Green Chile Stacked Enchilada Casserole

So this photo looks completely un-appetizing but I promise you this is delicious and easy to make. I cheat on this one using the canned green enchilada sauce and bottled green taco sauce. It is so good that I've made it 2 weeks in a row. Try it, you'll like it.

•1lb ground meat

•1 small onion, diced

•1 tsp garlic powder

•1 tsp smoked paprika

•3 tsp chili powder

•1 tsp cumin

•1/4 tsp Mexican oregano

•salt and pepper

•2 tbsp flour

•3/4 cup green taco sauce, divided ( you could just use 2 cans of the green chile sauce instead but the taco sauce seems to be a little spicier and I like it, also it wouldn't take the entire 2 cans of enchilada sauce to achieve the right consistency)

•1/2 cup water

•1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

•12-14 corn tortillas, cut into fourths

•3 cups cheddar cheese

•1 10 oz can green chile enchilada sauce

Directions:
Fry tortillas in a hot iron skillet on both sides just until slightly browned but the tortilla will still be flexible. This should only take 30 seconds to a minute on each side. This step is important so that your casserole won't turn to mush when you bake it. Don't worry if the tortillas get a little crunch because you don't have to roll the enchilada for this recipe. Cut tortillas in quarters and set aside.

Meanwhile, brown ground meat along with onions. Add in garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Next add in about a 1/4 cup green taco sauce, water and the beans and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid had cooked down.

Combine remaining taco sauce with enchilada sauce and begin layering in a 8x8 casserole or slightly larger if you want. I used an almost 9x13 the last time I made it. You will make 3 layers so divide ingredients into thirds. Start with a very thin layer of green chile sauce, next a single layer of tortillas pieces, then a layer of meat/bean mixture, then a layer of cheese, and start again with 1/3 of sauce. Continue with remaining layers and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until top starts to brown and casserole is bubbling.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a salad. 

Vegetable Beef Pot Pie

Let's face it, pie makes people happy whether it's sweet or savory. Hillbilly loves his beef and veggies, as any good Texan should and he absolutely loves pie. He calls me every afternoon and asks me what's for supper and I'm pretty sure I heard him smile when I told him what we were having tonight. Make this delicious pot pie for your family soon and see if you get a smile out of them.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. stew meat cut into small bite size pieces
• 1 cup carrots, sliced small
• 1 cup green peas
• 1 1/2 cups potatoes, diced small
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp beef base or 2 beef bullion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp flour
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 pie crust
• egg wash

Directions:
Heat oil over medium high heat and brown seasoned meat adding onions, garlic and celery half way thru. Once meat is browned and vegetables are tender crisp add the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Then add water and beef base or bullion and bay leaf. Simmer until meat is tender, about an hour. At this point, add the potatoes and carrots and simmer until tender. Give it a taste and adjust season if needed. Add peas and turn off the heat.

Place in deep dish pie plate or other shallow pan, top with prepared pie crust and poke holes in crust to vent. Brush with egg wash and bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until pie crust is brown and filling is bubbling.

Goldendoodle's New Do

It's been busy around here.  Gus and Hillbilly and I all got our hair fixed this week and we are ready for spring.  Gus's groomer asked if he was ever going to stop growing.  I'm truly beginning to wonder.  He just keeps growing.  He is HUGE and sweet and silly and lovable and mischevious and HUGE!

I've been researching cameras and lenses and I think I have narrowed it down to the best starter digital SLR for my budget.  We're going to make the purchase on Saturday.  I'm super excited.  It will probably take me a year or two to figure it all out but maybe I will eventually have decent photos. 

We have our eyes on a couple of pieces of property but we're still kicking around a few things.  We might make it to the country some day.  Moving to the country is just going to take baby steps and patience.

Patience is something Gus knows nothing about.  The photo below is deceiving, he was just worn out from going to the groomer.  My little muffin is SO soft and he smells really good.  Is it wrong to love a dog this much?  Nah...



I've really got a bunch of nothing to talk about but I wanted to say "hi".  It's almost happy hour so I'll talk to y'all later. 

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This dip is completely yummy.  I made it for the Superbowl party and am just getting around to posting.  Try it, you'll like it.

