Is This Really Light Mexican?

It sure didn't taste light...this was a creamy & cheesy casserole that tasted sinful, but really wasn't. I find casseroles are difficult to get a great photograph of, so excuse the less than flattering picture. But it was a delicious, easy weeknight meal that also tasted great the next day.

Mexican Chicken Casserole
Adapted from Cooking Light

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, divided I omitted the chiles and used 3 jalapenos, minced and divided - I have TONS from my garden!
1 3/4 pounds skinned, boned chicken breasts
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup (2 ounces) tub-style light cream cheese
1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 ounce tortilla chips, crushed (about 6 chips) I used Lime flavored tortilla chips
I rubbed a little salt, pepper, cumin & chili powder on the chicken and covered in the fridge for 20 minutes before cooking it, and added 2 cloves of smashed garlic to the cooking liquid

I added one can of drained & rinsed black beans when adding the enchilada sauce

Combine broth and 1 can of chiles in a large skillet; bring to a boil. Add chicken; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done, turning chicken once. Remove chicken from cooking liquid, reserving cooking liquid; cool chicken. Shred meat with two forks, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 can of chiles and onion; sauté 3 minutes or until soft. Add reserved cooking liquid, milk, Monterey Jack, cream cheese, and enchilada sauce; stir well. Stir in shredded chicken; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place 4 tortillas in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Spoon 2 cups chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers twice, ending with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and chips. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)CALORIES 369 (28% from fat); FAT 11.4g (sat 5g,mono 3.8g,poly 1.4g); IRON 2.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 79mg; CALCIUM 360mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.3g; SODIUM 479mg; PROTEIN 35.6g; FIBER 3g

Garden Fresh Salsa

I've made homemade salsa a few times - I pretty much use the same basic ingredients - tomatoes, garlic, onion, jalapeno & cilantro. It's always turned out great, but for some reason, I always end up buying salsa anyways (even though most of it sucks!)

Now that I have tomatoes, cilantro & jalapenos (as well as WAY too many other varieties of hot peppers) in my garden, I figured there wasn't a better time to make homemade & homegrown salsa. I found this recipe and knew it would be great - although it uses the same ingredients that I always use myself, it roasts everything. I LOVE roasted veggies - it just makes any veggie taste better. This recipe was so easy, and the veggies roast itself, so it doesn't require any additional hands-on time than a regular salsa would. I only made one change, and I can't get enough of this stuff - I've made two batches in the past week!

Roasted Tomato Salsa
Delish

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 large white onion
4-6 cloves roasted garlic
2-3 large jalapenos, deseeded & deveined, cut in half lengthwise
freshly ground black pepper & kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 – 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

drizzle of lime juice, maybe juice of half a lime

Heat oven to 400°F . Gently toss the tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapenos with the olive oil in a large bowl. Alternatively, use spray oil to gently coat the veggies (You just don’t want it to burn). Season with a little freshly ground black pepper. After they are nicely coated arrange in a single layer, tomatoes cut-side facing up, across a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet, roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes, (depending upon the size of your tomatoes). You’ll know they’re ready to come out when they start to get a nice color and the tomatoes start to collapse. Remove from the oven and cool.

Puree cooled tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapenos. Alternatively, puree half of the veggies and hand chop the remainder and combine. Season with salt, lime juice and stir in the cilantro. Refrigerate.

Meatless Mexican

I was in the mood for Mexican...but not really feeling like meat - so something featuring black beans seemed very appetizing. I came across this recipe for enchiladas - I've never made them meatless before, but I was kind of surprised how satisfying they were, so we didn't miss the meat at all. As with most enchilada recipes, it makes a lot of food, so I prepared the filling and made half one night, and reserved the rest for another night's dinner. The black bean filling would also be great on top of nachos or as a dip. Also...all of my enchilada recipe pictures seem to look the same, but they are all different, yet very good!

