0 Turkey Enchilada Casserole

As if I don't have enough yummy Mexican dishes on here.  . . I had to add this one! AMAZING!

1 pound lean ground turkey (or beef)
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 jar (16 oz) salsa
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (14 1/2 oz) Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 tsp each onion powder, garlic powder and ground cumin
12 corn tortillas (6 inches)
2 cups (8 oz) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided

In a large nonstick saucepan coated with cooking spray, cook the turkey, green pepper, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Stir in the beans, salsa, tomato sauce, tomatoes, onion powder, garlic powder and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 10 min.
Spread 1 cup meat sauce into a 13-in x 9-in x 2-in baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with six tortillas. Spread with half of the remaining meat sauce; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Layer with remaining tortillas and meat sauce. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5-10 min longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted.
Teresa Medeiros

1 Welcome Baskets and Laura Bush Cowboy Cookies

One of my favorite parts in planning our wedding was the welcome baskets! Some incredibly talented ladies created a basket that was more than I could even dream about! The baskets had a Texas theme and were tied with "The Yellow Rose of Texas." I made a coloring book that I included in the groomsmen's welcome baskets for their kids! (I'll post the coloring book later!) It was so much fun to think about all of these details and I was thrilled with the results!

I admire Laura Bush so much and think that she is SUCH a southern lady so OF COURSE we had to include her "Cowboy Cookies" and the recipe! The picture above is a little fuzzy so here is the recipe!

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups soft butter

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups light-brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 cups sweetened flake coconut

2 cups chopped pecans (8 ounces)

Mix flour, (baking powder), soda, cinnamon, and salt. (set aside) Beat butter smooth - 1 minute. Gradually add sugars. Beat 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture. Add chocolate chips, oats, coconut, pecans. Drop 2 tablespoons (on a cookie sheet). Bake 17-20 minutes at 350 degrees!

1 Kelli Hutka's Salsa

6-8 large, ripe tomatoes
2 bunches green onions
1 bunch cilantro
2-5 Jalapenos
salt (lots)
garlic salt
lemon juice
seasoning salt
garlic powder

Cut up in food processor! Season as you like! (Be careful with the jalapenos! One time I put five in with seeds and that made for an interesting batch of salsa! Nate and I still ate it although our eyes were watering as we did so!)

Kelli Hutka

4 Fat Free 7 Layer Mexican Dip

 1 pkg (8 oz) Philadelphia Fat Free Cream Cheese, softened
1 TBS Taco Seasoning Mix
1 cup Salsa (chunky)
1 cup canned black beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (nonfat)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 TBS sliced pitted ripe olives
1. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Blend in seasoning mix.
2. Spread onto bottom of 9 in pie plate or quiche dish. Top with layers of the remaining ingredients; cover. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.
3. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro if you like!

Recipe via Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1 High Tea, Cucumber Sandwiches and Scones

Yesterday, I had some sweet friends over for high tea! It was a lovely afternoon with good food and great fellowship! I am so blessed!

Cucumber Mint Tea Sandwiches
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons cream cheese
6 slices of bread
3-inch length of cucumber

Pick off some mint leaves and place them in a salad spinner or rinse them all by hand.
Dry the leaves and then dice . Place the cream cheese, butter, and mint into a bowl and mix well. It helps if the cream cheese and butter are softened ever so slightly. It should become a sort of herb paste. Slice the cucumbers -- how thick you'd like to slice them is up to what kind of crunch you want in your sandwich. Slice the crusts off the bread and slice the sandwich up into nice little finger-approved rectangles. Put the mint "paste" on each slice of bread and add the cucumbers!

http://thepauperedchef.com/2006/02/cucumber_sandwi.html

La Bella Cucina Scones (Nate and my dad BOTH are obsessed with these scones!)

8 cups unbleached flour

2 cups sugar

1 TBS baking powder

1 LB of margarine or butter

1 tsp baking soda

Mix all ingredients together in a sturdy mixer. Cut up the butter in small cubes and blend piece by piece with the dry ingredients in the mixer. Mix thoroughly until the consistency of cornmeal. It is important that the butter be mixed slowly; otherwise the mixture may be the wrong consistency. This mixture can now be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for months.

When ready to cook your scones, add 6 cups mix, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1 cup buttermilk (Low fat), zest of 1 fresh orange. Mix rapidly by hand. Drop by large tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degrees oven for 15 - 20 minutes. Scones should be lightly browned. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while still hot. (I did not sprinkle but doused with powdered sugar!) This way your sugar will stay on your scones.

Other options are to add 1/2 cup of chopped craisins and 1/2 cup of cinnamon morsels.

Erin Meadows

0 Lemon Broccoli Chicken

1 lemon
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Broccoli Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1/2 cup milk
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
4 cups hot cooked regular long-grain white rice

Directions
CUT 4 thin slices of lemon. Squeeze 2 tsp. juice from remaining lemon.
HEAT oil in skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned.
ADD soup, milk, lemon juice and pepper. Top chicken with lemon slices. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5 min. or until done. Serve with rice.

Campbells

0 Kelli's Crackers!

Kelli Hutka shared this recipe with me and it is amazing! It gives your yummy saltine crackers an extra kick!

4 sleeves of Saltine crackers
1 1/2 cup Canola Oil
1 tbs dill weed
1 tbs red pepper
1 tbs caraway seeds
1 small envelope Hidden Valley Ranch

Combine oil and seasonings.
Pour over crackers in a large Ziploc bag (2 gallon). Then just rotate the bag!