This Week's Dinner Menu

My husband is going out of town on a business trip Sunday through Thursday, so I'll be staying at my parents' house with the boys. I'll try to post about what we're eating up there, because Caitlin always comes up with something good. Check back later in the week to see what we're doing once my husband is home.

And, PLEASE, help everyone who checks this blog out by posting your Dinner Menus in the comments sections!

Smokey Chipotle and Black Bean Chilaquilles:Recipe Review

Smokey Chipotle and Black Bean Chilaquilles
original recipe here

I started by cutting the recipe in half. I used handmade flour tortillas from Trader Joe's instead of the corn tortillas it calls for, and I did not use "smoked" cheddar cheese. I, also, forgot to serve it with the sour cream, cilantro and scallions. We really liked the flavor of this one. The only thing I would change is possible the addition of some shredded chicken (at my husband's suggestion). Oh, and to remember to serve the toppings. Even, my two-year-old "picky eater" went back for bite after bite!

10 6-inch corn tortillas (or 4-5 cups stale corn tortilla chips)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
Zest and juice of 1 lime, divided
1 medium red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (from a 7-ounce can), seeded and chopped, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
2 15-ounce cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups corn, fresh off the cob or frozen and defrosted
2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained
A few dashes hot sauce
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese
3 scallions, chopped on bias
1/2 cup (about a handful) chopped cilantro
1 8-ounce container sour cream

Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Stack the corn tortillas on top of one another and slice them into strips about an inch thick. Place into a mixing bowl along with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, cumin, coriander and lime zest. Give everything a toss to evenly coat the tortilla strips then place them onto a baking sheet. Bake the strips until they're crispy and golden brown, 12-15 minutes.
While the tortillas are crisping up in the oven place a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of vegetable oil, about 1 tablespoon. Toss the red onion and garlic into the pan and cook 2-3 minutes to soften them up. Add in the chipotle peppers along with the adobo sauce and the tomatoes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir to combine. Transfer everything to a food processor and pulse until it resembles salsa. Set aside.
Place another skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter. Add the corn to the melted butter and cook it until really golden brown, 8-10 minutes. (The secret to getting it good and brown here is to only stir it occasionally – let the corn sit so that the sides can brown up.)
While the corn is cooking, place the same skillet the onion and peppers were cooked in back over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of the vegetable oil, about 1 tablespoon. Add in one can of black beans and heat them through. Using a wooden spoon or potato masher, mash the beans to a paste, then stir in the other can of beans and hit it with the hot sauce and some salt.
Assemble the chilaquiles by ladling half of the salsa into a 9x13" casserole dish. Arrange the toasted corn strips or chips in the dish and top them off with the black beans, followed by the corn and the remaining salsa. Top with a shower of your shredded cheeses and pop it into the oven to melt the cheese, 7-8 minutes.
When the dish comes out of the oven squeeze the juice from the lime over the top and garnish with scallions and chopped cilantro. Pass some sour cream at the table to dollop on top.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

This recipe originally comes out of the Taste of Home Annual Recipes cookbook (from 2000?). But, I have tweaked it to MY liking over the years. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Macaroni & Cheese
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 C chopped scallions
2 T flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 C milk
1/2 C sour cream (optional)
1 3/4 C shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 C elbow macaroni, cooked
1/4 C unseasoned bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine flour salt, dry mustard, pepper and cayenne. Melt butter in a medium skillet. Add scallions and saute for 2 minutes or until slightly softened. Add flour mixture and cook for 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 1/2 C cheese, and sour cream if using. Add macaroni. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 qt baking dish. Top with remaining 1/4 C cheese and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until bread crumbs are lightly browned. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Okay, that's it. Now here's how I alter it. I always add the sour cream, but I don't really measure it. I don't cook the noodles ahead of time, but I add 2 Tbsp water to the sauce to compensate. You have to bake it for the full 25 minutes, in order to cook the noodles. I, also, don't measure the breadcrumbs because I love the crispy topping. This is not an ooey-gooey mac n' cheese, but it is so good! I double the recipe when serving as a main course at dinner.

Cinco de Mayo, Again!

Due to a whole slew of doctor's appointments, we stayed at my parents' house on Tuesday night. They had gone to a baseball game on Monday, so we had their Cinco de Mayo celebration on Tuesday. It was delish! But, what else can you expect when Caitlin is planning the menu? Try it out, it was so yummy.

The Menu
Beef-and-Chicken Fajitas with Peppers and Onions
Fruit Salad (apple, strawberry, banana, grape, kiwi, and "cara cara" orange)
Shiree's Summer Salsa with Tortilla Strips

Shiree's Summer Salsa
1 can corn, drained
1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
2-3 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 avocado, pitted and diced
large handful of cilantro, chopped
Zesty Italian dressing

Combine all ingredients except dressing. While stirring, add dressing just until "wet". Be careful not to stir too much or the avocado will get mushy. You can also add finely diced red onion to taste.

This Week's Dinner Menu

Leftover Week

That's right, we have so many meals that I planned for and didn't make that "This Week's Menu" won't be a lot of new ideas. Sorry!

Sunday was dinner with my parents & siblings.

Monday - Cinco de Mayo food

Tuesday - Smokey Beef Stew with Blue Cheese and Chives, salad and rolls

Wednesday - Baked Macaroni & Cheese, broccoli

Thursday - Thai Chicken and Noodles

Friday - Smokey Chipotle and Black Bean Chilaquiles

Saturday - Leftovers/Eat out

Sunday Morning Cinnamon Rolls

This is an incredible recipe for cinnamon rolls, it is probably my favorite. It is from a woman in the ward I grew up in. I, also, love it because you can do it all at once - there isn't a huge amount of time for rising involved.

Quick Cinnamon Rolls
6 Tbsp yeast
3 C water
1 C sugar
oil
Mix together, and let sit for 15 minutes.
3 eggs
10 1/2 C flour
Mix together. Roll out immediately. Spread with butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture. (If you add brown sugar, you will get a more "caramelly" filling.) Slice 1-1 1/2 inches thick. Place on a greased baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Spread with icing, and serve.

I make a half-batch for my family on Sunday mornings, and bake them in a metal 9x13 inch pan. I like to use a cream cheese frosting on my cinnamon rolls.

Cinco de Mayo

It's time for our next holiday! Since Cinco de Mayo falls on Monday, I thought I'd post now so that you can plan it into your grocery lists for next week. Enjoy!

Here is a great link for a Cinco de Mayo Taco Bar. However, for the "little people" in your life my may need to tone it down a little. Try these. For dessert, how about some sombrero cookies? Or make these Mini Pinatas with your kids. You could also use this Chili Pepper Print to decorate any thing from napkins to a t-shirt. We'll be coloring this mexican mother and son.