Green Chicken Enchiladas - October Secret Recipe Club

Fall has started to creep into our little town. The leaves have started to change, fall and leave a delicious crunch under our feet. Today we took full advantage of the cooler weather for a family walk.

After everything that happened in our small town, Roseburg, OR this past week, I thought a little extra family time was called for. It has been amazing to see our area really come together with fundraisers, blood drives, and candlelight vigils. It will be a long road ahead for healing... or to feel completely safe again. But, I am still happy to raise my children here.

Of course, my favorite contribution to our family quality time is our family meal. for my October Secret Recipe Club selection, I found and chose the Green Enchiladas from Leslie's blog, La Cocina De Leslie.

Oh, boy! being assigned to Leslie's blog was quite a treat. Sadly, there are not as many peppers available in the fields right now, but I have so many of her recipes I want to go back and try next season. Next up I will be making her Swiss Chard Enchiladas... really! I have never thought to use Swiss Chard that way... but I have a never-ending in a neighboring field. Mexican cuisine is not something I have had many chances to make, but I always enjoy trying.

I hate to gush, but my selection this month is one you have to try! This Secret Recipe Club selection is going to be on heavy rotation this fall/winter. I had a green enchilada recipe in my box before, but this one knocked it out of the park. It had less cheese, but much more flavor with the homemade sauce. It is also a great dish to make and share with friends in need of a meal.

Since going back to work, I have needed to meal plan better and making up a few trays of these Green Enchiladas was perfect for helping to stock my freezer! I now have 2 extra pans settled in next to a few kinds of soup, freezer mac and cheese as well as an eggplant and pasta bake.

To make this meal go even faster, I grabbed a rotisserie chicken to shred. I love simple tricks to make meal assembly go faster. No, if you want to make everything from scratch, you can find recipes for corn tortillas and all sorts of other great dishes on Leslie's blog. Next time I want to try her recipe for red chicken enchiladas.

After creating the sauce, I warmed up the tortillas, dipped them in the excess sauce and layed them out for assembly.

This recipe called for Mexican crema or sour cream... and since I had sour cream, I went with that. I did try using Queso Fresco inside the tortillas though and it was fabulous! I don't think I will go back to boring old Monte Jack again.

Like I said, I was able to create 3 pans of enchiladas, one we devoured right away and the others I froze for future weeknight meals. I topped mine with more cheese, sauce, and olives. For serving, I garnished them with thinly sliced green onions.

The olives and green onions were my own addition. That is just how my family of 5 rolls. Feel free to add your own flare at the end. It's your dish, right?

They were gobbled up the first night. No leftovers. Is there a much better compliment than that? And luckily, since I have another 2 pans in the freezer, we have more Green Chicken Enchiladas in our near future. Many thanks to Leslie for her recipe!

Green Chicken Enchiladas
recipe from La Cocina De Leslie

You Will Need:

• 1 lb. shredded chicken (I used rotisserie chicken)
• 3 Tbsp. onion, finely chopped
• 1 c. sour cream
• 2 Poblano peppers
• 1 lb. tomatillos, husks removed
• 1/2  medium yellow onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 sprig cilantro *optional
• 3 c. chicken broth
• 1 doz. corn tortillas
• Queso Fresco
• Montey Jack cheese
• sliced black olives *optional
• sliced green onions for garnish

In a bowl, combine the chicken, sour cream and 3 tablespoon onion. Toss with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large skillet, heat the tomatillos. They should begin to soften and char slightly. Transfer to a blender or food processor.  Then in the same pan, char the poblanos, 1/2 an onion and garlic. When the pepper is blackened on all sides, let it sweat in a covered bowl and remove the skin and seeds.  Add all this to the blender along with the chicken broth and optional cilantro. Pulse up till smooth and pourable. 

Cover the bottom of a 9"x13" pan with 1/3 cup of the sauce. Then get everything layed out to assemble the enchiladas. Start by warming a tortilla in a small skillet. Dip the warmed tortilla in sauce, then top with a scoop of the chicken mixture and a generous amount of Queso Fresco.  Roll up tightly and place the seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Top with more sauce, Montey Jack cheese, and sliced black olives... if you feel so inclined.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes. Just before serving I like to garnish with fresh green onions.

Enjoy!

An InLinkz Link-up

Maple Brined Granola Pork Chops

I received complimentary product from Golden Girl Granola in order to create this recipe. All opinions and experiences are my own.

I love pork chops! Okay, I don't ever remember my Mom making them while I was growing up. Maybe that is why I love them so? I know the running joke about pork chops for dinner. Dry, leathery chops have never crossed my lips. No, all of my pork chop memories have been delicious ones.

