Cool Weather

I don't know if it is just me, but for some reason when it starts to get colder outside I start to cook a lot more. Probably because we grill so much in the summer, that it seems I am not doing as much for supper. Living in Iowa, the grill is pretty much out of commission for a good 4-5 months depending on how hard and cold winter hits. If you have been following the recipes I have already posted, you probably noticed that we like chicken and eat a lot of it. This week is no exception, last night we had Chicken Enchiladas and tonight we are having Chicken Tuscany. Of course I wouldn't tell you what we are eating without giving you the recipes. The Chicken Enchiladas are something I grew up eating that my mom made and now I am making for our family. They have some ingredients in them that are not so colitis friendly, so I haven't make them in a long time but Ted requested them and I do believe in moderation and to have a little of something that is "off limits" is okay here and there.

Chicken Enchiladas

2Tb Butter (I used olive oil)
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used a white onion)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 4oz can green chiles, drained (I did not drain them, and then did not add the milk at the end)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
3 cups cooked chicken (I cubed up about 3 large chicken breasts)
1 cup shredded cheese (I didn't measure and just grabbed a handful)
8 tortillas
1/4 cup milk (I didn't use this)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large sauce pan melt butter, add onion and saute about 3 minutes, add garlic and cook another minute or until onion are opaque. Stir in chilies, sour cream, and soup. Set 3/4 cup of this sauce aside. In the remaining sauce, fold in the chicken and 1/2 cup of the cheese (I didn't add this and only did cheese on top). Warm tortillas. Fill tortillas with the chicken mixture, roll up, and place seam side down in a greased 12x8 in pan. Add milk to the sauce that you had set aside, and mix well. Spoon over top of the enchiladas, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and cover with foil. Bake for 20-25 minutes, uncover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.
For a side we usually do some type of rice, and then serve with salsa, avocado, sour cream, canned banana peppers (from our garden).

For tonight I am making Chicken Tuscany and this recipe is out of Favorite Brand Name Country Italian cookbook. If you don't have this cookbook, go buy it! It is one of the best cookbooks I own and everything that I have made out of it has been great and has become family favorites. Plus this was a go to book for me while I was nursing Trevor (he was extremely sensitive to dairy, even hidden dairy would upset his stomach) because so many of the recipes are dairy free. Not only that, but so many of them are not pasta dishes (but of course the pasta dishes in here are amazing!)

Chicken Tuscany

6 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/8 inch thick (I am using sweet potatoes tonight because I have some to use up)
12 ounces shitake, cremini, chanterelle and/or button mushrooms (I have a mixture of button and baby portebella)
4 Tb olive oil, divided
4 Tb grated parmesan cheese, divided (parmesan is very very low in lactose and easily digestible which is great for me now, but while nursing Trevor I just omitted this)
3 tsp minced garlic, divided
3 tsp minced fresh rosemary OR 1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves, divided
salt and ground pepper
about 3 lbs fresh skinless pick of the chicken (for us, I am doing about 5.5 lbs and just skinless chicken breasts, not boneless)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pat potatoes dry with paper towels. Toss potatoes and mushrooms with 2 1/2 Tb oil, 2 tb cheese, 2 tsp garlic, 2 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. In 13x9 inch baking dish, arrange potatoes in one layer, top with remaining 2 Tb cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned, set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat remaining 1 1/2 Tb oil. Add chicken pieces. Season lightly with salt and pepper, sprinkle with remaining rosemary and garlic. Cook chicken 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until browned (do not crowd pan, if necessary, brown in two batches)

Arrange chicken on top of potato mixture, drizzle with any oil from skillet and return to oven. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. A nice salad is a great side to this meal.