Corn Casserole for Thanksgiving

 I can't believe that Thanksgiving is only 2 days away! But I'm busy like many of you, cooking and cleaning for the big day. Thought I'd share an easy and delicious Corn Casserole recipe with you, just in case you are looking for one more side for the big meal. I got this recipe years ago from a friend, but I have adapted it somewhat. This dish is very good and is easy to double if needed. If you still need some more ideas for side dishes, click here. If you need a dessert, click here.
I wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving. Be thankful for the blessings you've been given and enjoy your family and friends. Now here's the recipe.

 

Corn Casserole

From Lynda's Recipe Box

 

1 can cream-style corn

1 can whole kernal corn, drained - or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn that is thawed

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 of a large bell pepper, diced -(sometimes I add both green and red pepper so it will look festive.)

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 pound, (4 ounces), shredded cheddar cheese

2 large eggs, beaten

salt and pepper to taste

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and sautee the bell pepper until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the flour until combined and stir about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a bowl add the creamed corn, the drained corn, cheddar cheese and eggs. Stir in the saaauted bell pepper mixture. Seqason with salt and pepper. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole dish. Bake 50-60 minutes until firm and golden. My dish in the photo was a bit larger, so it baked quicker. Enjoy!



Sweet and Buttery, Fresh Sauteed Corn

Probably everyone makes this delicious corn, but in case you don't, you really should! Summer Sweet corn never tasted so good and if you have trouble eating corn on the cob, this method is definitely for you. Sauteing corn in butter in a skillet brings out so much sweetness that you'll want to eat it all, so make plenty!
 For this dish you need a sharp knife, a baking pan and a few extra minutes to cut the corn off of the cob. And of course, you must at first remove the corn husks and silk. Then stand the corn up on the largest end in a shallow pan. I use a 9x13 inch pan for this. Holding the corn by the small end, cut the corn carefully from the cobs. Just start at the top and slice it all the way down and then turn the cob and slice again until you are through with that cob. Do remaining corn the same. Most of the corn will fall into the pan as it is cut. Now you are ready to cook it.
 You don't really need a recipe, but here is the method. I use different amounts depending on how many serving are needed.

Sauteed Fresh Corn
I used 4 large ears of corn, 1 1/2-2 tablespoons butter. Also this time I added just little of diced red onion and red bell pepper, but it is not necessary.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt butter in pan. Pour all the corn kernels in the pan and saute for about 7-8 minutes, until the starches are cooked. Turn heat down if it begins to burn. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!
If using more corn than this, you may need to cook this a bit longer and increase the butter. Enjoy-this corn is so yummy!

Skillet Tamale Pie

 If you've followed my blog for awhile, you know that I love skillet meals or other one pot meals. If I can throw everything into a skillet and have a meal, I am so very happy. And if said meal is delicious and my husband likes it, I'm ecstatic! And if this wonderful recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated, "The Best Chicken Recipes", that I found last week while shopping at TJ Max for $8.00!!!, then I'm almost ready to do cartwheels. Almost. Good food and good bargains cause me to get excited.
This recipe calls for ground chicken, and I didn't have any, nor did I have ground turkey. But I had a pound of chicken breasts in the fridge, so I figured I'd make it work. I diced the chicken into small pieces. And the recipe said you could use a cornbread mix for the topping. I did as I was lazy in a hurry. I made some minor changes. I used Monterrey Jack cheese, instead of cheddar. I used a bit less garlic, and I added about 3/4 cup of frozen corn that was hanging out in the fridge. I'm adding this to my favorites list as it's easy to prepare, tastes great and it's a perfect week night meal.This is a mild tasting meal so if you like your Mexican style meals spicier, you'll need to add some more heat. We thought it was just spicy enough for the two of us. And the fresh cilantro is really a flavor booster, so try not to leave it out (unless you hate cilantro, that is). I hope you'll give this Skillet Tamale Pie a try. I think you'll love it.

Skillet Tamale Pie
slightly adapted from "The Best Chicken Recipes" form Cook's Illustrated
The recipe calls for ground chicken, but you can substitute ground turkey or lean ground beef.
Serves 4

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed - recipe calls for 3
1 pound ground chicken- I used breasts that I sliced thin and then diced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup frozen corn -my addition
4 ounces, 1 cup, shredded Monterrey Jack cheese - recipe calls for cheddar
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
1 (6.5 ounce - 8.5 ounce) package of cornbread mix, made according to package directions - I used Betty Crocker. If you would rather use a homemade topping, I'll include the recipe below. 

