Veggie Enchiladas

This past weekend, I went out of town to a conference for my teaching sorority, where I received an award and was inducted as the new state treasurer. I had a good time, but I didn't sleep well on Friday night. The bed at the hotel felt like a pile of rocks! Though I was only gone for a total of about 36 hours, when I got home on Saturday night, I was just too exhausted to cook. We had hoped to catch up with the local taco truck for a Cinco de Mayo feast, but I checked their schedule and they weren't going to be around until after 11pm. Instead, we met up with a friend, ate gyro wraps on his porch, then stopped in to his girlfriend's "Derby de Mayo" party. It seemed like a fun party, but I was pretty much good for 1 beer and I was ready for bed. We were home and in bed by 10pm! I guess that's what happens when you don't get a good night's sleep! Anyway, on to the food. As soon as Nicole from Prevention RD posted this recipe, I couldn't wait to make it. I figured that since I missed out on a Mexican feast on Cinco de Mayo, I'd celebrate by eating these enchiladas on Seis de Mayo! They totally topped the taco truck meal I had planned on eating! For some reason, as I was getting ready to publish this post, I double checked my archives and noticed that I have already posted a vegetable enchilada recipe. However, this is slightly different, and way too delicious to not share, so here you go, a second vegetable enchilada recipe for you! 

For the Enchilada Sauce:
1 teaspoon Canola Oil
1/2 small Onion, finely chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoon Chili Powder
1/2 tablespoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 (8 ounce) can Tomato Sauce
1/4 cup Water
Black Pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the tomato sauce and water, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. 

For the Filling:
2 teaspoons Olive Oil
1/2 small Onion, chopped
1/2 cup Corn, fresh or frozen
1/2 Red or Yellow Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small Zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeded, and chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
7 ounces (1/2 can) Black Beans, drained and rinsed 
1/3 cup Enchilada Sauce (see above)
1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro, minced
1 (4 ounce) can Diced Green Chiles, optional

Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and corn, and cook until slightly softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook until tender, 3-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and black beans and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Take off of the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce, cilantro, and green chiles.

To Assemble:
12 (6 inch) Tortillas (I used flour, but corn was recommended)
1 cup Cheddar, Pepper Jack, or Mexican Blend Cheese, shredded

Spread about 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce around the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Place 1/3 cup of the filling mixture down the center of a tortilla. Tightly roll up the tortilla and place in the baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas. Evenly pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of the sauce. Cover with foil and bake at 450 degrees until the enchiladas are heated through, about 10 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese has melted, 3-5 more minutes. I also put mine under the broiler for about 2 minutes to brown the cheese. Serve immediately.  

Chile Rellenos

We have a restaurant near by that specializes in Latin and South American cuisine. My absolute favorite part of this restaurant is their table-side guacamole, which pairs perfectly with their margaritas! One night, on a whim, we didn't feel like cooking and ended up going there for dinner. On their menu were chiles rellenos, which they stuff with black beans and roasted vegetables and serve over soft polenta, topped with queso fresco. Some of the other entrees I've had there lack flavor, but this one is excellent! After ordering it, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Luckily, I was able to find this recipe on Mrs. Regueiro's Plate. While these weren't quite as complex tasting as the ones I ate at the restaurant, they were easy enough to make at home and delicious enough to satisfy my taste buds! My house smelled like the kitchen of a pub after deep-frying the peppers, but it was nothing that opening the windows couldn't fix, and they were totally worth it!

1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon Fresh Oregano, finely chopped
3 Egg Whites + 2 Egg Yolk, at room temperature
6 Poblano Chile Peppers
5 Plum Tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
1/2 Onion, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped

On a gas burner (I used a grill), char the peppers over medium-high heat until blackened and blistered all over. Place the peppers in a large zip-top bag; let them stand for 10 minutes, which will let the peppers soften and become easy to peel. Gently rub the skin off the peppers. Using a pairing knife, make a slit across the top of the peppers just below the stem, leaving the stem intact. Slice lengthwise down from the top to the bottom of the pepper. Open the pepper and carefully remove the seeds and inner membranes, using the pairing knife if needed to loosen the seedpods. In a blender, puree the tomatoes, onions, and garlic until smooth. In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the tomato puree and simmer for 5 minutes, taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper, if needed. Keep warm. In a small bowl, mix the shredded cheese and chopped fresh oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Fill each pepper with 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture and gently fold the sides over and thread 2 toothpicks to form an X. If needed, use additional toothpicks to secure the filling (just make sure you remember how many you used in each!!). In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the yolk and beat for 3 minutes. In a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil until ready (about 375 degrees). Place flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Dredge each pepper in flour, then dip into the egg mixture to cover completely. Let excess batter fall off the pepper. Add the peppers to the oil, 1-2 at a time, and cook, flipping once, until golden brown. Spoon hot oil over the peppers to ensure even browning. Remove the peppers and place them on a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil. Repeat with remaining peppers. Spoon tomato mixture onto a plate and place the fried pepper on top. Serve immediately…but remember to take the toothpicks out first!

