Chicken Enchilada Casserole

3 -4 chicken breasts (or 6 Halves)
1 (10 ounce) can cream of celery soup
1 (10 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (8 ounce) can diced green chilies (hot or mild, or a small can of each)
1 (10 ounce) package cheddar cheese, grated
1 small onion, diced
oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 corn tortillas
16 ounces sour cream

Directions:
Place Chicken in large saucepan and cover with water.

Sprinkle in a handful of oregano,add garlic powder and salt.

Boil about 20 minutes and shred from bones.

Save broth.

Mix soups, sour cream & chiles in large pan.

Add only enough broth to slightly thin.

Re-season as needed.

Simmer on low 15 minutes.

Add chicken and diced onion.

In casserole dish, arrange 6 Tortillas flat across bottom, spoon in 1/2 the sauce, sprinkle 1/2 the cheese.

Repeat- Tortillas, sauce and cheese.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Red and Napa Cabbage Salad with Apples and Pecans

Trying to figure out what to do with the leftover napa and red cabbage from making Applebee's Asian Chicken Salad, I came across this delicious salad on epicurious.com:
 

2 teaspoons butter
1 cup pecan halves
2 tablespoons golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon (scant) cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar*
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil

2 medium unpeeled Braeburn or Fuji apples, quartered, cored, thinly sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
3/4 cup dried tart cherries (about 5 ounces)

Melt butter in nonstick medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add pecans and stir 1 minute. Add brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne; stir until nuts are coated, about 1 minute. Transfer nuts to foil sheet and cool.

Whisk both vinegars and mustard in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Do ahead Spiced pecans and dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Store pecans airtight at room temperature. Cover and chill dressing; bring to room temperature and rewhisk before using.
Toss apples with lemon juice in large bowl. Add cabbages and dried cherries; mix. Add dressing and toss. Stir in pecans and season salad with salt and pepper.

Christmas Spinach Salad

This salad is so named because I served it to my family on Christmas day!  From the cookbook _Gooseberry Patch Christmas_. 

fresh spinach leaves
4 oz. feta, crumbled
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
3 to 4 T. real bacon bits
1/2 red onion, cut into very thin slices
1/2 c. red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 tomato, chopped (I like to use halved cherry tomatoes)

Using a large bowl, fill with spinach leaves.  Add all other ingredients to bowl.  Toss salad with sweet and sour dressing. 

Dressing:
1 1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
3 T. sugar
1 t. chili powder
2 t. onion, grated (optional, but I like it!)
1 t. seasoned salt
garlic to taste
2 to 3 t. Worcestershire sauce

Combine in blender.  Shake before serving.  This makes more than you will use on the above salad.  Could probably halve the dressing recipe.

Thanksgiving Butternut Squash Soup

2 butternut squash, halved and seeded
1 medium onion
1 or 2 carrots
6 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons honey
salt and pepper
nutmeg
heavy cream

Roast the squash in a shallow pan with a bit of water in a 425 degree oven until tender (around 45 minutes depending on size).  Allow to cool, then scrap flesh from squash.

Meanwhile, saute onion and carrots in butter in large saucepan until soft.  Add squash, stock, ginger, honey, and salt and pepper.  Simmer on medium low for 30 minutes or more.  Use an immersion blender to carefully puree soup until smooth.  Add heavy cream as desired (a few tablespoons up to 1/2 cup).  Don't substitute milk or half and half, just use less cream or omit!

Grate some fresh nutmeg over the soup and serve.