Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

Merry March, Marvelous Munchers! I am a little late on a monthly updating, but I was reminded of this dish when my friend Chris was looking for something simple to make that differed from his usual chicken and rice or chicken and salad. Chris, this one is for you: I promised easy... just not quick ;)

What you’ll need:

Skillet (larger than your tortillas)

Glass or Metal baking dish (I use a Pyrex glass 9” x 13” baking dish)

Spatula

Plate (Larger than your tortillas)

Tongs

 

Ingredients:

½ Pre-Roasted Chicken, Shredded

Small Can Green Enchilada Sauce (Las Palmas is pretty good but use Hatch if you can get it)

12-16 Small Tortillas (I prefer yellow corn, but your choice)

Olive Oil (you can use any oil you prefer)

1 Cup Onion, julienned

2 cloves Garlic, sliced or minced

1 tsp Coriander

1 tsp Marjoram

1 tsp Chili Powder

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Cayenne Powder

½ tsp Salt

Cilantro (optional, fresh chopped is the best)

1 small can Black Olives, sliced and pitted (optional)

1 Cup? Cheese, grated (optional and to taste - Swiss would probably be a good one for this)

Optional toppings:

Onions, diced

Sour Cream

1. Heat 2 Tablespoons of Olive oil in the skillet pan. Once hot, add the spices, onions, and garlic and sautee on medium heat until glassy. Remove to a holding dish using the tongs (or a fork). Leave the spice/oil mixture in the pan!

2. Add a little of the enchilada sauce to the plate and pour in enough to coat the bottom of your bake pan.

3. Add more Olive oil to the pan so that it is ¼” thick in the pan. Heat until oil is shimmering. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

4. Heat a tortilla in the oil until bubbly on one side, then use the spatula to flip. Heat the tortilla until bubbling. Using the tongs or Spatula, remove the tortilla from the oil, allowing excess oil to drip off. You may need to add oil as you go, just wait until it has heated up entirely before continuing.

5. Dip the tortilla in the sauce on the plate so that the enchilada sauce coats both sides (You may need to add more sauce to the plate every couple of enchiladas).

6. Place a few bite sized pieces of Chicken, a fork full of onion/garlic mixture, a few olives, cilantro, and a sprinkle of cheese into the center of the tortilla. Roll into a tube (or fold in half) and place into the baking dish.

7. Repeat steps 4 – 6 until your baking dish is full.

8. Pour what’s left of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, along with a sprinkling olives and more cheese.

9. Bake in the oven uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

10. Remove from heat and serve with your favorite topping!

This recipe is very loosely structured. You can make a lot of enchiladas without increasing the spices. What I have included here usually leaves me with a little extra spice/oil combo. Also, as I can’t eat cheese, I don’t cook with it. You’ll have to figure out how much you want to add. For the chicken, any flavor will do but I would avoid the BBQ ones because I find it clashes with the flavors in this recipe. My local grocery store has  Lemon and Garlic flavored varieties that I found taste excellent. If you want a little more heat, try julienning (thin slices) some Anaheim, Jalepeno, Hatch green, or Sorrento peppers and sautéing them in with the onions and garlic, or increase the chili powder/cayenne amounts. If you like less heat, forgo both the cayenne and the chili powder altogether. For those of you that like the red enchilada sauce better, feel free to substitute. I happen to think the green tastes better without the cheese. 

This recipe takes a little longer to make, as you have to hand assemble all of the enchiladas, but I find that it is worth it.  It usually costs me about $12 dollars to make 12-16 enchiladas. You can easily make twice as many for roughly $3 more by doubling the chicken, onions, and garlic and using a large can of sauce. I tend to use the other half of the chicken to make my pasta salad instead. 16 enchiladas feeds me for days.. Enjoy!

~Tiffens

Homemade Honey Jalapeno Chili (aka Alliteration Chili)

After taking a Holiday Hiatus, we are back with a few new recipes to try! In honor of the cold weather, here is my newest attempt at homemade chili:

