Skinny Enchilada Casserole

I read an article recently in which the writer begged amateur food photographers (me) to please stop posting food pictures that looked less than appetizing.  I get it, it's pretty hard to make a bowl of pinto beans look appetizing, especially when the main function of the beans is to, you know, be eaten.  Not everyone wants to see it.

This brings up a point, though--some super-styled food photographs can be serious works of art, but I always wonder: how cold was that food by the time that blogger finally got around to eating it?  Was a microwave needed in order to actually eat the food you so painstakingly arranged?

Me?  I'm all about the eating.  And yes, the sharing on here with you.  But mostly the eating.  This simple fact is why I'm sharing this recipe with you.  It's not pretty.  It's so good though.  And I like to think that you people are my kind of people; you're all about the eating, too.  I guess what I'm saying is don't judge this book by its cover.  You'll miss out.

Enchilada casserole is what you make when you're watching your fat intake and don't want to soak corn tortillas in oil, and then realize that corn tortillas don't roll unless they are soaked in oil, so you problem solve and decide to keep the tortillas flat and call it a casserole.  Or maybe that's just me.  Whatever.

It starts with onions and garlic and a little bit of oil in a large skillet.

Next goes lean ground turkey.  It's cooked until it's completely done, about 10-12 minutes.

While that's cooking, line up your canned goods!  Rotel, Enchilada sauce, and canned tomato sauce--although if you wanted to be fancy and make this unbelievably delicious chili gravy instead of the enchilada sauce, I'd completely understand.  Don't be lazy like me.

The enchilada sauce goes into a pot to heat through.  When the turkey is finished, the Rotel and tomato sauce are added to the skillet along with the turkey, onions, and garlic.

Finally, it's assembly time.  I don't have a lot of pictures of this, because it was messy and I am trying to keep my fancy new camera as clean as possible, considering most of its use is done over a hot stove.

Assembly went like this: enchilada sauce on the bottom...

...then a layer of tortillas, then meat, then a few small dollops of sour cream, then cheese.  And repeat!  Three times, to be exact, ending with cheese on top.

The whole casserole is baked until the cheese was bubbly and melted.

Look, I told you it wasn't pretty!  But I promise you it was so, so good.  Cut the casserole into square-ish shapes and serve!

Sometimes beauty contests aren't the point.  Sometimes, the whole "eat with your eyes first" thing just doesn't apply.  You chefs who may or may not be reading will certainly disagree, I'm sure, but I promise you, this was delicious.  Maybe when you make it, you'll make it prettier than I did!

It's a big mess of enchilada goodness in every bite; it's a little spicy, a lot cheesy, and altogether wonderful. Did I mention it's low fat?  Because it totally is.  Everyone wins!

Here's the recipe:

Skinny Enchilada Casserole


Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• Salt and pepper
• 1 can Rotel
• 1 can Tomato sauce
• 1 large can enchilada sauce
• 12 corn tortillas
• 2 cups reduced fat cheddar cheese
• 1 cup fat free sour cream
• Hot sauce, for serving (optional)
• Chopped cilantro (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a casserole dish with foil and set aside.
2. Add oil and onion to a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook for 3 minutes and add garlic then cook for one minute more.  Add ground turkey and cook completely.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add enchilada sauce to a pot and heat over medium low heat, until simmering.  Add Rotel and tomato sauce to turkey and stir to combine.  Cook for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to low.  
4. In casserole dish, add a spoonful of enchilada sauce, then four tortillas.  Next layer the turkey, dollops of sour cream, 1/3 of the cheese and more enchilada sauce.  Repeat three times, ending with cheese and enchilada sauce on top.  
5. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and melted.  Cut into squares and serve with hot sauce and chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!  

Dad's Pinto Beans

In one hour I'm jetting off to Austin, Texas to be with some of my favorite people on this Earth for a weekend of fun, relaxation, music, wine, Mexican food, and laughter.  I couldn't be more thrilled.

Because I'm going to be gone for the weekend, I'll leave you with a quick, easy, soul-warming recipe and a promise to write again as soon as I get back.  That means no list this week, but go out and find your own Friday list of inspiration!

My parents plan their meals for the week on Sundays, like I do, and at least once a week it seems like they are making pinto beans and corn bread.  When I was home last, my dad made his recipe for me, and I fell in love.  It's super easy, and is actually made for a slow cooker (that's how Dad does it).

It starts with red onion, garlic, carrots, and bell pepper--chopped!

Olive oil into a big heavy pot (if using a slow cooker, just throw all the ingredients in and set on low to cook all day).

Next goes veggies and garlic.

