Chicken Enchiladas

Pretty good. I couldn't find salsa verde though, so I'd be interested to try it again once I can.

Chicken Enchiladas

Courtesy of Cooking Light

4 cups cold water

2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth 

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

5 garlic cloves, crushed 

2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 

1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped 

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 jalapeno pepper, halved

1/2 medium onion, cut into wedges 

1 (7-ounce) can salsa verde

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup chopped seeded tomato 

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

4 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened 

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Cooking spray 

1 ounce sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/4 cup)

Combine first 9 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a simmer. Cook 8 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan using a slotted spoon; let stand 10 minutes. Shred the chicken, and set aside. Drain cooking liquid through a sieve over a bowl; reserve cooking liquid. Discard solids.

Combine reserved cooking liquid and salsa verde in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups (about 30 minutes). Reduce heat to low; stir in whipping cream. Place pan over low heat.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place chicken in a medium bowl. Add tomato and next 5 ingredients (through cream cheese) to chicken; toss. Dip each tortilla in sauce mixture for 10 seconds. Fill each tortilla with about 1/3 cup chicken mixture; roll up. Arrange filled tortillas, seam side down, in an 11 x 7–inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon sauce over tortillas; top evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Mexican Chorizo and Sweet Potato Soup

I wanted more from this soup. It wasn't bad, per say, but it needed something.

Mexican Chorizo and Sweet Potato Soup
Courtesy of Food Network Magazine

6 corn tortillas, cut into strips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt
3/4 pound fresh chorizo or other spicy sausage, casings removed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 cups baby spinach
Juice of 1 lime
3/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
1 avocado, halved, pitted and chopped

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Toss the tortilla strips with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil on a baking sheet, spread in a single layer and bake until crisp and golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cumin and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add the sweet potato, chicken broth, tomatoes and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the sweet potato is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the spinach and lime juice and season with salt. Divide among bowls and top with the tortilla strips, cilantro and avocado.

Cheesy Corn Cakes with Spicy Avocado Salsa

So good. Pretty easy too, as long as you can get perfectly ripe avocados. Which, as we all know, happens in about a 10-minute time frame.

Cheesy Corn Cakes with Spicy Avocado Salsa
Courtesy of Simply Delicious

For cakes:
2 cups corn
14.11-oz can creamed corn
2 eggs
1½ cups grated cheddar
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup milk

For the spicy avocado salsa:
2 avocados, chopped
1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped (remove seeds if you don’t like it hot)
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh coriander, to serve

In a large bowl, combine the corn kernels, creamed corn, eggs, cheddar, smoked paprika and salt and mix well. Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix well. Slowly stir in the milk until the batter is not too thick and drops off a spoon easily. (It should also not be so thin that it spreads too much when you fry the cakes.)

Heat a large frying pan and add some oil. Fry spoonfuls of the batter until bubbles appear at the top and flip. Allow to cook on the other side. Remove from the pan once cooked and place on some kitchen paper to drain.

In the meantime, combine all the ingredients for the salsa and mix well.

When all the cakes have been cooked, serve them with the salsa, extra lemon wedges and fresh coriander.

Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken

Another yummy crockpot meal that's super easy to put together and have ready on busy weekday evenings. We made it into soft tacos by adding it to tortillas and sprinkling with cheese.

Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken
Courtesy of Just Us and the Many Miles Traveled

One 24-ounce jar medium or mild salsa
Juice from one lime
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
One package taco seasoning
2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (optional)
4-6 boneless chicken breasts

Add all ingredients to crockpot, mix, cover, and cook on low for 6 hours.

Taco Cupcakes

These would be great for a party. So tasty and not terribly difficult to make. Just a little prep and assembly. Worth the work.

Taco Cupcakes

A variation on this recipe from Just Us and the Many "Miles" Traveled

3 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound ground chicken

2 tablespoons taco seasoning 

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed 

48 wonton wrappers 

1/2 cup salsa con queso 

1/2 cup chunky salsa 

1 cup reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese 

Guacamole, for serving

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly mist a muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.  

Heat olive oil in a sauté pan or large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground chicken and taco seasoning and brown, breaking it with a spoon. Add black beans and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until warm.

Push a wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the sprayed cups in the muffin tin. Spoon a teaspoon of

queso into each wonton wrapper and spread across the bottom.

Follow by spooning some of the meat/beans mixture into each cup (about two teaspoons) and then spooning a teaspoon or so of salsa on top of that. Sprinkle a pinch of the cheese evenly over the top of each cup.

