Enchilada Casserole (my husband's all time favorite dish I make!)

This dish originally started out as a basic enchilada casserole but has evolved into a highly versatile dish that I change up every time I make it depending on what I have in the house. This is a favorite in my house. For me, it is super easy and a complete meal by itself. For my husband, well, he thinks it just tastes good. He requests this for special meals, which I gladly do. I have made this vegetarian before, subbing tofu and beans for meat, which was awesome. Find a good cheese substitute and you have yourself a pretty good vegan dish too. This is also a dish that lends itself well to freezing. While I was pregnant, I made this just to freeze so we could have a quick yummy dinner at hand for those crazy nights with our new bundle of joy.

Serves 10
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour

About 15 corn tortilla, cut in half (varies based on the size of your pan)
1 lb. ground turkey
1 cup corn (or a can of corn, drained)
Cilantro to taste (I like to use about 1/2 a bunch, my husband likes less)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 can Rotell, undrained
4 cloves of garlic
fresh spinach (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350.

In large sauce pan, brown meat. Add everything except the cheese and tortilla. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.
Line the bottom of a casserole dish with tortilla so the entire bottom is covered. Add 1/2 of the meat mixture to the tortilla and spread evenly. Top with 3/4 cup of cheese. Cover with another layer of tortilla. Add remaining meat mixture. Top with 3/4 cup of cheese. Top with tortilla and remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes. I like to use the nonstick foil here. Remove foil and allow cheese to brown for about five to ten minutes. Let the casserole stand for about ten minutes before eating.

I have to tell my husband that it has to stand longer so he will actually wait the ten minutes... However, he will attest that he is willing to burn his mouth for this one.

Pot de creme (super awesome chocolate pudding)

I saw this on one of my favorite cooking shows Mad Hungry. As soon as the host, Lucinda Scala Quinn, described it, I knew I had to make it. OH MY GOODNESS! It is so amazingly good! My husband has declared it as one of his favorites of all time. I will be making this again!
The top has a little bit of a crust while the inside is a perfect pudding consistency. I replaced the liquor in recipe with a little cinnamon. Since I made this to go with a Mexican dinner, that was the perfect flavor to add. However, I have some ideas for variations, which I listed at the end of the blog.

Makes 4 servings
Total cost: about $5 or $1.25 per serving


1 1/4 cups of half and half (yeah, this isn't low fat at all...)
3 oz. of dark chocolate (I used 4 oz.)
1/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon hazelnut liquor (optional)

Preheat oven to 300. Bring 1/2 and 1/2 to a simmer and remove from heat. Add chocolate and sugar. Set aside for at least five minutes.
Mix all remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Stir the chocolate mixture until blended. Gradually add to yolk mixture. Mix until smooth. Pour into 4 custard cups or ramekins in a shallow roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it is about half way up the sides of the custard cups. I only had two larger sized cups, so I put two servings in each.
Bake for 30 minutes. When they come out of the oven, they will not be solid in the middle. Remove from the water bath and refrigerate. Serve cold. 


Ideas for modification:
* Make with white chocolate
* Serve with raspberry sauce
* Add orange zest
* Line the bottom of the cups with crushed hazelnuts or toffee

* Mix in a teaspoon of peanut butter (not sure if this will work, but I am wanting to try)

Greek Burgers

This is one of the few times I use a GF bread. If you are daring, make your own bread. If you are cheap or just want a yummy meaty dinner without carbs, just eat it without any bread. Even though I enjoy this in a burger form, I am often too cheap to buy buns. I am not afraid to admit that.
I saw this on a menu of a snazzy little restaurant in Houston and decided that I wanted to try my hand at it myself. They used pita bread, but this is a wonderful remake without that. This is a quick and super tasty meal that is also pretty healthy. I like to make a little extra so we have left overs. The patties reheat nicely. Mix that with the cool crispness of the tzatziki, and - oh boy! It is a party in your mouth. This is also excellent crumbled over spinach for a Greek style salad.




Tzatziki sauce: Make this according to your own taste. I like it with extra cucumber, my husband with a little more garlic. Here is just a basic recipe.

1/2 cup Greek yogurt. You could use regular, but Greek is so much better
squeeze of lemon
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/3 of a cucumber, peeled, seeded and minced
3 or 4 minced mint leaves (optional)
1/4 of a small onion, minced
salt

Mix this all together and allow it to sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Burgers:

1 lb. ground turkey
10 to 12 mint leaves, minced
1/4 a bunch of flat leaf parsley, minced
1/2 an onion, minced
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper
olive oil
crumbled feta cheese

Mix everything together. I like to let the flavors sit for about ten minutes before I start cooking.
Divide meat into 4 equal parts. Cook over medium-high heat in a skillet greased lightly with olive oil, about 5 minutes each side. Allow the meat to brown well so the onions cook and caramelize on the outside.

Top each burger with crumbled feta and tzatziki sauce. Opa!

I usually take the remainder of the cucumber and onion and mix it together with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a quick cucumber salad. Yummy!!

Total Cost: about $5 or $1.25 a burger