Grandpa's Swedish Meatballs

Grandma and grandpa's cooking will always be superior to every other type of cooking in the world. This is true for me, and I bet it is true with most of you readers. I mean, what is better than a home-cooked meal made with love by your grandparents? Most of you probably have grandmas that are known for their cooking, but my grandpa is equally as accomplished in the kitchen. This yummy swedish meatball recipe is just one of many gems I have found in the cookbooks my grandfather has passed on to me.

 

I wanted to share a recipe from my Grandpa Wohler's kitchen to honor him because he is going through a tough time right now. He was recently in the hospital with congestive heart failure and is now recovering at a nursing home. One of his favorite pastime's is cooking and I thought he would enjoy this post dedicated to him!

My grandpa is a very important person in my life, a sentiment that many of you share about your grandparents. He has taught me many things, has shown me love, and has also been the leader of our family. As a pastor for the majority of his life, he is an example of a life lived boldly for Christ. He may not be perfect, but he is always quick to share that he serves a perfect God. 

One of the many ways he served his church body was by cooking for them. He also raised chickens almost my entire childhood and sold his eggs to his congregation (one day I was even there when he announced his prices would be raised to the congregation!). His love for people is evident and he has shown this love by cooking some yummy things. This particular recipe by my grandpa was found in a church cookbook, which is arguably one of the best places to find great recipes. 

So, to my grandpa, thank you very much for; showing me love all these years, taking the time to discuss important issues, teaching me everything there is to know about chickens (particularly how to catch one), allowing me to tag along while we visited your congregation, showing me what it means shop for antiques, and most importantly, thank you for baptizing me. Our family loves you very much, Grandpa and we pray that you feel better soon!

To the readers, enjoy this recipe from my grandpa's kitchen. I made it for my husband, who gave it two thumbs up!

Here are a few notes about the recipe:

• My recipe and the recipe in the photo are slightly different, I decided to use ground turkey instead of ground pork and veal (feel free to choose your meat).
• I served this with noodles, but it would look prettier served over mashed potatoes. 
• Allow the meatballs to sit in the fridge for about an hour or two before cooking them on the stove. I did this and I think it helped the meatballs stay intact.

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common." 

- Acts 2:42-44 (NIV)

GRANDPA'S SWEDISH MEATBALLS

Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Total time: 1 hr 15 mins
Yield: 5 dozen meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs (I broke up regular slices of bread)
• 1 cup light cream
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. minced parsley
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ginger
• dash pepper & nutmeg
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1 can beef broth
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. instant coffee

Cooking Directions

1. Soak the bread crumbs in cream for 5 minutes
2. Saute onions in 1 tablespoon of butter
3. Combine bread crumbs, onions, beef, turkey, egg, minced parsley, salt, ginger, pepper and nutmeg and beat 5 minutes at medium speed with an electric mixer, then mix 8 minutes by hand
4. Form mixture into 1-inch balls
5. Brown meatballs in 2 tablespoons of butter
6. Set meatballs aside
7. For the gravy, stir flour into fat in skillet and add 3/4 can of beef broth, water and instant coffee
8. Stir until thickened over medium heat
9. Add meatballs, cover and cook slowly for about 30 minutes, basting occasionally
10. Freezes well

Ravens and Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Do you have any bizarre summer stories? I know this is a food blog and this has little to do with chicken salad sandwiches, but I'll make it concise. If you just want the recipe and could care less about my narrative, shoot to the bottom of this post. It's a good and peculiar story though; a story about peanut butter sandwiches and ravens.

You've heard me rant about our dreadful peanut butter & jelly lunches we had growing up. I don't stand alone in hating the memory of having to choke down the dryness. My little brother would heartily agree. Lunches would often drag on for 2 hours because we weren't allowed to leave the table until we'd eaten our entire sandwich. One bright summer day holds this memory...

I had managed to ingest my sandwich, but my brother (in tears) was laboring over his outside at the picnic table. Dad had given him a time limit. If his sandwich wasn't eaten within that time-frame, he was going to be disciplined. His task seemed insurmountable and his world appeared to be approaching an end.

