As You Like It- Chicken Enchiladas

This works a bit like tacos- as each person gets to use whatever filling options and sauce options they enjoy.


2 to 3 lbs of chicken- cubed or cut to bite size pieces

Majito Lime flavored Marinade by McCormick Grill Mates
1/4 C Lime Juice
1/4 C olive oil

3 cans cream of chicken soup
1 C sour cream
small can of diced green chilies


Filling/Toppings:
Black Beans-rinsed and drained
Sliced olives
Chopped tomatoes
chopped onions
chopped green onions
Salsa
grated cheese
sour cream

red enchilada sauce- heat up
green enchilada sauce- heat up

Make marinade from Majito Lime seasoning pack-lime juice- and olive oil and put in large baggie.   Add Chicken and marinade for 1 to 2 hours- longer is stronger flavor.

Mix together all soup, 1 cup sour cream, and can of diced green chilies.  Put in a large baking dish (like a 9x13) and heat in 350 degree oven for about 30 min or until heated through.  When there is about 10 min left of baking time, put chicken and marinade in a frying pan and cook chicken completely.  Add to hot soup mix.

Prepare all the toppings and filling choices.  Warm tortillas in oven or cook raw tortillas.

To serve-

Take a warm Tortilla-

Add meat/soup mix and whatever filling items they choose.  Roll up and cover with choice of enchilada sauce.

Black Bean Soup

Black Bean and Salsa Soup

4 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed ( I chose low sodium)
3 cups of fat free vegetable broth
1 1/2 to 2 cups of chunky salsa
2 tsp ground cumin

***if desired**1 or 2 additional cans of beans, drained and rinsed, reserved

sour cream and sliced green onion for garnish.

In a blender or processor, combine beans, broth, salsa, and cumin. I had to do two batches because it was too much for one- so I did 2 cans beans, 1 1/2 c of broth, half of the salsa and cumin. Blend until smooth and put in a sauce pan. Repeat with rest of the remaining ingredients except for your reserved beans.

***If you want whole beans in your soup, add the reserved beans, and if not- that is okay too.

Heat through over medium heat and serve with garnish.

C. Rio Black Beans

C. Rio Black Beans

2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, Minced (please- use fresh, it really makes a difference)
1 tsp Cumin
1 can (approx 15 oz) Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 Cup Tomato Juice
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 TBSP fresh Cilantro, chopped

In a Non-Stick skillet, warm Olive Oil over medium heat. Add Garlic and Cumin and heat until you can smell it (just a minute or two- do not burn the garlic, you will be sad) Add Beans, Tomato Juice, and Salt. Stir and warm until heated through. Just before serving, add the Chopped Cilantro.

Chicken Fajitas

Today's Offering is a totally new to me recipe that was born out of the desire to not turn on the oven. I had planned on making enchiladas, but our AC has been misbehaving, so I tried to think of what I could make using many of the same ingredients and what I had at home- since it happened to be on Sunday. I did a search for fajitas, and found one from Miss Paula Deen which seemed very promising- 5 star rating, and 90 reviews. After reading many of the reviews- I made a modification or two, and off I went. Delish- and rather adaptable. Easy as well.




Ingredients based from Paula Deen: I recommend doubling it

2 TB Canola Oil
3 TB FRESH Lemon Juice
1 TB FRESH Lime Juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Dash hot sauce ( I gave three shakes of Cholula Hot Sauce- Chili Lime flavor)
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Mix together and place in a strong large baggie (freezer- gallon sized)
Then add and make sure they are well coated:

4 or 5 Thawed pre-frozen Chicken Breasts (can use 1 1/2 pound of shrimp or steak) . The original recipe said to marinate for a much shorter time, but most reviews said longer- I marinated ours for 3 hours.


2 medium onion, halved and sliced lengthwise
2 green bell pepper, sliced ( or you can use 1 green and 1 red bell pepper, sliced)

flour tortillas (We use Raw Tortillas that we cook fresh- if you haven't tried them- you really -really should.)

1 lime, juiced, for topping
Sour cream, for topping
Salsa, for topping
Guacamole, for topping
Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, for topping


Heat the outside grill or a large indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove the meat from the marinade and place it on the hot grill, discard the marinade. Cook chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side, skirt steak about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare and about 2 minutes for shrimp. Slice the chicken and steak into strips if you are using.

In a large skillet heat up the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and fry the onions and bell peppers until crisp-tender with some salt and pepper.

Serve hot- and if you are cool enough to have the little cast iron servers- check here for the full instructions- and original recipe.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/gold-medal-sizzling-fajitas-recipe/index.html

Mexican Sides - Rice, Pico De Gallo, Cebiche, Green Salsa

Here are a few authentic recipes gathered by the DR from some of the work crews when we lived in Oregon-

Rice-
fry in a small amount of butter for a few minutes before cooking. Then cook as usual using 2/3 part water and 1/3 part tomato soup-


Pico de gallo (fresh salsa)

2 Tomatoes- finely chopped
1 yellow onion- finely diced
jalapeno- thinly minced- to taste
cilantro- finely minced- to taste
black pepper- to taste
salt - to taste
1/2 to a whole lime- juiced

Mix all ingredients and adjust the flavor-



Cebiche

Shelled, Uncooked Shrimp
Lime juice
same ingredients as pico de gallo except the lime juice for that
shredded carrots

place shrimp in bowl, cover in fresh lime juice. Cover bowl with tin foil and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Take out and drain lime juice. Add vegetables. Put back in freezer for about 10 minutes. Serve on tostada.


Green Salsa

12 Tomitillo (sp)
2 fresh jalapeno peppers
Salt
Finely Chopped onion
Finely chopped Cilantro



These are not the most thorough recipes as they came directly from some of the mexican workers and the DR's writing- but they are close enough.

Sour Cream- Chicken Enchiladas

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas-

1 pint sour cream
2 10 oz cream of Chicken soup
can of diced green chilis
1-2 lbs of chicken (breast or thighs) cooked and chopped
grated cheese- Cheddar, Monterrey jack-
flour tortillas


You can do this one of two ways- individually rolled enchiladas, or casserole style- I usually prefer casserole style- so-

You mix the sour cream, c of c soup, and chilis together. You put a thin layer in the bottom of your casserole dish, then you tear the tortillas into smaller pieces and lay them solid across the pan. You then layer chicken, sauce mix, grated cheese, tortilla pieces, chicken, sauce mix, grated cheese, tortillas, sauce mix, grated cheese- I usually can't get more than two layers with chicken, but if you have a deep pan, you might. Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes until heated well throughout.

If you have a non-cheese eater like I do, then you might want to do the individual enchiladas- start the same up to putting some sauce in the pan, then take a tortilla, place about 2 TBS chicken, some cheese, and a little of the sauce- make some without the cheese and place those to one side of the pan. When the pan is full, cover with remaining sauce and top with grated cheese. Cook the same.

You can also leave the chilis out of the sauce and sprinkle on a layer of them separately, but I am all for faster and easier- I also sneak cheese in the casserole version by only using Monterrey Jack- what he doesn't see- he eats. :)