Mandy and Jace

I’m not sure why but I’ve never really been one for casseroles. I think my need for everything neatly in it’s place goes a little nuts when I see the plated dish. Everything is everywhere on the plate and there is really no way to make it look pretty. But, when it tastes like this did I’m willing to excuse the mess.
I do think next time I’m going to make this dish into King Ranch Enchiladas. Instead of layering everything I’m going to roll the meat into the tortillas then put the sauce and cheese on top. That way it will look a little better when plated.

Either way you make this though, it is really good! I used a rotisserie chicken and shredded it but you can use any chicken or beef you want. I am wanting to get to like mushrooms so I bought some to throw in but, forgot about them. It would probably be pretty good but I don’t really know. It does take quite a while to make so be sure you have plenty of time. It also freezes well. Just make sure you cover it with several pieces of foil so it doesn’t get freezer burn.

King Ranch Casserole
adapted from Homesick Texan
1 1/2 lbs chicken shredded without skin
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil or canola oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 an onion diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 can Ro-Tel
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup half and half
1/3 cup sour cream
3 cups of the cheese of your choice, grated
10 corn tortillas
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet on medium heat combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons chili powder and cook for a couple of minutes to combine.
In a large saucepan on medium heat melt the butter. Add the onions, bell pepper and poblano and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, cumin, flour, cayenne and 2 tablespoons chili powder and cook for one more minute.
Add the chicken broth and cook until thick. Pour in the half and half and Ro-Tel, cover and cook at a simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the sour cream, the rest of the lemon juice. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
Heat the tortillas for a couple of seconds in the microwave.
In a 11×7 casserole dish spoon in 1/2 cup sauce. Place a layer of tortillas on top, then add a layer of chicken half of the remaining sauce and 1 cup cheese.
Continue to layer tortillas, chicken, sauce and cheese.
Place casserole, uncovered, into the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling.

I have recently found that I really enjoy baking breads and doughs. I love the process of putting it together and seeing it rise. Then, I find it wonderfully satisfying to pound the dough down. You just take your fist and hit it! That’s my favorite part. So far my best creation has been my pizza dough, so this week I am making a calzone. A calzone is made just like pizza but it ends up to be a pocket made with dough and the pizza ingredients are inside. I’m also continuing to clean out my freezer so, we are making hamburgers with the hamburger meat I have stored up. Here’s this week’s list.

Tonight: hamburgers with fried zucchini
Tuesday: three meat calzone
Wednesday: grilled cheese sandwiches
Thursday: take out before practice
Friday: date night!

Happy eating!

It is officially clean out the freezer week. Every time I open our freezer door frozen food shoots out at me and I don’t appreciate it. It’s like a bad game of dodge ball in my kitchen. So I’ve decided if the food doesn’t get eaten this week, and if we are not going to eat it in the next month or so, it’s going in the trash. Maybe it’s just me but I don’t like playing games with refrigerator, because it will always win and my toes can take no more. Here’s this weeks plan.

Tonight: rosemary crusted pork loin with mashed potatoes and whatever frozen veggie I can come up with.

Tuesday: chili dogs made with Jace’s “award winning chili”. I froze the leftovers last time we made it.

Wednesday: beans and cornbread. Nothing in the freezer here. It just sounded good, and I can throw the beans in the crock pot to cook while I’m at work.

Thursday: take out before practice.

Friday: date night!

Happy eating!

Today we celebrated Easter with our wonderful friends and family. We went to church this morning where we watched and were privileged to meet our guest band The Crabb Revival. They were amazing. We were expecting the normal Crabb family southern Gospel but what we actually got was an anointed and very talented group of musicians. Jace made the comment that not only was the Holy Spirit in the building but so was the holy spirit of Stevie Ray Vaughn. The guitarist was very talented.

I watched all the kids at church hunt Easter eggs and sat and talked with friends for a while. Then we went to eat at Memaw and Papaw’s house for lunch. I was surrounded by friends and family all morning then, I just relaxed with my husband this afternoon. Now, I am sitting here overwhelmed by all the blessings God has given me.

We are learning now more than ever that when you are faithful to God, He will be more than faithful to You. We have been blessed more in the last two weeks than we ever have, and it’s all because I know we are right where God wants us. I am sitting here now thinking about the wonderful friends and family we have and fighting tears. He is an amazing God who never ceases to surprise me when I think nothing can be done. What a great day!

Last weekend we went with our church youth group to Lone Tree Bible Ranch in Capitan, New Mexico. This camp was one of the highlights of our teen years and we were so excited to get to go back as sponsors and create new memories with these teenagers. This is the one place that I can go to and not want to come home because of its absolutely stunning beauty. It has an amazing view of Sierra Blanca and the smell of the pine trees takes your breath away.

One of my favorite things to do when we go is to get up early the first morning that we are there, and sit on the porch with a cup of hot chocolate. Then, I get to watch everyone’s faces as they come out of their rooms and see the beautiful view. I don’t know why but I always feel closer to God up there. He really outdid Himself when He made this place.

We both climbed the alpine tower this year. I was very proud of myself because this is the first time I have ever climbed. I actually made it to the top on my first try and didn’t have a panic attack! I threatened to give up several times but my pride got the best of me and forced me to press on even though everything inside me was screaming to stop. I really didn’t want to be the panicked girl half way up wanting to get down. I was even more proud of Jace who climbed to the top of the one side while we were trying to talk a terrified girl, who was squealing very loudly and would not go up or down, into coming down.

It’s amazing how easy it is there to go from the adrenaline rush of the high ropes to sitting around on comfy couches playing music and games. We had an amazing time and I already want to go back.

You can see all of my photos here.