Chicken Chilaquile Casserole

If I had to give up one kind of cuisine, it would probably be Mexican.  (I could never give up Peruvian or Chinese). But sometimes I am hungry for nothing else but this cheesy, delicious casserole, adapted from Sara Foster's cookbook.  Since I'm pregnant, I cut back on the spicy salsa, but you can tweak it to your taste.

8-10 5 1/2 inch corn tortillas, cut into quarters and toasted in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes
1 cup of your favorite salsa
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 8-oz. package of cream cheese, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh black pepper
3-4 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

Stir together the salsa, cilantro, scallions, cream cheese, feta, sour cream, milk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Fold in the shredded chicken and mix well.

Combine the Monterey Jack cheese and the Cheddar in a separate bowl, mix.

Arrange half of the tortilla wedges in the bottom of a casserole dish (the recipe calls for 9x13, but I use a 7x10). Spread half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas.  Sprinkle half the cheese over the chicken mixture.

Repeat with remaining tortillas, chicken and cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for about 35 minutes until the dish is bubbling and golden brown.  Serve immediately.

(Block cheese that you grate yourself will be better than the already-grated stuff in bags.  It melts better).

I usually just slice fruit to serve with this.  Lately our favorite beverage has been ice-cold club soda with a squeeze of lime.  It's perfect with this meal.

Guidelines for Listening

I wish I had learned this when I was much younger.  But even after writing this down, it is hard for me to be perfectly still and quiet when listening.  This list is from Vicki Degner at Church of the Open Door in Maple Grove, Minnesota.

1. Remain present.
2. Let me (or let you) cry.
3. You don't need to fix anybody.
4. It's okay to feel uncomfortable.
5. You don't need to rescue anybody (just be present).
6. Don't minimize the pain.
7. Silence is okay.
8. Let me (or let you) sit in this sadness.
9. Don't rob anybody of their pain.  What we can do is pray while we listen.

"Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.
For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before the Lord
in the land of the living."  Psalm 116:7-9