1. Place your oven rack in the middle position in your oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Heat the oil in a 12 inch oven proof skillet over medium heat. Add onion, chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic; cook 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the chicken and cook until half done at least and then add black beans and tomatoes to the pan. Stir until the meat is no longer pink.. Stir in the corn.
4. Mix corn bread batter to package directions.
5. To the skillet add the cheese and cilantro and mix until cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Dollop the cornbread batter over the the filling and spread into an even layer. Bake until the cornbread is baked through, about 10-15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Cornbread Topping
3/4 cup unbleached, all purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 tea. salt
3/4 cup buttermilk3 tablespoons melted butter.
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl
In another bowl, mix the buttermilk and egg together. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the melted butter. Spoon over the top of the Tamale Pie and bake as directed above. I have not tried this cornbread topping yet, but this is the topping that was included with Cooks recipe.

Easy Slow Cooker Stew

Stew is one of my favorite meals to have during the cold months of the year. Cooking it in the slow cooker makes it super easy. Last week when my Mother-in-law passed away, we had extra people to feed, so I dug out my crock pot and got to work. Peeling the potatoes and carrots were the most time consuming. Plus, I cut up a chuck roast, instead of buying stew meat. By using a roast, I feel I'm using a better quality of beef for the stew. When making stew, there doesn't need to be a recipe. Just use the vegetables you like and  you can also use up any leftover veggies you may have in the fridge.
Here's what I did this time.

Slow Cooker Stew
1 beef chuck roast, cut into cubes- I had a 2 1/4 pound roast
potatoes, peeled and cubed
carrots, peeled and sliced- I used almost 1 pound this time
1 onion, diced
2 ribs of celery, sliced
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups frozen peas
1 can diced tomatoes
green beans and any other vegetables you want to use
1 can low sodium beef broth
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
parsley
salt and pepper to taste
water

Cut the beef roast into cubes. Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan, and then add half of the beef cubes. Add salt and pepper to the meat. Brown meat in the hot oil turning when browned on one side. While the beef browns, peel and cut up the potatoes and carrots and add them to the crock pot. Then, remove the beef and add to the crock pot. Add another tablespoon of oil to the dutch oven and add the rest of the beef. When it is brown on the side, stir and add the chopped onion and garlic, if using. Turn the heat down if necessary to keep the pan from burning.
Add the beef broth to the browning meat and stir up all the brown bits that are in the pan. There will be a ton of flavor in those brown bits from the meat. Don't skip browning the meat for the stew as browning gives it so much flavor. Add all the meat and broth to the slow cooker, the tomatoes, then the rest of the vegetables you are going to use. Fill the cooker with water to cover the stew. Add the bay leaves and salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours, or until the meat is tender.
Sometimes I thicken the stew a bit by adding 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to about 1/4 cup water. Mix well and add to the stew, stirring carefully. Cover the stew and cook another 30 minutes. When done, you have a delicious hot stew to warm you up. Enjoy!
This coming week I'll be posting some Thanksgiving recipes, so be sure to stop back by!

Hamburger Stew

Do you have a dish in your family that you've made so often that you could do it blindfolded? I could this one. My Grandmother used to make this Hamburger Stew and likewise my Mother, and I've made it for years too. My husband loves to take this delicious stew to work with him as it's quite filling. It's a perfect soup for using up whatever leftover vegetables you may have in the refrigerator or odds and ends of fresh vegetables hiding in the crisper. Use as many vegetables as you want. I have no written recipe for this; we just throw in whatever is on hand. So, this is a recipe of how I made it this time. I made this huge batch today and enjoyed it immensely on this windy, cold day. We're expecting snow flurries tonight or tomorrow, so this soup will be warm and comforting. Served with homemade rolls or cornbread, it is the perfect comfort meal! Let me tell you how I made it.

HAMBURGER STEW- from Lynda's Recipe Box

Ingredients vary according to what you want to use, or what is on hand.

