Tag Archives: Casseroles

Beef, Casseroles, Cookbook reviews, Pasta and noodles

Beef Lombardi

You all know I love make ahead meals (remember this and this and this). And I have a soft spot for casseroles. Well, here’s the recipe that is now both my favorite make ahead meal and my favorite casserole. I’ve kept a batch of this on hand in my freezer continually since I discovered the recipe this fall. It hails from the new What’s for Supper cookbook from Southern Living. While not overly impressed by some of the recipes in the book (too many prepared processed foods for my taste), I knew I would try this recipe for the name alone. Green Bay Packer coach Vince Lombardi holds a special place in the hearts of most Wisconsinites and if the casserole performed even half as well as the coach, it was worth a try. Touchdown!

Beef Lombardi
adapted from Southern Living What’s for Supper

This is an easily adaptable recipe. I usually use more egg noodles than called for and then add an extra tablespoons of cream cheese. Since my daughter is currently green onion adverse, I cut back on those or use only the white parts so she doesn’t notice them as much. Feel free to experiment according to your own tastes.

Serves 8

10–12 oz (280–340 g) medium egg noodles
1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef
1½ teaspoons salt, divided
½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or dried oregano
1 x 6‑oz (170 g) can tomato paste
1 x 14-oz (400 g) can diced tomatoes
4 oz (110 g) cream cheese, softened
½ cup (120 ml) sour cream
4 green onions, chopped
1 cup (4 oz/110 g) shredded Italian six-cheese blend or mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare the egg noodles according to package directions.

Meanwhile, sprinkle the ground beef with 1 tsp. salt and the Italian seasoning. Cook the beef in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink.

Stir in the tomato paste, and cook 2 minutes; stir in the tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt; reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer 8–10 minutes until thickened a bit.

Microwave the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 20 seconds. Stir in the sour cream and green onions into the warm cream cheese, then gently stir the cream cheese mixture into the hot cooked noodles.

Spread the noodle mixture in the bottom of a lightly greased 11- x 7‑inch baking dish. Top the noodles with the beef mixture then sprinkle the shredded  cheese evenly over the mixture.

Bake the casserole at 350° for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

To make ahead: Freeze the unbaked casserole, tightly covered, for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake at 350°F (180°C), loosely covered in aluminum foil for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking about 15 minutes more until the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot.

Casseroles, Poultry, Rice

Chicken and Kale Casserole

I know this casserole is not the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen on this blog, but sometimes the most homely looking food is the best-tasting food. And for goodness sake, it’s a casserole. No one expects it to be photogenic, right? Despite it’s ho hum appearance, this baked chicken and rice dish is one of my favorite concoctions. It tastes like the delicious church potluck dishes that I loved as a child but without the Velveeta cheese and frozen broccoli that I detest as an adult. Except for the handful of shredded cheese tucked gently into the rice mixture, it’s healthy — kale, chicken breast, and brown rice — and doesn’t depend on sodium-laden canned soup for its creaminess. Best of all, it makes for an easy weeknight dinner. You can make the casserole in advance, store it in the fridge overnight and simply throw it into the oven half an hour before mealtime. You don’t even have to come up with a side dish since the casserole covers your four basic food groups.

Chicken and Kale Casserole

This recipe is highly adaptable. Experiment with different types or quantities of meat, cheese, and veggies. Broccoli and cheddar in place of the kale and mozzarella is a great combination. Omit the chicken and it’s an easy vegetarian meal. You can also substitute cooked white rice or pasta for the brown rice, though the texture of the casserole will be softer.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, or 1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large bunch kale, tough stems removed and leaves chopped roughly
8 oz (225 g) crimini mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons (50 g) butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) milk
2 cups (200 g) cooked brown rice, small grain preferably
8 oz (225 g) cooked chicken breast, diced and if not already seasoned, sprinkled with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste
4 oz (100 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 2 quart casserole or a 11 in x 7 in baking dish.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the kale and cook 1–2 minutes, until it starts to wilt. Stir in the mushrooms and cook 5 minutes more, until the mushrooms start to soften. Season with salt and pepper and remove the pan from the heat.

