Enchiladas

I decided to make enchiladas. I am on a Mexican food kick, having escaped the dreary North-ness of Rochester and come back to the land of mangoes and strawberry. I made Bob purchase some Mexican hot chocolate at the grocery store (they have Mexican hot chocolate! and tostada shells here!) and I have been drinking it, with my Mother's almond cookies and whipped cream, like a mad woman. What a world.

It turns out that enchiladas can be found in great variety, and upon reflection, don't require a recipe. Nonetheless, I went forth in search of enchilada recipes, and considered especially these listed below:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Layered-Chicken-Enchiladas-with-Tomatillo-Cilantro-Sauce-232700

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Garden-Vegetable-Enchiladas-5672

http://www.wordofwisdomliving.com/home/beths-vegetarian-enchiladas.html

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chicken-and-Green-Olive-Enchiladas-4965

http://joeandanna.blogspot.com/2008/06/beef-enchiladas.html

In the end, I parselled together a pan of chicken and a pan of beef enchiladas, with similarities between the two, out of what I had available. Unfortunately, as it was all parselly, I don't have recorded some of the exact measurements or amounts. It mattereth not. The Robber fell head over heels for the chicken variety-- thanks in part to the secret ingredient (feta cheese!)-- and I was, perhaps, more satisfied with the beef. A lovely meal that has stretched over dinners and lunches and only now is on its last legs. I present to you:

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

12 wheat tortillas (the medium size 8 inches?)

4 chicken breasts, boiled and diced
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
2/3 diced red bell pepper
5 green onions, chopped
1 green zucchini, chopped
1 container feta cheese (4-6 oz.)
1 big old can green enchilada sauce (removed 1.5 cups for topping)
8 oz. pepper jack cheese, grated
1 can olives, minus some for topping

On top I put:

1.5 cups green enchilada sauce
4 oz. pepper jack cheese, grated
Remainder of olives
2 small tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro


Directions:

1. Mix all the filling ingredients together in a big bowl. Use 1/3 to 1/2 cup filling per tortilla, put all 12 tortillas in 9 x 13 pan. Top by pouring remainder of sauce over enchiladas evenly, then the cheese, and finally olives, tomatoes, and cilantro.

2. Bake at 375F for 25 minutes on middle rack, then increased temp to broil and broiled 5-10 minutes until top of enchiladas becomes light brown and toppings are crispened, just a little. Serve with sour cream.


Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients:

18 corn tortillas (smallest size 4-6 inches?)

1/3 diced red bell pepper
1/3 bag frozen corn, thawed
5 green onions, chopped
1 can black beans
8 oz. colby jack cheese, grated (use sharp cheddar in the future)
1.5 lbs. ground beef, browned and cooked with 1/2 of a chopped onion
1 big old can red (picante hot) enchilada sauce minus 1.5 cups
1 cup Mexican hot chocolate! (This was just a random add-in. So unnecessary, but why not?)

On the top I put:

1.5 cups of red enchilada sauce
4 oz. pepper jack cheese
2 chopped small tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Mix all the filling ingredients together in a big bowl. Use 1/4 cup filling per tortilla, put all 12 tortillas in 9 x 13 pan. Top by pouring remainder of sauce over enchiladas evenly, then the cheese, and finally olives, tomatoes, and cilantro. There was some filling left over, which we froze and hopefully can use in the future. Could also use bigger tortillas, maybe that would help use all the filling.

2. Bake at 375F for 25 minutes on middle rack, then increased temp to broil and broiled 5-10 minutes until top of enchiladas becomes light brown and toppings are crispened, just a little. Serve with sour cream.

Upside-Down Caramel Apple Muffins

Another recipe from my binge of NYTimes breakfast recipes. I am sorrowful. How, how can the NYtimes expect me to pay for their never-ending bounty of cooking ideas, photographed in such delectable splendor? I am sorrowful indeed. I have until Monday to cook everything good, or pay.

This is a tasty recipe, but I felt something was lacking in the muffins that had to be compensated for by the tastiness of the toasted walnuts. Perhaps it is the same with the blueberry muffins-- the NYTimes critics think the muffin has to be bland in order to show off the fruit? I was left wanting with the muffin, if not satisfied with the overall effect.

Here is the link:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D05E7DA163BF935A35753C1A9669D8B63&ref=apples

Ingredients:

3 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

Pinch kosher salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

FOR THE MUFFINS

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, stir together the apples, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 8 tablespoons butter and pinch salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 15 minutes. Distribute the apple slices among the muffin cups. Add walnuts, if using, on top of the apple slices.

