Taco Casserole (with chicken) *

This recipe was adapted from one originally submitted by Campbell's Kitchen.  The original recipe called for a 15-ounce bag of tortilla chips to be crushed up and layered in here.  BUT!!!, ...because I like left-overs, I omitted the chips (I left them out because I could picture them soaking up moisture, AND/OR becoming soggy/rubbery).

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups shredded or "small chunked", cooked chicken (a rotisserie chicken makes "quick work" of this, and it tastes  just great for this!).
• 1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted.  (Original recipe asked for 2 cans, but I didn't want this recipe to end up being "too soupy".  Suit yourself.)
• 1 cup sour cream.
• 1 of 10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies (undrained).
• 1 of 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed.
• 1 of a 1 oz. envelope of taco seasoning mix--the reduced-sodium variety may be best.  (Especially for my husband's taste, I used only half of the 1 oz. envelope.)
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided into two equal portions.

....................

• Possible topping ingredients:  Chopped tomato, sliced green onion, cilantro leaves. black olives and/or ????

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oven to 350-degrees F. Lightly grease (or spray) a 9x13x2" baking dish.
2. Stir the shredded or "small-chunked" well-done chicken meat, condensed soup, sour cream, tomatoes/chilies, black beans and taco seasoning in a medium/large mixing bowl.
3. Spread 1/2 of the chicken mixture in bottom of dish.  Add a layer of 1 cup of the shredded cheese amount.  Layer with the remaining chicken mixture.  
4. Cover the baking dish
5. Bake for about 30 minutes.  Then, uncover the baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
6. Bake, UNcovered, for another 10 minutes or until hot/bubbling and the cheese is melted.
7. Serve topping options on the side for "individual preferences".  For those who like "hot stuff",  maybe a dash of hot sauce or other kinds of "hots" could be added to their individual serving. 

*  In my opinion, this dish, after baking, could be used as a dip for your favorite kind of crunchy chips.   Also, ...I think it could be served in soft OR hard taco shells.   And,... this mixture (before baking) could be wrapped in soft tortilla shells and baked like that... maybe with adding a light layer of your favorite kind of sauce?  (Actually, this mixture in its UNbaked state was tasting pretty darned good, too--  I happen to know this because... I licked off the spatula!!!!

Olive Cream Cheese Dip/Spread

IF you like olives, I think you will 

like this...  IF, that is!

I wouldn't need crackers, nor chips, nor veggie sticks to enjoy this dip because...Sh-h-h-h-h,... I could eat it off my FINGER, then lick the beaters, and lick the bowl!!!!  

About five years ago, I was in what was then the Country Store where they had a tray of crackers and little open containers of their "made in house" dips/spreads to sample.  I tried the creamy olive mixture and liked it... a lot!  I looked at the price on the container.  Oooooooh, I thought it was a bit pricey at $3.00 for quite a small amount, but ... I bought it... and wasn't sorry.  But,... since then, I hadn't had anything like it... until now!

Last week, I was looking through some recipes submitted by Kittencal* at http://www.kittencalskitchen.com/ and noticed that this one looked like it could be what I was hoping to find.  I made it up and "adjusted" it to take the olive part of it down just a tad bit by adding more cream cheese so that the rest of my family would like it better.  It worked!

This serves about 15 or more?

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 of 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened.
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or adjusted to taste.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• 1 fresh clove of garlic, finely minced (or 1 tsp. minced garlic from a jar).
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I used bottled juice that was newly purchased).
• 1 of 4.25-ounce can black olives, well-drained and chopped.
• 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, well-drained and chopped.
• Fresh ground black pepper, if desired (I didn't add it).
• Crackers or pita chips or veggie sticks for dipping/spreading.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Stir together the first 5 ingredients until very smooth and well blended.
Mix in chopped olives, and then season with black pepper (if desired).
Serve with crackers or ????

* I do not know Kittencal, but,... I've liked her along with her writings and recipe postings for quite a few years, already.

Chili 'Pie' Tortilla Dip

There are different variations of this  kind of dip all around-- so far, I've never 'met' one I didn't like!  While most would use this dip for tortilla chips, I also like it on crunchy celery sticks.  This is for those who LIKE chili.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 of 15 oz. can Hormel chili (with/without beans or meat)
• 6-8 ounces of shredded pizza cheese (I used Sharp Cheddar 'cuz I like the 'bite' in it, but I think pizza cheese would be the way to go for most.)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Soften cream cheese and spread over the bottom of a pie dish.  (A 9-inch will work, but using a 10-inch pie dish ensures the melted cheese will stay where it belongs.)

     2.  Spread Hormel chili over the cream cheese layer...

3.  Sprinkle grated cheese over the chili...

4.  Bake at 350° for 15 minutes, or until it's heated through and the cheese is melted.

• Serve with your favorite tortilla chips... 

Left-over dip may be re-warmed for another time.

Deb's Veggie Dip (makes 1 pint)

I got this recipe from Cheryl.  She may have gotten it from John's sister Deb. (?)  Recipes get around!!!!

Mix together:

1 and 1/2 cups Miracle Whip
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 packet dry Italian seasoning
1/2 packet dry Ranch seasoning

Chill, and serve with veggies or chips.