I don’t know much about cooking, but once I have my own kitchen, I’m determined to experiment and learn. Right now we make good use of canned cream of chicken soup and its like, but I want to learn to make sauces from scratch, just because they taste so much better. Frankly—I’m not that hell bent on completely eliminating the chemicals and preservatives in absolutely everything—some stuff in moderation is NOT. GOING. TO. KILL. ME. Bob and I have eliminated a lot of the crap in the processed foods we used to eat. Personally, I think all this elimination business is what’s going wrong with people. It wasn’t until they started going batshit crazy over ZOMG!DOENT!DOOO!EEEET! that people started dropping like flies.
But a tirade about people who make my brain hurt is for a different day.
Fat-laden pasta dish is on the agenda for today.
This was originally a soup recipe* I got from a former coworker that I adapted and dammit, it turned out good. There are probably ways to make it [somewhat] healthier and even ways to make it with “natural” ingredients. Maybe I’ll figure that out someday. But for now, why mess with what works?
Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Pasta…
1 – 10oz can of Fiesta Nacho Cheese soup
1 – 10oz can of Cheddar Cheese soup
1 – 10oz can of Cream of Chicken soup
1 – 10oz can of enchilada sauce
3 cups of milk (I mixed up 3 cups of non-fat powdered milk and it worked just fine)
1 – 10oz can of Corn & Peppers, drained (optional if you don’t like)
2-4 cups of shredded cheese (optional, depending on how cheesy you want it / we like colby-jack, it melts nice)
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts precooked & cubed (optional if you don’t want meat)
2-2&1/2 lbs of pasta cooked & drained
In a large sauce pot mix soups, milk, and enchilada sauce. Add in can of corn & peppers and precooked chicken. I seasoned with garlic and onion powders (about 1 tsp each), black pepper, parsley flakes, (eyeball those) and taco seasoning** (about 1 Tbsp). I usually throw in some red pepper flakes, but we used hot enchilada sauce this time, so it had plenty of kick. Heat over medium heat until hot and bubbly. Add in the shredded cheese and stir until melted. The time it takes to cook and drain your pasta should be just about the right amount of time to heat through the soup. Mix in the cooked pasta and it’s ready to serve.
Bob and I got four nights of dinner out of this—it makes a lot. Perfect if you’re feeding a lot of people or you just like to have leftovers.
*Chicken Enchilada Soup
1 – 10oz can Fiesta Nacho Cheese Soup
1 – 10oz can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 – 10oz can enchilada sauce
2 cups milk
1-2 – 5oz can(s) chicken
Mix soups, milk, enchilada sauce, and chicken in large sauce pan and heat until hot. Serve with tortilla chips for added crunch.
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**Taco Seasoning
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp powdered oregano
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
This is the equivalent of 1 packet of store-bought taco seasoning. This covers 1lb of ground beef or 1 batch of taco dip. I mix up a double batch and keep it in a container with the rest of the spices to have on hand while cooking. Goes great in almost any Mexican themed dish.
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