 

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken or canned chicken
• 1/2 cup ranch salad dressing
• 1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
• 1/2 cup crumbled gorganzola
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a pie plate or 1-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Add the cream cheese to the chicken. Next add the ranch dressing and the hot wing sauce and mix it all together then stir in the blue cheese and pour the mixture into your prepared pie plate. Sprinkle on the Monterey Jack cheese, and bake 15-20 minutes.

Serve with celery sticks, pita chips and crackers.

We All Bleed Red

Hello Ronnie, good to see you.

To my Sweeties

Happy Valentine's Day to all my sweet blog friends.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Yes, it's another soup recipe.  I just love soup when it's cold out.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium chopped onion
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 lb fresh or frozen broccoli
• 1 cup carrots, julienned
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 4 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 ounces processed cheese ( you could use 8 oz of one kind of cheese)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper 

Directions:

Sauté onion in butter until softened.  Add flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half and half.   Next add the chicken stock and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Then add the broccoli, garlic powder, carrots and onions and cook over low heat 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the cheese and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Allow cheese to melt completely and serve while hot.

Texas is NOT Flat and Thurber, TX

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times.  Texas is NOT flat.  Sure there are many parts of it that are but Texas is a BIG state and there are plenty of places that have hills and even MOUNTAINS.  Really, I wouldn’t lie to you.
I drove to Abilene and back yesterday and it’s a pretty scenic drive for the most part.  Especially at the top of Ranger Hill.  See below for a history lesson about Thurber, TX and Ranger, TX.  Very interesting stuff.

From Boom Town to Ghost Town  Thurber (located midway between Fort Worth and Abilene on Interstate 20) was a company owned town, founded and controlled from around 1888 through the 1930's by Texas and Pacific Coal Co. (after 1933, Texas Pacific Oil Company). At its height, it was the largest town between Fort Worth and El Paso. Every building and inch of ground was owned 100% by Texas and Pacific Coal Co. Every resident lived in a company house, shopped at company stores, drank at the company saloon, attended a company school, danced at the company opera house, and worshiped in company churches.

5 MAJOR ASPECTS OF THURBER'S HISTORY
1. Coal
Thurber was the most important mine site in Texas for 30 years. 3,000 tons of coal were produced daily. This coal provided fuel mainly for the Texas and Pacific Railroad, but a dozen other RRs also used Thurber coal. By ensuring a plentiful coal supply, Thurber helped railroads open up the great southwest.

2. Brick
Thurber had the best equipped brick plant west of the Mississippi. Manufactured from the area's rich deposits of shale clay, Thurber brick paved hundreds of miles of Texas highways and streets: Congress Avenue in Austin; the Galveston sea wall; the Bankhead Highway; Camp Bowie, Main Street, and the stock yards in Fort Worth, etc.

3. Oil
Thurber was headquarters of the Texas and Pacific Coal Company which, under the leadership and persistence of W. K. Gordon, brought in the McCleskey discovery well at Ranger (16 miles west) for the company. Troops in World War I, which had been at a standstill, were given the "go-ahead" when this news was received abroad, as Russia had cut off oil supply to the Allies. Ranger yielded in one year twice the wealth of the best years in the California and Klondike gold fields. It was the key that opened the door to West Texas oil production and made the University of Texas the richest university in North America. Every Thurber home had running water and electricity. In fact, Thurber was the first totally electrified city in the United States. A power plant was erected in 1895, as well as an ice plant with a 17 ton capacity, the largest ice plant in the southwest. By 1915, each home also had natural gas for heat.

4. Labor Unions
The Thurber coal miners' strike of 1903, which ended when a contract was signed by John L Lewis and Edgar L. Marston (for Texas & Pacific) in the old Worth Hotel in Fort Worth, was the beginning of the labor movement in the southwest. Thurber became the only totally unionized town in the world, and had two UMW Locals; the English Local and the Italian Local.

5. Ethnic Diversity Hundreds of European immigrants, representing eighteen ethnic groups, began working as coal miners and brick makers. The priest at the Catholic Church heard confessions in six languages. Thurber was a "melting pan" for Eastern European immigrants, providing an interesting and colorful cultural and ethnic mix. OTHER FACTS Thurber was the site of the last regularly scheduled stage coach in America. It ran from the Hotel Knox to Thurber Junction (now Mingus, Texas). The Metropolitan Opera troupe stopped in Thurber en- route from the east coast to the west coast. (The Italians loved operas.) Famous voices were heard in the Thurber Opera House, where ceiling fans had been installed (a rarity at that time). The Opera House seated more than 650 people, and VIP's had their own box seats.

