Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Poor little chicken enchiladas. They're not very photogenic, of which I can sympathize. But don't let that fool you of their goodness. The highest compliment a dish could get in my house, growing up, was that someone wanted it for their "birthday dinner." Well, these enchiladas have just been introduced to our family within the past few months and two people have already said they'd like this for their next birthday dinner. We're talking "big time" here, people....BIG TIME. 

But seriously, I think these are the best enchiladas I've ever had. But then again, I'm a total sucker for anything lime. A big thanks to my favorite food blog (behind my own, of course), www.melskitchencafe.com.

So go ahead and try this without any hesitation. You won't be sorry. Enjoy!

{HONEY LIME CHICKEN ENCHILADAS}

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6 T. honey
Juice from 1 large lime
1 T. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 lb. chicken, cooked and shredded 

8-10 flour tortillas
1 lb. monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 oz. green enchilada sauce
1 c. sour cream 

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (longer is better). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade, BUT BE SURE TO SAVE THE MARINADE. Fill the tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese (save about 1 cup of the cheese to top the enchiladas). Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the sour cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Sticky Buns

Yep. This is it. This recipe is SO incredibly simple and I absolutely love it. My mom used to make this every year on the first day of school. Nevermind that we were all in a sugar coma before 2nd period. It was worth it! This was one of the very few things I knew how to make in college and my roommates would ask for it all the time. 

It does take a little thinking ahead, because it has to rise overnight. My mom used to always make these in a bundt pan. It makes a very pretty shape, but not all the rolls get a fair share of the "goodness." So, I've since switched to using just a cake pan. And I actually "half" the recipe for our little family.

But my, oh my, you're going to love it! Enjoy!

{STICKY BUNS}

1 (3-oz.) pkg. butterscotch cook and serve pudding (it's very important that it be the non-instant variety)
1 c. chopped nuts
1 c. brown sugar
¾ tsp. cinnamon
6 T. melted butter
1 pkg. frozen rolls (about 20-24)

Sprinkle chopped nuts in bottom of greased pan. Place frozen rolls on top of nuts. Mix pudding, cinnamon & brown sugar and sprinkle on top of rolls. Drizzle melted butter over all. Cover with towel and leave overnight. Bake in morning at 350° for 30-40 minutes. Invert pan onto a cookie sheet and let the goodness drizzle on down the rolls.

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

This one is for my husband. 

If you know me, you know I cannot lie. I mean, even if I try to, it's so obvious that everyone gets embarrassed for me. So I don't try. And it's hard to even hide things from people. I wear my emotions on my sleeve. That's just who I am. Sometimes it's a pain, but mostly I think it's a good thing, because you can always be sure that what you see is what you get with me. 

Wow, that's a long introduction, just to tell you that I have to be honest with the pot pie. I've never liked Chicken Pot Pie of any sort. But I do like this. And my husband loves it. If you like Chicken Pot Pie, you will too! Enjoy!

HOMEMADE CHICKEN POT PIE

2 1/4 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. celery, chopped

1/4 c. onions, chopped

2 med. carrots, coarsely chopped

3 T. cornstarch

1 2/4 c. evaporated milk

3 c. chicken breasts, cooked & chopped

1 c. frozen peas, thawed

1/4 c. fresh parsley, snipped

1/2 tsp. dried sage

Pie Crust (recipe below) -- you can also use phyllo dough

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups broth, celery, onions, and carrots. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. In a small bowl stir together the remaining 1/4 cup broth and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly add cornstarch mixture to vegetables and broth. Stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat, cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in chicken, peas, parsley, and sage. To prepare 2-quart casserole dish, coat with cooking spray. Gently pour chicken mixture into casserole dish and cover with crust, pinching to secure around the edges. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Pie Crust

1 1/4 c. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. butter, chilled and diced

1/4 c. ice water

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a ball. Roll dough out to fit casserole dish.