Tex-Mex Lasagna

Thanks to Tifanny for this recipe. It is uniquely Mexican.

Trivia: "Tex-Mex "Lasagna" (also known as "Mexican Casserole" or "Mexican Lasagna") is called such because like the Italian lasagna we know and love, the Tex-Mex version is a baked casserole dish comprised of layers. Only in true Tex-Mex fashion, we are using corn tortillas in place of lasagna noodles, salsa instead of sauce, beans in place of béchamel, and mild cheddar and jack instead of ricotta and Parmesan." http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/tex-mex_lasagna/

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. very lean ground beef or turkey
1 (4oz.) can diced green chilies
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes (diced tomatoes w/ jalapeños)
1 (8 oz.) can corn
1 packet taco seasoning mix
16 oz. nonfat cottage cheese
2 eggs
3-4 cups Jack cheese (Pepper jack cheese 2-2 ½ cups)
10-12 corn tortillas, torn into strips

Procedure:

Brown meat in a skillet. Add the chilies, tomato sauce, tomatoes, corn and seasoning mix. Simmer for 20 mins. In a separate bowl, combine cottage cheese and eggs. Set aside.
Spray a 9 x 12 inch pan (preferably glass) or a large casserole dish with nonstick spray. Layer half the meat mixture, half tortillas, half the cottage cheese mixture and half the jack cheese. Repeat layers. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Reference: TYP

Chicken Marsala

Trivia: "Marsala wine sauce has its own distinctive complex aroma that tantalises the taste buds and sends the olfactory senses into a spin. Chicken marsala is a famous Italian recipe. The key ingredient which gives chicken marsala its distinctive sweet flavour and aroma is Marsala wine. " http://www.chickenmarsala.net/


This recipe was provided by my sister-in-law Mary. This is superb.
4 BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS
1 STICK BUTTER
1 CUP FLOUR
1 TSP SALT
1/2 TSP PEPPER
1 CUP MILK
3/4 CUP MARSALA WINE
1 CUP SLICED MUSHROOMS

In large saute or fry pan, melt butter. While butter is melting, combine flour, salt and pepper in small bowl. Dip each piece of chicken in milk; shake off excess. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and add to fry pan.

Saute chicken in butter over medium to medium high heat until browned and cooked through, turning often being careful so as not to break off any of the flour coating.. Add more butter as needed.
Remove chicken from pan and place on platter. Keep chicken warm while making sauce.

Turn heat to medium high and add the mushrooms, saute until cooked. With mushrooms still in the pan, deglaze with the wine, stirring to get all of the brown bits off the bottom of pan. Turn heat to medium low and continue to cook sauce, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened slightly. (Taste sauce often and add more wine or butter as necessary. If sauce doesn't thicken properly, add a little bit of flour and continue to stir.)
When sauce is ready, add chicken back to the pan and turn to coat.

Remove chicken to seving platter and top with remaining sauce.

Original recipe at Cooks.com

Shish Kabobs

Ingredients -

1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
2 lbs button mushrooms
1 red onion
1 zucchini
3 chopped cloves garlic
¼ cup sherry vinegar
1 cup dry sherry
2 chopped shallots
⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon green peppercorns
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Cut the red onion into wedges and the zucchini into ¼ inch thick slices.

Cut the bell peppers into 1 inch squares.

Clean the mushrooms and remove the stems.

Soak 12 bamboo skewers in cold water for half an hour, and then thread the prepared vegetables on to them, in alternating colors.

Mix the garlic, sherry, and shallots in a pan over a high heat and reduce this mixture until you are left with about a tablespoon of sherry.

Pour this into a bowl and add the peppercorns and sherry vinegar.

Whisk in the olive oil, and then add the thyme, salt and black pepper.

Pour this marinade over the vegetable kabobs and let them marinate for an hour.

Cook the kabobs over a hot grill, brushing them a few times with the leftover marinade.

Let them cook for about 7 minutes or until tender.

Drizzle the remaining marinade over the kabobs before serving.




Reference: http://www.grilledvegetablerecipe.com