Our First Common Meal!!!

Siestas! Howdy from Houston! I just flew in from Atlanta and am so excited to spend most of this week working in the LPM offices. I have the joy of seeing my sweet co-workers face to face for a few days!

Now let's get to the recipes. This week’s common dish is for Chicken Enchiladas. We’re hoping many of our Bible study participants will make it for their Tuesday gatherings but the beauty of posting recipes is that they can be used by all of us. Keep in mind this is strictly optional. Just a fun idea for those who want to give it a try. This is my favorite Chicken Enchilada recipe by Rebecca Rather. It is wonderful for a gathering because it can be assembled, covered, and then refrigerated up to two days before it is baked. It has the convenience of a casserole type dish without being so predictable. And, of course, enchiladas should never be eaten without chips & cheese dip and salsa. P.S. I always add taco meat and chopped onion to the cheese dip, but hey, that is just me and I can't stop adding to a recipe to save my life. Obsessed much. This cheese dip is AWESOME because it is soup-based which means it doesn’t quickly turn into a solid mass like most cheese dips. Props to Molly Fowler for the science behind this recipe.


“Killer” Chile Con Queso by Molly Fowler “The Dining Diva” in Menus for Entertaining
Serves 10-12

1 (10 ¾ oz) can Cream of Chicken Soup, undiluted
¾ cup Evaporated Milk
1 (7 oz) can Diced Green Chiles
2 Tbsp Minced Jalapenos (optional)
1 (4 oz) Jar Chopped Pimiento, drained
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 (1-oz) Pkg Ranch dip Mix
1 Can Rotel Tomatoes and Peppers
1 lb Velveeta, cut into cubes
¼ Cup Minced fresh cilantro
Minced fresh cilantro for garnish
Tortilla Chips for dipping

Directions:

Combine soup, evaporated milk, green chilies, jalapenos, pimiento, cumin, dip mix, and Rotel in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently. When bubbly, add cheese and cilantro, and stir until cheese melts and mixture is combined. Be sure to keep the heat low, and stir constantly after adding the cheese to prevent scorching. Serve warm with tortilla, reheating as needed.

Make-Ahead Tip:
This queso can be made ahead or even frozen and reheated before your event. I prefer to reheat it in the microwave.


Salsa Fresca
Recipe from New York Times, July 26, 2006

2 large fresh ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 large white onion, peeled and minced
1/4 teaspoon minced raw garlic, or to taste
1 habanero or jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice or 1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper.

Combine all ingredients, taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Let the flavors marry for 15 minutes or so before serving, but serve within a couple of hours.

Time: 10 minutes
Yield: about 2 cups.



Sour Cream and Chicken Enchiladas
Recipe by Rebecca Rather

Ingredients:

1 store-bought roasted chicken (3 to 4 pounds)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
8 ounces button or cremini mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups (32 ounces) sour cream
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles, undrained
1 (10 ounce) can tomatoes with green chiles
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 3 ears), or one 8 oz. can corn kernels
1 cup canola oil
12 corn tortillas
2 ½ cups (10 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9X13 inch baking pan with butter or cooking spray.

Remove and discard the skin from the cooked chicken. Pull the meat from the bones, shred it into bite-sized pieces, and set it aside in a large bowl.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the sour cream, heavy cream, green chiles, tomatoes, salt, and pepper until smooth. Cook until warmed through, being careful not to let the mixture boil. Reserve 2 cups of the sour cream mixture for pouring over the casserole. Stir the corn and chicken into the remaining sour cream mixture, which will be used to fill the tortillas.

In a large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Using metal tongs, dip each tortilla in the hot oil for a few seconds on each side, until softened. Stack the tortillas on a paper towel. Spoon a generous line of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla, roll it up, and place it, seam side down, in the prepared pan. Pour the reserved sour cream mixture evenly over the tortillas and sprinkle with the shredded cheese. Bake uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Siestas! I have found that this recipe makes way more than 12 enchiladas (usually makes at least 16). Maybe it is just me, but the cream sauce is very rich and so I make it stretch a little further. You could adapt this recipe easily by simply using reduced fat sour cream or less heavy whipping cream. I wouldn’t, but then again, I am a “Moore” at heart.

This recipe was taken from Rebecca Rather's awesome cookbook called “The Pastry Queen Christmas: Big Hearted Holiday Entertaining, Texas Style” pgs. 92-93.

PS. Quick note from Beth: Hey, Siestas! We just want to throw out some fun things - not so basic that you've already made it a thousand times and not so hard that you have to go to cooking classes. If it's not for you, pass it by! Or not in the budget this week, no big deal. But if you'd like to join us, come along and give it a try!