eaten: tomatillo pork tacos

You know that what you made is good when your husband is commenting before he even swallowed his first bite.

Enough said.

We served these up on corn tortillas which I crisped up a bit in a pan. Just use a little canola oil spray on each side and wow.

Recipe and pic from AJ's Healthfest

Roasted Tomatillo Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

– 1 pork loin roast, I think I used a pork shoulder--I don't remember but it was on sale and it worked great, I'm thinking this would even be good with beef or chicken too. 

– 1 1/2 cups roasted tomatillo salsa (recipe below)

What to do:

1) Place pork roast in the crockpot, cover with salsa (I ended up using the whole salsa recipe), and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

2) Shred cooked meat with two forks.

This is the Roasted Tomatillo Salsa to cook the pork in. Put this tasty stuff on everything – not just tacos!

Ingredients for 2-3 cups:

– 6 large tomatillos, husked

– 1-2 whole jalapeños (I used 1 and was careful to remove all seeds/membranes because I am a wimp)

– 1 small onion, quartered

– 5 cloves garlic

– 2 tbsp olive or avocado oil

– 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

– 2 tsp cumin

– 1 tsp salt

What to do:

1) Preheat the oven to 450 F. Arrange the tomatillos, jalapenos, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet or casserole dish. Drizzle oil over the top of the vegetables and roast for 15 minutes.

2) Let the roasted vegetables cool for a few minutes. Cut the jalapenos and take the seeds out. Then blend all the vegetables together in a blender or food processor. Add the cilantro, cumin, and salt and mix again. That’s it!

eaten: one pot beef stroganoff

Well this dinner sure isn't fancy and it won't win you any culinary awards but everyone will eat it and its easy and filling. Done.

You have all seen those TASTY videos on facebook where they show you how to make a recipe using a hot plate and carefully prepared mis en place. Well this one caught my eye because I like both beef and mushrooms. And its a little lighter than a traditional stroganoff too.

I've made it a couple of times already and everyone seems like like it. I call that a success.

One-Pot Beef Stroganoff
Recipe and pic from buzzfeed
Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. of olive oil
• 2 cups of mushrooms
• 1/2 cup of onions
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lb of ground beef
• 2 tsp of paprika
• 4 cups of beef stock
• 8 oz of egg noodles
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• 1/2 cup cream cheese (optional, if you like it creamier)
• 1 Tbsp. of cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water)
• Parsley for garnish
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Add the onions and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent. Add the ground beef and cook until brown. Stir in the paprika. Add beef stock and egg noodles. Give it a stir and cover. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Lower the heat, add the sour cream and cream cheese and cornstarch slurry. Stir until thickened.

Garnish with parsley. Enjoy!

eaten: baked cheezit chicken tenders

Who doesn't love cheezits? Be honest, you do. They are so tasty and fatty. Yum.

Then why wouldn't chicken tenders crusted in them also be spectacular? Well they are. And the dijon mustard is also really good (shhh, don't tell my kids) and brings these into more of an adult area than traditional chicken tenders.

Tips: Make sure your chicken is nice and defrosted (if using frozen). I also just split a couple of breasts into tender sized pieces as I never buy tenders. Also make sure to really spray that tin foil, you don't want all that cheesy goodness sticking to the pan.

I served these up with rice and peas and carrots.

They are definitely going into the rotation.

Recipe and pic from Just a Taste

Baked Cheezit Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups cheddar crackers, such as Cheez-Its or Cheese Nips
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/4 pounds uncooked chicken tenders
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

1. Preheat the oven to 475°F with the rack in the lower third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush it with the olive oil. Use a generous brush or a good spraying of Pam. 
2. Pulse the cheddar crackers in a food processor until finely ground, or alternately, place the crackers in a plastic bag, seal it and use a rolling pin to crush the crackers. Transfer the crackers to a wide, shallow bowl and stir in the paprika.
3. In a separate wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs with the Dijon mustard. Place the flour in a third wide, shallow bowl.
4. Bread each tender by coating it in the flour, shaking off any excess, and then dipping it in the eggs. Transfer the tender from the eggs to the crackers, pressing the crumbs into the chicken to ensure an even coating, and then placing the tender on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the breading process with the remaining tenders, arranging them in a single layer about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake the tenders, turning them over once, until they're golden brown, about 15 minutes total.

eaten: Gnocchi with Pomodoro Sauce

Another one of Steve's requests was gnocchi. I decided to mix it up from our usual sausage sauce and went to my handy pinterest for some ideas. 

