Stuffed Pepper Enchilada Casserole

The boyfriend found this recipe a couple of weeks ago, just as I was thinking it was time for stuffed peppers (a co-worker has been gifting me with fresh peppers from her garden).  I made an Instant Pot version last week, but he really wanted to try this one.  He thinks I should have left the pepper pieces bigger since the pictures on the blog post show half peppers,  But I wanted it to be more bite size (but not diced).  Also, he would have liked some chicken or beef in it, but be warned, it makes a lot as written.  I also left out the cilantro as he gets the soapy taste from it. Also, I used a whole packet of taco seasoning and didn't bother with the homemade version.

• 16 ounces low fat cream cheese 2 packages
• ▢1 ounce Taco Seasoning Click for Homemade Recipe!
• ▢15 ounces can corn, drained and rinsed
• ▢15 ounces can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ▢15 ounces can diced tomatoes, drained
• ▢4.5 ounces can chopped green chiles
• ▢3 tablespoons red enchilada sauce
• ▢¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
• ▢4 cups cooked white rice
• ▢2 green bell peppers chopped into large pieces, seeds removed
• ▢2 red bell peppers chopped into large pieces, seeds removed
• ▢1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese divided
• ▢1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese divided
• ▢diced tomatoes and cilantro for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• In a large bowl, heat the cream cheese in the microwave for 30-40 seconds or until softened. Mix in the taco seasoning, corn, beans, tomatoes, chiles, enchilada sauce, and cilantro. Stir to combine. Stir in the rice and ½ cup of each of the cheeses until fully combined. Set aside.
• Spray a large baking dish with nonstick spray. I used a 10” round dish, but you can also use a 9×13.
• Start by making a layer of the green peppers along the bottom of the dish. Top with half of the rice mixture, and use a spoon to smooth out as much as possible.
• Layer in the red peppers and top with last half of the rice mixture. Top with the remaining ½ cup of each of the cheeses and sprinkle with more cilantro.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and melted and the casserole is fully heated through.
• Remove from the oven and top with more cilantro and diced tomatoes. Serve immediately.
• Enjoy!

NOTES:

• This is a vegetarian version, but it’s also delicious with meat added in! Add in some browned hamburger or rotisserie chicken (about 1 ½ cups) for some extra flavor!
• To make this dish a bit healthier, you can scale back on the cheese. You can leave the shredded cheese out all together, or just add a sprinkle on top, up to you!

One Pot Pasta dinner

The boyfriend saw this in an article he read and I followed the embedded link to Martha Stewart's page and watched her video on how to prepare.  The other one pot pasta dishes I have tried have not been something we want to repeat (they're not bad, just not quite the right flavors for us).  But this one was a hit.  Even though the boyfriend doesn't like raw tomatoes and he was a bit apprehensive about all of them in the dish.  But they cook down enough and make the sauce so you really don't notice them.  And I was apprehensive about the onion, but that also mellows out in the cooking process.  I cheated and used my microplane for the garlic since I can't slice it that thin.  And I cut the red pepper flakes way back since neither of us care that much for that kind of heat.  Make sure to use plenty of basil, and more basil as garnish!

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 12 ounces linguine
• 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
• 1 onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 2 sprigs basil, plus torn leaves for garnish
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 1/2 cups water
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

• Directions

  Instructions Checklist

  • Step 1

    Combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red-pepper flakes, basil, oil, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and water in a large straight-sided skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil mixture, stirring and turning pasta frequently with tongs, until pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 9 minutes.

  • Step 2

    Season to taste with salt and pepper, divide among 4 bowls, and garnish with basil. Serve with oil and Parmesan.

    

Portobello "Steaks"

This recipe comes from The New Vegan Cookbook.  A friend was mentioning mushrooms today and I thought of this recipe.  I haven't made it in years, but now I'm thinking it might be good to make again.  I remember them being a bit messy, as the gills hold the oil, soy sauce, and vinegar, but tasted good...as long as you like mushrooms.

2 Tbsp olive oil, plus oil for preparing the pan
4 large portobello mushroom caps (5-6 inches in diameter)
2 Tbsp Japanese soy sauce (shoyu or tamari)
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper

Place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450*F.  Oil one or two shallow roasting pans large enough to hold the caps in one layer.

Lightly wipe the portobello caps with a damp kitchen towel.  Remove any stems the prevent the caps from sitting flat on the pan.  With the gill sides down, tap the mushrooms gently on the kitchen counter to dislodge any dirt caught in the crevices.  Arrange on the roasting pan with gill sides down.

