Chicken Quesadilla

Ingredients:
4 Cups flour
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup shortening
1-1/4 cups warm water
1 cup each shredded cheddar, mozzarella and pepper jack cheese
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 cup sliced green onions
1 cup sliced ripe olives
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies, drained
Salsa and sour cream

Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder.
2. Cut in shortening until crumbly.
3. Add enough warm water, stirring until mixture forms a ball.
4. Let stand for 10 minutes, covered with a damp towel.
5. Divide into 28 portions.
6. On lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 7-in. circle.
7. Cook on a lightly greased griddle for 1-1/2 minutes on each side, breaking any bubbles with a toothpick if necessary. Keep warm
8. IN a bowl, combine the cheeses.
9. For each quesadilla, place a tortilla on the griddle; sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture, 2 tablespoons chicken, 1 tablespoon onions, 1 tablespoon olives and 1 teaspoon chilies.
10. To with 1 tablespoon cheese mixture and another tortilla.
11. Cook for 30-60 seconds. turn and cook 30 seconds longer or until cheese is melted.
12. Cut into wedges. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Lisa's Flour Tortilla

4 Cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 Cup shortening
3/4 Cup Hot water (may need more)

Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening. Add hot water, if it needs more add a tablespoon at a time. Knead until dough is stiff. Break into golf ball size (1 1/2-2"). Makes about 12-16.

Let sit under a damp towel for 20 minutes. Roll out with a little flour. Cook in a dry flat skillet or cast iron pan on medium heat until it gets golden brown spots on each side., about 30 - 60 seconds. May need to reduce heat a bit as the pan gets hotter.

Storing Tortillas
Tortillas are best eaten hot right off the griddle, but you can refrigerate and freeze them too.

If you freeze the tortillas, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and put them in a ziplock bag. When you are ready to use them, first thaw at room temperature and then wrap them in foil and place them in a 250 degree oven for 10 - 15 minutes.

Courtesy of Lisa Hoffman

Easy Mexican Rice

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 of a medium onion*
1 1/2 cups rice
3 cloves finely chopped garlic *
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup plain tomato sauce*
4 heaping tablespoons of finely chopped parsley (optional)

Preparation:
In a medium sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add in the fresh onion. Saute for 1-2 minutes until softened. Add dry rice and cook with the onions for about 5 minutes or until rice becomes a golden brown color. Add in the garlic to the rice and saute for one more minute.

Add in broth and tomato sauce (add slowly into the rice, not directly onto hot pan!) And then add in the parsley if you're using it. Stir it up and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, turn the heat to low and cover. Let it simmer for 20 minutes and fluff with a fork.

Substitutions- If you don't have fresh garlic or onions on hand you can use the equivalent in powder form. Do not saute the powder, just skip that step and add the garlic powder and/or onion powder when you add the liquids. If you don't have tomato sauce you can use 1 cup of unseasoned stewed tomatoes (with their liquid) that have been chopped, or canned diced tomatoes with their liquid. Rotel and jarred salsa can also be decent substitutes.

Courtesy of http://mexicanfood.about.com/od/quickmexicanrecipes/r/SpanishRice.htm?p=1

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed ( i prefer to chop mine fine so I goes further and so I have chicken in every bite.
1 small onion, chopped
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1 cup (8 ounces) fat-free sour cream
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Monterrey Jack cheese, divided
1 can chopped black olives (optional)

Directions:
1. In a skillet or saucepan coated with nonstick cooking spray, sauté onion until tender. Remove from the heat
2. Add soup, tomatoes, green chilies, sour cream, and ¾ cup cheddar cheese; mix well.
3. Place 3 tablespoons on each tortilla; top with 1/3 cup chicken.
4. Roll up tightly.
5. Place seam side down in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray.
6. Top with remaining soup mixture; sprinkle with remaining cheeses.
7. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Red Sauce Enchilada's

1 lb. Chicken or beef
- Cut into small pieces and simmer in water on low heat until it is not raw. Chop chicken up finely. Put in pan on low heat and toss with some taco seasoning until coated.

Dice:
2-3 Tomatoes
1 can Black olives
1 lg. Onion
1 Green pepper (optional)
1 lb. Shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Sauce – mix in a bowl.
3 small cans Red Enchilada Sauce
16 oz. Sour cream
1 can Chilies

10 Tortilla shells

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Put 2 Cups of the sauce in the 9 x 13 pan and cover the bottom.
3. Lightly cover the inside of the tortilla shell with some sauce.
4. Layer a few pieces of meat and a few vegetables inside.
5. Wrap the shell up and put in the pan.
6. There should be some left over sauce, pour it over the enchiladas, so the top and sides are covered.
7. Sprinkle and left over veggies on top (this helps it look colorful)
8. Sprinkle the cheese on top.
9. Cover with tin foil. Bake 30-40 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted. Take tinfoil off after about 25 minutes.
Let stand about 5 minutes before eating