While the vegetables cook, make the cream sauce. First, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly. The mixture should bubble and cook for 1–2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the mixture or let it take on too much color. Slowly pour in the milk to the flour/butter mixture, whisking constantly. The mixture should thicken as it cooks. You may need to add a bit more milk if the mixture seems too thick. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and freshly ground black pepper to the sauce. Let it simmer for about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.

Gently stir in the rice and chicken to the vegetable mixture. Fold in the shredded cheese, then stir in the cream sauce. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. Pour the mixture into the greased casserole or baking dish and cover with a lid or aluminum foil. If serving the next day, cool the casserole, then refrigerate.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking for 10 minutes more, until bubbly and slightly golden around the edges.

Casseroles, Cookies, One-pot wonders, Poultry, Rice

Chicken and Bacon Pot with Oatmeal Freezer Cookies

I’m usually not a fan of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. In comparison to chicken thighs, I find chicken breasts too easy to dry out and dull in flavor, reserved only for dishes with lots of other “wow” ingredients. Maybe it’s the bacon in this dish or the top-quality chicken that I used, but this one-dish chicken recipe proved me wrong. The sauce is savory and satiny, the meat moist and tender, and it all meshes perfectly on top of basmati rice. My kids both asked for thirds and I hid the leftovers for myself. 

I took advantage of my already hot oven and put in a batch of oatmeal freezer cookies before we sat down to eat. Despite the fact that it’s May, it’s damp and gray here in Wisconsin — but good weather for baking cookies. Freezer cookies are ideal desserts for busy people. You can make the dough days, weeks, even months in advance, then store it in your freezer until you need it. On the day you want to bake the cookies, simply thaw the dough in the fridge, slice, and bake it. Hot cookies fresh from the oven in minutes!

Chicken and Bacon Pot
adapted from Easy Everyday: Simple Recipes for No-fuss Food

Serves 4

High-quality chicken is essential for chicken breast-based recipes like this one. I used chicken shipped to me from Springer Mountain Farms, which prides itself on their 100% natural, vegetarian-fed and humanely raised (certified by the American Humane Association) chicken.

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 oz (225 g) bacon, diced
8 oz (225 g) white, button mushrooms
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 shallots or 1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup (40 g) flour
2 cups (500 ml) chicken broth or stock
2/3 cup (150 ml) white wine
1 bay leaf
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
basmati rice, to serve

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Heat the olive oil in a casserole dish, add the bacon and mushrooms, and cook over medium heat until golden. Transfer the bacon and mushrooms to a plate.

Put the chicken breasts in the casserole and quickly brown on both sides. Set the chicken aside with the bacon.

Saute the garlic and shallots (or onion) over a low heat in the same pan for about 5 minutes. Add the flour and mix well. Stirring constantly, cook the flour mixture about 1 minute, until well blended and nutty smelling, being careful not to burn the flour. Remove the pan from the heat, slowly pour in the stock and wine, and stir or whisk until smooth. Return the pan to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce slightly thickens. Mix in the bacon and mushrooms, then add the chicken, bay leaf, and seasoning. Cover and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Add the parsley just before serving with rice.

***

Grandma Dot’s Oatmeal Freezer Cookies
adapted from cooks.com

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

I freeze this dough in smallish logs, just enough to make about 8 cookies. By freezing smaller portions, the dough thaws more quickly. And because I only bake a few cookies at a time, they are always fresh.

1/2 cup (100 g) shortening
1/2 cup (85 g) brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup (90 g) flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups (120 g) rolled oats
1/4 cup (25 g) finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Cream the shortening and sugars. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, oats and nuts. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture until just blended.

Shape the dough into 2‑inch rolls, like refrigerator cookie dough at the grocery store, on waxed paper. Roll up and twist the ends together. Chill until firm (at least 2 hours) or freeze for later use (place logs in a plastic bag before freezing). When ready to bake the cookies, thaw the dough (only if frozen), then cut into 3/4‑inch slices. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet with at least 1 inch separating the cookies. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 10 minutes.

Casseroles, French food, One-pot wonders, Pasta and noodles, Poultry

Chicken and Noodles Baked in Cream Sauce

Every family has its own set of favorite meals and often its owns way of labeling them. Case in point, when my husband asks for “Thomas Jefferson’s chicken” what he really wants is gratin de volaille pavillon, a fancy name for the best chicken and noodles you’ll ever eat. We found this dish in college, pulled from The New York Times More 60-Minute Gourmet, which introduces the recipe by noting that this variation of chicken in cream sauce was “much admired by Thomas Jefferson.” Not sure how this culinary tidbit made it to modern times, but it stuck with us.

