Chicken Enchiladas

Ha! So I thought I was going to be able to update this once a week. Seems the year has gotten away from me! Well, here is the Chicken Enchilada recipe we always use.

Tip #6: Poaching Chicken is a quick easy way of cooking chicken. You can even poach frozen chicken breasts! Just increase the poaching time by about 5 to 10 minutes and check the meat with a thermometer to be sure it's cooked. To poach chicken you need enough liquid (usually chicken broth) to cover your chicken, you can add any other spices you want. After you cover your chicken, be sure to keep the liquid from boiling too much or you'll end up with dry chicken! (see the recipe for how to poach chicken :-))

 

Chicken Enchiladas

8 soft flour tortillas

3 Cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh oregano (1 teas. dried)
1 onion, quartered
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 teas. ground cumin
1 teas. Chili powder
2 to 3 Cups Enchilada Sauce
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
¼ cilantro leaves, chopped
                                 
1. Preheat oven to 275, wrap tortillas in foil and warm in oven (I always skip this part)

2. Place a medium sized skillet on high heat, add broth, bay leaf, oregano and onion. Bring to a boil. Add chicken and return to boil. Cover with lid and reduce heat to medium. Poach chicken about 10 minutes or until cooked. Remove chicken and cool, reserve ½ cup poaching liquid.

3. Shred chicken into small strips using two forks or fingers. Add ½ cup poaching liquid, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder and season with salt and pepper.

4. Remove tortillas from oven, increase heat to 350.

5. Pour about ¼ Cup Enchilada sauce on bottom of 13x9 pan. Divide chicken equally between tortillas and roll into tube. Place enchiladas seam side down in casserole. Pour remaining sauce over tubes, top with cheese.

6. Bake about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro.

 (If Frozen, remove saran wrap! Replace foil and bake about 1 hour at 350 degrees. Remove foil bake about 5 minutes with broiler on to brown cheese)

Variation: We usually put potatoes and peas in our enchiladas (no idea, ask my husband). I cut up potatoes into ½ inch squares and throw it in when the chicken is poaching (if there isn’t enough room in the pan, throw in the potatoes after the chicken is done). Then when I fill the tortillas I add the potatoes and frozen peas.

~Adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chicken-enchiladas-recipe/index.html

Enchilada Sauce

¼ Cup oil
2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons Chili powder
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 ½ Cups water
1 teaspoon Cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon red pepper sauce
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Salt

1. Heat oil in small saucepan till shimmering. Add flour and chili powder. Cook, stirring constantly until browned (about 2 minutes)

2. Add the rest of the ingredients, cook about 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened.

(Feel free to adjust any ingredients to taste! If you want it spicier or bolder, increase chili powder and red pepper sauce, etc)
~adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chicken-enchiladas-recipe/index.html

Chocolate Raspberry Torte

In honor of the new year I am going to finally post my Chocolate Raspberry Torte recipe. I am also going to attempt to get things more organized and actually update my blog once a week... (okay, maybe just every week and a half...). This new year is bringing a big change for me. I'm really hoping to be able to focus more time on my kids, my marriage and me. Hopefully I haven't bitten off more than I can chew, but I am very excited about all the new beginnings of 2013 :-)

Alright, back to food. This torte is time consuming! Everytime I make it I swear that I'll never make it again but it has become my go to fancy dessert. It's pretty and yummy and works well when you want to show off just a little bit :-)

Tip #5:
It is very easy to melt chocolate with a double boiler. All you need is a heat proof bowl (pyrex works) that fits snuggly into a sauce pan. Fill the sauce pan with 1 inch of water and bring it to a simmer (not a boil!). Place your bowl into your sauce pan (be sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water) and add your chocolate. The chocolate should melt quickly, just be sure to stir often and watch the heat.

Chocolate Raspberry Torte

Cake and Filling

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (Ghiradelli or Callebaut Intense Dark)

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 3/4 Cups sliced almonds, lightly toasted

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 large eggs

3/4 Cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh raspberries, plus 16 individual berries for garnish

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

 

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

 

