Burrichiladas

Sometimes I do cool things and am innovative and whatnot. But then I forget to document them.

I have to tell you all about the enchiladas I made this weekend, unfortunately I didn't take any photos, so you'll just have to trust that they looked and tasted goooood.

I made them because Joe was coming and I finished right when he called to tell me he arrived. Seriously. But I was so focused on my perfect timing and Joe's happy arrival that it never crossed my mind these enchiladas might be blog-worthy. Maybe next time.

Well I started by making a salsa. I bought a lot of bell peppers at the grocery store because they're delicious and I needed to incorporate one somehow. Having bell peppers in a Mexican dish automatically says fajita to me and I didn't want that. So I cut up a red one and threw it in my blender. Then I cut up a single green onion and threw that in too. I added a bit of minced garlic, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt and red pepper flakes until I thought the flavor was interesting. I did not measure. Sorry.

The salsa (which really means sauce in Spanish) was interesting. By itself it made you go hmm. It had that red bell pepper sweetness, followed by the instant sharp spice of green onion, with just hints of the garlic and warmth of the cumin and chili powder. It's not something you would scoop up with chips. I poured it in a jar and stuck it in the fridge.

Then I started cooking a cup of white rice. Earlier I had thawed and pounded flat an alien chicken breast (it was all 'roided up on chicken broth?? ...weird). I coated it in a wonderful seasoning by dear Mrs. Dash - Fiesta Lime - go get some - and let it sit in the fridge a while. I started grilling the chicken on my grill pan. When the rice and chicken were about half done I started heating the black beans and corn.

When the rice was done, I squeezed some lime juice and fresh cilantro into it, a la Qdoba burritos.

I shredded the chicken with a fork and mixed in some of my red pepper salsa until all the chicken had a nice coating of it.

I pulled down my baking dish, grabbed my extra thin corn tortillas (the only way to go) and the shredded cheese. I advise letting the tortillas reach room temperature or heating them up or they'll split when you stuff these babies.

I spread rice, beans, corn, and chicken on the tortilla, then sprinkled on a teeny bit of cheese to hold em together and placed them in my baking dish, openings on the bottom of the dish. I used a jar to hold them in place as I finished them. After I'd filled the dish I spooned some red pepper salsa on top and added lots of cheese. Cheese is good.

I put them in the oven at about 300 degrees I think, to make sure the cheese was all melted and the insides stayed hot until Joe got there.

While the burrichiladas were heating I made the most delicious guacamole ever. I just add juice from about half a lime, some salt and a few fingerfulls of cilantro. This is so yummy. I wanted to eat it all right there.

As soon as I finished the guacamole Joe called to say he had arrived. Perfect timing. We devoured the burrichiladas, but saved enough for lunch the next day.

I saved a slice of lime so we could squeeze em into our beers. Joe and I had New Grist, a crisp, gluten free, sorghum beer.

Success? Yes. They were so good. And that red pepper salsa added such a wonderful and interesting layer to the burrichiladas that I think I'll add more next time. This is a time consuming meal but well worth it. Joe made many unintelligible exclamations of satisfaction as he ate and wondered aloud, "How are you so good at this?" I don't know. Maybe because I have had so many wonderful meals in my life, was forced to try the strangest of foods on a regular basis, and because I enjoy creating things. Food is not something to be afraid of. Example- if you know you like rice try experimenting by adding some different spices. Always smell things and always taste things.

Here's the recipe for two people:

Ingredients

~ 1 large alien chicken breast

~ 1-2 avocados

~ 1 cup white rice

~ 1 can black beans

~ 1 cup corn

~ Fresh cilantro- use scissors to chop effectively

~ 1-2 limes

~ 1 large red bell pepper

~ 1 green onion stalk

~ Butter

~ Salt

~ Chili powder

~ Cumin

~ Crushed red pepper

~ Oregano

~ Minced garlic, preferably fresh

~ Mrs Dash Fiesta Lime seasoning or your favorite Mexican seasoning

~ Your favorite cheese for Mexican food

~ Mission extra thin corn tortillas

Chicken

1. Thaw*, pound till the thickness of the breast is even. Coat with your preferred Mexican seasoning. Let sit in the fridge until ready to grill.

2. Grill then shred chicken with two forks.

3. Mix in enough red pepper salsa to lightly coat all your shredded chicken.

*The best method for thawing is to place the breast in a plastic bag, removing all air, and set into a bowl of warm water.

Red Pepper Salsa

1. Cut red pepper into chunks and toss into blender

2. Cut up green onion and add about half to the blender

3. Add approx. a teaspoon of minced garlic

4. Sprinkle in chili powder, cumin, salt (optional), oregano, crushed red pepper flakes

5. Taste and add spices/garlic/onion as you like. The salt really didn't seem to do much for the flavor, I don't think I would add it the second time around. Pour into a jar. Rinse your blender right away or you know you won't do it till it's dried on.

Rice

1. Cook per instructions on bag/box. When done cooking squeeze about a half a lime into the rice and add as much cilantro as you like. Don't burn, it's easier than you'd think.

Beans/Corn

Heat beans and corn however you wish, stovetop or microwave. Be sure to rinse beans to remove excess sodium. Add chili powder and cumin to beans. Squeeze some lime and sprinkle some cilantro and salt on the corn if you wish.

Guacamolemolemole

1. Mash up avocado, add juice from about half a lime, a bit of salt, and a few fingerfuls of fresh cilantro.

2. Taste. Adjust flavor. Eat.

3. Make more to share.

Order of Cooking & Assembly

1. Thaw chicken

2. Pound chicken mercilessly, season and refrigerate

3. Make salsa

4. Start cooking rice and chicken and turn oven on to 325 or 350 or so

5. Start beans & corn when rice & chicken are about half to 3/4 done. This is probably a good time to bring out tortillas so they can warm up.

6. Rinse beans; season beans, rice, corn

7. Shred chicken and mix in salsa as everything else is finishing- make sure all things are on low heat to prevent burning or overcooking

8. Whip out baking dish, tortillas, cheese.

9. Fill tortillas with rice, beans, corn, chicken, a little cheese. Fill up baking dish using a jar to hold them in place as you make a new one.

10. Pour or spoon red pepper salsa onto burrichiladas. Cover in cheese. Stick in oven.

11. Make guacamole.

12. Open and lime beers.

13. Pull out burrichiladas (as long as the cheese is melted) when significant other walks in the door.

14. Discreetly wipe sweat from forehead. Smile.

15. Devour burrichiladas with ravenous enthusiasm and no shame.