Cream Cheese Chicken Chimis

Chimichangas are delicious, right? They’re always on the menu when IY Guy and I head to Arizona to visit family. We eat Mexican food almost every day...sometimes more than once! I have my favorites, no doubt, but I always love me a good chimi! So when I found myself with some cooked chicken I made these! Super good, super easy and satisfied our Mexican food craving for another day!

Cream Cheese Chicken Chimis

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken

6 ounces cream cheese ~ room temp

1/2 cup salsa

1/4 cup sour cream

1 4-ounce (or 7 ounce depending on your heat level tolerance) diced green chilies

1 1/2 cups grated cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

6 - 8 large flour tortillas

Oil for frying

In a large skillet, pour enough oil to come up half way. Turn to medium heat.

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, green chilies, salt and pepper.

Add the cheese and stir.

Toss in the chicken and combine.

Divide chicken mixture between the tortillas. Place chicken mixture in the middle and fold in the sides of the tortilla then up from the bottom all the way to the top.

Gently place chimis into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on all sides, turning as needed.

As chimis are done frying, drain on a paper towel and place on a plate. Keep chimis in a warm oven until they’re all fried.

Serve with sour cream, guac, salsa and extra cheese. Warmed enchilada sauce is also the bomb!

Chicken Frito Southwest Casserole

Want a little crunch in your casserole? Then try this! I mean, really....can you go anywhere but UP with Frito's? They are one of IT Guy’s favorite snacks so using them in a main dish was an excellent idea! Super good! And using a rotisserie chicken makes this incredibly easy but of course you can cook a couple of chicken breasts and get the same result. A seriously good casserole, right here!

Chicken Frito Southwest Casserole 

 

3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (I used a small rotisserie chicken)

1 10-ounce can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 4-ounce can diced green chilies (I used a 7-ounce can)

1 taco seasoning packet

3 cups grated cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1 9-ounce bag Original Frito's Corn chips

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

 

Scatter half of the Frito's in the bottom of the prepared pan.

 

In a large bowl, combine the soup, milk, sour cream, green chilies, taco mix and salt and pepper.

 

Spoon half of the cream mixture onto the Frito's.

 

Sprinkle with half of the cheese.

 

Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

 

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

 

Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes.

Our ingredients!

Mix together the taco seasoning, 

sour cream, green chilies, soup, 

milk and salt and pepper.

Add the diced chicken and stir.

Put a layer of Fritos in the bottom 

of the bag. (I used half the bag) 

Then add about half of the creamy mixture and some cheese. Repeat.

Bake to perfection!

Yummy! (I'll let you in on a little secret....the edges are the best part!)

Lemon Tart with Shortbread Cookie Crust

So I made this tart. This lemon tart. Now I’m not big on lemon. I’ll eat it but it’s not my first choice. But when I took a bite of this lemon-y goodness, I knew right away I’d be having a second piece. I won’t tell you that IT Guy had THREE pieces. In a row. Three in a row. I was surprised but not. Really guys...this is so good. Tart and sweet and all the things it should be.

Lemon Tart with Shortbread 

Cookie Crust

 

For the crust:

1 10-ounce package shortbread cookies (I used Lorna Doone)

1/2 cup (1 stick butter) ~ melted

2 tablespoons sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a tart pan or pie pan.

 

In a food processor, crush all the cookies to crumbs. Add the sugar and butter and pulse until combined.

 

Press cookie mixture into the prepared pan.

 

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Cool.

For the tart:

3 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/2 cup lemon juice (about 3 - 4 lemons)

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter ~ cut into small cubes

 

In a medium heat proof bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and heavy cream.

 

Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk constantly until thickened. (Double boiler) About 10 - 20 minutes. A good way to tell if it’s thick enough is to dip a metal or wooden spoon into the mixture. Then run your finger over the back of the spoon. If it leaves a clear path, then you’re good to go!

 

Remove the lemon mixture from the heat and press through a fine mesh sieve.

 

Add the butter, a few chunks at a time and whisk until combined and all butter has melted.

 

Poor into the cooled shortbread crust. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours before slicing.

 

Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Let's make a tart!

Crush the cookies. Add the 

2 tablespoons of sugar and 

the 1/2 cup of melted butter and combine.

Press cookie mixture into your 

prepared pan then bake for a 

few minutes.

In a heatproof bowl, (or the top of 

a double boiler) combine the eggs, 

3/4 cup sugar, heavy cream lemon 

juice and lemon zest.

Whisk to combine.

Whisk and stir lemon mixture over 

the simmering water for 10-20 

minutes or until thickened.

This is good way to tell if it's done. 

Run your finger over the back of a 

spoon that's been dipped into the 

cooked mixture. If your finger leaves 

a path like this, you're good to go!

Then strain the mixture through a sieve.

Whisk in the butter.

Pour lemon mixture into the baked 

tart shell. Chill for several hours.

Slice and serve with whipped cream!

