Tasty Tuesday: Culture Clash

When my parents were visiting a couple of weeks ago, my mom left a recipe at my house by accident. Well that’s like throwing raw fish in a shark tank! I was all over it! She had actually brought it because she had made it at her house and thought it was so delicious that she wanted to share. We didn’t have time for her to cook while they  were here, so I decided to make it myself.
It sounded like a great recipe to me since it combined my two favorite ethnic foods, Mexican and Italian, and it was easy, which is always a prerequisite for recipes in my kitchen.
Here is what you need to make Mexican Chicken Manicotti:

8 uncooked manicotti shells
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 Tbsp. green onion, sliced
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
2 cups picante sauce
First, cook and drain manicotti shells as directed on package.

Next, mix cream cheese, 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, onion, cilantro, and garlic in medium bowl.

Stir in chicken.

Fill manicotti shells with chicken mixture. I use my fingers because it’s a lot easier.

Arrange filled shells in ungreased 13x9 pan.

Pour picante sauce over shells.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cover and bake 40 to 45 minutes until filling is hot in center.

And, as usual, mom was right! Delicious.

Love when forgetfulness leads to the enjoyable melding of two cultures on my plate in the tree house,
Chelli