Tuna Enchiladas

Okay.  I know what you're thinking: 'Tuna? Enchiladas?' 

Yes.  I dislike tuna.  I don't know why I ever buy it.  I probably eat it once every three months or so.  But it's pretty low-cost, so occasionally I stock up--which means buying two or three cans.

When considering what to do with the current can in my cupboard, I thought perhaps with enough flavor I wouldn't know the difference between this and chicken.

Wrong.  I can still taste the fishiness.  But it's tolerable, so I decided to share my recipe.

1 can tuna, drained
1 can chopped green chilis
spices--garlic, onion, cilantro, etc.--the more robust, the better
3-4 T. or so sour cream
6 corn tortillas
1/2 can enchilada sauce (freeze the other half to use in something better--like chicken enchiladas)
shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine tuna, chilis, spices, and sour cream in a mixing bowl.  Taste to make sure it's edible.  (Seriously, you might be able to add enough spices to cover the fish flavor.)  Fill tortillas, roll, and place seam-side down in a greased 8" baking dish.  Cover with enchilada sauce and cheddar cheese.  (This step is essential.  Even tuna can be delicious when surrounded by saucy, melted cheese.)

Bake, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 6 enchiladas.  The number of people this will feed depends upon who they are and how hungry they are when the meal is served.  This number can also be stretched by serving this with sides such as Spanish rice, re-fried beans, and/or chips and salsa.

Oven-roasted Chicken and Vegetables

1 large potato
carrots
celery
frozen chopped broccoli
1 small boneless, skinless chicken breast
rosemary
black pepper
garlic powder
onion flakes
olive oil

Cut a large piece of aluminum foil.  Wash, peel if desired, and chop potato.  Peel and chop carrots, and chop celery.  Sprinkle with pepper, rosemary, garlic, and onion flakes.  Place frozen chicken breast on top.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Fold up foil to enclose.

Bake at 400° F for approximately 1 hour.  (Test chicken with meat thermometer to make certain it reaches 165° F internally.)

Serve over cooked brown rice, and top with shredded cheese.

This serves 2-3 small-appetite people, and probably 1 teen-aged boy.

Vegetarian Taco Salad

vegetarian chili beans
lettuce, washed and torn to small pieces
tomatoes, washed and chopped
cucumbers, washed and chopped
minced onion
shredded cheeese, any variety
salsa
tortilla chips
sour cream

Combine or layer in any order on serving plates or in one large bowl.  All ingredients may be substituted or omitted as desired.

This is a delicious no-cook meal which even my meat-loving Dad enjoyed!

Quesadillas Supremas

Olive oil for skillet
Flour tortillas
Shredded cheese
Chopped, cooked chicken
Mashed avocado
Chopped tomato
Minced bell pepper
Salsa and sour cream (optional)

Heat a very small amount of oil in a cast-iron skillet.  On one half of each tortilla, spread a teaspoon or two of avocado.  Top with chicken, tomato, pepper, and cheese.  Fold tortilla over toppings.  Place one at a time in hot skillet, cheese side up.  Cook until side is browned (a few minutes); flip and cook until the other side is browned and cheese is melted.  Place on serving plate.  Cut into four pieces.  Serve with sour cream and salsa for dipping, if desired.  Each quesadilla serves one.

Sloppy Joes

This recipe comes from my Aunt B.

1 lb. ground beef

2 T. chopped onion

1/3 c. water

1/2 c. ketchup

2 t. paprika

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1-2 t. chili powder

1/2 t. salt

1 t. sugar

1/4 t. pepper

Brown ground beef with onion; drain. Simmer with remaining ingredients for 20 minutes. Serve on buns.

Easy Lasagna

8 oz. lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 lb. ground beef
4 c. spaghetti sauce
1/2 c. water
1 t. Italian seasoning
1/2 t. sugar
2 c. small curd cottage cheese
3 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Brown ground beef and drain excess fat. Add spaghetti sauce, water, seasoning, and sugar. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. In a 9x13" casserole dish, layer 1/3 of the sauce, 1/2 of the uncooked lasagna noodles, 1 c. cottage cheese, and 1/3 of the Mozzarella. Repeat layers, ending with sauce and remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil. Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes. Remove foil and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with hot garlic bread. This is also good served with a salad.

Mexican Lasagna

Okay, so there is no chocolate involved in this recipe. But it is a wonderful dinner to precede chocolate!

8 medium flour tortillas
1 1/2 to 2 lb. ground beef
1/2 green pepper, minced
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chili beans
1 can chili-ready diced tomatoes
4 c. shredded cheese (Chedder/Monterey Jack/Mozzarella/Colby-Jack)

Chop pepper and onion, and cook with ground beef while browning it. Drain fat; add soup, beans, and tomatoes. Heat until warmed. Tear 4 tortillas and place in bottom of a greased 13x9-inch dish. Place half of meat mixture on top of tortillas, then half of cheese. Repeat layer using remainder of ingredients. Bake at 350 degreese for 20-25 minutes.
This can also be prepared ahead of time and baked right before serving.

Parmesan Chicken with Rice

Instead of posting this recipe, I am going to direct you to my favorite recipe website, allrecipes.com =)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Parmesan-Chicken-I/Detail.aspx