In fact, I have quite a few recipes that I enjoy, but now I have a new one to introduce you to. I think you are going to really love these Maple Brined Granola Pork Chops!

Yes, you heard me. These chops are brined ahead to stay nice and juicey. Then they are encrusted in Golden Girl Granola for a wonderful crunchy texture. You may never want to touch bread crumbs again after trying these.

To get started you need thin cut pork chops.

I put my pork chops in a simple brine overnight. This extra step is definitely worth it!

The fun part of this recipe is using granola in a whole new way. Granola in a dessert? Sure! But, for dinner as the main course? That is something I haven't seen as often.

Golden Girl Granola is a family based granola business from Shirley, MA. You can see all 7 of their fun granola flavors and order your favorites from their site. Be sure to check out their recipes, too. You might find even more new ways to look at granola.

These pork chops are juicy on the inside, crunchy outside and slightly sweet from the maple syrup. Truly a surprising and enjoyable dish. We enjoyed ours over a bed of couscous and a side salad and roasted asparagus.

What would you pair these Maple Brined Pork Chops with?

Maple Brined Granola Pork Chops

You will need:

• 4 c. cold water
• 2/3 cup kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 6 thin-cut pork chops
• 2 c. Golden Girl Forest Maple Granola
• 1/4 c. canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. flour
• salt and pepper
• fresh chopped parsley to garnish *optional

In a glass dish, combine the water, salt and maple syrup. Make sure all porkchops are submerged in the brine. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

In a food processor, pulse the granola till it is in uniform crumbles. Set aside.

Create a dredging station. In one container add the flour and liberally season with salt and pepper. Whisk up the eggs in the middle container and add the processed granola to the final station.

Heat a cast iron pan on medium high heat. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Dredge each pork chop in flour, dip in egg wash and then cover with granola. Brown on both sides and then set aside. Repeat with all the pork chops, then arrange them in oven safe dishes and bake till the internal pork chop temperature reaches 160 degrees.

Enjoy! 

Chicken and Roasted Broccoli with Polenta - July Secret Recipe Club

Summer is in full swing and I have been struggling to enjoy all that the season offers while still getting dinner on the table at an early hour. My days seem to run away from me! Longer days haven't helped to keep us on schedule, it is hard to stop when the day keeps going strong. So right now I am trying to find simple, yet fresh meals for my family.

It is July and that means it is time for another Secret Recipe Club recipe reveal!

This month I had the pleasure of browsing through Elizabeth's blog, Food Ramblings. She started blogging to hold herself accountable to her healthy resolutions and to post recipes geared towards eating better and losing weight.What I enjoyed most was that her recipes still look delicious and family-friendly. I know my 2-year old whole-heartidly endorses the polenta in this dish.

There are several other recipes I would like to come back to, but this Chicken & Broccoli over Polenta was calling my name... and perfect for what I had on hand in my pantry.

Okay, I did make a few little changes to her original recipe. I used chicken tenders because that is what I had on hand. They also cook quickly... my other change was to roast the broccoli with a little olive oil. It is our newest favorite way to enjoy fresh from the field broccoli. Since we grow our own here on the farm we don't use frozen this time of year... but frozen is a great option if that is what you have available.

I think we should all cook with what we have available at the moment. That is what I love most about cooking. Recipes evolve, change and get better with time and experience.

This recipe uses some very simple techniques. First you brown the chicken, then finish it off in a little stock and thinly sliced onions.

Roasting brocolli is amazing! Just toss in olive oil, sprinkle with a touch of kosher salt then allow them to carmelize a little. We enjoy ours with a bit of crunch still left in the stalks.

And the polenta... oh, there is something so simple and delicious about a little cheesy polenta. Instant polenta is something I now keep stocked in the pantry. Easy and fast to make, my kids love it as much as we do.

Chicken and Roasted Broccoli with Polenta
recipe adapted from Food Ramblings

You will need:

• 2-3 c. broccoli, sliced uniformly
• olive oil
• 6 chicken tenders
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 c. chicken stock
• a pinch of red pepper flakes *optional
• 2 1/4 c. water
• 3/4 c. instant polenta
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
• kosher salt

Start by preheating the oven to 450 degrees. Toss the broccoli in olive oil and sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Roast for about 6 minutes, turn over and roast for an additional 4-6 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Start a pot of water boiling for the polenta. Once it comes up to a boil, stir in the polenta and butter. Keep stirring for 5 minutes until the polenta thickens and is cooked through. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Put 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Season the chicken tenders with salt and then brown on both sides. Cook for about 2 - 3 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the heat and set aside. Soften the onions in the same pan, then add the garlic, stock, red pepper flakes and chicken back to the pan. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve the polenta topped with the roasted broccoli, chicken and with a little onion and stock mixture spooned over the top.

