Photo via New York Times

I’m headed to Lake Burton this weekend for little bit of fun and sun before I start my new jobs next week (and yes, that’s plural. I’m about to be a very busy girl.) I’ll fill you in on all the juicy details a little later, but let’s just say I’ll be working for two very fabulous ladies in the Atlanta food scene, doing very different things. It’s been slow to the starting gate since my move to Atlanta, but I have a feeling things are on the up and up for Dixie Caviar.

So until the dust settles, here’s a shout out to one of my favorite Southern specialty foods, Sister Schubert’s Homemade Rolls. My sister Tinsley actually went to boarding school with Sister’s daughter, so I’ve known about these heavenly yeast rolls since it was just a small start up. Needless to say, words cannot describe how tasty these little morsels are. They are a Dozier family holiday staple.

I’m planning on serving a package of her sausage rolls (my personal favorite) alongside my cast iron skillet coffee cake at the lake this weekend. With some sliced Elberta peaches and big pot of café au lait, it should be a breakfast to remember.

PS – I recently met sister at the Atlanta Gift Mart, and purchased her new cookbook Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters. It features a recipe for “Everlasting Yeast Rolls” — do you think they’ll be as good as the ones you buy in the store? I’ll keep you posted.

Call me crazy, call me lazy, call me what you will, but sometimes I love nothing more than spending a hot summer day locked up inside the air-conditioned house, flittering back and forth from an unfinished book, to the Tivo, to the kitchen, and back again. Sometimes I even slip in a nap or two. (Shhh… Don’t tell Walt.)

You see, I’ve had a little lot of spare time on my hands. And with this spare time comes lots of all-day kitchen projects. Last week I was canning 20 pounds of peaches, this week I’ve been up to my ears in chocolate chip cookies. I’ve also been baking a lot of bread, which is actually easier than you might think. 

And while this recipe does take a bit of waiting (in which I’m sure you working folks can find something to entertain yourself with. I recommend reading Dixie Caviar from start to finish), I promise you it’s worth every second. You have no idea of the powers of homemade bread until you serve a slice of it just-from-the-oven with a schmear of honey butter and a sprinkle of sea salt. The look on your boyfriend’s face? Well, let’s just say he’ll be like putty in your hands. 

There’s endless opportunities for this yeasty goodness. Why just today, I had some plump garden tomatoes ripening on my counter, just ready to be eaten. I slathered some mayo on the bread (please forgive me, it was not homemade), piled on a few drippy tomato slices, and generously sprinkled it all over with kosher salt and ground pepper. A couple of months ago, I offered up this same bread as a hostess gift, swaddled in a vintage dish towel. It was a home run. And ya’ know, gift giving just doesn’t get any more Southern than that.

COUNTRY WHITE SANDWICH BREAD

Source: Adapted from The New School of Cooking

1 tablespoon dry yeast (1 package)
1/4 cup warm water (105 -110 degrees)
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
5 – 6 cups all-purpose or bread flour
2 teaspoons salt

In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water. Allow to proof until creamy, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the milk until just scalded and remove from burner. Add sugar and butter. Allow to cool to 105 – 110 degrees, then add the yeast mixture.

Pour milk mixture into a large bowl. Add 2 cups of flour and stir together until smooth. Add salt. Continue adding more flour, cup by cup, until a ball of dough has formed (err toward the sticky side here. Yeast – a.k.a. flavor – thrives in moisture). Remove the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Add flour as necessary to keep from sticking to hands and table.

Place dough in a well oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise in a warm, dry place until doubled in size (usually takes a little over an hour, but don’t be married to time). Punch down dough and place in a greased loaf pan. Allow to rise again until doubled in size (this will take less time than the first).

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake bread for approximately 30 -40 minutes. Bread is done when internal temperature reaches 190 degrees and when it makes a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom side. YIELDS: 1 loaf

Kitchen tip: The bread in the picture does not have an egg wash. For a darker, more golden crust, brush the dough with a lightly beaten egg before putting in the oven. For a crispier dough, use just the egg white, and for a shinier crust, use just the yolk.

The time is here. Only two and a half years later.

You see, once upon a time I inherited a chocolate chip cookie recipe. A good one. And I made the cookies and they were perfect and praises were sung in my name. But the fanfare was fleeting. After that, the recipe began to elude me. The cookies melted into pancakes or puffed over like tipsy souffles. Many laughs were had at my expense, and I was dubbed “the cookie mangler.” I tried and tried (and cried) to make those delicious cookies again, to no avail.

