Mexican

Semi-Homemade Refried Beans

July 17, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Mexican food is a weakness of mine. I mean, I think I could eat it every. single. day and never get tired of it. Give me some thin, crispy chips, cold salsa and some cheese dip and I’ll be beyond happy. Add a meal to the mix and hey, that’s an added bonus.

Now when Spencer, Tucker and I frequent our “regular” Mexican restaurant, Tucker gets his trusty cheese quesadilla and Spencer and I typically split a meal. We rarely stray from our norm which is either mixed fajitas (with a side of shredded cheese) or a sizzling bowl full of fajita chicken, steak cooked to perfection, assorted veggies, grilled pineapple and grilled cheese sticks. Yum! Both of these things, along with pretty much every other menu item is served with beans of some sort and rice.

Refried beans are a staple when it comes to Mexican food fare. I’ve tried various recipes for homemade refried beans and they’ve all been delicious, but several of them are somewhat time consuming. I think this recipe has to be at the top of my list right now, not only because because it’s quick, but it’s simple, requires few ingredients and it’s got bacon flavor too!

These beans call for a few basic ingredients, all of which are typically in my pantry on a regular basis. There are no special ingredients or techniques required, meaning you can have a delicious and tasty side of refried beans in a matter of minutes. Another thing I love about these beans is you can customize the texture to your liking; if you like them a bit chunky then simply mash a little less, if you want them a bit more smooth then mash them a little more to get a smoother and somewhat creamy consistency. This recipe is easily adaptable to customize to your own taste. These beans are amazing and full of flavor and perfect side for any Mexican inspired meal you can dream up!

Semi-Homemade Refried Beans

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp bacon drippings
1/4 Cup diced onion
3 Cloves garlic
2 (15oz) Cans pinto beans
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Place bacon drippings in a large skillet and place over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragarent, about 30-45 seconds. Add the beans, and their liquid, and stir to combine. Once the beans have become slightly tender, after about 2 minutes of cooking, then begin to smash with a potato smasher (or fork or wooden spoon). Continue stirring and mashing until desired consistency is achieved. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Recipe source: adapted from Pinch My Salt, originally from Mexican Made Easy by Rick Bayless

Salsa Verde Stacked Chicken Enchiladas

May 22, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

I think it’s safe to say that we enjoy Mexican food at least once a week, whether we go out to eat at our favorite local restaurant or I make it at home. I have a weakness for the stuff; it’s amazing, delicious, full of flavor and so incredibly satisfying…and the margaritas with salt don’t hurt anything either! When I’m planning my weekly menus, I try to plan between 3-5 easier meals to make during the week and 1-2 more tedious, time consuming meals for the weekend. I try to make as much use of what little time I have once I get home, and the last thing I want to do is spend 3 hours in the kitchen after I get off work.

This recipe helps me accomplish serving a delicious, healthy and satisfying meal to my family without keeping me in the kitchen for hours. To make the meal assembly even faster, I boiled and shredded the chicken Sunday afternoon then stored it in the refrigerator until I was ready to use it. Once the day came to make these stacked enchiladas, it was simply a matter of chopping a few items then layering the ingredients and baking.

These enchiladas are different than most since the ingredients are layered, rather then each tortilla being individually stuffed and rolled up. It makes the preparation and assembly process a lot easier, making this the ideal meal for busy families. This is also an ideal recipe for hellp from those little helpers. My son loves being in the kitchen with me, and since this is just a simple layering process why not let the kiddos come in and help sprinkle some meat and cheese!

This meal is so simple but huge in flavor. I think the salsa verde packs so much flavor, that there really isn’t need for a lot of extra spices and seasonings. Pair that with delicious, moist shredded chicken, gooey melted Monterey Jack and salty feta with a hefty helping of fresh chopped cilantro and sweet red onion and you’ve got a meal that will please your whole family!

