Slow Cooker Enchilada Stew

Now that there is a chill in the air, and fall is officially here, I can't wait to pull out the slow cooker for some tasty soups and stews!  This one is courtesy of frayedlacesracing.com.  Thanks, Laura!

Ingredients
Three chicken breast fillets (the thin cuts. Mine were flash frozen Purdue, bought from Costco, and I throw them in frozen)
Two cans Enchilada sauce (or make your own, see recipe below)
Two onions, chopped (or one if you don’t like a lot of onion. I do, and my breath is fantastic)
One can of black beans, drained
One bag frozen corn
One to two chopped red peppers, or one bag of frozen, chopped peppers
One bag of chopped broccoli

Directions
Layer the ingredients in the order written. Do not stir. This should fill your crockpot to the very brim. Still have room? Cram in more veggies! Set on low for 8 hours. Once done, shred the chicken and stir everything together. (I also recommend topping with gobs of Franks hot sauce)

Top with sour cream, or cheese, or cliantro, or tortilla chips. Or all four. Or don’t. It’s fantastic as is. Enjoy a tasty and incredibly healthy meal.

Enchilada sauce recipe
2 6oz. cans of tomato paste
2 cups chicken or veggie broth
2 T chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
Whisk everything together until mixed in your crockpot, then continue to layer ingredients as described above

Variations
Basically, this recipe is incredibly forgiving, as is most slow cooker “cooking”. Experiment with different veggies. In the past I’ve used spinach instead of broccoli, which gives it a creamier texture. The key, though, is to keep the broccoli or spinach on the top of everything so it doesn’t cook too much.

Enchiladas

This recipe is for cheese or chicken, but shredded beef or Carnitas would be tasty too.  Serve with guacamole, sour cream, salsa, beans and/or Spanish rice.


Ingredients
1 28 oz. can Las Palmas Enchilada sauce (choose whichever level of spiciness you want)
3 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 cups water
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons flour with 1 cup cold water, mixed thoroughly
Corn tortillas
Grated cheddar cheese
Chicken (optional)


Preparation

1. Combine sauces, mix well, and heat over med-high heat.
2. Add water through salt, mix well.
3. Add flour mixture slowly.
4. Bring to boil, simmer approx. 30 minutes, stirring frequently
5. Heat tortillas on griddle or in microwave until soft 
6. Fill tortillas with sauce, grated cheese, and chicken (if desired).  Roll tortilla, don't overfill.
7. Place in 9x13" baking or casserole dish, cover with sauce.
8. Repeat until chicken is used up or you have desired amount of enchiladas.
9. Cover all enchiladas with remaining sauce, sprinkle on cheese.
10. Bake at 350* for 25 minutes.
11. Garnish with olives.

**Chicken: boil whole chicken with salt and bay leaf until cooked through (approx. 15 min.).  Let cool, then shred into strips

Spanish Rice

Dad's recipe...I'm still working on perfecting it to taste just like his, but have not yet been successful.  The goal for this is patience...

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups long grain rice, uncooked
1/4 cup Canola or vegetable oil.
1 medium Spanish/yellow onion, finely diced
2 cups frozen peas and carrots (no corn)
3 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation

1. Using a 3 quart saucepan, brown the rice in the oil.
2. Add onion to rice and saute for 1-2 minutes.  
3. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil while stirring.
4. Lower heat and cover saucepan.
5. Simmer for 22 minutes, remove from burner and let stand, covered for 5 minutes before serving.

Albondigas

This is a Mexican meatball soup that my dad always made when I got sick.  Much better than boring old chicken soup.  It makes a ton, so freeze half of it in individual servings.

Ingredients
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 eggs
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup uncooked rice
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
5 medium carrots, diced
Salt, pepper, garlic powder
Flour tortillas

Preparation

1. Mix beef through rice together with hands.  Make 1 inch meatballs
2. Boil water, approx. 6 cups.  Put meatballs in boiling water with bay leaves and cumin.
3. Simmer 1/2 hour, then skim fat.
4. Add tomato sauce and carrots 
5. Season broth with salt, pepper and garlic powder
6. Simmer 10 more minutes
7. Serve with tortillas.
   

