Chile Verde

Years ago, a neighbor brought over a big container of chile verde because he made more than his family could eat. I love when neighbors bring food! It was full of flavor and I savored every bite. At that time, I wasn't doing much cooking so I didn't even bother asking for the recipe. The extent of my cooking consisted of three to four ingredients with a five-ingredient recipe being "extreme cooking" for me. LOL! My cooking has definitely improved! :)

While I was recovering from a tonsillectomy, I was pinning tons of recipes from pinterest. I was drooling over each recipe since I was unable to eat any of it. Now that my throat is fully recovered, I've been diving into some of those recipes. Chile Verde is a dish I love to order at Mexican restaurants. I love wet chile verde burritos or chile verde on its own with a tortilla on the side. YUM! 

I've never made chile verde so I don't know if this is an "authentic" recipe but what I do know is that I liked my version. I liked it a lot! I invited my Mom and sister over for dinner and they enjoyed it, too. The pork was fork tender and fell apart as I cut into my wet chile verde burrito. I ate the leftover chile verde on its own the next day with a tortilla. It's soupy texture was perfect for a light lunch. Oh, the flavors! Make this sooooooon!

Bright green!

After a couple of hours in the dutch oven....

Wet burrito with fresh guac. NOM NOM!!!

Chile Verde

Yield: Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 2 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed (I used 2 seeded serranos)
• 2 Anaheim or Poblano chiles (optional)
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves, washed

• 3 1/2 to 4 pounds pork shoulder (also called pork butt), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-2 inch cubes (I used 2 pork sirloins from costco)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 tbs of chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tbs of dried oregano)
• 2 1/2 c chicken stock (I used 1 ½ c)
• Pinch of ground cloves

Method:

1. Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well. If you have a Vitamix blender, put the chile verde sauce ingrediens into blender. You could use a food processor if that's what you have. Cut tomatillos into quarters and place into blender container. Add the garlic, serranos, and cilantro to the tomatillos and blend thoroughly. You can add a couple Anaheim or Poblano chiles. Either use canned green chiles or roast fresh chilies over a gas flame or under the broiler until blackened all around. Let cool in a bag, remove the skin, seeds, and stem.
2. Season the pork cubes generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a dutch oven (or a large, heavy-bottomed skillet) over medium high heat and brown pork chunks well on all sides. Work in batches so that the pork is not crowded in the pan and has a better chance to brown well. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, lift pork out of pan and place in bowl to set aside.
3. Pour out excess fat leaving about a tablespoon and place the onions and garlic in the same dutch oven and saute about 5 minutes or till onions are translucent. Hopefully, your dutch oven is large enough to cook the entire batch of chile verde with the sauce and meat. 
4. Add the pork back to the dutch oven and add oregano. Then add the tomatillo chile verde sauce to the pork and onions. 
5. Add the chicken stock (enough to cover the meat), add a pinch of ground cloves, and a little salt and pepper. Not too much as the chile verde will continue to cook down and concentrate a bit.
6. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 2-3 hours or until the pork is fork tender.
7. Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. 
8. Serve with spanish rice and warmed flour or corn tortillas. Can also make wet chile verde burritos by adding some chile verde into a warmed tortilla, roll it up, pour more sauce on top, top with shredded cheese, and microwave to melt cheese or put in broiler to brown cheese (be careful plates are oven safe and keep an eye on the burritos to avoid burning them).

Source: adapted from Simply Recipes

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

In my prior post for "Enchilagnas," I mentioned getting meal deliveries through our local chapter of MOMS Club after I had Son #2. Having friends deliver hot meals at the end of an exhausting day was THE BEST! I got great meals but my FAVE, FAVE, FAVORITE!!! during the two week rotation was White Chicken Enchiladas from my sweet friend SL. I had never eaten a white sauce enchilada until she brought them over and I was HOOKED! They were one of my go-to recipes for the past six years and I make them often for friends and fam. They seem so fancy but they're the easiest dish to make and they taste amazing. In Feb., I started to blog about SL's awesome enchiladas but never got around to finishing it because I was trying to duplicate the white sauce from Amigo's in Bishop, CA. 

I LOVE Mexican food and I was on a hunt for new Mexican recipes to try. Last week, HW, a good friend from high school sent me a recipe for her Mom's enchiladas. The sauce base was the same as SL's white sauce but the addition of chicken bouillon cubes in HW's sauce added a new dimension to the sauce. WOW! The fam enjoyed EVERY bite! DEEEELISH!!!

I've since made a combination of the two white enchiladas. I used the salsa verde chicken mixture from SL's enchiladas but used HW's sauce. It was the perfect combo!

This creamy chicken enchilada is delicious. 

A buttery tomato and onion chicken mixture. YUM!