For Cake

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Line bottom of two 9 inch wide by 2 inch high round cake pans with parchment paper.
3. Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
4. Stir in vanilla and espresso powder.
5. Process 3/4 cup almonds in food processor until coarsely chopped, six to eight 1-second pulses; set aside to garnish cake. Process remaining cup almonds until very finely ground, about 45 seconds. Add flour and salt and continue to process until combined, about 15 seconds.
6. Transfer almond flour mixture to medium bowl. Process eggs in now-empty food processor until lightened in color and almost double in volume, about 3 minutes.
7. With processor running, slowly add sugar until thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds. Using whisk, gently fold egg mixture into chocolate mixture until some streaks of egg remain. Sprinkle half almond-flour mixture and gently whisk until just combined.
8. Divide batter between cake pans and smooth with rubber spatula. Bake until center is firm and toothpick inserted into center comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 14 to 16 minutes.
9. Transfer cakes to wire rack and cool completely in pan, about 30 minutes.
10. Run paring knife around sides of cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto cardboard rounds cut same size as diameter of cake and remove parchement paper. Using wire rack, reinvert 1 cake so top side faces up; slide back onto cardboard round.

To Assemble Torte

1. Place 1/2 cup raspberries in medium bowl and coarsely mash with fork. Stir in raspberry jam until just combined. Spread raspberry mixture onto cake layer that is topside up.
2. Top with second cake layer, leaving it bottom side up. Transfer assembled cake, still on cardboard round, to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet.

For the Glaze

1. Melt chocolate and cream in medium heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and gently whisk until very smooth.
2. Pour glaze onto center of assembled cake. Use offset spatula to spread glaze evenly over top of cake, letting it flow down sides. Spread glaze along sides of cake to coat evenly.
3. Using fine-mesh strainer, sift reserved almonds to remove any fine bits. Holding bottom of cake on cardboard round with 1 hand, gently press sifted almonds onto cake sides with other hand. Arrange raspberries around circumference. Refrigeratte cake, still on rack, until glaze is set, at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. Transfer cake to serving platter, slice and serve.

~Cooks Illustrated #107

Grilled Beef Satay

What is it about meat on a stick? It's so much more fun to eat and I can eat twice as much! Yum! This recipe seems somewhat time intensive. I've made it twice now and felt like it took awhile + left a huge mess in my kitchen! It is so good though that I will most likely continue to make it.

(I haven't been able to find lemon grass in muscatine, but it tastes great without it. I have found that 1 can of coconut milk is enough for the Basting sauce & the peanut sauce)

Cooking Tip #3:
If you don't have aluminum skewers, you can use Bamboo skewers. Just be sure to soak them in water for 30 minutes.

Cooking Tip #4:
Don't marinate with Ginger! Fresh ginger contains an enzyme known as zingibain that if left too long on meat, breaks down collagen on the meat's surface, producing the same mealy effect as acids and some juices. Aka: it will make your meat mushy!

Grilled Beef Satay

Basting Sauce
     3/4 cup regular or light coconut milk
     3 Tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
     3 Tablespoons fish sauce
     2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
     3 shallots, minced
     2 stalks lemon grass, trimmed to bottom 6 inches & minced
     2 Tablespoons grated fresh ginger
     1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
     3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
     1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
     1/2 teaspoon salt

Beef
     2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
     2 Tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
     1 Tablespoon fish sauce
     1 (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 lb) flank steak, halved lengthwise, then sliced on slight angle against grain into    1/4 inch slices.

1. For the Basting Sauce: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl. Reserve 1/3 of sauce in separate bowl. (Use reserved sauce to apply to raw beef)

2. For the Beef: Whisk oil, sugar & fish sauce together in medium bowl. Toss beef with marinade and let stand at room temp for 30 minutes. Weave Beef onto 12-inch metal skewers, 2 pieces per skewer, leaving 1 1/2 inches at top and bottom of skewer exposed. You should have 10 to 12 skewers.

3. For Gas Grill (Let me know if you want Charcoal grill instructions!)
    Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until very hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high.
4. Clean and oil cooking grate. Place beef skewers on grill perpendicular to grate. Brush meat with 1/3 basting sauce (reserved portion) and cook covered until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip skewers, brush half of remaining basting sauce, and cook until browned on second side, about 3 minutes. Brush meat with remaining basting sauce and cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to large platter and serve with peanut sauce.

Peanut Sauce
    1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
    1 Tablespoon Thai red curry paste
    1 Tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1 Cup regular or light coconut milk
    1/3 Cup chunky peanut butter
    1/4 Cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped (I left these out and thought it was still awesome)
    1 Tablespoon lime juice
    1 Tablespoon fish sauce
    1 teaspoon soy sauce

1. Heat oil in small sauce pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add curry paste, sugar, and garlic; cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Whisk in peanut butter until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in peanuts, lime juice, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Cool to room temperature.

~Cooks Illustrated #112