Red Sauce Enchiladas

Well, we're all cooking at home and it's all about what we have on hand...

A couple days ago, I talked to my neighbor from our driveway as she was sitting in her car. "This stay at home stuff is really cramping my style. I'm used to running to the store everyday to pick up what I want to make for dinner!"

 A bit later, Jenn called up for the recipe for the enchiladas that I made her the last time she was home. Then, I had used chicken, but the meat she had on hand was ground beef. No problem! I just told her to brown and drain it and go on with the recipe. I mentioned my earlier conversation with the thought that during this time, the thing to do is "shop" in your own refrigerator and pantry.

So, in this recipe, go ahead and use any meat or cheese that you have. No tomato sauce? Dilute a can of tomato paste with two cups of water or puree a can of diced tomatoes. No can of diced tomatoes? Chop up fresh ones. It's the spices that make this dish yummy and hopefully, they are in your home store! P.S. Pull yours out of the oven before it looks over baked - like the photo here - Ha!

Ingredients for 6 to 8 Red Sauce Enchiladas:

2 cups any kind of meat (shrimp, cooked chicken, browned ground beef, pulled pork)
6 to 8 tortillas (any size, flour or corn)
1 (15 oz,) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
3 cups shredded cheese (Colby jack, cheddar, Monterey Jack)
1/2 cup diced onions
2 tablespoons canned diced green chilies (or sub 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes)
2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided

Add 2 teaspoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the tomato sauce.

Stir it really well to combine the spices into the tomato sauce. Set aside.

In a bowl mix the meat, tomatoes, onions, green chilies,  1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/4 pepper.

Coat the bottom of a casserole baking dish with some of the tomato sauce mixture.
Brush or spread the inside of each tortilla with a bit of the sauce.

Place about 2/3 cup of the chicken mixture and 1/4 cup shredded cheese in each tortilla.

Roll each tortilla and place seam side down in baking dish. If you end up making more than six enchiladas, they could be crammed in lengthwise, below the rolled up tortillas. 

Spoon the rest of the tomato sauce mixture over the enchiladas. Top with the remaining cheese.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 minutes. 

Serve with garnishes, sour cream or a side salad. Dig in!

Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

Caroline and Adam have been renovating their Chicago suburban kitchen for what must seem to them an eternity. For several months they have been without a stove, oven or sink. In fact, there is only one room in their whole downstairs that isn’t gutted. As a result they turned an upstairs bedroom into a makeshift kitchen, using a toaster oven and microwave to get by. To help them out, I made a few frozen meals so all they had to do was defrost, then nuke or bake. One meal Caroline requested was chicken enchiladas with tomatillo sauce. Don’t let the sour cream in the filling scare you off- there’s just enough of it to bind the chicken and onions together and the tomatillo sauce supplies tartness to offset the richness.

Ingredients for the Tomatillo Sauce:

12 small to medium tomatillos

1 cup fresh cilantro, leaves and tender upper stems

1 small to medium yellow onion, diced

2 tablespoons canned green chili peppers

1 large clove garlic, put through a press

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon salt or less 

Directions:

Husk the tomatillos by pulling the papery skins off. Wash and place in a pot of boiling water. Boil for 10 minutes and drain. Place cooked tomatillos, cilantro, onion, garlic and peppers in a food processor. Blend for about 30 seconds to a minute until all ingredients are combined. 

Heat oil in skillet over medium high until it shimmers. Pour the blended tomatillo mixture into the hot pan. The liquid will hiss and start to boil. Give it a stir and turn the heat down to medium. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add in the chicken broth and stir well to mix it in. Continue to let the mixture simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and if needed add the salt. If not, discard it.

Ingredients for Eight Chicken Enchiladas:

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed.

1 cup diced white or yellow onions

1 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 large flour tortillas

1 Batch of tomatillo sauce from recipe above

2 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

In a bowl, mix the chicken, onions, sour cream, salt and pepper together.

Ladle just enough tomatillo sauce into a 9x13 baking dish to cover the bottom. Place a heaping 1/3 cup of chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese on top of the chicken in each tortilla. Roll each tortilla up and place seam side down into the baking dish.

Pour the remaining tomatillo sauce over the top, reserving about 1/2 cup for serving.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50 minutes or until tortillas are browning and sauce is bubbling. Remove from oven and sprinkle the top with remaining cheese. Return to the oven and bake 5 minutes more to melt the cheese. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cilantro leaves as a garnish.

Miso Flavored Chicken Noodle Soup & Lemony Chickpea and Rice Salad

Miso Flavored Chicken Noodle Soup - Serves Two 

Ingredients:

1 (15 oz,) can chicken broth
1 cup cooked noodles
1 cup spinach leaves
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
1 tablespoon white miso
1 tablespoon soy sauce or a sauce such as Maggi, Tamari, or low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup Thai basil leaves (optional)

Place the chicken broth in a sauce pan and whisk in the miso and soy sauce. Heat the liquid to a boil.

