tex-mex beef enchiladas

Serves 4 | Prep time: 1 hour| Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes

This recipe is easily doubled; you can bake one batch tonight and freeze another for a no-fuss weeknight meal.

2 T. olive oil
1/4 cup flour (spooned and leveled)
1 can chicken broth (14.5 ounce)
1 1/2 T. chili powder
1 small canned chipotle chile in adobo, minced, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from can
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 pound lean ground beef
salt & pepper
8 corn tortillas, 6 inch (I used whole wheat)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (need on serving day)

Make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat 1 ½ tablespoons oil over medium. Add flour and cook, whisking occasionally, 1 minute. Add broth, chili powder, chipotle and adobo sauce, and ¾ cup water; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer until lightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Make filling: In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat remaining ½ tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add onion, garlic, and beef; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°. (If freezing, don’t place any sauce in baking dish; see To Freeze, below left.) Spoon ¼ cup sauce in bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Set aside. Make enchiladas: Stack tortillas; wrap in foil, and warm in oven, 10 minutes. Fill each with a heaping ¼ cup beef mixture and 2 tablespoons cheese; tightly roll up.

Raise oven heat to 450°. Arrange enchiladas, seam side down, in baking dish. Top with remaining sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Serve garnished with cilantro and, if desired, a green salad.

Note: To freeze: Make sauce and enchiladas; arrange enchiladas in baking dish without sauce (so tortillas don’t become soggy). Place sauce in an airtight container. Cover dish with plastic wrap and foil. Label, date, and freeze enchiladas and sauce. Use within 2 months; bake without thawing (see opposite page).

To bake from frozen: Thaw sauce in refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 450°. Remove foil and plastic wrap from baking dish. Pour sauce over top, and sprinkle with cheese; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until lightly browned and bubbly, about

15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes; serve.

If baking right away: Spoon ¼ cup sauce in the bottom of baking dish; pour the rest over the enchiladas.

source: http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/recipes/Tex-Mex_Beef_Enchiladas.html

 

Notes: I doubled the recipe except the sauce because it makes 3 cups of sauce! With larger whole wheat tortillas, I came out with 10 tortillas for each entree. This sauce tastes very authentic like what you would get in a restaurant. Not really like the canned enchilada sauce from the store.

August Meal Preps

FreezerChicks instructions for August exchange meals:

Pecan-Stuffed Burgers (6 1/3 lb. burgers per bag): Grill from frozen. Be sure to remove toothpicks!

Buffalo Chicken Burgers (6 burgers in bag, one bag sauce): Thaw and reshape burgers. Broil 5 in. from heat and baste with sauce. Make tangy slaw if desired (see linked recipe).

Baby Back Ribs (4 lb. slab): Pre-cooked. Grill about 20 min. on direct heat.

Lasagna (9x13 pan): Thaw and bake at 350 for 1 hr. If frozen, bake about 2 hours.

Beef Roll-ups (8): Thaw and grill. Serve on bun or as a steak. Recommended: Country Bob's Barbecue Sauce.

Berry Roasted Chicken (whole chicken): Thaw and pour marinade into cavity. Roast breast-side-up at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Greek Beef Bites-Gyro Kit (enough for 6, bag of pitas, bag of meat): Saute beef. Make a cucumber-yogurt sauce. Serve with sliced tomato and white onion.

Gourmet Chicken Bundles (7): Bake from frozen at 350 for 30-40 min.

Shredded Beef Enchiladas (2 8x8 pans): Thaw and bake covered at 350 for 20-30 min.

Fiesta Enchiladas (2 pans, 5 enchiladas each): Thaw and bake at 375 for 50-60 min. Could add onion and more salsa if desired.

Thai Chicken & Noodles: Thaw and reheat. Serve over rice noodles and add salty peanuts.