Creamy Ranch Crock Pot Chicken & Veggies

Who would have thought that all this thrown in a crock pot would taste so good? And easy? Oh yeah! You can use just about any of your favorite vegetables in this dish, canned or frozen or fresh. Double it if you’re feeding a crowd but we had about 6 servings of this made with the recipe below so it doesn’t make a ton which is good for me. Since we eat everything I make and there are just the two of us, leftovers of the same thing for a more than a couple of days gets real old, real fast. Anyway...for a tasty dish with hardly any effort, make THIS.

Creamy Ranch Crock Pot Chicken & Veggies

2 tablespoons butter ~ melted

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ~ cut into bite-sized pieces

3 cups veggies ~ corn, carrots, green beans, celery, etc. (Any of your favorites that equal 3 cups.)

3 - 4 small red potatoes ~ cut into large bite-sized chunks

1 medium onion ~ diced

1 10-ounce can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 1-ounce packet dry Ranch Dressing mix

6 slices of bacon ~ cooked crisp and crumbled

Salt and pepper, to taste

Add melted butter to the crock pot.

Then add the potatoes, veggies and onions. Add salt and pepper and toss to coat.

Add diced chicken.

In a medium bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, milk and ranch dressing.

Pour over the chicken.

Turn crock pot to high and cook 4 - 5 hours, stirring a couple of times throughout the cooking process.

Sprinkle crumbled bacon on top then serve!

Here we go!

Add the melted butter to the crock 

pot then add the potatoes, veggies 

and onion. Salt and pepper to taste 

then stir to combine.

Add the diced chicken on top.

Then the creamy mixture. Soup, sour cream, milk and ranch dressing mix.

Let it cook on high for 4 - 6 hours, 

giving it a couple of stirs during cooking.

Add some cooked crumbled 

bacon on top and serve!

Taco Pot Pie

What a fun twist on a couple of favorites here in the SFFS house. Taco! In pie form! Tacos and pie! This was really good....IT Guy LOVED it...and really easy. You can use your own homemade crust or to make it even easier, use store bought pie crust. This is great hearty meal that comes together in a flash. And seriously....who doesn’t love tacos?

Taco Pot Pie

 

Crust for a double crust 9 inch deep dish pie pan

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion ~ diced

1 package taco mix

1 cup water

1 15-ounce can pinto or black beans ~ drained

1 -15 ounce can corn ~ drained

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 7-ounce can diced green chilies

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

 

In a large skillet, saute the onions for a few minutes then add the ground beef and cook until done.

 

Add the taco mix and water and cook until thickened.

 

Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chilies, salt and pepper and stir.

 

Place one crust in the bottom of your pie pan.

 

Spoon taco mixture into the crust.

 

Top with grated cheese.

 

Place remaining crust on top of cheese and seal crusts.

 

Slice slits into top pie crust to vent.

 

Brush crust with heavy cream OR a beaten egg, if desired.

 

Bake for 30 minutes or until pie crust is golden brown.

 

Allow pie to sit for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

 

Serve with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, etc.

Let's make some tacos. I mean pie! 

I mean taco pie! (Oops, forgot put 

the water in the shot!)

Saute the onions for a bit then 

add the meat and cook until done.

Add the taco mix and the 

water and cook until thick.

Then add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, salt and pepper and stir.

Place one pie crust in your pie pan 

then spoon the taco mixture into the crust. Add the grated cheese on top!

Place the second crust on top, vent, 

and brush with heavy cream or a 

beaten egg, if desired.

Bake to a golden brown.

Allow to set for about 10 minutes, 

then slice and serve!

Cinnamon Butter Coffee Cake

When you get a rave review from a family member on a new recipe, then that right there is pretty sweet! I had this cake cooling on the counter when my daughter walked in and spied it right away. She dug in with no reserve (did I mention she's 7 months pregnant?) and pronounced it yummy! SHE said it tasted very close to the cinnamon swirl coffee cake that's sold at a famous coffee shop so I took that as high praise. When she left she took a large chunk home which was fine with me because the last thing I need in my house in a big pan of coffee cake....I don't care how good it is. And this is pretty stinkin' good.

Cinnamon Butter Coffee Cake

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 butter ~ room temp, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup buttermilk (I used 2/3 cup regular milk with 1 teaspoon of vinegar)

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the butter and mix until crumbly.

Add the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk and beat until combined.

Set aside.

Filling:

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Combine ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

Crumb Topping:

1 cup cold butter ~ cut into 1 tablespoon pieces

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with a pastry blender or your fingers until crumbly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Spread half of the cake batter into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle the filling on top of the batter.

Carefully spread the remaining batter on top of the filling.

Swirl mixture gently together with a butter knife to swirl together. 

Do not overmix.

Sprinkle the crumb topping over the batter mixture in the pan. It will look like a lot but that's okay!

Bake for 45 - 50 minutes until cake is done and is golden brown on top.

Allow to cool. Cut into squares.

Here's the ingredients.

FOR THE CAKE: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the butter and mix until crumbly.

Add the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk 

and beat until combined. Set aside.

FOR THE FILLING: Combine 

brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING: In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.

Mix with a pastry blender or your 

fingers until crumbly.

Pour half of the cake batter into the 

pan the sprinkle with the filling mixture.

Next add the remaining cake batter 

and spread evenly. Then swirl with 

a butter knife.

Add the crumb topping and bake!

Yummy!

Cool then cut into squares!!