Mexican Tortilla Casserole

Tomatoes, Black Beans, Chiles

Featured Ingredients: San Marzano Tomatoes, Bush's Black Beans, Old El Paso Green Chiles

This is another recipe adapted from one of those little cookbooks you find at the check out line.  This one was low fat meals.  I fattened this up a bit for better flavor and uncanny goodness. Like most "lasagnas", the portions don't come out in perfect stacks until the next day.  But let the casserole sit for about 10 minutes after its done cooking to have some time to settle.

Mexican Tortilla Casserole

This works perfectly for a 11 X 8 X 2  inch pan.

1 can 15oz Goya Black Beans
4 oz. diced cooked chicken
1/2 cup mild salsa
 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4.5 oz can Old El Paso green chiles
2 scallions minced
1 1/2 cup San Marzano crushed tomatoes
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
dash black pepper
6 flour tortillas (fajita size)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream + some milk
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Coat an 11 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In a medium size bowl mash beans and salsa with fork or potato masher, until paste like with some texture. Add 1/3 cup jack cheese, chile peppers and scallions.  Mix together.

3. Combine crushed tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper in a pyrex measuring cup (if available)

4. Spoon half of bean mixture into prepared baking dish. Top with three tortillas.  Like illustrated below.

Then pour half of the tomato mixture over tortillas.  Repeat with remaining bean mixture, tortillas and finish with tomato mixture.

5. Put sour cream in small bowl and thin out with a little milk so it is the consistency of yogurt and easier to spread.  Spoon sour cream on top of tomato mixture in dollops and even with back of spoon.  Top with mozzarella and remaining monterey jack cheese.

6. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes.  Uncover and bake for an additional 20 until cheese is melted and begins to brown.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. 

Here is a piece I had for lunch today!

My house is full of men so this had "manly meal" all over it. I made this yesterday and by today this was what was left. I always know if my husband likes a dish because he goes back for seconds. Otherwise he eats like a bird and says it's "fine." Unfortunately his type of food and my type of food don't match 80% of the time, so more food gets wasted than I would like. These type of sights make me happy and  are what you can also expect with this dish.



Nothing to Throw Out



UNUSUAL CANNED GOODS - THE YES WE CAN CHALLENGE

Yes, that says Canned Bacon

Ever since I started this blog it has opened my eyes to a whole new world of canned goods.  I've become more conscious of canned goods whether I'm at my local Stop and Shop up the street or the great multi-cultural markets one town over from me.  I'm fascinated by any new items I've never seen.

According to the Can Manufacturers Institute there are over 1,500 varieties of foods available in cans. In fact just last year was the 200th anniversary of the beginning of canning foods. The can was born in 1810 when Englishman Peter Durand received a patent from King George III for a tin-plated iron can to be used as a food container.

There are some I come across that I just can't bring myself to cook with as I don't think some products translate well from fresh to canned.  I also thought I would do some of my own research as to what might be considered atypical canned goods. This undoctored image was the most interesting can I found. It was on a survival website, encouraging consumers to stash some into their bunker. This would be one of those cans you won't find in my recipes. 

Here is my challenge to you. I'd love to hear from you.  I can't offer much incentive beyond offering a mention on the blog. I'm new to blogging. I don't have sponsors yet, so I can't offer a bevy of cash and prizes for best entry.  My hope is you will join me simply for the fun of it.

Very Vegan Mulligatawny Soup



Vegetable Broth and Coconut Milk

Featured Ingredients: College Inn Vegetable Broth and Taste of Thai Coconut Milk

Now that I'm not working outside the home, there is one thing I miss in particular.. going out for lunch! I used to work in Wilton, CT.  Wilton is a lush affluent suburb about 40 miles from New York City. It has one popular diner, very few delis, and not many affordable restaurants. In downtown Wilton there is a lovely independent food store called Village Market -- to some it's known as Village Mark-up.  It's not the place to go grocery shopping, if you are looking for a bargain, but for lunch it's not too bad.  It has freshly prepared sandwiches, a salad bar, hot soups, and really good single serve baked goods. Before I got to know the area it was my go-to lunch destination as it was just up the street from my job. 

