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 This blog post has been compensated by Borden® Cheese. All opinions are mine alone.
#BordenCheeseLove #CollectiveBias #Ad

[/text_output][/container][text_output][/text_output][text_output]Eating well and spending time with my loved ones is a high priority for me. However, with my busy schedule, I struggle with time-management and good for you eating. This year, I implemented three new ways to prepare meals to spend time with my family.

Since I know everyone could use a little help in this area too, I’m showing you how to make a delicious Tex-Mex King Ranch Chicken using Borden® Cheese for a simple, everyday dinner solution. It’s packed with vegetables and lots of flavor. Plus, I’m sharing my favorite time-saving cooking tips to spend more time with family.

With Borden® Cheese Love, my time-saving tips, and this Texas Junior League inspired Tex-Mex King Ranch Chicken recipe, you’ll create family memories around the dinner table in a snap!

The reason why I love King Ranch Chicken is because it’s so easy to make. I first fell in love with this classic Texas dish as a kid.  I remember my first savory bite of King Ranch Chicken. A friend’s mother was a member of the Houston Junior League and she served a piping hot King Ranch Chicken casserole for dinner. My first thought was I must have more and second thought was can my mom make this at home, too? And really, what’s not to love about King Ranch Chicken? King Ranch Chicken is creamy, full of bold flavors, and mildly spicy. But, the heart of the recipe calls for layers of shredded cheese! Exactly the recipe to celebrate wholesome family moments, made uniquely special by the love that goes into Borden® Cheese!

Plus, King Ranch Chicken is perfect for midweek dinners, potlucks, church socials, and quick eats before the Houston Rodeo.

I’ve even made this dish for parents of newborns and for friends who recently lost loved ones. Best part about this Tex-Mex lasagna is that it can be made ahead and frozen. So, you can double the ingredients and make one for dinner and freeze an extra for another week. Sounds easy enough, right? Now, let’s get started!

[/text_output][feature_headline type=”center” level=”h2″ looks_like=”h4″ id=”” class=”” style=””]Tex-Mex King Ranch Chicken [/feature_headline][gap size=”1.313em” id=”” class=”” style=””][text_output]

PREP TIME: 20 mins
COOK TIME: 60 mins
TOTAL TIME: 80 mins

Author: Taste and See Life
Recipe type: Casserole
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups cooked chicken, cubed
• 1 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 10 oz can cream of chicken soup
• 1 10 oz can tomatoes and green chiles
• 1 7 oz can green chiles
• 1 7 oz can pickled nacho sliced jalapenos
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 dozen corn tortillas, quartered
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1/8 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
• 1 cup Borden® Cheese Sharp Cheddar Shreds
• 1 cup Borden® Cheese Finely Shredded Four Cheese Mexican Shreds

INSTRUCTIONS

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 X 13 oven-safe dish.
2.     On medium heat, blend the two cans of soup, the can of tomatoes and green chiles, and chicken broth until a creamy mixture and set aside.
3.     Sautée the onion, celery, and mushrooms and set aside.
4.     Layer the greased casserole dish with 2 cups of chicken, ½ of the tortilla pieces, ½ of the green chiles and bell pepper, ½ of the sautéed vegetables, ½ of the creamy sauce, and 1/2 cup of Borden® Cheese Sharp Cheddar Shreds and ½ cup Borden® Cheese Finely Shredded Four Cheese Mexican Shreds.
5.      Repeat the layers ending with the Borden® Cheese on top.
6.      Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
7.      Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
8.      Plate with sliced avocado and pickled jalapenos.

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Measure your ingredients!

Heat and blend:2 cans of soup, can of tomatoes and green chiles,
and ½ cup chicken broth

Sautée the onion, celery, and mushrooms

Layer the greased casserole dish with 2 cups of chicken, ½ of the tortilla pieces, ½ of the green chiles and bell pepper, ½ of the sautéed vegetables, ½ of the creamy sauce, and 1/2 cup of Borden® Cheese Sharp Cheddar Shreds and ½ cup Borden® Cheese Finely Shredded Four Cheese Mexican Shreds. Repeat again for the second layer!

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

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3 Tips to Save-Time Cooking to Spend Time with Family

I’m all about shortcuts when it comes to cooking. From meal planning to grocery shopping for the week, I’ve got those strategies down. The hard part is usually being in the mood to cook when I’m tired, especially after a long day at work. For those moments, I use these time-saving tips to help save the day!

• Make your own frozen dinners. When you plan your meals for the week, look for ways to make extra servings in your recipes. You can do this by adding extra veggies to your recipes or doubling the ingredients to extend the servings in your dish. This will help you save money and keep you out of the kitchen on those days you don’t want to cook.
• Freeze your leftovers. This piggy backs on the first point.  I know some people raise their noses to leftovers because who likes to eat the same thing twice in one week? Well, for some dishes, you can freeze leftovers and reheat them on days you don’t feel like cooking or want a hot meal for lunch. I do this a lot since I’m single. Usually a recipe will make up to 4-6 servings. I will eat maybe two servings and freeze the remaining portions for lunch or dinner the next week. I love doing this because I know exactly what is going into my food and I don’t waste money throwing good food away.
• Get the family involved. Cooking is fun when you can spend time with friends, kids, and your spouse. Meal prep is a time to talk and have fun in the kitchen. You can also teach your children how to choose smart food swaps and pass down your favorite family recipes to the next generation. With all hands preparing your meals, you can create loving memories with food, and it’s an activity your family can enjoy together.

By implementing these time-saving tips, you can make delicious meals and spend quality time with the family![/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px”][vc_column fade_animation_offset=”45px” width=”1/1″][text_output]

ABOUT BORDEN® CHEESE

[/text_output][text_output]I use Borden® Cheese in my favorite recipes that call for gooey melted cheese. With Borden® Cheese, I know I can get that ooey gooey richness in my recipes that my friends and family love. That’s why my King Ranch Chicken tastes better with Borden® Cheese. I like the flavor, texture, and varieties of Borden® Cheese. Plus, Borden® Cheese comes in shreds, slices, and chunks. You can toss Borden® Cheese in salads, sprinkle it in wraps, or eat it as an on-the-go snack in slices. The possibilities are endless when you are transforming food with the love from Borden® Cheese!   

I found my Borden® Cheese at Randall’s, but check out this store locator to find Borden® Cheese near you![/text_output][text_output]

To learn more, visit the Borden® Cheese site.

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TASTE & SEE FOR YOURSELF

King Ranch Chicken is a family favorite and one of my go-to-recipes I know you will love, too! So give my Tex-Mex King Ranch Chicken that’s packed with veggies, spicy goodness, and Borden® Cheese love a try and let me know what you think! Remember with  Borden® Cheese, love is always an ingredient!  

What are your time-saving cooking tips to spend more time with your family?[/text_output][share title=”Share this Post” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” google_plus=”true” email=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]