Easy Chilaquiles

This couldn't be quicker or tastier! Great for a chilly night when you're craving some Mexican flavors, because this is even faster than takeout.

Easy Chilaquiles
2 Tbsp EVOO
3 minced cloves garlic
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes with puree
2 minced chipotle chiles in adobo, plus 1 Tbsp of the adobo
1 cup water
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
3 cooked boneless/skinless chicken breasts, shredded*
4 cups tortilla chips
salt & pepper
fresh cilantro leaves, sour cream, and/or cheese, for serving (all optional)

Add the olive oil and minced garlic to a 3-4 qt pot and cook over medium heat until the garlic starts to sizzle a little and becomes fragrant. Add the tomatoes, chipotles, adobo, water, cumin and coriander. Season well with salt & pepper. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer and let it cook for 6-8 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened and the flavors have all combined. Add in the shredded chicken and heat through.

In each of four bowls, put a handful of tortilla chips, then ladle the sauce and chicken on top. Top with cilantro leaves, sour cream, and cheese if desired (I used queso fresco, a mild Mexican cheese, but you could just use shredded cheddar or jack cheese).

* If I'm really in a rush, I'll just grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and shred the meat off of it, but this time I made chicken stock with a six-pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (they were on sale!). This way I have cooked, shredded meat for easy meals throughout the week, and homemade low-sodium chicken stock.

Chicken Stock
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 carrots, scrubbed but not peeled, cut into chunks
2 celery stalks, scrubbed & cut into chunks
1 yellow onion, cut into chunks
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
3-4 sprigs of thyme leaves
3-4 sprigs of fresh parsley
3 quarts of cold water
1 Tbsp salt

Put everything into a big ol' stockpot and bring to a full boil. Turn the heat down a bit and cook at a low boil, uncovered, for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Remove the chicken breasts and shred them for future use. Strain the rest of the stock through a colander into a large bowl, and then put in plastic containers to store in the freezer. Makes about 6 cups of stock. (Yes, you read that right -- you lose half the volume of your liquid during the process!)

Stuffed Pasilla Peppers

I've been promising to make stuffed peppers for Mr Wonderful ever since he got transferred to the local hospital, in celebration of his massively reduced commute. But the thing is, I hate stuffed peppers. It's basically meatloaf in a green bell pepper. Ick. But the other day I saw a 30 Minute Meals episode where RR makes a poblano pepper stuffed with corn & topped with cheese, and I thought it sounded perfect. Mr Wonderful & I love Mexican food. I decided to change it up a little, though. I had leftover chipotle peppers in adobo and some enchilada sauce (after making Yum Yum Chicken Enchilada Casserole for a friend who just had a baby), and this is what I came up with. It may not be the most photogenic meal I've made, but it is one of the tastiest!

Stuffed Pasilla Peppers
2 pasilla peppers (the store didn't have poblanos, but they would work just fine if you can find them)
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 c frozen corn kernels, defrosted
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatos, drained well
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
2 chipotle peppers in adobo (from a can), minced
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 c shredded cheese (I used bagged Mexican mix, but you can use jack or cheddar or whatever floats your boat)
1 c enchilada sauce
salt & pepper

Preheat the broiler. Wash the peppers and put them (intact) on a baking sheet & pop them under the broiler. Broil for about 10 minutes, turning once or twice to ensure even charring. You want them blistered and blackened just a little bit, but not completely deflated and turned to mush. (Leave the broiler on after taking out the peppers. You'll need it later.)

In a saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and corn. Season with salt & pepper, and allow to brown up just a little. Then add the black beans, tomatoes and cumin. When everything is warmed through, turn off the heat and add the fresh cilantro.

By this time your peppers should have cooled enough to handle. Make a slit from stem to tip (not cutting all the way in half, just slicing the pepper open), and remove the stem and seeds. You should have a kind of floppy pepper "cup". Fill the cup with the corn mixture - really load it in there. Top each pepper with about 3/4 cup cheese. Pop it under the broiler, keeping the door cracked open just a bit so you can keep a close eye on it. Don't let the cheese burn! You just want it to melt and get golden brown.

Heat the enchilada sauce in a pan or in the microwave. When the peppers are finished, plate them up and spoon about 1/2 cup of the warmed enchilada sauce over each one.

Review: Cocina Medina

This is one of my favorite restaurants, and I’m lucky enough to live within walking distance. That’s a very good thing, because their margaritas are excellent. In fact, sometimes the boyfriend and I walk down there, get a pitcher of margaritas to share, and then stumble home afterwards, very satisfied and happily buzzed.

