Spicy Enchiladas

These enchiladas are a little bit of work, but oh so good.  This makes a lot.  You could half it.  Instead I make the full recipe and freeze half in a disposable foil baking dish.  It makes for an easy, yummy, ready made meal in the future.

The recipe comes from food network.  It originally calls for corn tortillas, I prefer flour.

Chicken enchiladas

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons cumin powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon Mexican Spice Blend

1 red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

3-5 canned whole green chilies, seeded and coarsely chopped

2-4canned chipotle chilies, seeded and minced (the more you use the spicier it gets & not cans... canned, so 2 chilies from a can, same with the green chilies)

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes drained

1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour

16 flour tortillas

1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, canned

1 cup shredded Cheddar and Jack cheeses

Garnish: chopped cilantro leaves, chopped scallions, sour cream, chopped tomatoes

Coat large sauté pan with oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken over medium heat, allow 7 minutes each side or until no longer pink. Sprinkle chicken with cumin, garlic powder and Mexican spices before turning. Remove chicken to a platter, allow to cool.

Sauté onion and garlic in chicken drippings until tender. Add corn and chilies. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes, sauté 1 minute.

Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips. Add shredded chicken to sauté pan, combine with vegetables. Dust the mixture with flour to help set.

Coat the bottom of 2,13 by 9-inch pans (I use one glass and 1 foil pan to freeze) with a ladle of enchilada sauce. Using a large shallow bowl, dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce to lightly coat. Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture in each tortilla. Fold over filling, place 8 enchiladas in each pan with seam side down. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro, scallion, sour cream and chopped tomatoes before serving. Serve with Spanish rice and beans.

Black Beans

I no longer can just serve black beans straight from a can. Not when I now know how good they can be.  These can be made as a side.  Or serve them over rice as a meal.  The recipe come from a former co-worker, Amanda. 

Quick and easy black beans

¼-½ cup olive oil

2 clove garlic

Sm. Red onion

1 med. Green bell pepper or ½ green, ½ red

Cook together in saucepan until cooked

Add 3 cans black beans w/ liquid

1 cup water to thin

1 tsp. ground cumin

Few dashes of Tabasco sauce

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp sugar

3 bay leaves

3 whole cloves

Cook 1-2 hours or longer beans just get softer. Then serve with rice.

Thin mint ice cream mud pie

Wow...

Girl scout thin mints as a delectable frozen treat. Dreamy.
• 1.5 qt Dreyer's Girl Scout limited edition Thin Mint ice cream softened
• 2 cups Frozen Whipped Topping, thawed (+ extra for serving)
• 2 cups Creme-filled Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, crushed
• 1/3 cup Butter, melted
• 1 container smucker's microwave toppings Hot Fudge (15.5 oz)
• Peppermint Candies or Candy Canes, crushed


Crush oreo's (I use a food processor).  Mix 2 cups of the crushed oreo's with the butter.  Press into the bottom of a 9' springform pan.


Mix ice-cream and 2 cups whipped topping.  Place ice cream mixture on top of oreo crust.  Put in freezer for 3 hours.  


After ice cream has set, pour the fudge on top.  Spread with a spoon or spatula evenly over the top.  Add crushed mint candies (I used starlight mints).  Freeze for 8 hours.


Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Oh my!

He gave up on the fork...

He preferred to shovel it in with his hands.

Weight Watchers Spiced Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa

1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
8 dried apricots, chopped
2 TBS finely chopped red onion
1/2 to one jalapeno pepper ( seeded & finely chopped)
1/4 tsp grated lime rind
2 tbs fresh lime juice
2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
4 oz boneless center-cut loin pork chips-trimmed
cooking spray

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill for 30 min.
2. While salsa chills, combine salt and the next 3 ingredients. Sprinkle
both sides of pork with salt mixture-let stand 10 minutes.
3. Prepare grill.
4. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray;cover and grill 6 to 7 minutes
on each side or until pork is no longer pink. Serve with Salsa.
4 servings... 6 Weight Watcher Points for one serving.
This is very yummy!

Tomatillo Dressing - Cafe Rio- ish

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dry Dressing
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayo ( I used low cal may0- and it is still very yummy!)
1-2 chopped tomatillos
1/2 clove garlic minced
1/3 to 1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
1/2 tsp. lime juice
1/2 to one small jalapeno- seeds removed! (or too hot)

I just put it all into my Cuisinart. VERY GOOD!!!

Recipe from Jody

Rice- Cafe Rio-ish

white rice
chicken broth
chopped cilantro
chopped white onion
lime juice

Experiment on the portions. Cook the rice in chicken broth instead of water, along with other ingredients.

Recipe from Mandy

Pulled Pork- Cafe Rio-ish

This is SOOOO yummy!
3-4 lbs pork loin
1 cup brown sugar
1 bottle red taco sauce
1 TBS. Cumin
1 can coke

Cook pork on low in crock pot w water covering half of the pork. Cook for 6 hours or until tender
enough to shred. Empty the water and juices. Pull the pork.. Three hours before serving, ad coke, taco sauce, brown sugar and cumin. Continue to cook for approx. 3 hours.
Use for salads, burritos, quesadillas etc.

I received this recipe from Mandy.

Fish Tacos with Honey-Cumin Cilantro Slaw and Chipotie Mayo

1 lb tilapia fillets, cut into chunks
1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 TBS honey
1 TBS vegetable oil
1 t. ground cumin

1/2 cup mayo
2 Chipotie chilies in adobo sauce ( I go very easy on this...SUPER HOT!)
1 TBS. adobo sauce-from Chipotie chilie peppers ( again- easy does it)
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. cayenne pepper

1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 cups panko crumbs ( yes, you can find this in the grocery store)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 cup vegetable oil for frying

2 cups 3 color coleslaw blend
1 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 ( 7 to 9 inch) tortillas

Directions
1. Place th tilapia chunks in a flat dish and pour 1/2 cup lime juice ove the fish. Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
2. Meanwhile, make the honey -cumin sauce by whisking together 1/3 cup lime juice, honey, vegetable oil and ground cuminin a small bowl. Set aside until needed.
3. To make the chipotie mayo dressing- place the mayo, chilies, adobo sauce 1/4 teaspoon salt and cayenne pepper together in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Cover, and refrigerate until needed.
4. To bread the fish, place the flour, eggs, and panko crumbs int three separate shallow dishes.
Season the fish, place the flour, eggs and panko crumbs in three separate shallow dishes. Season the fish with the salt and pepper to taste. Dip the fish pieces first in the panko crumbs, patting the pieces to help the breadcrumbs hold. Set the fish aside on a plate.
5. To cook the breaded fish, pour 1 cup vegetable oil into a skillet to 1/4 inch deep. Heat the oil
to 365 degrees F over medium heat. Cook the fish, turning until all sides are golden brown, and flesh is easily flaked with a fork. Drain on paper towels. Brush the fish with the honey-cumin sauce.
6. Mix the coleslaw and ciliantro together in a bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the chipote mayo dressing, and pour the remaining dressing over the coleslaw mixture. Toss to coat evenly wiht the dressing.
7. Place the tortillas on a flat surface, and spread each with 1 tablespoon reserved chipotie mayo dressing. Divide fish between tortillas. Top with the cilantro coleslaw.

This recipe has a lot of steps...but well worth it if you have the time. This is a big hit with our family. Found this recipe on line. allrecipes.com Polly