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Yield: 10 enchiladas in 13x9" pan.

Ingredients:

• 10 soft taco size flour tortillas (or use 12 corn tortillas)
• 1 lb jack cheese, shredded (I used ~ 1/2 lb, just enough for a thin layer over enchiladas.)

filling: 

• 1/2 onion, minced
• 2-3 tbs butter 
• 2 chopped tomatoes
• 4-6 oz green chiles, diced
• 15 oz corn, drained (optional)
• 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
• 4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

sauce:

• 1 pint heavy cream
• 4 chicken bouillon cubes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Melt butter over med. high heat and brown onion. 
3. Add tomatoes and simmer 5 mins.
4. Next, add chicken and simmer 20 mins.
5. While chicken mixture is simmering, make the sauce. Dissolve bouillon cubes in the cream and stir well.
6. Stack tortillas and place chicken mixture across "end" of tortilla nearest you. Roll and place seam-side down in dish. Continue with remaining tortillas.
7. If you have leftover chicken mixture, add it to the sauce and mix well.
8. Pour sauce over top of enchiladas and spread evenly over entire dish. 
9. Add cheese over enchiladas, cover with foil and bake 25-30 mins or until bubbly. ENJOY!

Note: If you don't have time to make the tomato and onion mixture for the chicken, you can use 14-16 oz of salsa verde instead for the filling.

Source: Adapted from SL's and HW's White Chicken Enchiladas.

"Enchilagnas"

A "lasagna" with a Mexican twist is an "enchilagna!" I layer the ingredients for enchiladas into a lasagna-like dish to save a few minutes of rolling time. :) I make enchiladas often so I can roll 'em up pretty fast, but I was cooking for a group of eight and wanted to whip together a quick casserole dish. The "enchilagnas" were perfect and my friends ate it up! :)

I got this recipe six years ago when my friend brought me a meal after having Son #2. I was active in MOMS Club and received meals every other day for two weeks. That was AWESOME because I was exhausted from caring for my 3 yr old and newborn son and the last thing I wanted to do was make dinner at the end of a busy day. I asked DP for her recipe because the dinner she brought was tasty. My boys and I made GREAT friends through MOMS Club and we have wonderful memories from our park days, outings and holiday activities. Look into a local chapter if you have little ones. You'll love it!  

Ok, so this is an easy recipe and one that comes together quickly. I'm all about quick and easy as those are the best meals for busy people. Check it out!

Layers of goodness.

The whole "enchilagna" with guacamole, black bean/corn dip, cilantro lime rice, chipotle salsa and chips. YUH-UH-UMMMMM!

"Enchilagnas"

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground turkey (or ground beef)
• 1 med. green pepper, chopped
• 1 med. red pepper, chopped
• 1 med. onion, chopped
• 16 oz chunky salsa
• 1 can- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can- 15 oz corn (I omit if I'm serving my black bean/corn dip.)
• 6 soft taco size flour tortillas (You can use 12 corn tortillas if you prefer.)
• 1-2 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

optional toppings:

• black olives, sliced
• jalapenos, sliced
• onions, chopped
• cilantro, chopped
• hot sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Cook turkey in large skillet. Drain when almost cooked through. Add peppers and onions to meat and cook another 5-6 mins or till veggies have softened.
3. Stir in salsa, tomatoes and corn and bring to boil.
4. In 13x9" dish, spoon 1 c meat mixture onto bottom of dish. Top with 3 flour tortillas to cover top of meat mixture. If using corn tortillas, you will cover meat with 6 corn tortillas across the top.
5. Spoon half remaining meat mixture over tortillas. Sprinkle cheese across mixture. I do a thin layer.
6. Top with remaining 3 flour tortillas (or 6 corn tortillas) and meat mixture. Cover with foil.
7. Bake 25-30 mins. Remove from oven, uncover, sprinkle with some more cheese (more or less to taste) and put back in oven for add'l 5 mins or till cheese has melted. Let stand 5 mins before serving.

Source: Adapted from friend, DP.

TIP: You can make this dish a day in advance of serving. Prepare everything above to Step #6 then cover and refrigerate. To serve, bake covered at 375F for 45-50 mins or till heated through. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese (I like a thin layer but lay on the cheese if you like it cheesy.) Put back in oven for add'l 5 mins or till cheese has melted. Let stand 5 mins before serving.

Enchiladas with Sour Cream Salsa Verde Sauce

I love enchiladas. Love, love, LOVE enchiladas! Really, I do. They taste so good and they're extremely easy to make. So simple and flavorful. Enchiladas are an easy way to use up leftover chicken or beef and you can throw in any filler (veggies, rice, cheese) and whip up your own sauce with basic ingredients. Awesome, right? I look in the fridge to see what I have on hand and can effortlessly whip up a quick, delicious dinner. I'm telling you...enchiladas are ridiculously easy and a hit with everyone.