Black Bean Enchiladas
Found on Annie's Eats; Originally from Two Novice Chefs, One Tiny Kitchen

Ingredients:

For the bean filling:
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp. oil
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup corn kernels
1 ½ cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup salsa
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
¼ cup fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. lime juice

For the enchiladas:

3 cups black bean filling (above)
8-10 medium flour tortillas

shredded Mexican cheese (about 2 cups)
1 can enchilada sauce

Directions:

To make the black bean filling, place the black beans in a medium sized mixing bowl. Partially mash the beans. In a medium sized skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic and sauté for 4 minutes. Mix beans, corn, tomato, salsa, cumin, and chili powder into the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove the pan from the heat, mix in cheese, cilantro and lime juice. Stir until cheese is melted.

Grease a 9×13” baking dish. Preheat oven to 350°. To make the enchiladas, spoon some of the black bean mixture down the center of a tortilla. Top with some cheese, fold sides over the filling and roll up. Place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour sauce over the tops of the enchiladas. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese and bake 2-3 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

Smokin' Chili & Cornbread

I pretty much always gave some chili in the freezer, so when I was thinking of taking some out for dinner. Much to my surprise, there wasn't any, so I decided to whip up another creation. I love spicy chili, but I wanted something a little different from my norm. This smoky chili is the perfect alternative for those who don't like it spicy.

It looks like a long ingredient list, but it's very simple, and once everything is in the pot, the stove does all the work for you. I served this with corn muffins, and it was also great on top of baked potatoes.

Smoky Lime Turkey Chili

1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1.3 lb ground turkey
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 cup of red bell pepper, chopped
1 bottle of Corona
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 15 oz can stewed Mexican tomatoes, coarsely diced
28 ox can crushed tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
1/2 tsp each of freshly ground pepper and salt
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3 chipotle chile peppers with a little of adobo sauce, seeded and finely chopped
1.5 tbsp lime juice
1.5 tbsp Mexican chili powder
1.5 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a large pot. Add turkey, break up, and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the nest 4 ingredients and saute until meat is browned and veggies are softened. Drain if necessary.

Return mixture to pot, add beer, liquid smoke and chipotle peppers, stir. Add all tomatoes and seasonings, stir to combine. Once bubbly, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer.

I let my chili simmer on low for about 3 hours. I added the beans with about 1.5 hours left of cooking time. If cooking for less time, just add them when you add the seasonings.

I served my chili with crushed tortilla chips (Tostitos Hint of Lime), fat free sour cream, 2% shredded mexican cheese and more freshly chopped cilantro.



Cheesy Jalapeno Lime Corn Muffins
Allrecipes

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients:

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup milk
I added 1 cup finely shredded 2% Mexican cheese, juice from 1/4 lime, 1 tbsp lime zest and 1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin pan or line with paper muffin liners.

2. In a large bowl, mix together corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add egg, oil and milk; stir gently to combine. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

3. Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Great Food, Great Hockey

It's halfway through the month of May, the weather is warm, flowers are blooming, and the Detroit Red Wings are deep in their quest for another Stanley Cup. During home games at the Joe in Detroit, it is a common sight to see an octopus being thrown onto the ice. The tradition of the octopus dates way back into the 1950's, and the eight legs of the octopus were representative of the eight games it took to win the Stanley Cup. Times have changed, a mascot Al now hangs from the roof of the Joe (see picture below), and it takes 16 wins to win the cup, but octopus continue to find their way onto the ice.

So....onto the food. It's a tradition in Mrs Sac's Purple Kitchen to make delicious appetizers to enjoy while watching the hockey games. I created this eight-layered Mexican dip to enjoy while watching the last two games (which they won!). It makes a lot, but would be great for any gathering and keeps well for letovers if covered in the fridge for a couple of days.

And I couldn't help myself...I had to include this adorable picture of Socks and Thumper with the Al's.

