Cheesy Zucchini Rice

I'm always looking for new side dishes, especially ones that combine starch and vegetable. This recipe for Cheesy Zucchini Rice sounded like a perfect way to use zucchini before the season ends.


When I told SP what we were having he was more than a little skeptical. I think he wasn't sure what to expect, but as soon as he tasted it he proclaimed he would eat an entire bowl of just the rice. And yet the man claims not to like risotto. Go figure. Baby Girl was also a big fan. Not for moms of picky kids, this is a great way to sneak in veggies.

Don't be shy with the salt and pepper in this dish. Because of the zucchini the rice needs a good amount of salt. I've also realized I'm disappointed in my supermarket brand cheddar cheese. Our store brand is pretty stellar in most instances, but their cheese is just bland. Make sure to use a nice, sharp cheese that actually packs some flavor.

Cheesy Zucchini Rice
Very Slightly Modified from Pink Parsley

1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium zucchini, grated on the large holes of a cheese grater then wrung dry in a clean kitchen towel
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the rice, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove from heat, add the butter and zucchini, and cover. Allow to stand 5 minutes, then stir to incorporate. Stir in the cheese, season liberally with salt and pepper, and serve.

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Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhini)

I love cooking Indian food at home. It doesn't usually compare to the rich, bold flavors of restaurant cooking, but it satisfies the craving. I'm always looking for new curry recipes, so I was excited to try this one for Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhini).


As we've found with all curries, they seem to taste better the next day once the flavors have a chance to fully meld. Unfortunately the dominant flavor was lemon. One lemon was way too much and overpowered the dish. I've cut it down to half a lemon in the recipe below. This was pretty good but not one of our favorites.

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhini)
Prevention RD

Chicken Marinade:
1 pound chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
1 onion, diced
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced finely
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Butter Sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
2 cups canned tomato pureed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper to taste
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped (garnish)

At least 24 hours before, place the chicken marinade ingredients in a large Ziploc bag, shake gently to toss together and close tightly. Place in the Ziploc bag in a large bowl. and place in refrigerator until ready to use

Remove the chicken from refrigerator, and heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan, and add the chicken marinade into the pan. Cook the chicken until no longer pink, about 7 to 8 minutes

In a small skillet, add a tablespoon of butter, cinnamon stick, and cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

In the large Dutch oven, add the butter spice mixture, tomatoes, tomato paste and reduce heat to a slow simmer. The sauce will start to thicken, and let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir in the honey, fenugreek leaves (if using), turmeric, 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, and heavy cream and let it simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and discard. Taste for seasonings, add salt and pepper if needed.

Serve over basmati rice and garnish with chopped cilantro.

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Chicken Sriracha Stir Fry

As I've mentioned recently, we are on a restaurant hiatus right now. Eating out really adds up and we realized that the meals we were getting out were rarely worth the cost. SP is excited to get back in the kitchen so look for posts featuring his cooking soon.

Stir fry is something that has always intimidated me for some reason. I've tried it a handful of times and the flavors were never right. It's such a simple thing, but if the sauce isn't good then the whole dish flops. My friend Katie over at So Tasty, So Yummy had this Chicken Sriracha Stir Fry on her menu recently so I thought I'd give it a try since I trust her to make a good dish.


I really wish the photo was better but I lost daylight early because of the thunderstorms. This picture doesn't do the recipe justice. It was utterly delicious. SP and I both cleaned our plates and wished we didn't have to save the leftovers for lunch the next day. The Sriracha packs a spicy punch, but it isn't overwhelming at all. The good news is you can increase or decrease the amount in the sauce to suit your spice tolerance. One tablespoon was perfect for us.

I can't wait to make this a regular part of my menu rotation. SP said it was better than any Chinese take out we've ever gotten.

Chicken Sriracha Stir Fry
So Tasty, So Yummy

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

Marinade for chicken:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Sriracha

1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 cup green beans, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, chopped

Transfer chicken to a plastic food storage bag. Add marinade ingredients and toss to coat thoroughly. Let stand for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch, water, Sriracha, soy sauce and oyster sauce.

In a wok heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat, add vegetables. Stir-fry for 5 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Remove to a plate.

Wipe wok out with wet paper towels. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the wok. When hot, add ginger and garlic; after a few seconds, add chicken mixture. Stir-fry for 2 to 4 minutes until chicken is fully cooked. Pour in the sauce. Stir until thickened. Return vegetables to the wok. Serve over rice.

