Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce

This recipe is from the Recipe Shoebox and I've found lots of good recipes there.  We really liked these enchiladas and I believe there were originally found in the Food Network magazine.  They have such a great flavor and a great little kick.

We went a little over kill of the feta (that was husbands job), but it was still delicious!

1 small red onion, halved
1-1/2 lbs. tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1-2 serrano chile peppers, stemmed and seeded
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch of sugar
Corn tortillas
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for greasing
3/4 cup feta cheese or queso fresco (I used feta cheese)


Directions:  Preheat the broiler.  Slice half of the onion into thin rings and set aside.  Place the other onion half, tomatillos, and serranos on a foil lined baking sheet and broil until the vegetables are soft and slightly brown, 7 - 10 minutes, turning as needed.  Transfer the vegetables and any liquid to a blender, add broth and puree.  Season with salt and sugar. 

Meanwhile, stack the tortillas, wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave just until warm and soft, 1 minute; keep covered.  Toss the chicken with 2 cups shredded cheese  and chopped cilantro in a bowl.  Spoon a portion of the chicken mixture down the middle of each tortilla and roll up.  Place the enchiladas side by side in a lightly oiled 9x13-inch baking dish and brush with the 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Broil until crisp and golden, 3 minutes.

Pour the tomatillo sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.  Return to oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 3-5 minutes.  Garnish with onion rings, feta cheese, and any remaining cilantro. (NOTE:  We skipped the raw onion rings, since I knew my kids wouldn't touch them.  I don't recommend skipping the feta cheese.  I loved the flavor it added.)  Makes 6-8 servings.   Enjoy!

Kung Pao Chicken, Lo Mein, and Egg Rolls

Recently we had a family dinner with lots of Chinese Food.  I've had requests for the recipes, so I thought it easiest to post them here.  There are many other asian/chinese recipes on this blog that are also equally good.  Here we go....

Kung Poa Chicken

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
• 1 ounce hot chile paste
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts
• 4 ounces chopped peanuts

1. To Make Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture and mix together. Place chicken pieces in a glass dish or bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
2. To Make Sauce: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture, chili paste, vinegar and sugar. Mix together and add green onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. In a medium skillet, heat sauce slowly until aromatic.
3. Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and saute in a large skillet until meat is white and juices run clear. When sauce is aromatic, add sauteed chicken to it and let simmer together until sauce thickens.

**I actually doubled the sauce, because we are sauce people, and I would definetly recommend doing that because it really doesn't make much sauce.

Vegetable Lo Mein

• 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup sliced red bell peppers
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Heat oil in a large wok or saute pan. Stir fry mushrooms, carrots, peppers, onion and garlic until tender. Stir in bean sprouts and green onions; cook one minute. Mix cornstarch and chicken broth in a small bowl and add to stir fry. Stir in hoisin sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, cayenne pepper and curry powder. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
3. Add cooked spaghetti, and toss. Serve immediately.

**We didn't really love the hoisin sauce in this recipe (the anise spice in hoisin sauce tastes like black licorice).  So, if I made it again, I would definetly leave that out.

Egg Rolls

1 pound ground pork

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 quart peanut oil for frying

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons water

2 cups shredded cabbage

2 ounces shredded carrots

8 (7 inch square) egg roll wrappers

2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)

1. Season pork with ginger and garlic powder and mix thoroughly. Heat mixture in a medium skillet, stirring, until pork is cooked through and no longer pink. Set aside.
2. In another large skillet heat oil to about 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) or medium high heat. While oil is heating, combine flour and water in a bowl until they form a paste. In a separate bowl combine the cabbage, carrots and reserved pork mixture. Mix all together.
3. Lay out one egg roll skin with a corner pointed toward you. Place about a 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the cabbage, carrot and pork mixture on egg roll paper and fold corner up over the mixture. Fold left and right corners toward the center and continue to roll. Brush a bit of the flour paste on the final corner to help seal the egg roll.
4. Place egg rolls into heated oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels or rack. Put on serving plate and top with sesame seeds if desired.

**We had a few leftover egg roll wrappers and I wanted something sweet the following night.  I mixed up some cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla, and blueberries and put in the middle of the egg roll wrapper and fried it.  I sprinkled (really more like dredged) them with powdered sugar while they were still hot and they were delicious.  You should try that also :)

All recipes courtesy of allrecipes.com