Lentil Tacos

Sailing will be starting back up for Joel pretty soon, and to get ready, there was a get together for the crew at the boat club last Tuesday night. Because of that, we needed to have a pretty quick meal. I had flagged this recipe from Prevention RD a little while ago, and thought that Tuesday would be a great night to finally give it a try. I have only ever cooked with lentils once in my life, making a red lentil soup which turned out kind of mushy, so I was a little apprehensive about the filling for these tacos, but I've heard that green lentils are a little heartier than red ones. Plus, I love Mexican food, so I really couldn't think of any reason not to try these tacos! I was pleasantly surprised by them, too! The filling comes together in about 30 minutes, and the texture is so similar to ground meat that I really couldn't tell that I was eating a vegetarian taco. I bet I'd be able to fool the biggest of meat eaters with these! What a delicious, and inexpensive, Mexican meal.

For the Filling:
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
1 Garlic Clove, minced 
1 cup Dried Lentils, rinsed (I used green)
1 tablespoon Chili Powder
2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
2 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth

For the Tacos:
Shredded Lettuce
Diced Tomato 
Sliced Avocado
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Plain Greek Yogurt
Salsa
Flour Tortillas

Heat the oil in a nonstick sauce pan. Add the garlic and onion and saute until tender. Add the lentils, chili powder, cumin, and oregano; coo and stir for about 1 minute. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender (I did have to add more liquid and cook a bit longer). Uncover and cook for 6-8 additional minutes, until the mixture has thickened. Mash the lentils slightly. To assemble the tacos, layer about 1/4 cup of lentils onto the tortillas. Top with lettuce, tomato, avocado, cheese, salsa, and a dollop of greek yogurt.

Mango Guacamole

Mangoes were on sale at our grocery store and I remembered seeing this recipe on How Sweet It Is a while back, so I picked a few up so that I could give it a try. Guacamole isn't something that I've always liked. It took me a while to get around to trying and liking avocado, but I am so glad that I do now! The sweetness of the mango and the spiciness of the jalapeño really help balance this guacamole. It ended up pairing so well with our magic enchiladas on Friday night, too!

4 Avocados
1 Tomato, chopped
1/2 cup Mango, chopped
1/3 cup Red Onion, chopped
1 small Jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
Juice of 2 Limes
Handful of Cilantro, chopped

Remove the flesh from the avocado and place it in a bowl. Add the tomato, jalapeño, onion, mango, and cilantro and mix until combined. Add the salt, pepper, and lime juice and mix until the desired consistency is reached. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Butternut Squash Enchiladas

If I had to choose, Mexican food may be my favorite cuisine! A few weeks ago, my sister- and brother-in-law invited us over for dinner for what they called "magic" enchiladas. We were interested to see what the filling might be, and when we got there, we were surprised to hear it was butternut squash. They got the recipe from Vegetarian Times magazine and used to make them anytime they would have people over because after trying them once, people would request them. It's not hard to see why! I didn't think to write down the recipe when we were eating them, but luckily, Kim used to blog and she posted this recipe about a year ago. So this past Friday, "magic" enchiladas were on our menu, and we enjoyed them very much!