This tomato sauce was so flavorful and fresh tasting even though the tomatoes came from a can. 

And I forgot to buy fresh herbs so I just used dried herbs and then strained them from the oil before proceeding with the recipe. So don't let the fresh herbs stop you. 

I also had to transfer the whole dish to an oven safe glass pan before roasting, don't skip roasting it because all the cheese got melty and a little browned and it was delicious. 

Gnocchi With Pomodoro Sauce

 

This simple tomato sauce gets tons of flavor from herbs steeped in olive oil that lusciously coats potato pillows of gnocchi.

SERVES: SERVES 4

Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoons
• 4 stems fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
• 4 stems fresh oregano
• 2 stems fresh rosemary
• 2 stems fresh basil, plus 2 more stems for garnish
• ½ yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 28 ounce can tomatoes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
• 1 16-ounce package potato gnocchi
• 8 ounces cherry size mozzarella balls, cut in half
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Add ¼ cup olive oil to a 10-inch high sided sauté pan or a saucepan over medium heat. Add the parsley, oregano, rosemary and 2 stems of basil and cook for about 5 minutes or until the herbs become crisp. Remove the herbs and discard then add the onion and garlic to the oil, lowering the heat if needed so the onions cook gently and don't brown. Cook until the onions are transparent, about 5-7 minutes, then crush the tomatoes with your hand and add to the pan with juice. Season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the sauce reduces and thicken, stirring occasionally. Stir in the heavy cream and remove from the heat.
2. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to a boil and add the gnocchi. Season generously with kosher salt and cook until the gnocchi float to the top of the boiling water. Drain and then place the gnocchi into the cooked sauce. Top with the halved mozzarella balls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese then drizzle the tops of the gnocchi with the remaining olive oil. Broil for 5-8 minutes or until the cheese melts and the tops become crispy. Garnish with additional basil leaves and serve immediately.

Picture and Recipe from Foodiecrush

eaten: Cheese Enchiladas with homemade Enchilada Sauce

To help with menu planning each week I have started asking both Steve and Henry what they want to eat for dinner. Its actually been nice not burdening myself with the entire meal plan. Henry pretty much just asks for hot dogs. This week Steve asked for cheese enchiladas and this was an easy winner of a dinner. 

I decided to make my sauce from scratch and I'm so glad I did. It was a little time consuming but easy and delicious. And since cheese enchiladas are the simplest dish it made for a nice meal. Served with refried beans, roasted corn and fruit salad it was a hit. 

Picture and Recipe from Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen

Authentic Homemade Red Chile Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces dried New Mexico or California red chiles (I used chile guajillos)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. I removed the stems, seeds and membranes before steeping the chiles. Be careful not to touch your face, they are super hot. Place dried chiles in a large pot of water, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, and place a plate or bowl on top to make sure the chiles stay submerged in the hot water. Allow the chiles to steep for 30 minutes.
2. Drain chiles and place them in a food processor with the remaining ingredients. Process until very smooth. 
3. Pass the sauce through a strainer or double layers of cheesecloth to remove the skins of the chile. Use a rubber spatula (or your hand) to press it well.
4. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
5. Use immediately or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator or freeze it.

Easy Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 8 soft corn tortillas 
• 4 cups shredded cheddar/jack cheese
• 2 cups enchilada sauce
• 1/2 white onion, chopped (optional)
• Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
• 3 green onion, sliced (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spoon 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of a casserole dish.
3. Place 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, and 1 tablespoon of the chopped onion, down the middle of a corn tortilla, and roll it up. Place into the baking dish seam side down.. Continue with the remaining 7 corn tortillas.
4. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven, topped with chopped cilantro, and green onions.