3. To make the muffins, in a large bowl, whisk together flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together 8 tablespoons butter, eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold together until smooth. Distribute the batter on top of the apples. Bake until the muffins are slightly puffed, about 20 to 22 minutes.

5. Allow the muffins to cool partly in the pan; turn onto a platter and serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 12 muffins.

Meringue/Pavlova

This recipe comes by way of my sister's blog rebeatworld.blogspot.com, and a bridal shower food that she made some time ago. I think she got the recipe originally from a pavlova search on Epicurious.The Robber and I made lemon meringue pie for pi day and the Robber was worried the meringue would go bad if we didn't eat it all fast, so I tried substituting the meringue from this pavlova recipe instead-- with the result that the meringue did NOT go bad, and was the most beautiful meringue I've ever made, but I think the vinegar gave the meringue a very funny flavor. I only had distilled white, not apple cider like R. used when she made it. The Robber loved the pavlova flavor, but I hated it so I don't think I'll make this again until I can figure out how to use something different. Can I use lemon juice instead of vinegar for the acid? Does anyone know?

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 T cornstarch
3 large egg whites, ideally held at room temperature for 30 minutes
3 T cold water
1 tsp vinegar (recipe said distilled white; R. used apple cider and liked the flavor)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F with rack in middle.

2. Whisk together sugar, cornstarch. Beat whites with a little salt at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Add water (whites will loosen); beat until they hold soft peaks again.
Increase speed to medium high and add sugar/starch 1 T at a time. After it's all added, beat 1 minute more.

3. Add vinegar; beat at high speed until glossy and holding stiff peaks, about 5 minutes or more.

4. Spread meringue on parchment on a baking sheet; make a nice circle with its edge slightly higher than the center.

5. Bake until pale golden and with a crust, about 45 minutes.

6. Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool in oven 1 hour.

Note: Because we used it on a pie we baked it for one hour at 300 degrees.

Southwest Potatoes, with Patience

Another recipe off of my Gmail list of NYTimes breakfast foods to try out. I wanted to do something a little different, so I convinced the Robber to let me make these for him this last Sunday---- for lunch. Because of course, we didn't get up in time to make breakfast. We didn't have any chili powder, so I used 1/2 tsp. red pepper and 1/2 tsp. cumin and they turned out very spicy but deliciously so. Still, if you are less of a spicy person, I would say you could omit the spices altogether and it would still be good with the flavors of the corn and beans and browned potatoes and be just fine, or try out the chili powder and see how it goes. I think I'm inclined to stick with the red pepper and cumin because the Robber liked them so much, and I like making things the way the Robber likes them.

Complete recipe from the Minimalist here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/08/dining/08minirex.html

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed
2 tablespoons minced fresh jalapeño, or to taste (I omitted these)
1 to 1 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
Salt and black pepper
2 pounds new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (I used red potatoes, unpeeled)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste (I used 1/2 tsp. red pepper plus 1/2 tsp. cumin)
1 14-ounce can black beans, well drained
3/4 to 1 cup grated Cheddar or jack cheese

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish.

Directions:

1. Put 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add jalapeño and corn, and sprinkle with salt and pepper; let sit for a moment. When corn begins to brown, shake pan to distribute for even browning. Remove corn.

2. Add remaining oil to pan. When hot, add potatoes. Cook, undisturbed, until they begin to brown around edges and release from pan, about 10 minutes. Continue, at least 15 more minutes, turning potatoes to brown all sides without stirring too often. Add oil if needed to prevent sticking, and lower heat if needed to prevent scorching. When potatoes are tender and golden, add chili powder, corn and beans.

3. Turn on broiler. Place rack about 4 inches below. Transfer potatoes to a baking dish, sprinkle with cheese and run under broiler until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Post-edit: Both times I have made this recipe now I have wanted to double the cheese for the topping, but have only grated the additional cheese after putting the cheese on and finding it wanting. Next time I will just go ahead and double the cheese right off the bat.

I also used the chili powder the second time I made these and the result was not at all too spicy but I think just right for people who don't like a mouthful of spiciness, but some flavor.

Steel-Cut Oatmeal and Blueberry Muffins

I've been on this new-breakfast-food kick ever since looking at an NYTimes slideshow of breakfast foods, always my downfall. I even went through and made a little Gmail draft list of all the recipes I want to try, with links to all of them. This is one I tried because I had blueberries that were going to go bad if I left them in New York for two weeks. But first I have to ask-- what is the big deal with being "steel-cut"? I feel like everyone else on the planet has figured out this secret rage and I have not. Sad. :( I just made these with regular old oatmeal and I think they were just fine. Hmmmmph world.

