Chicken and Spinach Enchilada Casserole

(Feeds two - but is easy to double - we did last week!)

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breasts
1/2 Pound of Fresh Spinach
1 Onion (we omitted last week)
2 Tbsp Butter
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 cup of Green Chilis (canned, near the salsa at the grocery store)
12 oz Shredded Mexican Mix Cheese
3-4 Large Tortillas
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 Red Pepper
3 Cloves Garlic

Toppings:
Diced Tomatoes
Sliced Avocado
Chopped Scallions
Black Olives
Cilantro
(note, each of these are different preps - how fun!)

Directions:
Poach chicken for 20 minutes
Cool chicken and cut into pieces
Saute onion, garlic and pepper in butter
Remove skillet from heat and add spinach - cover 15 minutes
Add chilis, sour cream, chicken and cumin - blend well
Line greased 13x9 dish with tortillas
Layer mixture and cheeses
Repeat layering, for a total of two layers of mix and three of tortillas
Cover with cheeses

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

We also added some salsa to ours - very yummy. Reheats well, too!
We have also done this for the freezer - split into two meatloaf sized pans. Bake both - eat one and let the other cool. Put it in the freezer for later use!

Cream of Crab Soup

1 lb crab (we used Wild Alaskan but it could have used some real, Maryland crab!)
3 cans cream of celery soup
1 small onion, diced
1 leek, diced
3 cans of whole milk (from the coc soup use)
2 cups frozen corn
Old Bay to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste (per Anny)

Add all ingredients but crab to a large pot and cook until warm.  We did medium heat for about an hour. 
Add the crab and continue to cook until crab is warm - about 20 minutes.

We had grilled cheese with ours because Abby "loves" soup in theory, but was not a fan in reality. 

Gluten Free Brownies

We each have tasted something different in these brownies...


Ingredients:
Vegetable spray or Smart Balance for greasing pan
1 ¼ cups applesauce
1 cup cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 mashed banana
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup brown rice flour
2 cups vegan chocolate chips or mixture of any vegan chips


Method:
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Grease an 8x8 pan using either vegetable spray or Smart Balance* (butter substitute)
In a large mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the pan comes out clean.
These brownies are dense and fudgey.

This recipe appeared in the "No Wheat, No Nuts? No Problem!" episode of Emeril Green.

Momma's Wine Cake

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package moist white cake mix
• 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 4 eggs

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 10 inch bundt pan.
2. In medium bowl combine the cake mix, instant vanilla pudding, nutmeg, vegetable oil, white wine, and eggs. Beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool on rack in pan for 10 minutes then remove cake from pan to rack. Let cake cool completely before slicing. Garnish sliced cake with a dollop of whipped cream or dust with confectioners' sugar and sliced strawberries.
4. Variation: You can also "flour" the pan after it's been greased with cocoa powder or a cinnamon sugar mixture for a textured crust. Simply fill a clean salt shaker for easy application. This will eliminate that "white stuff" on the outside of your baked cake which makes for a prettier cake.

We love the cake after a couple of days even.  It's very moist!  If you try it and figure out a good icing please let us know! 

Tortilla Chicken

2 pounds cooked, diced chicken
8 corn tortillas, torn in pieces
1 pound grated cheddar cheese
1 can mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1 small container of sour cream
1 small can of green chiles

Preheat oven to 350. Mix soups, milk, sour cream, and chiles.

Grease 9x13" pan. Layer half of the tortillas, half of the chicken pieces, half of the sauce, and half of the cheese. Repeat layers, ending with cheese.

Bake 45 minutes covered, and then 15 minutes uncovered.

Blueberry-Lemon Breakfast Cake

From the Washington Post Mini Page
8-12 servings

Ingredients
18 oz box lemon cake mix
6-8 oz container plain yogurt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Also needed
Bundt Pan
Cooking Spray

Cooking and Baking
Combine cake mix, yogurt and eggs (do not make as directed on box!)
Blend until moist, then beat two minutes at medium speed
Gently stir in blueberries
Spray pan with cooking spray
Pour batter into pan
Bake at 350 for 40 minute or until done
Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan

*We made this the weekend after Abby was born and it was a perfect snack
*I don't like lemon cake, but love this cake!

Lasagne a la Francaise

ADAPTED From: From Julia Child's Kitchen
Amended to lower potassium.

Ingredients:
Noodles
10-12 curly lasagne (about 2 x 12 inches)
8-10 qt of boiling water
1 1/2 tsp salt per quart of water
2 tb EVOO

Filling
2 cups cooked chopped green vegetables
1 cup cooked chopped other vegetables (mostly for color!)
1 cup grated cheese of choice (we used a parmesian mix)
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 cups cooked and diced chicken

White Sauce (makes about 4 cups)
1/2 cup minced onions
6 Tb butter
1/2 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cooking & Baking
Boiling the Lasagne
Drop lasagne into boiling water. Add salt, EVOO.
Boil slowly, uncovered for 13-15 minutes until "al dente"
Drain immediately.
Rince rapidly in cold water.
Hang piece by piece over edge of colander to dry. (keeps them from sticking to each other)

White Sauce
Blend onions with butter over moderate heat.
When butter is bubbling, blend in vlour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes, without browning the sauce.
Remove from heat and whisk.
Sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon fairly heavily.
Boil for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste.
(if not using immediately, keep at a simmer, stirring to keep from burning)

Assembling Lasagne
Line bottom of oiled baking dish with layer of lasagne.
Spread 2-3 spoonfuls of white sauce over lasagne.
Spread layer of vegetables.
Spread a layer of grated cheese and chicken.
Spread 2-3 spoonfuls of white sauce over vegetables.
Repeat noodle, sauce, vegetables, cheese, chicken, sauce.
Spread remaining grated cheese.
Add last layer of noodle.
Add remaining white sauce to cover.

We put this recipe into meat loaf tins to freeze. The recipe yielded 4 ready-to bake tins!

To bake from fresh:
400 degree oven for 30 minutes.

To back from frozen:
Thaw in fridge.
400 degree oven for 30 minutes.