Press another wonton wrapper on top and repeat the layering steps with the remaining ingredients.

Bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

Chicken Fajitas with Mexican Black Beans and Rice

I decided to make our last Sunday dinner a little easier by making it, primarily, a crockpot meal. And it was pretty tasty. The chicken itself wasn't my favorite. I definitely prefer the grilled/sautéed chicken I've had when I've had fajitas at a restaurant. The black beans and rice were quite good though. I've been enjoying having the leftovers with a little shredded cheese on top.



Chicken Fajitas
Courtesy of Stacy Makes Cents

1 yellow onion, sliced
3 sweet peppers, sliced
1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breast or thighs
½ cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cumin
1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
Squirt of lime juice
Tortillas
Fajita fixings

Combine sliced onion and peppers in the bottom of a greased crockpot. Lay chicken on top of veggies. Pour chicken broth over top. Sprinkle everything with cumin, salt, and chili powder. Give a nice quirt of lime juice over the top. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. When meat is done, shred with two forks and stir back into juices. Serve meat mixture with slotted spoon on tortillas with your choice of fixings.

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Mexican Rice
Courtesy of The Pioneer Woman

2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 whole large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups long grain rice
1 can Rotel (10 ounces)
1 can whole tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
2 cups low sodium chicken broth (more if needed)
1 teaspoon cumin (more to taste)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions and garlic, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add rice and garlic. Stir constantly, making sure the rice doesn’t burn. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Add Rotel and tomatoes. Stir to combine and let cook for 2 minutes. Finally, add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 additional minutes or until rice is done. Add more liquid as needed; rice shouldn’t be sticky.

Just before serving, sprinkle lots of freshly chopped cilantro over the top. Serve immediately.

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Mexican Black Beans
Courtesy of Bon Appétit

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large jalapeño chili, seeded, chopped
1/2 teaspoon (generous) ground cumin
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed, drained
1 14 1/2-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
Fresh lime juice
Chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, chili and cumin and sauté 30 seconds. Add beans and broth and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Coarsely mash beans with potato masher. Continue boiling until thick, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Chipotle Bean Burritos

This is a very easy and tasty recipe. If you want to stretch it, you can make some rice to add to the burritos. Or some guacamole. Even though I made it on a nice cool day, this is definitely a perfect Summer dish since it doesn't require a lot of time using the stove.

Chipotle Bean Burritos
Courtesy of Cooking Light



1 tablespoon canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can organic black beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can organic kidney beans, drained
3 tablespoons refrigerated fresh salsa
6 (10-inch) reduced-fat flour tortillas (such as Mission)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomato (about 3)
1 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
6 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
6 tablespoons light sour cream (I used Greek yogurt)

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in chile powder and salt; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/3 cup water and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in salsa. Partially mash bean mixture with a fork.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/3 cup bean mixture into center of each tortilla. Top each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons cheese, 1/4 cup tomato, 1/4 cup lettuce, 1 tablespoon onions, and 1 tablespoon sour cream; roll up.

Tex-Mex Barley Bake

I'm pleasantly surprised by this dish. While I was making it, I just wasn't sure I'd like it. But really, it's just like eating tasty innards of a burrito, topped with crunchy, cheesy nachos. There ain't nothing wrong with that.

Tex-Mex Barley Bake
Courtesy of Rachael Ray



2/3 cup pearled barley
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/4 cups milk, warmed
3 cups shredded pepper jack cheese (about 12 ounces)
Salt and pepper
2 cups crushed tortilla chips

In a small saucepan, bring 3 cups water to a boil; add the barley, lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Drain, transfer to a bowl and let cool. Reserve the saucepan.

Meanwhile, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425°. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat; add the sugar snap peas, scallions and 1/2 cup water. Boil to evaporate the water. Stir into the barley with the corn, black beans and tomatoes.

Using the same saucepan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour for 1 minute; slowly whisk in the warmed milk and bring to a simmer, then cook for 1 minute more. Stir in 2 cups cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir this into the barley mixture; transfer to a shallow 3-quart baking dish.

Cover with foil and bake for 18 minutes. Sprinkle the chips and remaining 1 cup cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and the chips are toasted, 10 to 15 minutes.

Chicken Enchiladas

These are delicious. And really easy to make.

The only thing I changed from the original recipe is adding some time to let the mixture simmer enough to thicken it up before rolling it up in the tortillas. I read the reviews that other people hadn't done that and ended up with really liquidy enchiladas. By letting it simmer a bit, the mixture was thick enough to hold the enchiladas together a little more successfully.