That being said, they lacked just a little pizazz. I can't quite put my finger on it. More vanilla? Some cinnamon? The oatmeal background made a nice neutral-ness for the delicious blueberries, but what if you are making these in California where you can't get East Coast blueberries? Then what? I think go with adding some cinnamon.

The good news about these were that they had great texture and felt healthy as they went down, so you will probably at least enjoy eating them no matter what. I am likely to make these again, with modification.

Complete recipe by Martha Rose Shulman here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/04/health/nutrition/04recipehealth.html?_r=1&ref=recipesforhealth

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cooked steel-cut oats (I used 1/2 cup dry oats with 1 cup water to make my oatmeal)
1 cup blueberries tossed with 1 teaspoon flour

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with the rack positioned in the upper third. Oil, spray or butter 12 muffin cups.

2. Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat together the eggs, buttermilk (or yogurt and milk), canola oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Quickly stir in the dry ingredients with a whisk or a spatula. Do not beat, just mix, stirring up from the bottom until you can no longer see flour. A few lumps are fine. Fold in the cooked oats and the blueberries.

3. Spoon into muffin cups, filling them to just below the top. Place in the oven, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until nicely browned. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool for 10 minutes before unmolding. Cool on a rack, or serve warm.

Yield: Twelve muffins, depending on the size of your muffin tins.

Advance preparation: These keep for a couple of days out of the refrigerator, for a few more days in the refrigerator, and for a few months in the freezer.

Nutritional information per muffin (based on 12 muffin yield): 197 calories; 1 gram saturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 32 milligrams cholesterol; 30 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 310 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein

Maple Creme Flan With Maple-Glazed Pears

Traditionally I have not very much cared for flan-- as although it is very creamy, the crust of the flan always left me with a funny after taste and the texture was not always my favorite. But as of late, I am not one to swear off foods unless I have gotten a crack at making them myself-- the exception being egg dishes. I still have no taste for eggs. So when I found this flan recipe on Epicurious I resolved to make it and, after purchasing a rather large bottle of maple syrup some time ago, decided to make it for the Robber as our dessert for his visit. The Robber, having eaten many flans during his time in Brazil, is not a big flan fan but I find if I am wily I can win him over on most things, as I did with this recipe. After consuming it, he said, "This is the best flan I have ever eaten!" and went on to rank the flan above most desserts, but still below coconut cream pie.

I liked the flan too, although the texture problems still weren't fixed for me. What I really liked too were the pears-- with I think stand alone nicely by themselves if you reduced the sauce and made it into more of a caramel (as the sauce here is rather thin)-- or could be served with icecream or angel food cake or in a mix with other fruits.

Per the reviewers, I increased the eggs and did not cover my flan with foil. I also increased the baking time at the lower temp by ten minutes. All together, my flan set up quite well and I am happy with the results. It was quite easy to make and the individual steps not that time-consuming, but the overall time might be prohibitive. I'll keep it in my repertoire, certainly, especially until/if I ever find another flan the Robber likes.

Ingredients:

Flan

1 cup pure maple syrup
3 1/2 cups whipping cream (I used 2/3 cream, 1/3 half and half)
7 large egg yolks (I used 8 egg yolks)
1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon light corn syrup

Pears

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 ripe Bartlett pears, unpeeled, quartered, cored (I used four pears, the sauce is thin)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

For flan:

1) Simmer maple syrup in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 7 minutes. Stir in cream; return to simmer.

2) Whisk egg yolks in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture. Whisk in salt. Strain custard into another large bowl. Cover and chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

3) Preheat oven to 300°F. Stir sugar, 1/4 cup water, and light corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 6 minutes. Pour syrup into 9 1/4x5 1/4x3-inch nonstick metal loaf pan, tilting pan carefully to coat sides. Let stand 10 minutes.

4) Pour custard into pan with syrup. Place loaf pan in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of loaf pan. Cover roasting pan with foil. Pierce foil all over with fork. (I did not not use foil.) Bake flan 1 hour 45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 325°F. Uncover and bake until flan is set around edges but center moves slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour longer. Remove flan from water. Transfer to rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

For pears:

1) Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt butter in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange pears, 1 cut side down, in skillet. Cook until brown, about 4 minutes. Turn onto second cut side and cook until brown, about 4 minutes longer. Stir in maple syrup; bring to boil. Place in oven and bake until pears are tender, about 25 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to plate. Whisk crème fraîche and salt into sauce in skillet. Return pears to skillet and toss to coat.

