Taco Chicken - Family Favorite

(This awesome recipe has been featured at a couple of linky parties=)

If you like a little zip to your meals, this is a wonderful dish to try.

My favorite ethnic dishes are Mexican.

I can't count the times I've seen friends who haven't crossed my path for some time...years even...and they'd tell me they're having my recipe for taco chicken for dinner, or they had recently enjoyed it. It has simply become laughable!

This is a popular dish and a great one to serve company too!

One of my friends told me she made this recipe -- (from my cookbook) - took it to share with her son and wife, and the 4 of them cleaned up this dishful of 'YUM' - a 9" X 13 panfull!

The crumbs on top and bottom are taco chips - I love that it can be made up a day ahead too.

Try it, I'm guessing you'll think it's 'muy bien'...

(*Update - Feb. 2016 - I recently served this at a potluck in the RV park where we stay here in Florida.  I received 5 THUMBS UP from across the room and came home with an empty dish!! I baked it for just about 2 hours in my 
CASSEROLE CROCKPOT! It was a real winner). 

TACO CHICKEN  

3 - 4 lb. chicken

1 onion, chopped

1 stick margarine

1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes (with green chilies),

drained & mashed

1 (10-3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (10-3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup

1 cup grated cheese

1 (7 oz) bag taco (or nacho) chips - {Doritos}

Boil or bake chicken; remove meat from bones; save 1 cup broth. Preheat oven to 350. In large skillet, saute onion in margarine. Add tomatoes, soups & broth. Heat and cook until thickened. Break 1/2 the chips into the bottom of a greased 9" X 13" X 2" pan, covering the bottom. Layer chicken over chips, then pour soup mixture over the top. Sprinkle remaining chips over chicken, then sprinkle with cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.

Leftovers are great too - if there are any.

 

Linked to 

Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Totally Tasty Tuesday
Wonka Wednesday

Mix It Up Monday
Mop it up Monday
Recipe of the Week
Ingredient Spotlight - Tomatoes
GBP Roundup - Chicken
Weekend Potluck
Meal Plan Monday

'Lightened' Snickers Ice Cream Pie & Happy Birthday Wishes

I decided to share this recipe with you because it's what I'm fixing for my beloved husband's birthday today!

What a precious blessing to have the privilege of growing old with my high school sweetheart!

I still get goosebumps when I look at him. 

He's a Marine...and doesn't break out into a smile very often, but...

I have always adored how he smiles at me with his eyes. And...I love how he smiles when he's surrounded by our grandchildren, like in this picture...

(Daughter Deb's girls...Claira on the left side of the picture...Kaity on the right)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUGARBEAR!

(I like to tease him that I have to feed him sugar-free, because he's already 'sugar-full'=)

When I was ready to make this pie, I couldn't find the frozen non-fat yogurt called for, so I got the sugar-free vanilla ice cream that was availble (Prarie Farms brand is very tasty.)

It only takes a few simple ingredients and you're on your way to a cooling and refreshing treat.

Once the ice cream is softened, this can be mixed up in just a matter of minutes.

I like to leave ripples of peanut butter so I have something to bite into!

We have certainly enjoyed every bite of this tasty dish. Trust you will too!



SNICKERS ICE CREAM PIE
(From The Better Baker)
1 pint (2 cups) vanilla non-fat frozen yogurt, softened
2 TB. chunky peanut butter
1/2 pkg. (1/4 cup) sugar free dry instant vanilla pudding
1/2 cup (fat free) frozen whipped topping, thawed
lite chocolate ice cream syrup
In large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well - pour into 8" pie pan. (I spray a couple quick sprays with Pam...just to make it easier to get out of the dish). Cover tightly and freeze until set.



Before serving, drizzle 2 tsps. lite chocolate syrup over entire pie.

Note: This was originally a Weight Watchers recipe...using non-fat frozen yogurt.  Serves 8 - 2 points each.

If you have a larger family and want larger portions, feel free to double the recipe and pour into 9" or 10" pie plate.

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Linked to Fit & Fabulous Friday

Sweet Fellowship at Sweetie-Licious!

I'm so tickled & honored to have had a guest post at The Sweet Details this past weekend...please check it out!

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Recently, I got to experience a darling little bakery in DeWitt, Michigan - 2 hours from my home - Sweetie-Licious is its name.

So tickled that I got to cross this off my 'bucket list' after seeing a write up about this adorable place in the American Profile "Pie it Forward"

The owner, Linda Hundt, has won 14 national awards! Crisco is considering putting her face on their cans! AND...since we were there, Angie has received an email from Linda, saying how sorry she was to miss us, and inviting us back again for the holidays.  How special!

Her motto is "Eat pie, Love life".

I LOVE THAT!

 I was blessed to share in this lovely time with some special friends - two of them being bloggers!

Angie (A'lil Country Sugar) came to one of my booksignings last November...and we've become really good 'buds' ever since!

