Green Chili Mac and Cheese

Last week I went out to lunch with my Mom and her best friend.  I ordered green chili mac and cheese.  I hate Mac and Cheese.  But it was topped with blackened chicken, and the green chili's intrigued me.  It was SO good that I had to come home and try to make it for myself.  I hit the jackpot!  It turned out great!  All 4 of us LOVED this recipe, and Nick has since asked me when I would be making it again!  It was so easy too!!!

Ingredients:
1 Box Pasta (I used cellatini because the shape is fun)
1/2 box of Velveeta Queso Blanco (Yes, the box stuff)
1 Small can green chili's in juice (don't drain it)
1/4 cup of milk
Dash of Parmesan
1/2 Cup shredded cheese
1/2-1 lb chicken tenders
Blackening spices

Directions:
*Trim the tendons and fat from the chicken.

*Coat the chicken in your blackening spice.  We make our own from a recipe found on google...but you can easily buy a pre-done spice from the store.

*Place the chicken in a bit of oil in a large pan.  Cook until done (about 15 minutes on a medium heat).

*While cooking the chicken, boil water for your pasta in a large stock pot.

*Cut your Velveeta into small cubes and place to the side.

*Cook your pasta until done.

*Drain your pasta.

*Open your can of green chili's.

*Put your drained pasta, chili's and juice, Velveeta, and milk into the pot.  Cook until the Velveeta is mixed.  This should take less than 5 minutes.

*Spray a glass dish with baking spray.

*Place your pasta mixture into the dish.

*Sprinkle the Parmesan on top.

*Put the shredded cheese on top of the Parmesan.

*Bake at 400 for 5-10 minutes (until the cheese has melted).

*Place the chicken on top of the pasta when you serve it.  This was So good!  A very mild spice.  Both boys LOVED it!  Cooper had two plates!  Sorry I don't have a picture of what the inside looked like once it was done...I gobbled it up so fast that I forgot to take a picture!  Oops...

Chicken Lazone

Our neighbors have raved about a shrimp lazone recipe.  Since my husband is deathly allergic to shellfish, it was not a recipe we could make.  I found a chicken version of one on Pinterest and decided to give it a try.  The chicken was delicious.  Just delicious.  The sauce was good, but I made some "what I would do next times" in the directions below.  Let me know if you make this, and any changes to make to it.  Would love to know what you think of it!  (Oh, here is the link to the original recipe if you want it: http://www.plainchicken.com/2013/05/chicken-lazone.html#_a5y_p=1148476)

Ingredients:
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsps chili powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tsps garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne powder
1-2 lbs chicken tenders (I did one package of them at about 1 lbs)
1/4 cup butter (1/2 a stick)
2 Cups heavy cream (whipping cream)

Directions:
* Boil a pot of water.  When the water boils, begin to cook your pasta (any kind you want).  Make the following recipe directions/steps while the pasta is cooking.  Cook it slow so it isn't done too much before the chicken is finished cooking.

* In a small bowl, mix the salt, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne powder together.

*Remove any of the tendons (or gross pieces) to your chicken tenders.

* Sprinkle some of the spice onto a plate.  Place the chicken tenders on top of the spices.  Sprinkle the rest of the spices onto the tops of the chicken.

* In a large pan, melt half the butter over medium heat (be careful not to burn it).

* Place the chicken into the melted butter and cook until chicken is done.  (The website I got this recipe off of said it would take about 8 minutes.  I always worry chicken won't be cooked all the way through, so I'm sure I doubled the time on this.)

* Once the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and set on a plate.

* In the pan you cooked the chicken in, place the remaining butter and cream.

* Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook until the sauce thickens.  My sauce did not thicken.  The next time I make this, I will add a flour mixture to it to thicken it up.  Simply put a tablespoon of flour into a cup.  Add just enough water so you can mix the flour into a watery mixture without it being too thin.  Add a bit of water, mix, a bit more water, mix some more, etc...

* Once the sauce is thick, serve up your dish.  Place the noodles onto a plate.  Pour the sauce over the pasta.  Place the chicken pieces onto the top of the chicken.  Sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese on top too if you'd like!

(I LOVED the chicken.  It was DELICIOUS!!!  The sauce is basic.  If you are expecting something grandios, you might want to add a few dashes of spices to it.  It was really yummy and a new change to "pasta.")