This is my favorite sauce to date.

MMMMmmmmm.....

Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Salsa Verde Sauce

Yield: 6-8 servings, 10 enchiladas

Ingredients:

10 flour tortillas

filling:

• 2-3 c chicken, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/4 c cilantro, washed and chopped (more or less to taste)
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes with juice

sauce:

• 2 c salsa verde (reserve 1/2 c for bottom of 9x13" dish)
• 1 c sour cream

Directions:

1. Pour approx. 1/2 c salsa verde in 9x13" dish to cover bottom.
2. Preheat oven to 350F.
3. In med bowl, combine sauce ingredients.
4. In separate bowl, combine filling ingredients.
5. Stack tortillas and add filling across one "end." Roll and place seam-side down in dish. Continue with remaining tortillas.
6. If you have leftover filling, add it to the sauce and stir well.
7. Pour sauce over enchiladas and spread evenly over entire dish.
8. Bake 20-25 mins. Add extra cheese over enchiladas if desired and bake an additional 5 mins. ENJOY!

Crockpot Chicken

I was busy preparing Mother's Day dinner and trying to clean the house at the same time. I was fixing lots of little things throughout the house and adding finishing touches here and there to get our home ready for listing. Since I've been busy prepping the house, I haven't been cooking much. Now that our house is listed and needs to remain spotless and model home-like, I'm not wanting to cook and make a mess. Oh well. Gotta provide healthy meals for the fam so it's time to get back in the kitchen!

I was pressed for time when I made Mother's Day dinner, so rather than taking the time to grill the chicken, I threw it in the crockpot. That gave me time to make an appetizer, sides and a dessert while continuing to clean. That day reminded me of a Mommy email that was circulating a few years back. I hope to dig it up out of my email archives because it was a great one about how a mommy never gets things done because she's constantly distracted as she does one thing which leads to another and then another, meanwhile getting nothing done at all. That's how my day went except somehow I was able to get dinner on the table. I was running an hour behind schedule but it all worked out and dinner DID get served so nobody complained. :)

I chose enchiladas as the main because they're so fast and easy to whip up. Easy, delicious and flavorful. This chicken is great for a variety of meal options. Serve the chicken with side dishes and use the leftover chicken in soups, salads, quesadillas, burritos, sandwiches, enchiladas, nachos, whatever! So many meal options. If you have a lot of leftovers, freeze small portions in ziploc baggies to avoid chicken burn-out. It's great to have frozen cooked chicken for quick meals another day. It's all about fast and easy when you're busy. ;)

Tasty. Tender. Terrific.

Crockpot Chicken

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (or more) chicken tenders
• 16 oz chunky salsa
• 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
• 4-6 garlic cloves
• 1 blood orange, juiced
• 1 navel orange, juiced

Directions:

1. Place chicken in crockpot.
2. Add remaining ingredients on top of chicken.
3. Cover crockpot and cook for 6-8 hrs on low.
4. When done, shred chicken while it's hot (optional). ENJOY!

Mexican Rice

OH MY! This Mexican rice was DELICIOUS! I love, love, LOVE Mexican food and could eat it every day. Seriously. Every day! In my opinion, an excellent Mexican restaurant stands out by the quality of their carnitas, carne asada and rice. This rice was so yummy that it could've easily been served at one of our many tasty Mexican restaurants here in San Clemente. :) I made Spanish Rice in February but it had a different taste and texture than this Mexican Rice. Both are tasty but Son #2 really liked this drier, fluffier rice. The extra steps for making homemade Mexican rice was well worth it. The fam loved this!

This was good. REAL GOOD!

Mexican Rice

Yield: about 6 c cooked rice 

Ingredients:

• 2-3 ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
• 1 medium sweet onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 c long grain white rice
• 1/3 c Canola oil
• 5-7 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapenos, ribbed, seeded and minced
• 2 c chicken stock
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 1 tsp salt
• cilantro, minced
• 15.5 oz corn, drained and rinsed
• lime, cut into wedges, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and move rack to middle position.
2. Process tomatoes and onions in food processor until thoroughly pureed. Transfer mixture to a 2 cup measuring cup. Add water to make 2 cups if necessary.
3. Place rice in med. bowl and enough water to cover 1-2" over rice. Wash rice by running fingers in rice and water. When water turns cloudy, empty bowl of water but be careful not to drain rice, too. Fill bowl with water again and continue wash process until water runs clear. Usually takes about 4 bowls of water. Remove excess water when rice has been washed.
4.  In oven safe saute pan with tight fitting lid, heat oil over med-high heat about 1-2 mins. Add rice and stir frequently until golden and translucent about 6-8 mins.
5. Reduce heat to med and add garlic and minced jalapenos. Continue to stir 2-3 mins.
6. Stir in pureed tomatoes and onions, chicken stock, tomato paste and salt. Increase heat to med-high and bring to boil.
7. Cover pan and transfer to oven. Bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender about 30-35 mins. Stir well after 15 mins. I forgot to stir at the 15 min mark but the rice still turned out great. :)
8. When done, stir in corn and cilantro. Serve with lime. ENJOY!

