Chicken Enchiladas Verdes: My Stand-by Pleaser

Since it's finally started cooling down, I decided to treat Will with my homemade enchiladas verdes. While Will prefers my enchiladas rojos, his stomach doesn't, so we went with using the green sauce instead.
First, cook a sliced onion, a diced clove of garlic and a diced jalapeno in a bit of grapeseed oil and cumin until the onions are tender and the jalapeno is fragrant; try to avoid using anything red like paprika or chili powder when using green sauce because the green sauce has a lighter flavor and can turn brown if you use too many red spices. Meanwhile, poach three chicken breasts in salted boiling water.
Once they're fully cooked, drain the water and shred them with two forks. Once they are shredded, add a fifteen ounce can of green enchilada sauce and your cooked onion mixture; I use Hatch brand because it's New Mexican style; it's from Hatch, so it's considered local; and it has no preservatives.
Now it's time to heat another can of green enchilada sauce in a bowl and some corn tortillas; make sure your corn tortillas are as fresh as possible because if they aren't they will fall apart. The reason you heat the tortillas and sauce is it prevents tearing on the part of the tortillas; the sauce doesn't have to be boiling or anything, but just warm. Dip each tortilla into the sauce and coat it; wipe of the excesses and place it in your baking dish. Scoop a bit of the chicken into the center and roll it up; make sure not to stuff too much in, otherwise the tortilla will rip no matter how fresh or well coated in sauce it is. Repeat until you have filled either one large or two small casserole dishes; don't feel bad if you have leftover chicken because it makes a fantastic enchilada soup. Pour any remaining enchilada sauce over the top of your enchiladas.
Sprinkle grated cheddar and cotija cheeses over; usually, I also put enchilado cheese in with my chicken to amp up the flavor, but I couldn't find any enchilado cheese at my grocery store, so we went without. Bake in a 350 degree oven until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Take them out of the oven and let the set for around five minutes; this keeps them from falling apart when you serve them.
Will, as always, garnished his enchiladas with sour cream, but you could easily do this with olives, tomatoes, guacamole and lettuce, if you prefer. They were a little warmer, but we both love the warmth one gets from spicy Mexican food.

Cheese Sauced Potatoes: Healthier Than it Sounds

We have a heck of a time eating all our potatoes before they go bad, so I try to incorporate potatoes as much as possible when I buy a sack. Unfortunately, I had only three potatoes left because I was so effective, but that only meant no leftovers.
First, either bake your potatoes or microwave them. I microwaved them because of a time clincher, but you could easily bake them; just be prepared for them to take up to an hour. Meanwhile, mix together a cup of milk, some dill, salt and pepper to taste, and a Tablespoon of arrowroot powder; heat until it's thickened and bubbly. Next, add 3/4 of a cup of shredded cheddar cheese and mix until it's melted. Finally, add 2 1/2 cups of either cooked or frozen vegetables and heat through; I choose broccolini, broccoli, and cauliflower, but anything goes with this recipe. Quarter your potatoes and pour the cheese and vegetable mixture over the top of the potatoes.
Will and I both thoroughly enjoyed it. Because I pretty much always have the ingredients to make this, I will definitely make it again.

Mashed Potatoes With Beans and Franks: Played Around With It and Perfected It

Will bought hot dogs so we could use the buns left over from the meatball sandwiches, but they came in ten packs, so he cooked five one night and there were five left over. I decided that, since I had all the supplies for the hot dog bake I made earlier in the month and Will complained about the meat content in that recipe, I would try making it with five hot dogs instead of four.
Again, if you go to my previous post, just do the same thing I did before, but with five hot dogs instead of four.
Will liked this much better, and so did I; it was definitely more filling this way.

