Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Easy Chicken Enchilada Soup with Pasta

Easy Chicken Enchilada Soup with Pasta
This Chicken Enchilada Soup with Pasta is so easy it can be made in just a few minutes.  It is perfect for a super busy weeknight or a last minute unplanned dinner.

Although I like spicy food next time I will have to purchase mild enchilada sauce instead of medium because it was a little too spicy for my kids.  

Enjoy!

Easy Chicken Enchilada Soup with Pasta

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Small onion, diced
6 Cups of homemade vegetable broth or chicken broth (if you use chicken do not add additional salt)
2 Cans (14.5 oz) cream style sweet corn
1 Can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce - mild (if you like it spicy make it medium)
1 Can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes - mild (if you like it spicy make it the original Rotel)
2 Cans (4.5 oz or larger) white chicken or leftover chicken
1 Cup of broken angel hair or spaghetti noodles
1 1/2 Tsp cumin
1/2 Tsp onion powder
1/2 Tsp oregano leaves
1/2 Tsp salt (only if you use homemade vegetable broth)
Pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large pot.  Add onions and cook until translucent.

Add vegetable broth, corn, enchilada sauce, and Rotel.  Bring pot to a boil and then add the remaining ingredients.

Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until pasta is tender.  My pasta only took 4 minutes because of the type I was using.

Top with cheese, sour cream, slices of avocado, or jalapenos.

I served this soup with baked corn tortilla chips and a side salad.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Our Dinner Menu Plan

I am going to totally be honest and tell you that I have an incomplete dinner menu plan for this week.  Maybe you can help me come up with ideas for the days that are empty below.

A neighborhood friend of mine sent me a recipe that I can not wait to try and I am hoping to serve Thursday night. 


Our Dinner Menu Plan

Monday - Chicken Enchilada Soup with Pasta, Baked Corn Tortilla Chips and a Side Salad

Tuesday - Tuna Cakes with a Rice and a side of Cucumbers

Wednesday - Ground Beef Penne Alfredo and Garlic Bread

Thursday - Lentil Soup with Brown Rice (Thanks Marna) and a Side Salad

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - ?

Sunday - ?  Something with Ham and Pineapple perhaps ?  Any ideas ?

Monday, March 18, 2013

Our Dinner Menu Plan

Oh how I love chocolate! Has nothing to do with this blog post just thought I would mention it.

This past week I came down with the flu.  Keep in mind that I did have the flu shot, but apparently I must be part of the 38% who got the flu despite the fact that I had the shot.  It then spread to two of my other family members, but thankfully they began taking Tamiflu the day I tested positive and only suffered mild flu symptoms.

With all that being said I was not able to cook two of the dinners I had planned for last week.  I am going to move them to another week.  This week my kids had several requests for their favorite meals so I thought I would make them happy after a long week of sickness.

Our Dinner Menu Plan

Monday - Marco's Pizza and Subs (Fundraiser for my son's school)

Tuesday - Grilled Chicken over Fresh Salad

Wednesday - Refried Bean, Rice and Peas, Baked Tortilla Chips and Cantalope

Thursday - Pesto Turkey and Cheese on Naan with Carrots Slices

Friday - Olive Oil Pasta with Vegetables (Whatever is left in refrigerator) and Fresh Bread

Saturday - Cheese and Spinach Quesadillas with Fresh Fruit

Sunday - Soup and Grilled Cheese with Celery Sticks

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Baked Gemelli Pasta with Roasted Peppers and Spinach

Sorry to say that any pasta in our house gets pretty much devoured.  Therefore the picture above is the empty casserole container instead of the actually prepared dish.  I never got the chance to take a picture of the dish before it was eaten...ha!


Baked Gemelli Pasta with Roasted Peppers and Spinach

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp Italian spice
2 to 3 Whole roasted red peppers, chopped
14 oz Diced, crushed or whole tomatoes
2 Handfuls of fresh baby spinach, chopped
2 1/2 Cups gemelli pasta (penne or rotini would work as well)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Cup mozzarella cheese
1 Tbsp fresh basil 


Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine roasted red peppers and tomatoes and blend with a hand mixer or food processor until smooth.

Heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions and cook until translucent.  Add garlic and Italian spice.  Cook an additional minute, but be careful that the garlic does not burn.

Add tomato-red pepper mixture and water to the onions.  Simmer for about 20 minutes.  Add salt and pepper as needed.

Cook gemelli pasta according to al dente instructions.  Add spinach to the pasta water 1 minute before pasta is finished cooking.  Drain pasta mixture.

Add pasta to tomato mixture.  Place in baking dish and top with cheese.  Cook COVERED for about 15-20 mintues.  Remove cover and cook until cheese is melted.  You can set the oven setting to broil to quickly melt and brown the cheese.

Remove from oven and top with fresh basil.  Serve with a side salad and fresh bread if desired.

Breakfast Sausage and Rice Casserole

You may be thinking why in the world would anyone serve breakfast sausage for dinner.  Well, you may be surprised how delicious it can be for dinner.

I recently purchased an all natural breakfast sausage roll at a super discounted price, with coupons of course.  I did not want to just make sausage patties with it so I searched the web to find a different use for breakfast sausage for dinner.  I found a pretty good recipe for breakfast sausage and rice

I must say my husband and I really liked it, but the kids did not.

Here is a link to the original recipe if you want to give it a try, Breakfast Sausage and Rice Casserole.  Great use for leftover rice too!

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Our Dinner Menu Plan

This week has not started out too great.  I had a stomach bug over the weekend and then last night began feeling achy with a fever.  I did however make a dinner menu plan for this week and I am going to try and stick with it.  

Our Dinner Menu Plan

Monday - Pork Chops with Applesauce, Roasted Green Beans and Hashbrown Potatoes

Tuesday - Baked Gemelli Pasta with Roasted Peppers and Spinach

Wednesday - Sausage and Rice Casserole with Fresh Cantaloupe

Thursday - Huevos Rancheros  (thanks to a friend for the idea) and a Side Salad

Friday - Homemade Pizza and Asparagus

Saturday - Leftovers

Sunday - Soup and Grilled Cheese

Monday, March 4, 2013

Our Dinner Menu Plan

Hi everybody!  I know it has been a week or so since I have written, but honestly I have not been meal planning for the last few weeks.  For all of you who know me that may come as a real shock.  I am not a fly by the seat of my pants type person.  I can honestly say it was fun for a short time, but I am ready to start planning again.


Our Dinner Menu Plan

Monday - Cod Filet Piccata, Broccoli with Rice, and Baked Beans

Tuesday - Carrot Satay Soup with Naan

Wednesday - Chicken Tacos (Refried Bean Burritos for me) and Side Salad

Thursday - Broccoli and Cheese Soup in Bread Bowls

Friday - Boca Burgers, Homemade Fries and Green Beans

Saturday - Leftovers

Sunday - Prosciutto Pasta Toss and Spinach Salad