Chicken Enchilada Pasta

I found this recipe on My Kitchen Cafe. It was liked by all, except for Brady, but that's not surprising. I'll be making it again.
(picture from mykitchencafe.blogspot.com)

serves 6-8
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (10-oz) cans green chili enchilada sauce (I used mild and only one can)
2/3 cup red enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 can large black olives, cut in half
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used mexican blend)
16-20 oz. penne pasta (Depending on how "saucy" you want the pasta)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until pepper is barely tender. Add the cooked chicken, green chilies, spices, enchilada sauces and olives. Let the sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add the sour cream and cheese and heat through, until the cheese is melted (but don't boil!). Pour the sauce over the hot pasta. Garnish with extra sour cream, cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions or crushed tortilla chips.

Beef and Bean Chimichangas

Ok, these were so good! When Brady watched me making them, he kept saying "yuck, I am not eating that! I'm gonna have a sandwich or something" I told him he had to try it and then we'd see. Well, he loved them! This totally trumps this recipe in my opinion...easier, tastier (or same, but better in my kids opinion), and healthier...no frying!

here is the original recipe (picture from allrecipes.com)
here is how I made them after reading some of the other reviews

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 7oz can diced chilies
1 cup whole kernel corn
3/4 cup green chili enchilada sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon butter, melted
shredded lettuce
1 tomato, diced (I used salsa)
avocado mashed with salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste
green onions

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease, and add the onion, chilies, and corn. Cook for about 5 more minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the sauce, and season with chili powder, garlic salt and cumin, stirring until blended. Cook until heated through, then remove from heat, and set aside.
Open the can of beans, and spread a thin layer of beans onto each of the tortillas. Spoon the beef mixture down the center, and then top with as much shredded cheese as you like. Roll up the tortillas, and place them seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Brush the tortillas with melted butter.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Serve with lettuce and tomato.

Notes:
* I served over the lettuce and topped with sour cream, salsa, "guacamole", and green onions
* I only cooked half, and you can freeze the others. When you're ready to eat them take them out of the freezer, pop in the microwave to defrost some then brush with butter and bake as normal. Good if you're family is smaller ;). A suggestion on allrecipes was use the smaller tortillas and make mini appetizers.
* Meat mixture can be made up to 24 hours in advance.

Chicken Enchiladas

1-2 cups cooked chicken cubed/shredded
1 can crm of mushroom
1 can crm of chicken
1 can enchilada sauce or 1 can tomatoe sauce and 1-2 T chilie powder (to your liking)
8 oz sour cream
1-2 can diced chilies
cheese
fill tortillas (reserve some)- top with remaining mixture
bake @ 350 for 30-40 min top with cheese last few minutes

Chicken Chimichangas w/green Sauce

2 cans crm of chicken soup
2 2.5 oz diced (canned) chilies
5 pitted green olives
1 jalapeno peppr - seeded and chopped
2 T fresh lime juice from 1 lime

Puree in blender until smooth-pour into sauce pan and warm over low-med heat

1 8oz pkg crm cheese softned
1 8oz shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 of a 1/25 oz taco seasoning packet
1 lb shredded chicken (about 3 cups)

mash together 1st for ing. until well blended stir in chicken
divide evenly in 8 tortillas- fold top down, fold bottom up, then roll up sides to make a square packet
Heat about 1 cup of oil in shallow pan over med-med high heat
fry 4 at a time seams down- flip cook addition min or two, drain on lined paper towel plate
serve topped with green sauce, cheese, green onions, and sour cream

I freeze extra green sauce in baggies for next time- then it's super easy