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 stalks celery, diced - I include the leaves

2 cans of diced tomatoes (15 ounces), or whole tomatoes, broken up

2 cans of beef broth (low sodium)

1/2 pound carrots, or more, peeled and diced

1 1/2 cups green beans, fresh, frozen or canned

about 1 1/2 cups frozen corn (or fresh or canned)

about1 1/2 cups frozen peas

1 small, diced zucchini, if desired

about 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage

5 or 6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced

salt (I used 2 tsp., but I cook low salt so you may need more than this)

pepper, about 1/4 tsp.

water; add enough to cover ingredients in final cooking

In a soup pot over medium high heat, brown the ground beef until done. Drain off any grease. Add onion and cook until slightly softened. Add the celery, tomatoes, carrots and beef broth. Season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. If more liquid is needed to cover everything, add a little water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for about 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; the corn, peas, zucchini, if using, cabbage and potatoes. Add enough water to the pot to just cover the vegetables. Cover and cook another 40 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. I think the longer you cook it, the better the taste. The cabbage adds a lot of depth of flavor too, and this stew gets better every day! I sometimes add okra too, but I don't always have it. My mother would also add a few turnips to the pot, but my husband doesn't like them, so no turnips for us! Thyme is a great herb flavor for this soup, and sometimes oregano is my fave. It just depends what ingredients I use.

I've had people tell me their families also made this type of dish. Some have called it "Everything but the Kitchen Sink Soup". Do you or someone you know make stew similar to this? If so, what is it called? I'd love to know.

Corn and Potato Chowder with Butternut Squash and Ham

We had some unseasonably cool weather early this week , so my cravings turned to thoughts of soup. Looking through my fridge, I found that I had the makings for a really good chowder. I looked through numerous recipes, all a little different, and decided on a recipe of my own making so that I could use the ingredients I had on hand. This chowder turned out to be delicious! We loved how the smokey flavor of the ham contrasted with the sweetness of the butternut squash and corn. I used unpeeled red skinned potatoes, but you could use whatever variety you like. A pinch of cayenne pepper added a subtle "kick" of flavor to this amazing soup. I made a small batch, but now wish it had been larger as my husband and I both loved it. This chowder is very satisfying and easy to make. Let me show you how.

CORN and POTATO CHOWDER with BUTTERNUT SQUASH and HAM

1 cup diced onion

1 tablespoon butter

2 cups of fresh or frozen corn (thawed)

1 cup diced ham

2 cups diced potatoes (I used red skinned)

2 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

1 T. corn starch or 2 T. flour

2 cans low fat, low sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup half and half

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne pepper

Prepare all the vegetables before starting the chowder. Heat the butter in a soup pot. When butter is melted, add the onion to the pan and cook until soft. Add the corn and ham and stir and let corn roast a minute. Mix the chicken broth and the cornstarch and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; stir in the diced potatoes,red pepper and squash. Cover pan with a lid and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes and squash are tender. Pour in the half and half and heat through, but do not boil. Remove chowder from the heat. Adjust the seasonings. I only needed about 1/2 teaspoon of salt because the ham was salty. A couple a shakes of the pepper shaker was enough because I added a pinch of cayenne pepper. Ladle into bowls and enjoy! Makes about 7 cups of delicious chowder! The squash and the red pepper give this chowder a rich color and great flavor. Next time I will add a little more corn, but that's the only change I'll make. I'll be making this tasty chowder again and again!

Chicken Quesadillas with Corn and Summer Squash (another recipe for the prolific Zucchini!)

Do you still have zucchini overflowing your kitchen and garden? Or, does it just jump into your hands at the farmers market, like it did to me this week? I've had a deep love for summer squash since I was a kid and I just can't get enough of it. Of course, growing up we ate it fried (which is divine), or in Zucchini Bread (which is heavenly), but I've been trying to come up with more options, such as the Stuffed Zucchini, that I made earlier this week. Last night I decided to make quesadillas, since dinner was just going to be for Son Number 2, and myself. My fridge is overflowing right now with veggies, so I decided to add them to the quesadillas, which turned out to be a great idea as they were so full of flavor! Quesadillas are easy to make. Just lay a tortilla on a hot pan or griddle and top with cheese and the chicken and the veggies.

Let cook until the cheese is all melty and gooey like, and then top with more cheese and another tortilla. Hold your hand against the top tortilla and gently flip the whole quesadilla over with a large spatula, to brown on the other side. Carefully now, stuff can fall out!

As soon as it's done, take a pizza cutter and cut into fourths and then repeat with the rest of the ingredients. The sauteed vegetables really made these quesadillas! I made 5 total, so my husband and I had leftovers for lunch today and they were still good warmed up. We loved the addition of the squash and corn, so this will be a regular at our house now! I'll tell you how I made them.