I’ve had their taquitos, camarones (both with the spicy “diablo” sauce and the milder garlic sauce), chimichangas, enchiladas, tamales and chile rellenos. Everything I’ve tried has been fantastic, with the possible exception of the tamale, which was a bit dry. Nothing beats their chile rellenos though…swimming in a smoky mole sauce and filled with molten jack cheese, it’s nothing short of incredible. The chiles always have lots of flavor and retain some “bite” rather than turning to a flavorless mush, like so many others I’ve tried.

If you’re in the area and hankering for a taste of authentic Mexican food served with a smile, give Cocina Medina a try.

Mexican Chicken Chili

A hearty meal that comes together quickly (if you've got your chicken already roasted, that is*).

Mexican Chicken Chili
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 serrano pepper, seeded & minced
2 Tbsp chipotle paste (or one minced canned chipotle pepper with adobo sauce)
1 small can petite diced tomatoes (NOT drained)
1 can corn, drained
2 cans beans, drained (I used one can black beans and one can cannellini beans)
2 roasted chicken breasts, meat shredded
1-2 c chicken stock
salt & pepper

For serving:
Tortilla chips
Chopped green onions
Chopped fresh cilantro
Sour cream
Shredded cheese

Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. Saute the onions for about 4-5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic, serrano pepper, chipotle paste (or chipotle pepper) and season with salt & pepper. Add the can of diced tomatoes (this is a regular-size can, not the big cans of tomatoes, although you could use one of those if you wanted it more tomato-y), the corn, beans, and the shredded cooked chicken. Pour in just enough stock to barely cover everything - it shouldn't take too much as you've also used the liquid from the can of tomatoes. Heat everything through, and then serve with whatever toppings you like. I put chips in the bottom of the bowl and ladled the chili on top, then topped it with cheese, sour cream, cilantro and green onions. Yum!

This is even better the next day, after the flavors get a chance to blend together even more.

*Note: I generally get chicken breasts bone-in and skin-on (on sale at Safeway this week!) and roast them with olive oil, salt & pepper at 400 for about 45 minutes -- until the thermometer beeps & tells me they're done. The chicken is much more juicy when you cook it this way than if you roast a skinless, boneless chicken breast. Then I remove the meat and put it in a plastic container & stick it in the fridge for quick meals during the week. It really simplifies weeknight cooking.

Corn & Black Bean Salad

A fresh, light vegetarian dish that works well as either a side dish or as a healthier alternative to guacamole. Scoop it up with chips, add it to your tacos, spoon it over an enchilada...the possibilities are endless. This veggie-filled dish is a natural for Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day roundup.

Corn & Black Bean Salad
1/2 red onion, diced
1 can sweet corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 basket grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 c chopped cilantro
2 avocados, cut into 1/2" dice
3 limes
1/4 c EVOO
2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chile powder
1 tsp sugar
6-10 shakes Tabasco, any flavor (optional)
salt & pepper

Mix the first five ingredients together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine the juice from the limes, the olive oil, the cumin, chile powder, sugar and Tabasco sauce, if using (I'd use the Chipotle flavor...mmmm...). Whisk vigorously until very well combined and the dressing begins to emulsify. Add the diced avocado to the dressing, and turn gently to coat all the sides (this will prevent the avocado from browning). Pour over the veggies, then salt & pepper the salad liberally and stir thoroughly but gently, to avoid crushing the avocado. Allow the salad to stand at room temperature for at least a half hour so the flavors can blend.

Chicken Mexi-Casserole

This is another one of those simple casseroles with a generic base of noodles and chicken and canned soup. Mr Wonderful loves these, and the kids don't complain about it too much, so I generally consider it a success. ;-) This casserole would also be good with rice instead of pasta. And if our super-picky kids weren't eating it, I would have thrown in a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes for a bit more color & flavor.

Chicken Mexi-Casserole
2 Tbsp EVOO
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 lb chicken breast cutlets, sliced into strips about 1" wide
1 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 lb pasta (I used tri-color rotini), cooked according to package directions
1 can sweet corn
1 small can sliced olives
1 c shredded cheese (I used Mexican mix, but plain Jack or Cheddar would work too)
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onions until translucent (maybe 5 minutes). Add the chicken strips and season with cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika and salt & pepper. Cook just until there's no more pink showing (the chicken will still be undercooked inside). Add the soups, the cooked & drained pasta, the corn, olives and about 3/4 of the cheese. Mix well. Transfer to a large casserole dish (spray with non-stick spray for easy cleanup) and top with the rest of the cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly. You can broil it for a few minutes to make the casserole golden brown on top, if you like.

