Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Another one of my children's fave (and Shon's too) is my Chicken Enchilada Casserole. I found the recipe this summer and have tweaked it a little to our liking. Since then it is made at least once a month. It's easy, filling and fairly healthy.

You will need:
about 3-4 chicken breasts
1 cup sour cream
1 cup of chunky salsa (Pace works best for me)
1 small can of green chiles
1 small can of cream of chicken
1 package of 10 flour tortillas (could sub for corn or wheat)
2 cups of shredded cheese (or more...we like cheese) and whatever cheese you like...I use the Mexican blended cheese from Kraft.

Boil your chicken with salt and pepper and a chopped onion. Once done shred the chicken

Combine sour cream, salsa, soup, green chiles and about a cup of the cheese in a bowl. Pour the shredded chicken in to the mixture.

Tear the tortillas in to strips (like lasagna noodles).

In a 2 quart casserole dish sprayed with Pam put a small layer of the chicken and sauce mix. Then layer with tortillas, then chicken and so on...just like lasagna.

One you get to the top, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes until it's bubbly.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, some extra cheese and salsa if desired on top.

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Hawaiian Haystacks

My schedule the rest of the week doesn't look too promising to post another recipe, the joys of motherhood and karate and work and commitments and...well you get the idea. :-)

I have another recipe that my kids ask for all the time. And let's be honest; If your kids as for it, it's healthy AND easy...it's a keeper! I even had some of my nieces and nephews over a couple of weeks ago and I made this...the crock pot was licked dry! And these particular kiddos are picky when it comes to food! This of course is another recipe that you can change for your family..make more or less, change up the toppings, etc.  I first had this at my friend Shayla's house a few years ago. When she first told me what it was, I didn't think it sounded good...well, now it's a fave! I guess lots of Utahns grew up with this, and maybe I just missed out on it in Arizona? Who knows...hope you enjoy.

3-4 chicken breasts

3 cans cream of mushroom (could sub cream of chicken-but I like cream of mushroom better for this)

1 medium container of sour cream

1 package hard Chinese noodles

1 can of pineapple or mandarin oranges (we rotate with what we have on the shelf)

1 package of cheese (cheddar, colby jack-whichever is your fave)

about 2-3 chopped green onions

1 can of sliced water chestnuts (I have subbed chopped celery)

1 cup of frozen peas (de-thawed)(I HATE peas, but I had to get a vegetable in there somewhere)

Rice (enough servings for everyone)

Spray your crock pot or use the crock pot liners (which I LOVE and they are less than $2 this week at Wal-Mart!) Place your chicken, soup and about half of the container of sour cream. Let cook on low for about 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Usually if the chicken has cooked long enough it will be breaking apart and you can just ind of poke it when it's done and shred it up. 

You can layer it however you like. I put the Chinese noodles on the bottom, then rice, chicken, cheese, chestnuts, pineapple, peas, sour cream and finally green onions. This really does stick to your ribs. The left overs taste just as good. It feeds about 7-8 servings, depending on your serving size. 

Again, you can add whatever you want to this. There is no wrong way. It's a crowd pleaser, yummy on the tummy and kid approved!

Enjoy!

Coming soon...Crock Pot Apple Crisp, Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Chicken Noodle Soup and I might even share my mom's famous Pumpkin Brownies!

Color Me Mine

Kaitlynn, one of my many nieces, celebrated her 11th birthday. My sis in law Shalynn asked that I go along. I thought some 5th graders taking them to dinner and painting? No problem! We got this! I think I told a friend that I saw there "there's a reason God gave me boys". No, really we did have fun. This place is pretty cool. It's in the Provo Riverbottoms. You pick a piece you like: anything from large plates to small Christmas  decorations. Prices range from $3-a lot! They are ceramic pieces. So you choose your colors (hence the "color me mine") and then they "bake it". After a couple of days you pick up our final piece. The girls enjoyed it. One girl made a soccer ball cookie jar for her sister. It was so cute! Kaitlynn made a penguin and Savannah made a hippo. They all looked super cute. I made a little star ornament. I will post a pic of how it turned out when I get it back. Oh and funny story. Shalynn and I were asked if we were Girl Scout leaders. We politely answered: "No, but thank you". In fact we contemplated on stopping at a special store on our way home...lol. 