Though this preparation is not as easy as your average condensed soup-based casserole, the extra effort it requires is soon forgotten as you bite into the delicately sauced poached chicken and tender, buttery, tomato flecked noodles. It’s easy to see why it may have been a favorite of one of America’s founding fathers.

Gratin de Volaille Pavillon (Chicken and Noodles Baked in Cream Sauce)
adapted from The New York Times More 60-Minute Gourmet by Pierre Franey

Serves 6

2 cooked whole chicken breasts (see recipe for poaching chicken below, highly recommended)
12 oz (340 g) medium width egg noodles
5 tablespoons (75 g) butter, divided
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups (500 ml) chicken broth (use the broth from the poached chicken if possible)
1/2 cup (125 ml) heavy cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped
1 ripe tomato, chopped (or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Remove the chicken from the bones. Discard the skin and bones and cut the meat into 1 or 2 inch cubes. There should be about 3 cups.

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Do not overcook. Drain the noodles. Return them to the pot and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Toss gently.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons (30 g) of butter in a saucepan and add the flour, stirring with a wire whisk. When blended, add the chicken broth, stirring rapidly. When the sauce is thickened and smooth, simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the cream and let it simmer briefly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons (30 g) of butter in another saucepan and add the shallots. Cook briefly, stirring, then add the tomatoes and cook down for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream sauce and stir gently; set aside.

To the remaining cream sauce, add the egg. Bring to a boil stirring rapidly with a whisk. Do not overcook. Remove from the heat.

Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with the remaining tablespoon (15 g) of butter. Add the noodles, and smooth them over. Spoon the chicken and sauce mixture over the noodles. Cover with the cream and egg sauce, smoothing it over. Sprinkle on the cheese. Place the dish under the broiler and cook until nicely browned and bubbling on top.

Poached Chicken

2 whole, bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
2 cups (500 ml) water
1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine
1 small white onion, sliced
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs parsley
1 carrot, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Uncover and set aside. Let the chicken cool in its own broth.

Casseroles, One-pot wonders, Poultry

Catalina Chicken

I’d never heard of Catalina chicken before coming across this recipe for it a few years ago in the Cooks Academy Cookbook. This recipe is from the author’s grandmother, but after doing a quick online search to see if I could find out more about it, I found recipes with nothing but chicken, dried onion soup mix and a bottle of Catalina salad dressing as ingredients — the kind of “recipe” you often see on the back of food packaging or in a full-page ad for said soup mix or dressing in American women’s magazines. Given that this recipe comes from a Dublin cooking school and a country where Catalina dressing isn’t even sold, this version doesn’t take any prepackaged shortcuts — and is all the better for it. Besides, anything with hard cider in it is bound to be better than something that comes from a jar. The author says her grandmother always served this with homemade chips that she cut by hand with a crinkle cutter, but I like it with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the delicious sauce.

Catalina Chicken
adapted from Cooks Academy Cookbook by Vanessa Greenwood

Serves 4

If you don’t have a casserole pot (a.k.a. Dutch oven), then start off by cooking the food in a heavy-based frying pan instead, then transferring to an ovenproof dish with a lid or an ovenproof dish that you can cover tightly with foil. I’ve modified the original recipe to start off by browning the chicken to improve its flavor and appearance, but if you’re in a bit of a rush, you can skip this step and just add the chicken to the sauce along with the mushrooms and peppers.

olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
7 oz (200 g) mushrooms, quartered
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon plain flour
2 cups (500 ml) dry cider (hard cider)
3/4 cup (200 ml) chicken stock
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
crusty bread, home fries, baked potatoes or mashed potatoes, to serve

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

In a heavy-based casserole pot, heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts and brown in the oil, then set aside.

Add the butter to the pot, then saute the mushrooms over a high heat until they turn golden on the outside. Set aside.

Lower the heat, add a little more olive oil and sweat the onions for 10 minutes with a pinch of salt (to help prevent them from browning too much) before stirring in the flour and cooking for 2 minutes more. Increase the heat, add the cider and stock and simmer for 10 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly.

