MealsWithMarch 4-29

Two years ago we constructed our first above-ground garden. We purchased the timbers at a local home improvement/ landscaping supply store (at a reasonable price), then purchased bags of soil and began filling the square. The endeavor wasn’t extremely successful, so I was happy when Barry Johanson, publisher of The Review, enlightened me this spring about square-foot-gardening. There is actually a “Square Foot Gardening Foundation,” which provides all the information you need to get started and have a successful above-ground garden.

If you visit the Web site, you can purchase a book of instructions and all the supplies you need. You can also get most of the information you need without purchasing anything. It is a concept that you can learn and attempt on your own with a limited amount of supplies.

We decided to “do our own thing” by reading the basic information online. We have been enlightened as to our mistakes in the original garden. Garden No. 2 will be our test project. We already have the timbers. With the first garden we didn’t line the ground with a fabric or other material to prevent weeds from growing through, and we didn’t use the proper soil mixture. The proper soil mixture is compost, peat moss and Vermiculite.

The Web site is www. squarefootgardening.com. Happy Gardening!

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Before you enjoy the “fruits of your labors” as your garden begins to produce, try these recipes brought to you by two of The Review employees. All of the recipes have a couple of ingredients that I would have to substitute, as I do not eat very spicy or “hot” foods. You could choose to do the same. The end result would be fine, just a little more bland.

• • • The following recipe is from Nancy Tkacz, of the Review Customer Service department.
• • •
Three-Cheese
Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients:
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
2 cups shredded cheddar, divided
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 large jar Picante sauce, divided
1 medium red or green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup chopped onions
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 teaspoon crushed cumin
8 flour tortillas, 7-8 inches round
Shredded lettuce
Chopped tomato
Sliced black olives
Sour cream

Directions: Boil chicken and shred when meat is cool enough to handle.

Combine 1 cup Monterey Jack, 1 cup cheddar, cream cheese, 1/4 cup Picante sauce, red pepper, onions and cumin. Mix well.

Spoon 1/4 cup cheese mixture down the center of each tortilla. Top with shredded chicken. Roll and place seam side down in 9x13-inch greased baking dish. Spoon remaining Picante sauce over enchiladas. Cover with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until hot. Top with your choice of lettuce, tomato, black olives, sour cream, etc.

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The following two recipes are from Mary Blanke, also from The Review customer service department. They both sound nice and easy. Thank you Mary!

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Mexican Chicken

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
4 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 pound cheddar cheese, shredded
2 10-3/4-ounce cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cups sour cream
1 4-ounce can green chilies, chopped
12 corn tortillas

Directions: Saute onion in butter. Combine with chicken, 3 cups cheese, soup, sour cream and green chilies. Mix well. Place half of tortillas in greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with half of chicken mixture. Repeat layers. Sprinkle remaining cup of cheese over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
Mexican Lasagna
Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds chicken, cooked and shredded
8 ounces Ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
2 eggs
1 package taco seasoning
9 soft corn tortillas, 7-8 inches round
1 cup diced canned tomatoes
1 can chopped green chilies
10 ounces Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, shredded
16 ounces tomato sauce

Directions: Combine seasoned salt, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chilies with chicken. Simmer 10 minutes.

In separate bowl, combine Ricotta cheese and eggs. Spread 1/3 meat mixture in bottom of 9x13-inch pan. Top with 3 tortillas, halved and overlapped, if necessary, 1/3 of ricotta cheese mixture and 1/3 of Monterey Jack cheese. Repeat 2 more times, ending with Monterey Jack cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Note: 1-1/2 pounds ground beef, browned, can be substituted for shredded chicken.

• • • Send recipes you would like included in this column to: The Review, P.O. Box 317, Plymouth, WI 53073. I can be reached on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 893-6411, ext. 32.