Salsa Verde Stacked Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

3lb Chicken thighs*
2 Tbsp salt
15 Corn tortillas
4 Cups (approximately 32 oz) salsa verde, homemade or store bought
1 lb Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/4 Cup finely diced red onion
1/2 Cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 Cup crumbled queso anejo cheese or other crumbly, salty cheese such as feta

Directions:

Place chicken in a large stock pot and cover with water. Add salt and cover. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Allow the chicken to simmer about 20-25 minutes, until cooked through. Drain chicken and allow to cool until cool enough to touch. Remove the meat from the bones, discarding the bones and skin. Shred the chicken and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour 1 cup of salsa verde in the bottom of the pan and spread evenly. Place a layer of tortillas (approximately 4) over the salsa verde, tearing one in half to form a complete layer. Top with 1 cup of chicken, 1 cup of shredded cheese, and 1 Cup salsa verde. Repeat the layering process with the remaining ingredients, ending wtih tortillas. Top with remaining salsa verde and jack cheese.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and place back in the oven and bake until cheese is bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with red onion, cilantro and queso anejo or feta. Serve immediately.

*For even less prep time use Rotisserie or grilled frozen chicken.

Recipe source: Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Easy Salsa Verde

May 9, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Green and pink are my all time favorite colors. But let’s focus on green for a minute, shall we? Looking around right now I spot several things that are green; my wallet, my carryall bag, and my planner. So, it’s quite obvious to any passersby that I’m fond of green, lime and avocado green to be exact! Green is just a happy color; it’s bright, refreshing, fun and it’s also closely associated with the onset of Spring and Summer which are happy and fun too. Other than flowers and plants, one of the first things I think about when Spring roles around is being outside. Cookouts. Baseball games. Float trips. Being at the lake. Or just being out is the back yard, I love it all.

When I think of cookouts, bbqs, or any other outdoor parties I think of easy foods to bring or serve. One of my favorite easy appetizers are dips. They are versatile, most of them take little to no time to assemble and they can sit out with no maintenance. Lately I’ve been on a salsa kick. I mean I have a weakness for salsa anyway, but lately it’s been more intense than normal. I’m a sucker for it, what can I say? I love all salsas, but lately I’ve been addicted to the green stuff. My favorite color! No, I’m not addicted to it because of the color…although that does hurt. I love the flavor of it!

When I go to Mexican restaurants salsa is a must, as well as cheese dip and salsa verde. I love the green stuff, it’s so good. Since my infatuation with salsa has grown immensly, I decided it was due time to make some of the green stuff at home. This salsa verde is delicious, full of flavor and takes no time to throw together. It’s a matter of giving the ingredients a rough chop and then tossing them in the food processor and giving them a quick pulse to get that perfect salsa consistency. The end result is nothing less than amazing. Spicy, slightly sweet, a little tangy, light and fresh; this salsas got it all. We enjoyed this batch not only as a dip but in some stacked enchilidas (recipe to come soon!) and it was amazing.

Easy Salsa Verde

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Lbs (approximately 5-6) Tomatillos, husks removed and quartered
1 Medium white onion, quartered
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Jalapeno pepper, quartered and majority of the seeds removed
1/2 Cup cilantro
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to achieve desired consistency and to combine. Taste, adjust seasonings if needed and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Store in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for upto two weeks.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Teedo’s Famous Salsa

May 1, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Okay folks, we are T-minus 5 days and counting until Cinco De Mayo! Are you excited? I know I am! I look for any excuse to enjoy a hefty dose of Mexican food; cheese dip, salsa, guacomole, pico, enchiladas, fajitas…I love it all and I think I could eat my weight in Mexican food every. single. day. If you do need an excuse, which I don’t, what better reason to enjoy Mexican food than on the ever so popular Cinco De Mayo?

Now that I’ve confessed I could eat twice my weight in dips and other foods, why not enable you to do the same thing? No, I’m not trying to make myself feel better by giving you the means to do the same thing. I promise. I’m just trying to share a tasty recipe with you so that you can enjoy some refreshing salsa this Sunday…or any day for that matter!

