Busy Brunette Bakerista

There are enchilada recipes that require dipping tortillas in oil or sauce, frying, layering, and making a mess…this is not one of those recipes. My enchilada recipe can be mixed in one bowl. You can even freeze half of the cooked enchiladas for later when you are in a rush for dinner. Olé! Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas 1 cooked whole rotisserie chicken de-boned and chopped up (deli department) ½ yellow onion 1 to 2 T. butter salt and pepper to season (2) 14 oz. cans  or  (1) 28 oz. can mild enchilada sauce  4.5 oz. can of diced/chopped green chiles ¼ cup salsa ¼ cup sour cream 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese or mix of cheese 10 to 12 flour tortillas Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Open can of enchilada sauce and pour just enough to barely cover the bottom of   a large 9” x 13” casserole pan. Set aside.  Pick all chicken meat off the bones and place on a large cutting board. With a large knife, chop up chicken into 1-inch ...

Yes, cheesecake recipes take a while and a little extra love. I held on to this pumpkin cheesecake recipe from Southern Living magazine  since the November 2014 issue to bake before the holidays. It was totally worth the wait. I urge you to go out and buy all the cream cheese and make this for Thanksgiving or Christmas! Crust: ¾ cup cinnamon-flavored graham cracker crumbs ¾ cup chocolate-flavored graham cracker crumbs 5 T. butter, melted 3 T. granulated white sugar Cooking spray Filling: 4 (8oz.) packages cream cheese, at room temperature 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp. vanilla extract 4 large eggs 1 (15oz.) canned pumpkin 1 T. fresh lemon juice Topping: {although I didn’t use the entire topping} 1 (16oz.) container sour cream  3 T. granulated white sugar pinch of pumpkin pie spice Some tips on what worked for me from the magazine... Start with room-temperature cream cheese....

Stove Top Macaroni-n-Cheese-n-Sausage Casserole It’s that time of year for Spring gatherings and brunch events. Here is an easy mac-n-cheese recipe that will "wow" everyone!  Cooking spray ¼ teaspoon black pepper 12 ounces large elbow macaroni 2 – 4 cups shredded extrasharp cheese 1 package chicken-apple-sausage 2 egg whites 1 (12oz.) can evaporated low-fat milk 1/8 cup prepared breadcrumbs 4 Tablespoons butter **roasted cherry tomatoes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook macaroni in boiling water 7 minutes and then drain.  While pasta is cooking, slice sausage into 1 inch pieces and sauté for a few minutes in a pan until soft.  Set aside.   Place pasta in a large pan over medium-low heat and stir in cheese, sausage, egg whites, and evaporated milk.  Cook for 4 minutes until cheese melts stirring constantly.  Spray 9” x 12” casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour macaroni and cheese mixture into dish....

Being part Irish I love mashed potatoes! A true Shepherd's Pie recipe can be very complex with lots of ground beef, vegetables, homemade mashed potatoes, and more. This version is a little healthier with ground turkey, beans, and instant mashed potatoes. So tastey! Skinny Shepherd's Pie Ingredients: 1/2 lb. ground turkey 1 can (15oz.) kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1/3 cup water 3/4 cup taco sauce 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cumin 2 teaspoons sugar 2 cups cooked instant, mashed potatoes butter and milk for instant mashed potatoes low-fat cheddar cheese, grated Cook instant mashed potatoes according to directions on the box. Set aside and keep warm with a lid or foil on top. Cook ground turkey in a skillet on medium-high heat until no longer pink. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Spoon meat-bean mixture into a serving bowl, top with mashed potatoes by spreading with a small spatula, and top with cheese. Let sit 2 min...

Here is an easy, quick dinner to  get you out of the post-holiday-cookie-frenzy.  My husband loves a g ood Stromboli and this version is easy. T hink of it as a large, toasted, doughy sandwich roll of yummmm. s tromboli - a type of turnover filled with various cheese, italian metas, and vegetables cooked in Italian bread dough. Meatball Stroganoff   I made mine with salami/havarti and ham/cheddar 2 loaves of refrigerated French loaf dough (I use Pillsbury)* 6 to 8 slices of each ham, salami, or turkey 6 to 8 slices of Havarti, American, or cheddar cheese 8 oz. grated mozzarella cheese mayonnaise yellow mustard salt and pepper to taste dried Italian seasoning ¼ cup melted butter 1 egg Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Open two bread containers*  and roll out onto a cutting board into ½” thickness.  *you can use almost any kind of refrigerated prepared dough (such as Pillsbury)  like pizza crust, frenc...