Red Lettuce with Balsamic Onions Salad

The first time I tasted this wonderful salad was on Christmas Day when my mother-in-law, Sandy made this to go along with our dinner.  Being as I have an obsession with sauteed onions, it was love at first sight.  Top the salad with some creamy, buttery blue cheese and it is a little taste of Heaven.  I could easily eat this salad every single day and not even begin to tire of it.  It has easily turned into one of my top favorite recipes of all time- and to think, it is a salad.  Not that I don't love salads, I really do.  But I haven't yet met one that would rank up there with lobster, a good steak, pad thai, or a rare, juicy cheeseburger.  That is until this one.  Many thanks Sandy for turning me onto this little gem!  We all agreed that this salad would be wonderful topped with grilled flank steak.  I am totally trying it that way the next time I make it.

3 small red onions

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar

1 cup good olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons minced shallots (2 large)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 cup good red wine vinegar

2 heads, red leaf, washed and spun dry, and torn into pieces

container of good quality blue cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the onions in half and slice into 1/4 inch think, place on baking sheet and toss with:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Bake 12-15 minutes, until onions are tender.  Remove from oven and toss with 2 more tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and cool to room temperature.  

Whisk together the shallots, mustard, red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.  While whisking, add 3/4 cup olive oil until emulsified. 

Too assemble, spread lettuce out onto a large platter, top with onions and crumble blue cheese on top.  Serve the dressing on the side.  

**this recipe was altered slightly from Ina Garten's original recipe.

Pesto and Potato Frittata

4 eggs
4 teaspoons milk
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 medium sized potatoes, chopped in a medium sized dice
half onion, chopped
1/3 cup pesto (today I used store bought, but I am excited to make this again with homemade pesto when my basil is bountiful in the garden)
two pieces bacon, cooked and chopped
two slices brick cheese cut into inch-wide strips
one small tomato, seeded and chopped
Pinch of thyme

Fry bacon, drain, crumble and set aside.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Meanwhile whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper together until frothy and well combined, about 2 minutes.  In a medium sized skillet (be sure your skillet is nonstick AND ovenproof), combine the olive oil and butter.  When the butter is melted and bubbly add in your potatoes and onions.  Saute until lightly golden brown and a bit crisp.  

When the potatoes are done , remove about a 1/4 cup to reserve and use as garnish later.  Drizzle your pesto on top of the potatoes remaining in the pan and spread evenly over the onion, potato mixture with the back of a spoon.  Slowly pour your eggs into the skillet and let sit undisturbed until the sides begin to set.  Once set, sprinkle the tomatoes on top and place your cheese strips down, pressing gently into the eggs (they shouldn't be submerged, just combined a bit.)  Top with the thyme.  Place entire pan into the oven and bake until the eggs are set and the middle isn't jiggly.  If the cheese hasn't browned yet, but eggs are done, place under broiler for about 30 seconds, just to brown and bubble the cheese a bit.  Be sure to keep a very close eye on it. Depending on your broiler, it might not even take that long. 

Remove from oven and very carefully slide the frittata out of the pan onto a plate.  Slice, garnish with reserved bacon and crispy potatoes and serve.

"Food is not about impressing people.  It is about making them feel comfortable." ~Ina Garten

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce, Black Beans and Guacamole

Last night we invited our friends Jess and Curtis over to enjoy dinner with us.  Isn't it such fun cooking for friends and feasting in the accomplishments of a job well done?!  I just love it, and last night was no exception.  Being it that is was so cold and blustery I wanted to bring a bit of warmth at least to our meal and what works better for that then a little spicy Mexican!  Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce, Black Beans and Guacamole to be exact.

About a month ago I had my girlfriends Bonnie and Dawn over for a cooking night and we created this dish.  I wanted to share it with you all right away because we really enjoyed it.  But alas we forgot to take pictures!  Oops.... I blame it on being too busy laughing, gabbing and maybe a little bit of wine too.  I much prefer cookbooks with wonderful pictures to look at, don't you?  You want to know what in the world whatever it is you are making is supposed to look like when it is finished!  So I thought I would wait to showcase it until I made it again.  This seemed like the perfect night for it!