I have a weakness for salsa. I love it. I won’t go into the specifics of how I prefer my salsa but if you are interested you can read about it here. Now, for the most part all salsa is comprised of the same basic ingredients; tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers and cilantro. There are plenty of other spices and ingredients that can be added to achieve the desired flavor and texutre, but they are all start with the same thing. This salsa, however, differs from the traditional salsa just a bit. The most significant difference is recipe is the addition of avocados. Yes, avocados.

Before reading this recipe the thought of adding avocados to salsa had never crossed my mind. But Jenny’s dad not only thought of it, but actually did it and let me tell ya, it’s amazing. This salsa is delicious, full of flavor and so simple and quick to make. It’s a matter of throwing all of the ingredients into a food processor, putting the lid on and pulsing until you achieve the desired consistency. That’s it!

This salsa stores wonderfully in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, not that it lasts that long at my house! We can’t get our fill of this stuff; the fire roasted tomatoes add a terrific smokey flavor, the onion adds a slight kick, the cilantro adds a fresh, bright flavor, the lime adds a bit of tartness while also keeping the avocados from turning brown! All of the flavors marry together wonderfully, providing a delicious and refreshing dip!

Teedo’s Famous Salsa

Ingredients:

1 (14.5oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes*
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
2 Avocados, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
1/2 White onion, roughly chopped
2 Cups fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 Clove garlic, minced
Juice of half a lime
Kosh salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

*If you can’t find fire-roasted, petite diced tomatoes are fine too.

Directions:

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until desired consistency is achieved. Taste, adjust seasonings if needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Store in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Recipe source: slightly adapted from The Picky Palate Cookbook by Jenny Flake
For other delicious recipesbe sure to check out the Picky-Palate blog

Baked Burritos with Creamy Poblano Sauce

December 20, 2012 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Mexican, Tex-Mex, anything along these lines is a weakness for me. I honestly think I could live on Mexican food of some sort every. single. day. So when I saw these burritos on Elly’s blog I knew I had to make them. And soon. So…I did.

I love burritos. How could anything be bad when it’s rolled up in a fluffy, flour-y tortilla? These burritos are incredible. A combination of spices, lean ground beef, beans and cheese rolled up in a whole-wheat tortilla and baked to crisp perfection is amazing on it’s own. But to take it one step further, it’s then topped with a poblano sauce that’s thicky, creamy, with a hint of spice. Un-be-lieveable!

These burritos are perfect for a weeknight meal. A quick browning of the meat, accompanied by spices and beans then wrapped up in a tortilla. The burritos are baked to crisp up the tortillas and finally topped with a creamy poblano sauce. Serve these alone or with a side of beans and Mexican rice and you’ve got a perfectly quick and healthy meal.

Don’t forget the blogging event going on this Friday, December 21 in honor of the victims, families and community of Newtown.

Bloggers unite for

cookies & crafts

for Sandy Hook

Friday, December 21, 2012

A tribute to the victims, families

and community of

Newtown, CT.

Baked Burritos with Creamy Poblano Sauce

Ingredients:

For the burrito-
1 Tbsp oil
1 Large onion, diced
1 lb ground beef
4 Cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water or beef stock
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 Tsp chili powder
1/8 Tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 Tsp brown sugar
1/3 Cup chopped cilantro
1 Cup shredded Monterey Jack
4 (10in) whole wheat tortillas

For the creamy poblano sauce-
2 Poblano peppers
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
2/3 Cup chicken broth, room temperature
1/2 Cup sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

For the burritos-
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Add the onions and cook for 3-5 minutes, until onions begin to soften. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, breaking up large pieces, until well browned.

Add the garlic and tomato paste, stir to combine and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds. Add beans along with broth, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and sugar and stir to combine. Reduce heat and allow mixture to simmer until liquid is absorbed. Stir in cilantro. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of cheese over each tortilla. Top cheese with bean and beef mixture. Fold in the left and right sides of the tortilla and then roll. Place seemed-side down on prepared baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray and place in oven. Bake for 20 minutes, until tortillas are golden-brown and crispy.

