Tortilla Chicken Bake

TORTILLA CHICKEN BAKE

This is a low calorie, low fat, low carb recipe.  Feel free to change it up and make it more fattening with cheese and sour cream.  I have lost 25 lbs recently, so I'm being careful not to add weight back on, so I can keep my new wardrobe.

  This recipe started by, me looking in the freezer and pantry and seeing what I had on hand.  I had half a package or frozen corn tortillas and a couple of zip bags of frozen rotissere chicken  I had previously deboned and stored the chicken in individual servings, from a chicken I'd bought at Costco.  Love those  roasted chickens.... and always find uses for them.

I wasn't sure how great it would turn out, but started snapping pictures anyway.  It was a really yummy success, so its 'blog worthy'........here's what you'll need.

6 Corn Tortillas

8 oz jar of Pace Picante Sauce (or 4 oz),of any salsa

1 can tomato soup

2 cups of cooked chicken

2 Tbsp oil

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper (yellow or green are fine), chopped.

1 can of black beans, drained and rinced

salt and pepper

1/2 cup or more of grated cheese

Greek yogurt 0% or sour cream

cilantro and green onions for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 oF.

Start by putting the onions and peppers in a frying pan with the oil and cook until tender, about 5 mins, stirring occasionally.

        Once the onions and peppers are tender, add the picante sauce or salsa and stir until bubbly
                                                            add some salt and pepper

            (Wow, that's a weird picture of my hand.........you can see the age spots so clearly!!!!)

                                                        Now add the black beans and stir

   
                                                       Then add the tomato soup

                                                        Heat until just bubbling

                Spray a casserole dish with spray oil and layer half the mixture on the bottom.

                Place three of the corn tortillas on the top of the sauce.  I tore one in half to fit the dish.
 You could use white four tortillas, or whole wheat tortillas.  The corn tortillas are lower in calaries     and give more flavor to the dish, in my opinion.

                                              

                                          Next lay all of the chicken on top of the tortillas.

                                            Top the chicken with another layer of tortillas, then
                                  Top with the rest of the sauce and sprinkle with the cheese.

                    Bake for 30 mins. at 350 oF or until cheese melts and  casserole bubbles at the edges.

                We got 6 servings from this, but you may serve 4. depending on the portions.

          Serve with sour cream or as I did, with 0% Greek Yogurt, cilantro and green onions.

California is known for its Mexican food.  You won't find this recipe in any Mexican cookbook, but its got the flavors that we love so much in Mexican food.

My secret ingredient in Mexican dishes, to make it creamy, is the tomato soup.

So chalk that one up for an experiment gone right.  Hope you like it too!

French Onion Soup

Fond memories of my first date with my husband John of 36 years,( so that would be 38 years ago) was him taking me to A&W Root Beer for a bacon/cheese burger, onion rings and of course a frosty mug of their root beer.   The second date was on my 19th birthday........to the big city of St. Louis.....we had Chinese food........I think.  But, the best date was when we went for lunch (also in St. Louis, Missouri) to a big department store called Famous and Barr, for French Onion Soup and Chicken Salad Sandwiches. We went back there many times in the first few years of our relationship.

 Here's my attempt and recreating that soup..........John thought it was pretty spectacular, and I would have to agree.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Thinly slice 7 medium onions into half moons.

 Saute the onions in 4 Tbsp. of butter for about 20 mins or more, until caramelized.

 Don't hurry this step, its crucial that the onions turn a deep, rich brown color on a medium to low heat.

 Add 5-6 cups of beef broth, 1/4tsp dried thyme, dash of balsamic vinegar, dash of Worcestershire sauce, and 2 tsp of brown sugar....simmer for another 30 mins until thickened.

Keep the pot uncovered, while the soup is reducing and simmering.  Meanwhile get some hearty thick bread and cut it to fit oven proof soup bowls and grate or slice Gruyere or Swiss cheese.

The soup  should be thick.

Heat oven to 450 oF.

 On a foil covered baking dish place oven proof soup bowls.

 Spoon onion soup into bowls,

Top with crusty bread and Gruyere cheese and bake for 12 - 15 mins.

The soup and cheese will ooze over the edges. Heat until bubbly.

We couldn't even finish ours.  We only served two, but its way plenty for four people. Just serve into four bowls instead.

Here's what we looked like at our wedding. I was only 20 years old. Such a baby.

This is us now.  Not bad for a couple of old farts.