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.

Honey Curry Pork Chops

6 pork loin chops, approx 1 inch thick
3 slices bacon, diced
1 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup lemon juice (you will want to reduced this to 1/4 if freezing in quantity! Lemon gets stronger in the freezer.)
2 T. honey
1 T. curry powder
2 t. chili powder
1/4 t. salt (I did not add this, bacon & soy sauce & salt???)

Cook bacon in skillet until browned. Add onion and garlic; cook until tender. Add in soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, curry, chili power, and salt. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Allow sauce to stand for 1 hour until flavors are blended. (I let it cool for longer than that!) Put chops in a bag and add the sauce. Place in freezer or marinade in fridge.

Serving day: Thaw. Drain pork chops and save the marinade. Place the chops on broiling pan and place in oven 4 inches from heat. Broil 12-15 minutes; flip and broil 10-15 minutes more. Brush chops with marinade a few times while they are broiling. Or you can grill these and brush with marinade while grilling.

Maui Grilled Chicken {Sandwiches or Wraps}

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts
1/2 t. garlic powder
2 t. Worcestershire Sauce
1 T. brown sugar
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. black pepper
1 T. cooking oil
2 T. Water
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 pineapple slices

(if you make these into wraps or sandwiches)

4 sandwich buns or tortillas
4-8 slices of provolone or Swiss cheese
fresh pineapple slices
lettuce, tomato, & mayo

 

In a mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients except chicken and pineapple. Place chicken and pineapples in a freezer bag. Pour marinade over chicken and pineapple and freeze.

Serving Day:

Allow chicken to thaw. Pour marinade from the bag into a saucepan. Heat to a boil and continue boiling for 2 minutes. Grill chicken until done. During final minutes, place cheese on the chicken (if desired) until cheese gets soft but not melted. Remove chicken from grill and place on toasted buns with pineapple slices. (you can grill the pineapple too! yummy!) Spoon marinade over the chicken and then top with whatever you like on your sandwich.

 

From: More Don’t Panic It’s in the Freezer.  Seriously, if you freezer cook, you need this cookbook!!!

Twice Baked Potatoes

twice baked potatoes
4 large baking potatoes
8 slices bacon
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 green onions, sliced, divided (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins. To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
Bake for another 15 minutes.

Spicy Peach Chicken

Spicy Peach Chicken

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup peach preserves
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
hot pepper sauce to taste
1 (2 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces, skin removed
2 tablespoons Creole seasoning

DIRECTIONSPreheat the oven broiler.In a small bowl, mix peach preserves, honey, spicy brown mustard, and hot pepper sauce.Arrange chicken pieces on a medium baking sheet. Season with Creole seasoning. Brush with the peach preserves mixture, reserving some of the mixture for basting.Turning occasionally and basting often with reserved peach reserves mixture, broil 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Hellman's Grilled Asian Kabobs

Hellman's Grilled Asian Kabobs Appetizer (shrimp) Recipe
1/2 tsp ground ginger
scallions
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 c apricot preserves
1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce .
8 raw shrimp, shelled & deveined, can use chicken too .
1 garlic clove, finely sliced .
2 lemons, cut into wedges .
1 c mayonnaise

Directions
Step #1 Combine first 6 ingredients & reserve 1/3 of a c.
Step #2 On soaked bamboo skewers, place a shrimp, a piece of scallion & a lemon wedge.
Step #3 Brush the kabobs with remaining sauce & grill until the shrimp turn pink.
Step #4 Serve with the reserved sauce.

Spinach stuffed Flank Steak

Martha Stewart's Spinach-Stuffed Flank Steak Recipe
This version combine asiago, Parmesan, and Romano with spinach and balsamic vinegar to make a savory and delicious stuffing.
by KathyP53
45 min | 35 min prep

SERVES 4

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup grated asiago cheese
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 (1 lb) flank steak
1 teaspoon olive oil

Heat broiler with rack set 4" from heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. Place spinach in a clean kitchen towel, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

In a medium bowl, combine spinach,parsley, cheese, capers, vinegar, garlic, and red-pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Cut and open steak by laying meatl on a cutting board, with the grain of the steak running horizontally. Using a long sharp knife, cut the meat almost in half horizontally, opening it llike a book but stopping before going all the way through.