 

Nearby, a raven was watching the whole ordeal. Have you heard the saying "one man's trash is another man's treasure?" I'll rewrite that to fit this scene: "one boy's scraps is a raven's envied delicacy." After gazing at the sandwich for several minutes, the raven couldn't help himself. He swooped down and snatched that sandwich right off my brother's plate. To fly off with the sandwich must've presented too high a risk, so the raven landed on the ground and ripped into his cherished meal just feet away from us.

I can't say my brother was entirely unhappy about this. It's like God had looked down on his misery and provided relief in the strangest form, along with freakish entertainment for us all. No one told us it was a bad idea to pet a raven and the bird was so close, it just had to be done. So, yes, we stroked it, fed it grasshoppers, played with it's beak, chased it around the yard and let it pluck at our shoe laces. Who knew ravens could make such great pets? Each time we entered the house that afternoon, he would hang by the window and watch us until we came back outside. Bizarre?  I think so!

Darkness fell that day and none of us wanted to retire for bed. Who wants to go to bed when you can play with a dangerous bird instead? But the demands of bedtime came and we headed inside, whispering prayers that the bird would remain in our yard until the next morning. But the sun rose again and he was nowhere to be found. And today he's just a distant extraordinary memory.

Moral to this story? Ravens love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Who knew? But time to ditch the p & b story. The only time these sandwiches are great, in my opinion, is when they entice ravens into becoming your pet for the day.

Chicken salad sandwiches, though? So good! This is one of my favorite sandwich recipes. The combined flavors are fabulous and it's so satisfying and refreshing. A great summer lunch. It's simple to throw together and won't disappoint.

Enjoy and while you eat it, share your outlandish summer story with a friend!

"...the word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart - that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."
Romans 10:8-10

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Prep time: 20 min.

Yield: 12 sandwiches

 

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken (about 3 breasts)
• 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 - 3/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 medium celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients; feel free to adjust the salt and pepper to your liking. For best results, refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
2. Serve with 12 whole wheat buns. Add spinach to your sandwich for extra greatness!

 

*Little tip: Don't cube the chicken. The texture is so much better when the chicken is shredded!      

 

Thyme to Unveil the Fail

 

If you've been reading our posts, you'll maybe remember a little disclaimer we shared about ourselves... something about not being perfect in the kitchen? Oh don't be so shocked.

 

But if you're going to fail, you may as well glamorize your blunder...



 

To my credit, this apple Bundt cake tasted superb. I'd give myself an A+ for taste/texture and a F for presentation... well, how about a D- since I put forth valiant effort to beautify the thing? Now, let's be totally transparent and release the initial image...

 

 

Ignore my Christmas mug in the backdrop (yes, I use a Christmas mug year-round; it insulates my coffee the best, leave me alone). Can you tell this picture was snapped with my crap-chute phone camera? In horror I snapped it and texted the shot to my blog-partner, Hannah, for some much needed sympathy. Instead, she responded with excitement, "share it on the blog!" Thanks, Hannah, for your eagerness to expose my flaws. Yet, I'm happy to comply.

 

I won't deny the fact that I really wasn't expecting the best out of this Bundt cake effort. I have a bad attitude about making Bundt cakes. Perhaps because every time I've tried it's been an epic fail. I haven't figured out how to get the stupid pastry out of the wretched pan in one piece. I lean towards blaming my Bundt pan (really, it can't be me, right?!). As a general rule I despise anything that's non-stick. Food rarely turns out as well in non-stick pots and pans. However, it was the only Bundt pan I had on hand, so it was destined to be.

Even though this cake's appearance was a major disappointment, my taste buds were in awe. I usually don't like Bundt cakes much, but Jay-man and I polished it off within 5 days, eek! For the sake of our health, I can't make it often unless I have a plan for it that extends beyond the two of us. And if I do decide to make it more often, ab workouts and I will need to intensify our relationship.

I'm not going to give you the recipe because I must be a perfectionist. I can't handle giving out something that I wasn't totally happy with. Taste and texture? Fabulous. Presentation? A work in progress...