Gorgonzola, Apple and Bacon-Stuffed Chicken with Blue Cider Sauce (9x13, container of sauce): Don't use foil pan. Transfer to baking dish and thaw. Pour one cup of sauce around chicken and bake at 350 for 25-30 min. Heat remaining sauce on stovetop and serve over chicken.

Breakfast Muffins (12): Heat individually 30-60 sec. in microwave.

Raging Garlic Pork Stir-Fry (2 kits): Thaw. Pour off and discard accumulated liguid in bag of pork and add 1/2 cup cornstarch. Shake to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry pork until thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes. Add bag of vegetables and bag of sauce and stir-fry just until veggies are tender crisp. Serve over rice noodles or rice.

Tex-Mex Chicken Fingers (bag of 13-14): Thaw and bake at 350 for 30 min.

Honey Glazed Chicken Thighs (2 bags, 4-5 thighs each): Don't thaw. Place frozen chicken in ungreased baking dish. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Remove dish from oven, separate chicken and place meaty side down. Bake 90 min. longer or until the sauce has browned and is thick and sticky.

Tomato-Basil Soup: Thaw and reheat.

Tzatziki Sauce for Gyros

Tzatziki is a cucumber yogurt dill sauce that makes a refreshing dip or a topper for gyros and pita sandwiches. The sauce is served chilled or at room temperature. Do use fresh mint or dill. Plan ahead to drain the yogurt overnight.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 container (16 ounces) plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 English (seedless) cucumber, not peeled, seeded and finely chopped plus a few thin slices
1/1-2 teaspoons salt
1 to 2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint or dill plus additional sprigs
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation:
Spoon yogurt into sieve lined with cheesecloth or coffee filter set over bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight. Transfer drained yogurt to medium bowl and discard liquid.

Meanwhile, in colander set over bowl, toss chopped cucumber with 1 teaspoon salt. Let drain at least 1 hour at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours. In batches, wrap chopped cucumber in kitchen towel and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. Pat dry with paper towels, then add to bowl with yogurt.

With flat side of chef's knife, mash garlic to a paste with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add garlic, chopped mint or dill, oil, wine vinegar, and pepper to yogurt and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 or up to 4 hours. Serve tzatziki sauce chilled or at room temperature, topped with cucumber slices and mint sprigs.

Yield: about 1-1/2 cups

Per Tablespoon: about 17 calories, 1 gram protein, 1 gram carbohydrate, 1 gram total fat (0 gram saturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 182 mg sodium.

Recipe Source: The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook edited by Susan Westmoreland (Hearst Books)

Breakfast Muffins

1 pound sausage, browned and drained
6 eggs
1 cup Bisquick
2 cups half-and-half or milk
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 cups grated cheese

Place drained sausage evenly in muffins tins which have been sprayed with Pam. Mix eggs, Bisquick, milk, salt and pepper together. I added a can of green chilies. Pour evenly over the sausage. Top with grated cheese. Bake for 25 mins in a 350 degree oven.

Optional: While browning sausage, you can add some onions, green peppers and mushrooms. Also, bacon or ham can be substituted for sausage.

From cdkitchen.com Recipe ID: 7943

Gorgonzola, Apple, and Bacon-Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Blue Cider Sauce

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 T unsalted butter
2 large apples, finely diced
1 T light brown sugar
One 3-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
6 strips bacon, cooked crisp, drained, and crumbled
1/2 (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup olive oil
1 t Old Bay seasoning
2 cups dried bread crumbs or panko crumbs, or a mixture of 1 cup panko and 1 cup dried bread crumbs

1. Cover a flat surface with plastic wrap and place a chicken breast with the flat side (where skin would have been) down in the center of the plastic wrap. Cover with a second sheet of plastic wrap and pound the chicken with a meat pounder or the bottom of a flat-bottomed wine bottle until it is a uniform thickness, about 1/2 inch. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.