But I am not one to give up. Especially when chocolate chip cookies are involved. So here you go. THE best chocolate chip recipe, in its hopefully fail-proof glory. May it bring you no tears, except those of joy.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Source: Adapted from Alpha Bakery Cookbook 

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup butter, melted and. cooled. completely. (10 and  2/3 tablespoons)
1 egg
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, or to taste
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream sugars, butter, and egg together in large mixing bowl or a stand mixer. Add in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff). Lastly, stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.

Drop by rounded tablespoons (I use a small ice cream scoop) onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until light golden brown, 11-13 minutes. Remove while still slightly soft and let cool on pan. This will yield a chewy cookie. YIELDS: 18 cookies

It’s no secret that my boyfriend Walt makes the best barbecue in all 50 states. Let’s just say it’s what sealed the deal for me. (And no, not in that way. Get your mind out of the gutter!) He learned the method from his dad, who learned it from his dad, although they may have had a little help along the way. Needless to say, it’s pretty much the end-all be-all of pulled pork.

But don’t go around expecting to get the Thompson spice rub out of me any time soon, or the super secret basting sauce either. These lips of mine are sealed. Mainly because, if I don’t make it in the food biz and Walt doesn’t make it in the movies, we’re switching to plan B and opening our very own ‘cue shack. He’ll smoke the meat and I’ll make the sides. I’ve been told on more than one occasion that I make a pretty mean banana pudding. It’s our golden ticket I tell ya.

So anyhow, I’ve got a point. Sort of. There’s been a giant bag of pulled pork sitting in our fridge ever since that ol’ Thompson family reunion I told you about. We’ve been eating lots and lots of barbecue sandwiches this past week. But today I’d had enough. I wanted the stuff gone, so I got creative and made grilled pulled pork quesadillas. Now I’m not going to tell you how to make these — tortillas, pulled pork, pepper jack, sour cream, and a grill pan should do it — you can probably figure the rest out on your own. But for a little extra flare, I’m honored to introduce you to the one and only Carolina Red.

This tangy sauce is what we serve alongside Thompson barbecue. And while the meat absolutely doesn’t need it, I can’t seem to stop myself. Vinegar makes my (small) world go ’round. Don’t even try to give me a sweet, syrupy excuse for a sauce. Or worse yet, store bought. Just give the meat a good rub, smoke it low and slow to perfection, and serve it with a drizzle of this. Oh Lord.

While I’m not giving you all of their family secrets, I will give you just-this-one. Consider yourself extremely lucky. And maybe one day you’ll even be lucky enough to come try the real Thompson stuff out for yourself. I’ll go ahead and offer this as an open invitation. 

CAROLINA RED BARBECUE SAUCE

Source: The Thompson Family via heaven

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Stir all ingredients in a small bowl until sugar and salt dissolve. Do NOT heat. (This can be made ahead; cover and refrigerate. Keeps for awhile.) YIELDS: 2 cups

I recently participated in the Thompson family reunion at Hard Labor Creek State Park in Georgia. It was a four-day extravaganza, and it lived up to everything I expected a Southern family reunion to be — appetizers and dips galore, Thompson pulled pork (smoked all day), potato salads, macaroni salads, casseroles, baked beans, deviled eggs, slaw, dump cakes, and more. And last but not least, beer and liquor in all forms. To top off the party, on the final evening we received the happy news of Caroline and Drew’s (Walt’s older brother) engagement, who had been vacationing on Captiva Island.

Upon our return, an immediate celebration was in order. My duties as ordered my Mrs. T were squash casserole and a salad. Mind you, I experienced two varieties of  squash casserole in two days of the reunion, both different yet delicious; however, being the rebellious cook that I am, I decided to create my very own perfect version of the dish. 

I pulled out about 20 of my favorite community cookbooks, combed the web, and then threw everything I read out the door. All the recipes seemed to mask the delicate flavors of squash with things like eggs and mayo. I wanted to highlight the sweetness of the summer squash found in abundance at my farmers market right now. Using just a few simple ingredients and a generous shake of salt came a casserole out of the kitchen that was better than I could have ever imagined!

It turned out to be all the rage at the engagement party. Not to toot my own horn or anything (Toot! Toot!), but it was the first empty casserole dish and the first cleared off guests’ dinner plates. My only regret is that I didn’t make more!

SUMMER SQUASH CASSEROLE

Source: Nealey Dozier

3 pounds summer squash, sliced
1 sweet onion (preferably vidalia), chopped
2 – 3 cloves of garlic, minced
6 tablespoons softened butter, divided
1/2 cup light sour cream or greek yogurt, or up to 1 cup as needed
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or more to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 roll of ritz crackers, crushed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large pot of salted water, boil squash until tender, approximately 8 – 1o minutes. Drain squash in a colander, then lay out on paper towels to soak up excess water. 

