Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

Miami, OK has two main sreets, one McDonalds, one Wal-Mart, and four Mexican restaurants. I freaked myself out the first time I said, "Anywhere sounds good....except mexican." Needless to say, standard Mexican fare has worn on me. And, by that, I mean standard American Mexican  food which has been reduced to picking a number off of a combo menu. I needed to experiment with more interesting flavors. Enter Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce. Number one- these aren't swimming in some sauce only distinguishable by its color. Number two- I think these might actually be healthy. I adapted this from the orginal because I really didn't want to ruin all the healthiness by deep frying the tortillas. The result was fresh, light, and very different from my standard #23. Bonus: These are super easy to make.

Chicken Enchiladas in Tomatillo Sauce

Adapted from Simply Mexican by Lourdes Castro

Serves 3-4

1 lb (about 3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cloves of garlic, slightly crushed
1 onion, halved
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano ( I only had ground and it seemed to work fine)
1/2 tsp. salt ( plus more to taste)
2 cups Fresh Tomatillo Salsa
3-5 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
Black pepper
9-12 fresh corn tortillas ( this really depends on how full you stuff 'em)
Cilantro sprigs for garnish
1/3 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese
1 cup mexican crema (OR, you could do like I did and thin out some sour cream with milk)
Optional: shredded iceberg lettuce for garnish

First, poach the chicken. Add chicken, garlic, one onion ( 2 halves), bay leaves, oregano and 1/2 tsp salt to a large saucepan. Add enough water to cover the chicken and bring to a boil. Decrease heat and simmer ( low boil) for 35 minutes until chicken is done. To check, just slit the chicken and make sure it's no longer pink and the juices run clear.  Allow the chicken to cool in it's broth and when it's cool enough to handle, shred the chicken by hand or with two forks, pulling apart all those delicious fibers.

Note: You can prepare the chicken the day before. Just keep refridgerated.

Next, saute the second onion that you sliced in 1 tbps of oil. Toss in the shredded chicken when the onion is soft and translucent. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the 2 cups of tomatillo sauce over medium heat. Also, prepare your tortillas by lightly pan frying ( 1 tbsp oil per two to three tortillas) the tortillas in a flat skillet until golden but still pliable.

Assembly:

To build the enchiladas, you need your serving platter or individual plates on hand. To assemble, fill a tortilla with the chicken and onion filling ( about 1/4 cup each) and roll, placing the seam side down on your plate. Once you have placed as many as you like on your platter or plate, top with heated tomatillo sauce and finish with crumbled cheese, mexican crema ( or thin sour cream), and sprigs of cilantro. Serve shredded lettuce alongside if you choose.

Fresh Tomatillo Salsa

Yes, yes, I know the picture sucks. It's hard to frame up an awesome shot when you're hungry and trying to eat. The important thing here is that I made this and it was GOOD.  Also, I'm feeling real proud of myself because I went shopping for the ingredients on 21st and Garnett which was a pure stroke of genius (great produce, great prices) and I got to feel instantly transported to my homeland--Southern California. I felt... authentic. For those of you not familiar with the Tulsa area, 21st and Garnett is our hispanic district. I was scared to death someone would try to talk to me in spanish only to quickly discover that I'm the worst Mexican ever. Whatever, I can make a mean salsa verde and it's a nice break from the red stuff. Check it:

Fresh Tomatillo Salsa-  yield 2-3 cups

Adpated from Simply Mexican by Lourdes Castro

1 pound of tomatillos (that's about 9- pull them out of the husks, rinse, and quarter.)

2 jalepenos, stemmed and halved (Add more or less depending on your desired heat)

1 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves and stems

1 clove of garlic, slightly crushed

1/2 onion roughly chopped ( I used 2 green onions and it was tasty)

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. water

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Puree. Ole!

Can be stored for up to a week in the fridge in a container.

The Worst Mexican Ever Series: White Chicken Chili

It's time to be real... It's time for you to see what I make when the camera isn't snapping away...

It's time for you to see that my cats get on my countertops.

This is White Chicken Chili- pure canned goodness. I'm sorry I've been hiding it from you.

I like to make myself believe I'm too cool for canned goods but, I'm not. I don't make my own stock and I've never refried a bean. Someday I'll get there...maybe. Taco Bell makes some mean canned refried beans...

