Mel's Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

Filling:

• 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
• 2 cans (4-ounces each) green chiles, lightly drained (see note)
• 8-ounce package cream cheese, light or regular, softened and cubed
• 1 can (15-ounces) white or black beans, rinsed and drained (you can really use any type of bean you prefer here or leave them out)
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup chopped onion, about 1/2 medium onion
• 2 tablespoons flour
• ⅓ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup green chile enchilada sauce or salsa verde (see note for homemade version)
• ½ cup sour cream, light or regular
• 8 ounces (about 2 cups) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 10 soft taco size flour or corn tortillas
• Handful of chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
• 
  

  Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and green chiles. Mix well. Add the chicken, beans, cilantro and lime juice. Mix to combine. Set aside.
  • For the sauce: in a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. As you whisk and the mixture cooks, the flour will get less lumpy around the onions and the mixture will become smooth.
  • Cook over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the enchilada sauce and sour cream.
  • Spread 1/4 cup of the sauce in a thin layer on the bottom of the prepared dish.
  • Fill each tortilla with about 1/2 cup of the chicken/cream cheese filling. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, a couple tablespoonfuls for each enchilada. Save at least 1/2 cup cheese for the top of the enchiladas.
  • Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling enchiladas until the dish is full (I get about 10-12 enchiladas for this recipe; the exact number will depend on the size of tortillas).
  • Pour the white sauce over the top of the enchiladas and spread evenly. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbling, hot and lightly browned. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top and serve.

French Toast Casserole

Ingredients

(I halve this for 2 people, still have leftovers)

• ½ a loaf of French bread (about 8 oz) cut into cubes
• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 6 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon divided
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar for topping
• powdered sugar for topping optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 13x9 inch baking pan and set aside.
• In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Once butter has melted, stir in brown sugar until dissolved and mixture is smooth. Pour mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and spread evenly.
• Add bread cubes to the pan, spreading over the top of the brown sugar/butter mixture.
• In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Pour egg mixture over the top of bread cubes, insuring that all pieces of bread are saturated. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until top is golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy!

Easy Chocolate Pudding

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups half-and-half
1 tsp vanilla

Whisk dry ingredients in a saucepan, then whisk in the half-and-half. 

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it simmers and thickens.

 Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, pour into bowls, and chill for at least 2 hours.

Mel's Smashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2 ½ to 3 pounds small potatoes (any variety)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons melted salted butter
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 to 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or a Monterey Jack/Cheddar blend
• 8 slices pre-cooked bacon, chopped (see note to use uncooked bacon)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions or chives
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Lightly grease a half sheet pan (large, rimmed baking sheet) and scatter potatoes in an even layer across the pan. There should be plenty of room in between the potatoes. If the sheet pan is too crowded, there won't be room to smash them after they have baked.
• Cover with foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife or fork.
• Use a potato masher to smash the potatoes. Depending on how you want them, you can really lean into it and smash them thin, or you can lightly smash so they potatoes stay thicker.
• Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir together the melted butter and garlic powder. Drizzle over the top of the potatoes.
• Sprinkle evenly with cheese and bacon. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the bacon is sizzling.
• Top with chopped chives or green onions and serve immediately.