Meanwhile, sweat onions in butter or olive oil until tender. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute. 

Combine squash, onions, garlic, 2 tablespoons softened butter, sour cream, and cheddar. Season generously with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour into gratin or baking dish. 

Melt remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and combine with ritz crackers. Sprinkle over squash mixture. Bake uncovered for 30 – 35 minutes, or until golden brown. YIELDS: 6 – 8 servings

When I first moved to Atlanta, I wondered how I could get involved in the hoppin’ local food scene. It just so happened that a group of hungry renegades were in the early process of starting a farmers’ market in my new zip code. When I signed on in Late April, the tentative launch date was June 5. Not a lot of time, right? Well, when you’ve got a good team and a great cause, sometimes it’s easy to move mountains. Well, easier.

First, you’ve got to find the farmers, and that’s harder than you might think. While there are a lot of fantastic farms in Georgia, with the sonic boom in farmers markets, they are all overextended beyond belief. (Hello! Someone actually has to plant things in between CSA drop-offs and farmers markets, not to mention maintaining the farm, managing the press, and updating the twitter feed.) Needless to say, with our late start in the race, most farms were already booked up for the year and not looking to expand their operation. But how does that old saying go, “If you build it, they will come”? With a little bit of persistence, and a lot of badgering, we finally started to generate some interest. And interest turned into farm visits, and farm visits turned into friendships, and the rest is history.

But farmers aren’t the only thing you need to start a market. There’s a lot of  logistics to consider, as well. In short, the who, what, when, where, and why. Obvious questions for some, but difficult to answer nonetheless. The location was easy: the Frosty Caboose is a great landmark in historic downtown Chamblee that really acts as a “town center” of sorts. Their Greenwood Ice Cream also happens to be out of this world (pistachio and banana pudding, oh my). Not that the ice cream swayed our decision, I swear. To seal the deal, Vintage Pizzeria across the street is providing us with plenty of parking, for which we are incredibly grateful.

With the when and where settled — Saturdays from 8:30 until 11:30 AM — the only thing left was to make sure we had all of our (legal) ducks in a row. This meant getting the support from our local government. It just so happens that the city of Chamblee rocks, and our elected officials have been incredibly supportive. That’s not to say there haven’t been any hurdles, though. There are licenses to apply for, ordinances to follow, and rules in general to adhere to. The key is to always do your homework (who ever thought that little ol’ me would be on the phone with the city clerk and the health department in the same hour? Oh, the pressure!), remain patient and calm, and do not under any circumstances try to pull a fast one. So we’ve studied up, proposed our amendments, now city council here we come! 

With the date rapidly approaching (Grand opening June 19!!!), our wheels are really cranking. It takes a village, people. The operations team is finalizing the Policies & Procedures; the marketing team is sending out newsletters, selling raffle tickets, and Facebooking up a storm; and the “culinary coordinator”, a.k.a. yours truly, is lining up some fantastic local chefs to show off all of our beautiful Southern produce. And last but definitely not least, the farmers are out watering, feeding, weeding, and nurturing your next meal. I offer a special thanks to them, for they are truly rock stars.

As I’m counting down the days, I hope you’ll count down with me. If you live in Atlanta, come out and join us for the big day. For more of the juicy details, check out www.chambleefarmersmarket.com. If you’re feeling generous, feel free to sign up for our beyond-belief raffle. As my boyfriend always says, “Be like Spike Lee and ‘Do the Right Thing.’”

I don’t know why it’s been so impossible to get a salad recipe up here on Dixie Caviar. I mean, come on already.  It’s been over  a year now, and I’ve covered everything under the sun except for salad.

Down here in Dixie, our definition of salad is already a little bit dodgy. There’s potato salad, chicken salad, and better yet, Jello salad. If it’s got mayonnaise in it, it’s a salad. Cool Whip? Yep, salad.

So I actually started out with the plan to make Watergate Salad. You know, that seafoam green pistachio thingy with marshmallows in it. Yeah, you know the one. It appeared on my grandma’s holiday table for as long as I can remember, and I thought it would be appropriate to make it for my father’s upcoming book club (The Well-Read-Neck Book Club. Get it? Hee hee.)

Turns out, Watergate Salad is one unphotogenic dish. I tried my damndest, but if I’d posted the pictures, you surely wouldn’t want to try it. Even though it is oh-so-yummy in the most processed sort of way.  