TIP:  This makes a TON of rice which is perfect when serving a big group.  I made the whole batch for a group of 8 and had a lot left over. I froze small portions in ziploc bags to have on hand for quick meals. It's great for adding to soups or in enchiladas as a filler if you don't have enough filling ingredients. If making for a small fam, half the recipe.

Source: Adapted from You're Gonna Bake It After All

Taco Soup

It was a cold, overcast day and I wanted something to warm me up. Our painters already painted the exterior of our home and today they were working on all the doors. Though they closed the doors as much as they could, they couldn't close the doors all the way till the paint dried. It was drafty and I was freezing. I thawed homemade chicken stock and made Taco Soup. It hit the spot for sure! The soup I served my fam had all the fixin's...shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, crunchy chips and jalapeño slices for Hubby. OHHHHH....YUMMY!

I love soup.

Taco Soup

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

soup:

• 3-4 c chicken stock
• 1-2 c chicken breast, cooked and cubed
• 1- 15 oz corn
• 1- 15 oz refried black beans
• 1/2 packet Taco Seasoning

toppings:

• avocado, bite size
• cheddar cheese
• crushed tortilla chips
• sour cream
• jalapeño slices
• cilantro, chopped
• Tapatio

Directions:

1. Add soup ingredients to large stock pot and heat over med heat. Stir occasionally.
2. If you need to cook the chicken for the soup, do the following: boil pot of water, dice raw chicken tenders and poach for 5 mins or till done. When cooked through, strain out chicken and add to soup ingredients.
3. Simmer soup on low for 1+ hrs. The flavors will meld together nicely the longer it simmers. :)
4. Dish out soup, add toppings and serve. ENJOY!!!

Fiesta Chicken

I was feeling lazy and didn't want to cook dinner but there were four chicken breasts that had to get eaten. I needed an easy chicken recipe so I checked my fridge and threw something together. I had about a cup of smokey chipotle salsa that I wanted to use up as well. If I could simmer pork in salsa to make carnitas, I figured I could do that with chicken, too. This dish was super easy and tasted great!

I made a really nice mixed green salad and topped it with sliced Fiesta Chicken.

Hubby ate his chicken in a quesadilla.

This was yummy! 

I made *grilled chicken burritos for the boys.

Fiesta Chicken

Yield: 4-5 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbs garlic, minced
• 1 c smokey chipotle salsa (or salsa of choice)

Directions:

1. Heat oil over med-high heat. Add garlic and saute for 1-2 mins.
2. Add chicken and brown all sides.
3. Top chicken with salsa and turn heat to low.
4. Simmer chicken and salsa for 1.5 hrs or till cooked through.
5. Eat as is, shredded or sliced in quesadillas, burritos, on salads, nachos or in soups. DELISH!

Note: *To make grilled burritos, add the following on a tortilla: chicken, black beans, onions, cilantro, lettuce and shredded cheese. Preheat pan over med-high and spray with oil. Fold both ends in and wrap burrito. Place burritos in pan, cover and turn down heat to med-low. Flip every 2 mins and brown all sides of burrito. The boys love this!

Carnitas

I love Mexican food and I love carnitas. Several years ago, a friend mentioned how easy it is to make carnitas in the crock pot. When I asked her for the recipe, she looked at me with disbelief and said she didn't really have a recipe. She said to add pork, seasonings, diced green chilis and a little vinegar to a crock pot and let it cook for 6-8 hours. Yes, super simple indeed, however, I changed it up just a little bit after talking to another friend about tender, juicy carnitas. Now I have the perfect recipe! I love carnitas on its own, as a salad topper, in soup, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, etc.. Oh, the possibilities...yum yum!

Moist and delicious.

Carnitas

Yield: 8+ servings

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lb pork tenderloin (I used pork sirloin tip roast from Costco and it was the juiciest carnitas EVER!)
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbs garlic, minced
• handful of cilantro, washed and chopped
• 10-16 oz salsa (I used smokey chipole salsa)

Directions:

1. In med-large stock pot, heat 1 tsp oil over med-high heat. Saute onion for 3-4 mins. Then add garlic and saute for another 1-2 mins. Set aside.
2. In same stock pot, heat remaining 1 tsp oil over med-high heat. Add pork and brown all sides.
3. Top with chopped cilantro then pour salsa over top of pork.
4. Turn down to low heat and simmer for 4 hours or more depending on size of pork.
5. When done, shred pork using two forks. It should pull apart very easily.