The Hills of Thurber

There was Graveyard Hill, Brickyard Hill, New York Hill, Italian Hill, Polander Hill and Stump Hill. And Shale Pit (Steam Shovel) Mountain, Dairy Mountain and Coal Miners Mountain were called mountains, but they were actually hills.

The history of Thurber can be divided into two slightly overlapping eras: the Coal Era (1886-1921) and the Oil Era (1917-1933). New York Hill is associated with the Oil Era. In 1917, after the T & P Coal Co. hit oil at Ranger (15 miles west), the company brought in experienced oil people, mostly from New York State, to run its oil operations. These newcomers were accustomed to more comfortable homes than the usual Thurber houses. So the company spent $250,000. in building 31 fancy homes on the hill east of Little Lake. And this hill became "New York Hill" because of the origin of its residents.

Since the T P Coal and Oil Co. (name change) was headquartered in Thurber, daily travel between Thurber and Ranger was required. The company ran two "locals" (trains) a day to carry pipe, tools, supplies and some commuters to Ranger. Other Thurberites made the 15-mile drive to the Ranger Oil Field by car. In 1920 with muddy, dirt/gravel roads, low-powered cars, flat tires and blow-outs and the formidable Ranger Hill to climb, this trip could be an episode.

Ranger Hill lay several miles west of Thurber and had a rise of about 200 feet in a mile. With a poorly-tuned 20-40 HP car or truck, it was a task to climb this hill. When Ranger Hill was conquered, there was a feeling of accomplishment, and a roadside park at the top of the Hill enabled one to pause (or exult), cool down the car or make repairs. If the vehicle were well-tuned, with three forward speeds and gear shift, there was little difficulty. But most trucks with a load had to strain.

In the days of the Ranger Oil Boom, Model T Fords were the most popular and affordable cars. In 1925 a new Model T sold for $260. From 1909 to 1927, 26,000,000 Fords were manufactured. The T developed 20 horsepower and had two speeds forward: low and high. It had no equal on muddy roads, and with a "high center" and 30 x 3-1/3 tires it was almost impossible to stick. But climbing hills, like Ranger Hill, was another story. It was a common, but amusing sight to see Model T's backing up Ranger Hill! On the earlier Model T's the gravity-fed fuel tank was under the driver's seat, and with a half-empty tank and an incline, the gasoline would not reach the carburetor. Back up the Hill! This problem was corrected in later models by locating the fuel tank under the dashboard. But there was another problem which necessitated backing up Ranger Hill. The Model T had three pedals: one for low speed, one for reverse and one for braking. When the low-speed clutch band became worn, the reverse pedal was used to back up Ranger Hill.

Flat tires and blowouts were common because most roads were not paved and tires were not durable. There were no steel belted or tubeless tires and no tire guarantee. All cars carried an air pump, a jack and tire-changing and flat-repairing tools. The "Monkey Grip" cold patch tube repair kit with glue for sticking the patch on the inner tube was a necessity. A strong man could lift a Model T to set it on blocks to fix a flat.

In 1933 the Oil Co. moved its headquarters to Fort Worth. The choice homes on New York Hill, which cost $8,000. to build, were sold for $250. and moved elsewhere. After 16 years of activity, Thurber's New York Hill was reclaimed by mesquite trees.

Thurber Now
Thurber has eight State historical markers, all within a one mile radius of downtown Thurber. These markers include the Snake Saloon, Hotel Knox & Mining Office, New York Hill, the brick plant, the cemetery, St. Barbara's Catholic Church, Big Lake & Dairy, and Thurber's first coal mine.
Thurber is picturesque, particularly as viewed from surrounding hills: New York Hill, Stump Hill, Polander Hill, Italian Hill, and Graveyard Hill. It is ideally located on heavily traveled 1-20 approximately 70 miles west of Fort Worth. There is wonderful potential to preserve the memory of Thurber by creation of a visitors/history center with artifacts and displays, a re-enactment of town scenes with period costumes, and interpretive signs. Thurber could once again have an Opera House with regular performances and summer stock productions. Thurber could become a park in the flavor of a little "Williamsburg."

