King Ranch Casserole

I love Tex-Mex foods. We just had enchiladas last week, but I was wanting more. I started thinking about King Ranch Casserole. Before we went vegan I used to make King Ranch Casserole on a regular basis. What's not to love, so creamy, like an inside out enchilada, pure comfort food. I saw a version on Chez Cayenne and decided to use the ingredients I had to give it a try. This was awesome and makes enough for 8 hungry people. Below is my version:

• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 small Vidala onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons AP flour
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup Toffuti Sour Cream
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes
• 1 cup Daiya cheddar shreds
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers, diced
• 1 package Morning Star Chik'n Strips
• 1 can navy beans, rinsed and drained
• 12 small corn tortillas

 

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion, bell pepper and mushrooms until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and sauté another minute. Transfer to a bowl.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pot, then stir in flour and vegetable broth. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens.

Add sour cream, tomatoes, and cheese.  Cook, stirring frequently, until cheese melts.

Add lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper to taste.

Add reserved mushroom mixture.  Add remaining ingredients except tortillas.

Heat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan. Layer a third of the sauce in pan.

Top with half the tortillas.

Then add another third of the sauce, the remaining tortillas and the remaining sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes or until hot in the center and bubbly at the edges.

Enjoy!

Buffalo Chick'n Wraps

If there is anything I kind of miss eating vegan these days it's chicken wings.. I know, I know... there was just something so yummy that appealed to me back then. Well have I found an awesome substitute, the flavor is spot on!!!! This uses one of my favorite products: Gardein! Let's get this ready for a football game! Serves 2.

• 2 9-inch flour tortillas
• 2 Gardein Crispy Chick'n Fillets (save the sauce packs for something else)
• 1 Roma tomato, chopped
• 1 medium shallot, chopped
• 1/2 cup lettuce, spinach, or mixed greens
• 1/2 cup Diaya cheddar shredds
• 2 tablespoons or more Franks RedHot Wings 'Hot Buffalo' Sauce
• 2 tablespoons Ranch dressing (I used homemade from a recipe I found on someone else's blog)

Prepare chicken in skillet according to package directions.

Let it cool for a bit and then slice into strips.

Add the hot sauce to a bowl, toss in the chicken and mix well.

Spread about 1 tablespoon ranch on each tortilla.

Add chicken strips to the tortilla.

Top with tomato, shallots and cheese.

Add lettuce.

 Roll up and enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Jack was feeling a little under the weather this weekend so I wanted to make him some comfort food. One thing that came to mind was this soup. I used a few regular recipes to come up with this version. Oh my gosh, it was so spot on. He had leftover soup for lunch today and was having another small bowl when I got home from work as a 'snack'. Yeah, it's that good!

• 1 Vidalia onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 3 ribs celery, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 package chicken seitan
• 5 cups no-chicken chicken broth
• 3-4 ounces small pasta (I used ABC's)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions and garlic in 1/4 cup water for about 2 minutes.

Add the potato, carrots and celery. Add more water if necessary and saute until veggies are soft, about 8 minutes.

Add the thyme, bay leaves, seitan and broth. Bring to a boil and cook for about 8 minutes.

Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. The ABC's said 9-11 minutes.

Once the pasta is done, add pepper and taste to see if more salt is needed. You can add some water if the soup gets to thick for your tastes.

I served with cheese toast (made from Daiya cheddar shreds). Enjoy!