Note: If you have leftovers, freeze small portions in ziploc bags. I always have a small baggie in my freezer so I can quickly and easily add a little protein to soup or add to breakfast burritos. YUM!

Source: Adapted from Lesley and Kat.

White Sauce Enchiladas

I'm still trying to figure out how to make the white sauce that's served on the enchiladas at Amigos in Bishop, CA. We eat there every time we head up to Mammoth. It's SOOO good! I like to try new dishes, but every now and then, I'm drawn back to their white sauce enchiladas. I want to replicate that sauce! 

Last month, I made white enchiladas with bechamel sauce. That was good but not the same white sauce from Amigos that I was craving. I came up with another version of white sauce to see if I could come close to Amigos' sauce. The sauce I made is similar but definitely not the same. I'm getting close though! This sour cream sauce was DELICIOUS!

Hubby and I hosted a couples' game night and we had so much fun with our friends. The guys played poker and the girls played other games. We had a blast! Because it was a last minute decision to make enchiladas for the group, I didn't have a chance to do a trial run to see how the sauce would turn out. Luckily, our friends LOVED this. I'm so glad it got rave reviews!

Enchiladas are rolled and ready for the oven. 

Lots of compliments on the enchiladas. :) YAY!!!

Add salsa verde and serve with a side of Mexican Salad.

MMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!

¡Muy delicioso!

White Sauce Enchiladas with Chicken

Yield: 10 enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 10 flour tortillas (fajita size)
• 1-2 c shredded jack cheese
• 1- 28 oz can green enchilada sauce 
• cooking spray

sauce:

• 2-3 c green enchilada sauce
• 2 c nonfat sour cream

filling:

• 2-3 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I used a whole baked chicken)
• 1- 15.5 oz can corn (or black beans, hominy, bell peppers...pretty much anything!)
• 1 c green enchilada sauce (or enough to wet the chicken and corn mixture)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and spray 9x13" baking dish with oil.
2. Mix the sauce ingredients and set aside.
3. In large bowl, add filling ingredients and mix well. Pour a little green enchilada sauce to coat bottom of dish.
4. Put ~1/3 c filling into one end of tortilla and roll it. Place in baking dish, seam-side down. Roll remaining tortillas and place in dish.
5. Top with white sauce to cover enchiladas and bake uncovered on middle rack for 20-25 mins.
6. Turn off oven, remove dish, top with cheese and place back in warm oven for 5-7 mins to melt cheese. 
7. Top with guacamole, smokey chipotle salsa, black bean/corn dip or hot sauce. ENJOY!

Carne Asada Enchiladas

As I was grilling carne asada, I realized I didn't want to eat meat for dinner. Even with all the Mexican fixings that I provide, I just wasn't feeling it. Weird. Since I wasn't in the mood for beef on its own, I made carne asada enchiladas instead. You might think it's a "waste" to use carne asada for enchiladas but it was delicious! I believe great food should have great ingredients so I thought it was fantastic! The carne asada filling made for a "gourmet" enchilada. We enjoyed it!

For the red sauce, I tried a recipe that Gina's WW Recipes posted the other day. I was drawn to it because the sauce called for chipotles in adobo sauce. I LOVE the smokey flavor and the heat from chipotles in adobo! Ok, ok, I'll also admit that I was excited to try a version of red sauce using canned tomato sauce. :) Last month, I made red chile enchilada sauce using fresh tomatoes but it was a lot of work for a sauce that was only "good." Gina's sauce is easy to make and tastes fantastic. I'll definitely make it again!

Carne Asada- Flap meat (I usually use flank or skirt steak) with a cinnamon chipotle rub, minced garlic, cilantro and juice from 3 limes. 

Sliced thin and at an angle. Cut against the grain.

For enchiladas, I cut the slices into bite-sized pieces.

The perfect amount of "spicy."

You've gotta try this!

Carne Asada Enchiladas

Yield: 3 servings, 2 enchiladas per person

Ingredients:

• 6 tortillas (fajita size)
• cheese (cheddar or Mexican mix)- I used 6 slices...I think I use less cheese by using slices vs shredded. 
• cooking spray

sauce:

• 1 tbs garlic, minced
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced (use 2 for more heat)
• 1- 15.5 oz can tomato sauce
• ~12 oz chicken stock (I used tomato sauce can and filled it 3/4 full)
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder (I omitted)
• salt and pepper to taste

filling:

• 1-2 c carne asada, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1- 15.5 oz can hominy (or veggie of choice)
• 1/4 c red sauce from above to "wet" the ingredients

Directions:

1. Spray med. saucepan with oil and saute garlic. Add sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 mins.
2. Preheat oven to 350F.
3. In med. bowl, add filling ingredients and mix well. Spray 8x8" baking dish with oil. Coat bottom of dish with a little red sauce, too.
4. Put 1/3 c beef mixture into tortilla and roll it. Place in baking dish, seam-side down. Roll remaining tortillas and place in baking dish.
5. Top with red sauce to cover enchiladas and bake uncovered on middle rack for 20 mins (I froze my leftover sauce).
6. Turn off oven, remove dish, top with cheese and place back in warm oven for 5-7 mins to melt cheese.

