Shrimp Enchilada

It is pretty standard for Mondays to be a little depressing. I mean, it is really rough knowing you have a full workweek ahead of you.

But my Monday blues were multiplied by ten times today due to my post girl’s weekend depression.

My weekend with my girlfriends was hands down the best time I have had in years. YEARS.

Maybe the best time ever.

It was wonderful to just all be in the same place. Eating together, exercising together, shopping together, spilling our guts together and just basically enjoying being in one another’s presence.

So it was no shock today that I was in a deep funk.

And my way to fix a funk is to cook me some food.

These enchiladas were the perfect fix.

You will need…

1 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups jack cheese, grated

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

½ cup Greek yogurt

1 avocado, cubed

12 large flour tortillas

2 cups salsa verde

Chipotle Cheese Enchilada Sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by tossing together the shrimp, paprika, cumin, olive oil and salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.

When the pan is nice and hot, add in the shrimp and cook just until pink on both sides. About 2 minutes a side.

Remove the shrimp from the heat and allow it to cool for you to handle.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Chop the shrimp into bit sized pieces.

Mix together your cheese and combine 3 cups in with the shrimp.

Add in the yogurt and avocado and mix to combine.

In the same pan you cooked the shrimp in, heat the salsa verde over medium heat.

When the salsa is warm, dunk a tortilla in it and toss it with the salsa just until it is damp.

Move the tortilla to a 9 x 13 inch, lightly greased, oven safe dish. Scoop about ¼ to ½ cup depending on the size of your tortillas. Roll the filling up in tortilla and slide it to the end of the dish.

Continue this process with the remaining tortillas and filling.

When all the tortillas have been filled, drizzle the enchiladas with the enchilada sauce.

Top with the remaining cup of cheese and bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and the enchiladas are hot throughout.

 

Remove from the oven serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Shrimp Enchiladas

1 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups jack cheese, grated

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

½ cup Greek yogurt

1 avocado, cubed

12 large flour tortillas

2 cups salsa verde

Chipotle Cheese Enchilada Sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by tossing together the shrimp, paprika, cumin, olive oil and salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.

When the pan is nice and hot, add in the shrimp and cook just until pink on both sides. About 2 minutes a side.

Remove the shrimp from the heat and allow it to cool for you to handle.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Chop the shrimp into bit sized pieces.

Mix together your cheese and combine 3 cups in with the shrimp.

Add in the yogurt and avocado and mix to combine.

In the same pan you cooked the shrimp in, heat the salsa verde over medium heat.

When the salsa is warm, dunk a tortilla in it and toss it with the salsa just until it is damp.

Move the tortilla to a 9 x 13 inch, lightly greased, oven safe dish. Scoop about ¼ to ½ cup depending on the size of your tortillas. Roll the filling up in tortilla and slide it to the end of the dish.

Continue this process with the remaining tortillas and filling.

When all the tortillas have been filled, drizzle the enchiladas with the enchilada sauce.

Top with the remaining cup of cheese and bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and the enchiladas are hot throughout.

Remove from the oven serve hot. 

Goat Cheese with Spicy Stewed Berries

 

 The holiday season is in full swing.

In my world, that means party time.

And party time means cooking up things to take to other people’s houses.

Usually, appetizers.

So I came up with something that I could make fast, (I still have to hit all the parties, do all my Christmas/Chanukah shopping and sleep), could be easy to transport and was absolutely delicious.

A friend from work would always bring a log of goat cheese to a party and top it with some delicious chutney.

With that idea in mind, I threw some stuff in a small saucepan, cooked it for a bit, drizzled it over some tasty herbed goat cheese and called it a tasty, tasty day.

You will need…

1 cup raspberries

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon sage, finely chopped

1 small log of herbed goat cheese

Start by combining all of the ingredients except the cheese in a small sauce pan.

Over medium heat, cook the ingredients down for twenty minutes. Just until the raspberries have stopped being raspberries and are in a semi liquid form.

Remove from the heat and allow the sauce to cool.

When the sauce is cool but not cold.

Pour the sauce over the goat cheese.

Garnish with raspberries and serve with your favorite crackers.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Goat Cheese with Spicy Stewed Berries 

1 cup raspberries

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon sage, finely chopped

1 small log of herbed goat cheese

Start by combining all of the ingredients except the cheese in a small sauce pan.

Over medium heat, cook the ingredients down for twenty minutes. Just until the raspberries have stopped being raspberries and are in a semi liquid form.

Remove from the heat and allow the sauce to cool.

When the sauce is cool but not cold.

Pour the sauce over the goat cheese.

Garnish with raspberries and serve with your favorite crackers.

Tangy Avocado and Cilantro Chicken Enchiladas

In two years of cooking, I’ve made A LOT of stuff.

Hundreds of dishes.

Some were just alright. Most were pretty tasty. A couple were inedible.

But only a select few have been really excellent.

And in my mind, these enchiladas were freaking amazing.

Like, I want to eat them at least once a week, amazing.

Something about the way the avocado melts together with the chicken makes them so decadent and delicious.

I’ll let the pictures do the rest of the talking.

You will need…

1 pound chicken tenders (or chicken breasts cut into pieces)

1 tablespoon olive oil (drizzled on the chicken for grilling or in the pan for cooking it in a pan)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 avocados, diced

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup greek yogurt

Juice of 2 limes

1 teaspoon cumin

12 flour tortillas (I know making enchiladas with flour tortillas is co

nsidered weird to some, but trust me on this one)

2 cups Tangy Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce

2 cups Mexican blend cheese, plus extra for garnish

1 tomato, diced (optional garnish)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 

Start by heating either your grill or a pan over medium heat and season the chicken well with salt and pepper. If you are grilling your chicken, make sure you lightly brush your chicken with olive oil so it doesn't stick. If you are cooking in a pan, heat the olive oil in the pan until it is hot and add the chicken. 

