Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Taco Tuesday used to be such a thing in our house.  When we moved to New York, it seemed we kept the tradition alive for awhile but it has slowly faded and now, it's not a thing.  I want it to be a thing!  I like having "things"... sigh.  I think part of the problem is that we start to get bored of the same old tacos, so in search of something new the other day I made this Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole!  That's a mouthful, in more ways than one (chuckle, chuckle, knee slap).    

I followed this recipe but threw in some butternut squash when I added the chicken (that I first diced into cubes and saut�ed with some finely chopped onions in butter for 8-10 minutes).  I will make this again and again and by the way, it's even better the next day.  Make it a THING in your house!

One Pot Mexican Pasta

Everyone always assumes that because I write a food blog and cook a lot, my kids must be fabulous eaters.  EHHHHHH.  (That's the sound of an annoying buzzer.)  WRONG!  I have picky, picky eaters.  Right around 18 months, each of them have rejected all foods that are healthy (I'm exaggerating, but you get the picture).  It's hard!  I've felt everything from frustration, anger, shame and embarrassment over it.  But on my good days, I realize... they are still growing, they won't be like this forever, and so I go about trying and sneaking, sneaking and trying.  Trying new foods, and when that doesn't work, sneaking them into their meals.  (*Ordinarily, that photo above would be much more beautiful with cilantro, green onions or jalape�os sprinkled on top... but, green things, yeah.)   

Cue this cheesy, one-pot Mexican pasta with a whole lot of, wait for it, SQUASH!  I sneak frozen squash into the ground turkey and it sort of melts into the dish, creating a slightly sweet counterbalance to the spicier Mexican flavors.  Obviously, the best part about this dish is you can make it in under 30 minutes in ONE pot.  And another great thing about this recipe?  I used Chickpea Pasta for some added protein and fiber, which also makes it gluten-free!  (Of course, you can use any pasta that you would like).  My son and toddler loved it. The stubborn middle child?  Well, we had a 1950's style showdown.  She sat there, crying, begging for a treat, resisting even ONE bite, and I held firm and drank a bottle of rose by myself.  

One Pot Mexican Pasta

Serves 6-8

Printable Recipe

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb. ground turkey

1/2 pkg. taco seasoning

12 oz. frozen squash, thawed

8 oz. pasta

2 cups chicken stock

1 8 oz. jar taco sauce

1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the ground turkey, and cook until no longer pink.  Add the taco seasoning and squash, and cook for a few more minutes, until everything is combined.  Add the pasta, chicken stock and taco sauce and bring to a boil.  Stir everything up, cover the pot, lower to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes.  Uncover, add cheese, and simmer until cheese has melted and sauce has thickened.  I added a little more cheese on the top before serving.  Top with anything you like!  

*This sort of tasted like a delicious, homemade Hamburger Helper!  

Chicken and Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Hello!  Welcome back to me!  We just returned from California where we were for almost two weeks, and I won't lie, I don't mind that my kids are still jet lagged and sleeping in until 8:00 am every morning.  Especially because I know it won't last!  I've missed you guys, I've missed cooking, I've missed my routine... and non-travel-sized toiletries.  I finally got back into the kitchen last night to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and my Mama's birthday!  She wasn't with us (lives in Minnesota), but we toasted to her (tequila, obviously) and enjoyed these delicious Chicken and Sweet Potato Enchiladas.  

I followed this recipe with a few alterations: used an already cooked Rotisserie chicken, added two chopped sweet potatoes with the chicken (that I microwaved for 8 minutes first), and used mini corn tortillas (which fit into one pan - the recipe calls for two).  It was superb!  I would highly recommend adding it to your weeknight meal repertoire.  

For a behind-the-scenes look at my prep, hurry on over to Snapchat (siriouslydelish) and follow me!  I think I'm slowly getting the hang of it... sloooooowly (I'm an old person now).  

