Enchilada Sauce

So...I think I cook in spurts. 

I'll get a little fire in my belly and try all kinds of new recipes, experimenting in the kitchen. 

Then, nothing. 

For weeks. 

I get too tired, busy, unimaginative, stuck in a rut. I rely on the tried and true, boring and basic food. 

Have you noticed there haven't been any posts about food for a couple of weeks?

Apparently, I'm in another rut. 

Yikes! My poor hubby. Good thing he'd happily live on cans of baked beans if I let him. (Yuck-A!)

It's a good thing I keep the camera close at hand when I get into my cooking spurts. 

Today, I just happened upon these enchilada sauce photos. Enjoy!

I think I got the recipe here?

This must be a can of tomato sauce (8oz) with 

flour (3 T), chili powder (3T), oregano (1T), garlic salt (1/2t), and cocoa powder (1t):

Stirred into a paste:

Combined with water (1c) and reduced on the stove over low heat:

Oh! 

Look-y here. 

More photos. 

I guess I made enchiladas that night as well!

That must be the sauce reducing on the back burner, 

black beans up front, and onion & garlic in the skillet. 

Oohh...I see some yummy cheese all shredded up over there as well.

This is making me drool. They look sooo good. 

We need a fiesta so I can make these again!

There it is in a jar: 

Beautiful red enchilada sauce. 

I wonder how authentic it is?

Thanks for taking this stroll down food-memory lane with me!

Lean Times and (not) Enchiladas

Well, January has rolled around again and after the holidays, we're all feeling a little pinched. In the waistband and in the pocketbook. Am I right?

I literally revert to the most basic of meal ingredients during these times: rice and beans. I make a big batch on Monday and make it stretch as long as I can (though there's lots of "belly-aching" by the end. Ha! Another double entendre!).

The trouble comes along with how to make these simple ingredients have some variety.

I had a hankering for enchiladas the other night, but not the ingredients to make the real thing. It was a rice & beans week, after all. But I thought I'd experiment a bit, and it turned out quite well. My husband even commented after his first taste (He generally thinks my cooking is good and therefore only comments when I pry, or if it stands out).

So here you are, from my kitchen to yours:

Not Enchiladas

This made enough for my husband and I to have dinner and a "Left-Over's Lunch" 

(always my goal).

I started with pre-cooked rice and black beans. 

(I made a Crock Pot of beans on Monday and make the rice as I need it.)

The most important ingredient in any cooking experiment!

 I started by dicing half an onion, mincing 4 garlic cloves, and shredding a carrot.

Then I threw it all in a hot skillet with some olive oil until 

everything was soft and the onions were transparent.

I also added a dash of cayenne pepper and a cap-full each of cumin and chili powder.

 I mixed the cooked veggies with rice and black beans. 

 Then I wiped my pan clean and added a touch of oil.

I like to soften my corn tortillas by cooking them it a bit of oil.

This helps them to be more pliable as I form the enchiladas.

 Doesn't that look ready to eat now! 

(It's even better when you know its easy on the wallet and the skinny jeans)

But we're not done yet:

 Fill your baking dish...

Top with cheese...

And bake at 350 for 15ish minutes

(until the cheese is melted and bubbly).

While eating these, we decided they would be especially ooey-gooey good 

with cheese on the inside as well as on the outside. 

But since this is a post about being "lean," I didn't go there. 

Maybe in February when we've forgotten all about those pesky skinny jeans again.

 With hot sauce!

Egg-Bread Scramble

Several months ago, my husband and I visited his brother in Bellevue, WA and we had a yummy brunch. I have been dreaming of the scramble I ordered ever since our visit and I decided I'd try to recreate it. My version was just as good as I remembered--Bonus!!!

This is a great way to use up the remains of a bread loaf.

1/3 of a left-over french loaf cut into cubes

4 whole eggs and 4 egg whites

 The only reason I used egg whites is because I had them left over in my fridge. Use all whole eggs or all whites. The amount of egg really depends on how much bread you are using and how many people you are feeding. My combination works well for 4 people.

Whip the eggs with some milk, like you're making scrambled eggs.

(Or use cream if you're being indulgent--remember, everything tastes better with extra fat, and I will always have 10 extra pounds to keep me soft! Ha!)

 You will need 1/2 cup diced mozzarella cheese and 4 diced scallions. 

Toast bread cubes in skillet over medium-high heat with some butter and olive oil. 

Trivia:

Did you know combining butter with oil helps to keep the butter from browning/burning?

 Pour eggs over bread and turn continuously with spatula. 

 When eggs are half-way cooked, stir in mozzarella cubes.

Finish cooking by popping frying pan into a 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

Top with scallions, season with salt & pepper to taste, and serve!

Veggie Pot Pie

(adapted from The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook, by Bay Books)

The recipe I "follow" for this dish gives measurements in grams (150 g broccoli florets, 50 g butter) which my American head cannot comprehend.

Here's how I make it work:

Steam:
1/2 butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 small red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1-2 carrots, roughly chopped
(could also add or substitute yams, peas, etc)

Steaming the potatoes for pot pie.

Saute 1 diced onion in oil. Add to steamed veggies and set aside.

Veggies for pot pie include: broccoli, potatoes, butternut squash, carrots and sauteed onion

In sauce pan:

melt 2 T butter
add 2 pinches of flour (1 1/2 T) - I used gluten free flour for camping

slowly stir in 1 1/2 cup milk
bring to a boil to thicken, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.
Remove from heat, add 1 cup grated cheddar cheese and 2 egg yolks.
Stir to combine and melt cheese.
Pour over veggies.

Veggies are sauced and ready to be "pie-d"

There are many ways to top and serve this dish:

Divide veggie/sauce mix into six individual ramekins or pour into casserole dish to serve family style.

Cover with: puff pastry, pie crust, or biscuit dough

Don't forget to bake according to topping requirements! 

For our camping trip I will reheat the veggies in a pot on my camp stove, ladle into bowls and top with a sliced gluten-free cornbread muffin!

And, by the way, you'll have to wait until we return to see pictures of how this turned out!

Lemon Balm

I have a TON of lemon balm in my garden right now. And my basil is slow in coming.

I wondered if I could make pesto with the lemon balm. 

Lo and behold--I can! 

It made for a wonderfully fresh sauce with a soft lemon flavor.

Lemon balm and soy nuts (my substitute for the pine variety) in food processor. 

You could even grate a bit of cheese in there as well. 

Secure lid and turn on food processor, add olive oil through spout.

Toss with pasta of choice (spaghetti here) and top with Parmesan cheese. 

I found a great recipe for lemon balm cookies. I'll be sure to share that one soon! 

Maybe I'll have a whole Lemon Balm series.