What's For Dinner - Part Deux

[Marilyn. 340]

they were good....the hubster gave them a A+ but he said next time I should serve them with a salad like we get at our favourite Mexican place.. iceberg lettuce, tomato and Italian dressing.. this recipe would be a great way to use up some leftover turkey...

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

16 oz. fat free sour cream

1 can fat free cream of chicken soup

1 tbls. fresh chopped cilantro (1/2 tbls. dried)

2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast

1 can Mexican Rotel

1/2 cup chopped onions

16 corn tortillas

8 oz. shredded pepper jack and colby cheese blend

1 can diced green chiles

In a saucepan, mix together sour cream, soup and cilantro. Heat through and set aside.

Combine the chicken, Rotel, onions and green chiles in a pan sprayed with cooking spray. Heat until onions are transparent.

Warm the tortillas until flexible. Then, fill each tortilla with about 2 tbls. of the chicken mixture and about 1 tbls. of the cheese. Roll tortilla up and place seam side down in a 8x11 dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Pour over the sour cream sauce and top with the remaining cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 8 servings of 2 enchiladas each.

I basically followed the recipe but I fried up some bell pepper and squash with the onion and I used one chicken breast. Instead of the Rotel tomatoes I used a fresh tomato and some Jalapeno tomato sauce and I left out the green chilies.. Oh and I only used about half of the sour cream because that is all I had... I fit about 8 enchiladas in my baking dish and the leftover filling I put on top of the soup mixture..

Edited November 5, 2010 by Marilyn.

[Marilyn. 340]

so I have a question.. for Thanksgiving I want to make make ahead mashed potatoes and then on Thanksgiving day I want to finish them off in the crock pot... all the recipes I have been finding call for cream cheese.. I won't mind that but I am not sure about everyone else.. do you guys know of a recipe that doesn't use cream cheese?

[Marilyn. 340]

I was thinking of making this along with my infamous trifle for Thanksgiving...

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/pumpkin-spice-cake-brown-120738.aspx

I am thinking of using carrot cake mix instead of spice though because that is what I have in my cupboard

the trifle this year is going to be chocolate cake, vanilla pudding, crispy crunch bars and maybe chocolate cool whip

[Udella&Wiz 325]

so I have a question.. for Thanksgiving I want to make make ahead mashed potatoes and then on Thanksgiving day I want to finish them off in the crock pot... all the recipes I have been finding call for cream cheese.. I won't mind that but I am not sure about everyone else.. do you guys know of a recipe that doesn't use cream cheese?

This isn't waht you're looking for Marilyn - but it sounds really good, I'm going to try it. I wonder if it could be made a day ahead and then warmed some how the day of?

http://joelens.blogspot.com/2010/10/mashed-potato-casserole.html

[Marilyn. 340]

yeah, i am sure you could.... I would do all the steps up until the baking part.. just cover and store in the fridge... and then bake it when you want.. it should last a day or two in the fridge..

Edited November 7, 2010 by Marilyn.

[usmcwife 3]

In addition to what I made this time, our friend also served pieces of eel lightly sauteed in a sauce made with soy sauce, sugar and vinegar, and thinly sliced roast duck that we could use to put on our sushi rolls. I just stuck to the egg this time so I could be sure it all worked, but I did pick up some octopus to use for the next ones (something else she suggested we try).

I love octopus. Although sometimes i find it a bit rubbery. When I was in japan the best sashimi was the octopus. The little suction cups are fun to chew on. They also had these cute little squid that were so small you just dipped tehm in soy sauce and ate tehm whole! Yum!

[usmcwife 3]

In addition to what I made this time, our friend also served pieces of eel lightly sauteed in a sauce made with soy sauce, sugar and vinegar, and thinly sliced roast duck that we could use to put on our sushi rolls. I just stuck to the egg this time so I could be sure it all worked, but I did pick up some octopus to use for the next ones (something else she suggested we try).

I love octopus. Although sometimes i find it a bit rubbery. When I was in japan the best sashimi was the octopus. The little suction cups are fun to chew on. They also had these cute little squid that were so small you just dipped tehm in soy sauce and ate tehm whole! Yum!

[usmcwife 3]

I don't know why that posted twice... anyway here's what we had on friday. Yum!