So, wedge salad with buttermilk ranch it is. And this stuff’s not too shabby, either. I try not to keep ranch dressing in our kitchen at all times, in case you were wondering, but if we’re going to have it, it might as well be homemade. It runs circles around store-bought, I swear. 

Now, I’m off to “work off” my “salad.”

WEDGE SALAD WITH BUTTERMILK GARLIC DRESSING

Source: Peachtree Bouquet, Junior League of Dekalb County, Decatur, GA

FOR THE SALAD

2 heads of Iceberg lettuce, cored and quartered
Bacon crumbles, for garnish

FOR DRESSING:

2 cups mayonnaise
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or more to taste
Finely chopped parsley (optional)

Whisk mayonnaise and buttermilk in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate covered, at least 8 hours or overnight. YIELDS: 2 cups

Pour dressing over wedges and garnish with bacon crumbles. YIELDS: 8 servings

We celebrated Walt’s 28th birthday this past Saturday with a full on Georgia-style barbecue. The theme was “Southern Baptist potluck,” meaning too much of some very good things. I delegated out side dishes and appetizers, in addition to my own, while Walt was in charge of the famous Thompson barbecue (smoked 13 hours with the secret family sauce). Oh yeah, I made cookie cake. Twice. Don’t even ask.

Needless to say, drinks were imbibed, food was devoured, and fun was had by all. My one complaint? Georgia is freaking hot, ya’ll. I’ve unadapted. It’s going to be one long, sticky summer…

Here’s the menu in case you are interested. Martha’s beer cheese was the first to go!

Appetizers
Deviled Eggs
Beer Cheese Spread
Mrs. T’s Fancy Brie 

Mains
Pulled-pork Sliders with Carolina Red Sauce
Baked Beans
Potato Salad
Marinated Tomatoes
Cole Slaw

Dessert
Homemade Cookie Cake

MARTHA BELL’S BEER CHEESE SPREAD

Source: Martha Bell

2 (4 ounce) blocks of cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (1 ounce) packet ranch dressing mix
1/3 cup beer (your choice ~ I used Miller High Life)
Splash of worcestershire sauce

Mix all the ingredients together (I used my stand mixer) and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with pretzels and crudité.

Walt and I house-sat for his parents this weekend while they went away for a wedding. House-sitting at Fair Oaks Manor includes 5 crazed dogs, so Walt’s brother Hunter and his girlfriend drove up from Athens to assist, thank god. Turns out we needed all the help we could get. So with burgers on the grill and much-needed cocktails in hand (and no parents in sight), we set out to party away the weekend in true Thompson fashion.

On Saturday evening we were to attend a cocktail party for their soon-to-be-married cousin Courtney. Pre-gaming started early with a round of margaritas. While we sipped our frozen concoctions around the kitchen island, I began working on a batch of “Mother’s Day” cinnamon rolls. (Yes, I drink and bake. Call it multi-tasking at it’s finest.) 

The plan was to eat these on Sunday morning; however, they looked so tasty once rolled and cut that I decided they’d make a pretty good pre-party appetizer. I put 3 slices in a small pan (Hunter meanwhile gathered the remaining dough into a ball, smothered it with white chocolate chips, and tossed it into the lot) and waited patiently until done. At about 7:25 PM — 10 minutes after we should have left the house — out came the little balls of heaven. I slathered them with a little glaze and we promptly gobbled them up. Who knew how well cinnamon rolls went with tequila?

The next morning, veeeerrry groggy from last night’s festivities, I dutifully drug myself out of bed at 7 AM to pull the rolls from the fridge to rise. Two hours later (oops), I awoke from a catnap with a very rumbly — and hung-over – tummy. Must. Eat. Cinnamon rolls. I stumbled back upstairs and into the oven the dough went. Tick tock tick tock tick tock. 

And oh my goodness, were these guys ever worth the wait. Although not the Pillsbury rolls from my past (I’m not gonna lie — I love those things), they were doughy, soft, and delicious. And with the glaze? Don’t mind if I have another. Go make these for your mom, ASAP!

ON A SIDE NOTE: Mom, thanks for always being supportive of my crazy shenanigans. I appreciate it (and you) more than you will ever know. 