2. Melt the butter in a small skillet over med heat. Add the apples and brown sugar and saute until the apples are caramelized and have turned a nice golden brown, 7-10 minutes. Transfer the apples to a bowl and let cool. Stir in the cream cheese, Gorgonzola, and bacon, and form into a log that is 6 inches long and 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

3. Cut the log into 6 pieces, and place 1 piece in the center of each chicken breast. Roll up the chicken breasts from the V-Shaped end, folding in the sides to make a nice compact package. Place the chicken seam side down on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm the chicken and filling.

4. Melt the butter with the oil and Old Bay seasoning and let cool slightly. Dip each rolled chicken breast into the butter mixture, then roll it in the bread crumbs. Place in a 9 x 13 baking dish, drizzle with any remaining butter mixture. Cover and freeze.

Blue Cider Sauce

2 T unsalted butter
2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 cup apple cider
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup finely crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over med heat. Add the flour and whisk until bubbles from on the surface. Continue to whisk the sauce for 2 minutes, then add the cider and cream. Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add the cheese and black pepper, stirring to thoroughly combine. Serve warm.

FREEZER CHICKS DIRECTIONS:
1. Defrost chicken in the frig overnight, if necessary.
2. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature for 20 minutes.
3. Pour 1 cup of sauce around the chicken in the baking dish. Warm the remaining sauce on the stove top. Bake the chicken for 25 to 30 minutes, until it is cooked through (160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer) and the crumbs are golden brown.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 -10 minutes. Slice each chicken breast into rounds with a serrated knife and serve in a pool of sauce on a plate or platter. Serve any additional sauce warm in a fondue pot or in a small slow cooker.

Fiesta Enchiladas

1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 oz) container reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1 egg white
12 (8-in) flour or flavored tortillas
1 (16 oz) jar salsa

In a large bowl, mix 1 cup of the Mozzarella and the spinach, corn, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, ricotta and egg white. Place 1/3 cup of the mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla. Roll the tortillas and arrange them, seam side down, in a 3 quart baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the salsa over the filled tortillas and sprinkle with the remaining Mozzarella cheese.

From Holly Clegg's trim & terrific Freezer Friendly Meals.

FREEZER CHICKS DIRECTIONS: Remove from freezer and thaw. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake, covered, for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the tortillas are heated through and the cheese is melted.

Thai Chicken & Noodles

8 ounces rice noodles
1 T peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 t toasted sesame oil
2 T fresh lime juice
Dash of hot sauce
1/4 cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)
Lime wedges for garnish (optional)

1. Cook noodles according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.

2. Meanwhile, heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides, 3-5 minutes. Add the reserved cooking water, the soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, and hot sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the noodles and cook for 2 minutes to heat through, stirring frequently.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the scallions. Serve with the lime wedges on the side if you like.

From Robin to the Rescue by Robin Miller

FREEZER CHICKS DIRECTIONS: Thaw overnight in the frig or in the microwave for 5-7 minutes on LOW. Cook and drain the noodles. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Reheat chicken mixture on the stove top in a large saucepan or in the microwave for a few minutes on HIGH. Add the reserved water to chicken mixture. Bring to a simmer. Add the noodles and cook for 2 minutes to heat through, stirring frequently. Top with scallions and salted peanuts for more flavor and crunch.

Breakfast Burritos OAMC

18-24 Servings

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) bag hash browns, cooked
1 1/2-2 dozen eggs, scrambled
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 lb ham, diced (I use sausage)
1 (3 1/2 ounce) can green chilies
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese
18-24 tortillas

Directions:

1. Mix everything together in a very large bowl. (You can also add a pound of sausage, if you want.).

2. Roll up in tortillas.

3. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then store in a gallon-size freezer bag.