Edited to add: This recipe can be made into a vegetarian dish very easily. I omitted the chicken and instead added a can of drained and rinsed black beans and an entire chopped green pepper rather than the original 1/3 cup. The filling could probably stand another can of black beans, but it was very good even with just the one can.

Chicken Enchiladas
A variation on this recipe from allrecipes.com



4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 onion, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
8 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 (12-ounce) jar taco sauce
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC).

In a medium, non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear. Drain excess fat. Cube the chicken and return it to the skillet. Add the onion, black beans, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano and ground black pepper. Heat until cheese melts. Stir in salt, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, green pepper and garlic. Simmer until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.

Roll even amounts of the mixture in the tortillas. Arrange in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with taco sauce and 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Black Bean and Chicken Chilaquiles

Eh. This was a bit on the dry side. Even though it tasted good, I've had other similar dishes that were better.

I made some substitutions since I couldn't find salsa de chile fresco (I used salsa de tomate instead) or queso blanco (I used Monterey Jack instead). I don't know if these substitutions made a huge difference in the moisture or taste level, but I'm not sure I'll try again to find out.

Black Bean and Chicken Chilaquiles
Courtesy of Cooking Light



Cooking spray
1 cup thinly sliced onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (7 3/4-ounce) can salsa de chile fresco (such as El Pato)
15 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
1 cup shredded queso blanco (about 4 ounces)

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add chicken; cook 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl; stir in beans. Add broth and salsa to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Place half of tortilla strips in bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer half of chicken mixture over tortillas; top with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture. Pour broth mixture evenly over chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until tortillas are lightly browned and cheese is melted.

Enchilada Stew

The original recipe for this one was supposed to be more of a chili, but since I didn't use the chicken and ended up with a much more liquid dish, I figured I'd changed it from a chili to a stew.

I also used black beans because I like them better than pinto or kidney beans.

It's very tasty and extremely simple to make. The recommended garnishes are definitely a must too. And maybe next time I'll make some corn bread to go with it. Or maybe even just some warmed corn tortillas.

Enchilada Stew
A variation on this recipe from crockpot365.blogspot.com



1 1/2 cups prepared enchilada sauce
2 chopped celery stalks
2 (14.5 oz) cans tomatoes with seasoning (I used fire-roasted with garlic)
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, undrained
1 onion, diced
1-2 teaspoons chili powder (it all depends on how spicy you want to make it)
1 teaspoon cumin
Shredded Mexican-style cheese
Sour cream

Pour enchilada sauce and canned tomatoes into the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker. Add beans, celery, onion and spices. Stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until flavors have combined.

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Quesadilla Casserole

Another recipe made in the Fall. It should definitely be eaten all on the first day/night it's made. The leftovers just didn't taste as good. It was good the first go-round though. Easy, inexpensive, and tasty.

Quesadilla Casserole
Courtesy of Rachael Ray



3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
One 29-ounce can black beans, drained, 1/2 cup liquid reserved
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Five 10-inch flour tortillas
8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 cup store-bought green enchilada sauce

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups black beans and mash into a chunky paste. Stir in the reserved liquid.

Grease a heavy, ovenproof skillet. In a bowl, combine the corn, parsley and remaining black beans. Place a tortilla in the skillet and spread with 1/3 cup mashed black bean mixture. Top with 2/3 cup corn-bean mixture and 1/2 cup cheese. Press to compress the layers. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, mashed black beans, corn-bean mixture and cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through, about 30 minutes. Transfer to the broiler and cook for 1 minute. Serve with the enchilada sauce.

Chipotle Black Bean Soft Tacos with Guacamole and Tortilla Chips

Jonathan wasn't crazy about these since he usually wants something with a little more "tooth" to it. But since I usually get vegetarian soft tacos when we go to Mexican fast food places, it was good for me.

I did end up using two cans of black beans rather than a mixture of black and kidney beans since that's what I had in the house already. I also made this meal into soft tacos instead of the burritos that the original recipe calls for since I got tortillas that were too small.

The guacamole was also very good. Though I think I may have used too much garlic (did I just say that?)... I doubled the recipe, but I think I could have halved the garlic I used and been good to go.

The homemade tortillas are kind of awesome. I highly recommend trying them. The original recipe calls for corn tortillas, but I only had flour ones. I think the corn ones would have made them even tastier.