I've been eyeballing this white chicken chili recipe at Simply Recipes for some time but can't bring myself away from my new standby. Authentic? Probably not. Amazing? Totally. Friends from work serve this at parties and potlucks and I finally got the recipe. I almost always have ingredients on hand and it makes up in ten minutes.

Since I'm going full disclosure here, you'd better look at this:

You try to resist giving them a little canned chicken juice. Now you know.

One more thing... I have trouble following recipes exactly. You see that can of diced tomatoes up there? That was supposed to be a can of Rotel. I didn't catch this until I already added it so I diced up some leftover pickled jalepenos I had from making this and added crushed red pepper. It came out awesome prompting Aubrey to proclaim my "homemade version" to be the best ever.

Truth is good.

White Chicken Chili

1 can of Great Northern Beans

1 can of Rotel ( hot, mild, whatever. Or, diced tomatoes and add your own peppers.)

1 can cooked chicken breast

1 can corn

1 package white chicken chili mix

Optional Garnish-

Sliced Scallions

Sour Cream

Grated Cheese ( I use jack or colby jack)

Special Equipment: Can opener

1. Add all ingredients to a big pot. Bring to a low boil and simmer 10 minutes.

Serve on tortilla chips and garnish as desired.

Chicken Potato Burritos

When I was younger, "What's for dinner?" became synonymous with "What type of burrito are we having tonight?" My mom is master inventor when it comes to burritos and when I was 14, she out did even herself. The year? 1999- The summer of the burrito. Along with the standard rice or beans, we had peanut butter and jelly burritos, hot dog burritos, even thanksgiving dinner burritos. Recipes? Hah! My friends came to dinner just to see what my mom could fit inside a tortilla.

I've since abandoned the hot dog burrito and occasionally make the corned beef hash burrito but just one invention has found it's way into regular rotation at our home....it is the chicken and potato burrito.

It took me forever to work up the courage to make this burrito. It's just one of those untouchable meals from your childhood that you can't make better than your mom, you know? I've added a few ingredients since it's humble beginnings but I gotta say... it still tastes better out of mom's kitchen. In the spirit of her free filling nature, I've provided you a rough guide to burrito heaven.

Chicken Potato Burritos

(Makes 8 hefty burritos)

Ingredients ( add more or less of anything depending on how you like it)

1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

4 largish potatoes, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

Dark Chili Powder

Cumin

Lawry's Season Salt

Minced Garlic

1. Brown chicken in a skillet over medium high heat. Add in garlic and seasonings to taste.

2. Add onions and bell pepper and potato. Season a bit more to taste.

3. Cover and reduce heat to low. Leave covered for 15 minutes. When you open it, potatoes will be soft and starting to brown. Let's observe a moment of sizzle.

4. Raise heat to medium-high and brown until you have all those delicious brown bits. Serve in warm tortillas with cheese, salsa, and... and...and... I like mayo on it, okay? Feel free to go with sour cream like Aubrey but I'm pretty sure the entire country of Belgium would support me.

I'd love to hear about meal inventions from your past... Seriously, I can't be the only one with a mom who made bologna and cheese burritos can I? Anyone? Anyone?

The Worst Mexican Ever Cooks!: Albondigas

I just got back home from Austin, TX on Sunday and was having some cooking withdrawals. Sure, I had some fine meals ( of which I'll blog later....) but I've been ansy to try out some new recipes out of all the foodie mags I read on the plane. I was planning out my grocery list at my Mom's house (with the intent at making a stop at a real live grocery store so I could avoid the Walmarts) when I suddenly remembered my all time favorite soup: Albondigas. Out went the plans to find roasted red peppers and a leg of lamb. Enter Mexican comfort food.

Okay, so I didn't actually suddenly remember it. I've actually been hounding my mom for her recipe for ages. On Sunday, she finally shared.

There's a bit of a story that goes with this recipe. We got it from our neighbor when we lived in Perris, CA. about 13 years ago. Our families were pretty friendly, swapping recipes, sharing bird baths, afternoon snacks, etc. Then, they got a dog. A little yipper, to be exact. My dad had to commute for several hours to work and this little muther barked all day and all night resulting in little sleep and lots of stress. After speaking with the neighbors about the issue, we learned that our angst fell on deaf ears ( well, they maintatined that since THEY didn't hear the dog, it wasn't a problem.) So, my dad installed an antique fire alarm on the side of our house near their bedroom window. He blasted it all night to see if they heard THAT! They say they didn't. Anyway, after a long drawn out battle, we eventually had to call animal control to ask them to do something about the dog. Animal control came and took the dog! We didn't even count on that! They moved the bird bath back to our side, shoved my baby brother off his bike when he touched their lawn resulting in my mom's longest stream of profanities to date, and planted a hedge to screen us out (which I'm happy to report has finally grown in some 15 years later.) Fortunately, before the fallout we scored this recipe:

Phew...