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Orange Chicken

I love Chinese food. I usually shy away from making it at home because I can never get the flavors quite right, but this recipe for Orange Chicken has been making its way around the blogosphere and getting rave reviews, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Boy am I glad I did!


I don't usually order breaded and fried chicken at Chinese restaurants because most of them use mystery meat that's mostly breading anyway. This version has juicy chunks of breast meat. As SP pointed out, restaurant versions are much sweeter whereas this was tangy and spicy, which I preferred. I think I'll add some honey for SP the next time I make it, though. I served the chicken with rice and steamed broccoli.

Orange Chicken
Cooking at Home With America’s Test Kitchen

For the marinade and sauce:
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
6 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar (dark or light)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
8 thin strips orange peel (optional)

For the coating and frying:
3 large egg whites
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups peanut or canola oil

To make the marinade and sauce, combine the chicken broth, orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper in a large saucepan; whisk to blend well. Measure out 3/4 cup of the mixture and transfer it to a large zipper lock plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces to the bag, pressing out the excess air and sealing well. Refrigerate and let marinate 30-60 minutes, but no longer.

Place the saucepan with the remaining mixture on the stove and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Add the mixture to the saucepan with the sauce. Continue simmering until the sauce is thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the strips of orange peel, if using.

To prepare the coating, place the egg whites in a pie plate and whisk until frothy. In a second pie plate combine the cornstarch, baking soda and cayenne pepper; whisk to blend. Drain the chicken in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. Place half of the chicken pieces in the egg whites and turn to coat. Transfer the pieces to the cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly, shaking off the excess. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

To fry the chicken, heat the oil in a Dutch oven until the oil reaches 350 degrees. Carefully place half of the chicken pieces in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through cooking. Remove from the oil with a skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Reheat the sauce and toss with the cooked chicken pieces. Serve over rice.

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Thai Coconut Curry Chicken

After the success of the Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp I decided to try the dish with chicken and vegetables.


I steamed chopped onion, red pepper, asparagus and green beans before adding them to the sauce, along with mushrooms and scallions. The veggies were a welcome addition, but I made a mistake - I had SP buy light coconut milk instead of the full-fat version. This version lacked the creaminess the shrimp curry had. Next time I won't make that mistake.

Thai Coconut Curry Chicken

1 tablespoon oil
1 lb chicken, thinly sliced
2 scallions, whites and greens separated, chopped
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
2 big cloves garlic, minced
1 can coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Chopped/sliced vegetables (ex. red pepper, onion, mushrooms, green beans, asparagus, bamboo shoots)
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, steam vegetables until crisp tender.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add scallion whites, red curry paste and garlic. Saute one minute. Add coconut milk, and fish sauce and mix well. Simmer about 2-3 minutes, then add chicken and vegetables to the pan. Allow to simmer 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked. Remove from heat and mix in scallion greens. Serve over basmati rice.

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Spicy Pork and Asparagus Stir Fry

Brianna over at Oishii recently posted this recipe for Spicy Pork with Asparagus and Chile. It looked great and was a departure from our usual meals so I put it on this week's menu. The same day I was planning to make it someone posted about it on my cooking board, prompting a discussion about the dish. As it turns out, the recipe (which came from Bon Appetit) lacked a little something according to those who had made it. Suggestions were thrown out about how to make it better so I ended up modifying the recipe.


The result was really good. I don't usually cook with ground pork and I liked the flavor, plus now that asparagus was in season I was happy for an excuse to use it.

UPDATE July 2013 - I recently realized that I no longer use the recipe as it was originally written and it was time to update this post. I've been using my friend Melissa's modified version of this recipe ever since she posted it. It's simply perfect - spicy and flavorful and just the right amount of sauce. I usually serve it over rice but I had some leftover pork and asparagus in the freezer recently and served it over angel hair, which was amazing.

Spicy Pork and Asparagus Stir Fry
As seen on Alosha's Kitchen, modified from Bon Appetit

2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds ground pork
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1 pound thin asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Sriracha chile garlic sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1 tablespoon honey
4 scallions, sliced

Whisk 2 tablespoons soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and cornstarch in medium bowl. Add pork and mix lightly to blend.

Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in heavy large wok (or deep skillet) over high heat. Add asparagus, Sriracha, ginger and garlic. Toss until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer asparagus to a bowl and set aside.

