Italian Veggie Chicken Casserole

I found this recipe on pinterest and made it with some modifications for dinner tonight. It got great reviews from my family and it is easy peasy and perfect for taking meals in to friends (is it just me or are you always on the hunt for those kind of recipes too? Please share your favorites if you have them.)

I served this over bowtie pasta (but you could use any kind of pasta or even spaghetti squash or julienned zucchini or really even serve it alone) and paired it with my favorite Easy French Bread and a simple salad.

Combine the following ingredients in a bowl and stir together:

    4-5 tomatoes, chopped

    2 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly or minced  

    Jar of artichoke hearts in water, drained and copped

    2-3 zucchinis, chopped

    2 Tbsp. EVOO

    1 tsp. sugar

    1 Tbsp. flour

    A little bit of Salt and Pepper

Spread the tomato/veggie mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 pyrex dish and top with 1-1.5 lbs. of chicken breasts or tenders. Salt and Pepper the chicken.

Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes (or longer if your chicken breasts are larger) until the chicken is almost done (still a hint of pink when you cut into the chicken). Remove from the oven, uncover and top with shredded cheese (I like monterey jack, but you could definitely use mozzarella). Broil the dish uncovered for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and the veggies peeking through are caramelized.

Top with chopped fresh basil. 

Cooking notes: 

1.  Romas are ideal, but I used a combination of romas, de-seeded slicing tomatoes, and even a handful of cherry tomatoes

2.  You could definitely change this recipe up to give it variety/use up what you have on hand. Some things you could use instead of or in addition to the artichoke hearts and zucchini: asparagus, bell peppers, summer squash, mushrooms, spinach, cannelini beans

3. I always butterfly my chicken breast halves before freezing them, so they are more streamlined for storing/stacking in my freezer and more importantly because they defrost and cook faster. For this recipe I actually cut the chicken into smaller pieces to make it easier to serve later.

4. I plan to make this dish and freeze it...I would leave off the cheese and basil and add those after cooking. I will update with details when I try it.

Broccoli Chicken Enchiladas

Can you tell enchiladas are my husband's favorite thing ever?  Since I get sick of having the same thing all the time, I try to put new little twists on old favorites.  Although this is far from authentic Mexican, it sure tasted good.  Plus, this is another meal that makes 2 pans, so it's perfect for freezing.

For the sauce:
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup (I use the 98% fat free kind to lighten this up)
2 1/2 cups fat free sour cream
1/3-1/2 cup dried minced onions
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. canned diced green chilis
1 tsp. lemon juice

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients until thoroughly mixed.

For the enchiladas:
1 cup grilled chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups broccoli, cut into small bite-size pieces
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1 tsp. olive oil
8-10 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese, divided (I use part-skim mozzarella)

Preheat oven to 450.  Spray one large or two small baking dishes lightly with cooking spray.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil.  Saute onion and pepper until softened.  In a small pot, steam or boil broccoli until tender but still crisp (don't overcook--remember it will be baked too).  When onions and peppers are starting to brown and broccoli is done, add chicken, broccoli, olives, and about 3/4 cup sauce mixture (enough to make a moist but not runny filling) to the skillet.  Spread 1/4 cup sauce mixture onto bottom of prepared pan(s).  In each tortilla, place a few tablespoons of the chicken-broccoli filling and a sprinkle of cheese, then roll up.  Place seam-side down in prepared baking pan(s).  Repeat with remaining tortillas until filling is gone.  Spread remaining sauce over the top, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake for 5-7 minutes or until browned, bubbling, and heated through.  Watch closely so it doesn't burn!  Serve with black beans and a greens salad.

Lazy Lasagna

Does anyone else wish this dang snow would go away already? On the other hand, my husband loves it because he can get me to make warm, bubbly casseroles like this one because somehow in my mind it still feels like winter and therefore there's no need to be swimsuit-ready anytime soon.  This is not quite as easy as the Crockpot Lasagna recipe, but I like how this can be divided into two pans so one can be frozen for another day.

1 1/2 boxes lasagna sheets
2 jars spaghetti sauce (I like Classico or Barilla, but it's up to you)
1 large container cottage cheese
1 large container ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 Tbs. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup onion, diced (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
1/2 pound ground beef (optional)
 1 tsp. olive oil (optional)
1 tsp. red pepper flakes(optional)

Preheat oven to 400.  Lightly spray either two 8x8 pans or one 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Saute onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes until beginning to soften, then add in ground beef (if using).  When onions and garlic are translucent, and meat is browned, add spaghetti sauce and heat through.*  

In a mixing bowl, mix cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, eggs, and Italian seasoning.

Ladle about 1/4 cup of sauce into sprayed baking pan(s).  Cover with uncooked lasagna noodles**, breaking into pieces to fill in all gaps.  Spoon 1/3 of ricotta mixture over noodles, covering well.  Ladle 1/3 of spaghetti sauce over cheese mixture, spreading to cover.  Cover with uncooked lasagna noodles, pressing down lightly to compact layers.  Repeat layering with remaining ricotta, sauce, and noodles.  In an 8x8 pan, I can fit about 4 noodles (broken to fit) per layer, and 4 layers of noodles in total.  Cover last layer of noodles with any remaining sauce and ricotta mixture.  Cover with foil and bake 1 hour.  Then remove foil and sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan over the top. Broil 3-5 minutes (watch closely) until browned and bubbly.  Serve with a green salad.

*I feel better about using store-bought spaghetti sauce if it's a good quality brand, doesn't have too much sugar, and I doctor it up with onions, garlic, and spices.  But to make this even simpler, you could skip the ground beef and onion mixture altogether, and just ladle the sauce into the pans right from the jar.

