Coffee & Enchiladas!

I did it!!! This weekend I had not one but TWO pumpkin spice lattes (skinny, no whip...wow I sound like a professional).  I never drink coffee.  I don't like the bitter taste while drinking, the strong aftertaste that lingers nor do I really enjoy the smell.  The odd thing about it all is that I want to like coffee.  I want to wake up, brew a cup, snuggle with the iPad paper, and sip my way into a great day.  C loves coffee...black and strong.  We even special order his favorite coffee from a local company in California (I mean when you find something you love, why not?!).  He offers me a cup every single morning.  I always smile and say "nah, not today."  He keeps asking because he knows one day I'll say yes.

Well, I did say yes this weekend. I found a drink that I enjoyed!! It wasn't the smoothest going down, I didn't gulp the latte and lick my lips for more, but I kind of liked it.  It tasted and smelled like fall and that feeling I loved.  The sprinkle of cinnamon on top made it a stand out winner! I'm still far from being a coffee drinker but I made a small step for man and one giant leap for me...all while in a Starbucks this weekend :)

My weekend of treats continues...

As a welcome home dinner for C yesterday, I made the most delicious Chicken Enchiladas.  I am no whiz in the kitchen and compared to my mom and sister I'm just a cooking toddler, but I can basically follow a recipe.  Courtesy of the cooking blog Annie's Eats I made these:

Not even joking, they actually looked like this when they came out of the oven.  Incredibly, they also tasted amazing!! The only thing I changed about her recipe is that I used rotisserie chicken (skin off) instead of cooking the chicken in the sauce.  Also, out of nervousness, I used 1 1/2 jalepenos instead of 2.  It still had a little kick but was definitely not too spicy.

I am SO glad I made these last night.  We both l-o-v-e mexican and could alternate it with pizza most nights of our lives and be perfectly happy.  They reminded us of restaurant enchiladas and had an incredibly flavorful sauce. We have a bunch leftover, too, so these enchiladas will keep on giving :) Check out Annie's blog - I can't wait to try more recipes!

Here is Annie's Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 jalepenos, seeded and chopped fine
1 tsp. canola oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. cumin
1 tbsp. sugar
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
Salt and Pepper
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup shredded shark white cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
Cooking Spray


Directions:

Combine the onion, jalapeno and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar, and cook just until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Mix in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through (160˚ F on an instant-read thermometer), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool.

Strain the sauce through a large mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing down on the onions and tomatoes to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the reserved solids to a large bowl and set aside. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Shred the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the bowl with the onion mixture. Add in ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce, ½ cup of each of the shredded cheeses, and the cilantro. Stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Oil a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Stack the tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 40-60 seconds, until warm and pliable. Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla around the filling tightly, and place in the prepared baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.

Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for 7 minutes or until the tortillas start to brown slightly.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400˚ F. Remove the enchiladas from the oven and pour the sauce oven the top. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is browned. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.


ENJOY!!!