Fajitas and Queso on TODAY

Yesterday morning I woke up bright and early and made chicken fajitas and queso dip on the Today Show.  The recipes were based on some dishes from one of my favorite childhood restaurants, Chili's!  Today I woke up bright and early to write this blog post.  Ok that's a lie, my daughters woke me up bright and early... at 1:30 and 4:30 and 5:00 and 5:30.  You know how it goes, right?  PLEASE TELL ME YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES.  Sometimes people ask me, is it hard to wake up so early for the show and I say no, no, no, no, no.  I get to drink my coffee in peace.  Someone blow dries my hair, and I get to wear eyeliner that doesn't make me look like a cat (I've never been able to do my own makeup properly).  It's the mornings when I wake up, milk bottle, vitamins, breakfast, pack lunch, pack snack, get clothes, stop fighting, brush your teeth, wipe the nutella off your face, brush your hair WE'RE GOING TO MISS THE BUS... those are the hard mornings.  Sooooo that said, I better go!      

You can find the recipes and video from yesterday here.  

Stay tuned for some delicious pasta later today!

Sweet Potato "Tacos"

Doesn't that look good?  It's a baked sweet potato topped with taco-seasoned ground turkey, steamed broccoli and a Mexican-blend shredded cheese.  It looks good, right?  Well I had probably five bites of it before my whining 17 month-old (who is currently on a high chair boycott) took over my lap and took over my dinner.  She's only happy these days when she's eating like a big kid, in a regular chair with a giant fork.  This is difficult, because she is teeny tiny.  Therefore, she takes over my lap, and takes over my dinner (a Real Moms Wear Grey moment for sure).    

However, the parts I did enjoy were very enjoyable... this is a nice alternative to your regular Taco Tuesday cuisine.  Inspired by this Weelicious recipe, you basically ditch the taco shells or tortillas and use a potato as your vessel!  You're supposed to dig out half of the flesh so you can easily eat it like a taco, but I was too lazy last night and frankly just wanted to eat the potato.  Top it with whatever you please!  (Click here for baking instructions, and remember these Sweet Potato Skins?!)

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

Things I did over the weekend include: bake a bundt cake, drink champagne, cohost my sister's bridal shower, drink champagne, cry over the Seahawks loss, drink more champagne, make batch number two thousand and sixty of these sweet potato tacos, so that I could photograph them for the blog... even though the sun was going down and the light was terrible and the photos aren't great and I used parsley to look like cilantro because I was out and didn't plan ahead (#reallife), I needed to share this recipe with you! You can now make this one recipe for the rest of your lives and never have to plan dinner again. You�re welcome... I'm gonna go drink some champagne now. 


These tacos are nothing fancy, and maybe you�re like, eh, whatever, there are a zillion sweet potato tacos online, grow up. BUT YOU GUYS, these tacos have made up about 80% of my diet since November. I seriously can�t stop, won�t stop with sweet potato tacos right now. I�ve made these tacos a few times a week for a few months, and when I do, I try to roast extra sweet potatoes, which I then eat for lunch every day. Seriously, I eat them probably 4 days a week. Is that good for you? I have no clue� I�m afraid to look it up. If you are what you eat, I�m definitely turning into a sweet potato. Hopefully one of those long skinny svelte ones, not one of the big round plump ones.

Aside from my daily sweet potato habit, I�m obsessed with these tacos for a few reasons: first, they�re super easy even on a weeknight, even on a weeknight when you go to the gym and don�t start making dinner until 8PM. B: I typically have most of the ingredients on hand, but maybe that�s because I know I�m gonna make them every chance I get. Third: I love the flavor combo of sweet, spiced sweet potatoes with savory black beans, citrusy guac, and salty feta cheese. And finally: this is the one meatless dinner that I�ve been able to get Evan on board with!

If you make these tacos, be sure to roast an extra sweet potato, because I have another recipe coming up soon that uses the leftovers! Hint: It�s January appropriate for all you resolutioners. Hint hint: It�s a salad. But today: tacos!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
Makes approx. 8 tacos

Corn tortillas
Black Beans (see below)
Sweet potatoes (see below)
Guacamole (with lime or lemon juice!!)
Feta
Cilantro
Sour Cream (if desired)

Warm corn tortillas in a hot skillet or in the oven. Fill with ingredients in order listed.