She only lives about 25 minutes from me, so we are always happy when we can make a lunch date and catch up to each other in person. I've learned more from her than she'll ever know.

Her lovely daughter, Randi, went with us.  Randi wants to be a chef, so she is a girl after our hearts!

(My dear friend Lois went along and was our photographer=)

This was the 3 of us getting ready to eat lunch outside...fun!

from l to r - Me, Angie, Randi

We got to meet - for the very first time! - another blogging friend, Joelle
(Joelle) who took the day off work to come spend time with us!  We had a blast chatting about the 'blog-o-sphere'!

It was an adorable place full of nostalgia and vintage collections....

Most importantly...lots of yummy pies, muffins & cookies - soooo many choices! 

I enjoyed a terrific cherry key lime muffin that was the best!

I brought home a very delicious choco/peanut butter pie - piled high with whipped topping!

Every bit as good as it looks!!

I enjoyed a chocolate cherry brownie while I was there...it tasted like a cherry cordial and was mighty fine!

The sweet fellowship was the best treat of all!

Can't wait to do it again Gals!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

It's that time of year, and if you have access to zucchini, you're probably always looking for 'another' recipe to try to eat it up.

We still laugh over this experience...when we moved to Spokane, WA (military orders) in 1985, one thing we looked for in a place to call home, was that we wanted a garden spot.  

Not only did we buy our first home with a big garden spot, the house also had a "B" on the front door - we were destined to live there!!

Well....we were also blessed with a friend in our church who worked for a seed company, and we got ALL the garden seeds we wanted...for FREE!

YOWZA!

That made it even more fun! (Not to mention crazy!)

So...not being aware how zucchini multiplies...sweet hubby planted NINE hills of zucchini - five seeds in each!

OH MY SOUL!

I think the neighbors were locking their doors when they saw us coming with more zucchini in hand.  ha

We had more than what you would consider an overabundance, and that was the first, and only year, that planting system was implemented.

So I really do have many zucchini recipes, and this one is a favorite.

I love recipes, like this one, when you can 'hide' something healthy in it...and no one knows!

I use my 'regular' zucchini bread recipe, and exchange some of the flour for some baking cocoa instead, to make it chocolate!

And it's wonderful.

Hope you'll grate some and give this a 'stir' soon...you'll be so glad you did!

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

3 eggs, beaten

1 c. oil (I use 1/2 applesauce)

1-1/2 c. white sugar (I use 3/4 c. xylitol + 3/4 c. sugar)

2 c. raw, unpeeled zucchini, grated fine

2-1/2 c. white whole wheat or all purpose flour

1/2 c. baking cocoa

1 tsp. salt

1-1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon, optional

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c. finely chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 large of 4 - 5 small loaf pans.  Place eggs, oil, sugar and zucchini in blender and blend well.  In medium bowl, place flour, baking cocoa, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and baking powder. Stir wet mixture into dry and blend with electric mixer, just until moistened. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 35 - 55 minutes, testing with toothpick for doneness.

(Smaller loaves bake faster). Let cool a couple of minutes then turn out of pans onto rack to cool.

(I like to wrap the warm bread in foil - it seems to add moistness).

Allow it to cool to room temperature before freezing.  

I used my 'regular' zucchini bread recipe and exchanged 1/2 c. flour for the baking cocoa.  If you prefer a non-chocolate bread, feel free to omit the cocoa and use that much flour instead.  

Linked to Wonka Wednesday

Gooseberry Patch Roundup - Garden

Easy Chicken Enchiladas using Philly Cooking Creme

I just HAD to try this new creamy product from Kraft!

This one is the Sante Fe Blend...MMM!

My special blogging friend, Angie, from A 'lil Country Sugar had used the 'Savory Garlic' on her corn on the cob...check out her post and see if you can resist!

I'm such a die hard fan of Mexican foods, I had to try this flavor and used the recipe on the back of the container for this yummy dish.

I loved the taste, but WHEN I use it again...and I will use it again...I will mix some sour cream with the last portion of the creme to top the enchiladas with.  I like mine a little creamier and there just wasn't enough of the 'sauce' to suit me.

Dare you to try this!!

It takes a few simple ingredients...

mix it together and fill the tortillas then bake...

YUM YUM!!

EASY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

1 small onion, chopped

2 tsp. oil

3 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts

1 can (14.5 ozs) nno-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained

1 tub (10 ozs) Philadelphia Santa Fe Blend Cooking Creme, divided

1/2 c. Mexican style finely shredded four cheese

8 flour tortillas (6")

Preheat oven to 350. Cook and stir onions in hot oil in large skillet on medium heat 4 - 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Stir in chicken, tomatoes, 3/4 c. cooking creme and shredded cheese. Spoon about 1/3 c. chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up.  Place, seam side down, in 13" X 9" baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining cooking creme (this is where I would mix it with sour cream). Cover. Bake 15 - 20 minutes or until heated through.

The tub of creme has more recipes ideas on top of the lid.

Thank you Kraft for another great product!!

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