The vegetables and aromatics cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, just until they are beginning to soften but not brown.  Then goes two cans of rinsed pinto beans.

And a can of fire roasted tomatoes!

Stir that all around and season with salt, pepper, a little chili powder, cumin, and a pinch of cayenne for heat.  My dad uses something he found called "pinto bean spice" which he swears is the secret ingredient, but I can't find that so I winged it.  Anyway, let it cook for a couple of minutes, then add about 1/2 cup of chicken stock and let it simmer for at least an hour.

When the beans have simmered and the flavors have all gotten to know each other, transfer about a cup of the bean/tomato mixture to a food processor and puree.  This gives the beans a creamy soup-like texture which I like.  If you want your beans as is, then skip this step!

Return the pureed beans to the pot and stir.

Serve your pot of beans in a bowl with a dollop of sour cream on top and maybe even a few sliced jalapenos.

You could also add some shredded cheese, maybe some chopped raw onions or scallions?  It's your world, you do what you want.

This is true comfort in a bowl.  It's warming and a little spicy and reminds me of home.  It's also a super easy, set it and forget it (but if you're using a pot like I did, don't forget about it for too long) meal that is perfect for a weeknight in which you don't want to cook a single thing.

I'm off to Austin where I will be eating real, authentic Mexican food and listen to live music.  Oh man, I can't wait.

Here's the recipe!

Dad's Pinto Beans


Ingredients 

• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cans pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (less if you want)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• whatever toppings your little heart desires

Method

1. In a large heavy pot, add olive oil over medium heat.  Add vegetables and aromatics and cook for about 4-5 minutes, until they are just beginning to soften but not brown.  Add garlic and cook one minute more.  
2. Add pinto beans, tomatoes, and seasonings and stir to combine.  Let cook for about 4 minutes and add chicken stock.  Reduce heat to low and let simmer for at least an hour.  
3. About 10 minutes before you are ready to serve, add one cup of the bean mixture to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.  Add pureed beans back to the pot and stir.  Taste for seasonings and adjust if necessary.
4. Serve with desired toppings!

Enjoy!  See you all next week!  Woohoo, vacation!

Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms and Sausage

When I was a kid, my mom tried to pull the whole, spaghetti-squash-as-real-spaghetti thing.  Her intentions were good, obviously, but she figured if she had told us what it really was, we would have turned our noses up (she was right).  So, she served it with marinara sauce and just kept quiet.  Well, we figured it out, and from then on I decided spaghetti squash wasn't for me.  Give me pasta, or give me squash, but don't give me squash pretending to be pasta!

Here's where I think people go wrong with spaghetti squash.  They try, like my sweet mama, to pass it off as a healthy alternative to carb-loaded pasta, but, spaghetti squash isn't spaghetti.  It just isn't.  It's stringy, like spaghetti, but that's pretty much all it has in common with the stuff. 

It is, however, delicious in its own right.  It doesn't need to be spaghetti!  Once I got over the fact that it wasn't trying to trick me, I embraced it.  Spaghetti squash isn't tricky, it's just squash.  And it's wonderful.

Spaghetti squash for all. 

I started this recipe by roasting a spaghetti squash.  I don't have pictures of this part, because I'm silly, but I took a sharp paring knife and poked holes all over the squash, then roasted it in the oven for about an hour and 20 minutes.  I took it out of the oven and let it sit until it was cool enough to handle, then cut it in half and scooped out all the seeds.  I shredded the flesh with a fork so it came off in strands (like spaghetti, but don't be fooled!)

Meanwhile, I browned some chicken sausages on all sides.

When they were brown, I took them off the heat, sliced them up, and returned them to the pan.

Once the sausage had cooked through completely, I added a package of sliced baby bella mushrooms.

I let those cook for a couple of minutes, then seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little pinch of red pepper flakes.

When the mushrooms and chicken sausage were finished cooking, I added some chopped fresh sage and the flesh of the spaghetti squash right into the pan. 

I seasoned it again with salt and pepper and added some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  

I served it up in a bowl with some added Parmesan cheese on top.  Kind of like pasta.  But it's squash!  

The verdict?  Spaghetti squash is delicious.  Maybe it was the transparency of the recipe (I knew I was getting spaghetti squash and not spaghetti, because, you know, I cook for myself these days) or maybe it was the copious amounts of Parmesan cheese and that fresh sage, but this was to die for.  

It was flavorful and the texture was delightful.  I loved the addition of chicken sausage to add more protein and flavor, and the mushrooms were wonderful.

And talk about light!  Spaghetti squash is only, like, 42 calories for a cup of cooked squash. I said I wasn't going to compare this to spaghetti, but if I were, in the health department, spaghetti squash would clearly win.  Bottom line, this is a healthy dinner that doesn't sacrifice taste.

