Taco Fiesta Chicken Lasagna

I know that lasagna is traditionally an Italian dish, but just to be different, I enjoy making this lasagna with a Mexican flavor.  The nice thing about this recipe is that it needs to be prepared the day before, so there is no real work the day you serve it as it only needs to be baked.  That makes it a great dish when having guests for dinner.  While the lasagna is in the oven, an appetizer can be prepared or a fresh salad can be tossed as an accompaniment.

I found this recipe in one of those little recipe books which are sold at the register in the market.  This is a go to dish when I know I won't have a lot of time to prepare a full meal, especially when I'm serving more than just our little family.  The nice thing is that there are usually leftovers for another meal or lunches.  My guys give this 8's and 9's on the Melnarik rating scale.

In a large bowl, I combine the tomatoes and taco sauce.

To that, I add the cubed chicken, stirring to combine.  This can be leftover chicken, or sometimes, I use the grilled chicken strips that are sold in the market.

In a medium bowl, I combine the refried beans and sour cream.

To assemble the lasagna, I begin by spraying a 9-x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.  Then I spread about 1 cup of the chicken mixture in the bottom of the pan.

Next, I add 5 lasagna noodles, breaking them to fit in the rounded corners of the pan.

I add 1/2 of the bean mixture over the noodles, spreading as evenly as possible.

I then add 1 1/2 cups of the chicken mixture over the bean layer.  I know it's hard to add this evenly, but do the best you can.

About 1 cup of the cheese is sprinkled evenly on top of the last layer.

That is followed by half of the onions, distributing them as evenly as possible.

Then I repeat with another layer of noodles, broken to fit.

The rest of the bean mixture is added next.

This is followed by another 1 1/2 cups of the chicken mixture.

Another cup of cheese is sprinkled on top of the chicken mixture.

The last of the onions get added next.

The last layer of noodles goes on next, again breaking to fit.

This layer gets topped with the last of the chicken mixture, and I still had some green onions, so I added them.

The last layer is the rest of the cheese.  It's important to make sure that the final layer of noodles is completely covered.  I then cover the entire dish with the nonstick aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator until baking time the next day.  If you do not have the nonstick foil, you can spray regular foil with a nonstick spray and put it on the dish spray side down.

This dish does take a considerable amount of time to bake, so allow for that.  Part of the reason is that it's been in the refrigerator, so it takes longer to heat before the cooking begins.  For this reason, I put it in the oven, then turn it on, so that as the oven heats, it can begin to heat up the lasagna also.  It gets baked covered at 350°F for 50 minutes.  Then it gets uncovered and baked about another 20 minutes.  It's easier to cut when I let it sit about 10 minutes before cutting.

Each piece can be topped with fresh cilantro, sour cream, chopped tomato and/or shredded lettuce.  Fiesta means party and with all the vibrant colors in this lasagna, it's like having a party on your plate!  Enjoy!

Taco Fiesta Chicken Lasagna

2 (14 ½ oz.) cans diced tomatoes with mild green chiles, undrained

¼ cup taco sauce

3 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 (16 oz.) can refried beans

½ cup sour cream

15 uncooked lasagna noodles

12 oz. (3 cups) shredded Mexican cheese blend (Monterey Jack and Cheddar)

½ cup chopped green onions

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Spray a 9-x13-inch (3 quart) glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  In a large bowl, combine tomatoes and taco sauce; mix well.  Stir in chicken.  In a medium bowl, combine refried beans and sour cream; mix well.

Spread about 1 cup chicken mixture in bottom of sprayed baking dish.  Top with 5 uncooked noodles, breaking to fit if necessary.  Spread with half of bean mixture and 1 ½ cups chicken mixture.  Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese and half of onions.

Layer 5 more noodles, remaining bean mixture, 1 ½ cups chicken mixture and 1 cup cheese.  Top with remaining 5 noodles, chicken mixture, onions, and cheese.  (Be sure top noodles are covered.)  Spray a 15-x12-inch sheet of foil with cooking spray and cover dish with sprayed side down.  Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Heat oven to 350°F.  Bake covered lasagna for 50 minutes.  Uncover baking dish; bake an additional 18 to 22 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Sprinkle with cilantro.  If desire, garnish each serving with dollop of sour cream, chopped tomato and shredded lettuce.