Al's Eight-Layered Mexican Dip

1 can fat freerefried beans
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 avocados, mashed
2 green onions, sliced
1 1/4 cup tomatoes, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed
8 oz softened fat free cream cheese
8 oz fat free sour cream
1 small can black olives, coarsely chopped
1.5 cups finely shredded 2% Mexican cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of half a lime
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tbsp Mexican chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, heat beans, remove and pule in a food processor or mash with fork till desired consistency. Put back in saucepan and add the refried beans and heat on low for a couple of minutes. (This will make it easier to spread)

Meanwhile mix sour cream, oregano, cayenne, chili powder and cumin, set aside.

In another bowl, mash the avocado and add salt, pepper, lime juice, and cilantro, set aside.

In a glass dish, spread the beans. On top, layer the cream cheese, avocado, sour cream mixture, cheese, tomatoes, olives and onions.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours and enjoy with tortilla chips! I like Tostitos Scoops or Hint of Lime chips.

Feliz Cinco De Mayo!

I love Mexican food - it's fun, indulgent and delicious. So when Cinco De Mayo rolled around, it was just another excuse to enjoy some great food and of course a cerveza or two :) I had my eye on this chicken enchilada recipe from Tyler Florence, and since the hubby had a friend over, I knew there wouldn't be too much leftovers. (and there wasn't) This dish, along with the guacamole & salsa dips definitely hit the spot...Ole!

Chicken Enchiladas
Food Network/Tyler Florence

Prep Time: 1 hr
Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Intermediate
Serves: 16 enchiladas, 8 servings

Ingredients

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 I used 1/2 tbsp Mexican-chili powder, 1/4 tsp oregano, 1/8 tsp cayenne
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
5 canned whole green chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped I used 1 jalepeno, seeded and minced
4 canned chipotle chiles, seeded and minced
1 (28-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
16 corn 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

Directions

Coat large saute 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.

Saute onion and garlic in chicken drippings until tender. Add corn and chiles. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes, saute 1 minute.
Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips. Add shredded chicken to saute pan, combine with vegetables. Dust the mixture with flour to help set.

Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds. This softens them and makes them more pliable. Coat the bottom of 2 (13 by 9-inch) pans 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.

Holy Guacamole

2 avocados, pitted and mashed
3 tbsp red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
small handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
juice of a half of a small lime
1/4 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Mix all ingredients, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Fresh and Easy Salsa

4 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
3 tsp lime juice
salt to taste (about 1/4-1/2) tsp
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 jalepeno, seeded and diced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 small can diced green chilies, drained

Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse till desired . Add salsa to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Beans, Beans, Beans

I'm so glad that I finally got around to making this black bean soup - it's been on my to-make-list for a while now. If you love black beans, Mexican flavors and eating something that you can feel good about - don't hesitate to make this dish! Even without meat, it is hearty due to the blending and doesn't have any butter or cream. (Bikini season is just around the corner...)

Black Bean Soup
Elly Says Opa

1 lb. dried black beans (or 3 cans prepared beans, drained and rinsed)
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 large onion, diced
2 poblano peppers, diced
1 jalapeno (seeds/ribs removed or not, according to your choosing), minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
7 cups vegetable broth
2 tsp. cumin
1.5 tsp. chili powder I used 1 tsp Mexican chili powder, 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp. oregano
1 bay leaf
1 cup corn I omitted
1 lime, juiced
toppings of your choice - I used sliced green onions, fat free sour cream and 2% Mexican shredded cheese.
I added 2 tbsp of freshly chopped cilantro after pureeing

If you’re using dried beans, pick over and rinse the beans, tossing anything that doesn’t look great. Use the overnight soak or quick soaking method for your beans (directions on the bag), and drain the beans when done soaking. Then, place the beans in a stockpot and cover with cold water (to a couple inches above the beans) and simmer for about 2 hours OR place the beans and water in your crockpot and cook on low for about 8 hours. The beans should be tender to the bite. Drain the beans.

In a large stockpot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic, cooking until tender. Stir in the tomato sauce, broth, cumin, chili powder, oregano, bay leaf, and beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the bay leaf and puree about 1/3 of the soup mixture. You can either put a few cups of the soup in a food processor or you can do what I did and spoon some of the mixture into a large bowl, and then use an immersion blender for what remains in the stockpot. Add everything back into the stockpot, stir in corn, and lime and heat through. Season to taste if necessary.


Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 193 /Fat: 3.6g / Saturated Fat: 0.3g / Carbs: 32.7 / Fiber: 9.4g / Protein: 10.1g

Comfort in the Crock

Since moving to Tennessee, I really haven't used my crock pot all that much....but the winter weather is definitely here, so I hope to add many more recipes to the newly created Crock Pot category.

I love chili -it's so easy, makes enough for many meals, freezes well, contains ingredients I usually have on hand and it so comforting -but I wanted to try something a little different. This recipe was all of that & more, it'll be a staple in my house. The best way to describe this dish is that it is sort of a chili meets chicken tortilla soup. By using chicken breast, including tomatoes & beans, along with lower fat toppings, it is hearty but but won't make you feel guilty about enjoying a great big bowl.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup
Allrecipes

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained I used 10 oz frozen corn
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer I used Corona and a squeeze of fresh lime juice
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained I used 28 oz petite diced tomatoes, with juices
I added a 3 oz (approximately) can of green chilies, drained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning I made my own seasoning mix, recipe below
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional) I used 2% Mexican shredded cheese blend
sour cream (optional) I used fat free
crushed tortilla chips (optional) I used baked chips

Mexican Seasoning:

1/2 tbsp mexican chili powder
1/2 tbsp ancho chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried cilantro (I would prefer fresh, didn't have it)

Directions:

1. Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.

2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

Chicken Fajitas in a Salad?

Earlier in the week while grocery shopping, I was excited to see that colored bell peppers were on sale, so I stocked up. I had all the ingredients for fajitas and wanted those flavors....but I wanted something a little different. So my fajita taco bowl salad was born. It was a wonderful change from the usual, especially the creamy, tangy dressing, and you don't have to eat the bowl - making it an even leaner meal.

Chicken Fajita Taco Bowl Salad

1 1/2-2 lbs chicken breast, cut into strips

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

2 bell peppers, thinly sliced - I used a mixture of red, yellow and green

2 tomatoes, chopped

2-3 limes

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp Mrs. Dash Southwest Seasoning blend

large flour tortillas (if using the bowl, otherwise omit and serve on a bed of lettuce and some broken tortilla chips)

toppings: 2 % shredded Mexican cheese blend, iceberg lettuce & avocado slices

Heat a grill pan, remove chicken from marinade, grill chicken till done, approximately 8 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1/2 tbsp of vegetable oil, and saute peppers and onions till softened, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin, Southwest seasoning and juice of half a lime. With a couple of minutes left, add the tomatoes.

**If making a tortilla bowl, place tortilla upside down on top of a ramekin, brush a little vegetable oil and bake in a 425 oven for 5-6 minutes.

Add the chicken to the vegetable mixture and combine. Serve the fajita mix in a tortilla bowl or on lettuce. Drizzle with the Cilantro Lime Dressing.

Lime Fajita Marinade

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Corona
juice of 1 lime
zest of half a lime
1 tsp cumin
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp mesquite flavored liquid smoke
salt & pepper to taste

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Put the chicken in a bag or bowl, add marinade and leave in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Take chicken out of fridge about 10 minutes before using.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

1/2-3/4 cup fat free plain yogurt
salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp limes zest
2-3 tbsp lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cumin
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Mix above ingredients, cover and chill until ready to use.

Easy As Mexican Pie

I was feeling like Mexican, but didn't want plain old tacos. After browsing through some blogs, I found a recipe that sounded great. I had the ingredients on hand, and it meant that my poor, rarely used springform pan would get some action time in the oven. We loved this dinner, layers of tortillas, Mexican seasoned beef, black beans, enchilada sauce...it looks impressive, but it so easy...what's not to love? And the leftovers are just as good. I made some changes to the recipe, the original ones can be seen in the links below.


Before.... and trying to wait patiently for 25 minutes....

After...25 minutes are up, time to dig in!