I can't promise how soon I'll resume this operation, but it is my plan to perfect Bundt cakes. Unfortunately, I currently lack motivation to crank on the oven when it's hot and humid outside, so this post has a "to be continued" clause. For now, it's simply here so you can laugh at me and maybe feel better about your life in the kitchen. Hopefully, mission accomplished?

Enjoy your day and be challenged through God's Word today!

"Not that I have already attained this—that is, I have not already been perfected—but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3: 12-14

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

It's been a crazy week. My wonderful husband has been away fishing in Canada (possible walleye post coming from him soon), so that leaves me in charge of my babies. I have had lots of help, thankfully, but there have been some hiccups. We spent a night in the hospital with my toddler, who was sick with pneumonia. She is thankfully on the mend now, but it's tough for any mother to watch her baby be in pain. She is also a pretty high energy child, so seeing her tired and sick makes me sad. Also, my beautiful baby got ear infections in both ears. This makes for a sad mama and very crabby baby. I have never been much of a stress eater, but sometimes good comfort food just hits the spot.

Macaroni and cheese is good and comfy. I know, it is not the most healthy choice. But as a mom, sometimes it is a real winner with the kiddos. And as a person, it is always a winner with my taste buds. Now, the blue box is a very quick and easy meal and I will NEVER be above it. However, sometimes you just need the real thing. Making homemade macaroni and cheese just makes me feel better about eating mac and cheese, and it tastes better. It isn't super duper easy, but it's not too time intensive. My mom and I had an excellent time perfecting this recipe to be the perfect combination of creamy and cheesy. The yummy, crunchy top is also a crowd pleaser.

Rather than bore you with the details that are listed below, I'll just give you a few tips for making this tasty dish.

1. Keep stirring the sauce while you are making it, so you don't burn it.
2. Use a really large pot to make the noodles, so when you add the cheese sauce it doesn't overflow.
3. Use a block of cheese and grate it yourself as opposed to already shredded cheese. It's yummier.
4. Top with a garnish, like the chives I have in the photo.
5. Make it a side and serve it with meat and a yummy veggie or salad.
6. Invite friends to eat this with you or you will, for sure, eat too much.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." 
- Pslam 46:1

BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 1 hr and 10 mins

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 16 oz. box of elbow macaroni
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 4 cups milk
• 16 oz shredded cheese
• 4 oz light cream cheese
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp. butter

Cooking Directions

1. Cook whole box of elbow macaroni using instructions on the box
2. In a large pot, melt 1/3 cup of butter on low heat and then slowly add flour while stirring until mixture is bubbling
3. Slowly add 3 cups of milk until the sauce is thick and smooth
4. Add 4 ounces of cream cheese and stir into mixture
5. Adding a handful at a time, put the shredded cheese into the mixture and stir until the sauce is smooth and coats the spoon. Take the extra cup of milk and slowly stir milk into the mixture until it's your desired consistency (you may choose not use the entire cup).
6. Put in 1 tsp. of salt
7. Pour the sauce over the drained noodles in a large pot, stir until noodles are coated.
8. Melt 2 tbsp butter in 1 cup of bread crumbs
9. Pour cheesy noodles into greased 9x13 pan
10. Spread buttered panko bread crumbs evenly on top of macaroni
11. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes
12. ENJOY!

Cookbook Review: No-Churn Ice Cream

Our first cookbook review is perfect for the summer. No-Churn Ice Cream by Leslie Bilderback is an excellent book filled with recipes to help you cool down with a summer treat, made by you! And guess what? You do not even need an ice cream maker. This collection of ice cream, sorbets and gelato recipes will hopefully make a fun and exciting activity for you and maybe even your kids.

Here at Thyme for Grace we are going to do cookbook reviews based on four criteria:

1. How easy is the recipe to follow?
2. Is it worth the investment?
3. Are the pictures amazing? (because the least a cookbook can do is look pretty on your counter)
4. Would I recommend it?

So, how does No-Churn Ice Cream stack up to these criteria?