In a small bowl, use a fork to combine and emulsify the oil, soy sauce, and vinegar.  Liberally brush the mixture onto the tops and sides of the caps.  Season with salt and pepper.

Roast until the color of the tops and edges deepens, 5 to 6 minutes.  Flip over.  Give the oil mixture a good stir, and then brush the bottoms.  Roast until cooked through and tender (they will look slightly collapsed and yield to the touch), 3 to 5 minutes more.  Serves immediately, whole or sliced.

Also, you can sprinkle the portobellos with fresh or dried thyme when seasoning with salt and pepper.

Quesadillas

Years ago, I was vegetarian (mostly) and thought I'd remain single.  My friend, and also vegetarian, both loved this cookbook so we both bought a copy - The Intimate Vegetarian.  The recipes are written for both singles and couples.  This is the single version of a quesadilla.  I picked and chose what I wanted to include.  Sometimes it was just cheese.  In the photo, from 2008, it was olives, a bit of yellow onion, and cheddar cheese.

1 8-inch flour tortilla
1/2 cup grated Cheddar or Jack cheese
Heaping 1 Tbsp finely chopped green bell pepper
1 Tbsp finely chopped green onion
1 Tbsp sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp sliced black olives
About 1 tsp butter or oil
1/3 to 1/2 cup shredded lettuce or alfalfa sprouts (optional)
Dollop of sour cream
Salsa, to taste
1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1. Lay tortilla flat.  Spread cheese evenly over one half, covering from the center "line" (along which the tortilla will fold) to the edges.  Sprinkle bell pepper, green onion, mushrooms, and olives over cheese.
2. Fold uncovered half of tortilla over covered half.  Don't worry if it doesn't stay folded, it will once it's cooked.
3. Warm a griddle to 340* or warm a large skillet over medium heat (a nonstick pan is best).  Add butter or oil to lightly coat.  Add folded tortilla.  You may need to gently press the top half down with a spatula until it stays folded on its own.  Cook until lightly browned underneath (about 3 to 5 minutes).  Flip over and cook until cheese is melted and tortilla is lightly browned underneath.
4. Tuck lettuce or alfalfa sprouts (if desired) inside the quesadilla.  Add sour cream, salsa, and cilantro (if desired) either to inside of quesadilla or on top as a colorful garnish.

Pasta Primavera

I have been making this delicious recipe for so many years, I can't remember where I first found it!  I might have seen Giada De Laurentiis make it on her show.  But then again, I might have found it in one of her cookbooks.

This is a very pretty dish, with all the colors of the vegetables, so it's perfect for a late summer or early fall dinner party.  It's perfect the way it is, but I do roast the veggies longer than it says to, so they caramelize a little bit more.  I still chop everything by hand, and it WILL take you longer than the 25 minute prep time she lists!

You can click here for the link to the recipe.

One tray of veggies before roasting

 Pasta Primavera

3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.

Summer Vegetable Cobbler

I have discovered the best recipe on the planet for zucchini. 

This recipe is PERFECTION.  It's patterned after a fruit cobbler, but it is savory.  It sort of reminded me of a meatless chicken a la king.

I tweaked it a little, based on what I had.  I used a green pepper instead of a red one, and a purple onion.  The biggest change I made was because my baking powder expired over 2 years ago.  Instead I used the Bisquick recipe for cheddar biscuits.  (2 cups Bisquick, 2/3 cup milk, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar -- I did use fresh basil too!)  I sprinkled a little bit of Parmesan over the top too.

The recipe suggests it is a vegetarian main dish.  I made it as a side dish.  But I could have eaten a whole plate of it!!!

It appeared in the June/July issue of Taste of Home magazine.

Summer Vegetable Cobbler

2 Tbsp butter
3 small zucchini and/or summer squash, sliced
1 small sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

For biscuits:

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp cold butter
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp minced fresh basil
2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400.  In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat.  Add zucchini, red pepper, and onion.  Cook until zucchini is crisp-tender, about 10-12 minutes.  Add garlic.  Cook 1 minute longer.

In a small bowl, whisk flour, milk, salt, and pepper.  Stir into pan.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until sauce is thickened.  Spoon into a greased 8-inch square baking dish.

For topping, in a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs.  Stir in cheese and basil.  Add milk.  Stir just until moistened.  Drop by rounded tablesoonfuls over filling.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until filling is bubbly and biscuits are golden brown.