Xoxoxox,
Daughter Number 3

OVERNIGHT CINNAMON ROLLS WITH CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

Source: Adapted from Bon Appetit, March 2008

FOR THE DOUGH

1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups (or more) unbleached all purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast (1 envelope)
1 teaspoon salt
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

FOR THE FILLING

1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
4 – 6 tablespoons ground cinnamon, or to taste 
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

FOR THE GLAZE

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE DOUGH: Combine milk and butter in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until butter melts and mixture is just warmed to 120°F to 130°F, 30 to 45 seconds. Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups flour. Beat on low until flour is absorbed and dough is sticky, scraping down sides of bowl. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough begins to form ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes. Form into ball.

Lightly oil large bowl with nonstick spray. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. 

FOR THE FILLING: Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl.

Punch down dough. Transfer to floured work surface. Roll out to 15×11-inch rectangle. Spread butter over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over butter. Starting at 1 long side, roll dough into log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up. With seam side down, cut dough crosswise with thin sharp knife into 18 equal slices (each about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide).

Spray two 9-inch square glass baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide rolls between baking dishes, arranging cut side down (there will be almost no space between rolls). Cover baking dishes with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Remove dough from fridge and allow to rise in warm draft-free area for at least one hour, or until almost doubled in volume. Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 17 – 20 minutes. Glaze immediately and serve warm.

FOR THE GLAZE: Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls. (This makes a lot of glaze, but don’t worry, I’m sure you can find a good use for it)

YIELDS: 18 cinnamon rolls

Kitchen tip: If you don’t need all of these, freeze half for later. Place the rolls on a large sheet pan and freeze. Once dough is frozen, remove from pan and place in freezer-safe zip lock bag. When ready to cook, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw completely at room temperature. Bake according to the directions above.

New neighbors moved onto Georgian Drive yesterday. Walt and I peered out the window, watching and waiting for any signs of strange behavior (we may or may not have seen The ‘Burbs too many times), but all I saw was a steady stream of Pampers. Nothing too out of the ordinary.

So in my good Southern nature, I figured a housewarming casserole was in order. And not just a throw-in-some-cans-of-cream-of-something kind of casserole, but a my-name-is-Dixie-Caviar-and-I’m-a-kitchen-goddess kind of casserole. 

But then the unthinkable happened. Our DIRECT TV went out in the middle of the — GASP — Braves game. And it was all because of themmmmm. I won’t elaborate, but something about shared wires getting mixed (blah blah blah). All I know is the screen was blank, and Walter was. not. happy. I’m not quite sure how they had anything to do with it, but who am I to question Walt’s television authority.

So today, as I was whisking and stirring and tasting, I made a decision. No King Ranch Casserole for them. They would be banished to a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Take that, new neighbors. Now you know who you’re messing with! 

P.S. — In all honestly, I had every intention of sharing this with the newbies. But it just looked (and tasted) too good to give away. I know, I know. I’m a bad person. I’ll repent later. But right now I’m too busy gobbling it all up.

P.S.S. — I really hope the neighbors don’t read this blog. 

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Source: Adapted from Homesick Texan

FOR THE CHICKEN:
1 whole chicken, roasted and shredded (I used store-bought rotisserie)
2 teaspoons lime juice

2 teaspoons chili poweder, or more to taste
1/4 cup olive oil

Salt, to taste

FOR SAUCE:
4 tablespoons butter

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced

2 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
(or red pepper flakes)
2 teaspoons cumin, or more to taste
1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup half and half

1 (10 ounce) can of Ro-Tel tomatoes
1/3 cup of sour cream

2 teaspoons lime juice

1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped


TO ASSEMBLE:
3 cups grated pepper jack and cheddar
cheese
10 corn tortillas

Salt and pepper, to taste



Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat and stir in the chicken. Add lime juice, chili powder, and salt, to taste
(should yield about 3 cups of chicken). Remove chicken from pot once heated through and set aside.

Melt the butter in the same dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, bell peppers, and poblano pepper and saute for 10 minutes until softened.
Add the garlic, flour, cumin, cayenne pepper and chili powder, and cook for 1 minute.
Add the chicken broth and cook on low until mixture is thickened, a few minutes. Stir in the half-and-half and Ro-Tel tomatoes and cover the pot. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Uncover the pot and turn off heat. Add the sour cream, 2 teaspoons of lime juice, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


Ladle 1/2 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of an 11 x 7 inch baking pan.
Layer half the tortillas along the bottom of the pan (on top of the sauce). To make sure entire pan is evenly covered, you can rip some of the tortillas into strips to fill any gaps. Add half the chicken mixture, half of the remaining sauce,  and 1 1/2 cups of grated cheese.
Repeat the layering, leaving the cheese layer on top.


Cook uncovered for 35 minutes or until brown and bubbling. Serve with sour cream and cilantro. YIELDS: 6 – 8 servings