S'More Bars

Every year, the prison ministry at our church throws a Christmas party for the men where they minister.  The people in our congregation are encouraged to donate cookies for this event.  Every year I try to pick one of my favorite cookies to make for the men who attend.  This year it was these amazing S'More Bars.

I found this recipe in the 10/9/01 issue of Family Circle and first tried it our on our group of friends who attend our annual beach trip.  Although S'mores are easier to put together than these bars, they give you that flavor and they can be taken anywhere because no hot coals are required!  This recipe gets 8's and 9's on the Melnarik rating scale, plus high marks from anyone else who has tried them.

I begin by crushing the graham crackers.  I know this can be done in a plastic bag with a rolling pin, but I find the fastest way is by using my mini food processor.  This also ensures that I don't find any bits that I haven't crushed thoroughly.

In a medium bowl, I combine the graham crackers, with the salt and sugar.

To that I add the melted butter, mixing until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened.

I then press this mixture evenly into a 9-x13-inch baking dish, making sure it's even into the corners.  I then place this dish in the refrigerator while working on the brownie layer.

The first step in making the brownie layer is to chop the bittersweet chocolate.  I do this using an extremely sharp, large knife.  I don't know what I was thinking here, but I didn't remove the chocolate from the foil packaging before cutting it, so I had to remove a bunch of small pieces of the foil before I did anything else.  Note to self:  Remove chocolate completely from wrapping before placing on cutting board to chop!

In a large, microwave-safe measuring cup I placed the butter.

To the butter, I added the chopped chocolate.

After heating it in the microwave on high for 1 minute, the butter and chocolate were melted.

Using a rubber spatula, I stirred this mixture until it is smooth.  I then set it aside.

In a medium bowl, I combined the sugar and eggs.

Using a hand-held electric mixer, I beat them until well blended and slightly foamy.

While continuing to beat the mixture, I gradually add the chocolate mixture (there was no way to take a picture of this as I was holding the measuring cup with the chocolate in one hand and the mixer in the other).  I beat this combination until smooth.

Then, using a rubber spatula, I stirred in the flour and salt.

Once that was smooth, I added the vanilla and stirred the mixture until smooth.

I added the brownie batter into the baking dish, spreading evenly to cover the graham cracker crust.  I then baked it at 350°F for 30 minutes until the center was set, which I tested by gently pressing it with my fingertip.

While the baking dish was in the oven, I combined the marshmallow cream with the milk using a whisk.  

The resulting mixture is smooth and runny.

I also placed 3 graham cracker boards in a zip-lock bag, and coarsely crushed them using a rolling pin.

When the brownie layer was fully baked, I removed it from the oven and immediately added the marshmallow mixture.

Using oven mitts to protect my hands, I tilted the baking dish to completely cover the brownie layer with the marshmallow mixture.

I then sprinkled the chocolate chips as evenly as possible over the marshmallow layer.

This was followed by the coarsely crushed graham crackers.  Again, distributing it as evenly as possible.  The dish went back into the oven for 3 minutes until the chocolate chips were glossy and the marshmallow cream was set.  I then placed the dish on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Who doesn't love a S'more or a brownie?  In this little bar, you've got both!  Enjoy!

S’more Bars

Crust:

14 whole graham cracker boards, crushed (2 ¼ cups crumbs)

3 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted

Brownie:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter

3 eggs

1 ¼ cups sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

Topping:

1 jar (7.5 ounces) marshmallow cream (about 1 ½ cups)

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup milk chocolate chips

3 whole graham cracker boards, broken up

Heat oven to 350°F. 

Crust:  Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt and melted butter in a small bowl until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened.  Transfer the crumb mixture to a 9-x13-inch baking pan; press evenly over the bottom of the pan, pressing the crumbs evenly into the corners and along the sides of the pan.  Refrigerate the crust until chilled and set.