Enjoy!

So what is your favorite simple weeknight dinner? If you are looking for more great recipe ideas, be sure to check out Elizabeth's blog for more healthy eating options and recipe makeovers.

An InLinkz Link-up

Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells #SeafoodHop

Did you know that June is National Seafood Month? These creamy seafood stuffed shells are definitely an excuse to celebrate. Filled with shrimp, scallops and crab, these are a great way to indulge in just a little taste of the sea... or more.

I am excited to share this little gem with you. It has all of my favorites. It is creamy and rich, but it is easy to enjoy just one shell paired with a big robust salad, or just go for a bigger plate of this dish.

I chose some of my favorite seafood to include, shrimp was probably the first seafood I ever enjoyed, crab is one of my favorite locally caught seafood and scallops are the seafood I didn't discover till I became an adult. And discover, also called falling in love with every bite.... I did.

So grab yourself some seafood, a big casserole dish and check out my recipe below. I promise, you will love every creamy bite!

Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells

You Will Need:

• 12 large pasta shells, cooked, drained and cooled
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 4 green onions, chopped thin, whites and greens divided
• 1/4 c. chicken broth
• 4 oz. clam juice
• 1/2 lb. baby bay scallops
• 2 c. bay shrimp
• 1 can white crab meat
• 1/4 c. all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese
• 4 strips bacon, chopped

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter and heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the whites of the onions till tender. Then add in the clam juice and chicken stock. Bring it up to a simmer. Then add the scallops till cooked. Add in the shrimp and crab meat, then take off the heat and stir. Drain the seafood and reserve the cooking liquid.

In a skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon butter and whisk in the flour and salt till fragrant. Then add in the heavy cream. Gradually add in the reserved liquid so the sauce doesn't get too thick. Stir in the Parmesan cheese to melt.

Pour a small amount of sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish. Then add the seafood back into the remaining sauce. Spoon the mixture into a shell and place it into the casserole dish. Top the filled dish with chopped bacon and a little more Parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the shells are nice and bubbly. Top with remaining green onions before serving.

Enjoy!

For more seafood recipes, visit a few of my favorite bloggers:

• Italian Scallop Tortellini Bake by Confessions of an Overworked Mom
• Easy Baked Salmon by Day by Day in Our World
• Shrimp, Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Kabobs by Mom Does it All
• Creamy Seafood Stuffed Shells by Adventures in All Things Food
• Brown Butter and Lemon Mahi Mahi with Roasted Asparagus by Jennifer Sikora
• Shrimp and Jicama Salad by Upstate Ramblings

Smoked Paprika Chicken - June Secret Recipe Club #Recipe

Lately I have been needing simple, hearty meals for my family. Hay season has begun on the farm, which means long hours, little free time in the kitchen and a husband who drags himself home really hungry at the end of the day. One pot meals have become my friend and allow me to tackle everything else that needs my attention right now.

So when selecting a Secret Recipe Club recipe for my June assignment, I had some specific needs in mind.

This month I was assigned to Melissa's blog, A Fit and Spicy Life. After peeking around her recipe index I found the perfect fit, her Smoked Paprika Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes and Sweet Potatoes. It is made in one pot, I used my Le Creuset Dutch Oven, and it is both filling and delicious!

I hope you will take a moment to check out Melissa's blog for her Fitness tips as well as recipes.She is a fellow PiYo enthusiast who likes to mix things up with her workouts and a lot of food... and more importantly, wine. Yes, a girl with good priorities.

We just love sweet potatoes in this house, so I knew this would be a winner. I like to grab a bag of the small sweet potatoes to dice up and roast in the oven with a little olive oil and sea salt. I just loved the idea though of roasting them with all the chicken drippings.

Since I had a few baby potatoes and a little onion on hand, I dice those up and threw them in the pot, too.

Then came the chicken... liberally seasoned with salt and smoked paprika. I also used just a dash of the ancho chili pepper. My husband is not a fan of heat, so I used just a little for that added flavor. Don't be afraid to turn up the chili powder if that is what floats your boat.

I baked this mostly through, then added the sun-dried tomatoes. I didn't want them to be too dry or tough. They are almost like candy when they are warm and sweet like this.

