Mock Chicken Cordon Bleu

I should state right up front that this blog has nothing to do with nutrition. Scotty and I are awful at eating veggies. It's just not our strong suit. If I mention a meal and include a vegetable in the rundown, he'll probably tell me he doesn't want the entire meal. Anyway, this meal is definitely not what you would call low-fat, but it's a favorite of mine! It started when I was in in high school taking French class. I was assigned to bring Chicken Cordon Bleu for Food Day. Well, my mom made it her own! And, I've changed it a bit from what she did back then...because I'm lazy!

Mock Chicken Cordon Bleu

Preheat 350

Ingredients:

Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts

Sliced Swiss Cheese (I buy the pre-sliced packages)

Two 26 ounce cans of Cream of Chicken Soup

1/2 pint of heavy whipping cream (you can use milk in a pinch, but it just won't be AS good)

7-14 ounces of chicken broth

Canadian Bacon (optional)

Boil the chicken until the outside is no longer raw. I don't worry too much about it being cooked all the way through, because I'm going to bake it, too. However, I often forget to defrost, so I just toss them in frozen. Meanwhile, pour Cream of Chicken Soup, whipping cream, three torn up slices of swiss cheese, and about 7ounces of broth into a pan to warm and melt cheese and combine ingredients. **You may want to use less broth if you use regular milk. When the chicken is white on the outside, place into a 13x9 pan coated with cooking spray and top with slices of swiss cheese (and Canadian Bacon if you choose). Bake for a few minutes to melt cheese in place. Once the cheese is melted, pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 30-45 minutes until bubbly. My brother loves this meal with mashed potatoes, but I prefer rice! Whichever you choose, the sauce makes an awesome gravy! Enjoy - just don't count the calories or sodium content.

Last Grocery Total and Beef Enchilada Recipe

So, I've been really lousy at tracking my grocery expenses and sharing what I've purchase. I spent $170 on the last two weeks in groceries. This rate of spending will get me in under $350, so I'm happy with that. I have to admit there's no way this will happen in the month of December. I have 4 Christmases!!! It's just not gonna happen. So, my New Year's resolution will be to maintain this blog more completely. AND, to meet my budgeting goals better. This may include trips to Wichita to shop at Aldi's. Anyway, here's the first recipe of the night. Yes! I said first. There will be a bonus recipe later this evening.

Beef Enchiladas
Preheat 350

Ingredients:
Ground Beef
Taco Seasoning
Tortialla shells (We don't like corn tortillas, so we use flour Azteca shells)
2-4 cups of shredded cheese (I use the shredded Mexican style cheese)
2 cans of mild enchilada sauce

This recipe is so easy! And, kids love it. I usually make 2 pounds of taco meat at a time, and I freeze the excess. That's generally what I'm using to make enchiladas, so this meal is even easier!

Pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Simply stuff the tortillas with beef and cheese to the amount of your liking. Roll them up, and line them in the pan. Pour sauce over the top of enchiladas, making sure they're completely covered. Top with shredded cheese to taste. I also then sprinkle a little of the beef on top of the cheese. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes,and it's done! These are great to freeze and eat later. I enjoy them even more left over!!

Check back later tonight for the bonus recipe! It's a fave!