Tortilla and Black Bean Pie
adapted from Delicious Meliscious & Liz's Cooking Blog

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef
1 small jar enchilada sauce
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 large onion, diced
1 can fire roasted diced green chilies
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ancho chili powder
2 tsp Mexican chili powder
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
12 ounces Mexican beer
8-10 oz frozen corn
4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
2 1/2-3 cups shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese
1 tomato, seeded and diced
sour cream and salsa, for serving

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a paring knife, trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.

Brown ground beef and drain fat.

Add onion, diced chilies, garlic, cumin and chili powders; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add beans and beer to skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn, and remove from heat.

Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the meat & beans, spoon some enchilada sauce over top (maybe 3-4 spoonfuls) and 1/2 cup cheese.

Repeat three times, using 1-1.5 cups of cheese on top layer. Bake until hot and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Unmold pie; spoon any extra enchilada sauce on top, then sprinkle with scallions & diced tomatoes.

To serve, slice into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa if desired.

Guilt-free Mexican

Jamie and I both love quesadillas, I don't know why I don't make them more often! This was a perfect light meal, and I made it with staples I always have on hand in the freezer, fridge & pantry. When I go to a restaurant for Mexican, or Tex-Mex, it's often so greasy and loaded with cheese, I didn't feel bad about eating this meal.

Also, it was the first time I grilled the quesadillas, which added a different crispiness than cooking it in a skillet. This will definitely be on the menu again. I grilled them on my Cuisinart griddler, so it looks a little darker than it would on an outdoor grill (they weren't burnt, I swear!)




Grilled Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas
adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride (mostly the rub)

Grilled Chicken Quesadillas

1 lb chicken tenders
6 fajita sized tortillas
vegetable oil, for brushing
1 1/2-2 cups 2% Mexican blend shredded cheese
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 tomatoes, diced & seeded
1/2 medium onion, diced

Wet rub (adapted from My Husband Cooks)

1 Tbsp Mexican chili powder
3 tsp dried cilantro fresh would be better, I didn't have any
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
juice of 1 lime

Heat grill to medium-high. Whisk wet rub ingredients in a glass bowl, add chicken, and turn to coat. Let sit in fridge for 20 minutes. Place chicken on the grill and cook until the juices run clear (about 6-7 minutes per side). Remove from grill and let rest 10 minutes.

Cut the chicken breasts into 1/2-3/4 inch cubes. In a skillet, heat a little oil and saute the onions and black beans (I mash them a bit with a fork),tomatoes and chicken till heated through, and softened, about 3-5 minutes.

Lightly brush one side of a tortilla with oil and flip over. Top the tortilla with chicken mixture and cheese and place another tortilla on top half pressing down lightly. Brush the top of the quesadilla with oil and place on the grill. Grill 5 minutes on each side - depending on your grill, I used a Cuisinart Griddler, so it was a little longer than an outdoor grill. Otherwise it may only need 2-3 minutes per side.


Remove from heat and serve with salsa, fat free sour cream or whatever you like.

The Whole Enchilada

I have been craving Mexican recently, and I've had this recipe on my must-try list for a while now. I couldn't just post one pic, it was so good....and because there were a lot of leftovers, Jamie and I get to enjoy it for another meal. The recipe was wonderful, I didn't really change much at all, I'll definitely be making this dish again.



Just before heading into the oven.....


A casserole of melted, gooey, cheesy goodness.....

Topped with sour cream & green onions (I added tomatoes too after I took the picture)...right before I devoured them!

Hungry Man Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas
Amber's Delectable Delights

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chili gravy, recipe below

6, 8" flour tortillas I used 12 corn tortillas

Filling Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup 4 Cheese Mexican Blend I used 2% blend

1/4 cup sour cream I used about 1/2 cup fat free sour cream

Topping Ingredients:

1 cup chili gravy, recipe below

1/2 cup 4 Cheese Mexican Blend I used 2% blend

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line bottom of 9 x 13 pan with 1/2 cup chili gravy.