This time of year, it was the best deal around for hot soups.  One of my favorites along with Vegetarian Lentil was Mulligatawny.  I was really unfamiliar with this soup, before I was introduced to it just a couple of years back.  Since Wilton is 15 miles from me, I don't frequent the area much anymore. So it seems my only recourse was to create a version myself. I was pretty proud of the result.  Their soup is more of a pale green, as I believe they use chicken broth and no carrots, whereas mine was rosier orange color as I used vegetable broth and carrots. A fragrant dish with notes of sweet and heat that warms you up on a cold winter's day or night.

Make sure you have a mini electric chopper or food processor on hand to cut down on prep time.

I noticed as I was creating this that I seem to be making my way around the world of cuisine in this blog.  I have recipes representing the flavors of Italy, Thailand, Germany, Greece. So here is my rendition of this Indian inspired dish.  Now all I have to do is master the Lentil Soup.

Mulligatawny Soup

2 tbsps butter
1 cup celery - about 3 hearts finely chopped
1/2 cup onion - about 1 medium size - finely chopped
1 cup carrots - about 3 small - finely chopped or shredded
2 tbsps plain flour
2 tsps curry powder
4 cups vegetable stock
2 small bay leaves
1 cup granny smith apple - shredded
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup cooked basmati rice

1. In a dutch oven, melt butter and sautee onion, celery and carrots until tender (add a dash of salt)
2. Stir in flour and curry powder and cook about 3 minutes
3. Stir in stock , bay leaves, apple, and lemon zest
4. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes
5. Remove from heat and stir in coconut milk
6. Use immersion blender or process soup in batches.

Stir in basmati rice or not and serve.


Mulligatawny Soup with Basmati Rice



Greek Pasta Salad with Tuna and Lemon Vinaigrette

Featured Ingredients: Black Olives, Quartered Artichoke Hearts, Bumble Bee Tuna.

Hi All -

Considering the last entry I gave you before the new year was a calorie-laden dessert, I thought I would start the new year off right with a guilt free, heart healthy and omega-3 rich main entree.  With not one, not two but three items from the pantry.

I love classic mediterranean flavors - lemon, oregano, olives and oil. This combination of citrus, salt and peppery herb are perfect complement to canned tuna and help elevate it's flavor better than celery and some mayonnaise.  NOTE: This tuna pasta salad is mayo free!

This is great for a quick lunch, potluck or picnic.  For an added twist and option I served this over a bed of green leaf lettuce and tossed some "home-made" croutons on top for an added garlicky crunch! 

Greek Pasta Salad with Tuna and Lemon Vinaigrette

About 1 cup Dried Penne Pasta
2 Cans Tuna
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill
20 cherry or grape tomatoes quartered
1 small red bell pepper diced

Boil Pasta according to package directions until tender.  Meanwhile make Lemon Vinaigrette. Drain pasta and run under cold water to stop cooking process. Drain and put into separate bowl.  Combine pasta with vinaigrette so it doesn't dry out while making tuna salad.

Combine remainder ingredients for tuna salad into a large bowl.  Once combined fold in pasta.  Pour any remaining vinaigrette on the bottom of the bowl over the pasta salad and lightly toss.  Let salad sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes so flavors can come together.  Taste salad after the 30 minutes and finish with salt and pepper to taste.

Lemon Vinaigrette

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 garlic clove minced
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup olive oil

Combine lemon juice, oregano, garlic and sugar in a bowl. Whisk in olive oil, slowly to create an emulsion.

