Happy Cinco de Mayo! Chicken Quesadillas

I don't always celebrate this special holiday, but I'm always ready to

celebrate my favorite ethnic food - Mexican!  OLE!

I did take a couple of years of Spanish in high school.

You know how easily we lose things when we don't use them, right?...so I really don't remember much.

But I don't have to speak Spanish in order to enjoy eating it, right?

Hubby and I enjoy Chicken Quesadillas often and anytime I share this recipe, it seems it becomes a favorite for others as well.

OK - so here's another cream cheese recipe!

If you haven't figured it out already, cream cheese is my favorite product...so put that in my favorite ethnic food and I'm ready for a party...and probably a siesta after that.  *-*

If you don't care for cream cheese, I feel sorry for you...

I just can't help myself.  I loooove the creaminess and taste!

I use it in sooo many recipes.

This is definitely a very favorite dish!

Since I first tried this amazingly simple recipe, I've not looked back, and we just keep enjoying them every time I make them.

There aren't very many repeated dishes in my kitchen, but this is definitely one that is.

These are really very easy to put together...

I mix - by hand - equal parts of cream cheese and salsa.

After I cook the chicken and dice it, I add the chicken to the cc/salsa mixture, then place the ingredients inside a tortilla (we like whole wheat), add grated cheese and onions and some black beans if you want...

then use my foreman grill to cook them quickly.

OH YUM!!!  Or should I say...MUY BIEN!! 

Here's a basic recipe to try...add more cream cheese or salsa to your liking.

Quick & Easy CHICKEN QUESADILLAS

(From The Better Baker)

1 8 ozs. pkg. cream cheese, softened

3/4 - 1 c. salsa

3 c. cooked chicken, chopped

1 - 2 c. (mexican) shredded cheese (I used 2%)

1/2 med. onion, chopped

soft flour tortillas

black beans, sliced black olives, optional

Mix cream cheese and salsa until blended. Stir in chicken by hand.  To prepare quesadillas, spread chicken mixture over half of the tortilla, sprinkling with cheese and onion. Fold tortilla in half; heat until cheese is melted; serve with sour cream, if desired, and enjoy. Sprinkle beans or olives over cheese before heating.

I do love to use my foreman grill for ease in this recipe, but the tortillas can also be heated on both sides in a skillet.

Thought I'd also share this link for ideas for easy cheese & veggie quesadillas...

vegetarian quesadillas

Linked to Ingredient Spotlight
Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup

King Ranch Chicken Casserole from Halfmysize.com

Mexican foods are my most favorite ethnic dish!!

And this one really hits the spot for me.

I use to make a similar dish years ago and lost that recipe somewhere along the way, so I was tickled when I found this recipe - with nutritional info included!

It's simple and delicious and could be made a day ahead and refrigerated.

I don't care for fat free cheese - it doesn't melt nicely, and I don't think it tastes too great either, so I opted to use the 2% reduced fat 'fiesta blend' that I had on hand. 

I also used whole wheat tortillas, and just have myself convinced that kinda 'evens' out the recipe not using the ff cheese.  *-*

If you want to use FF cheese - I would suggest mixing a small amount of 2% with it, and it'll make for a tastier dish.

I also cooked my own chicken...you don't have to use canned.

(I'm not real fond of the way the ingredients aren't listed in order according to the order you use them, but I copied this as it is in the cookbook)

KING RANCH CHICKEN CASSEROLE

(From halfmysize.com and The Better Baker)

1 - 10 ozs. can chicken breast, drained

1  can 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup

1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup

1 - 14 ozs. can diced tomatoes with green chilies

8 corn tortillas, cut or torn into fourths

1 c. fat free shredded cheddar cheese

1 small onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. celery, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.  In nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onion, garlic and celery until tender. Add soups, tomatoes and chicken; heat and mix thoroughly.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Spray 9" X 13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Make a layer of tortillas in bottom of dish.  Pour 1/2 of soup mixture over tortillas. Sprinkle with 1/2 of shredded cheese over soup mixture. Repeat layers; ending with cheese. Cover with foil. Bake 40 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.   Serves 6

Nutritional info per serving:

Calories: 205; Fat: 2.4 gr.; Fiber: 2.5 gr.

Burrito El Grande Made Over

HA CHA CHANYA!

(A favorite saying of my father who spent time doing

missionary work in Haiti and New Mexico)

I was so excited to try this wonderful recipe from Kraft Foods

Maybe I was just really hungry the evening I made these, but

I couldn't believe how awesome they were.

We each had 1-1/2 and I woofed down my 1/2 before

we sat down for dinner! 

OHHHH SOOO TASTY!

Give this a try - it goes together quickly and easily.

By using the X-tra lean ground beef, 2% cheese,

whole wheat tortillas and light sour cream, you

save 330 calories & 16 grs. fat per burrito!

We will definitely be having this again soon.

BURRITOS EL GRANDE MADE OVER

1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef

1 (16 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed

(I used black beans)

3/4 c. thick 'n' chunky salsa

1/2 c. mexican style 2% shredded cheese

6 whole wheat tortillas (10 inch), warmed

1/2 c. reduced fat or light sour cream

1-1/2 c. shredded (romaine) lettuce

3 tomatoes (1 lb.), chopped

Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat.  Stir in beans and salsa; cook 3 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in cheese.

(I added cheese to each burrito...doesn't really matter, I'm just sayin)

Spoon meat mixture down centers of tortillas; top with remaining ingredients.  Fold in opposite sides of each tortilla, then roll up burrito style.

Take a big bite & enjoy!!!! This would be great along side one of those

soup recipes I shared last week.

Nutritional info:

Cals. each: 340; Total fat: 10 gr; Saturated fat: 3.5 gr.

Cholesterol: 35 mg. Sodium: 790 mg.

Carbohydrate: 46 gr. Dietary Fiber: 9 gr. Protein: 21 gr.

Linked to Mandy's Totally Tasty Tuesdays

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