Leftover Pot Roast Fajitas

Pot roast is on my top five comfort foods.  It makes me think of home.  We do a large roast, and then use leftovers for stew, sandwiches and soups.  Yet, things can get tired after a while.  I decided to stir things up yesterday (literally as you can see) and make our leftovers more exciting.

Not everyone serves a family of eight, so I calculated the ingredients for 2 fajitas per person.  Just multiply by the number of people served.

*1 T Olive Oil
*1 cup (per person) of leftover pot roast pulled apart or cut up
*taco/fajita seasonings to taste
*1/4 bell pepper (per person) cut up
*3 cherry tomatoes
*1 T minced onion
*Favorite shredded cheese to taste
*2 tortillas (I used wheat, but any kind will do.)

 I hate dry fajitas.  If you need more oil or a bit of water while heating the meat up, go for it.
Combine all ingredients and heat. I add the peppers and tomatoes last to avoid mushy veggies.

Place on tortillas in a line, add any extra cheese you'd like and roll.

MMMMMMM.....!

Layered Mexican Bake

Hello there! I'm Tristan, Carrie and I are cousins in law. Which means we married guys who are cousins ;) So here is my frist recipe contribution.

Layered Mexican Bake

I got the recipe and the photo from Kraftfoods.com. Sorry I didn't take my own photo, I forgot. I'll do better next time I promise. ;)

This dish is so yummy! My kids even like it. As long as I use mild salsa. Last night I accidently used Hot Salsa and didn't know it until I was cleaning up after I put it in the oven and looked at the jar. Ooops! So last night's version was pretty spicy. So I served my kids Campbell's chicken noodle soup. The hubby and I ate the dish for dinner and then again for lunch today. It is a great leftovers recipe. Warms in the microwave really well. So here is the recipe! Enjoy!

1-1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

2 green peppers, chopped (I use just one, cuz my kids are not big fans)

4 tsp. chili powder (I always just use a packet of taco seasoning)

2-1/2 cups chunky red salsa (I just pour a whole 16 oz jar in)

2 pkg. (10 oz. each) frozen corn (I only use one, cuz it is plenty)

6 high-fiber whole wheat tortillas (8 inch) (I have also used just 10 inch flour tortillas when I didn't have whole wheat ones)

1 cup Sour Cream (I always end up using more cuz it isn't the easiest to spread and it cools off some of the spice that my kids don't like)

1-1/2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided (I use the Mexican blend, and 2 cups...cuz well, who doesn't love cheese?)

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

BROWN meat with onions and peppers in large skillet on medium-high heat. Stir in chili powder; cook 1 min. Add salsa and corn; mix well. Simmer 5 min.

SPREAD 2 cups meat sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; top with layers of 2 tortillas, 1 cup meat sauce, sour cream and 1/2 cup cheese. Cover with 2 tortillas, 2 cups of remaining meat sauce and half of remaining cheese; top with remaining tortillas and meat sauce. Cover with foil.

BAKE 30 min. or until casserole is heated through. Top with remaining cheese; bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until melted.

Beef Taco Bake

I found this recipe in Campbell's Casseroles & One-Dish Favorites. I'm really liking this magazine so far.

Takes about 40 mins
makes about 4 servings

1 lb ground beef
1 can Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup
1 cup Pace Chunky Salsa or Picante Sauce.
1/2 cup milk
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas or 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup (4oz) shredded Cheddar cheese

1) Cook the beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned. stirring frequently to separate meat. Pour off any fat.
2) Stir in soup, salsa, milk, tortillas and half of the cheese into the skillet. Pour into a shallow baking dish and cover.
3) Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 mins or until hot. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

We like cheese so I used more then what was called for. I like things a little spicy so I used medium salsa. Also was good as a leftover.

Wednesday Dinner Post from Denver

Today I made Campbell's Nacho Chicken and Rice Wraps for dinner. I recently copied the recipe out of a slow-cooker cook book at the library. It turned out well although a bit thick (I left it cooking a bit too long). Here's the recipe just in case it sounds good to anyone else :-)

Makes 10 servings, Prep time 10min, Cook 4-5 hrs

2 cans campbells chedder cheese soup

1 cup water

2 cups pace chunky salsa or picante sauce

1 1/4 cups uncooked regular long grain white rice

2 lbs bonless chicken breasts cubed

10 flour tortillas

Combine all but tortillas in the slow-cooker and let her rip! Serve hot.