Add remaining tablespoon sesame oil to wok. Add pork and stir-fry until browned, using spoon to break up pork into small pieces, about 4 minutes. Return asparagus to the pan, along with the remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce, oyster sauce, and honey. Stir-fry until pork is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add scallions; toss to incorporate.

Serve over rice or noodles.

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Recipe Swap - Arroz con Pollo

This recipe for Arroz con Pollo, submitted by Amanda, was my recipe swap from a few weeks ago. I was very, very late making it because my grandmother was admitted to the hospital while she was in town visiting a few weekends ago. She's perfectly fine and back home resting, but it threw off my entire meal plan for the week. I finally made this for Sunday dinner this week and it was tasty. Definitely something new and different for us.


While I was cooking I had an episode of America's Test Kitchen on in the background. They happened to be making a no-stir risotto so I stopped to listen to the method. They recommended toasting the rice in the pan, then adding the liquid all at once and only stirring a few times. I decided to modify the Arroz con Pollo recipe so I could toast the rice with the vegetables and spices before adding the liquid. My changes are reflected below. I also added peas for color and because other recipes I've seen included them.

Arroz con Pollo
Modified from Epicurious

Note: The original recipe suggested using wine if you used sweet sausage and beer if you used hot.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. chicken parts (I used two bone-in breasts)
1 lb. sweet or hot Italian sausage, cut in 2-inch pieces
1 small onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 cups medium-grain rice (I used arborio rice)
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine or beer
1 bay leaf
2 1/4 cups water
1 cup frozen peas, thawed

In a deep, heavy-based pot (such as a Dutch oven), heat the oil on medium high. Pat the chicken dry and liberally season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Saute the chicken, in batches if necessary, until golden on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Saute the sausage until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer the sausage to the platter. Pour off and discard the excess oil, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.

Reduce the heat to medium and saute the onion, pepper, and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, paprika, chili powder, and turmeric, if using, stirring to distribute the spices. Add the rice and toast until the edges become translucent, about 3 minutes.

Return the chicken and sausage to the pot then add the tomatoes, wine (or beer), bay leaf and water. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the rice is done and the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent the rice from sticking. Add peas and allow to warm through. Give a toss and then let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

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Recipe Swap - Indian Chicken Curry

Want to see what other chicken dishes were made during the swap? Here is the link for the Chicken Recipe Swap Roundup.

I've been enjoying the recipe swap I've been participating in so much I decided to see if the women on the cooking board I frequent wanted to start one. The response was overwhelmingly positive so off we went. I hosted this week's swap and chose chicken as the theme. I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for new and exciting chicken recipes, like this one for Indian Chicken Curry from J Bean Cuisine.


I knew SP would love this dish and it didn't disappoint. I served it with basmati rice and store-bought naan. The only change I made was to use dry spices for the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom since that's what I had on hand.

We've found that, for some reason, curry dishes tend to taste better the next day. We had the leftovers for lunch the next day and it was outstanding - nice depth of flavor and everything came together. Next time I'll make this dish the day before we want to eat and reheat before serving.

Chicken Curry
JBean Cuisine

Marinade:
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp grated ginger
2 tsp grated garlic
1 tsp grated green jalapeño
3 tsp garam masala
3 tsp cumin
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp salt
3 lbs of chicken (thighs and breasts), chopped into bite-sized pieces

Sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cardamoms
2 cloves
4 black peppercorns
3 medium onions, diced
1 cup of water
1 medium tomato, diced
1.5 cups of plain tomato sauce

In a large glass or metal bowl, make a paste by mixing 3 tbsp of olive oil with the ginger, garlic, jalapeño, garam masala, thana jeeroo, red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt.

Add chicken pieces to the paste and mix very well, ensuring that each piece of chicken is coated with marinade. Cover and marinade in fridge for 2hrs.

In a large dutch oven, heat remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil for one minute over medium heat. Add the cassia sticks, cardamoms, cloves and black peppercorns. Allow spices to infuse the oil for 2–3 minutes. Add the chopped onions to the oil mixture and sauté until translucent (about 10 minutes). A bit of color on the onions is fine.

Add the marinated chicken and stir well. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Be careful not to have the heat too high, as your chicken will stick.

After 20 minutes, add 1 cup of water to the chicken. Give a good stir and scrape any bits of flavour off the bottom of your pan. After a minute or so, add tomato sauce and diced tomato to the chicken curry.

