Christmas is coming.....

                The goose is getting fat!

  I've never quite understood that rhyme, but...oh well! I was all prepared to do a wonderful Christmas decorating post and then I got to cooking! Guess that's why this rhyme is in my head tonight! After eating this delectable pasta dish....I feel very much like the fat goose! but it was oh, so, worth it!!! Hope you enjoy! I got the recipe off of Pinterest and made only a few changes...

                                   Chicken Enchilada Pasta!!!! 
                                 3-4 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded {or shredded rotisserie chicken…I used the breasts}

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 {4 oz.} can diced green chiles

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

2 {10 oz.} cans green chili enchilada sauce

2/3 cups red enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded cheese {I used colby & monterrey jack}

1 cup sour cream

Penne pasta

Optional toppings

Avocado

Green Onions

Black Olives

Tomatoes

Sour Cream

the final reward!

sauté the onion in the olive oil for 3-5 minutes; add the garlic and the red pepper and sauté for 5 more minutes. Add the shredded chicken..

sprinkle the salt, cumin and chili powder over the chicken and the vegetables....stir well and add the green chilis, the green enchilada sauce and the 2/3 C red sauce. Let simmer while you boil your water and cook the pasta. 

Add the cheese and stir till melted....add the sour cream and heat on low until blended...do not boil!!!!

*at this point I transferred my chicken mixture from a deep skillet to a dutch oven so that when it was done I could add the pasta easily and have room to stir, etc.....

Add the penne pasta to the chicken mixture and stir well....tossing to coat evenly....at this point I added the remaining red enchilada sauce that was never used after adding the 2/3 C the recipe called for and also about 1/2 C cream....just cause I had it! It was truly divine! 

ready to be "warmed" in the oven

It was at this point that I poured it into a greased casserole dish and covered it with foil just to make it easier on me to serve once everyone was home! It doesn't need the extra cooking time....I just needed the extra time to do everything else that I needed to get done before I served dinner....

And then....once it was served!!!!! OH MY!!!! I truly have never tasted anything quite so divine!!! 

the only other thing we added was fresh avocado and this AMAZING Pico de Gallo salsa we bought today from Costco....and served it with tostitos....If I had been having guests for dinner I was going to make a yummy angel hair slaw and corn muffins. But trust me...this dish is so good that you will never miss a side dish! However.... I highly suggest running and screaming to your nearest Costco for this incredible salsa! WOW!!!!

and then....as if you don't already have enough to do...decide that this is the year to add a "fun" tree to your sunroom!

it's not done yet! just the beginning stages!

at least I know I get to sit and enjoy it every single day until Christmas as this is the room I spend my life in now that we've re-done it!!!!

Hope you enjoy the pasta dish and I truly hope you enjoy each minute between now and Christmas Day! and every now and then when you think about it....remind me to do the same!!

MUCH LOVE AND MANY WARM CHRISTMAS WISHES TO YOU!!!