Chipotle Black Bean Soft Tacos
A variation on this recipe from Cooking Light



1 tablespoon canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained
3 tablespoons refrigerated fresh salsa
6 flour tortillas
1 cup (4 ounces) pre-shredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomato (about 3)
1 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
6 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
6 tablespoons light sour cream

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in chile powder and salt; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/3 cup water and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in salsa. Partially mash bean mixture with a fork.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about bean mixture into center of each tortilla. Top each serving with about cheese, tomato, lettuce, onions, and sour cream.

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Guacamole

2 ripe peeled avocados, seeded and coarsely mashed
2 tablespoons red onion, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 small jalapeño, minced
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

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Tortilla Chips
Courtesy of FoodNetwork.com

4 corn tortillas
1 teaspoon canola oil
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Lightly brush one side of each tortilla with about 1/4 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Stack the tortillas and cut into 8 wedges; arrange on prepared baking sheets. Bake until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.

Black-Bean Salsa Chili

This was a wonderful thing to have on a chilly night. The garnish really does give it a whole other dimension. And it went very well with the Honey Cornbread Muffins I'd made before.

My only modifications were that I used olive oil rather than cooking spray, and I used 1 tablespoon of chili powder rather than the 1 1/2 that's called for in the original recipe. I don't think the additional 1/2 tablespoon would have made it too spicy, so I may have been unnecessarily cautious.

Black-Bean Salsa Chili
Courtesy of Cooking Light



2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
Cooking spray
1/2 pound ground turkey
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 sweet hickory-smoked bacon slices, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups mild salsa
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

Combine 1 1/2 cups beans, 2/3 cup water, and sugar in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine bean puree and remaining beans in a bowl.

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add turkey; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove turkey from pan.

Add onion, bell peppers, and bacon to pan; cook 5 minutes or until bacon and onion are lightly browned. Return turkey to pan. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, and crushed red pepper to pan; stir well to coat. Stir in bean mixture, salsa, tomato paste, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine sour cream, cilantro, and juice in a small bowl. Serve chili with sour cream mixture.

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Beans and Rice

I must be on a beans and rice kick... Though this is a vegetarian variation on a chicken dish, so I wasn't sure what else to call it.

This is very good and very easy. Good leftovers too.

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Beans and Rice
A variation on this recipe from Kraft Foods



2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
2 tablespoons flour
1 each green and red pepper, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
1 cup frozen corn
1 15-oz can black beans, drained
1 1/2 cups salsa
3 cups cooked rice
1 cup Mexican-style finely shredded cheese
Green onions, sliced

Combine first 6 ingredients in crock pot. Cover with lid.

Cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours (or on HIGH 3 to 4 hours).

Stir just before serving over rice; top with shredded cheese and green onions.

Spicy Black Bean-Corn Casserole

I received a new Cooking Light cookbook from my in-laws for my birthday. It's specifically for slow cooker recipes... So I really shouldn't have been shocked when my father-in-law disappeared after giving me the cookbook and reappeared with a new slow cooker. They have always been very generous about gifts, but when I started to show a love of cooking, they've shown extra generosity in the form of kitchen supplies. They joke that they're reaping the benefits.

This was my first recipe in my new slow cooker. I was extremely pleased -- with the slow cooker and the meal. I made a couple of changes, freshened things up a bit. For example, I used fresh jalapeño peppers in place of canned green chiles. And since I needed fresh corn for another recipe, I just got an extra ear, cut off the corn kernels and then chopped up some red and green peppers in place of the canned version. I also went with an egg instead of the egg substitute.

I can't find the original recipe online, but if you're interested in seeing it and finding lots of other new slow cooker recipes, this is a great cookbook.

Spicy Black Bean-Corn Casserole
A variation on a recipe from Cooking Light Cook's Essential Recipe Collection: Slow Cooker



3 tablespoons diced jalapeños, divided
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 ear corn, kernels removed
1/2 green pepper
1/2 red pepper
1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce
1 egg
1 8.5-ounce package corn muffin mix
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons chopped bottled roasted red peppers
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Mexican blend or Cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Thinly sliced fresh cilantro

Place 2 tablespoons jalapeños and next 6 ingredients in slow cooker; stir well. Cover and cook on LOW 4 hours.

Combine remaining 1 tablespoon jalapeños, egg, muffin mix, milk, and roasted red peppers in a bowl. Spoon batter evenly over bean mixture in cooker. Cover and cook 1 hour or until corn bread is done.

Sprinkle cheese over corn bread. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Top each serving with sour cream and sprinkle with cilantro.

Layered Enchilada Bake

We have a few very busy weekends coming up, so I'm cooking during the week. *GASP!* It's a bit harder since the kids are running around while I'm trying to do something productive (a near-impossible feat, indeed), so I'm going with easier meals... Such as this really yummy one.