My peach ice cream topped with peaches, delicious.

1. The recipes are super easy to follow. I tested the vanilla recipe and it was so easy I had time to add peach. We served the ice cream at a dinner with friends and everyone loved it, especially the kids.
2. The cookbook is $22.99, which is a tiny bit pricey for a book covering one food category. With that being said, it would be worthwhile if you spend lots of money on sweet treats in the summer and want to transition to making your own ice cream. Also, the cookbook would make an excellent gift for any ice cream lover. 
3. All the photos are colorful, beautiful and would motivate anyone to give making their own ice cream a try!
4. Yes! I would recommend this cookbook.

"For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." 

- 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV)

MINT CHIP ICE CREAM

Yield: 1 quart

Ingredients

• One 13 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup milk
• 2 to 3 drops peppermint mint extract
• 1 to 2 drops (optional) green food coloring
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup chopped dark chocolate or mini chips

Cooking Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, milk, peppermint extract, food coloring (if desired), lemon juice, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until it reaches a soft peak. Fold in the mint mixture and the chocolate, then transfer to a shallow freezable container.
3. Cover with plastic wrap or wax paper pressed directly on the surface of the ice cream, and place in the freezer for 6 hours.
4. Scoop and serve with chocolate sauce.

Incredible Venison or Beef Pot Roast

I can't handle bad pot roast. Have you ever endured dried out, tasteless, "tough as leather" pot roast? Most of my life I've had a hate relationship with this meal. I was raised not to complain about food and to "eat what's on your plate." Typically I abide by that principle, but I guess this blog is my highway to vent, just this once, about bad pot roast.

Honestly, I've rarely eaten it and enjoyed the experience. Tough meat, a generally flavorless meal, huge chunks of potatoes, often undercooked carrots and limited greasy broth to used as a tool to choke down the dry meal. NOT. A. FAN. So, early on in our marriage I set out to create a pot roast I would actually enjoy. And what would that look like?
Dream with me...

Imagine tender, "fall-apart-in-your-mouth" meat. Savory spices that deliciously operate as one. Taste the entire entre smothered in wonderfully satisfying gravy. Feel mouthfuls of pleasantly tender vegetables. Gone are the large, starchy potato chunks; welcome to the dish, seasoned, fluffy, REAL mashed potatoes! Ahhh, isn't this what pot roast should be?!

I can't say I'm a venison fanatic, nor would I dream of killing Bambi. I'm not an animal killer, but I have no qualms about eating what others take down. Typically I find venison tough and chewy, but not in this recipe. If you really hate venison or just don't have any, venison can easily be replaced with beef.

I'd sit here and walk you through the steps of putting together this recipe, but it'd be a waste of my time (and yours) when I can do it in one sentence. Take all the ingredients and dump them into your crock pot. BAM.

Now that we've gotten those exhaustive instructions out of the way, I'll give you just a few tips that, to me, make a big difference in this pot roast experience.

1. Use fresh mushrooms. Sure, if you insist and don't mind a gummy texture or less flavor, you can substitute canned 'shrooms. Me? How'd you guess? Not a fan.
2. Serve the pot roast over authentic mashed potatoes. I can't handle instant mashed potatoes. Few things disappoint me more.
3. The more carrots the merrier. Again, my opinion. I'm a carrot lover and get seriously bummed when there are plenty of leftovers but carrots aren't a member of that party.

A brief word on real mashed potatoes. YUM. Sure, it's another step, but so worth it! If you're under the impression you must peel your potatoes, dump that step. It's more labor, there is so much nutrition in potato skins, and they add great texture! 20% of a potatoes nutrition is found in it's skin. Don't believe me? Read up... Potato Goodness.

I scrub my potatoes, cut them into chunks and toss them into boiling water until they can easily be penetrated with a fork. I then whip them with a little heated milk and add fresh garlic chives and ground pepper. Fabulous stuff.

Enjoy this meal from my kitchen and please let us know how you like it!

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:4
.

INCREDIBLE VENISON OR BEEF POT ROAST

 

Prep time: 10-15 min.