3. In a medium bowl mix shredded chicken, beans (I smashed mine a bit, I seem to have slight texture issues with whole beans), cheese, and sour cream.

4. Lay out one tortilla* and place 1/2 cup of filling mixture down the center. Fold up tortilla tucking in the ends and rolling into a cylinder. Place enchilada into pan, seam side down, and repeat process until all the filling mixture is gone.

5. Top enchiladas with chili gravy and cheese. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 additional minutes. Serve with a sour cream, green onions and tomatoes if desired....which I highly recommend!!!!!

*My secret for making flour tortillas pliable and easy to fold is to turn on a burner on the gas stove on and flop the tortilla over it. Let it set for about 15 seconds and then flip it over and let the other side warm for 15 seconds. Please remember that you are dealing with flames here so if your tortilla starts to smoke or catches on fire turn off the burner and remove the tortilla.

*I don't have a gas stove, I placed tortillas between dampened paper towels and heated for 40 seconds. This was my first time working with corn tortillas, the started to break slightly, but held up. If any one has any other method of preparing them, let me know!

Chili Gravy

Adapted from original source Homesick Texan, found on Sweet-Savory-Southern
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 tsp powdered garlic2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano is preferred)
2 tbsp chile powder(either homemade or a dark brand such as Gebhardt’s or Whole Foods) I used Mexican Chili Powder
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
2 cups chicken broth (or water) I used fat free/low sodium chicken broth

Directions
1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Stir in the flour and continue stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it makes a light brown roux.

3. Add all the dry ingredients and continue to cook for 1 minute, constantly stirring and blending ingredients.

4. Add chicken broth or water, mixing and stirring until the sauce thickens.

5. Turn heat to low and let sauce simmer for 15 minutes. If desired, add water to adjust the thickness.

Don't Cha Want An Enchilada?

I love Mexican food, but not the really greasy kind that you feel really bad about eating afterwards. (well, I guess once in a while it's ok...) But while browsing for enchilada recipes, I came across this one on Annie's blog. It looked delicious and a bit different than the other ones I have seen. It was great, served with some tortilla chips and some salsa on the side - can't wait for the leftovers today!



Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
from Annie's Eats

I cut the recipe in half to make about 5 enchiladas

Ingredients:
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts I slowly simmered 3 chicken breasts in chicken stock, flavored with some onion powder, smashed garlic cloves and whole peppercorns for about 30 minutes
8 oz. reduced fat sour cream
8 oz. Ranch salad dressing
flour tortillas (10-15) - we like Azteca, packs of 10
jar of salsa I made my own, I used a 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, a few sprigs of fresh, roughly chopped cilantro, 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, 2 cloves minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste, 1/4 cup diced onion, 2 tbsp diced canned jalapeno peppers
shredded Mexican cheese (I usually use close to 4 cups, I love cheese!)

Directions:
Cook chicken breasts by preferred cooking method until cooked through. Set aside to cool a bit.

While chicken is cooling, mix up the sauce. In a large mixing bowl, combine half of the sour cream and half of the Ranch dressing. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the sour cream and Ranch dressing. Stir both until well combined. Shred or chop the cooked chicken and add to the large mixing bowl. Mix well with sauce.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a 9 x 13″ pan (and possibly another, smaller pan if needed). Take one tortilla and top with a little less than 1 tbsp. of the sauce from the small bowl. Spread over the tortilla in an even layer. Add some of the chicken mixture to the center of the tortilla.

Top with salsa to taste. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, to taste. Roll up tortilla and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining ingredients (usually makes 10-15 enchiladas).

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (30 for a crispier tortilla). Allow to cool a few minutes before serving. I covered the pan with foil, removed the foil with 5 minutes left, and topped with a little more cheese.

Eat Your Bowl....Taco Salad

I've made taco salad a couple of times before, but I forgot to blog it. So the third time, I did some more experimenting, and this is my favorite so far. It's such an easy & quick meal that is also great for the summer time. I got the original idea for the tortillas from Chelley, a fellow WC'er. The idea to add the rice came from one of my favorite cooking sites Cooking Light. Then I played around with all of those ideas, and came up with the following. You could also use the filling to make burritos, tacos or nachos, which I probably will do with the leftovers.

