Overnight Ham and Cheese Enchiladas

I think these would work to prep in the morning for supper. 

These were a hit yet again.  I still subbed unsweetened almond milk for the half-and-half.  It tastes better that way, in my opinion.  I forgot that I wanted to use green peppers this time, and I ended up doing the onions again.  I'm just not a fan of the ham/onion flavor combo, though.  That's absolutely nothing against this recipe, because I absolutely adore it.  I just need to remember to leave out the onions.  I'm thinking ham and mushrooms would be a tasty idea as well.  I'm going to change it up some next week.  Still a keeper for us, and they reheat beautifully in the microwave.  I did leave out the salt this time, and it was perfect.  I don't see any need at all for the salt, since you have the salt from the ham.  Anyway, I'm already looking forward to trying them again next week. :-)

OVERNIGHT HAM AND CHEESE BREAKFAST ENCHILADAS
(TheGirlWhoAteEverything)

2 cups cubed and cooked ham
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
10 flour tortillas (6-8 inches)
1 1/4 cup half-and-half
4 whole eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour
salsa, sour cream, and additional green onions for serving

In a medium bowl stir together ham, green onions and 2 cups of cheese (save the remaining 1/2 cup for later). Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Use a 1/3-cup measuring cup to scoop out cheese mixture onto a tortilla. Roll up tortilla and place seam side down in the baking dish. Roll up all tortillas and place them into the baking dish with the sides touching.
Whisk together half-and-half, eggs, salt, and flour. Pour over tortillas. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, preheat oven to 350*. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over enchiladas. Bake for 10 more minutes or until tops are golden brown and the egg mixture is set.
Serve with salsa, sour cream, and additional green onions.
*Amy's notes: I leave out the salt and sub almond milk for the half-and-half.

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South of the Border Beans

South of the Border Beans

2 T. Canola oil

1 large onion, diced

1 large red or green bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1/4  t. garlic powder)

*15 oz. can low-sodium red beans (any variety you like- I usually have kidney on hand)

*15 oz. can  white beans (pref. low sodium, but they are harder to find than red or black)

*2 - 15 oz. cans low-sodium black beans

28 oz. canned, diced tomatoes

2 cups frozen corn (may use canned – drain first)

1 1/2 t. chili powder

1 1/2 t. cumin

1/2 C. fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Cooked plain white or brown rice.

In a large soup pot, sauté onion, pepper and garlic until soft (about 10 minutes).  Drain and rinse all cans of beans and (corn if using canned).  Add beans, corn and spices to pot and stir to combine.  Heat to simmering.  Stir in cilantro.  Serve over rice with a sprinkle of grated cheese, and your favorite corn chips on the side.

This recipe makes enough for two meals for a family of 4-6 people.  I always freeze half for another time.  Keeps well in freezer for a few weeks.  Thaw in fridge overnight for best results, but it will thaw in the microwave on defrost. Stir frequently. 

*  You can also prepare this recipe using dried beans.  You will need 2/3 cup each of dry white and red beans, and 1 1/3 C. of dry black beans.  Sort and rinse the beans, soak for 8-12 hours and drain.  Then cook the beans in a generous amount of water (may add 1 t. salt) for 2-3 hours until they are to your desired softness.  Drain the beans and prepare the recipe as directed.

Crockpot Taco Soup

CROCKPOT TACO SOUP
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ inspired by Recipezaar.com)

3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
2 (16 ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (11 ounce) can niblet corn
1 (11 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes and chilies
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies 
1 (4 ounce) can sliced black olives
1 (1-1/4 ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix
1 (1 ounce) envelope Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix
Sour cream (optional)
Fritos (optional)
Shredded cheese (optional)

Add all ingredients to crock pot. DO NOT DRAIN CANS. Stir.
Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Shred chicken before serving.  Keep on low until serving to keep hot. Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheese, or Fritos.
* Amy's notes: I've also used 3 frozen b/s chicken breasts and cooked for 10 hours on low. 

Taco Chicken Bowls

Taco Chicken Bowls:
Serves 9

1 1/2 lbs of chicken breast
16oz jar salsa
15oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheese per serving
salt and pepper to taste
Brown rice

Place chicken breast (whole) in bottom of crock-pot with 1/4 cup water. Then place all ingredients on top of chicken. Stir to mix everything while keeping mixture on top of chicken. Cook on low for 8 hours. After 8 hours take a fork and shred chicken while in crock-pot (it should shred very easy).