CHICKEN QUESADILLAS with CORN and SUMMER SQUASH

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut in strips

juice 1/2 of a lime and 1 T. olive oil, mixed together

1 ear of corn, kernels cut off

1/2 of a small zucchini, seeded and diced

1/2 of a yellow squash, seeded and diced

about 1/2 cup red onion, large dice

diced bell pepper, if desired

about 12 ounces freshly grated Monterrey Jack Cheese

1 package flour tortillas, I used the Fajita size (small)

Lay the chicken strips in a glass pan and mix the juice of the lime with 1 T. olive oil and sprinkle over the chicken. In a medium hot skillet, add 1 T. oil and the corn kernels, the diced zucchini and yellow squash, onion and bell pepper, if using. Season with salt, ground cumin, pepper and a little chili powder, if desired. Saute for 2-3 minutes, just to soften, but leave them crisp tender. Remove veggies to a paper towel lined plate. In the same skillet, add the cut up chicken and season with the same spices used on the veggies. Sorry that I didn't measure, I just always eyeball it. When chicken is white around the edges, turn over and cook until done. It only takes a couple minutes total for the chicken if you slice it fairly thin.

Heat another skillet or griddle to medium high heat. If desired, spray one side of a tortilla with Pam and lay it on the griddle. Sprinkle with cheese. Add a few slices of chicken and some veggies. When cheese melts, add more cheese on top, then another tortilla, and carefully turn it over to brown on the other side. Cut in fourths to eat. Enjoy!

There are short cuts for these quesadillas of course. You can use leftover chicken, either baked or grilled. The same goes for the veggies. Use those leftover grilled vegetables! In fact, the veggies were so good in this, that you could leave out the chicken and they'd still taste great!

Have a great week end!

Build Your Own Taco Salad

I've made Taco Salad for years and it has gradually evolved into a build your own salad. I used to mix the whole thing into a large bowl, but when you have a couple of extra picky kids, I couldn't always make it the way I liked if I wanted them to eat! I'm sure some of you have been there! Our daughter, the youngest will eat most things, but her older brothers were so picky growing up. One of them still is! So, the "build your own" idea works well for us. I cook the meat and add seasonings, and chop all veggies and put in separate bowls. My husband and I like ours pretty much the same, except, he won't eat avocado or black olives, so you see my dilemma. I buy the avocado just for ME! I have to eat the whole thing, hehe! Here's how I make Taco Salad;Build Your Own Taco Salad
1 pound lean ground beef- chuck or sirloin
1/2 finely diced onion, optional
Brown the beef and onion in a skillet until done. And I do brown the meat and don't turn it until it has a brown color; I don't like grey meat that isn't allowed to brown! Drain all fat from the skillet. At this point I add spices, or if you prefer, you can use a ready made taco seasoning.
I use 2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp.garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder, (only if I don't use the fresh onion)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
Stir these into the drained meat and taste the meat to see if it needs more seasoning. Tasting your food as you prepare it is important! And like I said, use a prepared taco seasoning if you wish-I won't judge! :)
As for the rest of the salad, the amounts depend on the size of your family. Here's what I use.
1 head of iceberg lettuce, or a combination of iceberg and romaine, finely chopped
1/2 a red onion or a bunch green onions, finely diced
3 or 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, diced
black beans, drained and rinsed
fresh or frozen corn, thawed
sour cream
salsa, purchased or homemade
cilantro, if desired
shredded cheese
tortilla chips, I try to buy low salt chips
We start with the chips on the plate first, next the meat, lettuce and tomato, and then whatever ingredients you desire, ending with cheese, sour cream and salsa! Enjoy!
What do you like on your taco salad?

Chicken, Black Bean and Corn Burritos, and a Baby!

I bet I got your attention! No, it's not me who is having a baby, it's my lovely daughter-in-law and we are counting down the days! I realized that I haven't mentioned this wonderful fact yet on my blog, but time is running out and I'm getting soooo excited that I just can't contain myself!This is our first grandchild and I am getting nervous and excited and a little crazy with the idea that she only has 18 days till her due date! Time is fast slipping by and I need to cook and get some make ahead meals in the freezer for them, so I've been racking by brain and scanning all of your wonderful blogs for either freezer friendly food, or things that will be quick for her to make. My DIL will have to go back to work, but she will have about 10 weeks off, so that will be a great help. If you have any advice or freezer friendly food ideas, please let me know in the comments. PLEASE! Whew, I got that out of the way, but seriously, it's getting hard for me to concentrate. But, I do have a recipe for you, a very easy and delicious recipe! It is great for lunch or an easy dinner! These Chicken, Black Bean and Corn Burritos are very versatile, so that you can change around the ingredients according to what you have on hand, or your personal likes.