Meanwhile, mix together the tomato puree, vinegar, sugar, paprika and chili powder and stir through the cider sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the chicken back to the pot in a single layer. Scatter over the peppers and mushrooms. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour, stirring halfway through. Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve.

Casseroles, One-pot wonders, Pork

Cherry Tomato and Sausage Bake

Today marks our one-year blogging anniversary and our 200th post! To celebrate the occasion, we’re doing a little giveaway. To be in with a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift certificate, just leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite recipe from our site. The giveaway will close at midnight (US Central time) on Sunday, August 8 and the randomly selected winner will be notified by e‑mail.*

I just got back from my 10-day solo trip to the States, so I know it’s hot back home (sadly, the same can’t be said of Ireland). If you can bear to turn on your oven for 45 minutes, then this is an easy way to use up an abundance of tomatoes now that they’re coming into season. It’s like a summertime version of Donal Skehan’s oven-roasted sausage and sweet potato recipe. It’s also incredibly easy to pull together and doesn’t take much prep work or thinking about — just right for when your head is still spinning from jet lag, a hard day at work or a long day taking care of the kids. I like to serve this with a green salad with balsamic vinaigrette and plenty of crusty bread to mop up all the juices.

*The competition has now closed. Congrats to Kathy, who likes the warm tofu with spicy garlic sauce!

Cherry Tomato and Sausage Bake
adapted from Jamie at Home by Jamie Oliver

Serves 4

Jamie suggests chopping up any leftovers to make into a chunky pasta sauce for penne or rigatoni, and I can vouch that it’s good. If you like this dish, you’ll also like balsamic roast chicken with rocket, roast tomatoes and Parmesan.

3 to 4 1/2 lb (1.4 to 2 kg) ripe cherry tomatoes (mixed colors if you can find them)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 red onions, quartered (leave the root end intact so the quartered segments stay together)
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (not too small or they’ll burn)
10 to 12 good-quality butcher sausages or Italian sausages
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
crusty bread, mashed potatoes, rice or polenta, to serve
green salad, to serve

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Place the tomatoes, herbs, onions, garlic and sausages in a large roasting tray or casserole dish, one that can more or less fit all the tomatoes in one layer (or you could do individual casserole dishes, like I did in the photo, or divide everything between 2 trays/dishes if you don’t have one that’s big enough). Drizzle well with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper, then make sure the sausages are on top. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, then give the tray a shake and turn the sausages over. Continue cooking for 15 to 30 minutes more, depending on how golden and sticky you like your sausages.

If you think the sauce is a little too thin once the sausages are done, lift them out and place the tray on the stovetop to cook it down to the consistency you like, then put the sausages back in. Check the seasoning and serve either with a good crusty bread (great for mopping up the sauce!), mashed potatoes, rice or polenta, a green salad and a nice glass of wine.

Beef, Casseroles, Greek food, Potatoes

Hearty Moussaka with Low-fat White Sauce

Every time I eat Greek food I think about Kristin’s mom and stepdad taking us to Chicago to eat at Greek Islands. As a sixteen-year-old, any trip to the big city was amazing, but my first trip to Chicago’s Greektown was especially memorable. Friday night traffic was terrible (and a little exciting), the restaurant was packed, the menu was filled with dishes I had never heard of, much less eaten, and we started the meal with flaming cheese. How could that not leave an impression?

After moving to Chicago after college, I ate in Greektown frequently, usually with a big group of friends. Greek food is perfect for groups. Everyone can find a dish they like, yet few people cook Greek food at home. I’ve been experimenting over the past couple years with some of my Greek restaurant favorites. This recipe was my first try at moussaka. Although I managed to forget to add the cinnamon to the sauce, it still turned out great. I paired it with fresh green beans, but a tossed salad with feta and olives would have been even better. After this success, I may even be up for setting a plate of saganaki aflame. Opa!