Brownie:  Combine the bittersweet chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe glass bowl or glass measuring cup.  Heat in a microwave oven on high until the chocolate and butter are melted, about 1 minute.  Stir mixture until smooth.  In a large bowl, with a hand-held electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the eggs and sugar until well blended.  Reduce the speed to medium. While continuing to beat, gradually add the melted chocolate-butter mixture; beat until the mixture is smooth, scraping down the side of the bowl occasionally.  Stir the flour and salt into the egg mixture.  Then stir in the vanilla until smooth.  Scrape the brownie mixture into the crust-lined baking pan; smoothing the top level.  Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until the center is set when gently pressed with fingertip.

Topping:  While the brownie layer is baking, whisk together the marshmallow cream and the milk in a small bowl until the mixture is well blended and smooth.  Pour over the brownie layer in the pan.  Spread or tilt the pan to cover the brownie layer completely.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the marshmallow layer.  Then scatter the crumbled graham crackers all over the top.  Bake at 350°F for 3 minutes or until the chocolate chips are glossy and the marshmallow topping is set.  Let cool in the pan on a wire rack.  Cut into bars.

Taco Soup

This is one of my favorite soups.  It's hearty and oh so flavorful, but the best part is that it's so simple to make.  Even kids like this soup because it has all the flavors of a taco.

This recipe came to me by way of an advertisement for a cookbook that showed up in the mail.  I never order cookbooks that way, but I will keep any recipe they share in order to entice me.  This was one of those recipes I saved and tried later.  If I had thought that all of the recipes in the cookbook would have been as flavorful and wonderful as this one, I would have ordered a copy!  This recipe was a winner from the start and it gets all 9's on the Melnarik rating scale.

I begin by combining the ground beef and onion in a Dutch oven and cooking it over medium-high heat.  As it cooks, I stir it occasionally, breaking up the meat.  When fully cooked, I drain off the fat and discard it.

To the meat I add the taco seasoning and the Ranch dressing mix.  Years ago, my first cooking teacher said it was best to add spices and seasonings directly to the meat so that it gets seared to it and is evenly distributed.  I was a good student and still do it that way today.

I thought I'd throw in a picture of the chili beans I use in this dish.  This brand has a great flavor and since 3 cans are used in this soup, it is a major contributor to the flavor of the final product.

After returning the heat to medium-high, I add to the seasoned beef and onions, the chili beans, stirring to combine.

I then add the tomatoes and tomato sauce, and stir to combine.

Next, I add the corn and the green chilies, again, stirring to combine.  

After stirring in the water, I bring it to a boil.  Then I reduce the heat and simmer it for 15 minutes.  During this time, I shred the lettuce and cheese and cut the tomatoes.

When it's ready to serve, this is how we like to top our soup.  We begin with the soup in the bowl.

We then top it with Fritos.  The recipe calls for corn chips, but the picture on the original showed Fritos, so that's what we use.  Any corn chip may be used.

Then we add some shredded sharp Cheddar cheese.

We follow that up with the shredded lettuce.  I know, I thought it was weird to add lettuce to soup, too.    Trust me, it just adds to the taco flavor of the soup.  I've served this to many people, who have tried it without the lettuce and then with it once I've convinced them and they say it's much better with it added.

Next on are some diced tomatoes.

The last ingredient is the sour cream.  I know you can hardly see the soup any more!  But, when you eat this all together, it truly has the flavor of tacos.

There aren't too many soups that are as flavorful as this one.  Plus, it's stick-to-your-ribs good!  Enjoy!

Taco Soup

1 pound ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

3 (15 ½ oz.) cans chili beans

1 ( 15 ¼ oz.) can whole kernel corn, undrained

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 (14 ½ oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (4.5 oz.) can chopped green chilies

1 ( 1 ¼ oz.) envelope taco seasoning mix

1 (1 oz.) envelope Ranch-style dressing mix

1 ½ cups water

Toppings:

Corn chips, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese

Cook beef and onions in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until meat is browned and onions are tender, stirring until meat crumbles; drain.

Stir beans and next 7 ingredients into beef mixture; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  In the meantime, shred lettuce and cheese and chop tomatoes.

Spoon soup into bowls; top with desired toppings.