Baked Bowties With Cheese: A Lower Fat Mac and Cheese

Will brought home some garlic bread from the store, so I figured, why not make something tasty to go with it? Here is this attempt.
First, get your water boiling to cook your farfalle. Meanwhile, cook one diced onion in two teaspoons oil until soft but not brown. Add dill and two teaspoons flour and stir til combined. Add two-thirds of a cup of milk and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add a cup of low-fat cottage cheese and a third of a cup of grated cheddar cheese. Stir this until the cheese is melted and add the cooked and drained farfalle. Spoon it into a casserole dish, cook at 350 for twenty minutes; add breadcrumbs to the top and cook another fifteen minutes.
I served this with broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots as well as the garlic bread. Will raved that I got the bread nice and crispy and also that I made saucy pasta that was worth dipping the bread into.

Meatball Subs: An Effective Way of Using Leftovers

I always wind up with a ton of leftover sauce and meatballs whenever I make spaghetti, so generally all I need to do is buy or bake some hot dog buns and maybe some mozzarella or provolone cheeses and I have a meal ready to go.
All you need to do is heat the desired amount of spaghetti sauce until it's good and hot. Then add your meatballs and, once they're also hot, serve. Make sure to get a nice thick sort of hot dog bun; the cheapest ones get really soggy and can be tough to handle as a result, so your money will be well spent. If you have a grocery store that bakes bread fresh, you have a good chance of finding proper buns. As for the cheese, since it's not the centerpiece of the meal, you don't need to shell out extra money for the best; something middle of the road or even on the cheap end will do.
Will and I loved this version; we usually use fairly cheap hot dog buns that are gummy and get so soggy that you have to eat your meatball sub with a fork and knife, so we were in for quite a surprise when the buns we got actually held up enough to pick up and eat.

Spaghetti With Meatballs: Takes All Day, But is Totally Worth It

I had some leftover carrots and celery from making all my stocks, so I figured I'd make Will's family spaghetti sauce recipe. Just be warned; this is not the stuff you get in the jar. Most Americans associate spaghetti sauce with the thin marinara sauce from Sicily and southern Italy. Will's family is from the Florence area, so his family's recipe more closely resembles a meatless Bolognese sauce.
First, stick equal parts celery and onion in a food processor and pulse until it's all diced up; squeeze out the excess liquid and and add it to a very large tall stock pot with a bit of hot olive oil. While they sweat, pulse seven cut up carrots in the processor until very diced up. Add to the pot only when the celery and onion become fragrant. Once all this starts to lightly brown, add a few cloves of garlic and a pound of sliced mushrooms; add more oil and cook until the mushrooms are browned. Then start to add a 20 oz can of diced tomatoes and six 6 oz cans of tomato paste. Add water by filling all the empty cans once and stir. Then add your spices; you need half a handful of Italian seasoning, two handfuls of basil, a handful of oregano, two-thirds of a handful of chopped Italian parsley, and just enough ground clove to coat the tip of a knife. Let this mixture simmer, stirring every five minutes to prevent scorching, on medium low until thickened. If it gets too thick, just add more water. In the last ten minutes of cooking, add a quarter cup of Chianti and a handful of grated Parmesan cheese.
Meanwhile, make your Italian sausage for meatballs. For every three pounds of meat, combine two Tablespoons each of sugar, garlic, fennel, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper. Add a quarter cup of sweet red wine and mix all the ingredients together. Mold into balls, distribute evenly on baking sheets, and bake at 350 degrees until browned and cooked through.
Serve all this with cooked spaghetti and, if desired, garlic bread.
Will said this is my best attempt yet at making this, but that it needed to simmer a bit longer because I added too much water. I plan on making meatball subs with the leftover sauce anyway, so that's not exactly a huge deal. I plan on freezing the rest and giving some to my parents and grandmother to use, since they tend to really like this recipe.

