My First Attempt at Chicken Enchiladas!

I made up some of the yummiest Chicken Enchiladas yesterday...it was especailly cool, since it was my first ever attempt at making them! Woohoo, me!

So, of course I used canned enchilada sauce and threw the can away with the directions on the back. Luckily they were so, super EASY that I have the recipe memorized because I altered it and made it my OWN! Yay, ME!

12 oz shredded chicken ( I think I used less - maybe 8oz)
1 can ranch style beans (semi mashed. the recipe called for refried beans, but I didn't have them in my pantry)
1 cup picante sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
Dash of pepper
Fresh cilantro chopped - 1TLBS -ish
1 can Gebhardt enchilada sauce
8+ corn tortillas
Approx 1.5 cups low fat colby jack or cheddar cheese

Mix the first 6 ingredients together. Put 2/3 cup of the mixture in each tortilla with approx 1 Tlbs of cheese. Wrap the tortillas and place seam down in a baking dish. *I had extra mix, so I simply put it on top of the wrapped tortillas. You can do that or simply use more than 8 tortillas*. Pour enchilada sauce on top along with remaining cheese. Bake @ 350 for 30 mins.

I served with about 2 tsp 0% greek yogurt (instead of sour cream), green onions, fresh cilantro, and a few cubes of avocado on top. This was a big hit! I'm not sure about the calorie count... not sure I want to know! You can use less cheese or use chicken breast to cut back on calorie count and make it even more healthy.

Now make this for dinner tomorrow night!! Enjoy:)

BEST Tortilla Soup Recipe EVER! (Slow-Cooker Recipe)

Oh my goodness.... I made the yummiest Tortilla Soup for dinner!!! My friend gave me the most delicious recipe and, wow – we have total soup buzz over here!!!

Here’s my version of the recipe below - (original from allrecipes.com):

Ingredients

• ½ - ¾  pound shredded, cooked chicken (I used HEB’s BBQ chicken leg quarters, skin removed and deboned)
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes,
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups water
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth, fat free and low sodium
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
• Several tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 lime, halved
• 7 corn tortillas

Directions

1. Place chicken, tomatoes, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro and half of the squeezed lime. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

To serve, I substituted sour cream with Fage Greek 0% yogurt (about a tablespoon), a few thin slices of avocado, and some cilantro leaves

New Aprons, New Projects, and a New Year! Happy 2011!

It's been a while since I've last blogged and I have some new aprons and a couple new, small projects I've been working on in the NEW YEAR!

Here are my newest aprons - all new patterns for the New Year! 

The top one is for little girls, the next two are for the ladies!

I even expanded my "sewing" to a no-sew tutu for Xia! Now it's not complete, but I couldn't resist the urge to post it today! It is "tutu" cute!! The picture just doesn't do it justice...there are two lengths and it is pretty full. But at least you get the idea. I'll have to have her model it, once its complete, and I'll post an update:)

I've also put together a few things for Xia's bedroom... I'm not a crafty person, so this is a HUGE deal for me! I bought these three flowers from Hobby Lobby and painted them. I don't do things like this, so I was extremely impressed with myself and just had to post!

I also made a hair bow display (not sure what they are called). I bought the butterfly, a glue gun, some ribbon, and went to town! It turned out sooo cute!

Two Recipes that will Tickle your Taste Buds!

I had a sweet tooth today and decided to bake some cookies...not just any cookies, though! I made Weight Watchers Oatmeal Raisin Bites. Bites they are, as they are tiny, but perfect for a little mid day treat! The recipe made over 50 of these tiny bites. Here's how to make some for your home.

	1 1/2 cup(s) rolled oats
	3/4 cup(s) whole-grain wheat flour
	1/2 tsp baking powder
	1/4 tsp table salt
	1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
	1/2 cup(s) regular butter, softened
	1/2 cup(s) packed brown sugar
	1/4 cup(s) sugar
	1 large egg(s)
	1 tsp vanilla extract
	1 cup(s) raisins, chopped

• Preheat oven to 350ºF
  
• In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and both sugars until incorporated. Add egg and vanilla; mix thoroughly. Add oat mixture and mix until just combined; fold in raisins.
  
• Drop rounded teaspoons of batter onto 2 ungreased cookie sheets, about 1-inch apart each. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies or 11 to 12 minutes for crispy cookies. Remove from oven and let cookies rest on cookie sheets for about 2 minutes; remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.  

 

Previously on my blog I posted about my Pumpkin Muffin recipe gone wrong... well, I have redeemed myself and my taste buds by making these, melt in your mouth, yummy, new recipe Pumpkin Muffins from Cooking Light. Oh my, go make them right NOW!!

• 2 1/4  cups  all-purpose flour (about 10 ounces)
• 2  teaspoons  pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  baking soda
• 1  teaspoon  ground ginger
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1  cup  golden raisins ( I used chopped dates)
• 1  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1  cup  canned pumpkin (I used a whole can)
• 1/3  cup  buttermilk
• 1/3  cup  canola oil
• 1/4  cup  molasses
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 2  large eggs
• Cooking spray
• 2  tablespoons  granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 400°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, ginger, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in raisins; make a well in center of mixture. Combine brown sugar, canned pumpkin, buttermilk, canola oil, molasses, vanilla extract, and eggs, stirring well with a whisk. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moist.
Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack.

Calories: 202 (23% from fat)

Fat: 5.1g (sat 0.8g,mono 2g,poly 1.9g)

Protein: 2.9g

Carbohydrate: 37.5g

Fiber: 1.2g