Enchiladas Suizas

Salsa Verde

1 lb. tomatillos, husked and quartered
2 chopped garlic cloves
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 small can diced green chilis
(also good with 1 small diced jalapeno pepper instead)
1 3/4 c. chicken broth
1 c. whole sour cream
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Prepare salsa verde: In meduim saucepan, bring tomatillos, garlic, onion, chilis and broth to a boil over med-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tomatillos and onions are soft (about 20 minutes.) Let cool! Pour into a blender and puree. Add sour cream and pepper and blend till smooth. Pour sauce back in to saucepan and simmer over low heat.

Enchiladas

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro (+ 1 more tablespoon, chopped, for garnish)
salsa verde
12 corn tortillas
1 cup grated monterey jack cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Boil chicken until cooked through, cool and shred.
In a large bowl, combine cooked chicken and cilantro with 1/3 cup salsa verde. Spoon another 1/3 cup salsa verde into bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking pan.
Using tongs, dip tortillas one at a time into remaining simmering sauce. Soften tortilla about 5 seconds. Transfer tortilla onto a plate. Spoon about 1/4 cup chicken filling onto center of tortilla. Roll tortilla around filling and place, seam side down, in baking pan. Repeat with all tortillas and filling.
Pour remaining salsa on top of filled tortillas. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake until enchiladas are hot and cheese is melted, about 25 minutes. Garnish with remaining cilantro.

(I serve this with spanish rice and black bean soup. It is a little time consuming, but SUPER YUMMY.)

Asian Grilled Tuna

1/4 cup sesame or olive oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon honey

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon pepper

6 6-ounce tuna steaks

1. In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.

2. Place tuna steaks in a resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over steaks. Seal the bag and turn to coat

Marinate in the frig for 1 hour

3. Brush or spray the grill grid with vegetable oil

4. Discard marinade.

5. Grill steaks with the lid down for 3 to minutes on each side for rare to medium-rare.

BLT SALAD & AVOCADO DRESSING

(With apologies to Martha Stewart, from whom the recipe originally came—but I tweaked it a bit!)

Salad:

24 strips ¼-inch-thick-cut bacon (1 pound)
2½ bunches lettuce
1 c avocado dressing
2 pounds tomatoes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oven to 425°. Arrange bacon strips on a wire rack set or on parchment paper on a baking pan. Place pan in oven until bacon is golden brown and crisp, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven, being careful of the bacon fat that has collected under the rack, and set aside.

2. Arrange lettuce in the bottom of a salad bowl; drizzle with half the avocado dressing. Cut tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices; cut cherry tomatoes, depending on size, in half. Arrange tomato slices over lettuce; scatter cherry tomatoes over tomato slices.

3. Set aside two strips of bacon for the dressing. Crumble the remaining bacon strips over tomatoes. Drizzle with remaining avocado dressing, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately. Serves 12.


Dressing:

1 ripe avocado
¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 small clove garlic, peeled (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
Juice of 2 limes
3 tablespoons red-wine (I use balsamic) vinegar
½ cup olive oil
½ cup water (the original recipe doesn't call for this, but I use it to thin out the dressing for drizzling)
2 strips bacon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Note: Because of the bacon and balsamic vinegar, this dressing will have a rather unappetizing brownish green appearance. Once you get past the way it looks, it's actually one of the most delicious dressings ever—but if the look bothers you, just omit the bacon and substitute a paler vinegar such as cider vinegar.

Slice avocado lengthwise. Remove and discard the pit and peel, and place flesh in the bowl of a food processor. Add basil, garlic, lime juice, and vinegar; process until combined. Slowly add olive oil through the machine’s feed tube, and process until the dressing is smooth. It should have a thick but pourable consistency; give an extra squeeze or two on the limes to adjust consistency. Season with salt and pepper, and use immediately. Makes 1 cup.

AZTEC SALAD

6 servings

Quinoa salad:
1 c. quinoa
2 c. water
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 c. corn kernels, thawed if frozen
1 T. finely chopped cilantro
2 T. toasted pine nuts

Bean Salad:
15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large roma tomatoes, diced
2 T. finely chopped cilantro

Dressing:
6 T. lemon juice
3 T. olive oil
1 medium clove garlic, finely minced
3/4 t. chili powder
3/4 t. ground cumin
3/4 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. salt
cayenne pepper to taste

Lemon wedges to serve

1. Mix dressing ingredients.

2. To prepare quinoa salad: In a medium sauce pan, bring quinoa and
water to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and transfer to a boil. Fluff with fork and stir in
green onions.

3. When quinoa has cooled, stir in corn, cilantro, and pine nuts.

4. Mix together ingredients for bean salad. Stir in 3 T. of the
dressing and refrigerate.

5. Stir remaining dressing into the quinoa salad. Cover and refrigerate.

6. Bring the salads out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving
(or like me, make it right before you eat it and skip the
refrigerator). Spoon quinoa salad on a platter and top with bean
salad. Serve with lemon wedges.