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.

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

Faux-sagna or Noodle-less lasagna. Yes! It can be done!

My sister and I were trying to come up with something awesome for dinner one night when we came up with what we called "Moussaka Casserole." After we tasted our wares, we realized it pretty much tasted like lasagna. The next time I made it, I added some ricotta cheese and, glory glory, I had an easy gluten free dinner that could rival my favorite lasagna without having to buy gluten free noodles. My husband, a lasagna connoisseur, loves this dish. When I make it, I make a large pan of it and freeze the left overs (if there are any!) in one or two serving containers for easy dinners or lunch for my husband at work.

This dish uses eggplant instead of noodles. I have had several people who claimed to hate eggplant rave about this dish. I claim it is because I soak the eggplant in salt water for at least an hour before I cook it. Most of the people who claim to not like eggplant say that it is too bitter. By soaking it in salt water, you remove the bitterness! No matter how I am making eggplant, I soak it. Now, I have converted my husband into an eggplant eater. 

Makes 10 servings

Prep time: 20 minutes or more (depends on your red sauce)

Cook time: 2 hours total

Cost: about $0.65 per serving

1 large eggplant, sliced very thinly (1/8 an inch or smaller - hey get out that mandolin slicer you never use!)

1 large container ricotta cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese (or more if you are a fan!)

1 small onion, diced

1 green bell, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

5 or 6 baby carrots or 1 large carrot, diced

1 lb. ground turkey (look for the turkey in a tube - so much cheaper!)

1 jar of red sauce (or make your own to save extra money and have a fresh taste - my favorite recipe is listed below)

Salt water

Soak sliced eggplant in salt water for at least an hour. A plastic bag with ensure that each slice is soaking.

Start by making a good bolognese sauce (red sauce with meat). I do this by browning the meat with the onion, garlic, bell pepper and carrot. Add the red sauce of your choice. The carrots add a wonderful sweetness that is especially good in this dish. Allow this to simmer for at least 30 minutes. I usually do not add salt since the eggplant soaked in salt water and the cheese is often salty.

Preheat oven to 350.

Drain eggplant and place it on a towel. Pat it dry. Line the bottom of the pan with a single layer of eggplant. Think of the eggplant as the "noodles" in the dish. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta over the eggplant. I find using my fingers to be the easiest way to do this. There is no need to add egg to the ricotta here like traditional lasagna. Pour 1/2 the sauce over the top and spread it evenly around. Sprinkle 1 cup of mozz cheese on next. Make another layer of eggplant, ricotta, sauce and cheese. Top the dish with any remaining eggplant before adding the last of the cheese. 

Bake covered for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for another 20 minutes. Allow it to sit for at least 15 minutes before cutting. 

My favorite homemade red sauce:

1 large can of whole tomatoes

3 cloves of garlic

olive oil

Lightly saute the garlic in the oil. In a food processor, give the tomatoes a quick pulse. Add to the garlic and oil. Simmer for at least 20 minutes.

Yeah - it's that easy.

Egg Tostada, kinda

Breakfast has come again! I had this for dinner two nights ago and I had it for breakfast this morning, thanks to my wonderful husband.
I wish I could take credit for this one, but it is my husband who makes it for me. I have made this before, but for some reason, it just tastes better when he makes it. I think it is that extra does of I-didn't-have-to-cook-it that makes this dish the best.
We are meeting up with our friend Sriracha again only because I usually buy mild salsa. My husband isn't as big a fan of spicy food, so I figure I can add spice to my salsa, but I can't take spice out of his.
Wait - who am I kidding? I would still put Sriracha on it, even if it was atomic salsa.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Cost: about $0.25 a serving


2 eggs
2 corn tortilla
cumin
salsa
cheese
minced onion (optional)
pad of butter
salt and pepper, Tony's

Before you start anything, pop those two corn tortillas in the toaster oven. What? You don't have a toaster oven? You can wrap them in moist paper towels and microwave them for 20 to 30 seconds. They won't be crispy, but they will still taste pretty darn good.

I happened to have some minced onion in the fridge for another dish I am making later today, so he browned just a little in the butter. I must say, it was a wonderful addition. Scramble the eggs in a small pan with cumin, salt and pepper. Take the corn tortilla out of the toaster over. It should be crispy, but not burned. Top one with cheese and egg. The heat from the tortilla and the eggs will melt the cheese. Add salsa and Sriracha sauce. Close up this bad boy with the other corn tortilla.
I usually cut into four wedges to eat it.

Yummy cheesy spicy grits.

Breakfast is an often ignored time of the day. People seem to just skip over the breakfast recipes. However, for someone with a gluten issue, breakfast is one of the best times of the day! There are just so many options: eggs of all sorts, bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, Chex cereals, hash browns, home fries, and my personal favorite - grits. I  used to not enjoy grits, and it wasn't until I was forced to give up my cream of wheat that I gave them another try. I still do not enjoy them plain; I have to always add at least butter or cheese. I eat these grits at least twice a week.
Now, Sriracha sauce is God's gift to those who love spicy food. It has an awesome flavor. I used to be a Tabasco girl, and don't get me wrong, Tabasco has a place in my heart. But, it adds a vinegary taste sometimes. Sriracha is made with garlic paste instead and isn't over powering. Since it seems to be increasing in popularity, I luckily have been to find it each time I have needed it, even here in Alabama.

Prep time: 3 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Cost: to buy everything outright, about $6.00, but per serving it is just pennies. 


1 cup of water
3 tablespoons instant grits
cheese of your liking
1 egg
ranch dressing
Tony's (or salt and pepper)
Sriracha sauce

Place water and grits in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for three minutes. Be sure your bowl is big enough since grits will overflow.
While the grits are in the microwave, scramble the egg and slice the cheese if you need to.
Add egg, cheese, a little ranch dressing, Tony's and Sriracha sauce.

It is SO good. I swear.