Painting away!!! The cute girl in the red sweater...I would totally take her home! We talked about braces and how she has a love/hate relationship with knowing she is getting braces. She even told one of the workers that had braces she LOVED her braces. It was funny!  Little girls are SO honest...

After artwork painting on the table...waiting for their friends to get done. Savannah was painting "This place is awesome".

So...the girls, Shalynn and I bundled up and braved the snow and the cold...crazy, I know. 

I would highly recommend this place! It's a great date night idea!

Happy birthday to one of the greatest nieces! We love you!

Love,

 Aunt Tina

Frary Food: Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have had a few people ask me for my recipes lately.  So, I decided to share them online everyone once in awhile so people can come to our blog and find them. So here you go MOM and others that have asked.

I use my Crockpot...a lot! This is one of my easiest and one of my fave's! The boys always take seconds!

I use the Crockpot liners for easier clean up as well, just as a little advertisement spin. You can find them cheapest at Walmart near the foil and plastic wrap, usually on the bottom shelf (at least at mine they are).

3-4 chicken breasts (you do not have to be exact on the meat. If you want more, put more, if you want less, use less--You really can't mess this recipe up!
1 package of taco seasoning (or if you use bulk like I do, I just eyeball it).
1 can each of the following (all drained, except the rotels):
black beans
pinto beans
chickpeas
corn
rotels
green chiles
large green enchilada sauce (I only use about 3/4 of the can-you can use it all if you want)
3 cans of chicken broth (I use stock so about half the carton of chicken stock)
I mince about half a clove of garlic
If I have it I will add half an onion--if not, it does not make or break the recipe.

Cook on high or about 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours. Once the chicken is done I pull it and shred it. Then I mix it back in the Crockpot.

Serve with sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips and avocado.

If you want to spice it up add more green chiles or maybe some chili powder?

Enjoy!

All Aboard the Polar Express!

ALL ABOARD!!

So those locals of you know the Nightmare Express in Lindon...well there is also the Polar Express done by the same group of people.  We have never been until today! It is so popular that you have to request a ticket to ride the train! When I found out we could get tickets we decided we were gonna take the whole family!! So Shon and I, Kathy, Shalynn, Destoni, James, Kaitlynn, David, Savannah, Kolton, Jordan and Bradley all went. We missed out on picking up Ashton. :-( Hopefully we can go again and take him with us. Here are some pictures of our Polar Express Journey:

 

We have to first share our little "Santa in Training" Shalynn's little man came prepared! What a cutie right? Don't tell anyone, but I think he is Uncle Monkey's favorite! 

We first went in to a room when we got there and watched the Polar Express while we waited for our train.

Then our train came and this is what we saw...

Then we made it "up the hill" to see the one and only...

Santa Claus!!

My dear, sweet Jordan just jumped right in front of the line and didn't even wait for the others. :-/ But, he was sure excited to see Santa!

After everyone on our train was done asking Santa what they wanted for Christmas, Santa gave us a little thought before we continued our train ride. Here is a summary of what he said:

If you look at the candy cane it depicts Jesus with the little lambs. If you turn it upside down it looks like a "J" for Jesus.  The red in the candy cane is for the blood he shed for us.  Santa then asked us to listen to the music as we continue or train ride and for us to remember the reason for the season.

One of my favorites...I missed some in between. We heard the song "Mary Did You Know" as we passed the manger scene. That song gets me every time.

After we got off the train there were tables set up for everyone to sent a little message to a military worker and to a missionary in the field. We all stopped and wrote a nice message to all those military gone for the holidays and to the missionaries away from their families during the holidays.

We had a great time...all we were missing was snow. But word has it, it's coming our way!

These are a few of my favorite things...

While I was looking at our tree last night I realized some of the history in the ornaments that we have. I hope, as well as I have, my children take great memory in the heirloom ornaments I have gotten through the years. I have an advent calendar that shows the 24 days before Christ was born. I like to put it out, but I am careful with this as I cherish these greatly.

Here are a few more of my favorite ornaments...

