Chicken Enchilada Ring

So it's been awhile I know, but the fall is always a crazy time for me and now it is the holiday season and time is just flying by!  I have a backlog of things to share, so fingers crossed I will post more than once per month moving forward! 

You may ask why is fall so busy?  Well....one word....football!  I don't play football or coach football or even have a job that has anything to do with football (although I kinda wish I did), but I watch football, and I watch it a lot!  I love college football, NFL and even play in 2 Fantasy Football leagues!  I wake up in the morning to my radio alarm playing sports talk radio and listen to it while I drive around all day....during the fall, football just seems to take over!  I even manage to travel to a couple of away games every year to follow my beloved Arizona State Sun Devils (this year we went to the Wisconsin and Cal games).  Unfortunately, both of my favorite teams, ASU and the Arizona Cardinals, are not having very good seasons this year....but I am no fair weather fan...I still have to watch and give them my support!

While the NFL still has a few more weeks to go, college football is over.  Well, it is not really over, but when your team doesn't go to a bowl game, it feels like it is over (although who am I kidding, I will still probably watch most of the bowl games...I am a football junkie, remember?).  Going into our last game, the Sun Devils knew that even with a win they wouldn't get a bowl game, but it being our rivalry game against the University of Arizona Wildcats....it was basically going to be played like a bowl game....and it did not disappoint!  After a slow start, the game got to be really close, and ASU pulled out a one point victory in double overtime by blocking an extra point (which they also did to send the game into overtime to begin with)....talk about drama!  It was a crazy game, with highs and lows, and very fun to watch (being the junky that I am, I actually taped it and re watched it the next night so that I could take it all in again....do you think there are support groups for this kind of addiction?) and I was glad that I had invited some friends over to watch it because it really made it that much more fun.

So here is the first of the dishes that I made, this was a real winner, and everyone really liked it.  It is actually supposed to be formed into the shape of a ring, but since it was for a football party I shaped it like a football as much as I could...genius!  The buttery crescent rolls were so tasty with the Mexican fillings, and everyone piled on guacamole and salsa and declared it a winner!  This was a snap to throw together since I had precooked and froze the chicken a couple of weeks ago; I have one more bag of chicken in the freezer so I have a feeling this will be making a repeat appearance soon!

Chicken Enchilada Ring

Adapted from www.justapinch.com

2 c. cooked chicken, cubed or shredded

1 (4 oz.) can sliced black olives, drained

1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies, un drained

1/2 c. mayo

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 small tomato, chopped

1 lime

2/3 c. finely crushed tortilla chips

2 pkgs. crescent rolls

Salsa, sour cream and guacamole for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl combine chicken, olives, cheese, chilies, mayo and taco seasoning; stir to combine.  Seed and chop the tomato and add to the mixture.  Juice the lime and add 2 tablespoons to the chicken mixture.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of crushed chips and add remaining chips to the mixture; mix well.

Unroll crescent dough and separate triangles.  Arrange on a cooking sheet making a circle with the wide ends overlapping in the center and the points toward the outside.  There should be about a 5 to 6 inch diameter opening in the center.

Spread chicken mixture evenly onto the widest end of each triangle.  You can really heap the mixture on, and you may have a bit leftover.

Bring points of triangles up and over filling, and tuck under the wide ends of dough at center of ring.  Sprinkle with the remaining crushed chips.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until the crescent rolls are golden.  Let cool for a minute, then slice along the seems to make wedges.  Serve with garnishes if desired.



Spinach Enchiladas

If you had asked me as a kid if I like Spinach Enchiladas, the answer would have been an overwhelming NO! But once I got hooked on Spinach Artichoke Dip, I started to notice and taste all the delicious possibilities that spinach had to offer. Spinach works in just about anything, and really adds both color and nutrition to a dish; so now, I almost always have at least one package of it in my freezer to toss into a dish that I am cooking. Lately, I have really been into ordering Spinach Enchiladas out at restaurants, which is not the norm for me, but they have been hitting the spot (and well, the addition of the spinach should make me feel less guilty for all the chips and salsa, right?), and every restaurant seems to have such different versions. Some are in red sauce, others a cream sauce, and some have even been topped with sliced almonds that added a delicious element to the dish.

While watching some football a couple of Sunday nights ago, I got a craving for some Spinach Enchiladas, and while I could have gone out and picked up some take-out, I realized that I had all the ingredients on hand, so I decided to just make them myself! Let me say, these really are very easy, and they are really delicious. This night, I made them with a packet of enchilada sauce mix that I doctored up with some Chipotle seasoning for a bit of heat, but a can of prepared enchilada sauce would works just fine too, or you could even go the cream sauce rout....just go with whatever you are craving!

I baked these up in the toaster oven, which only took about 15 minutes, and I had myself a homemade Mexican feast. These were actually even better re-heated the next day, what a bonus!

Spinach Enchiladas

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen, chopped spinach; thawed and drained
1 packet Enchilada sauce mix, prepared per package directions (Or just use a pre-made kind)
2 c. Mexican blend cheese, shredded
6 - 8 corn tortillas, warmed per package directions (I could only fit 6 in my pan)
4 green onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Once spinach has been thoroughly drained, combine it with the cheese and onions. Season with salt to taste. In an 11 x 7 inch pan, pour a thin layer of the enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of the pan. Working with one tortilla at a time; dip each tortilla in sauce, then stuff with spinach and cheese filling. Roll up, and place seam side down in the prepared pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and top with any leftover filling mixture. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Creamy Jalapeno White Sauce & Shrimp Enchiladas

Every summer when I visit Coronado with my family, there is one thing that I always have to do...go and eat at Miguel's Cocina! My family has been eating here since I was a toddler, and I have many fond memories of spending time there with both family and friends. When we first went back to stay in Coronado after about a 15 year hiatus, I was really excited to go back to Miguel's. It looked just how I had remembered it, but one thing that I didn't remember was the Jalapeno White Sauce that they serve alongside the chips and salsa. Let me just say....it was love at first bite! Maybe I never ate this stuff as a kid, or maybe it had just been too long, but I could not believe that I didn't remember it. Even though there are jalapenos in it, it is not really spicy, it is just a smooth, velvety white sauce that goes great with just about everything on the menu!

