Chicken Enchiladas

I am so glad I finally got to post these. I didn't think I would ever find (or make) an enchilada that looked or tasted so good. You see me and enchiladas, we don't get along-uhh we didn't until now. Years ago, when I first got married, I searched and searched for a good enchilada recipe and tried a few different ones out. They never ended up any good. I usually didn't like the sauce and they always fell apart on me! After much searching, I came upon these Chicken Enchiladas that had a green sauce and used flour tortillas. I actually really liked them and made them quite a bit for a while. However, there was still something in the back of my head that wanted to find that perfect traditional enchilada recipe.

Well folks, I think I have found it! When I saw this recipe on Annie's Eats a while ago, I bookmarked it because I knew it would be good. Her recipes are always spot on! When I got around to trying it the first time I was blown away by how good they were, especially the sauce. They tasted even better than a traditional enchilada and looked pretty good too. My only complaint the first few times I made these was that the tortillas always broke when I tried to roll them up. Very frustrating; no fault of Annie's though, I just needed to learn how to do it.

I was almost ready to bag the whole roll-it-up way and make it lasagna-style like my other enchiladas when I happened to randomly pick up some freshly made tortillas from a Mexican bakery. Score!

Let me tell you! It made such a difference using the fresh tortillas. They were much more pliable with rolling and filling them up and they didn't break all over the place.

Now, I'm sure I won't be able to get fresh tortillas ALL the time, so I may have to learn a trick or two when using regular store-bough tortillas so they won't break. Or I might just stack instead of roll. Either way this is a keeper! You will want to try these.

Chicken Enchiladas
for the sauce:
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine
1 tsp. canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper

3-4 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided (Feel free to substitute mozzarella cheese here, farmers cheese or a soft Mexican cheese such as cojita.)
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
Cooking spray


Combine the onion, jalapeno and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar, and cook just until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Mix in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Strain the sauce through a large mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing down on the onions and tomatoes to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the reserved solids to a large bowl and set aside. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste. Add shredded chicken to onion mixture, as well as 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1/2 cup of each of the shredded cheese and the cilantro. Stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Oil a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Stack half of the tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 40-60 seconds, until warm and pliable. Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla around the filling tightly, and place in the prepared baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.

Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for 7 minutes or until the tortillas start to brown slightly.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400˚ F. Remove the enchiladas from the oven and pour the sauce oven the top. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is browned. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

SOURCE:Lightly adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from America's Test Kitchen

Wild Rice and Quinoa with Turkey, Cranberries and Winter Squash

Here's another installment on using up those Thanksgiving leftovers. This casserole-type dish may not look like much, but let me tell you, it's some wonderful comfort food! It kind of tastes like a whole Thanksgiving meal wrapped up together. And since it's pretty much every course in one, I didn't have to make anything else to go with it (although you could), which made for a pretty easy weeknight meal. And my kids at it too, which is another bonus!

Wild Rice and Quinoa with Turkey, Cranberries and Winter Squash
1 cup wild rice blend, uncooked
1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup diced onion
1 stalk celery, small diced
1 medium carrot, small diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 14-oz can chicken broth
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 cup butternut squash, peeled and shredded
1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked turkey, shredded
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped mixed herbs (such as rosemary, sage, thyme or oregano); alternately you could use poultry seasoning, to taste

In a medium saucepot, bring to a boil 2 cups water, wild rice and bay leaf. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes. In a small saucepot, bring to a boil 1 cup water and quinoa. Cover, reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil and butter in a large, high-rimmed skillet, over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and carrots and saute about 6-8 minutes or until soft and onions are translucent. Add shredded squash about the last minute of cooking. Sprinkle with flour and let cook for about a minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and let thicken; about a minute or two. Add turkey, cranberries and walnuts and cook until heated through; add cooked rice and quinoa and stir to combine. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add the fresh herbs last, stirring to incorporate. Check again for seasonings and adjust as necessary.


SOURCE: Adapted from Whole Foods Market

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Skillet Tacos

I've been making these skillet tacos for about the past 3 months. It's pretty much a homemade hamburger helper meal, only better. I try to stay away from the boxed stuff and a lot of processed foods, and this is pretty easy to put together. My kids and I really like American-style tacos, with hamburger and taco seasoning, so I'm all for cooking something they like and will eat. While my 3-year old would eat a taco in a shell, I would have to help her and it can get pretty messy. When I saw this version popping up on several blogs, I knew it would be a great alternative for our little hands to handle.

