My folks retired from what I still think of as Heaven on Earth, Santa Barbara, CA, to where the retirement magazines listed as one of the “top three places to retire”… Hendersonville, NC. A city famous for it’s apples, the home of one of America’s Next Top Model contestants, and Hot Dog World.
And like with any 27 year old, who thought they knew everything, and that life couldn’t possibly exist outside of a California beach…
this Valley Girl got some Southern Schooling that year.
I learned that the maintenance guys giggling as I got off the plane, weren’t laughing at me, but at the fact that I was wearing a red polka-dotted short sleeved mini skirt romper (with white tennies) in the dead of Winter. Yes, it was here, that I learned the true meaning of cold.
And that year round produce is great, but cooking by season is kind of fun too, unless it involves okra.
And that having Winter and Summer clothing isn’t a pain, but more like back to school shopping twice a year… not to mention the fact that when you’re wearing that over sized sweater, people just assume you’re layering, and not that you’ve been shoveling in your new found love of Pecan Pie.
And I even learned that despite the fact that trees in the South lose all their leaves each fall (it’s true!) and the mountains look all barren and dead, there’s nothing better than seeing those Springtime buds breaking through the icy earth, inspiring beauty, hope… and new beginnings.
I ended up moving to the South not long after my folks did. And I still live in the South… darn you, Hot Dog World.
The South. The only place I know where I can take my favorite Mexican ingredients, throw in some cream of mushroom soup, and call it a casserole. Use light sour cream and skim milk… and it’s diet food.
White Chicken Enchilada Casserole
For the sauce, combine chicken, cream of mushroom soup, evaporated skim milk, sour cream, green chiles, ¼ c. sliced green onion, garlic pepper to taste, and just a touch of salt.
To make the layers, spray a 9×13 pan with Pam and spread a very thin layer of the chicken mixture to prevent the tortillas from drying out. Lay down 3 torn-up fajita size tortillas to fit bottom of pan (try not to overlap too much). Then add in ½ the sauce, then ½ of a package of pre-shredded cheddar/jack cheese mix. Repeat layers and sprinkle on another ¼ c. sliced green onions to top. Bake at 350 uncovered for 45 min.