For the roasted sweet potatoes
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed into dice-sized chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spread sweet potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, syrup, cumin, chili powder, salt, and a crack of fresh black pepper. Drizzle over sweet potatoes, and toss to coat. Cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping once, until tender. Check on them for the last 5 or so minutes to be sure they�re not burning.

For the black beans
olive oil
half an onion, diced
1 mild pepper (like poblano), diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can black beans, drained
salt and pepper

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add onion and pepper, and cook until onion is just starting to brown. Add garlic, and cook another minute or two longer. Add beans, and cook for a minute, lightly smashing the beans with the back of a spatula. Salt and pepper to taste.

Taco Pie with Winter Squash

After making this insanely delicious Spaghetti Pie the other day (as seen on my Instagram page), I started imagining what other dinners I could make in a pie pan, and because it was Tuesday my mind instantly went to tacos!  Taco Pie!  But not just any taco pie, no, no... this particular dish is only disguising as comfort food (which is what it tasted like, oh man).  This hearty but healthy casserole has lean meat, the protein and fiber from beans and the nutrients from a whole lot of squash you won't even know you're eating.  By the way do beans have fiber?  I don't know, it just sounded right to say.

At the last minute I decided to add a frozen package of cooked squash into the meat (the pureed kind).  It melted beautifully, and balanced out the spice of the meat in a sweet and subtle way.  My kids loved it (well, two of them did, not the middle one who would live off of Skittles if she could), and had NO idea I had tricked them into eating something healthy.  And by the way, I ate two slices topped with avocado.  IT WAS SO GOOD.  

Taco Pie with Winter Squash

(Serves 8)

Printable Recipe

1 T olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 lb. ground turkey

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1/2 cup water

1 12 oz. pkg cooked squash, thawed

1 8oz. bottle taco sauce

3 flour tortillas

1 can refried beans (you probably won't use it all)

2-3 cups Mexican blend grated cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions and saut� for a few minutes, until onions begin to soften.  Add ground turkey and saut� until no longer pink.  Add taco seasoning and water and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, and then lower heat and simmer until sauce begins to thicken.  Add thawed squash, and stir to make sure everything is well incorporated.  Remove from heat.  Spray a 10-inch cake or pie pan with cooking spray.  Add a small amount of the taco sauce and spread with a spatula.  Place a tortilla in the pan, and then spread a layer of refried beans on top with a spatula.  Top with a third of the meat, then a third of the cheese and finally a third of the taco sauce.  Place another tortilla down, and repeat with the beans, meat, cheese and sauce.  Place your last tortilla down, top with beans, the rest of the meat, the rest of the sauce and ending with the rest of your cheese.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden.    

The squash disappears!

Breakfast Tacos with Chorizo and Fried Eggs

One of my friends has the most insane stories from her office, almost daily. Recently she was telling me about her coworker from Texas (Dillon/ East Dillion I�m assuming). He was talking about the things he misses most about the lone star state, particularly breakfast tacos (followed closely, I'm sure, by Tim Riggins). And the rest of the coworkers didn�t believe him that breakfast tacos exist. Seriously!? Who are these heathens! I want nothing to do with them. And everything to do with breakfast tacos (and Tim Riggins).

A lot of things about Texas seem fantastical to me, from the armadillos to the pride of hometown high school football, but I've never once doubted the existence of the breakfast taco. Or the existence of Tami Taylor. To be honest, I've never even been to Texas (aside from the airport), but deargod, I don�t have to wear cowboy boots to know that eggs inside a tortilla is a good idea! You could go a few different ways with this. You could make a scramble and toss that in a taco shell�basically making smaller, less portable breakfast burritos�or you could go the fried egg route, which is what we�re gonna do! Because look how pretty! 

We start off with some red potatoes and spicy chorizo. Then we fry up some sunnies. I like them crispy around the edges�a little olive oil helps with that. Next we prove the existence of breakfast tacos by combining it all inside a small corn tortilla, and topping it with cilantro, sliced radishes, crumbly cotija cheese, green onions, avocado, and hot sauce. The harmony of flavors and textures in these bad boys is on point... runny yolk, cool and creamy avocado, bold and spicy chorizo, the saltiness of the cheese and crunch of radishes! So much goodness in each bite.