1 Butternut Squash, cubed
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
3 ounces Cream Cheese
1 Red Onion, chopped
1 Garlic Clove, minced
2 Chipotle Chilis in Adobo, chopped
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
Salt and Pepper, to taste
6-8 Flour Tortillas (we used 10" and got 7 enchiladas)
1 can Enchilada Sauce 
1/2 cup Shredded Cheese

Peel the butternut squash and cut them into 1 inch cubes. Toss them in olive oil and place the cubes on a baking sheet. Roast at 450 degrees for 40 minutes, flipping once during the cooking to ensure that they get nicely browned edges. After cooking, mash the squash with a fork and mix in the cream cheese. Meanwhile, sauté the onion and garlic in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the chipotle chills, chili powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and mix well. Add the butternut squash mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the chopped cilantro. Fill each tortilla with some of the mixture and roll it up. Place the rolled tortilla in a baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Continue until the filling is gone. Pour the enchilada sauce over the top of the rolled tortillas and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Burrito Bowls

Joel and I aren't big on chain restaurants, nor are we fans of fast food.  Having said that, I have been to Chipotle a handful of times in the past few years.  Once in Chicago with a friend, once in an airport because it was the only thing open so late and we were on a layover, and once at home because I was out shopping and needed lunch.  For a person who doesn't really eat fast food, I have to admit that their burritos are pretty good.  I tried to recreate a version of their burrito bowls for dinner last night.  When I gave Joel the bowl, he was confused and sad.  He said I tricked him when I told him we were having burrito bowls because he thought a regular burrito was somehow involved.  He said that the bowl looked like the stuff that falls out of a burrito.  Then he called it...burrito droppings.  After all that trouble, he changed his tune after eating it.  We really enjoyed these bowls.  They were delicious and filling, and incredibly easy to throw together.

1 cup White Rice
2 cups Water
1 Lime, zested and juiced
4 Chicken Tenderloins
Jerk Seasoning
1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tomato, seeded and diced
1 Avocado, diced
1/4 Red Onion, diced
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Salsa
Handful of Cilantro, chopped

In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil.  Add the rice, stir once, and bring back to a boil.  Cover the pan and reduce heat to a simmer for about 15 minutes, until the rice has absorbed the water.  Fluff the rice with a fork.  Stir in the lime zest and juice and set aside.  Sprinkle the chicken tenderloins with jerk seasoning on both sides.  Grill the chicken until cooked through.  Cut the chicken into cubes and set aside.  Meanwhile, heat the beans in the microwave or over the stove in a small saucepan.  Cut the tomatoes, avocados, onions, and cilantro.  To prepare the bowls, scoop rice in the bottom of the bowl.  Top with beans, chicken, tomatoes, avocados, onions, salsa, cheese, and cilantro.

Homemade Tortillas with Guacamole, Cucumber, and Sprouts

I had quite the day at work, and apparently so did Joel, so neither of us felt like being in the kitchen for long tonight.  I originally planned to make soup for dinner, but since it was pretty warm outside (and because the leftover rolls I baked up for dinner last night and planned to use tonight were left in the oven overnight and turned into rocks), we decided to give this recipe from Ezra Pound Cake a try.  It was on our menu for the week anyway, so I just switched things around a bit.  Plus, homemade tortillas are on my list of things to make this year, so I get to cross it out!  This was a great meal for a (surprisingly!) rainless evening on the porch with with a great bottle of white wine that we brought back from California.

For the Tortillas:
2 cups Flour
Pinch of Salt
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2-2/3 cup Warm Water

Place the flour and salt in a food processor.  Pulse to combine.  Add the olive oil and blend.  Gradually add the water to the flour mixture just until a stiff dough is formed.  Transfer the dough to a floured surface, and knead until smooth.  Cover the dough with a damp cloth.  Divide the dough into 8 pieces.  Knead each piece for a few minutes and form them into balls.  On a surface dusted with flour, flatten and roll out each ball into a 9-inch circle.  Heat an ungreased heavy-bottomed pan.  Cook 1 tortilla at a time, about 30 seconds on each side.  Place the cooked tortillas on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.

For the Guacamole:
1 Avocado, halved, pitted, and peeled
1 tablespoon Lime Juice
Pinch of Salt
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Roma Tomato, seeded and diced

Spoon the avocado into a small bowl and mash it with a fork.  Stir in the lime juice and the salt.  Fold in the garlic and tomato.  Taste and adjust the flavors.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside.

For the Filling:
6 ounces Alfalfa Sprouts
1/2 Cucumber, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons Red Onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Cilantro, chopped (I skipped this)
1 Red Chili, seeded and finely chopped (optional-I subbed a pinch of red pepper flakes)

In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients.  Toss to combine and set aside.

To Assemble:
Spread each tortilla with a spoonful of guacamole.  Top with filling, roll up, and enjoy!