Here's the recipe!

Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms and Sausage 

Ingredients

• 1 Medium spaghetti squash (about 3 1/4 pounds)
• 1 package of chicken sausage, Italian flavored
• 1 package of sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• salt 
• pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (I used a very, very small amount.)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Using a sharp paring knife, prick the squash all over.  Place on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes, flipping half way through.  Remove from oven and let cool until you can comfortably handle it.  Slice the squash in half and remove the seeds.  With a fork, shred the flesh into long, spaghetti like strands.  Set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add cooking spray and add chicken sausage links.  Brown on all sides, then transfer to a cutting board.  Slice sausage and return to skillet.  Continue to cook until sausage is completely cooked through.  Add olive oil at this point and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.  Season with salt, pepper and a small pinch of red pepper flakes.  Add fresh sage.
3. When the mushrooms have cooked down, add spaghetti squash and season again with salt and pepper, then carefully toss to combine.  Add cheese and toss again.
4. Serve in bowls with extra Parmesan cheese on top.

Enjoy!

Friday Finds

Happy Friday friends!  This is the start of a week-long vacation week that will involve cooking, cleaning, shopping and manicures, then end in Austin with some of my very favorite people.  I couldn't be more thrilled.

Do you follow me on Twitter?  If so, you know that this past weekend I made homemade, fresh, warm, crusty baguettes (recipe coming soon!) and was super proud of myself.  I may have posted about it more than a couple of times.  Because of this, and my success at homemade soft pretzels, the unthinkable has happened.  Yep.  I've caught the baking bug.  

This week's list is all about bread.  What can I say, I'm obsessed!

1. I've had my eye on this cinnamon-sugar pull apart bread for about a year now.  Now that I'm not afraid of yeast, it's happening. 
2. Homemade bagels!  Salt bagels are my favorite.  And Everything bagels.  And Asiago cheese bagels.  And all bagels.  
3. This oatmeal molasses bread looks rustic and hearty. Perfect for morning toast! 
4. You know that brown bread from Outback Steakhouse?  Well, I would make a meal out of that, and have.  This bread looks like that, and it makes me happy.
5. Rosemary Focaccia bread would be good with anything, especially olive oil and salt.  
6. This loaf of bread has ricotta and olive oil in it!  Homemade bread and homemade cheese means a weekend of fun for me! 
7. This no-knead bread has been all the rage on the Internet for a while now.  I'm going to join the fun.
8. Finally, the mother of all bread endeavors: Croissants.  If I can make croissants correctly, I'll call myself a baker.  I'll have done it!

Get ready for some bread, folks.  Oh, and I learned something last week: Don't bake while wearing black.  Flour.  Everywhere.  

Have a great weekend!  

White Bean Hummus with Kale

Since I got my food processor, I have reveled in the freedom of being able to make hummus at any time, provided I have a can of legumes.  I've made two batches of hummus with traditional chickpeas and both were quick, easy, and delicious.  This time, however, I wanted to try something a little different.

I had a whole bunch of kale left over because of it's absence in this soup, and a can of white cannelloni beans, and I always have garlic, so I threw it in the food processor and made a delicious, vitamin packed dip!

I gathered my ingredients: a whole bunch of kale, white beans, tahini, lemon (juice and zest), garlic, cumin, salt and pepper.

That is a mountain of kale.  In retrospect, I would have used about half of that.  You should use about half of that.

Anyway!  I boiled some water and added the kale to cook for a couple of minutes.

The cooked kale was added to the food processor and was whizzed around a couple of times.

Next goes the tahini, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice and cumin.

I processed that, then added a can of white beans with a little of the liquid they sit in.  I added some salt and pepper and tasted for seasonings.  I ended up adding a bit more salt, but that's up to you.

This dip has all the flavors of a great hummus, and all the health benefits a mountain of kale has to offer.  It's creamy and garlicky, and the kale gives it a great flavor and texture.  

Like I said, when I make this recipe again, I will probably cut the kale in half.  A little goes a long way, as you can see by the extremely green color of that hummus.  It would also probably be a little easier on my food processor.  That kale was hardy!

If you're looking for a healthy snack to have on hand, this is definitely a good one.  I ate it with carrot sticks for lunch, along with some tuna, and was very happy.  It will last up to a week in your refrigerator, so snack away!

Here's the recipe!