Cut several 12" pices of kitchen string twine; space evenly underneath steak. Spread spinach mixture down center of meat. Roll steak over mixture, pressing firmly to compact the filling as much as possible, tie twine to secure roll. Cut roll in half crosswise. Place halves, seam side down, on prepared baking sheet, rub with oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Broil until browned, 8-10 minutes for medium-rare; let rest, loosely covered with foil, 10 minutes. Remove string, and slice steak into 1/2"rounds.

Share your experience with others, and post your comments on the recipe. Type 234889 in the Search box at the top of Recipezaar, to get back to this recipe easily.

May Menu Planning

Heidi:
Sticky Chicken
Orange Teriyaki Chicken
Asian Chicken Salad

Janet:
Beef Fillets
40 Cloves Garlic-Chicken
Apple Chipotle Pork Chops

Jen:
Cajun Pork Burgers
Pork Enchiladas
Brisket

Misti:
Tangy Flank Steaks with Horseradish Cream
Chicken Stuffed Peppers
Pecan Stuffed Burgers

Kathleen:
Roasted Veggie Pasta
Parmesan chicken
Cheese & Chicken Shells

April Meal Preps

Heidi
Spinach Stuffed Flank Steak (1 bag) Thaw and broil 8-10 minutes, turning once. Let rest covered with foil before slicing.
Pork Satay (1-2 bags pork/1-2 bags sauce) Skewer and grill. Heat sauce for dipping. Serve w/rice, broccoli, etc.
Pork Tenderloin Polynesian (1-2 bags) Thaw and pan fry. Add stir-fry veggies (not included). Thicken with cornstarch if desired.

Kathleen
Chicken Gyros (kit includes flatbread, bag meat, bag feta cheese, bag of sauce) Thaw and reheat meat, add a chopped cucumber to sauce.
French Dip (1 container) Thaw and reheat. Serve on hoagies w/provolone cheese suggested.
Chicken Honey Mustard Biscuits (2 bags, 12 each) Thaw and reheat.
Reuben Casserole (9x13 pan) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for 30 minutes, until the casserole is browned and bubbly and the layers are heated through.

Misti
Marlboro Man Sandwiches (1 container, 3 lb. cube steak & onions, 3 hoagie rolls) Thaw and reheat.
Cashew Chicken (bag w/ small foil pan and bag cashews) Thaw and reheat. Serve with rice.
Inside OUt Bacon Cheeseburgers (bag-6 burgers) Thaw and grill.

Jenn
Bruschetta Chicken Bake (9x13 pan) Thaw and bake at 300 degrees for 20-30 min.
Beef Tips (bag) Thaw and reheat. Thicken with cornstarch.
Jambalaya (bag + bag shrimp) Thaw and reheat together until shrimp is cooked through. Add cayenne and hot sauce as desired.

Janet
Ravioli Soup (container, bag ravioli) Thaw and reheat. Cook ravioli separately and add to soup mixture.
French Toast Casserole (9x13 pan) Thaw completely to cook. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until browned. Let sit at room temp for 5 minutes before cutting. Top w/pecans if desired.
Sausage Rice Casserole (9x13 pan) Cook until bubbly. Don't need to thaw.
White Trash/Ziploc Chicken (1 bag, 6-7 drumsticks) Thaw and bake or grill, or crock pot.

Teressa
Cherry Skillet Chicken (2 bags, 5 breasts each) Thaw. Heat 2 tsp. oil in large skillet and pull chicken out of bag, reserving sauce and cherries. Saute chicken on both sides. Add cherries and juice, cover and simmer 12-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
Raging Garlic Pork Stir-fry (kit includes bag pork, bag veggies, bag sauce) Thaw. Pour off and discard any accumulated liquid from the bag of pork. Add 1/2 cup cornstarch; seal bag and shake to coat the meat. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and stir-fry until thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes. Add vegetables and sauce. Stir-fry just until vegetables are tender crisp.
Hot Colby Ham Sandwiches (9x13 pan) Thaw and bake, uncovered, at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Or from frozen, bake covered until thawed, then uncover and bake 10-15 min.

Pork tenderloin polynesian

1 pound pork tenderloin cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 eggs- lightly beaten
1/4 cup flour, whole wheat
2 Tbsp. vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 cup chicken bouillon
1 cup pineapple chunks with juice
1 ea green pepper- chopped
1/2 cup carrot- chopped
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ginger, ground
1 tsp garlic powder

Roll meat cubes in eggs and then flour.
Place in freezer bags
Add remaining ingred to another bag. Freeze.