**You can buy either no-boil noodles, or just use regular lasagna noodles.  I've found that as long as each noodle ends up covered with plenty of sauce to give it moisture, and as long as you bake for at least 1 hour, it all works out fine.  Plus, it's easier and less messy to skip boiling the noodles!

Even Easier Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

Last night was not my best, culinarily speaking.  I was experimenting with new recipes, and I planned on making mini-dishes of 2 different kinds of enchiladas--white sauce and red sauce, and a jello.  I had the jello ready to go in the fridge, went to slide it in...and the whole stupid thing tipped over and splashed everywhere!  Let me tell you, cleaning reddish orange goo off of carpet, wood floor, the fridge, the walls, the cabinets, etc. was not fun.  I had to take apart all the drawers in my fridge and freezer, pull the fridge out, steam clean the carpet, etc.  Not my best moment for sure.

So my plans for 2 gourmet types of enchiladas went right out the window.  I had about 20 minutes before my hungry husband would walk through the door, and not many ready-to-serve ingredients aside from a leftover rotisserie chicken breast, so I threw together these instead (based on my original recipe for Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas):

1 chicken breast from a Costco rotisserie chicken, skin removed and diced
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed (save the other half for nachos or something)
1/4 cup diced onions
diced green pepper
1 tsp. olive oil
1 can red enchilada sauce (I like Rosarita brand)
4-6 flour tortillas
1 cup shredded cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 450.  In a non-stick skillet over medium high heat, heat oil  Season onion and pepper with salt and pepper, then saute until tender.  Add chicken, black beans, and a few tablespoons of enchilada sauce until heated through and mixture is cohesive but not too wet.  On the bottom of  an 8 by 8 pan, spread a couple of spoonfuls of enchilada sauce.  Roll chicken/black bean mixture in flour tortillas with about a tablespoon of cheese (makes anywhere from 4-6, depending on how full you fill them).  Place seam side down in prepared pan.  Top with remaining enchilada sauce, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake at 450 for 3-5 minutes until browned and bubbly.  Then congratulate yourself for throwing together a decent meal in no time at all!

Stuffed Shells

This was a perfect, easy, comforting meal I made yesterday to use up stuff I had hanging around in my fridge.  It made for a huge dinner last night, plus plenty extra to freeze for on-the-go meals whenever I need them.  I followed the directions on the back of the box, with a few little adjustments:

1 box stuffed shells, cooked
1 large contained part-skim ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbs. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry (important so your filling isn't too wet)
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I cheated and used a bottle from my food storage that was about to expire)


Preheat oven to 375.  Boil shells by following directions on the package--you want them to be almost fully cooked, but still a little underdone.  In a 9 x 13 glass pan, spread 1/2-3/4 cup spaghetti sauce, or until well coated.  In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, spinach, eggs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  When shells are done boiling, drain and spread out on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper so they don't stick together.  Fill each shell with approximately 2 tsp. filling, and place in glass pan.  Since I had more than 2 pans' worth of shells, I spread whatever shells I wasn't baking immediately on a cookie sheet and froze them solid, then place them in labeled freezer bags. 

Spread remaining spaghetti sauce over filled shells, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.  Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes, then uncover and broil until cheese is bubbly and browned. 

Serving suggestion: green salad and garlic bread

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

This recipe is so easy, makes a ton, and can be changed up a million different ways.  This made 8 huge enchiladas that fed me, my husband, my two (enormous) little brothers, and I still have leftovers.  I usually make stuff like this on Sundays, so I can throw everything in the crockpot before church and just assemble a few things when I get home.

3 chicken breasts
2 large cans red enchilada sauce
1 jar salsa
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 large onion, diced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
8 large tortillas
sour cream, green onions, guacamole, sliced olives for garnish

In a slow cooker, combine salsa, 1 can of enchilada sauce and brown sugar.  Stir in chopped onions, then add chicken breasts (turning to coat).  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, until cooked through.  During last 30 minutes of cooking, add in black beans.  Take chicken breasts out, shred with 2 forks, and return to the sauce.  If you'd rather just have tacos or use this for Cafe Rio-type salads, just stop here and enjoy.


To make enchiladas, preheat oven to 375.  Spread about 1/4 cup of the second can of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.  Fill each tortilla with a few spoonfulls of the chicken-black bean mixture (with sauce), then sprinkle with about a tablespoon of cheese.  Roll up and place, seam side down, in prepared pan.  Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top, the sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

The Best Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe (& healthy too!)

Yield
10 servings (serving size: 1 casserole slice and 1 tablespoon sour cream)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup prechopped fresh onion
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Dash of ground red pepper
2 (15.5-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken
1 cup thinly sliced green onions, divided
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives, divided
18 (6-inch) corn tortillas, divided
Cooking spray
2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (16-ounce) jar green salsa
10 tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add prechopped onion; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in cumin, chili powder, garlic salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Stir in beans; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chicken, 1/2 cup green onions, and 7 tablespoons ripe olives; stir well.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Layer 6 tortillas on bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread 2 cups chicken mixture over tortillas; sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining 6 tortillas.
Combine milk, chopped cilantro, and salsa in a blender, and process until smooth. Pour over top of tortillas. Cover and bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, remaining 1/2 cup green onions, and remaining 1 tablespoon olives. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve with sour cream. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories:
353 (30% from fat)
Fat:
11.8g (sat 4.2g,mono 4.2g,poly 1.8g)
Protein:
23.5g
Carbohydrate:
45.8g
Fiber:
7.9g
Cholesterol:
45mg
Iron:
2.5mg
Sodium:
734mg
Calcium:
396mg