For the creamy poblano sauce-
Place poblanos directly over a gas burner. Using tongs, turn occasionally until the skin is blackened on all sides. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes.

Peel the poblano and rinse to ensure all the charred skin is removed. Remove the stems and seeds and dice.

Place a small saucepan over medium heat, add butter and allow to melt. Stir in flour and allow to cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, followed by the diced poblanos. Continue to simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

Add the sour cream, stir to incorporate, and leave over heat utnil heated through. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

Spoon the sauce over the burritos and serve.

Recipe source: slightly adapted from Elly Says Opa

Avocado Enchiladas

August 24, 2012 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

A lot of people tend to have weekly richuals as far as food goes; tonight is Mexican night, tomorrow is burger night and so on. I’ve never really thought of myself as being one of those people, but the more I start to look at our weekly meal plans the more I start to see particular types of food appear on there on a weekly basis. Although we don’t have some type of Mexican inspired meal every. single. week, we come close to it. I’ve said before that I could honestly live on Mexican food, and I truly mean it. What’s not to love about some fresh, cold and spicy salsa, hot cheese dip and chips? I could honestly make a meal of that alone, but I make myself save room for the entree…most of the time!

I love enchiladas, and I believe we’ve been enjoying a vareity of enchiladas as of lately. For our latest Mexican night, I decided to try something completely new (to us) and make avocado enchiladas. I love avocado, I could honestly eat it by itself, but instead I try to find or creat different recipes that utilize it!

These burritios are fairly quick to put together and surprisingly filling. The avocado flavor really shines and is complimented by the addition of garlic, onions and cilantro really help to enhance the flavor and bring this dish to life. It starts by sauteing onions, garlic and various seasonings. That mixture is then combined with the avocados, cilantro and lime juice. Fill the tortillas with the mixture, then lay them in a nice little bath of salsa verde. A quick topping of salsa verde and cheese and then they are ready to be popped in the oven. After a quick bake, the enchiladas are given an additional drizzle of salsa verde, cilantro and tomatoes. The end result is simply amazing.

Avocado Enchiladas

Ingredients:

2 avocados
Juice of 1 lime
½ Cup cilantro, chopped
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ Tsp cumin
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Cups Colby jack cheese, shredded
1 ½ Cups salsa verde
5 Flour tortillas
Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Place skillet over medium heat, allow to heat up. Pour 1 tbsp of oil in the skillet and add onions, garlic, and cumin. Saute the ingredients until onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine, add another ½ to 1 tbsp oil and cook until brown sugar has dissolved.

Remove the avocados from the skin and roughly chop. Place chopped avocado in a bowl, add cilantro and lime juice and toss to combine. Add the onion mixture and stir.

Pour ½ cup salsa verde in the bottom of a casserole/baking dish and spread over the dish evenly. Spoon 2-3 tbsp of the avocado mixture in the tortilla, sprinkle with 1 tbsp shredded cheese and roll up, place seem side down in baking dish. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Top the enchiladas with an additional ½-3/4 cup salsa verde, sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, remove foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until tortilla edges begin to turn golden and cheese is melted.

Top with additional cilantro, salsa verde, and ¼ cup chopped tomatoes, if desired.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Lou’s Original