Thaw both bags.
Brown the pork in a large skillet sprayed with oil until the juices run clear. 5-7 min. Remove and drain. Add the "sauce" bag to skillet, cook over med. heat until mixture begins to thicken.

Serve over hot rice.

Pork Satay

Ingredients
Marinade:
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Thai chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro
Salt
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch thick cubes
Wooden skewers
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a freezer bag, add pork and freeze.

Sauce:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Thai red chile pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
Heat the oil in a skillet and add the onion, garlic and chili. Saute for about 4 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, lime juice, coconut milk, coriander, and cumin. Thoroughly blend the peanut butter into the mixture.

Freeze sauce in a seperate baggie at this point.

To cook:

Thaw a bag of marinating pork and sauce. Thread the pork on skewers and grill.
The sauce you want to bring the sauce to a simmer over low heat, stirring frequently.

Grill for 7 to 8 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with the sauce.

Sausage and Rice

1 6 1/4 ounce box fast-cooking long grain and wild rice (Uncle Ben’s is the kind I used)
1 pound bulk Italian or turkey sausage
1 1/4 cups finely chopped onions
1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 cup chopped, green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 4-ounce can mushrooms stems and pieces
1 10 3/4-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 tsp. salt

Cook rice according to package directions. Brown sausage; drain. Sauté onions. Combine rice, onions, sausage and remaining ingredients; put in a 1-gallon bag and freeze. (I used a foil dish and mixed it all up in the dish.)

Serving day: thaw casserole. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. (I cooked this one from frozen for a little over 1 hour. Turned out great!!!)

Makes 6 servings.

From Wilson & Lagerborg’s Once-A-Month Cooking

Ravioli Soup

1 Pound Ground Beef
1/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 tsp onion salt
2 tsp minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 28-ounce can Italian-style or plain crushed tomatoes in puree
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 14.5 ounce can beef broth
1 cup water
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dried basil leave
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 12-ounce package plain ravioli without sauce (for serving day)
Grated Parmesan Cheese (for serving day)

Brown the ground beef in a large pot; combine remaining ingredients except frozen ravioli and additional Parmesan cheese. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool, put in container and freezer.

On serving day: Thaw soup base and put in a large pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (the soup is thick and you may want to add water or beef broth to make it soupier).

Thaw and cook ravioli according to package directions until just tender. Drain ravioli; add to soup. Salt to taste. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 servings

From Wilson & Lagerborg’s Once-A-Month Cooking

Spinach stuffed flank steak

Ingredients
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup grated asiago cheese
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 (1 lb) flank steak
1 teaspoon olive oil
Directions
1Heat broiler with rack set 4" from heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. Place spinach in a clean kitchen towel, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
2In a medium bowl, combine spinach,parsley, cheese, capers, vinegar, garlic, and red-pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Cut and open steak by laying meatl on a cutting board, with the grain of the steak running horizontally. Using a long sharp knife, cut the meat almost in half horizontally, opening it llike a book but stopping before going all the way through.
3Cut several 12" pices of kitchen string twine; space evenly underneath steak. Spread spinach mixture down center of meat. Roll steak over mixture, pressing firmly to compact the filling as much as possible, tie twine to secure roll. Cut roll in half crosswise. Place halves, seam side down, on prepared baking sheet, rub with oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Flash freeze at this point.
To cook:
Thaw. Broil until browned, 8-10 minutes for medium-rare; let rest, loosely covered with foil, 10 minutes. Remove string, and slice steak into 1/2"rounds.

Baked Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Baked Monte Cristo Sandwich

8 slices of bread
8 slices of provolone cheese (any sliced cheese will do)
8 slices thin sliced ham
8 slices thin sliced smoked turkey
2 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon melted butter
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 tablespoons milk
Powdered sugar for dusting sandwich
Raspberry preserves, warmed, for dipping sandwich

Heat oven to 425°F.Line baking sheet with parchment paper or release foil.Top 4 slices of bread with 1 slice cheese, 1 slice ham, 1 slice turkey,and another slice of cheese. Top with last 4 slices of bread.Mix together, flour and milk till blended. Then add the eggs, meltedbutter, salt, pepper.Dip sandwiches till lightly soaked.Place sandwiches on parchment lined pan. Pour any leftover egg mixtureover the sandwiches.Bake 8 – 10 minutes until bottom is lightly browned on first side. Turn,and continue to brown till second side is golden brown.Cut sandwich with a serrated knife, dust with powdered sugar and servewith warmed raspberry jam for dipping.Serve with Fries and enjoy.Hint:I didn’t have any raspberry jam, so substituted strawberry preserves andit was great.

