Turning Deals Into Meals - Chicken Enchilada Soup

We had Chicken Enchilada Soup for dinner tonight, using the leftover rotisserie chicken from yesterday's dinner (Cajun Chicken Pasta). I originally came across the recipe on Pinterest, but I've adapted it a bit - adding and omitting ingredients, using homemade enchilada sauce instead of store bought. You'll find my altered recipe below. 

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Enchilada Sauce (will use some in soup, freeze the rest - great for real enchiladas)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup chili powder

• 2 tablespoons self-rising flour
• 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 t cumin (more to taste)
• 1/4 t garlic powder (more to taste)
• 1/4 t onion powder
• salt to taste
• 
  
• Directions:
• • Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and chili powder, reduce heat to medium, and cook until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning flour.
  • Stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth.
  • Continue cooking over medium heat approximately 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt.

Chicken Enchilada Soup


Ingredients:
3 T butter
3 T flour
½ cup chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes with jalapeños or 1 can diced tomatoes
1 package frozen corn (10 oz)
½ cup onion, chopped
~ 10 ounces of enchilada sauce (can use can or see recipe above)
2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
Optional Toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, cilantro, avocado, tortilla chips


Directions:

• In a crockpot - combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, and onion. Place chicken on top of the mixture. 

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and continue to stir until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and add the chicken broth and ½ cup milk, stirring to keep smooth. Return to heat. Bring sauce to a gentle boil, stirring constantly until it thickens. 

• In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and chicken broth mixture. Whisk in remaining milk until smooth and pour sauce mixture over ingredients in crock pot.

•  Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. 

• Stir soup before serving. The soup can also be topped with cheese, avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips.

After this picture, I slopped on the toppings. :)

Even the baby enjoyed the meal. 

“Come join SoupaPalooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored byKitchenAid, Red Star Yeast and Le Creuset”

This recipe is linked up at Dishing It Up Recipe Hop.

Turning Deals Into Meals - Cajun Chicken Pasta

Tonight's dinner was Cajun Chicken Pasta. It's a recipe I've adapted from Allrecipes, using frozen, chopped bell peppers and a rotisserie chicken to make it a quicker and easier meal. The recipe follows.

Cajun Chicken Pasta 

Ingredients:
1/2 package linguini (I stock up when I find boxes for $0.50 or less)
Cajun Seasoning (I prefer to make my own - recipe found here)
2 T butter or margarine
2-3 chopped green onions
1 to 1 1/2 bell peppers chopped or sliced (Anything under $1 is a great price. Stock up, cut, and freeze)
1/2 package sliced mushrooms (I leave these out when I don't have them or they're too expensive)
1/4 t salt
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t lemon pepper (left this out because we're out)
2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken (use this $1 off printable at any grocery store that sells Tyson brand)
1 cup heavy cream (I've tried lighter creams - it doesn't turn out the same)

Directions:

• Prepare Cajun seasoning according to recipe.

• Chop green onions, bell peppers, and chicken. Set aside.

• Melt butter or margarine in large skillet. Saute peppers until tender, approximately 10 minutes.

• While peppers are cooking, cook linguini according to package. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water when draining.
• Season chicken to taste with Cajun seasoning. Add chicken to skillet and let heat for a minute or two.

        

 

• Add heavy cream, basil, salt, lemon pepper, and garlic powder. Add additional Cajun seasoning to taste. Stir in green onions. Heat through.

• Add cooked linguini. Stir to coat pasta. If sauce is too thick, add small amounts of reserved water. Heat through.

Enjoy!

Reader Response: Do you have any favorite recipe shortcuts, like using rotisserie chicken? Please share!

Turning Deals Into Meals - Brie BLTs

  I've been trying hard to stick to my weekly meal plan, but I figure, deviating is ok, as long as I'm not spending more money.

After shopping Harris Teeter this morning for the Super Doubles sale, and picking up Smithfield Bacon for $1.50 a pack (actually free because I paid with a pharmacy credit), new bacon filled dinner ideas began dancing in my head. Scanning the fridge, I spotted a wedge of brie, and the idea for Brie BLTs was born.

These sandwiches were simple to throw together, and they used many sale ingredients I picked up over the past week or two. I always struggle with ideas for healthy sandwich sides, so we ended up eating sweet potatoes because I already had them in the oven for the baby. They paired surprisingly well.

Brie BLTs

Ingredients:

Bacon - I used three slices for each sandwich. I bought Smithfield Bacon at HT for $1.50/pack.
Sliced Tomatoes
Lettuce - I used the Artisan Lettuce from Aldi, which I bought on Monday when it was $0.99/pack.
Bread - I bought whole grain bread at Aldi for $1.89/loaf.
Brie - This was on sale last week at Harris Teeter. I paid for it using a pharmacy credit.
Butter for grilling sandwiches - I have tubs and tubs of free I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bacon strips on a foil lined pan. Bake for 20 minutes.

• While bacon cooks, slice tomatoes and wash lettuce.

        

Artisan Lettuce from Aldi - an inexpensive buy

• Butter each slice of bread on one side. Top the unbuttered side with slices of brie, about 1/4 inch thick.

• Heat skillet over medium to medium high heat. Place bread in skillet buttered side down. Allow brie to melt and bread to brown.

• Assemble sandwiches by layering bread, tomatoes, and bacon.

Reader Response: Do you have a favorite sandwich that's a twist on a classic?