Notes: Top with guacamole, sour cream, smokey chipotle salsa, black bean/corn dip or hot sauce. ENJOY!!!

Souce: Adapted from Gina's WW Recipes

Black Bean/Corn Dip

A fabulous recipe I got from Kat about five years ago was for her black bean and corn dip. She brought it over when I had a get-together and I thought it was amazing. I couldn't stop eating her dip. It's really good stuff...like way good! I found myself going back to it throughout the evening, and with each fully loaded chip, I kept telling myself, "This is my last chip. For reals." Shoot, I probably ate half the dip that night. That's how addicted I was to her dip! Since then, I've made it for potluck parties, my own parties and as a side to go with my Mexican meals if I don't make salsa. I get compliments on it every time. Thanks, Kat, for hooking me up with such a delicious dip!

Light and refreshing.

I portion it out so I don't overdo it. :)

MMMMMM....

To refrain from eating a whole bag of chips with this dip, I eat it on my salads.

Carne Asada Salad...YUM YUM!!!

Black Bean/Corn Dip

Yield: 8-10 servings*

Ingredients:

• 1- 15 oz can corn, drained
• 1- 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2-3 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded and diced (I used grape tomatoes for this batch)
• 3-4 jalapeños, seeded and minced
• 1/2 small red onion, minced
• 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
• cilantro, minced (I used half bunch)
• 4 limes, juiced (I LOVE my Pampered Chef Citrus Press!)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tbs Emeril's Essence ** 
• 1-2 avocados, pitted and chopped (add just before serving)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together ingredients except avocados.
2. Refrigerate for 2+ hrs so flavors can mingle.
3. Add chopped avocados prior to serving and fold into dip gently.
4. ENJOY!!!

Notes: 

*If you're "dipped" out, use the leftovers in soups, quesadillas or enchiladas.

**This was the first time I made the dip with Emeril's Essence. I usually use garlic salt, garlic powder, sea salt, pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Since those ingredients (plus some) are already in the "Essence," I decided to give it a try. It was great!

Source: Adapted from Kat, my chef friend. She finally started a blog...YAY!

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With or without the crumbled chips, this is a delicious salad.

I love this dip so much that I could probably eat the whole bowl by myself with a big bag of chips. Not good for my waistline so I've been eating the dip as a salad topper instead. That's a much healthier choice and I don't feel guilty when I pile on the dip. :) I use it as my "dressing" and it's yummilicious! I add chicken or beef and sometimes crumble some chips on top to make a "taco salad." It's filling, healthy and delicious.

Salad with Black Bean/Corn Dip 

Ingredients:

• lettuce, washed and chopped (any green leafy type would taste great)
• 1-2 c chicken or beef, cooked and shredded 
• 1 c orange bell pepper, chopped (additional veggies up to you)
• black bean/corn dip- amount up to you but I add enough to cover top of salad
• tortilla chips, crumbled and sprinkled on top
• add avocado, pepitas, shredded cheese and/or dollop of sour cream, optional
• Mexican Ranch Dressing, optional (I don't use it as the dip is enough "dressing" for me)

Directions:

1. Place lettuce in bowl.
2. Add chicken or beef.
3. Throw in additional veggies if you'd like.
4. Before adding to salad, give dip a good stir and scoop from bottom with LOTS of lime juice. Cover top of salad with dip.
5. Add crumbled tortilla chips and additional toppings/dressing if you'd like.
6. ENJOY!

White Enchiladas & Salsa

Enchiladas are a great way to use up leftover chicken and/or veggies. They've been my go-to recipe for years as they're so easy and fast to make. The beauty of the enchilada is that you can throw anything in them! I have a super delicious recipe for white sauce enchiladas but I wanted to try something that was lower in fat. Tonight I tried a bechamel sauce in lieu of my high calorie white sauce. This is not your typical enchilada but I thought it was fantastic! :)

Something different yet delicious.

I made salsa using  canned tomatoes and canned chipotles in adobo sauce.

I usually make fresh salsa, but with limited time and lack of fresh tomatoes, this is what I "pulsed" together and it was FAB! Smokey, spicy and satisfying for a "canned" salsa. 

A new enchilada recipe for the fam. We LOVED it!