California Fiesta Dip

This is our family's twist on the traditional 7 layer dip.  The avocado mixture and the sour cream mixture make this stand out from the bland taste of a lot of 7 layer dips.  It is my staple appetizer/potluck dish and it gets rave reviews every time.  I have the recipe committed to memory, but I figured it's definitely a family favorite and worthy of publication.

Ingredients
3 medium sized avocados
2 table spoons lemon (or lime) juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 package of taco seasoning mix (McCormick's, NOT French's)
3 (8 oz) cans of refried beans (any type is ok)
1 large bunch green onions, sliced
3 medium sized tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Sliced black olives (As many as you want.  The recipe calls for a 4 oz. can, but I love olives, so I go for the biggest can of sliced olives)
Approx. 8 ounces cheddar cheese, or to desired cheesiness

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, mash avocado, juice, salt and pepper (you can add garlic powder if desired).
2. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, and taco seasoning mix and stir until smooth.
3. Spread bean dip on a large shallow serving platter, pushing up on sides to form thicker border at edge of platter.
4. Top with avocado mixture, spreading to pushed up area of bean dip.  Push avocado mixture up against the bean dip to form a border of bean dip and avocado.
5. Top with sour cream mixture, forming border as with beans and avocado.
6. Sprinkle center of sour cream mixture with chopped tomatoes, olives, and onions.  Cover with grated cheese.
7. Serve with tortilla chips.

**To make this more of a meal, you can get ground beef, cook with the other 1/2 of the taco seasoning packet, and layer above the sour cream mixture and before tomatoes.

Machaca

Another of dad's recipes.  I first learned of Machaca when we would go on to Rosarito, Mexico for thanksgiving.  Half way between Rosarito and Ensenada, there was a restaurant that we called "The Half-way house".  I don't know if that's the real name of the restaurant, or if we just called it that because of it's location, but my dad and I would go there at least once during each Mexico trip.  My dad made this the last time he came up to visit me and I had leftovers for an entire week.  But it's so good that you never get tired of eating it.

Ingredients
2 pounds Flank Steak or Lean Beef Brisket
1/4 cup Canola or vegetable oil.
2 large bell peppers, green and red
2 medium size Spanish/yellow onions
3 Roma tomatoes
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Flour tortillas

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 300*.
2. Place Steak in roasting pan and cook in oven for approx. 2 hours, or until steak is cooked well done like a pot roast
3. Remove steak from oven, let cool, then hand shred beef and set aside (can be prepared the day before and stored in the refrigerator)
4. Remove core and seeds from bell peppers and cut into 1/4 inch strips
5. Cut onions into 1/4 inch strips.
6. Coarsely chop tomatoes.  
7. Scramble eggs with salt, pepper, and garlic powder; set aside.
8. Add the shredded beef and mix well with the peppers and onions over low heat, until meat is thoroughly heated.
9. Add eggs and tomatoes; mix well.
10. Cook all ingredients together over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the eggs are fully cooked.
11. Serve with flour tortillas, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, pinto beans, or Spanish rice (recipe in another blog post)
12. In a large non-stick skillet or frying pan, saute the peppers and onions in oil until tender but firm 

Stacked Chicken Enchiladas

These towers are huge and the recipe serves more than the estimated 8 servings (each serving 1/4 stack).  I recommend only making a 1/2 recipe at a time unless you have a huge group.  They are also quite messy because of the sauce.

