Cream Chicken Enchilada Pot Pies

For some reason I've been on a Mexican-like food kick here lately.  I found this recipe in one of those small cookbooks you find in the grocery store checkout.  I was hesitant to make this because I despise pot pies.  After looking at the ingredients, I figured it would be ok to try.  They are delicious and I will definitely make again.

Creamy Chicken Enchilada Pot Pies

Creamy Chicken Enchilada Pot Pies
from Pillsbury Casseroles & One-Dish Meals (Oct. 2002)

Ingredients -

1 (12oz) can Pillsbury Hungry Jack Golden Layer Refrigerated Biscuits or just do what I did and use something comparable that you can actually find
2 2/3 oz (2/3 c) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2/3 c crisp rice cereal **aka Rice Krispies!
1 T vegetable oil
1/2 lb chicken breast strips for stir-frying
1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (4.5oz) can Old El Paso Chopped Green Chiles
1 (10oz) can Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce
2 T chopped fresh cilantro

Directions -

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Separate dough into 10 biscuits.  Press each biscuit to form 4 1/2-inch round.  Place 1 biscuit round in ungreased muffin cup; firmly press in bottom and up sides, forming 1/4-inch rim.  Repeat with remaining biscuits.
2. Spoon about 1 T each of cheese and cereal into each biscuit-lined cup; press mixture in bottom.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot.  Add chicken; cook and stir to medium.  Add cream cheese, chiles, 1/2 c of the enchilada sauce and cilantro; cook and stir until blended and cream cheese is melted.  Spoon about 1/3 c chicken mixture into each cup.  Cups will be full
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 21 to 26 minutes or until edges of biscuits are deep golden brown.  Heat remaining enchilada sauce.  Spoon warm sauce over pies.

Yields - 10 pot pies
Serves - 5 (2 pot pies per serving)
Calories per serving - 540

     Ok, so here's the deal.  I realized as I typing this I totally made my pot pies wrong last night.  I failed to read the part that said "separate dough into 10 biscuits".  No wonder mine turned out to be giant sized!  lol  Oh, well, they still tasted great! 
     So, for additional calories - melt some shredded cheese on top and give it a dollop of sour cream.  Mmm...so glad I have leftovers!
     FYI - you can always use different meat.  I actually used pork meat that I had frozen a while back.  It worked great. 


Topped with enchilada sauce.
I also added the shredded cheese....after the pic was taken.

Rachel's plate complete with veggies.
If you look really hard you can see them.

All mine.

I should rename them to
"Creamy Chicken Enchilada Cupcakes"

Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup

I've had this recipe for some time - maybe something like a year.  I just never made it until last night.  Don't you know....I do regret waiting for-ever to make it.  It tastes just like the restaurant version.....and I usually order a cup of this soup when we go to Chili's.  It's easy and tastes great.  Rachel loved it and she's usually just a tomato soup girl!

Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup
printed from internet search -
I don't know the site

Ingredients -

1 T vegetable oil
3 c cooked shredded chicken (I baked a small chicken and shredded the entire thing)
1/2 c diced onion
1 clove garlic; pressed, grated, or very finely diced
4 c chicken broth
1 c masa harina (flour found in baking section) *all purpose flour may be substituted
3 c water
1 c enchilada sauce
16 oz Velveeta
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin

Directions -

1. Add oil to  a large pot over medium heat.  Add onions and cook until almost translucent, then add garlic and cook for a couple minutes.
2. Add chicken broth
3. Combine masa harina with 2 (of the 3) cups of water in a medium bowl and whisk until blended. *Do this with all purpose flour if that's what you're using. 
4. Add masa harina mixture to the pot with garlic, onions, and broth.
5. Add remaining water, enchilada sauce, cheese, and spices to the pot and bring mixture to a boil.
6. Add chicken to the pot.  Reduce heat and simmer soup for 30-40 minutes or until thick. 
7. Serve soup in cups or bowls, and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled corn tortilla chips and pico de gallo.

Pico de gallo -
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 c diced Spanish onion
2 tsp chopped fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and de-ribbed
2 tsp finely minced fresh cilantro
pinch of salt

Serving size - 1 cup
Makes roughly 13 servings
Calories per serving - 212
Calories per pot - 2754 calories

This is so easy to add calories when served.  As mentioned in #7, you can add shredded cheddar or tortilla chips.  When I make a bowl for myself, I like to add a dollop of sour cream, the shredded cheddar, and use the tortilla chips as crackers.  Corn chips are also really good. 

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

I made this the other night for Rach and Russ.  I was browsing through my crap load many cookbooks looking to try some new recipes. I noticed that I had all the ingredients for this and it looked quick'n easy.  Boy was it ever quick and easy; not to mention tasty.  You didn't think I would pass up giving a taste test did you?

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
In all the excitement, I failed to get a "pretty" pic

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
from Pillsbury Casseroles & One-Dish Meals (Oct. 2002)

Ingredients -

Cake:
1 1/4 c all purpose flour
3/4 c sugar
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c milk
2 T butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla

Pudding Mixture:
1 c sugar
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa
Dash salt
1 1/3 c boiling water

Directions -

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In medium  bowl (for cake part), combine flour, 3/4 c sugar, 1/4 c cocoa, baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt; mix well.  Add milk, butter, and vanilla; stir until well blended.   Spread batter in ungreased 8-inch square or 9-inch round cake pan. 
2. In small bowl (for pudding part), combine 1 c sugar, 1/4 c cocoa, and dash salt; mix well.  Sprinkle evenly over cake batter.  Pour boiling water over sugar/pudding mixture. 
3. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until center is set and firm to the touch.  Serve warm.  If desired, serve with ice cream.  Store in the refrigerator. 

Servings - 8
Calories per serving - 300

Rachel's bowl

Pasta Bolognese

This recipe is so creamy and full of garlic.  I've never made anything like this before.  To be quite honest, I've never made any pasta sauce from scratch.  I was very easy and the whole family liked it. 

Pasta Bolognese
adapted from CF Chef

Ingredients -

2 lbs ground meat (pork, beef, veal or a mixture of)
4 T olive oil
1/2 c chopped onion
4 cloves minced garlic
6 oz cream cheese
1 c milk or half & half
2 c shredded Parmesan cheese ( plus more for topping)
3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 pound pasta
butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions -

1. In a large non-stick skillet or soup pot, cook meat.
2. Drain fat and return to pot.
3. Add olive oil and onions and saute until onions are translucent.
4. Add garlic and saute for about 4 minutes.
5. Add chunks of cream cheese to melt in and then add milk, Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, salt and pepper.
6. In the meantime, cook pasta according to package directions. 
7. Drain and return pasta to pot.  Toss with butter. 
8. Plate each dish with pasta and top with Bolognese sauce. 

About 4 servings.
Calories per serving - 602 - just sauce (add about 300 cals for pasta with butter; cals vary with pasta type, but they all see to be pretty close)

Geez, I should have calculated the calories BEFORE I fixed my plate.....ooops for me, but awesome for Rachel! 

Yum.  Pasta Bolognese with grilled squash. 
I hope you'll make it...at least for the CFer in your life.