On my recent trip to Coronado, I was only able to get to Miguel's once (I usually try to sneak in at least two trips) but I savored every bite of the sauce, knowing that I wouldn't get to have it again for an entire year. Well.....I was wrong! The other day I was surfing around on the Internet and came across a website full of secret restaurant recipes, it got me thinking, and so just for fun I Googled "Miguel's Cocina Jalapeno White Sauce," and to my complete surprise it popped right up! In reading the blurb, apparently Miguel's will actually give you a recipe card if you ask for the recipe at the restaurant....who knew??!! With the secret recipe now in my hot little hand, I knew that I was going to have to try it out ASAP. And while I am always a fan of eating just dip for dinner, I decided I need to be a little bit more grown up and actually make some real food as well, so I got some shrimp at the butcher counter to make into some enchiladas with the sauce on top!

The instructions for the dip seemed pretty simple, but they did call for "clarified butter." I had heard of that before, but didn't know how to make it, so after some Internet research I was good to go. It actually was pretty simple, but a word to the wise, start with double the amount of butter that you actually will need, because the clarifying process reduces it by half. Once I had the butter ready it was smooth sailing, and the sauce came together in just 10 minutes! I tasted it, and it was almost a perfect duplicate of my beloved sauce from Miguel's! I think it could have used even a bit more jalapeno, so adjust according to your heat tolerance. Once the sauce was ready, I prepared the enchiladas and I had myself a delicious (although, not low fat at all) Mexican feast! I think next time I will try and make it using half and half and see how it works out!

The possibilities are endless for this sauce.....thank you Miguel!

Creamy Jalapeno White Sauce

2 c. whipping cream
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. chicken base
2 Tbsp. clarified butter
1 Tbsp. flour
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (Or more if you like it hot!)
1 Tbsp. juice from jarred jalapenos
1/2 c. shredded cheese (Mexi-Mix)

Heat whipping cream in a saucepan over high heat. When cream is ready to boil, stir in sour cream. When sour cream dissolves, reduce heat to medium. Stir in chicken base and jalapeno juice and simmer.

While cream is simmering, make a roux by warming butter in a saucepan over medium heat, adding flour, and mixing with a wire whip until mixture starts to turn pale gold.

Just before cream mixture is about to boil again, add roux, whisking briskly until it is incorporated. Remove from heat and stir in minced jalapeno and shredded cheese.

Shrimp Enchiladas
(I just made enough for me, so adjust accordingly)

8 extra large shrimp, peeled and deviened
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
Olive Oil
1/2 c. Jalapeno cheese sauce
3 corn tortillas
1/2 c. shredded Monterrey jack cheese
Green onions, chopped

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add shrimp; sprinkle with seasonings and some of the onions. Cook until shrimp are pink. Remove shrimp and roughly chop. Add in a touch of the cheese sauce.

Warm tortillas in microwave. Spread a small amount of sauce on the bottom of a glass baking dish. Fill tortillas with shrimp mixture; roll up and place seam side down in dish. Spoon remaining cheese sauce over the top and sprinkle with cheese and onions.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Enjoy!

Enchiladas and Idol

Since it is Tuesday and I have Idol on the brain, it reminded me of a dinner that I made for my friend Whitney and my sister during an Idol viewing a few weeks back. Whitney had recently done some redecorating at her place, and wanted us to come over and check it out. I had been in a cooking mood so I volunteered to come over and make dinner, and both were quick to agree to the plan!

Whitney, Laura and I have a lot in common, including a deep love for Mexican food....including beans!! I was trying to come up with something quick, easy and tasty to try out....and after surfing around online, I decided to go with chicken and spinach enchiladas. I looked at a couple of recipes and kind of melded them together, and they turned out quite tasty! Both Whitney and Laura were excited when I offered them the leftovers....and the next day I got e-mails informing me how their office mates were jealous of their lunches!

Here is the recipe for the enchiladas. I served them with some fiesta corn and seasoned black beans with a dollop of sour cream on top! My taste testers are not the biggest fans of spice, so I kept these mild, but next time, I am going to kick them up a notch! I also made a mint chocolate chip ice cream pie in an Oreo crust for dessert....and Whitney got to keep the leftovers, lucky girl!

So if you are feeling like having a fiesta....give these a try!

Creamy Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas

1 c. chopped onion (white or yellow)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 c. cooked chicken; chopped or shredded (I just purchased a rotisserie chicken)
3 c. fresh baby spinach, washed and stemmed
½ c. sour cream
½ c. cream cheese
1 (16 oz.) can red enchilada sauce
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies (I didn’t use these, but next time I make them I will add them for a bit of heat, but you can leave them out)
2 c. shredded cheese (Mexican blend, Monterrey jack or cheddar)
12 small flour tortillas

Add 1 Tbsp. of olive to a pan, add onions and garlic and cook until softened. Add spinach to pan and cook until slightly wilted. Add cream cheese, sour cream and 1 cup of cheese to mixture, stir over low heat until cheeses are melted. Add chicken to the pan and mix well.

Spoon chicken mixture into tortillas and roll up, place seem side down in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Repeat until all the tortillas are used. If there is any remaining chicken mixture, spoon over the top of the tortillas. Cover with the enchilada sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes, until cheese starts to bubble.