Mexican Polenta Pie

This dish was a lot different than anything I would normally make, but I am continuing to branch out.  I hadn't had polenta in awhile, and last time I cooked with polenta, it did not turn out well.  This was supposed to be a polenta type mexican lasagna, but instead tasted more like chili and polenta.  I loved it and will make again.  I would suggest making it a day ahead and just popping in the oven.  Its a very easy week night meal.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green sweet pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound uncooked ground turkey or beef

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 14-1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup bottled salsa

2 16-ounce tubes refrigerated cooked polenta

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2/3 cup chopped fresh tomato

1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a skillet cook onion, garlic and sweet pepper in 1 tablespoon oil until tender.  Add turkey, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne; cook until browned through.  Add beans, undrained canned tomatoes, and salsa. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer gently, uncovered, 15 minutes.

Cut up one tube of polenta into small cubes.  Grease bottom of a 9 x 13" pan and line with cubes of polenta and press down to evenly cover.  Sprinlkle with 1 cup of cheese.  Top with bean and meat mixture.  Slice remainder of polenta.  Arrange sliced polenta over meat.  Top with remaining cheese and fresh tomatoes.  Bake for 35 minutes, or until bubbling.  Top with cilantro and sour cream if desired.

Baked Chicken Toquitos

Original recipe found here.

I had come across this recipe a couple of times and wasn't sure about it.  I had never really had toquitos aside from the ones at a 7-11 a long time ago.  One of my friends tried a recipe and told me I had to try it.  Here is my version.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts

1/2 onion, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 can green enchilada sauce, 15 oz size

1/2 teaspoon garlic

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 package flour or corn tortillas, the medium soft taco size worked best

Combine chicken breasts, onion, seasonings and enchilada sauce in a slow cooker.  You can let it cook all day, or about an hour of high.  I had to speed mine up and cooked them on high.  Once the chicken in done, shred stir in sauce.  Add in sour cream and shredded cheese.  At this point your mixture should not be runny.  If it is runny, use a slotted spoon for the next step.

Heat 3 or 4 tortillas in the microwave for about 20 seconds, this will make them easier to work with.  If they are cracking, try microwaving a little bit longer.  Put about 1/4 cup of the mixture on the shell, near one side.  Roll up and place on a large baking sheet, seam side down.  Continue with all of the tortilla shells, until completed.

Bake at 350 degrees.  It should take about 30 minutes.  You want the shell to get a little bit crispy.  The recipe I adapted from suggested spraying the shells with a non-stick cooking spray to give it a fried flair.

The toquitos turned out a lot better than I was expecting.  Try serving them with cilantro lime sour cream.

Spanish Casserole

This is my favorite dinner.  I know it doesn't look the greatest, but its a casserole.  It tastes amazing!

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts (depending on how much you want), cooked and cut into cubes

1 package Rice A Roni Spanish Rice cooked according to directions

1 small can of mild or hot enchilada sauce

1 cup sour cream

1/2 can black beans

1 small can or corn

1/2 oinion chopped

2 teaspoons chopped cilantro

2 handfuls of tortilla chips, crushed

Cook rice as directed and mix all ingredients together and place in a 9 x 13" pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake until it bubbles along the edges.

Shredded Chicken Tacos

Recipe from Essentials of Slow Cooking

These tacos were an excellent change from your normal beef tacos.  They were full of flavor!

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs of chicken breasts

1/4 cup olive oil

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups Mexican, lager-style beer

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon dried oregano

Salt & Pepper

For serving:

Warm corn or flour tortillas

Lime wedges

Chopped yellow onion

Salsa

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Guacamole

Cheese

In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Season the chicken generously with mixture and set aside.

In a large frying pan over medium high heat, warm the olive oil.  Add the chicken and cook, turn frequently until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Pour off all but a thin layer of fat from the pan.  Add the onion and garlic, saute until they begin to soften, about 1-2 minutes.  Add the beer and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom. 

Transfer chicken and beer mixture into a slow cooker.  Add the lime and orange zest and juice, along with the oregano.  Cook until tender.

Shred the chicken and top with juices.  Serve with warmed flour or corn tortillas.

Serves 6-8

BBQ Nachos

Nachos are my favorite food, and on the BBQ they are even better.  It gives them a smoky BBQ flavor that is very unique.  Serves 4-6









Ingredients:

1 chicken breast

1 cup BBQ sauce
1 1/2 cups of cheese, your choice.  I used a mixture of pepper jack, mozzarella, and cheddar

1/4 onion diced

1 small tomato

1 can black beans, drained

1 small can of corn kernels, drained

2 tablespoons cilantro, diced

1/2 bag of tortilla chips, about 3 large handfuls

1/2 cup nacho jalapenos, optional

Cook your chicken breast in a crock pot with the BBQ sauce, you want to cook until it shreds easily.  This can be accomplished at a high temperature (250) for around an hour, or a low temperature (170) for a couple of hours.  Shred the chicken and set aside.

I use a charcoal BBQ and let it heat up for around 30 minutes, while I am preparing the nachos.

Take a baking sheet, round pizza pan, whatever you would like to place your nachos on and fits in your BBQ with the lid on.  I have a platter that I  received as a gift from Williams Sonoma.  Cover this with foil.

Place 1 1/2 large handfuls of tortilla chips on your tray.  First top with cheese, if you start with your other ingredients, your nachos will be soggy.  Then begin to add other ingredients, in whatever fashion you would like.  At this point only add half.  Repeat by adding the second layer of chips, and the rest of your ingredients.  Top with a handful of cheese and cilantro.  (The photo to the right used half of the ingredients that I put above, I only cook for two and did not need that amount of food)

Place the pan on your BBQ, directly over your coals.  Place lid down, with vents closed.  It will take 30-40 minutes and your nachos will be complete.  Serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.  This is an excellent appetizer, or use it as a dinner.

It is also incredibly easy, but different from your typical nacho flavor.  Enjoy!

*karisa*

Chicken Enchiladas

 These enchiladas are extremely easy and taste great.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
1/4 onion chopped
2 cans (12 oz) mild red enchilada sauce
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
8 flour tortilla shells

In a crock pot or slow cooker, add chicken breasts, onion, and 1 can of enchilada sauce.

Leave in the crock pot for 3-4 hours, until chicken shreds easily.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take shredded chicken sauce and continue to add to each tortilla shell.  Roll up tortillas and place into 9 x 13 pan or dish.  Continue until you have filled each of the 8 tortillas evenly.  Top with 2nd can of enchilada sauce and cheese.
Place in the oven until sauce is bubbling on the sides and cheese is melted.

Personally, I like to switch to broil for a couple minutes to brown the cheese on top.  Serve with whatever toppings you would like.  Sour cream, guacamole and salsa!
*karisa*