Lemony Linguine: Fresh, Easy, and Delicious

I was looking for recipes with which to experiment, and this one seemed right. I'm glad I tried it, and will gladly try it again.
First, cook 2 cups total of spinach and broccoli; drain if necessary. Meanwhile, cook your linguine according to the package directions; drain when ready and return to the original pan. Add the vegetables, a can of unsweetened low-fat evaporated milk, a package of neufchatel cheese, a pinch of nutmeg, a quarter cup of Parmesan cheese, a teaspoon of lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste; cook just until the cheeses are melted and serve immediately.
Will and I both thoroughly enjoyed this dish; it's flavorful, tasty, and fresh tasting. This is a great vegetarian dish packed with nutrients and is low fat to boot. If you aren't a fan of spinach or broccoli, just switch out some of your favorites instead and you'll still wind up with a nutritionally dense, quick, and easy meal everyone will love. Even better still, if you have everything ready to go instantly or a good kitchen triangle, this will take you all of about twenty minutes, so it's especially good if you have a large family you need to feed fast or, like me, one very hungry spouse.

Chicken Milan: Tasty, But a Bit Too Garlicky For My Liking

My chicken had finally defrosted, so it was time to make chicken Milan. This was not necessarily a difficult recipe, but it still left me with slightly frayed nerves.
First, heat some olive oil in a skillet on medium to medium-low heat; add four cloves of minced garlic and saute until they start to brown and add pepper to taste; meanwhile, cook some linguine according to the package directions. Pour the garlic mixture into a bowl and set it aside. Dredge your chicken tenders first in a mixture of flour, basil, salt, and pepper; then into two beaten eggs; and cook in the pan you cooked your garlic in until the chicken is cooked through. By this time, your linguine should be ready, so drain it and put it on a plate; pour the oil and garlic mixture over and top with the chicken tenders.
I liked it, but found it to be too garlicky, so the next time I make it, I'll only add two cloves instead of four. Needless to say, I'm really glad I didn't use the eight cloves the recipe initially called for. Will, who loves garlic and often complains when I don't use enough, loved it.

Penne With Creamy Mushrooms: Rich and Delicious

The chicken I had started to defrost decided it didn't want to, so I wound up making one of the meatless dishes I set up. This dish was easily something I will make again, so I wasn't disappointed.
First, melt a couple Tablespoons butter and add a Tablespoon of olive oil; once the butter's melted, add six sliced shallots and cook on low until they're softened. Add a few sliced mushrooms and cook til softened; an salt and pepper to taste. Stir in a teaspoon of flour. Add two-thirds of a cup of cream and two Tablespoons of port as well as four ounces of drained sun-dried tomatoes. Cook this for eight minutes, stirring occasionally, on low. Meanwhile, cook your penne according to the package directions; once it's cooked, drain and add the penne to the skillet containing your sauce and toss to coat.
Will and I both thoroughly enjoyed this dish. I would definitely make it again, but next time I won't add the flour; the sauce thickened way too much, like to the point of separating.

Hot Dogs With Caramelized Onions and Potatoes: Summer's Last Hurrah

As most of you know, hot dogs come in packages of eight; I had three left over and decided to make a skillet dish as a sort of last hurrah of summer before it comes time to make use of my oven again. It worked out okay, but I think it needs some tweaking before it can be amazing.
I fried the onions and potatoes in an even ratio of butter and oil so everything browns correctly. Once everything was browned to my liking, I added the three hot dogs to the mix and browned them as well and served them with vegetables.
I liked it and was happy with it, but Will complained that there wasn't enough meat. Apparently two hot dogs is not enough for a man trying to lose weight. I'm a little frustrated at his complaint, especially since he's the one telling me to use less meat in my cooking, but I guess he's always going to go back and forth on everything he says from now until eternity.

Splurge Night: Fettuccine With Onion Cream Sauce

I had some onion cream sauce left over and I decided that since I got home late from helping Will's mom repotting orchids, it would be a perfect meal to put together. I was right; there were no leftovers, as I was hoping.
First, scrape your leftover sauce into the saucepan; add cream, cheese, and a splash of dry white wine. Simmer this til it's thickened and bubbly. Meanwhile, cook your fettuccine according to the package directions. Drain your pasta when it's ready and pour your sauce over the pasta; toss to coat.
Will loved it, as did I. Sometimes all you need is a simple flavor, and this fits the bill. However, I wasn't so daft in picking something quick and easy that I forgot to add vegetables; I heated up some carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower to go with the pasta, and they complemented each other quite well.