Eat Your Bowl Taco Salad

(the recipe makes too much for two servings, but I plan on using the leftovers)

1 lb ground beef

low carb large flour tortillas

2 coves garlic, minced

2 roma tomatoes, diced

1 can of black beans

handful of shredded or torn lettuce

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced (or green onion would be great sprinkled on top of salad)

2% Mexican cheese blend

1/2 -3/4 cup cooked brown rice (yellow or Mexican rice would have been great, but I didn't have any on hand)
1 tsp cumin

juice and zest of half a lime

Preheat the oven to 425. Brown ground beef, drain and add minced garlic, seasonings & water, recipe below. Add diced onions and black beans to meat mixture. Simmer till slightly thickened. (I kept rice separate since Jamie didn't want any, if not, you could add it to meat mixture)

Brush tortillas with some vegetable oil or use non-stick spray, and bake on balls of tin foil or inverted ramekins on a baking sheet for about 6 minutes, till slightly browned and crispy.

Add the lime juice, zest and cumin to the cooked rice.

Toss the meat and rice mixture, or just layer into the bowls, add the dressing, and top with tomatoes, lettuce, extra onions if desired, and cheese.

Taco Seasoning:

1 tsp cilantro (I only had dried on hand)

1/2 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp cumin

2-3 tbsp Mexican chili powder

Mix above ingredients together in a bowl, and add 2 tbsp or more if desired, to browned ground beef and add 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp of water, and simmer till slightly thickened.

Dressing:
2/3 cup fat free sour cream

2/3 cup fresh medium salsa

1/2 tbsp of taco seasoning

Mix above ingredients, and toss in or put on top of taco salad.

Hot Stuff!

I love Mexican food, but many dishes are usually heavy aka loaded with fat/calories. I've come across Chicken Tortilla Soup in many blogs and it was on my to-make-list for a while, and since I just made some chicken broth, I decided to go for it. There are a lot of variations on this dish, but I chose this one from Confections of a Foodie Bride, I made some changes, as indicated in italics.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

8 plum tomatoes (I used 4 tomatoes)

4 tablespoons tbsp olive oil (I used 3tbsp)

1 1/4 cup yellow onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced (I used 4 cloves)

1 red bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup) (I used 1/2 of the pepper)

2 tsp chili powder (I used Mexican hot chili powder)

2 tsp ground cumin

5 cups chicken stock (I used 3 cups homemade stock)

1 large jalapeno pepper, diced

1 large poblano pepper, diced

1 dried ancho chile pepper (I omitted, my store didn't have any!)

1 (15-ounce) can peeled tomatoes (I used half the can with some juices)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cayenne, to taste(optional)

3-4 cooked, shredded chicken breasts (I used 2 breasts)

8-10 oz corn, fresh or frozen (thawed) (I used 1/2 cup and threw in while frozen, cooks in the soup!)

For garnish:

avocado, peeled and sliced

tortilla chips or strips

plum tomatoes, diced

chopped fresh cilantro

shredded Monterey Jack cheese

fat free sour cream

To make the soup:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Slice the plum tomatoes in half. Spread 1 Tbsp of the olive oil on a baking sheet or pizza pan and arrange the tomatoes on top, skin side up. Drizzle the tomatoes with another 1 Tbsp of the olive oil. Roast the tomatoes for 35 minutes, until the skins wrinkle and the tomatoes are slightly brown around the edges.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a heavy-bottomed, 4-qt soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper and sauté about 5 minutes, until the vegetables become soft. Stir in the chili powder and cumin and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, 1 cup water, 1/2 the jalepenos and all of the poblanos. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then cover, decrease the heat and simmer about 15 minutes.

Place the leftover jalepenos, the canned tomatoes with their juices and the roasted tomatoes (included as much as possible of the juices and browned tomato bits) in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Puree the chile-tomato mixture about 1 minute. Transfer the chile-tomato mixture to the soup and continue simmering, covered, about 1 hour.