White Bean Hummus with Kale

Ingredients

• 1 can of white beans (I used cannelloni beans)
• 1 lemon (zest and juice)
• 1 bunch (or 1/2 a bag) kale, chopped, ribs removed 
• 2 tablespoons Tahini
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Method

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add kale and cook for 3 minutes, until kale is wilted and bright green in color.  Drain and add to food processor.  Pulse a couple of times until cooked kale is chopped up.
2. Add lemon zest and lemon juice, cumin, tahini, and garlic and pulse together.  Add can of white beans with a little bit of the liquid and pulse to combine.  Season with salt and pepper then taste for seasonings, adjusting if necessary.
3. Serve with fresh veggies, pita chips, or as a spread for a wrap!  

Enjoy!

Creamy Orange Pasta with Shrimp

One of my favorite things about recipe writing is how creative I think it is.  On Sundays, when I'm making my menu for the week, I spend a lot of time researching, flipping through old recipes, and, sometimes, the best times, following a whim.  

These whims (and this whim, specifically) usually go something like this: Orange.  Pasta.  Always.  Cream?  Ugh.  Diet.  Orange, low fat, pasta.  Protein.  Shrimp.  Yes.  

It's a lot how I used to plan out a painting.  I used to make my art teachers crazy because I would sit in front of a blank canvas for days and days, not doing anything.  I was planning--painting in my head.  Once I felt ready, I'd begin and go from there.  It was my favorite part about painting, that moment right before beginning.  

Recipes, especially if they are done the way I tend to come up with them, could go horribly wrong or they could rock.  Either way, it's extremely creative and I love it.  But, don't worry, this recipe isn't a flop.  This pasta rocks.

This pasta was inspired by this orange pasta and this lemon pasta .  Both are divine, so I shouldn't have been surprised that this recipe turned out great.  

It starts with boiling water and orrechiette pasta, like most good things do.  Then, in a large skillet I added a tablespoon of olive oil and some minced garlic and cooked for a couple of minutes.  Then I added some flour and whisked until smooth.

To that I added about two cups of skim milk and whisked until well combined.  I also added some Parmesan cheese, then let that cook for a couple of minutes and thicken up a bit.  Finally, I added the zest of one orange, then salt and pepper.

When that had thickened enough to thinly coat the back of a spoon, I added the juice of one orange and stirred to combine.  

Meanwhile! On the other burner... I heated a pan with another tablespoon of olive oil, then added some shrimp that I had seasoned with salt, pepper, and just a pinch of red pepper flakes.  I also squeezed a little bit of orange juice over the shrimp for good measure.

I cooked the shrimp over medium heat for a couple of minutes, until they were pink throughout.  Then I added the shrimp to the sauce.

Finally, right before I combined the sauce with the pasta, I added some basil that had been chiffonade-d?  Chiffonade'd? I cut it into ribbons, that's what I mean.

Finally I combined the orecchiette with the sauce and shrimp and tossed to combine.  This, by the way, smelled out of this world.  The orange and basil are so wonderfully fragrant.  Yum. 

I served the pasta in bowls with more basil on top and, of course, shredded Parmesan cheese.  

Citrus cream sauce is just about the best thing to be added to pasta ever.  It's creamy and satisfying but the citrus zing adds balance and lightness.  It's the best.

The shrimp was flavorful and a good compliment to the pasta and sauce.  I also loved the orecchiette; they're like little pasta bowls themselves!  Perfect vehicle for the perfect sauce.

But back to what I was saying--recipe development.  The best part about a recipe that goes from a whim to a comforting bowl in front of you is when it turns out to be exactly what you wanted.  That's the thing about creativity; it's risky, but when it works out, it's so worth it.  

Here's the recipe!

Creamy Orange Pasta with Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 1 pound orecchiette, or other short pasta (but really, the orecchiette is awesome)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 1 orange, zest and juice
• 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• A pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup basil, cut into ribbons (chiffonade--I have no idea how to write that in the past tense. Sorry)

Method:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook until al dente.  Drain and return to the pot, then set aside. 
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.  Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.  Add flour and whisk constantly until smooth, about 1 minute more.  Add milk and whisk until combined.  Cook for 2 minutes, then add Parmesan cheese and stir.  Reduce heat to low and season with Salt, Pepper and Orange zest.  Cook for 5-7 minutes, until thick enough to thinly cover the back of a spoon.  Add half of the orange's juice and stir.  If it's too thick, add a splash of milk.
3. In another skillet, add the other tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat.  Season shrimp with salt,  pepper, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and the other half of the orange's juice.  Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.  Add the shrimp to the orange cream sauce, along with any liquid from the skillet.  
4. Right after the pasta is drained, add half of the basil to the sauce and stir.  Add sauce and shrimp to the drained pasta and toss gently to combine, until all the pasta is coated with sauce.  
5. Serve in bowls with more basil and grated Parmesan on top.  

Enjoy!