1 lbs. lean ground beef
8 oz. rotini
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4-5 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup taco seasoning (or 1 pkg. taco seasoning)
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the beef is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the beef is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in most of the diced tomatoes, reserving some for garnish, and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, sour cream and reserved pasta water, if needed, and continue stirring until the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and top with shredded cheddar cheese and fresh tomatoes.

SOURCE:Adapted from Annie's Eats

Butternut Squash Casserole

I had actually forgotten that I still have about a dozen butternut squash still left in my basement from my garden. This recipe reminded me that I need to use them up before they ROT! I lost most of my acorn squash already because we didn't eat it fast enough. Thankfully these lasted longer. I've made a few things with butternut squash that I wasn't thrilled about, and my girls would NOT touch. I like the stuff pretty much any way it comes but I have to be a little more creative when it comes to my kids. This recipe seemed like a winner with the caramelized onions and cheese. What kid doesn't like cheese? I liked the spinach in it, I think it was just the right amount to not be overwhelming. The version below is meatless, which we try to do once a week or so, but I would definitely try this with some crumbled bacon or some Italian sausage tossed in there.

About 3 pounds, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 6 cups)
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large yellow onions, trimmed, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg, beaten
1-2 tsp. thyme
2-4 slices day old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes and toasted (You can stick them on a cookie sheet and put them under a broiler for a few minutes-watch closely though!)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup parmesan (or more cheddar)
2 handfuls of fresh spinach, washed, stemmed and roughly chopped(not too small)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter or spray a 4-quart casserole dish.

Place 3 quarts water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the squash to the water, return to a boil, and cook for 8-10 minutes. The squash will turn a deeper orange. Drain it and set aside.

In the mean time, melt the butter in a large chef's pan with high sides; add the oil. Add the onions and sauté over medium-low heat until they start to carmelize, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. They will brown a little, but that's part of the caramelization. Turn off heat and add spinach. Toss to coat (it will wilt as it warms up). Add the warm squash and the milk, egg, thyme, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Blend with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients are well combined.

Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish. Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese, or more cheddar cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes more; or until slightly golden on top. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

SOURCE:Adapted from Ezra Pound Cake

The hosts of the Grow Your Own blog carnival invited me to share this recipe in the February roundup. Oh what fun, come check it out!

This recipe is linked to Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prarie Story.

Chicken Enchiladas-Updated

It's been over a year since I first posted this recipe and when I went back to look at it, I realized that I make this different now and that I needed to update it. This is a quick weeknight meal that will help you use that leftover chicken, cheese and tortillas. I have never made this the traditional, roll up your tortilla, enchilada way because it's just so easy to make it lasagna-style and tear up everything and throw it in. So this is my take on chicken enchiladas, the lazy way.

For the filling:
3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 black peppercorns
1 onion, quartered
1 bay leaf
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese

For the sauce:
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 egg
1/2-1 tsp salt
*1-2 (11-ounce) cans tomatillos, drained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained

Remaining ingredients:
8 flour tortillas
salsa

To prepare filling, place first 6 ingredients in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minute or until done. Remove chicken from cooking liquid; cool. Shred with 2 forks. You can reserve the broth for another use. (I usually poach my chicken this way for the enchiladas but I have also grilled my chicken on an outdoor grill with some McCormick chipotle pepper and that is great too and takes a little less time.)

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine chicken and cheeses; set aside.

To prepare sauce, place milk, cilantro, egg, salt, tomatillos and chiles in a food processor; process until smooth. (*In the past I have substituted canned tomatillo salsa-salsa verde-for the tomatillos. I think it's Herdez brand, about 11 ounces. Recently I have started using the tomatillo salsa I bottled over the summer since we grew our own tomatillos. You can use part or all of a pint.)

In the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan pour a little of the sauce on the bottom. Rip up 2 tortillas and spread across the bottom. Spread half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, and about a third of the sauce. Rip up two more tortillas and spread across the chicken. Repeat with anoter layer and end with tortillas, and a little sauce. Sprinkle with extra cheese.

Cover and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Serve warm with salsa and sour cream, if desired.

Every Day Chicken Cordon Bleu

I love chicken cordon bleu and before I had kids I used to make it often. Now that I have 2 little ones to chase around I try to simplify things as much as possible and make easier meals. We don't eat a lot of casseroles, but I really love this one. It has all the flavor of traditional chicken cordon bleu but a lot more ease.

for the chicken:
4 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 onion, quartered
8 peppercorns
1/2 tsp. salt
2 small chicken breast halves

for the sauce:
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 - 2 cups skim milk
1 cup low-fat Swiss cheese, shredded

1 pkg. Chicken flavored Stove Top stuffing
1 cup cooked ham, cubed
1/3 - 1/2 cup low-fat Swiss cheese, shredded

Place the water and the rest of the ingredients for the chicken in a large pot on the stove. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for 45 minutes. Drain chicken and let cool. Chop into bite-sized pieces.