Next time I make this I am going to cut the recipe in half, and possibly use cooked chicken (possibly left overs) to cut down the cooking time and prevent the mixture from getting to thick. (Just a thought)

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1 can chicken (or you can boil and shred/dice some)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 small can green chilies
fresh cilantro to taste
1-2 tsp garlic powder/salt to taste

Mix above ingredients in a bowl. No need to heat through. Our family loves cilantro, so we use a lot, but it is optional, and you could use dried or completely leave it out if you prefer.

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup salsa
1/2 small can tomato sauce

Mix above three ingredients in separate bowl. You don't want the bean mixture really soupy- just moistened through.

6 tortillas, cut into bite size squares
3-4 cups grated cheese

Take a knife or your pizza roller and cut all the tortilla into bite size pieces. You need about 2 tortilla per layer, so you might choose to cut them 2 at a time.

Lightly spray a 9 x 11 baking dish. Spread a thin layer of chicken/soup mixture on the bottom to prevent sticking and burning. Layer two cut up tortillas over this. Follow layering pattern below.

From the bottom, layer in this manner:

Chicken/Soup mixture
Tortilla Bites
Chicken/Soup Mixture
Cheese
Tortilla Bites
Bean/Salsa Mixture (use all of it)
Cheese
Tortilla Bites
Chicken/Soup
Cheese

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Serve with salad or rice.

I have also sprayed my crock pot insert and layered this casserole inside and heated through, 3-4 hours. It works fine, too...

Green Chili Enchilladas

1 Can Cream of Chicken (unmade)
1 Can Green Chili Enchillada Sauce
8 Tortillas Soft Taco Size
2-3 Cups grated Cheese
1 1/2 pounds boiled and shredded chicken
1/2 cup sour cream (optional - makes sauce mixture creamier)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

once chicken is boiled and shredded. Mix Cream of Chicken, Green Chili Enchillada sauce and sour cream. heat just to boil making sure the ingredients are mixed well.

warm the tortillas so they are easier to roll. In each tortilla roll in chicken, cheese and bell pepper if desired. Place in a 9X13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking oil. Once all enchiladas are rolled, pour sauce over the top. Make sure to get it between each enchilada. Finish by topping with left over cheese. Grate some more if you need.

Place in oven uncovered for about 15 to 20 minutes. You will know it's done with cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.

My kids LOVE this recipe. Make sure you get the green sauce that says mild, not medium as it may be too hot for your kids.

Apple Pie Chimichangas

The kids love these! Occasionally we'll make them for breakfast or a special dessert.

Apple Pie filling (about 1 can)

2 Tbs. butter

1/3 cup fine-ground toasted almonds (optional)

8 flour tortillas

Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Powdered sugar

Whipped cream for garnish (optional)

Toothpicks

In a heavy saucepan, combine apple pie filling with butter and almonds. Heat on medium heat until hot and butter is melted. Set aside to cool.

Warm the tortillas for a few seconds in the microwave so they are easier to roll.

Spoon one-eighth of the fruit mixture onto the center of a tortilla. Fold the sides in and then roll up into a tight package, securing the chimichanga with toothpicks. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and fruit.

Pour at least 3 inches of oil in a heavy, deep skillet. Heat the oil to 365°F. Fry the chimichangas, one or two at a time, until light golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Let cool slightly, then serve topped with spoonfuls of whipped cream if desired. Makes 8 serviings.

Tip: You can use any kind of pie filling. We've tried blueberry with good results, also...

Black Bean Soup

*2 cans GOYA black bean soup
*Cooked white rice
*Cumin and/or Chili Powder
*Sour cream

Optional side: Tortillas

Heat black bean soup and season to taste. Serve over white rice and top with sour cream.

Options: We have served it in a bowl with fresh tortillas, or we've also stirred it all together and ate it burrito style.

Time: about 15-20 min. Serves 4-6 Cost: under $10