White Enchiladas with Chicken

Yield: 10 enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 2-3 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1- 15.5 oz can hominy, drained and rinsed
• 3 c spinach, washed, dried and chopped
• 1- 28 oz can green enchilada sauce (I only used about 19-20 oz)
• 1/4 c cilantro, washed, dried and chopped
• 10 tortillas, soft taco size

Directions:

1. Boil, broil or grill 2-3 large chicken breasts. 
2. In a very LARGE bowl, mix chicken, hominy, spinach and enough enchilada sauce to "wet" the chicken mixture.
3. Spread some sauce in 9x13" baking dish to coat bottom. 
4. Fill one end of tortilla with chicken mixture and roll.
5. Place seam side down in baking dish. Roll remaining tortillas.
6. If you have leftover chicken mixture, sprinkle over top of enchiladas. Spread a little more sauce on top.
7. Preheat oven to 350F. Make bechamel sauce and pour over top of enchilada dish.
8. Bake for 20 mins or until heated through.

Bechamel Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs butter
• 4 tsp flour
• 1 1/4 c milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Add flour and whisk for 3-4 mins.
3. Whisk in milk and increase heat to medium-high.
4. Whisk until sauce comes to simmer and thickens about 3-4 mins.
5. Whisk in salt and pepper.

Source: Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Smokey Chipotle Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1- 15.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 red onion
• 2 1/2 tsp garlic
• 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, sliced with the sauce 
• salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne pepper to taste
• 1/3 c cilantro, washed, dried and chopped
• 2 limes, juiced

Directions:

1. Cut onion into thirds and place in food processor. Pulse until chopped.
2. Slice up chipotle then spread around top of onion in food processor. Pulse some more.
3. Add remaining ingredients and pulse again. Don't overdo it if you want chunky salsa.
4. When you have desired salsa consistency, pour into serving bowl. Add lime juice and mix well.
5. ENJOY!

Carne Asada

I LOVE DELICIOUS MEXICAN FOOD...I could eat it EVERY day! Hubby and I used to buy carne asada (marinated flank steak) from our local carniceria (Mexican meat market ) because I could never make good carne asada. Whenever I made it, the flavor was blah and the meat was always tough and leathery. A couple years ago, my chef friend, Kat, told me how easy it is to make it at home. It turns out, I wasn't marinating the flank steak properly or slicing the meat the right way either. With her helpful tips, I've been making tasty carne asada ever since. Last week's carne asada was grilled to perfection and the best I've made yet!

In this pic, you can see the grain runs left to right.

To have tender steak, cut against the grain.

It was PERFECT!

Next time, I'll cut it into thin strips typical of carne asada so it's easier for the kids to eat.

2/26/10 - Nice, thin slices of carne asada. YUM!

Carne Asada

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs flank (or skirt) steak 
• Emeril's Essence, to taste
• 3-4 limes, juiced (I was out of limes so I used juice from 2 oranges)
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:

1. Let flank steak come to room temperature. Wash and dry steak and rub with Emeril's Essence or seasonings of choice.
2. In gallon-sized Ziploc bag, add lime juice, olive oil and garlic. Put steak in bag and marinate for 1-3 hours. Do NOT over-marinate as the lime slowly cooks the meat during the marinating process.
3. Grill slowly on low and turn steak every 4-5 mins for about 30 mins.
4. When meat is grilled to your liking (we prefer med-rare), place on cutting board and let sit for 5-8 mins before slicing.
5. When ready to slice, be sure to cut AGAINST the grain. That keeps the meat tender. 

Suggestions: Serve carne asada on its own, sliced up for tacos, burritos, enchiladas or quesadillas. Eat in soup, salad or as topping for nachos. There are so many possibilities for leftovers. Cook once and serve at least 3 different meals with it. If you get burned out on the meat, put it in a ziploc and freeze it for future use. I made fresh guacamole, tortillas and rice for this carne asada. This was yummerific!


Source: Adapted from Kat, my chef friend.

Spanish Rice

Last week, I needed a side dish for my carne asada (I'll post that recipe tomorrow) so I checked my cupboard for a box of Rice-A-Roni Spanish Rice. Six years ago, my friend brought that as a side after I had a baby and it's been my go-to box since. I always have a box in the cupboard but I was out. I didn't even have tortillas! Just having meat for dinner would've been boring so I went online and looked for a rice recipe. I was totally unprepared to make a Mexican dinner but I pulled it off. I made rice, guacamole AND tortillas to serve with carne asada. Yep...I made a super fabulous Mexican meal! 

This was definitely better than Rice-A-Roni!

