Mama's Enchiladas

This recipe is one of my Mama’s, who somehow managed to work full time and still have a great dinner on the table every night. Her key to success was planning, planning, planning. And, to this day, she still keeps these ingredients on hand for a fast dinner fix.

Mama’s Enchiladas

1 (12.5 oz.) can breast of chicken
1 small onion
1 Tablespoon butter
1 (10 oz.) can enchilada sauce
Shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Flour tortillas

Dice onion and sauté in butter over medium heat in frying pan. While onion is sautéing, drain can of chicken of all juices and separate the chunks in the can with a fork. Once onion is tender, add chicken and enchilada sauce, stirring to combine.

Let this simmer over medium-low heat while you warm up the flour tortillas and grate cheese to top. You can also top with salsa and sour cream.

6 ingredients -- 6 servings -- all in less than 30 minutes.

A great accompaniment to this dish is Spanish Rice, which I make in my rice cooker to get a head start.

Rice Cooker Spanish Rice








1 1/2 c.* long grain rice
1 cup* chicken broth
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (14 oz.) can stewed tomatoes with juice, Mexican Style
1/4 cup salsa
3/4 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried onion (can use fresh)
1/2 c. chicken broth

Add rice, 1 cup* broth and next 7 ingredients. Stir. Turn on rice cooker. When the cycle nears its end, which varies according to manufacturer, check the rice for consistency. If necessary, stir in 1/2 c. chicken broth to thin rice out.

6 servings -- ready @ 6!

* Use the measuring cup that comes with your rice cooker for the best results in your machine.

Cook Once - Eat Twice

Doubling your efforts on one day can really help you out later in the week. One of my new found favorite ways to do this is with a turkey breast. Early in the week I get a 3-4 lb. turkey breast roast, baste it with melted butter, salt & pepper it, shake on my favorite garlic-basil seasoning and put it in the crock pot on low for at least 6 hours. That's the main entree for dinner that night, but later in the week, when leftovers are the last thing you feel like having for dinner, I take the leftover turkey breast and make a quickie-pot-pie with - you guessed it - 6 ingredients. This also works with leftover chicken breasts or a store-bought rotisserie chicken.

Quickie-Pot-Pie

1 package (2 count) refrigerated pie crusts
2 cups shredded turkey or chicken
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables or 1 can Veg-All
1 t. sage
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup low-fat milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Unfold pie crust and form on bottom of 8x8" pie pan.

Mix turkey or chicken, vegetables, sage, soup and milk in a bowl. Place mixture in middle of pie crust and spread evenly.

Unfold second crust and lie over top of pie pan. Press and crimp edges with the tines of a fork.

Place generous number of fork holes on top of crust to allow steam to vent. Bake for 35 minutes on the top rack, covering crust edges with foil after 15 minutes of cooking. Let cool 10 minutes before eating.

Enjoy!!

p.s. Thanks to my best friend from high school, Michelle, for this tasty recipe!