Potato Bake With Beans and Franks: Easy and Very Tasty

As a general rule, we always have Heinz baked beans, cheddar cheese, and potatoes lying around the house, so it's a cheap and easy fix to add hot dogs and make this easy dish. This meal is so easy to make that your college roommate could make it without issue.
First, bring some water to boil and add four roughly diced potatoes; cook until the potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, slice four hot dogs and mix in a casserole dish with a 13.5 ounce can of Heinz baked beans. Once your potatoes are tender, drain them, add two Tablespoons of butter and seasoned salt and pepper to taste, and mash with a fork. Layer the potatoes on top and cover the potatoes with grated cheddar cheese. Bake in a 425 degree oven and cook til the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbling.
Will and I really enjoyed this and, while my recipe said it was supposed to serve two people, we had half a casserole's worth of leftovers, and I used my small casserole. I used uncured all beef hot dogs, but you could easily use bratwurst or any other gourmet sausages to add some extra flair to the recipe, or tofu dogs, if you're a vegetarian or simply trying to go meatless.

Chicken Piccata: Made It With a Twist On the Fly

I made chicken piccata last night; unfortunately, I didn't realize I didn't have enough ingredients, so I had to improvise the wine sauce. Despite those setbacks, it all worked out and was tasty.
First, pound your chicken breasts to about half inch thickness; to do this without destroying your meat, wrap it in cellophane and then go to town pounding it out. Then, stick them in a plastic bag with a quarter cup of flour spiced with salt and pepper to taste and shake the bag to coat the chicken. Meanwhile, melt some butter on medium heat and add the chicken to the pan; brown the breasts. Add some white wine; I didn't have enough white wine and so had to use a bit of red as well; bring this mixture to a boil and let it simmer twelve minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add a bit of lemon juice; I didn't have any lemon, but I did have some dried lemon zest for when I make houska, so that worked well, and serve your the chicken.
While my chicken was tasty, the star of the show was a frozen mushroom risotto from Trader Joe's that I wound up doctoring using saffron, cream, milk, Italian seasoning, and provolone and Parmesan cheeses. I also served this with carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli.

Beef Biryani: Takes a Long Time, But Is Worth It

Will and I volunteered to watch our local boy scout camp in the off season to prevent vandalism, so we needed something that took a while for dinner on Friday night because the joke is, right when you sit down to eat is when a unit needs to be checked in or someone needs directions. We got a little more than we bargained for, between the altitude and that I forgot some of the necessary equipment.
Chop one onion and put it into a blender with two chopped garlic cloves, some ginger, and two Tablespoons of flaked or sliced almonds. Add a quarter cup of water and blend til it forms a smooth paste. Stick it into a bowl and set it aside. Thinly slice a second onion into rings and heat some butter in a stove proof casserole dish; cook the onions until they are a golden brown, then transfer them to a plate with a slotted spoon. Cook two Tablespoons of flaked almonds until golden and transfer them to the same plate as the onions. Add two Tablespoons of golden raisins and cook them til they plump up and transfer to the same plate as the onions and almonds.
Heat some more butter and add a pound and quarter of cubed braising beef; cook til evenly browned on all sides and transfer to a different plate from your onions.
Wipe the dish clean, heat a little more butter, and add the spice paste; cook, stirring constantly, until it starts to slightly brown. Stir in a Tablespoon of ground cumin, half a teaspoon of ground turmeric, half a teaspoon of ground fenugreek, and a pinch of cinnamon; season to taste with salt and pepper and cook for another minute.
Lower the heat and add three quarters of a cup of plain yogurt a little at a time until all of it is added to the spice mixture. Return the meat to the pan, stir to coat, and simmer for forty minutes or until the meat is tender; meanwhile, soak a cup of rice in water for twenty minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325. Drain the rice, and put in a pan with five cups of hot water; bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. Drain the rice and pile it on top of the beef. Make a hole in the center using the handle of a wooden spoon. Place the fried onion mixture on top of the rice, cover the casserole with foil, and bake for thirty minutes.
Will and I agreed this was an excellent dish. I will definitely make this again.