First, you will saute onion, poblano chili, fresh corn and garlic in a little oil until soft; then add in some diced chicken to brown, or you may use some leftover cooked chicken. When veggies are soft and chicken is done, add some chili powder and cumin to skillet along with a can of drained

black beans. Stir ingredients around until beans are heated through and spices are fragrant. It smells so good! Add some salt and pepper, and you can either add 1/2 cup of salsa to the skillet, or let everyone add their own salsa at the table. On a large 9-10 inch burrito size tortilla, (that have been softened in oven or microwave), place about 1/4 of this mixture. Top this with cheese, sour cream (yes!), salsa, and cilantro. Fold in sides of tortilla over filling and then roll up, enclosing the filling. Oh, are these ever good! Cut in half, if desired; this is enough for 4 large burritos!

CHICKEN, BLACK BEAN and CORN BURRITOS

1 tbs. olive oil

1/2 a large onion, diced

1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 large, boneless, skinless chicken breast half, diced( or you may use leftover cooked chicken)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 ear of corn with the kernels cut off, about 1 cup,( or use 1 c. of frozen corn)

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

4 burrito sized flour tortillas (large)

1/2 cup, or more of salsa

sour cream

shredded cheese

chopped cilantro, if desired

shredded lettuce, if desired

In a large skillet in 1 tbs. oil, saute the onion, corn and poblano pepper for 4-5 minutes until it begins to soften, then add the garlic and uncooked chicken and saute til chicken is done. If using precooked chicken, just add it with the drained black beans, chili powder, cumin and heat through. At this point, you may add the salsa to the skillet, if desired, or you may serve the salsa on the side. I've done it both ways and either way works great. Adding the salsa to the skillet just makes the filling more moist. But if you have someone that doesn't like salsa, you may leave it for the table. Warm the tortillas in the oven or microwave. On a burrito, place about 1/4 of the mixture in the center. Add toppings of choice, such as shredded cheese, sour cream, more salsa, cilantro, etc. Fold in each side of tortilla over the filling. Then roll up to enclose all the filling. Cut in half, if desired. These are so flavorful, but not too spicy. If you prefer more heat, use hot peppers in the filling or a hot salsa. These burritos are delicious served with chips and my Guacamole dip, or my Tex-Mex Rice! Enjoy!

I so enjoy your comments! I appreciate all of you who read my blog regularly and all of you just stopping by every so often. Hope you're having a great week!

Corn, Black Bean and Tomato Salsa

New photo added 5-26-2012. A few years ago a friend brought a version of this salsa to a picnic we both attended and it was an instant hit, with absolutely none left over. I've changed it a little, of course, and for one thing I added the tomatoes. When you can get in season fresh tomatoes this salsa can't be topped! It is so fresh and vibrant and popping with flavor and color! I can't wait for the tomatoes in my garden to grow so I can make lots of this tangy salsa. I do use canned black beans, drained and rinsed really well, but you could certainly cook your own if desired. Fresh corn is the best also, but canned does work and so does left over grilled corn. In fact, the grilled or roasted corn is really yummy in this dish. Top it off with fresh peppers and onions and some lime juice and you've got an instant hit at any gathering. Let's make some now.

CORN, BLACK BEAN and TOMATO SALSA

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained well, or about 2 cups of home cooked beans

1 1/2 cups fresh, frozen, grilled, or canned corn(drained)
4-5 Roma tomatoes, diced small
1 bunch green onions (scallions) sliced, or some diced red onion, or vidallia onion

1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced, or other pepper of choice

1/2 bell pepper, if desired, diced

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 diced avocado, diced, optional

1 small can sliced, black olives, optional

about 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1Tbs. canola or olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup diced cilantro, if desired

Dice up vegetables and combine in a large bowl. Add minced garlic, lime juice and oil and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving. You can make this salsa as hot or mild as you like. Serve with lots of tortilla chips! I normally don't add the avocado because my husband doesn't really like it, but he's not home now, so I'll eat it before he gets here! hehe

Actually, the avocado doesn't keep well if you have any left over the next day, but you can always pick it out. This is a taste of summer on a chip, but I couldn't wait for summer to get here to make it and share it with you. Enjoy! What's your favorite summer salsa?

Revisiting Chicken and Corn Soup with Rivels

I've been very absent from blogging for a few days, as I've been ill and just not up to cooking.