Albondigas ( Mexican Soup with Mexican Drama)

2 small cans of tomato sauce

1 to 2 lbs of lean ground beef ( make sure it's lean because it will get greasy otherwise.)

5 tsp. Tomato Chicken Boullion

10 cups of hot water

A rough handful of raw white rice

2 Tbsp. ground Mexican Oregano

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

6 bay leaves

2 cups diced carrots

2 cups diced potatoes.

In a large pot or dutch oven, put 10 cups of water on to boil.

Combine beef, rice, oregano, and garlic and form smallish meatballs.

When water is boiling, add tomato sauce, boullion, and bay leaves. Return to a boil and drop meatballs in one at a time.

When meatballs are cooked through, add carrots and potatoes. Boil until tender or about 20 minutes.

Serve with tortillas.

This recipe is so good your mom will cuss like a sailor, too.

The Worst Mexican Ever Cooks!: Carnitas

I've been called many things in my life but the funniest has to be when someone proclaimed, "You're the worst mexican ever!" upon learning that, YES, I'm mexican...and, NO, I can't speak spanish. Sure, two years of spanish in high school and four semesters in college should help, but it doesn't. I'm so lousy, I can't even learn it...

Okay, okay, I understand more than I let on and, for some reason, I can sing in Spanish. But, at the end of the day, the only thing to visibly validate my hispanic hertiage is my ability to make some kick-ass mexican food. Is it always authentic? No, but then again, I have to keep up appearances with the Polish, Irish, and Cherokee, as well (somehow, with all of that going on, most people think I'm from the Phillipines.) Added bonus: Aubrey totally can't tell the difference...between authentic mexican food or not! Now that I think about it, the Phillipino thing totally worked in my favor, too. What is it with white guys and asian girls?

So, here's to kicking off a new series of "The Worst Mexican Ever, Cooks!" where I'll share with you my favorite Mexican meals with a dash of identity crisis.

Up first, Carnitas:

Carnitas means "little meat" and the cool thing is, when you make up a batch, there's nothing little about it. It will last you for days. I have no clue where I learned how to make this but here ya go:

1 Pork butt roast...yum ( about 2-3 pounds)

1 yellow onion

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

Lawry's season salt

1 c. water

Double the following measurements for the whole roast. I use 1/2 the roast from this point on...no worries, I'll explain.

2 Tbsp. dark chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

Water to make paste

1. Okay, when you get up in the morning, slice up the onion and put it in a crock pot with the roast, garlic, and sprinkle generously with the season salt. YES, lawry's season salt. It's yum.

2. Add cup of water and cover. Cook on HIGH for 8 hours.

3. When you get home from work, put your keys where you can fnd them in the morning so you aren't late to work again. Preheat oven to 425 F. Then, in a large bowl, remove the roast from the crock pot. Leave most of the onion behind. This might be tough to do because the roast will be so moist and tender, it's just gonna fall apart. DON'T get rid of the juice yet!

4. With two forks, pull the pork apart until you have it all shredded. At this point, I save up half of it because I usually end up craving pulled pork bbq sandwiches and this is a great leftover.

5. Mix chili powder and cumin in a dish, adding water until it makes a paste a bit on the runny side. Set aside. ( Double these measurements if you're using the whole roast...)

6. In an oven safe skillet, add the shredded pork and mix with the spice paste. Heat over medium heat for about couple of minutes adding the reserved juice if it seems to dry.

*Note: You can add these seasonings into the crock-pot to cook all day, but, like I said, I like bbq sandwiches out of this pork, too. It doesn't really affect the flavor. Carnitas is all about the texture!

7. Pop the skillet into the oven you preheated at 425 F. This is crucial. It gives the carnitas characteristic moisture with crispy edges. Heat for about 5 minutes. If you do more, it will get dry.

8. Serve with corn tortillas, green chiles, and cilantro. Go crazy and add tomato, guacamole, and sour cream.