Mr. and Mrs. Clause has been in my family since I can remember. It was always one of the first things I put out.  It is very dated as you can see in the picture...but as long as it stays together it is apart of the Christmas decor.

My grandma had a tradition that I hope to do for my one day grandchildren when they are born.  Every year before Christmas my sister and I got an ornament to add to the Christmas tree. Some haven't made it through the years and some have. This one has. There is tape on the ornament that she would place so we could remember the year we got them. They have since faded. But this one of Christ's birth...again a very special one. I don't remember when I got this one, but that doesn't matter...here are a couple more...

Obviously my ornament for the 1994 Christmas season...I would have been in 4th grade I believe.

Another one of my favorites...I don't remember the year I got this one...I think this was one of my firsts.

I do not know if my grandma got me this one, but this is from what I know my very first ornament. It will be passed down to my children one day and I think it is the most precious ornament ever.

This is the ornament that my mom and biological dad had. It is quite beat up. And although they divorced when I was just a baby, I hang it to remember that their relationship brought me here to Earth. :-)

It is probably the cheapest ornament ever purchased from Walmart, but a couple of years ago we decided to get an ornament with the first letter of our last name. It shines nice and bright with those white lights--and of course we place the angel next to it knowing we have angels watching over our family.

Last but not least...another favorite and ornament that is hung at the top of the tree every year. Our first Christmas together, married was in 2003. Something we like to cherish on the Christmas tree once a year.

May you all have great memories and warm wishes as your decorate and admire your Christmas tree during this Christmas season.

Family Manti Visit

I am so behind on so many things that have happened this year...one of them was our day trip to Manti.  Shon's brother Cameron was receiving his endowment and Shon and I hadn't been back down to Manti since we were first sealed. It is our favorite temple and it holds some special family memories and lots of family history.  Here are some pics of our trip from back in September. Keep in mind us ADULT children were left unattended without additional adult supervision and none of our little kids came...kind of like when the kids are away the adults will play!

This was after we went through. It was a good 2-2 1/2 hour time...so we were all a little tired.

Hence this picture of Cameron passed out and Dez trying to stay awake with music...

But she didn't need that when she has this crazy red head sitting next to her...

Then it was shake time (you HAVE to stop at The Malt Shoppe when you go to Manti--it's like a rule for us Frarys')

Post shake faces (bored, sugar high and stuck in the back seat)

 Oh yes and before we left town we stopped at the family cabin. Shon's grandpa himself helped build this cabin when he was just a young lad. So this also holds a special place in Manti for us. We need to get here more often...

And we have to thank our friendly chauffer, Shalynn, Shon's sister. She was speeding the entire time! LOL

Needless to say we had a blast, shared some memories, made new ones and had some good old family bonding time before Cameron left for this mission to Bakersfield, CA.

Lehi Pioneers Number 14! Or is that #14 Orem?

Ashton played his first year of tackle football this year.  He has played a few years of flag football and many years in baseball which we think is his sports calling.  But for now he is trying tackle football as well.  He mostly played defense.  At first you could tell he was afraid of getting hit and getting hurt. After quite a few conversations with him (mostly about how he would get hurt MORE if he didn't hit someone first) he finally got in the game.  There might be something wrong with hearing parents tell their children to go hit somebody...or should I say "You know you are a football parent when you yell at your kid to GO HIT SOMEONE!" Yeah-that was us...so for 3 months and almost every Saturday Shon and I ventured out for football.  

David was also playing flag football for Orem at the same time...so we have some schedule juggling and lots of calls to Grandma Frary to see if she could be at one while we try to get to the other...

When Dave was picking his jersey for Orem they had a number 14. Well Dave already knew that Ashton's jersey was number 14. So Dave snatched up that number as fast as he could! The shirt was a little larger, but he thought it was well worth it to have the same number as his brother! I love my football boys!

 We liked to call this one of David's game "hearding chickens".

 Going for the touchdown!

A solo pic at the scrimmage game.

 Going in for a block on D

 Group huddle--and this is where you can see he has the same butt as his daddy...

Getting ready to block...

Block assist...

It was a good year in football. Dave's team won a couple of their games and Ashton's team went to game 1 of the play-offs and lost. Here's to next season!