I bought a pork loin which is too big for the two of us so i cut it into more reasonable sizes and it'll be used for 3 meals i think. This time I marinated it in white wine, olive oil, garlic and rosemary. Closer to dinner time, I chopped up a couple of potatoes, a sweet potato, a couple of carrots, a shallot and some more garlic. I tossed that with some olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. I put that in a casserole dish, put a couple pats of butter on it, and covered it in tin foil. It went into a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until teh veggies were about half done. Then I took it out of the oven and put the marinated pork on top as well as about half of the marinade. That was baked for another 20-30 minutes until the meat was cooked.

It was so delicious... and easily adaptable to smaller or larger amounts.

[Canadiandggal 49]

This isn't waht you're looking for Marilyn - but it sounds really good, I'm going to try it. I wonder if it could be made a day ahead and then warmed some how the day of?

http://joelens.blogspot.com/2010/10/mashed-potato-casserole.html

OH that sounds wonderful, I might make that as It is my first thanksgiving here as a resident and My first year cooking Thanksgiving dinner

Awesome...yummy

[Marilyn. 340]

I might make that recipe too but throw it into a greased crock pot and then Thanksgiving day just warm it up in there.. I was reading that it can be in there for a few hours.. you might want to add a touch more liquid though so it doesn't dry out...

[Marilyn. 340]

hmmm, I just noticed that the recipe has eggs in it.. you might have to bake it right a ways.. it should be ok to reheat the next day though.. maybe try a small batch first beforehand to see if it works to reheat it,,,

I am thinking I might just go with a cream cheese recipe... if need be I can always make a small batch of regular mashed potatoes...

[Marilyn. 340]

I found this recipe in my Kraft magazine and I plan on making it for Thanksgiving.. I am going to make it into cupcakes though...

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting

1 pkg. (2-layer size) spice cake mix

1 cup water

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup oil

3 eggs

3/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Walnuts

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, softened

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 cup thawed COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

BEAT first 5 ingredients in large bowl with mixer 2 min. or until well blended. Stir in nuts. Pour into 13x9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray.

BAKE 30 to 32 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

BEAT Neufchatel and sugar in small bowl with mixer until well blended. Add COOL WHIP; mix well. Spread over cake.

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/pumpkin-spice-cake-brown-120738.aspx

[Ontarkie 14,221]

Looks good, I like the idea of turning them into cupcakes. Cupcakes seem to get eating more in our family then cake.

I was looking forward to our 2nd Thanks Giving this year, but now I'm so tired I don't know how I will pull it off. I have already informed my husband he may be doing it all on his own, but just watching him is going to tire me out. I am going to try and get most of the prep work done the day/night before. Also I think I will use the slow cooker to keep the mash potatoes warm too. I love that Idea glad you posted that Marilyn.

As for our turkey I have to change the way I baste it. I have been using a nice white wine/or blush mixed with melted butter to baste it and then make the gravy from the drippings but i can't do that now being pregnant.

[Colleens 40]

Looks good, I like the idea of turning them into cupcakes. Cupcakes seem to get eating more in our family then cake.

I was looking forward to our 2nd Thanks Giving this year, but now I'm so tired I don't know how I will pull it off. I have already informed my husband he may be doing it all on his own, but just watching him is going to tire me out. I am going to try and get most of the prep work done the day/night before. Also I think I will use the slow cooker to keep the mash potatoes warm too. I love that Idea glad you posted that Marilyn.

As for our turkey I have to change the way I baste it. I have been using a nice white wine/or blush mixed with melted butter to baste it and then make the gravy from the drippings but i can't do that now being pregnant.

I know how you feel!! I will be at 38 weeks when I do thanksgiving dinner. We were going to do it on the Saturday since Hubby and his mom both work in retail and both have to work on thanksgiving day. Then we got given tickets to the Vols/Kentucky football game, and neither of us has been to a college ball game before. So we decided on doing it on Sunday so hubby could help me with the prep and such, but he found out yesterday he has been scheduled 7-4 for that day, so it looks like I will be on my own. I will do some of the prep on Saturday as well, so it will just be the cooking on Sunday. As much as it tires me out, I love cooking and entertaining, so I am sure I will make it through!!!

[Marilyn. 340]

cupcakes are easier to serve then cake too..

yeah for the mashed potatoes, I have been reading that you can make them the regular way but then throw them in a greased crock pot on low or warm and put some extra butter on top and they should stay good in there for 2 or 3 hours, you just need to stir them once in awhile and add more liquid if needed... they also said it is a good idea to put a paper towel under the lid to prevent condensation.. or wrap the lid in a tea towel

Edited November 17, 2010 by Marilyn.