Cook time: 6-8 hours

Yield: About 6-8 servings

 

Ingredients

• 2-3 lbs venison roast (or beef roast)
• 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup chicken or beef broth
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 2 medium white onions, chopped
• 5-6 medium carrots, peeled and cut to1 inch lengths
• 5 fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Throw all the ingredients into your crock pot and simmer on low for 6-8 hours.
2. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve over real mashed potatoes.

       

Simply Delicious Homemade Croutons

I'm not a salad freak, but occasionally we eat it. My husband will only entertain the idea if protein is a major building block and the salad is variant and so massive it's helplessly falling off his plate as he feasts. I used to make it as a side to our main dish until I realized Jason would habitually dodge the salad and go for the "real deal." What a waste. The next several days would ensue a battle between the salad and me. Could I choke it down before it turned brown and slimy?

Gone are salads as a side dish or appetizer in our home (guests get preferential treatment). If we eat salads they ARE the main dish. And, boy, are they large and in charge!

If you've read my previous posts, you'll remember that I'm cheap. I'm so frugal that it's become painful for me to purchase those measly bags of croutons sold at stores. C'mon, really? You're going to sell me 5-6 slices worth of cut up bread for $1.00-$3.00? No thanks!

I've realized it's easy peesy to make croutons at home. I know what's in them and I actually like them better. Before you despise me for making homemade croutons, let me tell you I'm not a kitchen superhero; they really take minutes to throw together. Yes, you'll have a few dishes to clean afterwards, but that's life. Major kudos to the genius who invented the dishwasher!

Let's get started with this simple project. Begin by grabbing whole wheat bread (you can also use texas toast, but I never have it on hand and plain ol' wheat bread works just fine). Slice 6 pieces into 1" cubes (or smaller if you prefer) and toss them into a large mixing bowl.

Take your olive oil and slowly sprinkle it over the bread as you gently shift it around with a utensil. Make sure the oil is evenly saturating the bread cubes.

Next, mix the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder and parmesan cheese and sprinkle these dry ingredients over the bread cubes as you gently move them around. Again, you want it evenly dispersed. Taste the bread and feel free to adjust the seasoning portions to your liking!

Grab a cookie sheet, line it with parchment paper, and spread out the bread cubes on it. Pop them into the oven and bake 'em for 15 minutes. I like to bake the croutons for 7 minutes, move the bread around, then bake for another 8; this just helps them bake more evenly.

Pull the croutons out of the oven and you're done! There's a lot of flexibility with this recipe so if you like them darker and crunchier feel free to bake them longer. Sprinkle these delightful morsels over your favorite salad or eat them like chips (yes, I'm guilty). A personal benefit of making homemade croutons is that I eat more salads- a great thing!

"Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35

"Jesus answered, 'It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

SIMPLY DELICIOUS HOMEMADE CROUTONS

Prep time: 10 min.

Cook time: 15 min.

 

Ingredients

• 6 slices of whole wheat bread
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp. parmesan cheese
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Cooking Directions

1. Set your oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Take 6 slices of whole wheat bread and slice them into 1" cubes. Toss the cubes into a large mixing bowl.
3. Slowly sprinkle the olive oil over the bread cubes as you stir them, making sure the oil evenly saturates the bread.
4. Mix the dry seasonings and sprinkle them over the bread as you gently stir it, making sure the seasonings are evenly dispersed. Feel free to "taste test" the bread and adjust the seasonings to your liking!
5. Spread the bread cubes out on the cookie sheet and bake them for 15 minutes. To help them evenly bake, shift them around about halfway through.
6. Once the croutons are cooled, store them in a zip lock baggie and use them as needed!

Awesome Chicken Enchiladas

For this post I want to share a REALLY good recipe. And let me tell you, this chicken enchilada recipe is a winner! I have served this at least three times to company and every time I get continual compliments throughout the meal. It is also a fabulous recipe to take to friends who need a meal. Full disclosure, this recipe is not my own. I wish I could take credit for this amazing dish, but it comes from my mother's kitchen and when I make it, I feel like I am eating at home.

