Caring Casserole Ministry

Taco Soup
by

Taco Soup

Taco Soup

I bet you have a recipe for Taco Soup.  This version is a blend of several recipes I have tried over the years.  Being snowed in for 3 days, not used to this, I am making several kinds of soup.   I will share the other recipes in other posts, one with hot turkey sausage, white beans and some spinach.  I made the Taco Soup first because it is really easy and it takes no time to brown the meat and dump it all together in the crock pot.  Hours later the house was smelling delicious and I was one “joyful cook” because dinner was done.  Even if you don’t use this recipe get yours out and make a pot of Taco Soup. ( why do kids love anything taco?)  I would love to hear your variations please leave a comment at the bottom of the post.  Enjoy!

 Optional: Top with sour cream, cheddar cheese and jalapeno.  

 It will be “The Best You Ever Made”

 

Taco Soup

Delicious and easy to make. Brown meat and put all ingredients into Crock Pot
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 10
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 can kidney beans Drained
  • 1 can black beans Drained
  • 1 can pinto beans Drained
  • 1 package taco mix
  • 1 can Rotel tomatoes and chilies
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes Use Fire Roasted tomatoes to make it spicy
  • 1 can corn Drained
  • 1 package original ranch dressing mix
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 cups water

Method
 

  1. Add ground beef and onion to skillet and cook until no longer pink.
  2. Open and drain all the beans and corn
  3. Dump in the crock pot, meat, beans, corn, and tomatoes
  4. Add to crock pot, 2 cups of water and the dry mixes (ranch and taco).
  5. Stir and cook on high for at least 2 hours–low heat for 4 hours

Notes

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and chopped jalapenos
Freeze any left overs in freezer safe containers.  Better still double the recipe and make sure you have some for freezing.  Always a good thing to have lunch/dinner ready in the freezer. 
 It will be “The Best You Ever Made”   Enjoy!
by

Tortellini and Garden Vegetable Bake with Chicken

IMG_1069

All the cold weather here in Atlanta makes me long for comfort food, but you can only eat so much pot roast and chili although we have had some great Southwestern Black Bean Chili.  To the rescue is this delicious pasta casserole with garden vegetables and chicken. I love the sauce made with chicken broth, oregano, flour and other spices.  Of course, you know I love sauces.  I also like using low-fat cream cheese without affecting the taste or texture.  This dish is so colorful with the cherry tomatoes and sugar snap peas. See below for difference between sugar snap peas and snow peas. If you don’t like these particular vegetables use ones you do like.  I think this recipe is a good starting place for lots of variations of vegetables and even different filled Tortellini’s.   What would you and your family like?  Leave me a comment I would love to see what combinations you come up with.  Let’s eat our veggies!!!

Tortellini in boiling water
Add Ingredients mixed together before pouring into baking dish
"The Best I Ever Made"
“The Best I Ever Made”

Snow Peas and Sugar Snap Peas

Prepare to be confused till you are not-confused!!! 

There are generally 3 types of green peas. The one we know best is the Garden Pea, probably one of the first things you ate as a child.  Then the Snow Pea, used in Chinese food and the Sugar Snap Pea which is a combination of both developed by Calvin Lamborn in 1979.  

Garden Peas – the ones of “eat your peas and carrots”.  Their pods are rounded and full of large peas.  Their pods are not edible; must be shelled and then the peas can be eaten raw or cooked.

Snow Peas – Chinese Peas —Their pods are edible and are flat, wide,  flexible and bend easily.  They are not shelled, they are eaten whole, raw or cooked. The peas are very small and appear as tiny bumps that can be seen through the thin skin.  They are most often used in Chinese stir-fry dishes.

Sugar Snap Peas – the combination of Garden Peas and Snow Peas –Their pods are edible; they do not need to be shelled but can be.  The peas are large and sweet and can be eaten raw or cooked.  Their shape is similar to a traditional garden pea pod fat and rounded.

The bottom line is you can use either Snow Peas or Sugar Snap Peas in this recipe.  I prefer Sugar Snap Peas, but hey you may want roasted broccoli now that sounds good!

Tortellini and Garden Vegetable Bake with Chicken

Delish pasta casserole with garden vegetables and optional chicken
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 10 ounces dried or two 9 ounce packages of refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into small pieces
  • 1 carrot sliced
  • 1.5 cups sugar snap peas
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
Cream Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/3 cup chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Topping
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Method
 

  1. Cook the tortellini in boiling water
  2. Add sliced carrots during the last 5 minutes and the sugar peas during the last 1 minute; then drain
  3. Sauté the chicken and mushrooms in butter in a skillet for 5 minutes until done, then remove from pan.
Cream Sauce
  1. Whisk chicken broth, flour, oregano, garlic salt and pepper with milk in the skillet. Cook until bubbly, stir in the cream cheese until smooth, and remove from heat and add splash of lemon juice
Combine Cream Sauce with chicken and vegetables
  1. Toss the tortellini, vegetables, chicken, and sauce together.
  2. Transfer to a 13X9 inch baking dish
  3. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, uncover, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Notes

Try different vegetables, whatever you have on hand.
Make it vegetarian by leaving out the chicken. 
Enjoy!  It will the “Best You Ever Made.”

 

 

 

 

 

by

Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce

IMG_1383

These Enchiladas are not your typical enchiladas.  No tomato or enchilada sauces at all.  They have this creamy, full of flavor sour cream sauce.  ( I should be know as the Saucy Gal-I love sauces).  I made these so many times over the Holidays for Dinner Parties and for quick dinners.  The quick dinners happened because I always doubled the recipe to have some for the freezer.  Even for the Dinner Parties I made them ahead so I could be out of the kitchen enjoying my guest.  They come out of the oven so beautifully browned and people just ooh and aah over them.  But when they taste them the accolades really start.   And of course, you have told them  “They are the Best I Ever Made”.  Win, Win!!!   Enjoy!

 

Melt butter with flour- to form a paste.
Roll up tortillas with chicken mixture spread down the middle.
Pour sour cream mixture into bottom of baking dish sprayed with Pam
Pour sour cream mixture into bottom of baking dish sprayed with Cooking Spray
Place rolled tortillas in baking dish

 

Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream

Creamy, flavor filled chicken enchiladas with a sour cream sauce
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups 4 cheese Mexican- shredded
  • 1 cup mild cheddar cheese – shredded
  • 2 cans green chilies – diced 4 oz. size
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder (more if you want it spicer)
  • 16 ounces sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tortillas

Method
 

  1. Melt butter add flour to form a paste. Mix well making a paste
  2. Slowly add broth and cook until bubbly
  3. Add sour cream mixing well and set aside
  4. Mix together chicken, onion, green chilies, cumin, chili powder, salt and 4 cheese Mexican cheese. Mix well
  5. Pour enough sour cream sauce in a 9 X 13 pan to cover the bottom
  6. Spread out tortillas and evenly distribute chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla
  7. Roll up each tortilla and place in prepared baking dish
  8. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas, spreading to cover
  9. Sprinkle cheddar cheese evenly on top
  10. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly

Notes

Make a complete Mexican dinner by serving with re-fried beans, Mexican rice, chips and salsa.
To Freeze:  Bake without cheddar cheese.  Cool completely and wrap tightly in foil.
To cook frozen:   Bake as directions above, but adding additional time.  When bubbly, top with cheddar cheese and continue to bake till cheese is melted. 
This dish freezes well; you wouldn’t think so with sour cream but it does.  Your family will love this creamy, yummy twist on a Mexican dinner.  Enjoy!
It will be “The Best You Ever Made”