Cabbie’s Cooking

Okay, I have a new recipe for you.  I made this for dinner last night, and it was delicious!  It made two pans worth - one for last night (with enough extra for lunch today), and a pan for another evening soon.  I love having frozen meals that I can pop from the freezer to the oven for a good dinner on a busy evening.

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

2 cups chicken (cooked, deboned, diced.  I just bought a package of chicken - already cooked and diced)

1 can black beans (drain and rinse)

1 can whole kernel corn (drain)

1 can mild tomatoes and jalopenos  (Rotel)

2 cans enchilada sauce

several cups shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend)

8 flour tortillas

Prepare a baking pan by spraying it with Pam.  Preheat the over to 350. 

Mix the chicken, beans, corn, Rotel and 2 cups shredded cheese together in a bowl.  Take a tortillas and spoon some of the mixture in the middle and fold in the sides.  Place the enchilada folded-side down in the pan.  Prepare all the tortillas the same way.

Pour the enchilada sauce on top of the tortillas.  Then sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.  Take the foil off the top for the last few minutes.

You can add sour cream or whatever topping you like.  We ate them with nothing extra and a tossed salad on the side, and it was an absolutely scrumptious meal.

Besides being delicious, the best thing about this meal is how easy it is.  I got home around 5:15 - and by 6:00 we were eating dinner.  Just dump the ingredients in the bowl, mix, fill the tortillas and bake for awhile.  Couldn’t be easier.

RT needed something to take to an office party.  We were going to buy some wraps at Kroger, but they didn’t have any fresh ones.  So, I decided to make some myself.  Looking at the ones at Kroger (the ones that had been there since Friday), I figured it couldn’t be too difficult.  Here’s the photo of the tray after I finished them. I think it looks very nice.  And since we snacked on the “leftovers”, we already know that the wraps taste really good. The wraps are now in the refrigerator - ready for RT to take to work with him tomorrow morning.  They were surprisingly easy and quick to make.  I don’t know why I haven’t tried making wraps before.  I’ll be looking for more wrap recipes now since these turned out so well.  Here’s how I made them:

WRAPS

3 large tortillas (large, wrap size - whatever “flavor” you prefer.  I  bought three packages of tortillas: garden spinach herb, sundried tomato basil, and whole grain wheat.  I had no idea how many tortillas I’d need, but that ended up being WAY too many tortillas.  I used three tortillas total - one of each kind - for the tray in the photograph. RT and I will be eating tortillas a lot in the next couple weeks in order to use them all up). 

1 package of thinly sliced or shaved sandwich meat - turkey and ham (you can use roast beef or other cold cuts, too)

1 package of grated sharp cheddar

A few grape tomatoes

A few leaves of romaine lettuce

Mayonaise (I used light mayo)

Take a tortilla and spread mayonaise on it.  Sprinkle it with grated cheese.  It’s important to put the cheese on top of the mayo in order to hold the cheese in place.  Layer the lettuce and then the meat on top.  Starting on one side, roll the tortilla as tightly as possible - being careful to keep the fillings inside.  Once it is rolled up, place it seam side down on a cutting board.  Take a knife and cut off 1-inch slices. Line your serving tray with lettuce, and use the grape tomatoes as a garnish.

Very tasty!

Recently when I was in Georgia visiting my mother, we had a bridal shower for one of my nieces.  My mother made these Crispy Cheese Wafers for the shower, and they were delicious!  As a matter of fact, I had some of them for lunch that day.   

Crispy Cheese Wafers

1/2 lb. sharp cheese, shredded

2 sticks butter

2 cups flour

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp red pepper

dash of chili powder

2 cups Rice Krispies

Mix all ingredients well and make into small balls.  Place on a cookie sheet and flatten with a fork.  Bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes.  Can be made ahead and stored in refrigerator in an airtight container.

We had a covered dish dinner at church yesterday. One of the ladies brought a tomato-mozarella salad that was delicious.  I asked what the ingredients were, and then I came up with this recipe.  Here’s my version:

Tomato-Mozzarella Salad
2 tomatoes (Fresh from the garden is best!)
1 fresh mozzarella ball
2 leaves fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste

Prepare immediately before serving.
Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella so that you end up with the same number of slices of each.
Layer the tomatoes and mozzarella slices (fanned out) on a serving dish, alternating the tomato slices and the mozzarella slices.
Sprinkle the chopped basil on top.
Drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Serves 2-4.

My daughter gave me a recipe for crock pot mac & cheese.  This morning my mother made it for the family reunion we’re having later today.  I just came from the kitchen where I sampled it.  You know it’s important for cooks to sample food to make sure it’s good.  So I was only taking care of my responsibility when I tasted it.  And I am pleased to report that the mac and cheese is FANTASTIC!  Here’s the recipe:

Larisa’s Crock Pot Macaroni & Cheese

16 oz. pkg elbow macaroni - cooked and drained

8 cups shredded sharp cheese

2 cans evaporated milk

3 cups milk

4 eggs, beaten

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Spray crock pot with nonstick spray.  Place noodles in the crock pot.  Set aside one cup of the shredded cheese, and then mix everything else well , and add it to the pot.  Top the mixture with the reserved shredded cheese.  Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.