Cover again, lower heat to a simmer and cook for an additional 20 – 30 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve with basmati rice, naan, roti or paratha.

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White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

I've been on a Mexican food kick lately. I love that most of the recipes are easy to make but still have great flavor. This recipe for White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce was no exception.


I actually cooked the chicken and made the green chile sauce over the weekend so all I had to do was assemble the enchiladas and put them in the oven alongside the Mexican Sour Cream Rice, which I also made over the weekend to save time during the week.

The only thing I'd change next time is add some of the sauce to the chicken filling. They were a little dry and really needed the sauce to bring everything together.


White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce
Cassie Craves

8-10 soft taco size flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese, divided
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 7-ounce can diced green chiles
Cilantro for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a skillet or saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Stir in sour cream and green chiles.

Mix together 1 cup of the cheese, 1 cup of the sauce and the chicken. Place an equal amount of the mixture into each tortilla, roll up and place seam side down into a 9 x 13-inch pan. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas; sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

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Ginger, Garlic, Scallion Shrimp

One of our favorites, Ginger, Garlic and Scallion Shrimp:


I was going to make a different dish with the shrimp but at the last minute decided to go with an old favorite. It was delicious, but spicy!

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Crunchy Chicken with Sesame Rice and Green Beans

Lately I've been disappointed with the recipes in Everyday with Rachael Ray (anyone else feel like she's run out of ideas and the new ones are just plain bizarre?), but this one for Crunchy Chicken with Sesame Rice and Green Beans was just a jazzed up version of chicken and rice so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Holy cow...it was just incredible.





I subbed panko for the breadcrumbs and they got gorgeously crispy after frying. Delicious. I think the mayo and soy sauce drizzle was what made the dish. Such a simple combination that packed a lot of flavor. And you can't go wrong with rice and green beans sprinkled with sesame seeds. I can't wait to make this one again.



Crunchy Chicken with Sesame Rice and Green Beans

Modified from Everyday with Rachael Ray



1 cup rice

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 cup panko

2 eggs

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips

1 pound green beans

Preheat the oven to 200°. In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/4 cups water, the rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, soy sauce and 1 tablespoon water. Put panko on a plate. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs.

Fill a large skillet with enough olive oil to reach a depth of 1/4 inch and place over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper; dip into the eggs, then into the panko. Working in 2 batches, add the chicken to the pan and cook, turning once, until cooked through, about 5 minutes; drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Transfer to the oven to keep warm.

Wipe out the skillet and fill with enough water to reach a depth of 1/2 inch; add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and bring to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Drain; season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. Serve with the rice and chicken. Drizzle the chicken with the sauce.

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Rustic Chicken

I originally saw this recipe for Rustic Chicken on my friend Colleen's blog. It sounded great, but I never have luck with crockpot meals so I decided to improvise.





My version of the recipe is below. I loved it and even SP said it was delicious. If I remember correctly (I made this quite awhile ago) it was easy to make and a one-pot meal if you don't count the rice I served it over. Defintely a make-again meal.



Rustic Chicken

Modified from Sweat Tea in Texas




6 slices of bacon, chopped

1 onion, chopped

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts cut in 1 inch strips

1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained


1 15 ounce can artichoke hearts, quartered


1 packet dry chicken gravy mix


1/4 cup white wine

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup stuffed green olives



Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the onion. Cook until tender, then add the mushrooms. Push the mushrooms and onions to the side and add the chicken. Cook until the chicken browns, then mix together and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook until the chicken is fully cooked and the ingredients have had a chance to meld. Serve over pasta or rice.

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Chicken in Coconut Milk

I'm sure this recipe for Garlic Shrimp in Coconut Milk, Tomatoes and Cilantro would have been better with shrimp but we haven't been splurging on shrimp lately so I subbed in chicken:


I love the smell of coconut milk...mmmmm. This was a good recipe but it felt like it needed something. Maybe the shrimp would have been the right pairing, or maybe it needed some curry flavor (as was suggested by someone before I made it).

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Chicken with Chile Cheese Rice

This is one of my favorite recipes - Chicken with Chile Cheese Rice:


It's always a winner, provided the spice level is right. After a lot of trial and error I finally perfected the recipe.

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Chicken Tacos with Avocado Cream and Mexican Sour Cream Rice

During my maternity leave I saw Sunny Anderson make this recipe for Chicken Flautas. They looked amazing but I couldn't be bothered actually making the flautas for dinner for just the two of us (I would for a party, though). I made the filling and asked SP if he'd prefer quesadillas or tacos. He said whatever was easier so I chose tacos.