Run sharp knife around edge of flan to loosen. Invert flan onto platter. Surround with pears and sauce.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Maple-Creme-Flan-with-Maple-Glazed-Pears-107327#ixzz1Fvpz8D4n

Green Beans With Corn

After a long hiatus, I dipped back into my Indian cookbook by Balkejar et al. to create a dish for a family medicine potluck. I wanted to make something that wasn't carbohydrate-full, like most of the fare for potlucks. This dish, while having its problems, certainly fit well into the rest of the foods presented and got eaten entirely, although no one commented on it to me. Overall I found it rather too strong and wished that the flavors of the ginger and the garlic were less overpowering, although admittedly the combination was rather interesting. In the future I might half the amount of the spices (as well as the salt-- too much), or substitute a smaller amount of powdered ginger and garlic salt for the actual ginger and garlic. I used fresh green beans, which are my current favorite fresh vegetable, and cooked for the same amount of time with nice effect. The green beans were cooked but still a bit crunchy at the end, just how the Robber would like them. I also omitted the red chile, and seeing as how it was spicy enough without it, didn't feel the loss. Furthermore, I found the kidney beans somewhat superfluous. Like all recipes like these, the proportions are probably best played with to find something most satisfactory to you, but following the original recipe will yield a tasty-- if strong--vegetable product.

Ingredients:

1 tsp. oil
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 medium red onion, diced
1/3 cup frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup canned red kidney beans, drained
6 oz. frozen green beans
1 fresh red chile, seeded and diced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1-inch piece fresh ginger root, finely chopped
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced, to garnish

Directions:

1) Heat the oil in a karahi, wok, or heavy pan for about 30 seconds, then add the mustard seeds and onion. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.

2) Add the corn, red kidney beans, and green beans. Stir-fry for 3-5 minutes.

3) Add the red chile, chopped garlic and ginger, cilantro, and salt and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.

4) Remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the vegetables to a serving dish and garnish with the diced tomato.

Nutritional Notes

Serves 4-- per serving:
84 cal energy
3.44 g fat
0.50 g saturated fat
11.13 g carbohydrate
2.70 g fiber

Potatoes with Chorizo and Bacon (Patatas con chorizo y bacon)

This is kind of a cheat post.... I haven't actually made this recipe yet. My sister R cooked a really lovely birthday dinner for the Robber when he visited Roch in January, using recipes from the cookbook that we purchased for her for Christmas: 1080 Recipes by Simone and Ines Ortega. The cookbook is reportedly the "Bible" for Spanish cooking, the definitive collection both inside and outside of Spain. Along with the recipe below, she made us an orange flan and some lemon chicken, both were delicious! But this recipe, laden with fat as it is, was my favorite. I'm hoping to make it again, probably some time when the Robber comes or I have guests. Or I could see this being a delicious one-dish alternative to the traditional hash browns and bacon that we have every year for Christmas breakfast. Maybe I will remember and suggest to R that she make it this next year. The notations in parentheses are from R.

Ingredients:

4 T lard or 3 T butter (I used butter)
5 T oil
2 oz chorizo sausage, peeled, thinly sliced (I used chicken chorizo, which is somewhat unusual, and each sausage was 3 oz so I used 3 oz)

3 1/2 oz thickly sliced bacon, cut into half-inch wide strips
3 1/4 pound small potatoes, preferably new potatoes (I used about a pound-and-a-half each of red and white new potatoes)
1 T chopped parsley

1 clove garlic, finely chopped
salt
Directions:

1. Melt fats in a very large, thick skillet-- it needs to be big enough to fit all the potatoes in a single layer. Add meats and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for a few minutes.

2. Add potatoes. Season with salt and cook over low heat, shaking the pan occasionally, for 45-60 minutes, until the potatoes are evenly browned. (The recipe says nothing about a lid, but at about 40 minutes I got nervous they wouldn't get done because of the uni-directional heat, and put a lid on them for the next 20 or so minutes. I think that they would have gotten done anyway, although I don't think the lid hurt, either. DO NOT put on a lid any earlier, though. Steamed potatoes get very mealy rather than creamy).

3. Just before serving, sprinkle with garlic and parsley and stir for a few minutes more. Serve.

Note from R: the book says some types of chorizo become hard with prolonged cooking. This wasn't a problem for me because I used chicken chorizo. But to prevent this, it says you can cook the chorizo with the bacon and set it aside. Sounds like a bother.