Breakfast tacos are real, man, even outside of Texas. 
Clear eyes, full stomachs. Tacos forever. 

Breakfast Tacos with Chorizo and Fried Eggs
Makes 8-10 tacos (2 tacos per person is ideal). If you make less tacos, you'll have extra potato-chorizo filling. Don't fret! I like to add a few scrambled eggs to it and make burritos, which I freeze for on-the-go lunches or breakfasts later in the week.

Olive oil
2 medium sized red potatoes, diced small
1 lb fresh chorizo (Mexican style)
8-10 corn tortillas 
8-10 eggs
Salt & pepper
Cotija cheese, crumbled
1 avocado, sliced
2-3 large radishes, sliced thin
Cilantro
1-2 green onions, sliced
Hot sauce (like Tapatio)

First, cook the potatoes. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add potatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and cooked through--about 10 minutes. Salt & pepper lightly, and remove from skillet, set aside.

In the same skillet, add chorizo, and cook until cooked through, stirring occasionally so it's crumbly. Drain off excess oil, and add potatoes back to skillet. Toss together, and keep on low heat.

Heat tortillas. I like to heat a skillet over medium-high heat, with a little cooking spray, and heat each one individually so it's a little sturdier and chewier. You can also wrap them in foil and pop in the oven, or in a damp paper towel in the microwave.

Fry the eggs. My favorite way to get a good crispy edge and runny yolk is frying in olive oil.  

To assemble: Add potato-chorizo mixture to tortilla, top with fried egg, avocado slice, 3-4 radish slices, onions, cotija, cilantro, and, if you like it spicy, hot sauce.

Carnitas (for tacos!)

I'm bad at a some things (including math, laundry, and singing), ok at a couple things, pretty good at a few, and absolutely, totally great at one thing. That one thing, my friends, is roasting pork. 

I'm not trying to brag or anything, but seriously, I'm really, really good at pork shoulder. It's a gift. It's my calling. I usually just throw stuff in without actually measuring, but for your sake, I finally measured and wrote stuff down. Please make these carnitas you guys, seriously. You need to make this pork. 

Also, tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo. You know, that one holiday in the US where we eat a ton of Mexican food and drink margaritas. Otherwise known as my favorite food holiday. I love everything about Mexican food. I could eat tacos all day long. Especially carnitas tacos. I judge taco places by their carnitas, and I would absolutely go back to a place that served my carnitas. 

This pork is tender and crispy at the same time. It's tangy and salty and a little bit spicy, with hints of cinnamon and citrus. Dreams are made of this stuff. 

When I'm doing BBQ style pulled pork, I use the slow cooker, but for carnitas, I like to use the oven. The pork gets tender and juicy, but the edges get crispy, which I think is what really make this pork awesome. 

Oh, PS� T-minus five months until my wedding! WHAT. I have a lot of spray painting to do. Any volunteers? 

Pork Carnitas (for tacos!)
Loosely inspired by this recipe

Be prepared for a couple hours of marinating, but if you're in a rush, you can just marinate for an hour and it will still turn out delicious! 

4-5 lbs pork shoulder

Juice from 2 large oranges (about 1 cup)

Juice from 1 lime

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large serrano pepper, diced

1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate*

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon oregano

Fresh ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 bottle of light beer (Mexican beer like Pacifico)

Trim major fat off of pork shoulder (ok to leave a little bit, but get as much as you can), and cut pork into 4-5 big chunks. Put in a large bowl.

Whisk together orange juice through cinnamon, and pour over the pork. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 2 hours to overnight. 

Preheat oven to 375.

On the stovetop, heat a large oven-proof stockpot over medium-high. Remove pork pieces and pat dry (reserve marinade). Sear each pork piece, just 1-2 pieces at a time, (too many in the pot will make it steam) on each side. Add all the seared pork pieces, reserved marinade, beer, and brown sugar to pot. 

Bake covered for 2.5-3 hours. 

Right in the pot, shred with a fork and stir into the sauce (remove any fat pieces that might be in there). The pork should be fall-apart tender.

To make it a bit crispier, I like to put it back in the oven for 10 minutes after shredding.

For tacos, serve in warm corn tortillas, with diced white onion, cilantro, and cotija cheese. 