Zucchini Tomato Casserole

I got this recipe from a friend.  It is extremely vague, so use your own judgement about how much you want of each thing!

This was a great side dish for Homemade Rotisserie Chicken.

Zucchini Tomato Casserole

Layer the following:

sliced zucchini
sliced tomatoes, peeled (I used quartered cherry tomatoes, not peeled)
sliced onion
grated cheese (I used extra sharp cheddar)
salt & pepper

Top with croutons (I used garlic cheese -- you can put them in the layers too, if you want -- but the layers inside the casserole will get soft)

Bake, covered, for one hour at 350 degrees.  Remove cover, top with more cheese, and bake uncovered until cheese melts.

Lentil Soup

The boyfriend found this recipe when we wanted to eat more lentils for a diet and the other lentil stew recipe I liked was a slow cooker version.  This one takes some time and effort, but comes out well.  I have made it a lot over the last month and have made a few alterations and changes (some coming from the other recipe and some at the behest of the boyfriend).  The recipe below is my version.  In all the times I've made it, I've never taken a picture, not that it looks very appealing anyway.

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, halved and sliced into half circles
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated with a microplane or 1 teaspoon of the jarred stuff
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 lb dry lentils
8 cups water
2 cups spinach, julienned or 1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 tablespoons vinegar
4 cubes vegetable bouillon
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery; cook and stir until onion is tender. Reduce heat to medium-low, and stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and basil; cook for 2 minutes.
2. Stir in lentils, and add crushed tomatoes, then the water, and the bouillon cubes. Return heat to medium to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, remove bay leaf, stir in spinach, and cook until it wilts or heats through. Stir in vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper, and more vinegar if desired.

Pasta Puttanesca

I had never had pasta puttanesca, but then I saw it made on a local news channel. I had some confusion about the amounts and also referred to the Martha Stewart version. Over the past few years, I've made it my own, adding a jar of marinated artichokes, because I like them. This is my version. It makes a hearty two servings.


1/2 lb linguine
1 1/2 T olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or 1-2 cloves crushed and a small onion chopped
dash to 1/4 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes
1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
abt 2 T capers, drained
abt 1/2 c olives, quartered
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped

Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente.
While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a deep-sided skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until aromatic, 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes, capers, and olives. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Stir pasta into sauce. Cook, stirring, until sauce clings to pasta, about 2 minutes.

Pantry Pasta

I created this recipe last week when the cupboards were looking a little bare...

As long as you have a can of diced tomatoes, you can use up whatever pasta you have in the pantry and make a delicious dinner!

Add whatever spices you like.  Oregano or Italian seasoning blend would be good to try.  A friend even added a splash of balsamic vinegar to hers.  A dash of sugar might help cut the acidity.

Pantry Pasta

olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
parsley to taste
salt to taste
pepper to taste
basil to taste
at least half a box of pasta, any shape or size

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until lightly carmelized.  Add tomatoes and spices, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cook, stirring occassionally, until liquid has evaporated.  Serve over hot pasta and sprinkle with parmesean cheese.

Rosemary Garlic Pasta Primavera

Have you seen the new Kraft parmesan blend packets in the store?  Tonight we tried the Rosemary Garlic Pasta Primavera and it was fantastic!

Hopefully they keep making this blend, but if not, I bet you could recreate it.  This is the ingredient list:  PARMESAN CHEESE (PASTEURIZED PART-SKIM MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES), SEASONING BLEND (CORN MALTODEXTRIN, ROSEMARY, DRIED GARLIC, SUGAR, PARSLEY, DRIED ONION, SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR), CELLULOSE POWDER TO PREVENT CAKING, POTASSIUM SORBATE TO PROTECT FLAVOR. CONTAINS: MILK.

This recipe would also be good as a vegetarian dish if you skipped the chicken.

Rosemary Garlic Pasta Primavera

2-2/3 cups penne pasta, uncooked

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

2 cups baby spinach leaves

1 red pepper, cut into thin strips

1/2 cup thinly sliced zucchini

1 pouch (2 oz.) KRAFT Parmesan Seasoning Blend Rosemary and Garlic

 

COOK pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.

MEANWHILE, heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 to 7 min. or until done. Add next 3 ingredients; cook and stir 4 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and spinach is wilted.
DRAIN pasta. Add to ingredients in skillet with Parmesan blend; mix lightly.

Mix and Match Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe for homemade mac and cheese is fantastic! 

