Spinach, Poblano and Cheese Enchiladas

1 poblano pepper, diced (I just used a large poblano--tasty and tangy!)
1 chili pepper, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
10 ounces frozen spinach (I used a bag of fresh spinach and chopped it coarsely)
12 ounces queso quesadilla, or other mild melting cheese, shredded
12 6-inch corn tortillas
1 jar or can red sauce or enchilada sauce (I used homemade Rio sauce)

Add the peppers and garlic to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the peppers begin to slightly soften. If using fresh spinach, stir in and cook until slightly wilted. Remove from heat. Combine peppers, spinach, and cheese in a large bowl and toss to combine.
Spoon a little bit of enchilada sauce into the bottom of a baking dish – just enough sauce to create a very thin coating.
To form the enchiladas: Place a small hand full of the spinach and cheese mixture onto each tortilla. Fold up the ends, then fold over one of the sides. Use your fingers to press any filling that needs it back into place, then roll the whole thing over itself so that you have a neat little package. Place in the baking pan and repeat with other tortillas. Cover with the rest of the sauce, and top with a light sprinkle of cheese if you didn’t need it all for the filling.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Serves 6. Approx. 325 calories, 14.5 grams fat, 6.5 grams fiber, 16 grams protein

Sloppy Toms/Buffalo Billys

Just for Larry . . .

Cooking spray

1 lb. ground turkey or ground bison

3/4 C. onion, chopped, or 1 package of onion soup mix

1/2 C. green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-8 oz. can tomato sauce or 1 can tomato paste plus 1 C. water or 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1/4 C. catsup

1 tsp. chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

dash Worcestershire sauce

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey/bison, onion, green pepper and garlic; cook until browned, stirring to crumble meat. Drain well. To turkey mixture, add tomato sauce/paste or diced tomatoes, catsup, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or simmer until slightly thickened. Serve on hamburger buns. Serves 4-6.

Krautburgers

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 head of cabbage, shredded

1 envelope of onion soup mix

1/2-1 tsp. caraway seed

pepper to taste

1 loaves frozen bread dough, thawed

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef and onion in a large nonstick skillet; drain fat. Add cabbage and cook 5 minutes longer or until tender. Stir soup mix, pepper and caraway seed into ground beef and cabbage mixture. Set aside. Roll one loaf of bread dough into a 16 x 8 rectangle, then cut into eight 4-inch squares. Spoon mixture into center of each square, bring up diagonal points, pinching edges closed. Let Krautburgers rise on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray for about 10 mins. Bake for 20 mins. or until brown. Repeat process with second loaf of bread and remaining mixture.

Mixture can be simmered longer with lid on skillet and served on hamburger buns if desired.

Home

"Well, hot and heavy pumpkin pie, chocolate candy, Jesus Christ; there ain't nothin' please me more than you......Home is wherever I'm with you...." (Ed Sharp and Magnetic Zeros)

Sweet Potato Salad with Apple and Avacado

Ingredients
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. cubes
1 cup frozen corn (or fresh)
1/4 cup unsalted hulled pumpkin seeds or pepitas
1 medium red apple
1/2 cup red onion, chopped (very large to pick out if you are like me)
1/4 cup cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 avocado, diced

1. Place sweet potatoes in lg sauce pan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook 3 min. Add, corn and cook 1-2 min more, or until potatoes are tender. Drain in colander and rinse under water to cool.
2. Toast pumpkin seeds in dry skillet over med heat 3-4 min, or until seeds begin to pop. Transfer to plate and cool.
3. Combine apple, onion, cilantro, and lime juice in a large bowl. Stir in sweet potatoes, corn, and oil, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Stir in avocado and toasted pumpkin seeds just before serving.

Grilled Potato Slices with Salt and Vinegar

Grilled Potato Slices with Salt and Vinegar

Prep: 5 minutes Total: 50 minutes

Simmering potatoes in vinegar imparts a pleasant tang reminiscent of salt-and-vinegar potato chips. Grilling, a healthier technique than frying, gives the potatoes a nice charred flavor.
Ingredients
Serves 4.
1 pound potatoes, preferably fingerling, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 cups white vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions
Bring potatoes and vinegar to a boil in a medium saucepan (vinegar should cover potatoes). Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer potatoes until just fork tender, about 5 minutes. Let potatoes cool in vinegar for 30 minutes. Drain well, and gently toss with oil, salt, and pepper.
Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill potatoes in a single layer until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Sprinkle with salt before serving.

Chicken in Poblano Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

3-4 poblano chiles, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup Mexican crema or heavy cream
salt to taste
2 whole chicken breasts, cut in half
1 cup grated manchego, jack or gouda cheese (we just used any ole bagged cheese)
Preparation:

Puree the chiles in a blender with the milk until smooth. In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter, add the flour and brown lightly. Add the chile puree, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or a wire whisk until smooth. Lower the heat, add the cream, and stir constantly until the sauce begins to bubble. Remove from heat and add salt to taste. This sauce may be made one day ahead and refrigerated.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet and saute chicken breast halves for 4 minutes on each side. (We actually just season chicken breasts with olive oil, cumin, oregano, chili powder, onion poweder, salt, pepper, or other various Mexican seasonings and cook them on the grill 4 minutes per sided before going to the next step). Place them in a buttered baking dish (or pammed), pour the poblano cream sauce over all (use about 1/3 to 1/2 the sauce), top with the grated cheese and bake, uncovered, in a preheated oven at 350º for 20 minutes. The cheese will be golden and bubbly.
Serve immediately.
Serves 4.


**Being the spice and flavor mongrels that Michael and I are, we also add 2 cloves of garlic and 1 jalapeno pepper to the poblano mix. I promise that without the seeds, the jalapeno doesn't even add spice, but an awesome peppery flavor. Also, even if you don't eat chicken, this sauce is an awesome addition to any meal, or can be used for dipping/drizzling.

Serve with beans, lime rice, tortillas, tomatoes and avacados slices!