4. When you're ready to eat one, just microwave it for 2 minutes.

August Menu Plan (8/12)

Jennifer
Breakfast Burritos
Pecan-Stuffed Burgers
Buffalo Chicken Burgers
Baby Back Ribs (reserved option)

Janet
Lasagna
Beef Roll-ups
Berry Roasted Chicken

Michele
Greek Beef Bites-Gyro Kit
Gourmet Chicken Bundles (for Jen some w/o shrooms)
Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Misti
Fiesta Enchiladas
Thai Chicken & Noodles
Gorgonzola, Apple and Bacon-Stuffed Chicken with Blue Cider Sauce
Breakfast Muffins (possible add-ons)

Teressa
Raging Garlic Pork Stir-Fry
Tex-Mex Chicken Fingers
Mango Cranberry Chicken
Tomato-Basil Soup (possible add-on)
Basic Red Sauce (Marinara-possible add-on)

August & September Exchange

This past month a couple of the chicks had TWO months worth of freezer food to prepare & exchange so I am posting directions for both months (since I wasn't there to take notes & do my secretarial job):


Misti:
Loaded Baked Potato Soup-Thaw & heat. If soup is too thick add some more milk to it.
2-9x13 pans of Spaghetti Pie-Remove plastic wrap under foil. Cover, bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, uncover & bake for another 5 mins.
1-2 lbs of meatloaf, reheat for an additional 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Already baked but directions call for an extra baking time.
1-8x8 pan of Jamaican Jerk Pork, it's shredded, add to buns & top with BBQ sauce, if desired.
1-bag of Apricot Pork Chops, thaw-bake, cook in crockpot or grill.

Janet:
Stromboli-Thaw & bake.
Shredded Chicken-2 bags-2 cups each. Use in casserole, salads, etc.
BBQ Fillets-Thaw & grill.
Greek Goddess-Thaw & bake.
White Trash Chicken-thaw, bake or grill.
Sesame Chicken with Garlicky Broccoli-Need 4 cups of chopped broccoli and garlic powder to taste. Serve over noodles or rice.

Jennifer:
White Castle Burgers-thaw, warm up & serve on buns.
Rouladon Beef-1 bag, thaw & warm. Serve with potatoes.
Chicken Kabobs-Thaw & grill.
French Dip Sandwiches-1/2 lb of beef & 1 quart bag of the Au jus. Thaw, heat & serve on buns.
Fettuccine Carbonara-Cook noodles, add ham, peas & sauce.
New Orleans Steak-Thaw & grill or bake.

Tina:
Sweet & Sour Kielbasa-heat & serve with rice, noodles or eat straight out of bag:-)
Mexican Meatloaf-Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or longer depending of your likeness.
Grandma's Secret-Thaw & bake.
Parsley & Parmesan Chicken-1 bag, Bake at 350 degrees until done.

Mom's Homemade Meat Loaf

Makes: 8 servings

Nonstick cooking spray
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup finely crushed saltine crackers
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 t dried thyme, crushed
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
3 slices bacon

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Coat a 13X9X2 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

For meat loaf mixture, in a large bowl combine ground beef, crackers, egg, onion, bell pepper, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, thyme, and pepper. Use a fork or your hands to mix well.

Form meat loaf mixture into an 8X5X2 inch loaf in prepared baking dish. Spread ketchup over top of loaf. Place bacon slices on top.

Bake, uncovered, about 45 minutes or until internal temperature reads 155 degrees. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

FREEZE: Place cooked meat loaf in a freezer bag and freeze up to 2 months. Defrost in refrigerator. To reheat, preheat over to 300 degrees. Place meat loaf in baking dish. Bake, covered, for 20-30 minutes or until internal temperature reads 155 degrees.

Mom's Homemade Barbecued Meat Loaf-Prepare as directed, except substitute barbecue sauce for the tomato sauce in the meat loaf mixture and for the ketchup on top of the loaf.

Recipe from "Super Suppers Cookbook" by Judie Byrd.

