Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts trimmed & pounded if necessary
• Salt & pepper
• 2½ cups of enchilada sauce (store bought or from scratch)
• 1 cup finely crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
• 1 (4 oz.) can of green chiles
• ½ cup minced fresh cilantro
• 12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
• Vegetable oil spray (or you can use vegetable oil in a little bowl with a brush)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Lime wedges (optional)
• Sour cream (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
2. Combine the chicken and enchilada sauce in a medium saucepan & simmer for 10-15 minutes over medium-low heat. Then flip the chicken over, cover and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes until chicken reaches 160-165 degrees with an instant-read thermometer.
3. Remove chicken from pan and shred into bite-sized pieces. Combine shredded chicken, ½ cup of the enchilada sauce, queso fresco, chiles and cilantro in a bowl. Add salt and pepper if desired. Cover to keep warm.
4. Lightly coat both sides of 6 tortillas with vegetable oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake until tortillas are soft & pliable, about 2 to 4 minutes.
5. Quickly place tortillas on a flat surface and place ⅓ cup of the chicken mixture into each one. Tightly roll each tortilla around the chicken and place in a 9×13 baking dish. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the remaining 6 tortillas.
6. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Pour 1 more cup of enchilada sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle with the cheddar cheese. Cover with foil and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 3 to 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
7. Serve with remaining enchilada sauce, optional lime wedges and optional sour cream.

Serving size: 2 enchiladas Calories: 420 Fat: 16 g Saturated fat: 8 g Carbohydrates: 40 gFiber: 5 g Protein: 29 g

Recipe from America's Test Kitchen

Fusilli with Asparagus, Peas, and Arugula

Photo from Spoonful of Flavor

Fusilli Pasta with Asparagus, Peas, and Arugula
Yield: about 6 servings


Ingredients

• 4 tsp. olive oil
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ¾ cup frozen peas
• 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• salt
• pepper
• 1 bunch asparagus, tough ends trimmed, and sliced on the bias into 1 inch lengths
• 12 ounces fusilli pasta
• 2 cups baby arugula (or baby spinach)
• ½ cup crumbled goat cheese

Directions

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the leeks and cook until softened and beginning to brown at the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Slowly whisk in the broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Remove from heat; stir in the peas and lemon juice. Let stand until the peas are heated through, at least 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the asparagus and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the asparagus is crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Return the water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook according to the package directions until al dente. When the pasta is finished cooking, reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
5. Add the arugula to the pasta and toss to wilt. Add the leek-broth mixture, asparagus, goat cheese, and remaining 2 teaspoons of oil, toss to combine. Before serving, add the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce.

Recipe from America's Test Kitchen

Straightforward and Concentrated Margarita

A bit silly for those more experienced in cocktails, but this recipe solves two "problems" for me:

1. I'm not very creative when it comes to thinking up drinks to order - it's either something on the menu or vodka + grapefruit (GREYHOUND) or cranberry juice. 
2. I never really liked margaritas, which I finally deduced was due to the sour mix.

Image via epicurean.com

Equal parts-ish (1-1.5 oz, depending on the size or your shot glass):

• - Patron (or a tequlia of your choosing)
• Silver tequilas are supposedly superior to the regular stuff, at least among major brands in the US.
• - Triple Sec
• - Lime juice (fresh or from one of those plastic limes)
• I've used key lime juice a few times, which gives it a nice kick.

Combine liquids and ice in a shaker. Shake. Pour over ice in a glass. Imbibe.