Place 1 to 1/2 a cup of brown rice in a bowl and top with 1 cup of chicken mixture--then top with cheese (i use weight watchers cheese). TA-DA. So delish and your house will smell yummy too!

Wendy's Chili

Wendy's Chili 
OP BasilPerfume

1 medium onion diced
1 green pepper diced 
2 celery stalks diced 
2 14 oz cans crushed tomatoes 
32 oz tomato sauce
1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can northern beans
1 pack McCormick mild chili seasoning
1 TBL chili powder
2 lbs ground chuck
Salt & pepper 

Saute onion, green pepper, & celery in a splash of oil until tender & set aside in a bowl. (I do everything in one big pot so less mess.)
Brown ground chuck & season w/ salt & pepper. 
Add all canned items, seasonings, & veggies in pot w/ meat. 
Simmer on low for 1 hour. 

Serve w/ favorite toppings. Mine are shredded cheddar & fritos. Also good: oyster crackers, hot sauce for those who like spice, extra diced raw onion. Whatever you like on your chili.

Kale and White Bean Soup

5 medium-sized red potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14-oz can whole peeled tomatoes, diced and liquid reserved
1 14-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed
1 large bunch kale, stems removed, leaves shredded into small pieces
7 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. olive oil

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic and saute for about 10 minutes until softened.
3. Add the tomatoes and a dash of salt. Cook until flavors begin to caramelize.
4. Add the potatoes, beans and water. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 10 minutes).
5. Add the kale and cook for another 2-4 minutes more, until the leaves are wilted and softened.
6. Serve hot and enjoy!

Lacto-Fermented Carrot Sticks

You might notice that I don’t stick with some of the oft-given advice on how to ferment vegetables. After quite a few years of dabbling, many, many hours of research, and a general cynicism for the newer ways of performing this very old method of preservation; I don’t recommend refrigeration, don’t use a culture starter like whey, use a longer fermentation period, and don’t think you need any fancy equipment to achieve a tasty, healthy fermented vegetable.

Mostly because this is how the old-timers have done it, but also because the actual science behind the process of lactic acid fermentation backs them up.

Link is here

Lacto-Fermented Carrot Sticks

Note: Using a narrow-mouth quart jar is helpful for a ferment like this because it helps to keep the carrot sticks submerged. A wide-mouth jar also works, but isn’t quite as helpful in this regard.

The Players

• 1 – 1 1/2 pounds of fresh carrots, trimmed
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 cups of water, or more as needed
• 2 tablespoons of sea salt (where to buy real American sea salt)
• one hefty outer cabbage leaf

The How-To

1. Make brine by dissolving the sea salt in water. If your water is cool you may have to heat part of the water in order to dissolve the salt. Then stir in the cool water and let brine cool to room temperature before using.
2. Place peeled garlic cloves in the bottom of a quart jar. Cut carrots into quarters lengthwise to the height of the narrowing of the narrow-mouthed jar. If using a wide-mouth jar, cut them so that they are about 1 – 1 1/2 inches below the bottom of the ring of the jar.
3. Place carrot sticks vertically in jar on top of the garlic cloves. Pack them in so they are snug, but not over-packed so that the brine can still penetrate the carrots.
4. Pour the 2 cups of brine over the carrot sticks so that they are completely covered by as much brine as possible, leaving a 1″ or so headspace between the brine and the lip of the jar. Add more water, if needed.
5. Place the hefty outer cabbage leaf over the carrot sticks and tuck it in to the sides as tightly between the carrots and the jar as you can. Keeping your carrots submerged with this cabbage leaf is one of the most critical part of the process.
6. Place the lid on the jar and close tightly. If using an airlock system place that on the lid according to the directions on the package.
7. Place at a cool room temperature, 65-80 being ideal, and allow to culture for 7-10 days or longer, as desired. You can also leave it at room temperature for a few days and then move to a cooler temperature (not refrigeration) of 45-60 degrees to complete the fermentation process over the course of several weeks for better flavor and a more thorough fermentation process.
8. During the earliest stages of fermentation you will have to “burp” your jar if not using an airlock. For best results do this only very slightly – just barely unscrew the lid until you hear a small amount of the gas escaping and then screw it back on quickly. You want to let just enough of the carbon dioxide out so that the jar won’t explode, but leave enough in so that you achieve as much of an anaerobic environment as possible.
9. Eventually the formation of carbon dioxide will slow down and you won’t have to burp the jar any longer.
10. You can eat the carrot sticks right away at this point or move them to cold storage like a cellar, a cool basement, a hole in the ground, or, if you must, a refrigerator.