While heating the broth, place 1/2 cup noodles, 1/2 cup spinach and 1/2 cup chicken in each of two bowls.

Pour a cup of the boiling broth over the contents of each bowl. Sprinkle each bowl with 2 tablespoons of Thai basil leaves, if using.

Lemony Chickpea and Rice Salad - Serves Four

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice
1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup spinach leaves
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red chili flakes

Place rice, chickpeas, spinach leaves and onion in a bowl.

Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt and cumin.

Pour dressing in bowl and gently toss. Divide into four servings.

Sprinkle each serving with a 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper or chili flakes.

Roast Chicken

Roast Chicken

 Use a fairly good sized chicken - like around 3 pounds or over

The easy way: sprinkle the chicken all over with garlic salt and lemon pepper. Roast in a pan or baking sheet with sides at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour and 30 minutes.

The just a little bit harder way: Mix together 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon oregano,1 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. and 1 garlic clove put through press. Rub all over the chicken. Place in a pan or baking sheet with sides and roast at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour and 30 minutes. 

Two Speedy Soups From Canned Tomato Sauce

Tomato Coconut Curry and Tomato Sausage Soup

Now that all my girls are out on my own - it's weird, I know - but I'm still cooking for them. It's like we are in tandem universes. They are hundreds of miles away, but I still try to make dishes I think they would like as well as approve of! It makes for a lot of sharing and discussion, which is a lot of fun for me. One thing I realize is they come home late, tired and hungry after a whole day of working followed by some kind of exercise class or activity. They want something substantial, but fast and also perhaps Whole 30 compliant or at least healthy. The soups posted here are so easy and with label reading, they can be made with canned tomato sauce that doesn't have bad stuff in it! The trick to the Tomato Coconut Curry is to have already cooked chicken meat on hand and a left over sweet potato. Or, a microwave that zaps them in five minutes.  The smooth broth goes so well with the velvety cooked sweet potato and the subtle spiciness is very warming on a cold day. The Tomato Sausage Soup is an old favorite of Roy's and I've made it for years. I put it together out of desperation one night when all I had on hand was a can of tomato sauce, some sausage, and a handful of mixed salad greens. It turned out to be hearty and delicious! Aidells brand sausage is available at most grocery stores and happens to be Whole 30 allowed. I'd love to know which of these soups people enjoy more!

Tomato Coconut Curry Soup - Serves Two as Main Dish

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped cooked chicken
1 medium sweet potato, cooked and cubed
1 medium onion
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, put through a press or finely minced
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, including juice
1 (15 oz.) can coconut milk
1/2 heaping cup chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Lime wedges for serving

Procedure

Peel and slice onion. Heat oil over medium low heat and saute onion until tender - about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cilantro and curry powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes. coconut milk, sweet potato, chicken, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. Turn the heat up to medium high to get the mixture up to a simmer, then turn down to medium low and cook for 5 more minutes.

Tomato Sausage Soup - Serves Two as Main Dish

Ingredients:

1/2 pound sliced sausage
2 cups greens - spinach and/or kale
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can beef broth
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon thyme

Procedure:

Brown sausage over medium heat - about  3 to 5 minutes per side. Add tomato sauce, greens, beef broth, oregano, salt, pepper flakes, garlic, thyme, garlic powder. Bring up to a boil, then turn down to medium low and simmer 5 minutes.

Chicken Paprikash with Pepper & Onion "Noodles"

So - we are halfway through January which means for some people, they are halfway through the Whole 30. (Not for me though - I had to start over on the 10th!) Allison set up a Facebook message group called "Whole 30 Yates Clan Support Group" which even includes cousins.  From this sharing communication I feel that the anxiety of actual cooking is now being replaced by the big question of what to do with all the vegetables that everyone seems to now have around. Also, time is still huge a issue. As I've said before, if it isn't quick and easy, I'm not going to make it - but it has to taste yummy. I suspect that the secret to staying on this program for the 30 days is that food has to have a lot of flavor and be delicious. In chilly January, it also needs to be warm and satisfying. I've replaced traditional noodles in the post here with onion and colorful bell pepper ribbons. When I see bell peppers on sale, I like to buy a bunch, seed, slice and freeze them in zip lock bags - it's a time safer. This dish is packs a spicy punch that combats the chilly temperatures outside  - enjoy!