What you'll need:
Crock pot (mine is a 4 quart model)
Large Skillet/Fry Pan

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 large Onion, diced
3 cloves Garlic, diced
2 Tablespoons Honey
1 pound Mince Pork (or your favorite mince meat)
1 pound Hot Italian Sausage, de-cased and crumbled
1 can of Diced Tomatoes (28 ounce), drained
1/4 cup Green Enchilada Sauce (optional)
1 can Pinto beans (14 ounce), drained
1 can Black beans (14 ounce), drained
1 can Kidney beans (14 ounce), drained
2 Jalapeno peppers (or your favorite varietal), de-seeded and diced
1 Red Bell pepper, chopped
1 Tablespoon Crushed Red Pepper flakes
1/2 Tablespoon Chili powder
1/2 Tablespoon Cayenne powder
1 Tablespoon Paprika
1 Tablespoon Oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In the skillet, saute the onion, garlic, bell pepper and jalapenos in heated olive oil. As the onions turn glassy, stir in the honey and all of the spices. Let simmer for about a minute.
2. Pour the vegetable and spice mixture into your slow cooker. Stir in the cans of tomatoes and beans.
3. In the same skillet (without cleaning it), brown up your mince meats. You shouldn't need more oil.
4. Add the meat to the slow cooker. At this point the chili looks very chunky and dry. Do not add water! As it cooks, the moisture in the ingredients will moisten the mixture. If you add water, it will be too runny!
5. Cook on low for about 8 hours. It will be ready to eat after about 2 hours on high, but this really tastes better the longer and lower its cooked.

Serve in a bowl with your favorite garnishes (diced onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, cornbread, etc.). I found this tastes really good with a nice piece buttered sourdough bread.

It cost me about $12 to make this and fed me for three days (about 8 large bowls). I like a little heat in my chili and found that the jalapenos without their seeds created a nice moderate burn. If you like it less spicy, try a milder pepper like New Mexico Hatch Green Chilis or Anaheim Chilis and decrease the amount of chili/cayenne/red chili flakes. If you like it hotter, try Serrano Chilis and increasing the spicy herbs.

~Tiffens

Comfort Food a la JP McCanna

If you are as big of a fan as I am of Mashed Potatoes, Red Wine and red meat, you will love this hearty dish. I got the idea for this recipe from one of my college roommates. I had several unsuccessful attempts before I figured out what went into the pot to make this comfort food classic.

What you'll need:
Large 4+ quart pot
Medium 2-3 quart pot
Strainer
Potato Masher

Ingredients for the steak and sauce:
~2 pounds flank steak (sometimes sold as "London Broil")
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup red wine (I like a mellow earthy Merlot for this, but you can skip it altogether if you so choose)
1 tablespoon marjoram
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
pinch cinnamon powder (optional)
pinch ginger powder (optional)
1-2 large bay leaves (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

For the mashed potatoes:
2-4 large Russet potatoes
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and whole (these are merely boiled in the water with the potatoes, but removed before straining)
4 tablespoons butter
pinch of parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
(or if there's a way you like to make mashed potatoes more, feel free)

*Make the potatoes as you normally would (boil, strain, mash) and include the rest of the ingredients while mashing. If you are using a food processor to mash your potatoes, the garlic will be nice and soft at this point and can be left in the mixture. Otherwise, if you are mashing by hand (as I must) you will get large chunks.

1. Coat the steak with liberal salt and pepper. Heat up the olive oil on high, or medium-high, in the larger pot until it is fuming. Sear the steak on one side in the oil until some parts are nice and caramelized. Flip and repeat.
2. Once both sides of the steak are done, remove from the heat to a plate and let the meat set for now. Turn the heat to medium instead of turning it off. In the larger pot, add the red wine. Make sure to scrape any of the steak bits off the pan and into the wine. Reduce for a couple of minutes and then add the red chili flakes, chili powder, turmeric, marjoram, bay leaves, cinnamon, and ginger. Boil down for a few more minutes.
3. Slowly add the crushed tomatoes to the wine reduction. Bring back to a boil. At this point, you can add corn starch or the likes to thicken up the sauce.
4. Add the flank steak to the boiling mixture, turn the heat to medium-low or low and simmer covered for the next hour and a half to two hours. Make sure to stir the sauce occasionally and flip the meat every half hour. If you want more tender meat, opt to simmer it for longer. It should fall apart with the pressure of a fork when done.

Serve the sauce and a healthy cut of the steak over a large spoonful of mashed potatoes (they are meant to be mixed together). I like to add some corn to the mixture (kernel, cob, etc.) along with a glass of the Merlot.

My cost to make this, including the wine: $14 for 3-5 servings (please keep in mind that I do not include the herbs in this calculation, as I stock these regularly regardless of the dish).

~Tiffens

Back to School Sniffle Cure

Here's a twist on a fall favorite: Chicken Noodle Soup.

