King Ranch Casserole

When I was a kid, I would begin to ask my Dad a question and he would answer no. All I would have to say was Dad and he would say no. So, I learned early to ask him when he was asleep. Dad can I have some money? Yes. Dad can I take the car? Yes. Later, he would tell me not to ask him when he was asleep but it worked. Well, I didn't teach this technique to my children but they decided to try it. While my husband was asleep, my youngest daughter asked him if she could have something. In his sleep, he said, "Does Big Foot exist?" She didn't know how to respond to this question. She decided to come and ask me especially since I was awake. She did confess that he normally does say yes. I guess somethings are passed down through the generations like this recipe.

King Ranch Casserole
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
8 oz. button mushrooms, chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayene pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 can of fire roasted green chilies
1 (10 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes
 3 cups cooked chicken
1 cup Monterey Jack with jalapeno cheese, shredded
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
18 corn tortillas

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and garlic. Saute for 7 minutes.
3. Stir in the chili powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until the flour is mixed into the vegetables.
5. Whisk in 1 cup of chicken stock until smooth. 
6. Add another cup of chicken stock and whisk until smooth before whisking in one more cup of chicken stock.
7. Whisk in the heavy cream.
8. Stir in the can of green chiles and Rotel. Allow the sauce to thicken.
9. Mix in the cooked chicken and half the cheese.
10. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
11. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
12. In a medium bowl, add the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken stock and soak the tortillas in the stock.
13. Line the bottom of the baking dish with six tortillas overlapping. 
14. Cover the tortillas with the chicken mixture. 
15. Sprinkle a little cheese over the chicken mixture.
16. Cover the cheese and chicken mixture with 6 more tortillas.
17. Layer the rest of the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas followed by a little cheese.
18. Top the cheese and chicken mixture with the remaining tortillas.
19. Top the tortillas with the remaining cheese.
20. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The hot casserole should be light browned on top.
21. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen cookbook by Rebecca Rather. 

One year ago..........................I made Chicken Sandwich.

Did you already know............
-The King Ranch was established in 1853 by Captain Richard King and Gideon Lewis.
 -King Ranch is located in South Texas.
-The ranch is one of the largest ranches in the world.