Shredded Chicken

2 bags of boneless skinless chicken breast


Put all chicken in crockpot (no need to thaw chicken) and cook on high for 4 hours with 1 can of chicken broth. Drain when chicken is done and shred with 2 forks. If you don't want to shred it you can chop it into chunks. Package in 2 cup quantities in quart size ziplocs. I have to do this in two batches because my crockpot isn't quite big enough for 6 lbs of chicken breast.

* For use in soups, casseroles, salads, etc

Apricot Pork Chops

APRICOT PORK CHOPS
6 Pork Chops (about 1/2-3/4 inch thick)
Salt & Pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups apricot jam or preserves
2 cups french dressing
2 (1oz.) packages of dry onion soup mix
2 garlic cloves, crushed

To put in freezer: Package pork chops in quart ziploc bags (3 per bag). Mix jam, french dressing, soup mix and garlic in bowl. Divide mixture into 2 quart ziploc bags. Put chops and marinade packages into gallon ziploc with instruction card and freeze.

To cook: Thaw. Season chops with salt and pepper and brown in olive oil. Place chops in baking dish lined with foil and cover with apricot mixture. Bake about 40 minutes on 400 until pork is no longer pink in the center.

Tuna Tortellini

WOW - an amazing dinner!

I have to confess I have been fighting the group on any dish that contains tuna - HOT tuna!

Oh and did I mention that I don't like hot tuna?

The results of this dish were fabulous! It froze really well (Ok it was only frozen for a week) and the flavor was perfect!

Heck, not only did I discover I like the hot tuna, but that I actually broiled something and it didn't burn!

The funny was I decided again that I wasn't going to inform the family it was a tuna dish. The kids came running in the kitchen and screaming 'what's for dinner?' I replied 'cheesy ravioli noodles' 'COOL!' So out they fly to the table outside - which we have been eating outside most of this summer - so if you haven't cleaned that table off to use, go for it!

I waited breathlessly for everyone to try it.

Cole DS10 - 'I love it - thumbs up!'
Rebekah DD9 - 'It's good, I don't really like the sauce and the meat, but I will eat it and I love the noodles!'
Quinten DS3 - 'Fumbs up mommy!'

As the meal progressed, the conversation turned to how Cole went fishing and they caught trout. He thought the trout was ok, but he likes salmon better. Rebekah declares loudly 'I hate fish!'

Larry immediately says 'Don't even say it' I look at him and say 'I wasn't going to, it's part of my new dinner program.'

I've decided my natives don't really have to know it all - they can eat what is on the table, since I started this program, they eat and they really don't ask what's in it. I always just offered the information - hello!!!! I am part of the problem again - ughhhh, so unless they ask for ingredients they aren't going to know!

from Tina's house

Chicken Bruschetta

Reading this blog, you may think we have it all together. Let me take you into the kitchens and a little fun group history.

Starting out, you have to know that just like cooking at home, you will have recipes that are real 'stinkers'. As a group, we evaluate the meals and try to determine if it was the recipe, was it preparation - did the meal not need to be pre-cooked or cooked before freezing. At the end of the evaluation, we generally just say 'that was a stinker!'

And so it was with Chicken Bruschetta. J made this recipe almost a year ago and it got classified as a stinker. It was such a stinker that it got the label at my house as dogfood! If a recipe got labeled dogfood at our house, our second serving was cooked for our dog Lucy to eat. Larry, my DH, determined to never put that on the menu again!

We had another J join our group, who tried to convince us that is was really good recipe. After a couple of sessions of cooking with us, we let her put it on the menu. We discovered from J that you cannot pre-cook the meal. It is a meal that needs to be assembled and frozen with the meat uncooked.

Last night I thought I would pull the formerly notorious stinker meal from the freezer. I pulled it out and it smelled so good. I could smell the garlic coming through the foil. That is always a good sign. I did not tell Larry what it was until after he tried a few bites.

He declared it good. He called it really good! I announced it was Chicken Bruschetta - he stopped chewing and said 'no way'. Then he asked - who cooked it and made it better? Luckily, my DH is a great cook as well and will discuss food prep with me quite often.