We spooned the filling into warm flour tortillas (sorry, no photo), and topped it with shredded cheese and avocado cream (included in the flauta recipe link above). We're obsessed with this Mexican Sour Cream Rice:


It's easy to make and always delicious. If we have a Mexican-themed dinner SP always asks if I'm going to make the rice.

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Beef Enchiladas and Sour Cream Rice

One Friday SP thought he had to work late so I decided to make myself a special dinner. Turns out he didn't have to work as late as he thought so we both got to enjoy this meal of Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas and Mexican Sour Cream Rice:


I love this recipe for enchiladas and always use the sauce recipe no matter what kind of enchiladas I'm making. They're simple to make and always delicious. And the rice never fails. I served the enchiladas with sour cream and guacamole. It was a wonderful end to a long week.

Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas
Everyday Food

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 small canned chipotle chile in adobo, minced, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from can
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground beef
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 flour tortillas (6-inch)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add flour and cook, whisking occasionally, 1 minute. Add broth, chili powder, chipotle and adobo sauce, and 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer until lightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Make filling: In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add onion, garlic, and beef; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450°. (If freezing, don’t place any sauce in baking dish; see To Freeze, below left.) Spoon 1/4 cup sauce in bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Set aside.

Make enchiladas: Stack tortillas and wrap in paper towel. Warm in microwave, 10 seconds or until pliable. Fill each with a heaping 1/4 cup beef mixture and 2 tablespoons cheese; tightly roll up. Arrange enchiladas, seam side down, in baking dish. Top with remaining sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Note: To freeze: Make sauce and enchiladas; arrange enchiladas in baking dish without sauce (so tortillas dont become soggy). Place sauce in an airtight container. Cover dish with plastic wrap and foil. Label, date, and freeze enchiladas and sauce. Use within 2 months; bake without thawing (see opposite page).

To bake from frozen: Thaw sauce in refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 450°. Remove foil and plastic wrap from baking dish. Pour sauce over top, and sprinkle with cheese; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until lightly browned and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes; serve.

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Chicken Quesadillas and Sour Cream Rice

I love this recipe for sour cream rice so much that I made the quesadillas just for an excuse to pair them with the rice.


I slow-cooked some onions and sauteed chicken for the quesadillas, which were held together with pepper Jack cheese and cheddar. I also diced some tomatoes from my garden to go with a healthy dolop of sour cream. But the real star is the rice - I love the cheesy, slightly spicy rice with bursts of corn when your teeth sink into a kernel. Delicious.

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Chicken Tikka Masala and Naan

We love this recipe for chicken tikka masala. It's flavorful, easy to make and delicious every time.


Unfortunately I can't really eat spicy food right now and the japaleno I used in this recipe really packed a punch. It was yummy to eat but my body wasn't happy later.

We always talk about buying naan to have with the chicken tikka and I finally remembered to get some. For store-bought it was OK, didn't have that great char flavor but it worked well to sop up the sauce and tame the heat.

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Achiote Shrimp, Avocado and Refried Beans

SP was home last Thursday and he wanted to cook dinner. He loves Rick Bayless, so he found a recipe for Achiote Shrimp that sounded good and even bought the achiote paste from a local Mexican grocer. We had the shrimp over white rice with sliced avocado and refried beans.


Honestly, we weren't fans of the dish. I could tell I wasn't going to like it when I was grilling the shrimp. The smell just didn't make me hungry with anticipation. While I was still photographing my plate SP took a bite and said the shrimp tasted like they were coated in Mexican mustard, which turned out to be a good description.


Of course, this was probably entirely our fault. The original recipe calls for sauteeing the shrimp in oil, but we thought grilling would be fun and impart a nice flavor. Little did we know the achiote needs oil to blossom and develop, so it's likely sauteeing would have been yieleded much better results.

The avocado, on the other hand, was delectable. I absolutely love avocado sliced and simply seasoned with lemon juice, salt and pepper.


We might try experimenting with achiote again in the future but I don't think this is something we'll rush to make again.

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Chicken with Chile Cheese Rice

This recipe for chicken with chile cheese rice is a favorite of ours. I wanted something creamy, cheesy and slightly spicy so it seemed like the perfect dish.


It's a one-pot meal that's easy to make and always tastes delicious.

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