The Chicken Enchilada with Red Sauce Recipe comes from Steve Raichlen's Healthy Latin Cooking.  I usually associate Steve with BBQ, but this cookbook is outstanding.  He takes traditional Mexican and other Latin cooking and gets rid of all the excess fat and such and turns the meals into ones you could actually eat and thoroughly enjoy on a regular basis (without feeling like you need to go to the gym right after!)

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Enchiladas de pollo con salsa roja

For the Chicken

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of all visible fat

1/4 onion

1/2 tomato

1 sprig fresh cilantro

4- 4 1/2 cups Chicken Stock

For the Sauce

15 dried New Mexico red chile peppers, ancho chilis or chile colorados (found in the produce department)

1/2 tomato, seeded and cut into 1" pieces

1/4 medium onion, cut into 1" pieces

1 clove garlic

1 sprigs fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and ground black pepper to taste

12 corn tortillas (6" diameter)

1/4 cup minced white onions

3 tablespoons grated white Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

To Make the Chicken:,

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the chicken, onion, tomato, cilantro, and 4 cups of the stock.  Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.  Remove the chicken from the pan and let cool to room temperature.  When cool, shred or cut the chicken into thin slivers.  Strain the cooking liquid into a measuring cup and reserve for the sauce (you should have about 3 1/2 cups).

Meanwhile, coat a 13"x9" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

To Make the Sauce:

Stem the chile peppers, tear open, and remove and discard the ribs and seeds (Steve advises wearing rubber gloves when handling, but I didn't either time and was fine.  These aren't very spicy at all.  But do as you like.)  In the same saucepan you cooked the chicken in, combine the chile peppers and 3 cups of the reserved chicken cooking liquid.  Let soak for 5 minutes.  Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, or until softened.  (we somehow missed this soaking step the first time I made this and although it turned out wonderful, comparing the two I like the soaked version better.  It brought out all of the wonderful flavor of the chili's).

Transfer the chile peppers and 2 3/4 cups of the cooking liquid to a blender.  Add the tomatoes, onion pieces, garlic, cilantro, and oregano.  Puree until smooth.  The sauce should be thick but pourable; add a little more stock if necessary.  Season with salt and black pepper.  Pour 1/3 of the sauce into the prepared baking dish.  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Bring the remaining chicken liquid to a boil in the same saucepan over high heat.  Add the tortillas, one at a time, and cook for 10 seconds, or until soft and pliable. Remove to a plate and keep warm.  

Too Assemble:

Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken on each tortilla.  Top with 1 teaspoon of the minced onions and roll into a tube.  (If the tortilla splits don't worry about it.  You won't even noticed after they are baked.)  Arrange the enchiladas seam side down, in the prepared baking dish and spoon the remaining sauce on top.  Sprinkle with cheese.  

Bake the enchiladas for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling hot.  

**those yummy looking Mexican Jalepenos are homemade, care of Kathleen Jordan.  They were a perfect condiment to go along with the enchiladas.  Thanks again!

Classic Black Beans 

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 15.5 oz. can Black Beans 

3/4 cup water

1 tsp. oregano

1 packet Sazon Goya without Annatto (found in the Mexican isle of your grocery store.  I see it everywhere.  You will have lots of this left for future recipes.)  

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion. peppers and garlic; cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  

I have tried quite a few black bean recipes, but this one found on the back label of the Goya brand black beans is our most favorite.  It is super easy and full of flavor.  These are great served over white rice!

Chunky Guacamole

2 ripe Haas Avocados

1/2 red onion, chopped into medium sized chunks

1 tomato, seeded and chopped into medium sized chunks

1/2-1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

1 lime, juiced

corse salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

a few dashes Tabasco

Half and seed your avocado.  Scoop out flesh and mash with fork.  I like to leave mine chunky.  Add onion, lime juice, salt and pepper and mix well.  Add your jalapeno slowly, starting with half, tasting every now and then to make sure you get it to the temperature you are happy with.  Same with the Tobasco sauce. Once you get the flavor you like, add the tomatoes and carefully stir.  

Serve as a dip with chips or on the side as a dip for your enchiladas.  We did both.  This is one of my guilty pleasures in life.  I could easily eat an entire bowl if not careful!

Thanks again Jess and Curtis for a lovely evening.  We had a wonderful time and we hope you did too.  Let's do it again soon!  And thanks for bringing the delicious dessert.  Yummmmmm.