My New Toy

I can't wait to make many delicious meals in this baby!

Chicken Enchilada Verdes

Lime Shrimp Tortillas...Chicken Enchiladas Verdes, can we say that I am on a Mexican food kick this week? I watched one of my favorite cooking shows, America's Test Kitchen , the other night and they made these yummy enchiladas that I just could not resist. So, I decided to make them for  a weekend lunch and have a couple of friends over. They weren't exactly the fastest dish to make but let me tell you, these were amazing! These were much better than traditional enchiladas with red sauce. They were a perfect combination of tanginess, sweetness, and heat and the chicken was delicious and tender. I cant wait to make these again!

Chicken Enchilada Verdes
Courtesy of America's Test Kitchen 

4	teaspoons vegetable oil
1	medium onion , chopped medium (about 1 cup)
3	medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2	teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2	cups low sodium chicken broth
2-3	boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of excess fat
1 1/2	pounds tomatillos (16 to 20 medium), husks and stems removed, rinsed well and dried  (canned is a fine substitute)
3	medium poblano chiles , halved lengthwise, stemmed, and seeded (see note)
1 - 2 1/2	teaspoons sugar
	ground black pepper  table salt
1/2	cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
8	ounces Pepper Jack cheese or Monterey Jack cheese, grated (2 cups) ( I used pepper jack)
12	(6-inch) corn tortillas 1. Adjust oven racks to middle and highest positions and heat broiler. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering; add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons garlic and cumin; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Decrease heat to low and stir in broth. Add chicken , cover, and simmer until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 160 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken  to large bowl; place in refrigerator to cool, about 20 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup liquid from saucepan and set aside; discard remaining liquid. 2. Meanwhile, toss tomatillos and poblanos with remaining 2 teaspoons oil; arrange on rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, with poblanos skin-side up. Broil until vegetables blacken and start to soften, 5 to 10 minutes, rotating pan halfway through cooking. Cool 10 minutes, then remove skin from poblanos (leave tomatillo skins intact). Transfer tomatillos and chiles to food processor. Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees. Discard foil from baking sheet and set baking sheet aside for warming tortillas. 3. Add 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, remaining teaspoon garlic, and reserved cooking liquid to food processor; process until sauce is somewhat chunky, about eight 1-second pulses. Taste sauce; season with salt and pepper and adjust tartness by stirring in remaining sugar, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Set sauce aside (you should have about 3 cups). 4. When chicken  is cool, pull into shreds using hands or 2 forks, then chop into small bite-sized pieces. Combine chicken with cilantro and 11/2 cups cheese; season with salt. 5. Smear bottom of 13- by 9-inch baking dish with 3/4 cup tomatillo sauce. Place tortillas on 2 baking sheets. Spray both sides of tortillas lightly with cooking spray. Bake until tortillas are soft and pliable, 2 to 4 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Place warm tortillas on countertop and spread 1/3 cup filling down center of each tortilla. Roll each tortilla tightly and place in baking dish, seam-side down. Pour remaining tomatillo sauce over top of enchiladas. Use back of spoon to spread sauce so that it coats top of each tortilla. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and cover baking dish with foil. 6. Bake enchiladas on middle rack until heated through and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes *top with sour cream and chopped fresh green onions

Lime Shrimp Tortillas

I love the combination of citrus and seafood...especially lime and shrimp. You may notice a trend. I wanted to make something light and quick last night after the gym, so I decided to make shrimp tortillas. I saw the recipe in my Southern Living cookbook but I made a few variations. This recipe is really easy and has a lot of flavor. I will definitely make these again. They will be perfect for a quick weekend lunch. Feel free to add any toppings you like. I added a little guacamole and sour cream to mine.

Lime Shrimp Tortillas

whole wheat tortillas, warmed
12-16 jumbo shrimp
1 tbs olive oil
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice

1-2 palmfuls of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Suggested toppings: light sour cream, guacamole, salsa, fat free cheddar cheese


Boil shrimp in hot water until pink. Sautee the onions and peppers in oil until soft. Add the shrimp and  remaining ingredients to pan and coat nicely. Spoon ingredients into the warm tortillas and top with any toppings you like!