The best part of this recipe from Fine Cooking magazine is you can customize it to fit your own tastes.  Click here for the interactive that will walk you through the choices and measurements for each ingredient.  When you're done dragging things into your bowl, your customized recipe will appear.  You can email, save, or print it.

This is what I chose:

Macroni: shells

Cheese:  extra sharp cheddar (plus I added some swiss)

Accent Cheese:  parmesean

Add Ins:  bacon and scallions

Herbs and Spices:  dry mustard, sage, nutmeg (about half what is suggested - it wants you to choose one, but a combination is better in my book!)

Have fun with different combinations!  I want to try something else, but the above combination was soooooooo good.....!

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lentil Stew

I've been hunting for a recipe similar to a dish I had at a friend's years ago. I found this Knorr one and although I can't even recall what my friend's tasted like now, I think this came out pretty tasty. The boyfriend put it together as I had to dash off to work unexpectedly. He thought maybe adding some corn would be nice another time.

PREP TIME: 15 Minute(s)

COOK TIME: 4 Hour(s)

INGREDIENTS

3 cups water 3 medium carrots, chopped 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained 1 box (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed 1 medium onion, chopped 2 ribs celery, chopped 1 cup dried lentils 3 Knorr® Vegetarian Vegetable Bouillon Cube, crumbled 1/2 tsp. curry powder or ground cumin (optional)

PREPARATION

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook covered on LOW 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH 4 to 6 hours. Serve, if desired, with sour cream, yogurt and/or chopped fresh cilantro.

Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta al Forno

I found this recipe on the blog Annie's Eats via Pinterest.  (If you don't know what Pinterest is,  you have yet to indulge in one of the most addicting sites on the internet!  Don't say I didn't warn you...)

I didn't have canned tomatoes, but I DID have fresh tomatoes from my mother-in-law's garden.  I added a few pinched of Italian seasonings and they were fantastic!  (I skipped the oregano)

Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta al Forno

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2-14 oz. cans diced Italian plum tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
S&P
1 lb. pasta (tubes)
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed
2/3 c. parmesan

Heat oil in skillet. Add garlic and cook over medium high heat, 1 min. Add tomatoes and oregano and simmer rapidly, stirring occasionally until thickened, 15 min. Add S&P. Meanwhile, cook pasta. Toss pasta with sauce. Place half of pasta in an oiled 9×13” dish. Cover with half parmesan and half mozzarella. Top with remaining pasta, then parmesan and mozzarella. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes.

Source: Pasta by Dorling Kindersley

Summer Squash Bake

My mother- and father-in-law found this recipe when going through Grandma Kenney's things.  It wasn't in her handwriting, and neither of them can remember her making it.  They tried it first and brought the recipe with them when they visited (along with some fresh summer squash from their garden!).

It was delicious!  It has an "old school" flavor to it, when people used to cook without recipes and everything turned out perfect every time.

Summer Squash Bake

2 small yellow summer squash, sliced (I used one big one)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 egg
1/4 cup  mayonnaise (reduced fat or fat-free is not recommended)
2 tsp sugar
pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp crushed corn flakes (I used a wee bit more)
1 1/2 tsp butter, melted

In a small saucepan, combine squash, onion, and 1/4 tsp salt.  Cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes or until squash is crisp tender.  Drain.

In a bowl beat the egg, mayo, sugar, pepper and remaining salt until well blended.  Stir in cheese and squash mixture.  Transfer to a greased 2 cup baking dish (I used a 6-inch square casserole dish).  Toss the corn flakes and butter together; sprinkle over top.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

(The recipe said 2 servings, but we got about 4 out of it as a side dish)

Mushroom Fusilli with Garlic Breadcrumbs

The final meal in your weeknight meal planner. The first couple of recipes I used regular breadcrumbs, as I didn't make my own. For tonight's I used Panko crumbs, and I think they came much closer to the fresh. I would advise prepping all the cutting and dicing ahead of starting the rest of the dinner. And I had a regular package of mushrooms - why I didn't get them sliced is beyond me! Another tasty and successful dinner!

Ingredients:
1 box (16 oz) fusilli pasta
1/2 container ricotta cheese (finish it up!)
2 tbsp EVOO
1 cup (2 oz) fresh breadcrumbs (finish it up!)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (finish it up!)
salt and pepper
1 pkg (10 oz) mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch squares
1 cup heavy cream (finish it up!)