SRC: Pico De Gallo (And a giveaway)-Closed

June 26, 2012 by Lynsey 35 Comments

By now I’m sure you’re aware of my fondness of any and all Mexican food. As much as I enjoy my entree, I honestly enjoy the cheese dip, salsa, pico de gallo and chips just as much. I could probably make a meal out of all those alone. I do try to refrain myself, at least a little, so I can enjoy my meal and not leave the restaurant completely miserable! Unfortunately, I fail at that goal more times than not. Ha!
Pico de gallo is one of my all time favorite dips, and it’s perfect for summer. I love making this dip in the summer because I’m able to use fresh vegetables and herbs from my garden. There’s nothing much better than walking out to the garden and getting a few tomatoes, jalapenos, onions and chopping some fresh cilantro and coming in and making a fresh batch of pico. I love it! It’s so easy to put together too, and it’s one of those that develops more flavor the longer it sits. Pico is also perfect for this hot weather that has come upon us; no cooking required and this dip can be enjoyed cold or at room temperature.
As I stated before, I’ve enjoyed this several times but for some reason or another this simple yet delicious dip hasn’t made it to the ol’ blog. Well, the wait is over! Thanks to this round of the secret recipe club, I’m finally making this delicious dip to share with you. For this month’s swap I was given Nicole’s blog, I Am Honey Bee. Nicole’s blog features not only food, but crafts and round-ups of her week and different activities she’s enjoy. She has a fun personality and her blog truly showcases that. She has a great selection of recipes, making it difficult to choose just one. I finally settled on the pico since I had a craving for it and some fresh veggies to use!

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:

4 Large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 Large red onion, finely diced
1-2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/2 Cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of half a lime, more as needed
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapeno in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the cilantro and lime juice and toss. Once ingredients are incorporated, season with salt and pepper and stir. Taste, adjust seasonings as needed and serve or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe source: I Am Honey Bee

Now, on to the giveaway. The next thing up for grabs for my blog’s birthday is a double mezzaluna with chopping block.

Image from Amazon

I absolutely love my mezzaluna. It’s perfect for finely chopping all those fresh herbs, that are typically difficult to cut using a plain cutting board and knife. The custom bowled cutting board makes it incredibly easy to perfect cut and mince herbs and various other items. What I love about this particular mezzaluna is it is stored directly in the cutting board; keeping the set together and the blade covered for safety.

~~To enter:~~
*Please leave a comment on this post stating:
~~“What your favorite summer dip is?”~~

*US residents only, please. Sorry for all of those overseas readers, I still love ya!

~~For additional entries:~~

*Subscribe to Lynsey Lou’s via ~~RSS~~ or ~~email. Return to this post and leave a comment and tell me you subscribed by leaving another comment.~~

*Become a ~~fan of Lynsey Lou’s on facebook. Return to this post and leave a comment and tell me you’re a fan by leaving an additional comment. If you are already a fan then leave a comment telling me you’re already a fan.~~

*Share this giveaway on ~~facebook. Return to this post and leave a comment telling me you’ve done so by leaving an additional comment.~~

~~The fine print:~~
*You can earn a total of 4 entries.
*All entries must be received by midnight on Saturday, June 30.
*The winner will be announced on Monday, July 2. The winner will have 5 days to respond to claim their prize. If the winner has not claimed their prize within 5 days a new winner will be chosen.

~~Be sure to check out yesterday’s~~ ~~giveaway~~ ~~and enter to win a Silpat baking mat.~~

Full disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored and paid for soley by Lynsey Lou’s.

Beef and Vegetable Fajitas

June 20, 2012 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

So the newest addition to my cookbook repertoire is a fabulous book from America’s Test Kitchen, The Best Simple Recipes. This cookbook promises over 200 delicious recipes that can be prepared and cooked in about 30 minutes, making this a perfect “go to” resource for weeknight meal planning. This book not only promises quick and delicious meals, but it delivers! I have tried a few recipes from this particular book that I’ve seen on various blogs and I’ve enjoyed them immensely. First and foremost they are delicious, my entire family enjoys them and it takes very little time to get a healthy and tasty meal on the table. I finally decided it was time to add this book to my ever growing collection.

I was so excited when I finally brought this book home. I immediately sat down and started reading; page after page is filled with recipes that sound amazing and the pictures are even more captivating. I believe I’ve marked 99% of the recipes in this cookbook and I can’t wait to make them. If only there were more weeknights in the week…ha. The hardest part about reading this book is choosing which recipe I want to make first! If you’re anything like me, then your weeknights are hurried and your time is precious and any cookbook that offers tasty and healthy meals is welcomed.