Near the end of cooking time for the chicken, preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare stuffing according to package directions and set aside.

For the sauce, melt the butter in a medium sauce pot. Add the flour and whisk together. Let bubble for about a minute. Add the milk, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil and allow to thicken. Take off heat and add 1 cup cheese.

Add chicken and ham to cheese sauce and toss to coat. Pour into an 8 1/2 x 11 inch rectangular baking pan. Spread stuffing on top and sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup of shredded. Bake in oven, uncovered for about 15 minutes.

Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie

This pot pie was FABULOUS! There was hardly any left after dinner. This is my new favorite comfort food. Recipe update 3/2/10:The first time I made this, it was right after Thanksgiving and I used leftover turkey. Today I made it again with leftover chicken I previously roasted. Instead of doing one pie, I used ramekins and made individual pies. I made 4 ramekins, which used about 1/2 - 2/3 of the filling and about 1 pie crust. We enjoyed it as much this time as we did the first!

1 pie crust (homemade or store bought)
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1/2 cup finely diced celery
2 cups leftover chicken or turkey, light and dark, diced or shredded
1/4 cup flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
splash of white wine (optional)
1 cup milk
Frozen peas (eyeball it-to your liking)
Frozen corn (eyeball it-to your liking)
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in a skillet or dutch oven. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and cook until translucent; 4-5 minutes. Add chicken/turkey and stir. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir. Cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour in broth, stirring constantly. Splash in wine, if desired. Pour in milk. Add frozen peas and carrots.

Bring to a slow boil and allow mixture to cook and thicken for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste (do not under season), and poultry seasoning, to taste. Do one final taste at the end and season as necessary.

Pour mixture into a casserole dish or deep pie pan. Roll out crust so that it’s about 1 inch larger than the pan you’re using. Place the crust on top of the pot pie mixture, and press crust into the sides of the dish. Cut vents in the top of the crust.

Bake for 30 minutes or until very golden and bubbly. Allow to cool for a little bit before serving.

SOURCE:Adapted from Pioneer Woman

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Chicken and Garlic-Herb Potato Shepherd’s Pie

2 large (or 3 medium) Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
Salt
1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling
1 pound chicken breast, cut into half-inch dice
Black pepper
1 cup shredded carrots, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 small bunch scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock (or 1 can)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2-3 tbsp. of soft garlic and herb cheese, or garlic and herb cream cheese
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup (a handful) flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup milk or chicken stock, enough to loosen up the potatoes

Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, salt the water and cook until tender, 12-15 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with about 1 tablespoon of EVOO. Add the chicken, season it with salt and pepper and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 6-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan to a casserole dish, add a drizzle of EVOO to the pan, then add the carrots, peas, and scallions. Season the veggies with salt and pepper and cook until tender, about 2 minutes.

Scoot the vegetables over to one side and melt in the butter. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and cook for about 1 minute, stirring. Whisk 1/2 cup of the chicken stock, cook 1 minute, then whisk in the remaining chicken stock and cook for 1 minute to thicken. Season the sauce with mustard then salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce and vegetables over the chicken in the casserole and combine.

Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot, then mash with the herb cheese, egg yolks, parsley, milk or chicken stock, salt and pepper. Spread the potatoes over the chicken in the casserole dish.

Put in 500 F oven for about 3-5 minutes then turn on the broiler for another 3-5 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

NOTES:You just can't go wrong with Rachael Ray. This recipe is modified from her original recipe aired on her show. A really great take on the same old beef, beans and potato pie.

Quick Chicken Jambalaya

My mom got this recipe from a friend when she used to live in Georgia. We've made it a lot and love it. Even with the sausage in it my kids still eat it right up. It's so easy and one of the quickest meals you can throw together.

1 lb. chicken breasts, skinned, boned and cut into chunks
1/2 lb. smoked sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup rice, uncooked
1 can chicken broth
1 can french onion soup
1 4 oz. can mushrooms
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 dashes Tabasco
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. Tony Cachero's Creole seasoning (or any other creole seasoning works fine too)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl then pour into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 60-75 minutes, stirring occasionally.