Add salt and pepper to taste and ground red pepper (if using),cooked chicken, corn and gently heat until corn is hot.

Ladle the soup into medium bowls. Lean 3 to 4 slices of avocado against the edge of each bowl, partially sticking out of the soup. Arrange the tortilla chips or strips in a similar way. Sprinkle each bowl with a handful of diced tomatoes, some cilantro, and shredded cheese. Top with a spoonful of sour cream. Serve immediately.

mmmm....Nachos!

When thinking of nachos, I think of bar food. But I love to make a large platter for dinner, or sneak one for just myself - once in a while. This may not be a very sophisticated recipe, but it's just my favorite way to make them, and a little bit healthier than at a restaurant. One way is to make your own taco seasoning - if you make chili, you'll likely already have all the ingredients. I use this one from Allrecipes. I double the recipe and store with my other spices, and add use Mexican & chili powder instead of the regular varieties, and add more garlic powder.

Super Duper Dinner Nachos

1/2 bag Tortilla chips, I like to use a mixture of blue & white corn
1 cup 2% Cheddar cheese, shredded, and a teaspoon or so of taco seasoning tossed with cheese
1/2 lb gound lean beef, browned (or turkey)
2 tablespoons, 1-2 teaspoons taco seasoing, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 can fat free refried black or pinto beans with jalepenos, or add some minced ones
fat free sour cream (to taste)
1 diced tomato, 2 green onions, sliced, 1/4 cup yellow onions, diced (or to your liking)

Brown meat with minced garlic, drain. Add 2-3 tbsp taco seasoning, and 2 tbsp of water, more if needed. Simmer on low for 8 minutes.

Heat refried beans in saucepan on low, or microwave.

Spread out nachos, layer a bit of cheese, meat, beans, then the remainder of the cheese. Heat in the microwave or oven till cheese is melted.

Top with tomatoes, onions & sour cream.

Get Dippin'

Watching sports with family & friends are a regular occurance at our house, so I'm always trying new things to serve. Although my chicken wings are the prefered snack, this quick and easy dip was a hit.
Ole Cheesey Chili Dip

1 cup of chili (I used my recipe in this blog, or use prepared or your own recipe) heated till warm
7-8 oz mexican style Velveeta,cubed
3 oz cream cheese, cubed, more if desired
Tortilla chips (I think the Scoops type works best and it less messy)

I have a Little Dipper Crockpot, so I add the cubed cheese and stir till partially melted, then stir in the chili. My crock cooks fairly quickly, so keep an eye so it doesn't burn.

Serve with tortilla chips...yummy!

Not Your Regular Quesadillas

My husband loves BBQ chicken quesadillas from restaurants so I thought I would try and recreate it at home. I didn't really measure the ingredients and kind of improvised, but here is approximately what I used. This made two quesadillas.

Jamie's Favorite BBQ Chicken Quesadillas
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 1/2 cups mexican style shredded cheese (or 2% milk cheddar) or more if you like it cheesier
3/4 - 1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce - I used Sweet Baby Rays Honey BBQ
1/4 cup chopped red onions
oil or non-stick spray
4 (8 or 10-inch tortillas)
1 tbsp of butter, divided
garlic salt & pepper to taste
salsa
fat free sour cream

Season chicken with garlic salt and pepper. Grill or brown chicken on medium heat till almost cooked through. Add onions and cook till soft. If grilling onions, keep them in sliced and chop when done.

Add BBQ sauce to chicken and onions and heat through. Remove from stove. Meanwhile heat another skillet and add 1/2 tbsp of butter.

Layer two tortillas with about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of cheese , then chicken mixture, a little more bbq sauce(if desired) then more cheese and a tortilla.

Place in skillet on med-high heat and cook till golden approx. 3-4 minutes, then (carefully!) flip to cook other side.

Cut in quarters and serve with sour cream, salsa and extra bbq sauce.