Shrimp/Fish Tacos with Jalapeno-Ranch Sauce

We've been getting tons of rain lately, and unfortunately, the forecast is calling for more.  Luckily, we caught a break today so we took advantage of it and grilled up some fish.  I made a variation of these tacos that I found on A Taste of Home Cooking.  I used a combo of shrimp for me and talapia for Joel.  I made a slight change to the original marinade, swapping out garlic powder and cayenne pepper for jerk seasoning.  This made for a perfect, light meal, which we enjoyed with a beer on our patio!

For the Marinade:
1 pound Shrimp, peeled and deveined (we used a combo of shrimp and talapia)
Olive Oil
Juice from half of a Lime
Handful of Penzey's Jerk Seasoning

Combine the shrimp/fish, olive oil, lime juice, and jerk seasoning in a bowl.  Marinate for up to 30 minutes.  Cook the shrimp/fish in a foil packet on a grill.

For the Jalapeno Ranch Sauce:
1 can Chopped Green Chiles
1 packet Ranch Dressing Mix
1 cup Sour Cream

Combine the chiles with the ranch dressing and sour cream in a food processor and blend until smooth.

For the Tacos:
Flour Tortillas
Shredded Lettuce
Diced Tomatoes
Sliced Avocado
Shredded Colby Jack Cheese

To assemble, smear some sauce on the tortilla, top with lettuce, tomato, cheese, avocado, and shrimp/fish.  Drizzle extra sauce over top and serve.

Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls

Every week, we say that we are going to eat healthy, but for one reason or another, it doesn't end up working out.  Either I mindlessly plan a meal that incorporates a whole stick of butter, or we end up going out a few times unexpectedly.   So this week, I put forth a great effort to plan meals that have little to no excess butter or cream.  I found this recipe on Annie's Eats, which came from Ezra Pound Cake.  I liked that they were baked and filled with vegetables.  And since I feel like I have to ease into the whole "healthy" thing, don't mind the cheese.  I couldn't bring myself to leave it out!  But as they always say, everything in moderation, right?  We served these with Joel's favorite salsa that we buy at our Farmers' Market.

2 cups Frozen Corn, thawed
1 (15 ounce) can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10 ounce) package Frozen Spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
1 (4 ounce) can Diced Green Chiles, drained
4 Scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 (16 ounce) package Egg Roll Wrappers (about 15)

In a large bowl, combine everything but the egg roll wrappers.  Mix well to blend.  Lay an egg roll wrapper out onto a work surface so that one of the corners is pointing toward you and place 1/4 cup of the filling in the center.  Fold the tip closest to you up over the filling, roll a bit, and take the points facing outward and fold them in toward the center.  Continue rolling the egg roll until a small tip of the remaining point is still free.  Dip your finger in water or a beaten egg and lightly brush it on the edges of the free corner.  Finish rolling and press to seal closed.  Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.  Lightly oil a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place the sealed egg rolls on the baking sheet seam side down and spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray.  Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until lightly brown, turning half way through baking.  We ended up putting ours under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up.  Serve warm with salsa.

Vegetable Enchiladas

We like Mexican meals just about as much as meatless meals, so when I saw this recipe that blended the two together, I knew I wanted to give it a try.  I found it on My Adventures In Food, which was adapted from Martha Stewart.  At first bite, I wasn't too sure that I was a big fan of this enchilada, but the more I ate, the more I enjoyed it!

4 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Ground Cumin, divided
1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder (we omitted)
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Ground Coriander
1/4 teaspoon Chili Powder (we added)
1/4 cup Flour
3 cups Vegetable Broth
Salt & Pepper
1 Onion, chopped
1 bag Fresh Spinach Leaves
1 (15 ounce) can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can Corn Kernels, drained
3 cups Pepper Jack Cheese, grated
16 (6 inch) Corn Tortillas (we prefer flour, so I bought 8-inch flour tortillas)
Fresh Cilantro, chopped (we omitted)
Scallion, chopped (we added)
Sour Cream, for serving

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat.  Add 2 teaspoons of the cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, coriander, chili powder, flour, and tomato paste.  Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.  Whisk in the broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5-8 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook until softened.  Add the spinach and saute until wilted, about 2 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the black beans, corn, remaining 1 teaspoon of cumin, and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.  Spray a 13x9 glass dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Spoon a bit of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of the pan.  Scoop about 1/3 cup of bean and vegetable mixture into a tortilla and roll it up.  Place the tortilla, seam side down, into the baking dish.  Pour the sauce over the top of the enchiladas.  Top with remaining cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.  Cool for 5 minutes.  Top with sour cream and sprinkle with scallions, if desired.