I've made this several times before and am switching things up a bit. I've always substituted ground turkey for the ground beef since we're not big beef-eaters. I tried it before with homemade Italian dressing, and it was good (I'm using store-bought this time). And I used to put the sour cream in, like the original recipe calls for, but it made it kind of goopy. So, upon my husband's request, I'm just going to use the sour cream as garnish.

This is also really good to make ahead of time. Once assembled, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat it, you just bake it at 400ºF, covered, for 1 hour. Then, remove foil, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Layered Enchilada Bake
A variation on this recipe from Kraft Foods

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups salsa
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained, rinsed
1/4 cup Zesty Italian Dressing
2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
6 flour tortillas (8-inch)
1 cup sour cream
1 package (8 ounces) Mexican-style finely shredded cheese

Heat oven to 400ºF. Brown meat with onions in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Add salsa, beans, dressing and seasoning mix; mix well.

Arrange 3 tortillas in single layer on bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with layers of 1/2 each of the meat mixture and cheese. Repeat all layers. Cover with foil.

Bake, covered, 30 minutes. Remove foil. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting to serve.

Chicken Enchiladas and Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)

It was Super Bowl Sunday a little over a week ago, and what was I cooking? I think kind of unusual things for that particular day, and we didn't actually eat any of it before or during game time. I just thought I should cook since it was a Sunday (my usual cooking day) and Super Bowl Sunday. I feel like if I'm not going to really care about the game (once the Eagles were out, I lost interest altogether), I should at least make the house smell good. And I did.

Chicken Enchiladas
A variation on this recipe by Tyler Florence

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast, each breast cut in half
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon Cajun spice
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
5 canned whole green chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped (I used these but think fresh jalapeños could have worked well too)
1-2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder (or more, depending on your spice preference)
1 (28-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
16 corn tortillas (I used these but think I may have liked flour tortillas better. Or maybe I just needed better-quality corn ones?)
3 cups enchilada sauce, canned
1 cup shredded Cheddar and Jack cheeses
Garnish: chopped cilantro leaves, chopped scallions, sour cream

Coat large sauté pan with oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken over medium heat, allow 7-8 minutes each side or until no longer pink. Sprinkle chicken with cumin, garlic powder and Cajun spice before turning. Remove chicken to a platter, allow to cool.

Sauté onion and garlic in chicken drippings until tender. Add corn, chiles, and chipotle chili powder. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes, sauté 1 minute.

Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips. Add shredded chicken to sauté 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 350ºF oven until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro, scallion, and sour cream before serving.

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Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)
A variation on this recipe from 365crockpot.blogspot.com

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 onion, sliced
6 garlic cloves, chopped
4 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon cardamom
2 teaspoons curry
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 can coconut milk
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup frozen peas

Use a 5 quart or larger crockpot. Put chicken in crockpot, and add onion, garlic, and all of the dry spices. Plop in the butter and tomato paste. Add lemon juice and coconut milk. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4. The chicken should shred easily with 2 forks when fully cooked.

Stir in plain yogurt and peas 15 minutes before serving. Salt to taste, serve with white or brown basmati rice.

Black Bean Salsa/Vegetarian Soft Tacos

When we lived in California but had moved away from the truly awesome taquerías in the city, I satisfied my Mexican food cravings with a quick trip to Chipotle. I loved their veggie soft tacos and ate them at least once a week... Well, before I got pregnant with Jillie and all of the sudden strongly disliked Mexican food (oh, the horror!). I was bummed when we moved back to Pennsylvania and realized that there is no Chipotle in very close proximity to our house (though they do seem to be popping up closer than they had been a year ago, woo!). So... As they say... Necessity (or, in this case, craving) is the mother of invention...

I made this black bean salsa for our holiday party this year and had so much leftover that, since it had pretty much the same ingredients as my favorite version of Chipotle's veggie soft taco filling, I'd try to use the leftovers to satisfy my craving... And it worked beautifully! Not only is it delicious, but it's possibly healthier. Score!

Black Bean Salsa
Courtesy of Paula Deen



2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (16-ounce) package frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 large avocado, peeled and diced
1 small onion, diced
1/8 to 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl. Cover and chill overnight. Taste and add salt, pepper or more lime juice as necessary.

To make into soft tacos, add:



Flour tortillas
Mexican shredded cheese
Sour cream
Any other toppings that strike your fancy

Put 2 tortillas on plate. Add salsa and cheese. Heat in microwave for 1 minute. Add sour cream and any other toppings, fold, and enjoy!