Mr Wonderful's Comfort Stew

A cross between a stew and a chili...I wanted to pamper Mr Wonderful a little bit at the end of a long, busy weekend, so I set out some chips & salsa and a cold beer for him to snack on while I finished making this "comfort stew" - a rib-sticking Mexican-inspired dish. With the healthy beans, potatoes and tomatoes, this stew will be my contribution to Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day roundup this week.

Mr Wonderful's Comfort Stew
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 diced onion
1 pkg kielbasa (four sausages), sliced lengthwise and then cut into 1/2" slices
2 russet potatoes, cut into about 1 1/2" dice
1 can black beans, drained
1 can white (navy or cannelini) beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 c pork broth (use chicken if you can't find pork)
1 Tbsp Sriracha
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 c thinly sliced green onion
salt & pepper
Shredded cheese, for serving (cheddar, jack, or similar) -- optional
Sour cream, for serving -- optional

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the kielbasa and saute until it gets a little golden brown. Add the diced potatoes, season liberally with salt & pepper, and saute for about 5 minutes, until they start to turn golden brown. Add the two cans of beans, the can of tomatoes, the cumin, garlic powder (or fresh garlic; I was just being lazy), the cup of broth and the Sriracha. Add enough water just to cover the stew, and raise the heat up to medium high. When the stew just starts to boil, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the stew has thickened. Taste for seasonings & adjust as needed. Add the cilantro and green onion at the very end.

Ladle into bowls, topping each bowl with cheese and/or sour cream if you like (we added a little dollop of sour cream to each bowl and the cool creamy goodness was the perfect counterpoint to the spicy stew).

Guacamole

Guacamole
Originally uploaded by snarkmeister.

The quintessential Cinco de Mayo dish...just a couple days late.

Guacamole

4 ripe avocados
juice of 1 lime
1/4 c diced onion
1/4 c diced tomato
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 chopped fresh cilantro
salt & pepper

Remove the flesh from the avocado skins, discarding the pits and scraping off any brown spots. Mash it gently with a fork, and then pour the lime juice over it. Add the onion, tomato, garlic, cilantro and salt & pepper to taste. Mix well, and serve with your favorite corn chips.

Yum Yum Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Dinner 05/01/07
Originally uploaded by snarkmeister.

I made the fabulous Yum Yum Chicken Enchilada Casserole again on Tuesday, and got a picture this time. It may not look like much, but let me tell you....D ate half the pan in one sitting (and this amount could easily serve 4-6 people), and polished off the leftovers the next day for lunch. This is GOOD STUFF, y'all.

But definitely not safe for dieters. ;-)

Yum Yum Chicken Enchilada Casserole

My sister and her family came over yesterday for a visit. They are moving from Phoenix to Portland, and I was sorta kinda on the way. ;-) It was great to catch up with my sister, because I just don't see her very often; once a year is about all we can manage. Her daughter, who is autistic, has made a LOT of progress since the last time I saw her, and I was really enjoying spending some quality time with my niece. I didn't get to spend as much time with my BIL and my nephew, as they took off to visit BIL's Bay Area friends shortly after they arrived.

Anyhoo, I thought about making chicken enchiladas but then discovered that I didn't have enough tortillas to make enough for us all. So Sister & I improvised, and came up with the NOT DIET-FRIENDLY Yum Yum Chicken Enchilada Casserole:

2 cooked chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 jar enchilada sauce
2-3 tortillas, cut into strips
Shredded cheddar (or Jack, or Mexican Mix - whatever you have) cheese
Fritos
Sour cream (optional - for serving)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Take the 2 chicken breasts & shred the meat with forks. Mix together the can of soup, plus 2 or 3 chiles (minced) and a little of the adobo sauce (you will have TONS of the chiles left over; save them for another recipe). Mix enough of the soup/chile sauce in with the shredded chicken to make it like chicken salad or tuna salad consistency. You don't want your chicken swimming in the soup stuff, but you need enough to keep the meat moist & tasty.

Spray a 9" square casserole dish with nonstick spray. Pour in enough enchilada sauce to lightly coat the bottom of the dish. Lay slices of tortilla over the sauce to cover, then carefully spread the chicken/soup mixture over it. Top with more sliced tortillas. Pour more enchilada sauce on top (you'll probably have a lot left over - I think I used half a jar). Then add a layer of shredded cheese. Finally, crunch up some Fritos and put them on the very top. Pop it in the oven for about 30 minutes, until the cheese and sauce is bubbly. Then broil the casserole for a couple minutes to make the Fritos golden brown. Serve with sour cream. Will serve 4-6, depending on how often you go back for more. Heh.