Spanish Rice ~ Arroz

Ingredients:

• 1 c white rice
• 2 c water
• 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3/4 red bell pepper, diced
• 3/4 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1- 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1- 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 c chicken stock (or water)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 c cilantro, washed and chopped (I used half a bundle)

Directions:

1. Bring water to boil in large sauce pan over med-high heat. Add rice, cover with lid and simmer on low for 20 mins. Remove from heat and let rice steam covered for 5 mins.
2. While rice is cooking, heat olive oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Add garlic and jalapeño and saute for 1-2 mins stirring constantly. Then add onions, red and yellow peppers and saute for another 3-4 mins.
3. Add beans, cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper and saute for 3-4 mins. Add diced tomatoes and chicken stock (or water) and bring to a gentle boil, stirring often 5-7 mins until veggies have absorbed most of the liquid.
4. Add cooked rice and cilantro and stir constantly until rice mixture is heated through about 3-5 mins.

Source: Adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Notes: Spanish rice is also known as Mexican rice or simply "arroz" in Mexico. It's usually made with long-grain rice but I used short-grain and thought it tasted great. We had leftover rice and it was a fantastic filling for quesadillas as well as a tasty topping for nachos. We ate it up!

Great Guacamole

I LOVE Mexican food and I LOVE fresh guacamole. I love it even more on Day 2 when all the flavors have had a chance to mingle. OHHHHHH....YUMMERS!

I make guacamole when I have get-togethers and friends always LOVE this dip. I refill the bowl several times, and by the end of the evening, the guac is GONE. The bowl is always scraped clean. It's that good! Occasionally, a friend will ask me how to make guacamole. It's so simple but I must admit it took me many-a-batches before I got my flavors the way I like it. Here it is... 

Fresh guac is the BEST!!!!!!!! 

Great Guacamole

Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

• 4-5 ripe Haas avocados, sliced in half and pitted 
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 2-3 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded and diced (Hubby would prefer tomato-less guac, but since I'm the one making the dip and I love tomatoes, they're goin' in!)
• 3-4 jalapenos, seeded and minced (I prefer serrano or habanero peppers but they're too spicy for my kids)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• cilantro (amount is up to you but I use half a bundle), washed and chopped
• 2-4 limes, juiced
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In large bowl, use spoon to scoop out flesh of avocado. Use spoon or fork to gently mash avocado but leave it a little chunky.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
3. Refrigerate at least 1 hr before serving to let flavors mingle.

Notes: 

To prevent guacamole from browning and looking unappetizing, use A LOT of lime. I use 3-4 limes and never have a problem with browning. The lime works for me! :)

Stuffed Peppers

I think stuffed peppers are just "ok." I like them but it seems like there's too much ground beef filling and not enough veggies so I've never made them. Well, a couple weeks ago, I came across a mouthwatering recipe for stuffed peppers. These aren't your typical stuffed peppers. These are chicken stuffed pasilla peppers. HUGE difference! I LOVE Mexican food so I was excited to try this recipe. The filling is similar to my enchiladas but stuffing a pasilla pepper will change up the flavors a bit. This was an EASY dinner to put together...this recipe is a keeper for sure!

Quick 'n easy meal...just toss ingredients in a bowl, stuff pepper and bake.

Serve with a drizzle of hot sauce (or salsa), fresh guacamole and chips.

Stuffed Pasilla Peppers 

Yield: 4-5 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 c leftover chicken, shredded
• 1- 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1- 15.25 oz can corn, drained
• 1/2 c red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 c yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 c red onion, diced
• 1/2 c cilantro, chopped
• 1- 7 oz can green chile peppers, diced
• 4-6 garlic cloves, minced 
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 4-5 pasilla peppers (I used 2 pasilla peppers and 2 green bell peppers for my kids)
• sharp cheddar, sliced or shredded

Directions:

1. Combine first 12 ingredients for the chicken mixture. Mix thoroughly.
2. Clean peppers and carefully slit down center (do not slice all the way through). Gently remove seeds. Line cookie sheet/jelly roll pan (the baking sheet with edges) with foil, spray with oil and broil peppers until blackened on all sides. Transfer peppers to large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool for 10 minutes. You'll use this again so don't throw out the foil. When cool enough to handle peppers, remove blackened skin carefully.
3. Preheat oven to 350F and spray baking sheet again with oil if needed. Place roasted peppers on baking sheet and carefully stuff each pepper with chicken mixture. Top with sliced/shredded cheese.
4. Bake uncovered for 15 mins or until chicken mixture is heated through and cheese is melted. 

Suggestions: Serve with guacamole, salsa, chips, salad and/or tortilla soup.

Note: I had leftover chicken mixture so I threw it in chicken stock and served soup with a dollop of sour cream and crushed tortilla chips. You can also serve atop a bed of greens or reserve for a quesadilla or a wrap. So many options! :)

Source: Adapted from For the Love of Cooking