Chicken Tamale Casserole

I love to cook. I love to eat. I love to try new recipes. Lucky for me my husband is receptive to trying something at least once. To appreciate my husband's love of casseroles as well as my interest in eating healthy, I looked up Mexican (hubby's favorite) and came across this recipe. It's quick, SO simple, satisfying and so much easier than homemade tamales.
Now it's a household favorite :o)

Chicken Tamale Casserole
from Cooking Light

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup (4 ounces) pre shredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided (or any shredded cheese we may have...monterey jack, cheddar...both...)
  
• 1/3 cup fat-free milk
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
• Cooking spray
• 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (we often use homemade enchilada sauce)
  
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set.

Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.

Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 354 (36% from fat)

Fat: 14.1g (sat 7.1g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.2g)

Protein: 18.9g

Carbohydrate: 36.3g

Fiber: 2.5g

Cholesterol: 58mg

Iron: 1.7mg

Sodium: 620mg

Calcium: 179mg

For Karly

In August, we celebrated my dear friend Karly's bridal shower. Newly married, it was SO EXCITING for me :o) I wanted to give her a special gift. I love making jewelry, all girls love pretty jewelry... it seemed like a natural fit :) Here's the finished product!

Swarovski crystals + sterling findings + freshwater pearls = something blue! I made the links, strands and hooks all from sterling silver wire with a pair of rounded edge pliers.All of my tedious time squinting at tiny intricate patterns was SO WORTH IT. Once my bracelet was finished, Mom couldn't resist trying it on. I was happy to oblige.
Once we were done goofing around, it was time to get down to serious bridal shower business. I love parties. I love wedding parties. Bridal shower? WIN-WIN. Since Karly and Sean's registry included lots of practical necessities (LOVE IT) the three of us (my sister Crystal, my mom & I) decided to make baskets. This way, we incorporated unmentionables (such as a very necessary plunger) into adorable final product! Karly was extra excited when she showed up (probably because it was a SURPRISE!!!!) and I was sincerely touched when she thanked me for her gift. She was BEAMING. So adorable. So ready to get married. YAY. I had to include this photo of Karly. Her bridesmaid, Jen, deserves an award for the incredible ribbon bouquet she made. That darling turned a paper plate and some ribbon into a masterpiece. See?

Cookie sheets, a shower curtain and a plunger? What more could a girl ask for? All in all, it was an amazing day.