash
1 chopped onion
1 c chopped carrots
1 16 oz container sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
4 c cooked chicken cubes (3-4 chicken breasts)
1 6 ounce package stuffing
1/2 c melted butter
salt and pepper

Put zucchini, carrots and onions in a large pot. Cover with water and add 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, drain. Put vegetables back into pot. Add sour cream, soup, cheese and chicken and stir till combined. In a separate bowl stir together the stuffing and butter. In a 9 x 13 pan spread 1/2 the stuffing mixture. Pour on the zucchini mixture. Top with the other 1/2 of the stuffing mix. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

This recipe was from our Stake R.S. president Karen for an relief society luncheon.

3 c cooked rice
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 c onion, chopped
1 c celery, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup, thinned with 1/2 can chicken broth
1 pkg stuffing mix
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1/2 c slivered or cut almonds
3/4 c mayonnaise
1/4 c melted butter

Mix rice, chicken, onion, celery, water chestnuts and almonds in 9x13 pan. In a bowl, mix together the soup, broth, and mayonnaise. Add to chicken/rice mixture and stir together. Mix stuffing with butter and put on top. Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes.

Allison asked for macaroni and cheese for her birthday dinner. She prefers the fake in a box kind but this will do in a pinch for her. And as the fake cheese makes me gag, and I like the home made kind - this is what she gets. Mimi, I don't remember which recipe I made when you were here but they taste very similar, just one can be made ahead of time and one can't.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese - This makes 8 huge servings so I usually make 2 8x8 pans and freeze one.

8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter
2 c breadcrumbs (or ritz crumbs are good too)
1 lb elbow macaroni
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp dry mustard, dissolved in 1 tsp water
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
6 Tbsp flour
3 1/2 c whole milk (I usually do skim but you can taste the difference)
1 3/4 c chicken broth
1 lb Colby cheese, shredded, 4 c
8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 c)
Pepper

Toss breadcrumbs with 2 Tbsp butter.
Cook macaroni in salted water till tender but firm. Drain.
In pot you cooked the macaroni in, melt the remaining 6 Tbsp butter. Stir in garlic, mustard and cayenne. Cook 30 sec. till fragrant.
Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute till golden. Whisk in the milk and broth. Bring to a simmer. Cook 6 minutes till slightly thickened.
Off heat, stir in the cheeses till melted. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in macaroni breaking up any clumps.
Pour into a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Can freeze or refrigerate now and later cook thawed 10 min. longer. Or cook for 25-30 minutes till golden.

Stove-top Macaroni and Cheese - makes 4 large servings
8 oz macaroni (2 c)
2 large eggs
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk (have to use evaporated milk)
1 tsp dry mustard, dissolved in 1 tsp water
1/4 tsp Tabasco
Pepper
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick( butter
12 oz cheddar (or Jack or Colby) cheese, shredded (3 c)

Cook macaroni in salt water till tender but still firm. Drain. Return to pot.
Mix the eggs, half of the Tabasco, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
In pasta cooking pot melt the butter. Stir in the egg mixture and half of the cheddar. Over low heat gradually stir in the remaining milk and cheddar until hot and creamy about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.