Chili Tortilla Chip Casserole

Sharing with your today my new recipe for left over chili.  Most left overs at my house are either eaten the second night or reconfigured into something that carries it to the next level.  Tonight with my leftover 4 Alarm Chili from a package (yes....I do boxed mixes, canned green beans, and macaroni and cheese from the box quite often), I made a quick meal that both my little Audrey and Scott liked.  Not sure if I can pass it off one more night, but I figure tomorrow night on the side of Tortilla Soup this dish will still be perfect!  

Chili Tortilla Chip Casserole

4 cups chili (fresh made) - although you could use a good quality store bought - I actually used deer sausage meat with this chili...Audrey never knew the difference ;o)
1 - 16 ounce diced tomatoes, not drained
1 - 8 ounce Green Chili Enchilada Sauce
4 cups Tostitos Tortilla Chips
4 cups grated cheddar cheese (or Mexi-blend by Kraft would be excellent)

In a medium sized casserole dish sprayed with Pam or greased, pour diced tomatoes spreading evenly over the bottom to cover.  Add Tostito chips.  I chose not to crush mine and they did well.  Sprinkle 2 cups of cheese on top of chips.  Pour 4 cups of chili over the cheese.  Top with entire casserole with a can of Green Chili Enchilada Sauce.  Cook on 375 until mixture is bubbly in the center about 30 minutes.  Add remaining two cups of cheese during the last five minutes of cooking.  Serve with refried beans, salad, and Spanish rice.  I also had salsa and sour cream out as a garnish.  

 Example of first few layers.

With the Green Chili Enchilada Sauce added just before placing in the oven.

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***Be creative.  I usually would have added one chopped onion, but I felt I had enough in the chili already.  Cilantro would have been a fresh touch, but I was 'fresh' out!  Even adding the sour cream in a layer under the chili would have brought the casserole to a whole new level.  Just some good ideas I think for the next time I make this.  Even if the chips you use are slightly stale, I've tasted similar casseroles that turned out find as the chips moisten in the sauces.  

Enjoy and remember, take those left overs to a new height.  Take what you have and make something your family won't remember as 'left overs'!  My pictures above sometimes just don't do my recipes justice!  Promise...this casserole is a keeper!

Scott's 3 Beer Potatoes

When you leave a man to the grill you never know what concoction they will come up with!  My husband is no exception to the rule and last night he created what he now calls '3 Beer Potatoes'!  His favorite after work beverage is a very cold Miller Light.  He's progressed over the years from Coor's Light when he was a young man and had a little cash in his pocket 'before' we got married...and then later to Shafer Light after we bought our first home and had 2 precious little girls while we were paying on the installment plan to finish my college degrees.  Then later in life as he has aged he has matured to Miller Light.  When in doubt or when he feels whatever he is grilling or smoking may be a little dry, in pops in a pour or two of Miller Light.  This time he used more than I expected, but honestly the result were some pretty tender potatoes with a really good taste. Along with the zucchini and yellow squash I had frozen from this past year's garden, Scott came up with a new staple potato dish right off our smoker. 

So today we ate the brisket and pork ribs he cooked to help his mom out with her annual lunch, all the while trying to make sure we had good luck in 2013.  I added my Granny's Wilted Cabbage (recipe on this blog and known in the south to bring you cash in the new year), along with the great black eyed peas my sister-in-law made and sour kraut and weenies (for luck), and Bethany's Surprise Cupcakes (I'll share that later), we had a very well rounded, full of good luck meal and hopefully cash filled new year!  To my delight, Scott smiled really big when I told him I had to put it on my blog.  I have to say that I am very, very lucky to have spent the last almost twenty five years with this great man, husband, and father of my three girls! We are very blessed to have him. :o)

Scott's 3 Beer Potatoes

1 5 lb. bag of red potatoes, chopped in one inch pieces
1 - 2 onions, quartered
2 cups zucchini, chopped
2 cups yellow squash, chopped
1/2 cup Grapeseed Oil or Canola Oil
Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning to taste
garlic salt to taste

Prepare red potatoes, onions, zucchini and yellow squash and place in a large roasting pan.  Pour oil over vegetables and toss to coat well.  Season with Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning and garlic salt, toss to coat.  Pour 3 beers of your choice on top of the potatoes.  Cover with foil.  Cook on 250 - 300 on a smoker for 2 hours or until potatoes are fork tender.  The alcohol will cook off and leave a slight flavor of beer on the potatoes.

***The next day for New Year's Day lunch I added one stick of butter in pats on top of the 3 Beer Potatoes, a little more Tony C's and garlic salt, and cooked on 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  In the last 5 minutes I added grated cheddar cheese to the top and let it melt and ooze down the potatoes.  