Whenever I am feeling under the weather, I like to cook myself up a big batch of homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. What I am including here is a personal recipe based roughly on the Food Network's online recipe cache along with their broadcasted episodes of a smorgasbord of shows and the ingredients listed on the back of commercially available canned soups. I recommend THIS recipe over all canned soups, because it costs about 1/billionth of the price, and tastes exponentially better.

What you need:
A large skillet/fry pan
A 4+ quart pot (good for stock)

Makes about 10 cups of soup.

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (I personally like mine thinly sliced)
1 large lime juiced, split into two portions.
1 cup white wine (This is entirely optional...I prefer a nice crisp Pinot Grigio, but dealer's choice)
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 full Chicken breast (both sides! or your favorite bits of the bird)
1 can diced/minced Green Chili (El Paso is a pretty good brand for these)
3 whole bay leaves
1 Tablespoon Tarragon, split in 2 servings of 1/2 Tablespoon
1 Tablespoon Parsley, split in 2 servings of 1/2 Tablespoon
1 Tablespoon Thyme, split in 2 servings of 1/2 Tablespoon
Pinch Crushed Red Chili Pepper
12 Cups Chicken stock (I make mine using tap water and "Better Than Bouillon" paste)
1/2 lb (one bag) egg noodles
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. In the 4 quart pot, make the chicken stock according to your favorite method. Add the bay leaves and half of the Lime juice, Tarragon, Thyme, and Parsley to the stock and simmer on Medium, stirring occasionally. This should come to a slow boil for the rest of the cooking time.
2. In the fry pan, heat the olive oil on high until fuming. Add the onion and sautee until sweating, then add the garlic. After about a minute, turn the heat down to medium and add the chicken breast/pieces and the rest of the Lime juice, Tarragon, Thyme, and Parsley. Brown chicken on one side and then flip.
3. After flipping, add the green chili. Simmer covered until the chicken is no longer pink inside.
4. Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Turn the heat down to low, add the white wine, carrots and celery. Reduce the mixture to a sauce (takes about 5 minutes). If you aren't using wine, use a little bit of the stock that has been simmering in the 4qt pot.
5. Add the sauce and chicken to the stock pot and allow to come back to a boil.
6. Once the stock pot mixture is boiling, add the egg noodles and salt and pepper to taste. After about 15 minutes, the noodles should be tender enough to serve (You can always add the noodles later to decrease their cooking time and serve when the noodles are al dente, according to your preference). This goes best when served with saltines or a good baguette.

My cost for making this, including the wine: $15 (the herbs are kept in stock regularly and not calculated into the cost).

I find that the longer this simmers, the better it tastes. I really recommend letting it sit in the fridge overnight, and then reheating it before serving.

~Tiffens

Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli

I found this recipe in Real Simple magazine last year, and make it at least 3 times a month because I love it so much! Such good leftovers! I hope that you try it at least once!!

Hands On Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Serves 4

12 ounces rigatoni (about 4 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 med sweet onion, sliced
6 fully cooked chicken sausage links sliced into bite sized pieces (I really like the gluten free "al fresco" Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage)
1 small head of broccoli, cut into florets with stems (small bite sized pieces)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (1 oz)
1 1/4 cups water

Large skillet with lid
large pot

Cook the pasta according to directions. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook the onion, stirring often, for 3 minutes.
Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until browned, 2-3 minutes.
Add the broccoli and water and simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, 5-6 minutes.
Toss the pasta with the sausage mixture and any remaining liquid. Add the Parmesan.

Enjoy!!

-Niffers

Niffers and Tiffens: Summertime Pasta Salad

Food and money go hand in hand, and since we are both on a pretty tight budget, this blog is meant to share recipes that are pocketbook friendly and delicious!

So the very first recipe is one that stemmed from our childhood; the incredibly easy and ever so scrumptious Summertime Pasta Salad.

Ingredients:
1 box tri colored rotini
1/2 c baby carrots- cut into small bite sized pieces
2-3 pieces of celery- cut into small bite sized pieces
1/2 red and/or green bell pepper- cut into small bite sized pieces
1/4 c broccoli- cut into small bite sized pieces
any other veg you may want to add 
1 1/2 heaping spoonfuls of mayonnaise (to taste)
Italian dressing
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Boil pasta until al dente (follow directions on the box), drain and cool.
Once the pasta is drained and cooled a bit, put into a large glass bowl, add the vegetables and mix together. Next, add the mayonnaise and mix together.
Refrigerate until cool. Top with your favorite Italian dressing and fresh Parmesan cheese!

Viola! An easy and filling summertime dish that will last a couple of meals!

~Niffers