French Toast Casserole

1 loaf Italian bread
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 C sugar, divided
1/2 t vanilla (or almond) extract
1/2 C pecans, optiona
4 eggs
2 C milk
1 t cinnamon (or more!)
2 T melted butter

Cut bread into 1 inch cubes. Place half of the bread cubes in agreased 9 x 13 baking pan. Melt cream cheese (carefully!) in the microwave. Stir several times. This takes about 2 minutes. Stir half the sugar and all of the extract into the cream cheese. Pour the cream cheese mixture over thebread cubes. It will not completely cover them. Sprinkle nuts over the cream cheese layer. (I will be giving the nuts on the side for you to sprinkle on top). Top with remaining bread cubes. Beat together theremaining sugar, eggs, milk, cinnamon, and melted butter. Pour the egg and milkmixture over the bread cubes. Refrigerate overnight to bake the next morning OR slide the pan into a two-gallon freezer bag and freeze. Thaw completely to cook. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until browned. Let sit at room temp for 5 minutes before cutting. Top with syrup or fruit toppings.

Lemon Butter Chicken

4 Chicken breast, boneless, skinless
3 teaspoons Butter
3 teaspoons Water
1 teaspoon Lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon Chicken bouillon mix
1 Chopped parsley
1 Lemon slices

Directions:

Coat chicken in a small amount of flour, shake to remove excess. Melt butter in a non-stick frypan. Add chicken breasts and saute each side until lightly browned. Add water, lemon juice and chicken bouillon mix to pan; stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 5 to 7 min. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Cook and stir pan juices over high heat until thickened and syrupy, 1 or 2 min. Pour glaze over chicken, sprinkle with parsley and garnish with lemon slices.

Reuben Casserole

2 cups nonfat Thousand Island dressing
∏ cup nonfat sour cream
12 slices rye bread, sliced into 1-in strips
3 cups sliced pastrami in 1/2 –in strips
3 cups sauerkraut, drained
2 cups shredded Swiss Cheese

Spray 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl, combine the dressing & sour cream and mix until well blended. Set aside. Layer one-third of the bread strips on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer one-third of the pastrami over the bread, then layer one-third of the sauerkraut over the pastrami, followed by one-third of the sour cream mixture and one-third of the cheese. Repeat the layers two more times ending with a layer of cheese.

Cooking instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for 30 minutes, until the casserole is browned and bubbly and the layers are heated through.

April 8 Menu

Heidi
Spinach Stuffed Flank Steak
Pork Satay
Pork Tenderloin Polynesian

Kathleen
Chicken Gyros
French Dip
Chicken Honey Mustard Biscuits
Reuben Casserole

Misti
Marlboro Man Sandwiches
Cashew Chicken
Shepherd's Pie

Jenn
Bruschetta Chicken Bake
Beef Tips
Jambalaya

Janet
Ravioli Soup
French Toast Casserole
Sausage Rice
White Trash Chicken

Teressa
Cherry Skillet Chicken
Raging Garlic Pork Stir-fry
Hot Colby Ham Sandwiches

Barbecue Joe Casserole

2 cups low-fat biscuit mix (I use bisquick)
2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup nonfat egg substitute (I use 2 eggs)
1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained of excess fat
1 1-ounce package of dry onion soup mix
1 cup marinara sauce (spaghetti sauce)
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup grated chess blend (Cheddar, Monterey Jack and mozzarella)

Spray 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine biscuit mix, milk and eggs, stir together until a soft ball forms. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

Combine the ground beef, onion soup mix, marinara and barbecue sauce, stir until thoroughly incorporated. Spread the mixture evenly over the dough in the pan. Sprinkle with the cheese.

FREEZER CHICKS COOKING INSTRUCTIONS: Thaw. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 45 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.