Much Over-Due Enchiladas

Yes, I do realize that I promised this recipe a while ago... life gets crazy.  I will do my best. I realize the left-overs are getting a little old... This will be revisited after Christmas.

We did have these the next night, after the Turkey Stew then my etsy, GoneGirly, took off a little, then drill... OK enough excuses.  Here is my Dine on Dimes recipe.

Traditional Style - Turkey Enchiladas - Planned-overs

• 1/2 onion left over from yesterday's planned overs
• 1/2 tbs minced garlic
• 14oz tomatoes diced
• 1-3 tbs chili powder
• crushed red pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 2-3 cups turkey
• spoon full of cream cheese 
• spoon full of sour cream
• 5 whole wheat tortillas 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook onion in a warmed frying pan (with highish sides) in a shot of olive oil cooking spray.  Add garlic.  While cooking until onion turns clear,  puree tomatoes in your blender. Pour over onion.  While cooking, slowly add chili powder until its just a little too  spicy.  The tortillas and turkey will soak up some of the heat. Be ready to add water to keep it to the same consistency as when you 1st poured tomatoes in. 

2. Chop up the turkey to a little smaller than bite sized.
3. Mix turkey with about 1/2 cup of tomato mixture, small handful of cheese, as well as the cream cheese and sour cream. These are more traditional enchiladas and will be not as creamy as you may be used to.  If you really want them that way, add more cheeses and sour cream. **WARNING** this will significantly cut down on the heat from the  chili powder.  

4. Pour the rest of tomato mix into another bowl.  

5. Warm and flavor tortillas in the same pan by adding another shot of cooking spray.  To do this, place one tortilla in the pan.  After 20 seconds flip it over and place another one on top. After another 20, flip them both over, the new one is now down.  Place a 3rd on the top of the pile and keep going until you have warmed all of them.
6. Now is time to full your tortillas.  They only really need about 2 spoon fulls of the turkey mix. Roll them tight, and place in a casserole dish.  I used an oblong two quart.  Once all are rolled, spread tomato mix on top, then sprinkle cheese over it.  If you like it less "crispy" wait until 5 minutes prior to taking from oven to put on cheese.

Cook in pre-heated oven for 30 minutes or until centers are hot.  Serve with salsa and sour cream.

My Breadwinner was late for dinner, and the cheese was a little more crispy than I planned - but he LOVED them. He asked if I was only going to eat one so he could have for lunch tomorrow.  That is a sure signal of a recipe to stick in my back pocket to make again soon.

This of course can be modified for chicken if you don't have leftovers anymore. 

Thanksgiving Planned-overs

By the time we are tired of eating turkey leftovers, it doesn't always mean that our fridge is devoid of the big bird.  Instead of letting them go to waste, I decided to make Turkey Stew.  This stew is quite flexible for quantities and ingredients.  If you have left over veggies - toss them in a few minutes prior to eating, but not too early or they will be mushy.  Soup is so great for our waistline, as well as our pocket books, especially when leftovers are involved.

Turkey Planned-over Stew

    
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 carrots
• 3 potatoes
• 2 celery stalks
• diced tomatoes - one 14 oz can or equivalent
• 2 cups chopped up turkey leftovers
• 2 tsp better than bullion - i used chicken, feel free to use veggie and spices

1. Warm the pot on medium-high heat. Spray the bottom of your pot with cooking spray.  Much less fat than using butter. Reduce heat to medium. Lightly brown onion and garlic.

2. While onion browns, chop carrots potatoes and celery to bite size pieces.  Leave skin on potatoes.  SO many more vitamins and extra filling in our tummy.

3. Put veggies in pot  and fill with enough hot water to make it "soupy" enough for your liking.  Now is the time for flavorings.  Better than bullion, basil, oregano, dill, salt and pepper to taste is what went into my pot tonight.  Use whatever you'd like. 

As a side, we had bread with butter.  If you still have rolls or French bread left from last Thursday use them.  Or, use other left-overs as sides.  

We had snow "ice" cream for dessert.  My dear 2 year old tyrant loved it.  We found the recipe about.com

Check back soon for for Turkey Enchiladas! 

Dine on Dimes Launch

The mission of the this blog is to find ways to save money on things we have to do everyday - like eating.  After a recent weight loss, I have been finding new ways to eat healthy without breaking the bank - and I want to share them with you.  I plan to post up new recipes and also healthified versions of traditionally fattening and high calorie meals that we all love.


There are many reasons I have decided to launch this new blog:

• Money is tight for most of us.  
• When it's not, it's still smart to spend wisely and stretch money into other areas - like savings and retirement 
• We all could use a little help planning our meals
• We can always find new and exciting ways to treat our bodies to good, healthy, food
• Sometimes we run out of ideas to feed our children and get stuck in the pb & j rut ( i'm guilty! )
• I hope to have other tid-bits of money saving ideas here and there. 
• I look forward to your ideas we can share here to help everyone else! 

I am looking forward to growing and stretching myself as I help my family and yours save money and the Average Breadwinner time! 

I will be using the term "Average Breadwinner" often in my posts.  Please go to the Average Breadwinner tab at the top of this page for the full explanation or just click here.