*I use Tamicon brand, often found near the Mexican or Asian aisle in the grocery store. 

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Recipes

It's fiesta time! Here's a little roundup of some of my favorite Mexican-inspired recipes for Cinco de Mayo! 

Having a Cinco de Mayo brunch? Serve Baked Tortilla Cup Huevos Rancheros and these awesome Black Bean and Chorizo Egg Tortas!

Every fiesta needs BEBIDAS! Put out a bucket of Mexican beers, Jarrito & Tequila To-Gos, and of course, whip up a batch of Coconut Margaritas! 

For snacks, put out a big bag of tortilla chips (my favorite are Juanita's!), some Totally Grilled Guac, and some cheesy Aperitivo de Frijol!

Taco bar? Be sure to add this spicy/tangy shredded beef for Machaca tacos! 

It turns out, I don't have any Mexican dessert recipes on the blog! Crazy! You know what else is crazy? I've never had tres leches cake. Like, ever. Never even one bite. I'm thinking of changing that real soon, and here are a few contenders:

• Shutterbean: Coconut Tres Leches Cake 
• The Candid Appetite: Classic Tres Leches Cake
• Chez Us: Coconut & Lime Three Milk Cake
• How Sweet Eats: Banana Bread Tres Leches Cake 

Machaca {Shredded Beef Tacos}

This time of year always makes me crave Mexican and Southwest flavors. Part of it is seeing my twitter and Facebook feeds filled with scenes from SXSW in Austin, Texas, and part of it is that we�re finally starting to see a few signs of spring: cherry blossoms, later sunrises. Spring means summer is just around the corner, and summer means sunshine and tacos.

Today we�re making machaca! Machaca (which I had never heard of until now) is slow cooked beef, flavored with peppers and spices, shredded for tacos or taquitos. It satisfies my summer cravings, but is warm and hearty enough for the chilly March weather. Perfect for early spring!

This recipe comes from my friend Jessica. From birth until I was about eight years old, Amanda and I spent nearly as much time with Jessica (Amanda�s age) and her brother Jared (my age) as we did with each other. They were our first best friends, and we�ve always had a connection with them, regardless of time and miles. They moved away from Washington to Arizona the summer before I went into second grade�my first heartbreak.

Obviously their years in the Southwest have paid off, because this recipe is awesome. Jessica said it was a labor of love, and through tons of trial and error, she finally came up with this recipe. The meat marinates in lime juice and spices overnight, then slow cooks all day. When it�s time to eat, you have juicy, tender shreds of beef that fall apart with the poke of a fork.

I�m always so busy creating new recipes that sometimes I forget how good family recipes are�one bite and I felt like I was sitting around the table with Jessica and her husband and four kids. Or, like I was six years old, with Jared, Jessica, and Amanda frantically helping me clean my plate so we could all go play. 

PS. I have no trouble finishing my dinner these days.

Beef Machaca

Recipe from Jessica Gilmore

Plan ahead. This needs to marinate overnight, and then cook for at least 6 hours. If you�re making taquitos, Jessica recommends letting the cooked meat sit in the fridge overnight (a 2nd night�torture!) to bind. 

Marinade:

2-3 lb chuck roast
� cup Worcestershire

Juice of 2 limes

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

� teaspoon salt

� teaspoon black pepper

� cup oil (canola or olive oil)

Machaca:

1 large sweet onion, diced

� green bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalepeno, minced

1 14oz can diced tomatoes (and juice)

� cup beef broth

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon cumin

Salt & pepper

Hot sauce

Trim beef and cut in two to three pieces, and lay in a baking dish or in a large ziplock bag. Whisk together marinade ingredients, and pour over meat. Seal bag (or cover dish with plastic wrap) and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, add marinated beef and remaining marinade to slow cooker, along with all remaining ingredients except salt, pepper, and hot sauce.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred and stir into juices. Add salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste.

Serve with warm tortillas and taco fixings.

For baked taquitos: Refrigerate shredded beef and juices in an airtight container overnight. Roll inside flour or corn tortillas, and bake in a 425 degree oven for approx. 10 minutes (until crispy, but not burned).