Smoked Paprika Chicken
with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Sweet Potatoes
recipe adapted from http://www.afitandspicylife.com

You Will Need:
6 - 8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1 pinch ancho chili powder
4 small sweet potatoes, sliced
6 new potatoes, diced
1/4 yellow onion, diced
1 jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained and olive oil reserved
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray the bottom of the Dutch oven with non-stick spray, or rub with oil. Fill the bottom with an even layer of sweet potatoes, new potatoes and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle a little of the reserved oil from the tomatoes on top.

Rub each piece of chicken with a little more oil, on top and underneath the skin. Sprinkle each piece with smoked paprika, ancho chili powder, salt and pepper. Place the chicken on top of the potatoes and cover. Bake for 30 minutes, then add the sun-dried tomatoes to the top. Continue baking for another 15 - 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. (boneless chicken will take less time, 30 - 40 minutes total.)

Enjoy!

So what does your family enjoy eating this time of year?

An InLinkz Link-up

Quick Leek and Mushroom Baked Gnocchi Recipe with Campell's

This Leek and Mushroom Baked Gnocchi recipe for an easy weeknight dinner idea shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #WeekNightHero #CollectiveBias

Before I had kids I didn't really meal plan. After work my husband and I would cook together and create something on a whim. I mean, we had all the time in the world to cook and enjoy our meal. And if we ate late, it didn't matter.

Now meal times in my house look a little different. The natives become restless if dinner isn't on the table by 6pm. And they totally revolt if I dare to serve them something they don't want to eat. I meal plan before the weekend, shop carefully and even plan out what needs to be thawed, put in the slow cooker, and when etc. It is tough keeping it all organized!

But there are always nights when nothing goes as planned. The baby gets sick, or we need to eat fast so my son can be dropped off at cub scouts. Occasionally I fail to notice an important meeting or event my husband put in our shared calendar. Yeah, I will admit it. Seems like more weeknights than not, I am scrambling to feed my family dinner. Yeah, reality laughs in the face of best laid plans, doesn't it?

In order to save my sanity with a family of 5, I have learned to be flexible, but most importantly, keep a well stocked pantry to avert last minute dinner disasters.

This week the good weather threw all our normal scheduling right out the window. My husband has to plant and work ground when he can in the Spring. Sometimes I only have a 30 minute window in which to have dinner ready for everyone before he heads back out the door to finish up something on the farm.

Because, yes, I still like us all to sit down together as a family. Even when we are rushed.

So I grabbed a carton of Campbell's Soups for Easy Cooking as my base, and grabbed a few other simple ingredients to create this amazing Leek and Mushroom Baked Gnocchi recipe.

Grab yourself a $.75 coupon walmart.com (coupon starts 3/13/15, and is valid for 1 month)

No, these are not your grandmother's cans of soup. I may have found these Campbell's Soups for Easy Cooking in the soup aisle of my local Walmart, but these pourable cartons are an easy way to create fast and tasty weeknight meals in just a few minutes. There are 4 flavor options and all are designed to replace condensed soup or soup mixes. Look for:

• Savory Portobello Mushroom (great for skillet dishes)
• Creamy Herb & Garlic with Chicken Stock (perfect for pot pies)
• Sweet Onion (a savory addition to meatloaf and skillet dishes)
• Mexican Style Tomato (great for Mexican dishes)

Now, leeks and mushrooms are a huge thing in my house right now. They have such a sweet and savory flavor, I knew they would pair nicely with the Sweet Onion soup. You can think of this recipe as a mashed potato and gravy meets a hearty bowl of French Onion Soup. The combination is like an umami explosion for your taste buds.

Cue the fireworks.

Start by sauteing the leeks and mushrooms over medium heat in a little olive oil. You want them to be softened.

Then add pre-made gnocchi, found in the pasta section, the Sweet Onion soup,and a little sour cream. My Dad often used sour cream for a little added tang in his casseroles. It is a simple trick I still like to use today, and we always have a little in the fridge.

Let the mixture warm through and season to taste.

Then put the gnocchi mixture into individual dishes, or a larger casserole dish, and top with shredded Swiss cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. It just needs to heat through. Turn on the broiler, if you desire, and finish melting and caramelizing the cheese on top. I like mine all golden brown.  This little step is so worth it.

Then dig in!

 Now I have a few more cartons of Campbell's Soups for Easy Cooking stashed away in my pantry and I am ready for whatever last minute things are going to pop up.

Leek and Mushroom Baked Gnocchi

You will Need:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 large leeks, sliced thin and cleaned
• 1 c. button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 1 carton of Campbell's Soups for Easy Cooking - Sweet Onion
• 1/2  c. sour cream
• 1 16 oz. package of gnocchi
• 1 c. Swiss cheese, grated
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the sliced leeks and mushrooms in olive oil till softened. Then toss in the gnocchi, sour cream and pour in the Campbell's Soups for Easy Cooking - Sweet Onion. Mix well and season to taste.