The Ranch Kitchen's King Ranch Chicken (or Turkey)

The Ranch Kitchen's - King Ranch Chicken (or Turkey)

I'm always surprised that this recipe of King Ranch Chicken that is a mainstay at my house, few people know about it.  It's been around since the 1970's and really is just a classic chicken enchilada recipe.  My recipe below probably doesn't stray too much from the traditional ones found on the Internet, but I wanted to share it with you all today.

As I look forward to the left over turkey from Thanksgiving, this is yet another way to use a couple shredded cups into something your family and friends with enjoy.  You can use the white or dark meat or a combination of both.  At home I frequently use the white breast meat from the can or left over rotisserie chicken meat.  Along with some pinto beans either cook whole or as refried beans, Spanish rice, Nolana's Hot Sauce, sour cream, and a side salad you have a pretty easy meal and usually great leftovers for my girls in from college.

You can see on my picture above that I had to taste test it on the side to make sure it was done!  You can also easily make this recipe earlier in the day to place in the refrigerator and later in the oven and it also freezes well uncooked.  Just add some extra cooking time if you cook it from frozen.  

It's also one of those great foods we send in the south for sick friends and family.

The Ranch Kitchen's King Ranch Chicken

2 - 3 cups chicken (or turkey), shredded

1 can Rotel Tomatoes with cilantro and lime juice, not drained (reserve 1/3 can)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 package of flour tortillas cut or torn in to 2 x 2 inch squares

1 tbsp. Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning 

2 cups shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese or Mexi-blend cheese by Kraft

In a large bowl blend Rotel Tomatoes - reserving 1/3 of can, soups, and seasonings together.  Add to this your meat.  In a greased 9 x 13 inch glass casserole dish place reserved 1/3 can of Rotel Tomatoes and spread over entire casserole dish.  Add to this 1/3  of soup and meat mixture. Sprinkle 1/3 of cheese over this and top with 1/2 torn flour tortillas.  Layer 1/3 soup mixture once again, sprinkle with cheese and 1/2 of torn flour tortillas.  Last place remainder of soup/chicken mixture on top of that last layer of flour tortillas and cook covered with foil (I like the nonstick foil by Reynolds) in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until the mixture is bubbling in the center.  The last five minutes place the remaining cheese and allow it to melt.  Cut in to squares and serve.

You can also play with the soups and substitute a can of cream of celery for the cream of mushroom for a different taste.  When you live in the country and run out of what you need for your favorite recipe, you have to improvise!  

I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine does!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Alise Nolan

Jan's Chicken Stew

Jan Frost recently shared this recipe for her chicken stew on Facebook and it looked so hearty and delicious that I asked her if I could share it. 

Jan and I go way back to daughter's who were best friends, to working and laughing together at our old elementary school.  Those were fun days that have gone by too fast. 

Both Jan's oldest kids have been regulars at our house.  Jan is a great wife, mom, and cook.  Her daughter is now serving our country in the US Navy and we all could not be prouder of her!

Thank you Jan for sharing! 

                                 Jan's Chicken Stew

4 Chicken Breast, boiled and shredded
1 can chicken broth
1 can green beans, drained
1 can whole corn, drained
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
6 potatoes, cubed
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped

Boil your chicken breast. After the chicken is done, take out and set to the side. Add your can of chicken broth. Boil your potatoes and add the rest of your canned and chopped vegetables until potatoes are almost soft. Add your Rotel tomatoes, and tomato sauce and then add you shredded chicken. Let simmer about 30 min. Salt and pepper to taste.

Jan Frost

The Ranch Kitchen's Cajun Chicken Salad

 

Fall is a busy time of year around our house and ranch.  Show season is gearing back up with our Hereford cattle, school is back in swing, and along with after school commitments sometimes there isn't enough time to get a four course meal on the table. 

This past week's Thursday night was just one of those nights.  Our youngest not only shows cattle but loves tending to her little flock of market roasters for a local county fair.  After walking her cattle and then feeding her chicks and with mom and dad right beside her, dinner was running way late.  With the left over rotisserie chicken from the fridge I whipped up this chicken salad that we really enjoyed.  My husband served his on crackers, while my daughter and I ate ours as a sandwich. 

Either way, this rendition of chicken salad was a nice change and will become a regular on late nights when time isn't on my side.

Cajun Chicken Salad

2 cups shredded or chopped chicken, white or dark meat, mine was mixed

1/2 cup celery, chopped in large or small chunks

1/2 to 3/4 cup REAL Mayonnaise

2 teaspoons of Creole mustard

1/2 teaspoon Rosemary and Garlic Seasoning

2 teaspoons lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Mix mayonnaise, Creole mustard, lime juice and seasoning in a medium size bowl.  Add chicken and celery and then blend.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve alone or with crackers or bread.

Alise Nolan