When I decided to move six and a half hours away from home for college, I knew I would miss home-cooked meals. Every time I came home to visit I would always request my mom's chicken enchilada recipe. There are many different ways to make enchiladas, but this is my favorite.

This recipe and kids: Often when I am cooking I let my two-year-old daughter help. She loves sitting on the stool to watch, help stir or even taste the food. For this recipe, I let my daughter help shred the cooked chicken, stir the enchilada mixture and spread cheese on the top of the dish. Letting kids help in the kitchen is fun and allows them to learn more about food. She especially loved this dish since she helped me cook. I didn't forget the littlest member of our family; I set aside plain chicken for her to enjoy with us.

Begin by baking or boiling the chicken until completely cooked. If you choose to boil the chicken, place it in a pot and fill it with water until the chicken is covered. Bring to a boil and for extra tender chicken, let it simmer for up to 40 minutes. When it is cool, shred chicken into small pieces.

Next, finely chop the pepper and onion. Place them in a skillet with oil and saute them until they are soft. If you don't saute them long enough they will be too crunchy in the enchiladas.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, pour about half of the large can of enchilada sauce and set aside. In a small mixing bowl combine the shredded chicken, onion, pepper, cheese (about 2/3 cup) and enchilada sauce (about 1/2 cup). Stir these ingredients together.

Now, take a 9x13 pan (I use a glass one, and spay it with Pam) and pour in enough enchilada sauce to just cover the bottom. To assemble the enchiladas, take the tortilla and dip it into the enchilada sauce in the medium-sized bowl making sure to get it completely covered. Be warned, this process is extremely messy. Take the soaked tortilla and put about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture into the center, roll it up and place it at one end of the pan with the seam down. Repeat this process until all the tortillas and chicken mixture is used up and the pan is full.

Cover the enchiladas with enchilada sauce. You want enough to keep them moist, but not so much that they are swimming in sauce. Sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese.

If you are planning to take this to a friend, cover it and put them in the fridge to take to them later. Give them the cooking instructions so they will be able to eat the dish when it is hot.

Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Make sure you test the middle to make sure it is hot, the center takes the longest to heat. I serve this with sour cream, tomatoes, cheese and shredded lettuce. I also like to make spanish rice for a side item.

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all." Acts 4:32-33 (NIV)

AWESOME CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4-6 people

Ingredients

• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 green peppers
• 1 large and 1 small can of mild enchilada sauce
• 2 cups Mexican shredded cheese
• 10 flour tortillas
• Optional sour cream
• Optional shredded lettuce
• Optional tomatoes

Cooking Directions

1. Begin by baking or boiling the chicken so it is completely cooked. If you choose to boil the chicken, place in a pot and fill with water until the chicken is covered. Bring to a boil and then for extra tender chicken, let it simmer for up to 40 minutes, or until cooked. When it is cool, shred chicken into small pieces.
2. Finely chop the pepper and onion. Please then in a skillet with oil and saute them until they are soft.
3. In a medium sized mixing bowl, pour about half of the large can of enchilada sauce and set aside.
4. In a small mixing bowl combine shredded chicken, onion, pepper, cheese (about 2/3 cup) and enchilada sauce (about 1/2 cup). Stir these ingredients together.
5. Pour enough enchilada sauce to just cover the bottom.
6. To assemble the enchiladas, take the tortilla and dip it into the medium-sized mixing bowl with enchilada sauce making sure to get it completely covered.
7. Take the soaked tortilla and put about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of the mixture into the center, roll it up and place at one end of the pan with the seam down. Repeat this process until all the tortillas and chicken mixture is used up and the pan is full (you can add an addition pan if needed).
8. Cover the enchiladas with enchilada sauce (enough to keep them moist, but not so much that they are swimming in sauce), and sprinkle on the remaining shredded cheese.
9. Cook at 350 for about 45 minutes. Make sure to test the middle to make sure it is hot, the center takes the longest to heat.
10. I serve this with sour cream, tomatoes, cheese and shredded lettuce.