Grill for about 4 minutes a side, flipping once to ensure good grill marks. 

When the chicken is cooked through, set aside till it has cooled. 

After the chicken has cooled, use 2 forks to shred the chicken and add it to a medium sized bowl. 

Add to chicken the avocado, 1/2 cup cilantro, greek yogurt, lime juice and cumin and mix very well. 

Add in 1/2 cup of the cheese blend and lightly combine it. 

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the middle of a tortilla and roll it up. 

Place it in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish and continue this process until all the tortillas have been filled. 

Cover the enchiladas with the remaining cheese and the enchilada sauce. 

Bake the enchiladas for 25 minutes. 

Remove for the oven and serve with a little cheese, cilantro and tomato garnish.

Drool. Double Drool. 

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Tangy Avocado and Cilantro Chicken Enchiladas

1 pound chicken tenders (or chicken breasts cut into pieces)

1 tablespoon olive oil (drizzled on the chicken for grilling or in the pan for cooking it in a pan)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 avocados, diced

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup greek yogurt

Juice of 2 limes

1 teaspoon cumin

12 flour tortillas (I know making enchiladas with flour tortillas is considered weird to some, but trust me on this one)

2 cups Tangy Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce

2 cups Mexican blend cheese, plus extra for garnish

1 tomato, diced (optional garnish)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 

Start by heating either your grill or a pan over medium heat and season the chicken well with salt and pepper. If you are grilling your chicken, make sure you lightly brush your chicken with olive oil so it doesn't stick. If you are cooking in a pan, heat the olive oil in the pan until it is hot and add the chicken. 

Grill for about 4 minutes a side, flipping once to ensure good grill marks. 

When the chicken is cooked through, set aside till it has cooled. 

After the chicken has cooled, use 2 forks to shred the chicken and add it to a medium sized bowl. 

Add to chicken the avocado, 1/2 cup cilantro, greek yogurt, lime juice and cumin and mix very well. 

Add in 1/2 cup of the cheese blend and lightly combine it. 

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the middle of a tortilla and roll it up. 

Place it in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish and continue this process until all the tortillas have been

filled. 

Cover the enchiladas with the remaining cheese and the enchilada sauce. 

Bake the enchiladas for 25 minutes. 

Remove for the oven and serve with a little cheese, cilantro and tomato garnish.

Macaroni and Cheese Grilled Cheese

Recently, I heard a study on the radio in which scientists proved that comfort foods are actually comforting. Foods like meatloaf, green bean casserole and pot roast can actually make people feel better. Physically.

Personally, I believe it.

Beef stroganoff, chicken noodle soup and mashed potatoes, ALWAYS make me feel great.

So, I decided to take two of the BEST comfort foods, and make them one. With the help of Steve and his mothers Mac'n'Cheese recipe of course.

That’s right my friends. Macaroni and cheese grilled cheese sandwiches.

Say that 10 times fast.

I know this sounds like one of those things that it absolutely crazy, but it was just so crazy that it worked. And boy oh boy did it work.

The key to this dynamite sandwich is a REALLY cheesy macaroni and cheese recipe, plenty of extra cheddar and some delicious bread.

Oh yeah, and lots and lots of love.

Warning. This feeds an army. So have invite over some friends and get ready to be comforted.

You will need...

(For authenticity, I decided to share this recipe with you the way God and Steve intended it to be viewed. Basically I think the way he wrote it is hilarious. I’ve added some details so you can actually comprehend it. E-mail me at angela.samuels@gmail.com if you need help with the conversions or clarifications.)

.6 lb fontina

.6 lb gruyere

Large block of sharp/extra sharp cheddar (can be orange or white)

6 cups whole milk

5 tbsp butter

¾ brown onion, grated

Pinch of white pepper

5 tbsp flour

1 lb penne noodles (you can use something else but penne works best for the sandwich)

Boil noodles

Grate all cheese in big bowl

Melt 5 tbsp butter and sauté ¾ of a brown onion, grated

Add 5 tbsp of flour (to sautéed brown onion), mix into paste

Strain noodles and put onion/butter/flour paste in big pot (not with the noodles, mixture gets its own pot)

Add 6 cups whole milk and a pinch of white pepper (to the onion/butter/flour)

(Steve and I have the same tendency to try and put too much in too little of a container/pot/pan)

Stir over med/low heat until thick

Take off heat, add almost all of cheese and stir until melted (leave a bit of cheese to sprinkle on top)

Mix in noodles and stir until completely covered in cheez

Pour into 9x13 Pyrex sprayed with Pam

Crumble bread crumbs/corn flakes on top, cover with leftover cheese

Bake for 30 minutes at 350*

Let set for about 10 minutes or it’ll be a hot mess

Zupa good!

To make the sandwiches you will need...

1 loaf of good sourdough bread

3 tablespoons soft butter

1 lb of cheddar, sliced 1/8 inch thick

To assemble the sandwiches, butter one side of each piece of bread. Make sure to butter the sides that will be touching your panini press or pan.

Start by adding a solid layer of cheddar to the bottom piece of bread.

Follow the cheddar with a hearty layer of macaroni and cheese.

Place the top layer of bread onto the macaroni layer, making sure the butter side is facing up.

Place the sandwich in either a panini press or onto a large pan over medium/high heat.

Cook until the layer of cheddar has heated through. You will need to flip once if this is on a pan about 3 minutes in.

It’s Zupa, you’re Zupa and Steve and his Mommy are Zupa!

Love and Beer Floats,

Angela