comfort food for the soul

 

 

  One of my favorite things to do these days is prepare meals.  I have been digging up new recipes to add variety to our menu with much success.  Lately the raves have been for breakfast casseroles and pies.  Here is a new one I discovered from an Aldi flyer.

 

 Sunnyside Breakfast Casserole

 

dozen frozen hash brown patties

1 pkg. sausage patties

dozen large eggs

leaf spinach

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup half and half

fresh parsley
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat 13 x 9 pan with olive oil.  Pan fry the hash brown patties in a skillet.  Crumble the patties and evenly spread them into the baking pan.  Brown the sausage patties on a grill or in a skillet. Crumble sausage.  Evenly top the hash browns with spinach, follow with sausage and 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, salt and pepper.  Pour over the casserole mix and pat down the mixture with a flat spatula.  You can top with sliced tomatoes or just sprinkle remaining cheese and parsley.  Bake 45 minutes. 

To take the edge off the extreme weather, I decided to make good old fashioned homemade chicken soup.  The house smells so warm and cozy with the aroma.

 

Chicken Soup

 

3 chicken legs

10 yukon gold potatoes

3 celery stalks

6 carrots

1 onion

fresh parsley

allspice

vegeta

chicken boullion

salt and pepper

kluski noodles

 

Peel potatoes and carrots.  I save the scraps and mulch for the finches.  Chop onion, celery, potatoes and carrots and set aside.  Cook chicken breasts in stove or crockpot filling water to the top.  Add boullion, allspice, vegeta, salt and pepper to your taste.  Add chopped veggies and parsley to soup mix and cook for hours until chicken falls off bone.  Remove chicken and add some to soup if you prefer.  Serve with Kluski noodles.  Your soul will soar.

Since the kids are going to Cancun, I decided to take a stab at making Chicken Enchiladas.  I found a couple recipes and will attempt to conjour up my own based on them.

 

Chicken Enchiladas

 

8 chicken breasts

1 large can stewed tomatoes

1 onion

1 poblano pepper

1 can enchilada sauce

2 packets enchilada sauce mix

1 can tomato paste

cumin, cayenne and chili powder

cheddar cheese

fresco cheese

whole wheat tortillas

fresh cilantro and parsley

spanish rice as a side

 

Parboil the chicken breasts for 4 hours.  Remove from broth but save broth for the chicken soup above.  Chop onion and pepper and shred the chicken.  Mix in bowl with 2 cups broth and cumin, cayenne and chili powder.  Keep in fridge overnight. 

In skillet, saute mixture in olive oil for a few minutes.  Meantime, combine processed stewed tomatoes, enchilada sauce, tomato paste and 1 cup broth.  Cook on stovetop until well blended.  Add a little to chicken mixture and cook a few minutes.

 

Wrap tortillas in foil and bake in oven for 5 minutes to tenderize. Coat bottom of lasagne pan with enchilada sauce.  Dip each tortilla in same sauce then fill with chicken mixture, roll and line in pan with seam face down.  Add more enchilada sauce on top.  Finalize with cheddar and fresco cheese on top.  Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese melts.  Garnish with cilantro, parsley, scallion, sour cream if you like and serve with Spanish rice and beans.  Ole.

 

Stay warm and snuggle with the ones you love. xo