I served this with zucchini fresh from my brother-in-laws' garden. The zucchini ws simply sauteed in butter with onions, season all, salt & pepper. Before I sat down to eat , what I thought was WOW what a great picture! It was nice to sit outside and eat a beautiful dinner.

from Tina's house

Stromboli

1 loaf frozen bread dough
Sliced mozzarella cheese
Sliced pepperoni
Sliced ham
Sliced hard salami
Bottled Italian salad dressing
1 egg
1 envelope dry zesty Italian salad dressing
Prepared marinara sauce

Grease a baking sheet, and roll the dough out to fit the shape of the pan. Layer the center one-third of the dough with the cheese & meats. Sprinkle with bottled Italian dressing, to taste. Using a pizza cutter, cut the sides of the dough diagonally, about every inch. Starting at the top edge of the filling and working your way down each side "braid" the sides by folding strips over the top of the filing, alternating left-right, left right. Be sure to seal the ends of the loaf by tucking the ends up under the "braid."

Beat together the egg and dry Italian dressing. Brush over the top of the stromboli.

To cook: Bake the stromboli at 350 degrees 15 minutes, just until the loaf begins to brown. Cool completely, wrap and freeze.

To serve: Thaw and finish cooking at 250 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until brown and the cheese is melted.

Variations: Use broccoli and onion; broccoli, ham and cheddar cheese, or sausage and pepperoni.

Serves 1 loaf serves 4.

Mediterranean Chicken Pie

1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup, plus 2 T powdered sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 T olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
1 t ground coriander
2 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
5 cups chicken, shredded and cooked
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
16 sheets phyllo dough
6 T melted butter

In a food processor, process the almonds, 1/4 cup powdered sugar and cinnamon for 30 seconds. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook five minutes, or until softened. Add coriander, cook one minute. Stir in carrots and 3/4 cup of broth. Cook two minutes until carrots are softened. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in chicken, raisins, salt & pepper.

Transfer thawed phyllo dough to a countertop and cover with a dampened towel while you work.

Place 2 sheets of phyllo in a round 8 inch cake pan, with dough overhanging sides. Brush dough inside pan with butter. Place two more sheets in the pan, placing them like the spokes of a wheel, butter the phyllo and continue the process until 8 sheets of phyllo have been used.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the almond mixture over the phyllo dough in the bottom of the pan. Spoon half the chicken mixture on top, sprinkle with another 1/4 cup of almond mixture and pour 1/4 cup of broth over the chicken. Fold overhanging dough over the filling, buttering between sheets.

Repeat the process with the remaining pie.

To freeze: Wrap each pie tightly in plastic wrap and freeze.

To cook: Thaw the pie overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat the over to 425 degrees and bake for 25 minutes.

Quick tip: Use a 10-ounce bag of pre-shredded carrots.

Makes: 2 pies, each pie serves 6.

Magic Meat Meal #1

I had a bag of unfrozen magic meat left over from my OAMC session. The problem for me with OAMC is that I really don't want to cook dinner for a few days.

What to do?

I had a few leftover peppers and magic meat..hey why not? It's not in our freezer book as an option for stuffed peppers..so hey a new idea!

I added a can of black beans (Bush's beans of course) - drain & rinse the beans and add the mix.

I cut peppers in half length wise vs just popping the tops off. I did this to make it easier for kids to eat. Also, I added mozzarella cheese on the top and wanted to cover the meat topping completely.

For peppers - use 1 lb magic meat, 1 can black beans, 3 peppers in half & cheese to your delight. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. I left mine uncovered, but I think this can go either way. Add cheese after 30 minutes until melted.

Kid rating: both of my kids ate these up! DD ate the pepper & meat (she's such an unpredictable eater), then DS ate all the beans and a few peppers.

post from tina's house