Thankfully, I had a few meals in the freezer for my family. I haven't been too hungry, but I did make this Chicken and Corn Soup with Rivels this week. It is my favorite chicken soup and it was one of my first posts when I started this blog. However, this picture is much better than the one on my other post! I am learning a few things here! If you are snowed in and some chicken soup sounds really good, just drop what you're doing and go make this soup. You'll be glad you did! Meanwhile, I'm ready to start cooking again. I'm starting to get an appetite after reading all of your wonderful blogs this past week!

Chili Tortilla Bake

One summer day last year, I was strolling down the aisle at my local grocery store, when I spied a little display rack near the spice section holding recipes. I can't pass up recipes, so without looking too closely at them I put them in my purse and continued my shopping( they were free, by the way). When I arrived home, I looked more closely at these recipes and decided that Chili Tortilla Bake sounded good and also it would be really easy. So when the weather turned cool, I tried this casserole dish. If you like Tex-Mex style food, you'll like this dish as it has the right amount of spiciness and cheese and it is easy to to adapt to your own tastes. I have made many casseroles for my family and this is one of the easiest. You simply brown the ground beef and add the other ingredients and then layer it with cheese and tortillas, sort of like a lasagna. The recipe is put out by McCormick and this is my slightly adapted version.

Chili Tortilla Bake
1 pound ground chuck
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cans(8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup fresh or frozen corn (or canned)
1/4 cup water
1 can (4 1/2 oz.) chopped green chilies, undrained
2 T. chili powder
1 tea. ground cumin
1 large clove garlic, minced (or 1 tea. garlic powder)
1/2 tea. oregano
6 (8 in. flour tortillas)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet brown beef and onion over medium high heat: drain. Add tomato sauce, beans, corn and green chilies. Stir in water and seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 min. In a 9x13 baking dish, coated with cooking spray, place 3 tortillas to cover bottom. Layer with half of chili mixture and half of cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, chili and cheese. Bake 25-30 min. I used more cheese on top than the recipe called for. Also, don't over bake as the cheese gets too rubbery. Garnish with green onions, black olives or cilantro. Do you make casseroles for your family?

Chicken and Corn Soup with Rivels

Sometimes the most delicious foods are the simple, comforting foods that have been around awhile and stood the test of time. They cannot be replaced; they would be missed too much! I found the recipe for "Chicken and Corn Soup", in a magazine (I don't remember which one),way back in the early 1980's, but it has been around much longer than that. "Chicken and Corn Soup with Rivels" has Pennsylvania Dutch roots. Pennsylvania Dutch cooking originated with German immigrants who settled in parts of Pennsylvania prior to the 1800's. From them also came the Amish and other groups who have greatly influenced American cooking with many of the tasty recipes we have enjoyed for so many years! While reading this information in Wikipedia, I discovered that many of the dishes I grew up eating were listed here!Well duh! my great grandparents came from Germany!

Well, back to the soup. Rivels are tiny dumplings that are dropped into the broth toward the end of cooking. This is a very hearty,tasty, and budget friendly soup that is easy to prepare.

Chicken and Corn Soup with Rivels

1 chicken, about 3 1/2 lb.

8 cups of water

1 med. onion, diced

2 large ribs of celery, diced

about 2 cups of frozen corn (or you can use canned)

2 teaspoons of salt, or more, depending on taste

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 or 3 drops hot pepper sauce ( Tabasco style) optional

2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin (optional)

Rivels

1 cup of flour

1 egg

1 tablespoon of milk

Rinse chicken well with cold water and add to a soup pot with the 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil, add the salt, reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Simmer the chicken for about 1 1/2 hours till tender. Remove the chicken to a platter to cool. To the broth add the onion, celery, corn, pepper and hot sauce if using. Make the Rivels while the veggies simmer about 10 min. Into a small bowl add the flour,a pinch of salt,the egg and the milk. Stir with a fork to make a crumbly dough.

After the veggies have cooked, take some of the dough into your hand and drop the pieces into the soup, breaking up any large clumps. Don't add the rivels all at once, or you may have 1 large clump of dough in the soup! Simmer the soup 5 more min. Debone the chicken and either cut or tear the meat into pieces and add to the pot when when the rivels are done. Adjust the seasonings to taste. I tend to use less salt, so you may need to add more after tasting! Also, this soup really can thicken up, so you may need to add a little water or broth at the finish. Chicken and Corn Soup is great served with cornbread or biscuts, or even a salad. It's great to have a nice pot of soup that will last a couple of meals, so we can finish wrapping those Christmas gifts or baking some more cookies! Have a great day!

And please be patient with my photography; I am practicing, so it's got to get better!