Chicken Paprikash - serves 4

1 pound chicken pieces

2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon hot Hungarian paprika

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine the paprika, oregano, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper together. Rub into the chicken. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat and brown chicken - about 7 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Bell Pepper & Onion Noodles for Chicken Paprikash

1 yellow bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 large onion

2 tablespoons oil

1 (15 oz.) can of diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

parsley to garnish

Core and seed peppers. Slice peppers and onions into strips. Heat oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Saute vegetables until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Combine diced tomatoes, tomato paste and Hungarian paprika, salt, oregano, pepper, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes. Add to pan.

Gently combine the tomato mixture and the peppers together.

Place the browned chicken on top of the vegetables, cover with foil, and simmer over medium low heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into a chicken piece to check to make sure it is completely cooked. Ladle into individual serving bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Spicy Oven Roasted Harissa Eggplant & Chicken

It was absolutely wonderful to have the whole family together to celebrate Thanksgiving! Jennifer and Allison have been traveling and working in Australia since January, so we were especially thrilled.  All the festivities got kicked off in Chicago where Caroline and her fiance Adam live.  Although at different times, both our little Aussies flew into O'Hare.  It continued back home through Thanksgiving when we all enjoyed traditional, but very rich seasonal dishes.  After a few days, we were ready to get back to eating easy to make and a little more healthy food.  I got the inspiration for this dish from Bon Appetit Magazine only their version featured chickpeas.  Jennifer loves eggplant and Harissa packs a huge flavor punch.  However, this dish is very spicy!  For a less fiery option, substitute tomato paste for the Harissa and add 1/2 teaspoon each of oregano and rosemary.  It's equally as yummy! 

Ingredients for Four Servings:

1 pound chicken pieces such as breast, thighs or legs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced or put through press

1 cup chicken broth, divided into 1/2 cup portions

1 medium egg plant

Heaping 1/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 cup harissa sauce 

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, washed and roughly chopped

1 lemon, quartered

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix salt and pepper together and rub into the chicken pieces. If desired, cut large pieces such as chicken breasts up. Heat oil in oven proof skillet over medium heat. Brown both sides of the meat, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat and set it aside.

Using the same skillet, saute the onion until it is tender and soft. This will take about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 30 more seconds. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Stir and scrape the bottom to loosen the fond, or residue that might have collected at the bottom of the pan. Remove pan from heat.

Wash off the egg plant and cut off the ends. Cut into cubes. 

Put the egg plant into the pan with the onion and garlic. Add tomato paste, harissa sauce, and remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth.  Gently stir to combine the vegetables are coated.

Nestle the chicken pieces among the egg plant and onion mixture.

Place skillet into preheated oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until eggplant is nicely browned and easily pierced with a fork.

Remove skillet from oven. Divide mixture between four serving plants. Sprinkle each portion with 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Place a lemon quarter on each one along with 1/4 cup dollop of Greek yogurt. 

Chicken & Waffles Appetizer

A couple of months ago as we were traveling home from Florida, we stopped in Charleston, South Carolina for a few days.Of course, I loved the regional food! When I got back home, I needed to bring an appetizer to a gathering but I didn't have much time to put it together. I got a flash of inspiration from my southern food sampling and with the help of convenience food, was able to put together these yummy morsels very, very quickly. All of the ingredients could be made from scratch and if there were, I imagine the results would be spectacular. But I didn't have time to make 10 waffles from scratch of fry up a batch of homemade chicken! Instead I used frozen waffles, boneless chicken wings from the grocery deli, and store bought pimento cheese spread. I have included a recipe for pimento cheese in this post just in case someone was curious, but if pre-made is used, this appetizer is a snap to put together! In fact, it was part of the spread we served at Caroline and Adam's engagement party.

Ingredients for 40 Appetizers

10 pre-made frozen waffles such as Eggo brand

Enough popcorn chicken to cut into 40 (1/4 of waffle size) pieces, Tyson brand or from deli

1 1//2 cups pimento cheese spread, recipe below or from local grocery store deli

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Pimento Cheese Spread

Pimento Cheese Recipe from Cook's Illustrated Magazine - yields three cups

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1 (4 oz.) jar pimentos

1 (8 oz.) package finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 (8 oz.) Package regular shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 (or less) teaspoon cayenne pepper

Procedure:

With an electric mixer, gently combine all ingredients together just until spreadable.

Use as a sandwich filling or cracker spread.

Procedure for Assembling Chicken & Waffles Appetizer:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. If using pre-made frozen popcorn chicken such as Tyson's, follow the package directions for cooking except cut off five minutes of the baking time. Set aside. If using pre-made chicken from the grocery store deli, just set aside. Line baking sheet with foil. Cut each waffle into fourths and place on baking sheet. Spread each waffle piece with two teaspoons of pimento cheese. Top with a chicken piece and bake for 5 minutes. The cheese spread on the waffles should be melted, bubbly, and beginning to brown. Remove from oven and place on serving platter. Drizzle each appetizer with 1/4 teaspoon of maple syrup and serve.