Transfer the gnocchi mixture to a large baking dish, individual ramekins or mini coquettes. Divide the shredded Swiss cheese between the dishes and place in the oven for 15 minutes or till warmed through. Then switch the oven to broil and let the cheese begin to melt and bubble on top.

Remove from the oven and serve to your hungry crew.

Doesn't this look good? I know, easy wasn't it? All the warm, bubbly goodness of a weekend meal, that actually fit into a weeknight schedule.  These cartons are ready to use as is, not condensed and ready to save busy Moms time and effort to put a meal on the table.

See more weeknight dinner inspiration using Campbell's Soups for Easy Cooking at http://cbi.as/4pdn

What would you make for your family with Campbell's Soups for Easy Cooking?

The Tastes and Memories of Home - Round Steak and Peas

What foods remind you of home? What tastes or smells make you think of your Mom?

My Mom had a big impact on my love of food. We were very close when I was growing up, an only child. I think we all carry the memories, tastes and smells from home with us wherever we go.

For me itis pretty hard to narrow down to just a few of my favorite dishes she made. My Mom made quite a few things that have stayed with me over the years. There was my favorite lasagna she made for my 13th birthday, She would make whatever I wanted for dinner on my birthday. She even spelled out "HBA" for "Happy Birthday A" in cheese across the top.  She made wonderful rice pudding, Triangle Delight Bars, corn meal mush and of course there were her mashed potatoes. Those were always my favorite.

I remember my job for family holidays was to help peel potatoes. Not glamorous, I know, but, I didn't mind. I loved those potatoes and wanted to make sure they always ended up on the holiday table.

I traveled to Japan for a year during college, and then worked there for 3 years after I graduated. It was during this time that food from home took on a whole new meaning. When I taught English, everyone asked me about the United States, my region of the country and what foods my family enjoyed.

Despite all the amazing flavors and exotic foods I tried while living abroad, I also missed things my Mom had made...like those mashed potatoes from my childhood! I ended up making mashed potatoes to share with friends and coworkers while I lived in Japan.

Some enjoyed it, others not so much. They didn't have the same history with the food as I did.

While living abroad it wasn't as easy to stay connected. Now Skype is commonplace, texting was just taking off and calling internationally was amazingly expensive. There was no substitute for scraping up enough money to fly home for a visit. 

And sometimes my Mom would surprise me by sending me a little extra spending money.

Western Union recently created a video that I think sums up what it feels like to be a "dual-belonger" and how food is tied to the homes we miss. The video caused me to tear up. I know what it feels like to be far from home and get a taste of childhood favorite. 

If you have ever been away from home, or live away from your Mom, you might want to grab a tissue to watch the Western Union #WUHomedCooked video. I still rather miss my Mom's mashed potatoes since we currently live on opposite ends of the United States.

I was so inspired with the food and meals shared in the video, I wanted to share a humble but memory-rich meal from my family. This is something I remember not only my Mom making, but also her Mother, my Grandma Mary.

It is comfort food, through and through, but it has a special place in my heart. Of course, it is something that was always served with my Mom's famous mashed potatoes. Here is my family's Round Steak and Peas, Mashed Potato and Gravy.

Round Steak and Peas, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

You Will Need:

• 8 thin cut round steaks
• 1/4 c. flour + 2 Tbsp.
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 1 c. beef stock
• 1/2 c. frozen peas
• 5 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/2 c. milk, or more to achieve desired consistency in the potatoes
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat up a cast iron skilled with 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Set up a dredging station for the round steaks. Season the 1/4  cup flour, dust the steaks in flour, dip them in egg wash, then dredge again. Place into the heated skilled and brown both sides and bring steaks up to desired temperature.

While the steaks are cooking, start the potatoes boiling in enough water to just cover them. Salt the water generously. Boil for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain off most of the water and add 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 c. milk. Mash the potatoes and add more milk if needed. Salt and pepper to taste.

Once the steaks are finished, they can be set aside and covered. To the skilled add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons flour. With a whisk, cook the flour till pale and remove any bits of steak still stuck in the pan. Add the stock and whisk to remove lumps. Let simmer till slightly thickened, then add the peas. Season to taste and  let the gravy warm through.

Serve the steaks over mashed potatoes and drizzle with the gravy and peas.

Enjoy!


If you have ever been away from home, what flavors did you miss most?
 
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.