Sweet Chicken Bacon Bites

This is a Paula Deen recipe that I make all the time.  My kids love these and would they would be great for a Super Bowl party. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)
• 1 (1-pound) package sliced bacon
• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chili powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Cut each bacon slice into thirds. Wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure with a wooden pick. Stir together brown sugar and chili powder. Dredge wrapped chicken in mixture. Coat a rack and broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken wrap on rack in broiler pan. Bake 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

Day Four & Super Bowl Recipes

It’s day four of our mini ice age.  Cabin fever has set in.  We awoke to 3 inches of snow on top of the layer of ice that was already there.  It’s still snowing…. high of 27 degrees.   It doesn’t look like we will leave the house at all today.  We have resorted to making snow angels for entertainment.

I have decided to embrace my inner snow bunny because….there really isn’t anything else to do.

It was fun to walk in the snow but we only stayed out for about 10 minutes, it’s really cold.

Be sure to stop by Howdy from the Kitchen for Super Bowl recipes.
Green Chili Ham & Cheese Tarts
Sweet Bacon Chicken Bites
Brother-In-Law Sausage Bread
Tortilla Roll Ups
Sausage Balls
Stuffed Jalapenos
Better Than Delivery Pizza
Zydeco Pulled Pork
Texas Chili
Beef Fajitas
Crockpot Italian Beef
Calzones
Spinach Alfredo Pizza
Crockpot Creole Shrimp

Angelic

[an-jel-ik]
–adjective
1.of or belonging to angels: the angelic host.
2.like or befitting an angel, esp. in virtue, beauty, etc.: angelic sweetness.
Nana hasn’t been able to get to Mini Me’s house because of the ice.  I’m really missing this little dumplin.  Mini Me has a friend that does newborn photos.  They did her photo shoot at 13 days old and they are just precious.   I’ll be posting one every once in awhile.  Y’all don’t mind, do ya?

Random Thoughts on Day Three

Day three of frigid temperatures and ice and no chance of a thaw today, uhg.  I’m not sure how all of you good people up north do this on a regular basis.  The schools have been closed for these three days as well so Hillbilly has been home with me.  We’ve left the house each day but the roads right around the house are very slippery still.  We almost didn’t make it back up the driveway yesterday.  Gus scouted out a few good roads for us on the way to the store (above).
Texans CANNOT drive on ice.  People are dumb.  There, I said it.
Gus wouldn’t get off the porch to do his business until yesterday, ewww. He finally did a little ice skating in the back yard yesterday afternoon.  We looked out and he was sliding across the back yard.  Not sure if it was intentional but it was funny.  More snow expected on Friday.  Yikes. 
The “NFL Experience” has taken over around these parts, I’ll be glad when it’s over.  Ridiculous.  Again, people are dumb.
I might try to post a few Super Bowl recipes (because it’s all about the party) but in the meantime try some of this Chicken Tortilla Soup.  It’s really good on a cold day like today.
Today we shall venture out again because I need booze supplies and because we like to watch the other Texans drive on the ice.  Gus is getting his coat on now so I better get with it. 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Everyone has a chicken tortilla soup recipe but this is how I make mine.  I’m posting this for my girls to have but feel free to use it if you want

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup diced green pepper
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 can Rotel
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 tbsp chicken base or 2 chicken bullions
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• juice of a lime
• 1 tbsp corn meal or masa harina
• 3 tortillas cut into 1/2” strips

Directions:

Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper,  chili powder, cumin  & onion powder.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, shred with fork and set aside.
Place large pot on medium heat and cook onion and green pepper in 2 tablespoons oil until tender, add in chopped garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.  Add in shredded chicken and spices and cook for a couple minutes.  Next, add in Rotel tomatoes, chicken broth and lime juice.  Simmer for 30 minutes then add beans, corn and corn meal.  Simmer for 15-20 more minutes.  Right before serving add in tortilla strips.
Garnish with fried tortilla strips, shredded cheese, and diced avocado.  Add a dollop of sour cream if desired.  Delicious!
*note—I fry my own tortilla strips, it only takes a few minutes and they are so much better than store bought.

Blowing Snow & Ice

Currently

  

16.5 °F /Blowing Snow

23° | 9°  Wednesday20° | 7°  Thursday23° | 13°Friday32° | 22   Saturday45° | 29°

That’s some kind of freaky COLD!  We have a layer of ice underneath the snow too.  It looks like we are homebound for a couple of days.  Hillbilly doesn’t have to go to work and is waiting for me to fix him some brunch.  I guess I better get busy.