Since I love Mexican food, one of the first recipes I made from this cookbook (once I bought it) was the fajitas. I am a sucker for fajitas. Juicy, tender meat that is cooked perfectly and accompanied by those tender and flavorful vegetables. Wrapping all that goodness up in a fresh flour tortilla is pure goodness. I loved this particular recipe because it’s incredibly simple to prepare plus full of flavor, veggies and packed full of fun colors. The vegetables in this meal were not only the traditional bell peppers and onions; but corn, tomatoes and lime. Oh my goodness, it was so good and added so much to this meal. This meal captured all of the goodness we enjoy at the restaurant but in the comforts of home. We will definitely be enjoying this recipe over and over again!

Beef and Vegetable Fajitas

Ingredients:

1 (1 1/2 pound) flank steak
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 Tsp lime zest
1 Small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 Red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 Cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 Tsp chili powder
1 Tsp taco seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Cup frozen corn, thawed
8 (6 inch) flour tortillas
1/2 Cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Using a paper towel, pat the steak dry and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place the steak in the heated pan and cook until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Once cooked to desired wellness, transfer to a plate and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the freshly squeezed lime juice. Place a piece of tented foil over the steak and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile place the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, taco seasoning and chili powder and cook until just soft, about 5 minutes. Add corn and stir to combine, add the remaining lime juice and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Transfer to a shallow bowl and top with lime zest.

Remove foil from steak and slice thinly on bias, against the grain.

To assemble:
place sliced steak and vegetable mixture on a warmed tortilla and top with cilantro and enjoy!

Recipe source: slightly adapted from America’s Test Kitchen, The Best Simple Recipes

White Chicken Enchiladas

June 6, 2012 by Lynsey 2 Comments

I honestly think I could eat Mexican food on a daily basis. I love it! The chips. Salsa. Cheese dip. Wonderfully seasoned food. What’s not to love? We probably have Mexican food at least once a week; whether we go out or I cook, we do enjoy this cuisine on a weekly basis. I could honestly make a meal out of the chips and salsa alone, but I know Spencer needs something a little more substantial than that. For our weekly Mexican food fix, I decided to make these white chicken enchiladas.

I was so excited about these! Delicious flour tortillas stuffed with a creamy, flavorful and cheesy chicken mixture. That mixture is then topped with a cheese sauce and baked till bubbly and golden brown. Doesn’t that sound amazing? Even better; these were a cinch to put together. You can most certainly use chicken that you’ve prepared at home, that’s what I did, but you can also use a rotisserie chicken to cut down on the prep and cooking time. A quick saute of onions and garlic is all it takes before mixing all the ingredients together and stuffing your flour tortillas. Next up; melt some butter and mix in flour then milk and stir in cheese for that perfeclty creamy, cheesy topping sauce. These enchiladas were more on the mild side since I did want Tucker to be able to enjoy them but you could definitely spice them up by adding jalapenos and maybe even a dash or two of chili powder. Either way I know you will enjoy these, they have quickly become a favorite in our house. Serve with refried beans and rice and you have the perfect meal!

White Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

For the enchiladas-
1/2 Cup Greek yogurt
1/2 Tsp cumin
1/2 Medium onion, chopped
1 Clove garlic, minced
1 Tsp olive oil
1 Can chopped green chiles
1/2 Cup pepper jack or monterey cheddar, shredded
1 1/2 Cups cooked chicken, roughly chopped (rotisserie or cooked at home)
Salt and pepper, to taste
6-7 Small flour tortillas

For the sauce-
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 Cup milk
1 Cup shredded monterey jack cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

To serve-
Seeded, chopped tomatoes
Scallions
Sour Cream
Parsley
Cilantro
Salsa

Directions:

For the enchiladas-
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a shallow, 2 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Place a medium pan over medium heat. Add oil along with onions and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragarent, about 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, combine Greek yogurt, cumin, and green chiles in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the cooled onions and garlic, along with the shredded cheese and chicken and stirl until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Place a scant 1/4 cup in each tortilla and roll up. Place the filled enchiladas in the prepared baking dish; repeat process with remaining ingredients.

