You Say Enchilada, We Say Yum

An All Time Favorite

Is there anyone who doesn't like an enchilada? If there is, they will be swayed by this recipe.  At the mere suggestion of the chicken enchilada bake for dinner, Gar's eyes were swooning and he was drooling.  I was off the store for a quick trip so I could get back for the Bruins puck drop. Well, I thought I was. We were off on game starting time by an hour, so I was actually heading to the store just as they started. Who knew? Obviously not us.

When I got to the grocery store, it looked like they were giving everything away for free. Superbowl Saturday. Probably the second biggest food shopping day of the year.  Have no fear, it didn't deter me from getting the goods.

This is what you'll need (Note: I've always tweaked the recipe to make it lighter and you'd never know). BTW, Celine, you're going to love this one!

1 8 -12 oz block of lite cream cheese (room temperature)
1 can of cream of chicken soup (light if you can find it)
8 oz of non-fat yogurt
1cup low fat milk
3/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar
4 cups cooked chicken breast (I've poached my own  or used rotisserie, both ways are good, rotisserie makes it easier)
1 tsp of cumin (I a little heavier because we love cumin)
1/2 cup chopped scallions/green onions (I use the white and the greens because we love 'em)
Salsa (1/3 to 1/2 cup)
1 7 oz can of green chiles
1 7 oz can of jalapenos
Tortillas- either ten 7" or eight 8" tortillas
fresh cilantro
chopped lettuce

In a bowl stir together the cream cheese, scallion, green chiles and cumin. Fol in cooked and chopped chicken.  Spray or grease a 13x9 baking dish. In another bowl mix chicken soup, milk and yogurt.  Spoon half of that mixture into bottom of baking dish. Wrap tortillas in paper towel and warm in micorwave for 60 seconds or until just warm and softened.  Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture onto tortilla (I place it near the edge) and drizzle salsa on top. Fold ends in and roll from one side to other. Place seam side down in baking pan. When pan is full, pour rest of soup mixture over the top. Bake covered with foil at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes. Remove foil and top with shredded cheddar and pop back in for another 5-6 minutes to melt the cheese. Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro. That is if you like cilantro. We love it, but apparently it tastes like dish soap to some people. It just tastes fresh to us. Serve over chopped lettuce or on it's own.

Divine. Enough said.


SuperBowl Sunday

We are ready to go. So are Tom and the boys.

While our Pat's get ready to hit the field today, we'll be party hopping in the neighborhood starting with 'chowderfest' at Tom and Joanie's this afternoon. Nick, their son, is home for a few days from his job as Executive Chef at Smith and Wolensky's in DC. Guess he's cooked enough steak of late, and has all the fixin's for a big batch of chowder that he's whipping up as we speak.

Then later, we'll have some of neighborhoodlum Gerry's Annual SuperBowl Chili for supper.  I'll be contributing my nephew Pat's ever popular Buffalo Chicken Dip (that recipe is for another post!).

We'll be certain to save some of the goods for a ceremonial offering in case the Pat's want to swing by with the trophy after the game!  (Speaking of winning, did you enter the new giveaway yet?)

Go Pat's!!!

Have a great Sunday,