Enchiladas

These enchiladas are still being experimented with. They originated as a recipe from a guild mate, but I've made significant changes since then. We used to make these with chicken but have begun substituting tofu instead. I like it better with the tofu, honestly, but then I've never been a huge fan of meat, so...*shrug*

2 cooked chicken breasts or 1 block firm or extra firm tofu (can use 1/2 or whole block)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 small cans enchilada sauce
3-4 cups shredded cheese (cheddar and jack)
1 pack 8-10" flour tortillas
1 can chopped green chiles
~1.5 cups of softened cream cheese + sour cream (whatever ratio works)
Oregano
Cumin
Minced garlic
Red pepper
Black pepper
Salt or seasoned salt
Basil
Coriander
Oil

If using tofu: Freeze and thaw the tofu ahead of time to give it a meatier texture. Drain, squeeze out any extra water, and dry.

Prep: Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350.

1) Pour oil in large skillet. Brown tofu, if necessary.
2) Add chicken (if using), chiles, and onions. Cook until onions soften.
3) Add all spices, mix well. Sautee for a few more minutes.
4) Pour skillet mixture into a bowl with the softened cream cheese and sour cream. Add a cup to a cup and a half of the shredded cheese and mix.
5) Taste the mixture and adjust spices as necessary. Mixture will gain heat as spices and chiles cook in the oven.
6) Fill the tortillas, roll them up, and place them in the baking dish seam-side down. Spread any leftover filling on top. Pour enchilada sauce over entire dish and top with shredded cheese.
7) Spray a piece of tinfoil with cooking spray and cover the dish. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until cheese is melted and gooey.

Nom nom.

(Experiment in the future with adding chili paste or rooster sauce. Try to find better chiles than crappy kroger cans.)

Indonesian Tofu in a thin brown sauce

This recipe doesn't really have a name. It's a random recipe my Indonesian sister-in-law showed me when teaching me how to make tofu the Indonesian way. She doesn't cook using measurements, so this is just a list of ingredients for the most part. I recreated it tonight and it came out pretty much the same as hers, so I'm pretty proud!

Extra firm tofu (cubed, not drained)
1 shallot (or onion)
coriander powder
coconut milk (~1/4-1/5 can?)
vegetable stock (~1/2-3/4 cup)
~ 1 tsp chili paste with holy basil leaf (can sub with sambal oelek + basil puree)
diced or pureed tomatoes (1/4 can?)
minced garlic
lemongrass paste
tumeric
sugar (optional)

I can't remember exactly how she did it, so here's how I did it:

1) Heat oil in a high sided skillet, add cubed tofu. Don't touch it until it's firm, then flip it over.

2) Once tofu is mostly browned, add onions/shallots and cook until brown.

3) Add broth, tomatoes, chili paste (add more for desired heat), basil, lemongrass, garlic. Mix together, then add coconut milk.

4) Add tumeric and coriander. Mix in. Taste the sauce. If it's too spicy, add a little sugar.

5) Let sit so tofu can absorb flavors. This can be done on the stove at a low simmer (covered) or in the fridge overnight. If left overnight, note that it will be hotter and the spices will be more prominent.

Serve over rice or couscous. Well complemented by raisins. Total cooking time shouldn't be more than 30 minutes.

Sausage and Lentil Soup

A tasty soup that can easily become vegetarian.

Ingredients
1 lb Italian sausage (can also use Italian turkey sausage or veggie italian sausage)
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2-3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups dry lentils
black pepper
red pepper flakes
basil
oregano
parsley
thyme


Directions
Brown sausage; drain off fat.
In a large pot combine all ingredients bring to boil.
Reduce heat,cover.
Simmer for about 1 hour or until lentils are tender. Add water if necessary, for desired consistency.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Notes
I originally used 1 tsp of each spice, then dumped more in after it had simmered. Final verdict is that it needed yet more! I'll try a tablespoon of each next time, with perhaps the pepper as an exception, since I use spicy italian sausage to begin with.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This shit is insanely addictive. I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, who made it for my bridal shower. There are no definite amounts for the ingredients in this recipe, I just throw them together in whatever way strikes my fancy that day.

Ingredients

Two 12 oz cans of white chicken breast

One package of cream cheese

One package of shredded cheddar cheese

One bottle of ranch dressing

One bottle of Frank's Red Hot Sauce

Preparation

In a large skillet, cook the chicken over low-medium heat until it starts to fall apart. Add the cream cheese, ranch, hot sauce, and shredded cheese, as much or as little as you want of each. Simmer until everything is melty goodness.

Serve with tortilla chips, vegetables, chunks of bread, etc. Also great for sandwiches.