Place butter in a small saucepan and place over low-medium heat. Once butter has melted and the flour and stir until a paste has formed. While continuously stirring, slowly stream in the milk and bring to a simmer. Allow ingredients to simmer until thickened, stirring occassionally, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Add cheese and stir until cheese has melted. Spoon the mixture over the prepared enchiladas. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes.

Sprinkle with desired toppings and enjoy.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Bean and Cheese Burritos

May 15, 2012 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

When I was younger my Grandma would always have an afternoon snack of some sort ready for me once I got out of school. One of my favorites was bean burritos. It was pure goodness with creamy beans and gobs of cheese. It’s been quite some time since I prepared one of those bean burritos for myself but they still hold a special place in my heart. When I came across this recipe for bean burritos on Josie’s blog all those memories of that wonderful afternoon snack rushed back. Her description of her bean burritos sounded exactly like the one’s my Grandma had made me countless times. It didn’t take long at all to determine that I ~~needed~~ HAD to make these very soon! Once I discovered them I actually put the on the menu for the next week.

All I can say is WOW! These burritos hit the spot and were so good. The beans are cooked down; creating a thick yet creamy base. The jalapenos and their juices added a lot of flavor and a nice amount of heat to the dish. The cumin added a smoky undertone and melded well with the rest of the spices and flavors. Once all the ingredients are cooked they are then stirred together and tons of cheesy goodness is added to create an even creamier filling for these burritos. Once assembled they are topped with more cheese then placed in the oven to heat everything through and to create a cheesy layer over the top of the these creamy burritos.

This meal is delicious and simple to throw together making it perfect for the weeknight. It’s also a vegetarian meal which is perfect for us, since I am constantly trying to incorporate more meatless meals into our menu. It’s completely satisifying and fulfilling and the perfect comfort food. I promise you can’t go wrong with these. Who doesn’t like bean and cheese burritos, topped with more cheese? To make this meal somewhat “healthy” I topped the burritos with fresh, chopped tomatoes, scallions and cilantro. Not only adding a few vegetables but also a splash of color!

Bean and Cheese Burritos

Ingredients:

2 Tsp vegetable or olive oil
1 Medium onion, finely diced
1-2 Tbsp pickled jalapenos, chopped
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tsp cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 (15oz) cans pinto beans, undrained
1-2 Tbsp jalapeno pickling liquid (depending on heat tolerance)
1 (4oz) can diced green chiles, drained
1/2 Cup salsa
1/2 Cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Cup shredded pepperjack cheese
12 (6inch) flour tortillas

To serve:
1 Cup tomatoes, seeded and diced
2-3 Scallions, minced
Sour cream
Salsa

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Place both cheeses in a bowl and toss to combine. Set aside.

Place a large skillet over medium heat, add oil and allow oil to get hot. Add onion to the heated oil, allow to cook stirring frequently. Once onions are translucent, about 5-6 minutes, add the jalapenos, chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes.

Add the undrained beans, along with the diced chiles to the onion mixture and bring to a boil. Once mixture has come to a boil reduce to a simmer and add pickling liquid and salsa and allow to cook until thickened. Once the mixture has thickened, remove from heat and use a potato masher (or the back of a wide spoon) to mash the beans until desired consistency is achieved. Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings accordingly. Add the cilantro and stir to combine. Add half of the cheese mixture to the beans and stir until melted.

Place a scant 1/3 cup of the bean mixture into each tortilla and roll up. Place the filled burrito in the prepared baking dish. Repeat the process with remaining ingredients. Once all burritos are filled, sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle desired toppings over the burritos and serve.

Recipe source: Pink-Parsley

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