Cood Weather Food

It is so cold today.  A good coat and warm boots are required.  The nice thing about Colorado is that it may be cold today, but next week it will all be melted.  There will be blue skies and sweater weather. Tonight we are eating another family favorite.  I have never met anybody who doesn't like it.  Actually my husband gets mad when I serve it to company, because there are smaller portions for him.  He doesn't like to share this dish at all!  The first time I made it was with freshly roasted Hatch chiles from my friend Nancy L.  I've never been able to duplicate it with store bought chiles but it is still very very very good.  The key ingredients are the Grandma's noodles.  If you can't find it, don't bother making it with dried noodles.

Chicken Chile Noodle Bake
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced, salted and peppered

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups canned green chilies, large diced

1 can diced or sliced tomatoes (with jalapenos if “heat” is desired)

1 can low fat cream on chicken soup

1 can no fat, low sodium chicken broth

1 8 oz pkg of reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated

1 pkg 16 oz GRANDMA’S Wide Egg Noodles, prepared

Thaw noodles and boil them up.  While the noodles are cooking, sautee chicken, onions and garlic in 1 tsp olive oil until chicken is cooked. Add green chiles, tomatoes, chicken soup and chicken broth and heat thru. Put cooked and drained noodles in large casserole.  I use my Pampered Chef Cranberry Casserole, but a 13" Pyrex is fine too. Next, add most of cheese and pour heated mixture over noodles, stir, cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven, sprinkle on remaining cheese and cover. Let rest 10 minutes and serve.

The “heat” can be turned up for those who like it spicier. You can add red pepper flakes, green chilies that are hotter or the canned tomatoes that are extra hot.