Added Bonus - "Home-made" Garlic Croutons

Heat oven to 375 F

Buy a loaf of freshly made garlic bread in a bag.  Not frozen. Cut up bread into a little bigger than bite size cubes.  They don't have to be perfect cubes.  Put bread into a bowl and gently fold pieces over one another to help distribute the butter mixture.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Layout bread cubes on baking sheet in a single layer.  Place in preheated oven and bake for approximately 10-15 minutes until bread cubes and dry and are golden color.  Check bread about 1/2 way through baking and flip bread cubes. (In my case half a loaf of bread was a enough for a larger baking sheet)

Tuna Pasta Salad with Garlic Croutons

Pre-Resolution Pumpkin Flan



Canned Pumpkin and Condensed Milk

 Featured Ingredients: Libby's Pumpkin and Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

The New Year is upon us.  This year I'm ringing in 2011 in a much different way. Last year, I celebrated the arrival of 2010 in Times Square courtesy of NIVEA with an invitation to a party at the Hard Rock Cafe and a hotel room one block away. It's the only way you would catch me in Times Square on New Year's Eve.  I could never stand out in the cold for hours upon end cooped up in a pen.  More power to those who can dig deep and accomplish this.  It's the same kind of admiration I have for the people who go on Survivor. Miss a meal.  Forget about it.

I received the invitation to Times Square unexpectedly. During the week between Christmas and New Year's the VP of Marketing extended an open invitation for a casual lunch to any one in his area. About 9 people accepted.  At the lunch everyone was talking about their plans for New Year's Eve in Times Square.  I sat quietly eating nibbling on my salad. "You are going to New Year's Eve?" he asked me.  I sort of shrugged my shoulders and shook my head no.  "Oh, but you went last year," he said. I smiled an awkward smile and shook, my head no again. He asked, Why? He thought maybe I turned it down. I sat silent with a perplexed look on my face. I didn't feel comfortable saying in front of everybody that, I wasn't asked to participate.  An invitation was offered to me on December 30th. I really did appreciate it. Maybe the VP Marketing felt embarrassed by that conversation at lunch, I'm not sure.  I didn't go this year as that VP has now gone overseas to work at the parent company and as a part of his objectives in the U.S. he reduced his head count by, unfortunately, eliminating the department I used to work in this year. 

So since my family is now functioning on primarily one income and whatever I collect from unemployment, I am a lot more price conscious. I spend a lot more time in the bargain aisle these days. A dwindling item right now is canned pumpkin.  With the holidays drawing to a close you may be pumpkined out.  This is a great time however to stock up on this seasonal goodie, in case you get a craving for it come March. Or if you just can't get enough of this squash here is a dessert that is easy and elegant as it is rich and decadent.  It's not the best choice if you are starting a weight loss resolution come tomorrow.  But tomorrow is the weekend  and maybe you could start fresh on Monday!

I made this Flan for Thanksgiving this year.  It was a nice switch from traditional pumpkin pie.  I didn't post it then as I was still very busy with aforementioned day job.

Pumpkin Flan

3/4 cup sugar
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 cups solid pack pumpkin puree
5 large eggs
1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 ground ginger
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt

1.  Make Caramel. - Get a clean 9 in deep dish glass pie dish.  Set aside.  In a small saucepan, stir together sugar and 2 tbsps water. Whisk together and bring to simmer over medium-high heat.  Let cook but don't stir but periodically swirl pan to heat caramel until it is a rich amber color about 5 minutes.  Immediately pour caramel into pie plate, turning plate to coat evenly.

2. Set a pot of water to boil. Separately, place rack in lower tier of oven and preheat to 325F.    In blender of food processor, combine condensed milk, pumpkin, whole milk, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt and process until smooth.  You may need to do this in two batches depending on the size of your appliances. Pour into prepared dish.

3. Set pie dish in a large shallow roasting pan and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the side.

4. Bake for 50-60 minutes until center barely jiggles when dish is shaken. Remove from hot water and and let cool on wire rack for 1 hour.  Put flan in refrigerator to chill.

5.  When ready to serve run a knife or thin offset spatula around the outside of the dish to release flan. Set large flat serving plate upside-down on top of pie dish and quickly invert both.  Let flan release onto plate.






Pumpkin Flan

 Enjoy the calories. Wherever you are ringing in 2011, I wish you all a Happy New Year. 



Happy New Year 2011!