Recipe of the Week

So in order to get our money straight, I've decided to start really planning out our dinner menus (especially since we are now feeding our very hungry roommate). I read online about cooking a whole chicken and preparing 3 dinners out of it, so I decided to try it this evening. I must say, cooking a whole chicken is gross. Really, really gross. But if it saves money, I guess it's worth it. And I thought I'd share the process for anyone out there in a recipe/dinner/money rut.

First, I cooked the whole chicken in a crock pot overnight. I sprayed the crock pot lightly with cooking spray (olive oil) and threw the washed chicken in there with some fresh herbs (rosemary, basil, and bay leaves). No need to add water, just start it and go. 10 hours later I had a well cooked chicken.

I removed the chicken and put the juices into a large stock pot. I removed all the meat from the bone, put it into a bowl and threw the bones, skin and all that other gross stuff into the stock pot. I added some additional seasoning, filled it up with water and brought it to a boil. From there I let it simmer for 2 hours. Then, turn off the heat and let it cool. Strain through a cheesecloth (I didn't have one available so I used a clean kitchen towel). Then you can pour it into ice cube trays, freeze, put into a freezer bag and any time you need chicken broth, you're good.

The meat from the chicken equals about 4 cups of dark and white meat. Tomorrow I plan on making a chicken pot pie. Tonight, however, was chicken enchiladas that turned out simply fantastic. They were fast, easy and the best enchilada's I've ever had. Here's the recipe:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast meat
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• 6 (12 inch) flour tortillas
• 1/4 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking dish.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the green onion until tender (about 3 to 4 minutes). Add the garlic powder, then stir in the green chiles, cream of mushroom soup and sour cream. Mix well. Reserve 3/4 of this sauce and set aside. To the remaining 1/4 of the sauce in the saucepan, add the chicken and 1/2 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese. Stir together.
3. Fill each flour tortilla with the chicken mixture and roll up. Place seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
4. In a small bowl combine the reserved 3/4 of the sauce with the milk. Spoon this mixture over the rolled tortillas and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.