Hearty Moussaka with Low-fat White Sauce
adapted from Bon Appétit, February 1998

Serves 8

olive oil spray (or olive oil)
1 or 2 eggplants (1 1/2 lb/680 g total), peeled, cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/2‑inch slices
1 1/2 lb (680 g) zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1/4‑inch-thick rounds
1 lb (450 g) red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/4‑inch-thick rounds
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef (sirloin or ground round)
1 x 28 oz (800 g) can whole tomatoes in juice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup (25 g) plain dry white breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups (700 ml) low-fat white sauce (see below)
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Spray 2 large baking sheets with olive oil spray or brush with olive oil. Arrange the eggplant slices and half of the zucchini rounds, overlapping slightly, on 1 baking sheet. Arrange the potato rounds and remaining zucchini, overlapping slightly, on the second baking sheet. Spray the vegetables generously with olive oil spray or brush with olive oil. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper. Bake the vegetables until tender and beginning to brown, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion for about 7 minutes, until tender, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if the mixture seems dry. Stir in the oregano. Add the beef and saute until brown, breaking it up with back of spoon. Add the tomatoes with their juices and the tomato paste, breaking up tomatoes with the back of the spoon. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and mix in the cinnamon.

Spray or brush a 13 x 9 x 2‑inch glass baking dish with olive oil spray. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the bottom of the dish. Arrange the potatoes in the prepared dish. Spoon half of the beef mixture over. Arrange the eggplant slices over. Spoon the remaining beef mixture over. Top with all of the zucchini, overlapping slightly if necessary.

Pour warm low-fat white sauce over the moussaka. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cheese on top. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 55 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Low-fat White Sauce

Makes 3 cups (720 ml)

6 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 cups (720 ml) low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup (30 g) grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the flour in a heavy medium saucepan to remove any lumps. Gradually add 1 cup (240 ml) of milk, whisking until smooth. Add the remaining 2 cups (480 ml) of milk and nutmeg. Whisk over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture thickens and boils. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the Parmesan, egg and butter. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat until heated through before using; do not boil.)

Casseroles, Mexican food, Poultry

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas with Baked Acorn Squash

Last month I mentioned that I grew up in Texas, so it probably won’t surprise you that Tex-Mex food is my choice of comfort food. And nothing is more Tex Mex (or more comforting) than a steaming hot plate of cheesy, slightly spicy enchiladas. I’ve made quite a few different enchiladas recipes over the years, some with chicken, some with cheese, some red, some white, some green, but my most recent batch of sour cream chicken enchiladas may be my best rendition yet. It also happens to be one of the easier versions that I’ve made.

IMG_7634

Easy Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
adapted from www.foodgeeks.com

Serves 4

3 cups (700 ml) water
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 large onion, diced
1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas
1/4 cup (55 g) butter
1/4 cup (30 g) flour
1 x 4‑oz (110‑g) can diced green chilies
1 cup (225 g) sour cream
1/2 lb (225 g) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
toppings: chopped cilantro, diced avocado, salsa

In a large saucepan, bring the water, chicken, salt, carrot, celery, and half of the onion to a boil. The water should cover the chicken by about a 1/2 inch; add more water if necessary. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through. Pour the chicken and vegetables through a strainer, reserving the broth. Set aside 2 cups (480 ml) of the broth, to be used for the sauce. The remaining broth can be frozen for later use. Discard the cooked vegetables. Cool the chicken, then shred it into pieces.

In a small frying pan, heat the vegetable oil. Fry each tortilla in the hot oil, about 30 seconds per side. Let the tortillas drain on a paper towel-covered paper grocery bag.

In a large saucepan (I use the same pan I cooked the chicken in), melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking frequently. Do not let the roux brown, but it should bubble. Whisk in the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and stir in the green chilies and sour cream. Cook the sauce until it’s smooth and creamy.

Lightly grease a 13 x 9‑inch baking dish. Spread 1 cup (240 ml) of sauce over the pan. Fill each tortilla with a couple tablespoons each of chicken, cheese, and the remaining onion. Roll up each tortilla and place seam side down in the prepared pan. Top with the remaining sauce and cheese and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly. Serve with chopped cilantro, diced avocado, and salsa.

***

Baked Acorn Squash

Serves 2

acorn squash, or other winter squash
olive oil or butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Cut the squash in half, then scoop out the seeds and membrane. (I like to use a grapefruit spoon for this task.) Place the squash skin side down in a small roasting pan. Drizzle the squash with olive oil or place a pat of butter in the hollow of each, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tightly cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil, then roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the squash is tender. You may want to add 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water to the bottom of the pan to speed the cooking or when the squash is very large.