Directions:
1. in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot and stir in the ricotta, adding the reserved cooking water to thin the consistency as desired.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp EVOO over medium-high head; add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring often, until golden-brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat and stir in half of the parsley; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out the skillet.
3. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tbsp EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook undisturbed for the first few minutes, until they have released all their liquid and are golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the cream. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
4. Toss the pasta mixture with the mushroom cream sauce; stir in the remaining parsley. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs before serving.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Black Bean and Corn Salsa (totally the easy way out):

Ingredients:

1 package Steamfresh frozen corn
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes (or, you can dice 15 oz. yourself)
1/3 cup diced red or white onion
1 avocado, diced
oregano, to taste
cilantro, to taste
juice of 1 lime

Combine beans, tomatoes, onion, avocado in bowl.
Prepare corn according to directions (microwave 4-5 minutes)

Pour corn over other ingredients. Add juice of one lime.
Mix and blend ingredients together. Sprinkle with oregano and cilantro as desired. Squeeze other half of lime over mixed ingredients. Mix again.
Cover and let flavors develop overnight. Serve with blue corn tortilla chips.

Voila!

Wine Pairing: Tempranillo, or a Temp/Grenache blend. Good fruit, but with some spice. Or, you know...beer.

Layered Cheese Enchiladas

Many years ago, I was introduced to this recipe by a good friend, Nancie. Since then it has been a favorite of friends and family. When making this for a large group, I make one pan with no Jalapeño Peppers and medium Enchilada Sauce and the other with a whole can of Jalapeño Peppers and hot Enchilada Sauce. Making double batches was the reason I changed the recipe to a Layered dish (rather than the "individual rolled" method) - it is easier and still delicious! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 Packages Corn Tortillas

3 cans Enchilada Sauce (Mild or Hot)

1 Can Green Chilies

4-6 Hard Cooked Eggs Chopped

8 Ounces Sharp Cheese/Shredded

8 Ounces Jack Cheese/Shredded

2-3 Onions Chopped

1 Large can Black Olives (pitted) sliced

Optional Jalapeño Peppers to taste

Optional Cheese for top

Sour Cream for topping when served

Mix together the chilies, eggs, cheeses, onions and olives. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with “Pam” and cover bottom with a small amount of the sauce. Next cover the bottom with tortillas overlapping them and cutting if necessary to fit into the empty spaces. Cover the tortillas with half the cheese/egg mixture. Pour half of the sauce over this mixture and cover this layer with more tortillas, then the rest of the cheese/egg mixture, topping with more tortillas. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top and bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and sauce bubbles (about 30 minutes). Serve with Sour Cream.

If you would like to make the “roll-up” version do the following:

Soften tortillas in the sauce. When pliable, put a spoon of cheese/egg mixture on the tortilla and roll. Place enchilada in baking dish with seam down. When dish is full pour remaining sauce on top with some shredded cheese. Bake as above.

Multi Colored Pepper/ Black Bean/Corn/ Pea Salad

I just made this delicious salad. It was so easy and tasty. The lime juice made the salad fresh tasting and summery and the spices made it zippy. I would suggest you use what you have available and enjoy. I’m sure it will be different each time I make it!

4 generous servings

Ingredients:

1-2 cup chopped peppers (I used one green pepper and several small red, yellow, and orange peppers)

3 stalks celery

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 green onion, sliced thin

½ cup frozen corn

½ cup frozen peas

Juice of 1 ½ limes

Olive Oil

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Cayenne pepper

Cumin

Chili Powder

Mix the ingredients together and enjoy at room temperature. (The amounts of the last six ingredients are “to taste”.)

Broiled Parmesean Tomatoes

This is an excellent side dish, but would also make a wonderful vegetarian main dish.  If you made it with cherry tomatoes, they would make great appetizers too!

This recipe comes from the June/July 2011 issue of Simple & Delicious.

Broiled Parmesean Tomatoes

2 medium tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp, plus 1/4 cup butter, divided
4 green onions, chopped
3 Tbsp dry bread crumbs
1 Tbsp grated Parmesean
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese (I used sharp cheddar)

Place tomatoes, cut side up, in an ungreased 15x10x1 baking pan.  Dot with 2 Tbsp butter (split it over the 4 halves).  Broil 4 inches from the heat for 4-6 minutes or until butter is melted.

Meanwhile, in a small microwave safe bowl, combine the remaining butter and onions.  Microwave, uncovered (I used a paper towel anyway -- otherwise it will make a huge mess!!), on high 2-3 minutes or until onions are tender.  Stir in bread crumbs, Parmesean, salt and garlic powder.  Spoon over tomatoes.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Broil 1-2 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.