Anyone up for a Tex-Mex dinner? Save some time by making the cornbread ahead of time. The King Ranch chicken casserole has been a favorite in the family since I was little. It takes some time and work, but it is well worth the effort. The cornbread is my Memaw's recipe, and the casserole is my great-aunt's recipe. Enjoy!
	Mexican Cornbread Ingredients: 1-1/2 c. corn meal 1 tbsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt Chopped green pepper to taste (about 1 small one) Juice of 1 lemon plus enough evaporated milk to make 1 c. liquid 1 tbsp. sugar 2 eggs, unbeaten 1 or 2 jalapeños, as desired 1 c. cream style corn 1/2 c. canola oil 1 c. grated cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese 1 medium yellow onion, minced Instructions: Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add soured milk, corn, peppers, eggs, and onion. Stir just until moist. Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet; pour into batter and beat well. Pour half of the batter into the skillet and top with half the cheese. Repeat. Bake in 375-degree oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Tips: Wear gloves when slicing jalapeños or other spicy peppers to keep from burning your fingers. The minced onion in the jar is not recommended for this recipe. I don't suggest substituting buttermilk for the lemon-milk mixture. Canola oil has the fewest saturated fat grams. Sunflower or safflower oil will also work just fine.
	King Ranch Chicken Ingredients: 1 broiler/fryer, boiled and deboned--reserve broth 10 flour tortillas (fajita size) 1 large onion, chopped 1 large green pepper, chopped 1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese 1 can each cream of chicken & cream of mushroom soup 1/2 tsp. chili powder 1/2 tsp. garlic salt 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes (diced) Instructions: Dice the chicken. Slightly moisten the tortillas in the reserved chicken stock. Line a baking dish with the tortillas. Place the ingredients in this order: chicken, onion, pepper, cheese, soups. Top with chili powder, garlic salt, and Ro-Tel tomatoes. Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool a little before slicing. Tips: If you're short on time, you can use canned chicken broth and cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I don't recommend using canned chicken in this recipe, however. I prefer yellow onions in this recipe because they are milder than white ones. To lower calories and fat, use Healthy Request® soups and low-fat cheese and tortillas. This is also a great way to use leftover holiday turkey.
	Fruity iced tea and dulce de leche ice cream finish off this meal nicely.
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