Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Another yummy recipe from Sandra Lee!

Ingredients

Makes: 4 servings

• 1 1⁄2 cups cooked rice 
• 1⁄2 cup shredded grilled chicken breast 
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided 
• 1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce, divided 
• 1 teaspoon chili seasoning 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided 
• 8 corn tortillas, warmed 
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream (optional), for serving 
• Salt and pepper 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine cooked rice, chicken, half the cheese, 2 tablespoons enchilada sauce, chili seasoning, and 1 tablespoon cilantro in a medium bowl.

Cover bottom of a baking dish with a layer of enchilada sauce. 

Distribute rice mixture among 8 tortillas . . . roll up each one. 

Place them seam side down in a single layer in baking dish and top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese. 

Bake for 15 minutes, until cheese melts.

Remove from oven and top with remaining cilantro and sour cream, if desired. Season to taste. Serve hot.


Source

Crouton Crushed Chicken Tenders with Orange Barbeque Sauce

Love the concept of baked chicken that tastes like fried chicken, making it a healthier choice.

One of the things I love about this recipe is the use of croutons as a major breading ingredient.  Sandra Lee suggests store bought croutons (you know, the semi-homemade thing), but I would opt to make my own.  Some comments on the recipe page complained about the breading being bland.  You can make it as bland or as flavorful and spicy as you want depending on the croutons you use.  Could be they used plain croutons!  Make sure to keep this in mind when planning this recipe.

A tip I gained from watching this episode is the method she uses to bread the chicken using tongs instead of her hands.  I use the one hand for dipping in the wet ingredient and the other for breading . . . I hate when I get uncoordinated and get my hands all mucky with breading and eggs.  Love the idea of using tongs . . . let the tongs get all mucky!

Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee

The Food Network
SHOW:  Semi-Homemade Cooking
EPISODE: Moms Tailgate Party


Ingredients

• 1 (6-ounce) bag garlic and butter croutons
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders

Orange Barbeque Sauce:

• 1/3 cup barbeque sauce
• 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the corner off of the bag croutons just enough to let the air escape. Place the bag onto a cutting board, cover with a kitchen towel and smash it with a rolling pin. Crush the croutons until coarse in texture.

Set up a breading station with 3 pie plates or baking dishes. In 1 dish add the flour, and season it with poultry seasoning, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. In the second dish mix together the egg and buttermilk. In the third dish add the crushed croutons, and the bread crumbs.

Dip chicken tenders into the flour and shake of any excess. Then dip them into the buttermilk, and then into the bread crumb mixture making sure to thoroughly coat the tenders. Put the tenders on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Transfer to a platter and serve with the orange barbeque sauce.


Orange Barbeque Dipping Sauce: Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl, and whisk together until well combined.

Banana Fritters

Sandra Lee always has the easiest recipes that give the illusion of spending a lot of time in the kitchen when it was super fast!

I love having a variety of banana recipes . . . I hate throwing them away when they start to ripen a bit too much.

Recipe courtesy of Sandra Lee
Recipe copyright Sandra Lee

The Food Network
SHOW: Sandra's Money Saving Meals
EPISODE: Affordable Entertaining

Ingredients

Fritters:

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 cups baking mix
• 3 ripe bananas, diced
• 2 cups canola oil, for frying

Spiced Glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Directions


For the fritters: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and sugar until blended. Stir in the baking mix and bananas until just combined.

Heat the canola oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Using a small ice cream scoop, drop the batter into the skillet. Fry in batches until golden brown and cooked through the center, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from the oil and allow to drain on a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet.

For the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, 1/4 cup water and pumpkin pie spice.

While the fritters are still warm, pour the glaze over top. Allow the glaze to set up slightly before serving.

Lemon Blueberry Cake

When you are short on time, Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade recipes are the best!  I just watched this episode on the Food Network and she put this gorgeous cake together really fast.

Gorgeous cake . . . and I can almost taste the wonderful lemon flavors.

Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee
The Food Network
SHOW: Semi-Homemade Cooking
EPISODE: Grilling on the Mississippi


Ingredients

• 2 (8-inch) round store-bought (bakery) yellow or white cake layers
• 1/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 2 teaspoons lemon extract, divided
• 2 (12-ounce) cans cream cheese flavored frosting
• Fresh mint sprigs
• Fresh blueberries
• Lemon slices, quartered
  
  

Directions

Use a knife to slice cake layers in half horizontally. 

Use a pastry brush to brush each layer with lemonade concentrate; set aside. 

Stir 1 teaspoon of lemon extract into each can of frosting; set aside. 

To assemble cake: frost and stack the cake layers on top of each other.

Decorate cake with clusters of mint sprigs, blueberries, and quartered lemon slices. 

Scalloped and Mashed Potato Gratin

The Captain and I have been into comfort food since we have been a bit under the weather.  As I was checking out Sandra Lee's website since I was looking for something quick and easy to cook, this semi-homemade potato casserole jumped out at me.

What I really like is the addition of onion soup mix for flavor.  I've used it in dips and slow cooking meat with great results.

As usual, I would use the recipe as a guide since I don't usually like frozen potato products (except for tater tots) and I would use real bacon.  Of course, the convenience foods are what make it semi-homemade, but I'd rather make it more economical and tasty.

Start to Finish: 35 minutes
Cook: 6 servings

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray, Pam®
• 1 bag (24-ounce) frozen cut red potatoes, Ore-Ida® Steam n’ Mash®
• 1⁄3 cup evaporated milk, Carnation®
• 1 tablespoon onion soup mix, Lipton®
• 3 tablespoons butter 
• 11⁄2 cups shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend, Sargento®
• 1⁄2 cup frozen chopped onions, Ore-Ida®
• 1⁄4 cup real bacon pieces, Hormel®
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• Dash ground nutmeg, McCormick®
• Salt and ground black pepper 
• 1⁄4 cup bread crumbs, Progresso®
• 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika, McCormick®

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350ºF. 

Lightly spray a 11⁄2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray; set aside.

Microwave potatoes according to package directions. In a bowl, mash half the potatoes with the milk, soup mix, and 1 tablespoon of the butter. 

Spread mashed potatoes evenly into prepared baking dish. 

Sprinkle 1⁄2 cup of the cheese, half the onions, and half the bacon on the mashed potatoes. 

Add half the remaining unmashed potatoes to the dish in an even layer. Repeat layering cheese, onions, and bacon. Top with remaining unmashed potatoes.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste over medium heat to just under a boil; pour over potatoes. 

Sprinkle remaining 1⁄2 cup of cheese on top. In a small bowl, stir together bread crumbs and paprika. 

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter; stir into the bread crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of casserole. 

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until bubbling and browned.