Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

When I was in high school, we were suppose to wake someone up for psychology class. Then we were suppose to ask them what they were dreaming about. So, I woke up my sister and she told me that she was dreaming about The Young Riders. Sometimes it is better not to ask any more questions. Well, I noticed my son was dreaming the other day and tried to wake him up. It isn't an easy thing to do. Eventually, he answered my question about what he was dreaming about. His reply, "I was dreaming about sleeping." It is one of his favorite things to do besides eating. Well, this recipe is one of his favorite meals. He has asked for me to make it a couple of times.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
1Tbsp vegetable oil
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped fine 
1 (10 oz.) can Rotel original, drained
1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, cut up and softened
2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped
8 flour tortillas
2 cups Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup chives

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray with cooking spray a 9x13 baking dish.
3. In the skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the jalapeno pepper and saute for 1 minute.
5. Add the drained Rotel tomatoes and green chilies to the pan. Saute for 1 minute.
6. To the skillet, add the cream cheese and the cooked chicken. Cook until the cream cheese melts.
7. Add 1/2 cup of the Pepper Jack cheese and turn off the heat.
8. In the middle of each tortilla, spoon about 3 Tbsp of the chicken mixture.
9. Roll up the tortilla and place it seam side down into the baking dish.
10. Sprinkle the remaining Pepper Jack cheese over the top of the tortillas.
11. Bake for about 20 minutes and the cheese has melted.
12. Top with chives and salsa.

Recipe adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

One year ago........................I made Mahogany Cake.

Did you already know..........
-The Young Riders was a television show that aired between 1989 to 1992.
-The Young Riders were about a group of Western Pony Express riders.
-Some noted actors who starred in the show was Stephen Baldwin and Josh Brolin.

Peanut Butter Cup PB Cookies

The other night I made sloppy joes for supper. For the sides, I had green beans and cut up fresh pineapple. All the children loved the pineapple except for my youngest niece. She didn't even want to try it. My sister tried but she refused. So, I told her if she tried it then I would make her some peanut butter cookies. My sister suggested I should add peanut butter cups into the cookies. With this type of enticement, my niece did try the pineapple. She says she doesn't like it but she tired it. However, she did like these cookies. All the children liked these cookies. 

PB Cup PB Cookies
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed firmly
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup miniture peanut butter cups, chopped
1 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
1 Tbsp heavy cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 
3. In a large bowl, combine the butter with the peanut butter.
4. Add the sugar and brown sugar to the peanut butter mixture. Mix well.
5. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
6. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined.
7. Fold in the peanut butter cups.
8. Scoop about 2 inch balls of dough and place onto the parchment paper. Space the dough about 3 inches apart. (I used an ice cream scooper.)
9. Lightly flatten each ball of dough.
10. Bake the cookies for about 13 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
11. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
12. Optional: melt the chocolate chips in a double broiler or microwave. Stir in the heavy cream then drizzle over the cooled cookies. 

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago........................I made Feta Topped Chicken.

Did you already know..........
-Pineapples originated from South America.
-The majority of pineapples are grown in Asia.
-Pineapple contain an enzyme bromelain which is used as a herbal remedy for arthritis.

Star Cake

When I was a kid, my Dad would make this wonderful sitting bear cake. He would use the star tip for the frosting. We all thought it would be great. I have used the star tip occasionally but not on the whole cake. I thought the star tip would be appropriate to use for this cake. My daughter Allie helped me decorate it. We took turns. I would pipe the white and she would pipe the blue. 

Red, White, and Blue Star Cake
One cooked rectangle cake
Red, white, and blue frosting

Directions:

1. Lightly trace a star design onto the top of the cake. (Either free hand, use a template, or a ruler.)
2. Once the desired pattern is traced on the top of the cake, cut the pattern out. Be carefully but if you make a mistake use frosting to fill in the error.
3. Lightly cover the cake with a base coat of white frosting.
4. Pipe the sides with the white frosting using the star tip.
5. Border the side of the cake with the white frosting.
6. Pipe the blue frosting onto the cake on each triangle of the cake.
7. In the middle of the cake, alternate between the red and white frosting.
8. Pipe 3 white stars in the middle of each triangle.

Cake created by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago.................................I made Mahogany Cake.

Did you already know...................
-Memorial Day once was known as Decoration Day.
-Memorial Day is honor those who have died serving our nation.
-In 1967, President Johnson legally named Memorial Day a national holiday.

Please have a safe Memorial Day!

Banana Muffins

Since I have company staying with us, I have been buying more fruit. Well, I guess lately bananas are not our first pick. What to do with lots of ripe bananas? Well, my sister requested banana bread. I figured banana muffins would be easier for the kids since they could eat them for breakfast, snack, or dessert. Yes, they wanted to eat them again right after supper. I guess when colorful muffin wrappers are used helps.

Banana Muffins
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
5 ripe bananas, mashed
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin liners.
3. Cream the brown sugar with the butter until fluffy.
4. Add the mashed bananas and mix well.
5. Add the egg and combine well.
6. Add the flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined.
7. Fold in the sour cream with the vanilla extract until combined.
8. Evenly, divide the batter into the muffin liners about 3/4 full.
9. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.

One year ago.....................I made pickles.

Did you already know.......
-A bunch of bananas are called a hand.
-Phloem Bundles are the strings on the peeled fruit.
-The strings carry nutrients to the fruit.

Dulce de leche Flan

     I really like to try new recipes. It gets my family to try new recipes and expand their palate. Also, it is cheaper to try a lot of foods at home then out to eat. Plus, what if we order something new and then don't like it? My husband will not share his plate. My oldest daughter will reluctantly share her food. It depends on my oldest son's mood if he will share. 

     Last year, I made dulce de leche for the first time and my youngest daughter loves it. So, I decided to make flan with dulce de leche. This custard is really good. I made them individual size so we each could have our own.

Dulce de leche Flan
1 1/2 cup dulce de leche
3 eggs
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups (12 oz.) milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.
2. Coat the bottom and the sides of 5 small ramekins (about 5.5 oz) with 1 cup of dulce de lech.  
3. Place the ramekins into a large glass baking dish. 
4. In a large bowl, whisked the eggs.
5. Add the condensed milk, milk, and vanilla extract to the whisked eggs until smooth.
6. Pour the egg mixture evenly into the ramekins.
7. Carefully pour the boiling water into the glass dish to make a water bath. Make sure no water splashes into the egg mixture.
8. Bake the flan for about 45 minutes. The flan should be set.
9. Remove the individual ramekins from the water bath and allow to cool completely.
10. Run a knife around the edges of each ramekins and invest the flan onto individual dishes (or to save dishes serve in the ramekins).
11. Drizzle additional dulce de leche over the flan before serving.

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com.

One year ago..................I made Olive Garden Salad.

Did you already know....
-A savory flan was served by Ancient Romans.
-One Ancient Romans savory flan was eel flan.
-Early recipes of a sweet flan was made with honey instead of sugar.