Ingredients
1  cup  chopped onion
1  tablespoon  olive oil
1  can (28 oz.) red chili sauce, divided
1/2  cup  pine nuts
1/4  cup  golden raisins
1/4  teaspoon  cinnamon
1/4  teaspoon  ground allspice
1  tablespoon  finely chopped canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, plus 2 tsp. sauce (see Notes)
1  tablespoon  tomato paste
1  tablespoon  firmly packed light brown sugar
1  tablespoon  white wine vinegar
3 3/4  cups  shredded white and/or dark chicken meat (from one 2 1/2- to 3-lb. rotisserie chicken)
12  corn tortillas (6 in. wide; see Notes)
3  cups  coarsely shredded jack cheese
2  radishes, halved and thinly sliced
3  tablespoons  fresh lime juice
1/4  cup  extra-virgin olive oil
5  to 6 cups very thinly sliced green cabbage (see Notes)
1/4  cup  coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook onion with olive oil, stirring often until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in 3/4 cup red chili sauce, the pine nuts, raisins, cinnamon, allspice, chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, and vinegar. Add chicken, then bring mixture to a boil, stirring. Remove from heat. Pour remaining red chili sauce into a pie pan.
3. To make enchilada stacks, dip 1 tortilla in chill sauce in pie pan to coat. Place on an ovenproof dinner plate. Repeat with another tortilla on a second plate. Spread each tortilla evenly with a heaping 1/3 cup chicken mixture, then with 1/4 cup cheese.  
4. Repeat layering with 8 more tortillas, dipping them in sauce, then adding chicken mixture and cheese to make 2 stacks of 5 layers. (You'll use all the chicken but not all the cheese.) Dip the last 2 tortillas in sauce, place each, curved side down, on stack, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
5. Bake enchiladas until hot in the center and cheese bubbles on top, 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, pour remaining chili sauce from the pie pan into a microwave-safe pitcher and cook in a microwave oven on full power until simmering, 1 to 2 minutes. 
7. To make the salad, stir together radishes, lime juice, and extra-virgin olive oil in a large bowl. Just before serving, stir in cabbage and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Top each enchilada with a small mound of salad and cut in thirds or quarters to serve. Offer with remaining salad and chili sauce to add to taste.

Black Bean and Chicken Chilaquiles

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1  cup  thinly sliced onion
5  garlic cloves, minced
2  cups  shredded cooked chicken breast
1  (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1  (7 3/4-ounce) can salsa de chili fresco (such as El Pato)
15  (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
1  cup  shredded queso blanco (about 4 ounces)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. 
3. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. 
4. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add chicken; cook 30 seconds. 
5. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl; stir in beans. Add broth and salsa to pan; bring to a boil. 
6. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
7. Place half of tortilla strips in bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. 
8. Layer half of chicken mixture over tortillas; top with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture. 
9. Pour broth mixture evenly over chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. 
10. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until tortillas are lightly browned and cheese is melted.

Dad's Chicken Mole

All measurements are heaping...NOT level.  Again, as this is one of my dad's recipes, it makes a ton.

Sauce
Ingredients
2 (28 oz. each) cans of tomato sauce
2 (15 oz) cans/boxes of chicken broth
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons powdered chocolate (for chocolate milk - dad suggests Nestle)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder


Preparation 

1. Mix all ingredients together and bring to a simmer in a large pot. (chicken will be added to the pot later) 
2. Simmer for 1/2 hour, stirring every 5-10 minutes so nothing sticks.
3. After 1/2 hour, taste (add seasoning if necessary - If it's bitter: chocolate/cinnamon; If it's bland: salt; If it's too mild, chili powder)

Chicken
Ingredients
8 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder
Water to cover chicken

Preparation

1. Bring to a boil, then simmer for approx 1/2 hour.
2. After cooked thoroughly, remove from water and let cool off.
3. Shred chicken into 1/2 inch strips, with the grail
4. Once broken up, put into simmering mole sauce.
5. Bring to a boil, lower and simmer an additional 45 minutes.
6. Serve with flour tortillas 

Cuban Chicken Pizza

This is another Cooking Light recipe (sensing a theme yet ;).  With a job and a massive commute, cooking every day isn't an option.  The actual recipe calls for baking the tortillas to make a crispy "pizza" crust, but I cut the corners on this and just make it into a burrito.  As a burrito, the prep time a whopping 15 minutes.


flour tortillas

1 can no salt added whole kernel corn, drained
1 whole rotisserie chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice

Shredded pepper jack cheese (as much as you want, depending on how much you like cheese)
Avocado
Sour Cream

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray.  Add corn to pan and cook  minute or until lightly charred. Add cumin, stir.
2. Add chicken, black beans and garlic; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  
3. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.
4. Heat tortillas
5. Spoon chicken mixture into tortillas; top with shredded cheese, sliced avocado, and sour cream.

**If you want to make the pizza version, bake tortillas in oven at 350 * for 10 minutes.  Remove tortillas from oven.  Once chicken mixture is prepared, spoon approx. 1/2 cup of mixture onto tortilla, sprinkle with cheese.  Put back in the oven at 350 for 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted.  Top with avocado and sour cream.