I make everything from scratch.
I pride myself (harrumph) on not using prepared foods.
You will never see a Tator Tot soaked in Cream of Mushroom Soup cross my lips.
I don't buy frozen pizzas or canned soups or bottled salad dressings.
I am above all of that convenience stuff…..
Until it comes to Enchiladas…..
I love enchiladas…..
I always buy the tortillas (no big deal).
And I always buy the Old El Paso Taco Sauce.
Of course I could make my own.
I know that.
But everyone has their 'thing'.
This is mine.
I may soak and cook the beans from dried, but I buy Old El Paso to pour on top.
I knew a couple in the Midwest, both highly paid doctors, who refused to buy tissues. If you sniffled or sneezed at their house, and asked for a tissue, you were handed a roll of toilet paper.
It was their 'thing'.
I know people who refuse to pay more than 5 dollars for lunch, but will happily spend 50 on a bottle of wine to go with it.
And vice versa.
I worked with a woman who would not eat green food. Now, that's not a bad thing if we're talking green eggs and ham… But no salads?
One could look at my insistence on using commercial Taco Sauce as aberrant or deviant behaviour.
Hold that thought…..
It's been awhile since I've been deviant ;-))
And, no, using commercial taco sauce is not the best I can do!
Here's the kicker.
When I opened the package of tortillas they were not Old El Paso, as I had assumed when I dropped them in my trolley.
They were, (are you ready for this?) Claude Légere.
Yup, French tortillas…..
What's your secret (or not) 'thing'?
Chicken and Ricotta Enchiladas
Using ricotta (app. 135 calories per 100 grams v 400 for cheddar) makes a lighter enchilada with a luscious, creamy center. With a bit of sharply-flavored Parmesan on top you won't notice that it's 'lighter'.
2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 onion
2 ribs celery
4oz, 125gr, green chillies or something hotter if your prefer
1 tbs olive oil
1 cup ricotta (8oz, 250gr)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, (2oz, 60gr)
1 – 2 jars hot or mild taco or enchilada sauce 8 – 10 oz each (300 ml)
4 corn or wheat tortillas
Cut the chicken into large bite-size pieces. Chop the onion and celery. Drain chilies. Chop chilies if whole. Heat 2 tsp oil in medium nonstick skillet. Add onion and celery. Sauté until onion is tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and sauté until chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat. Add green chilis and ricotta and mix well. Brush the remaining 1 tsp oil in a baking dish large enough to hold the 4 enchiladas. Heat a large nonstick skillet, over medium heat. Warm one tortilla in the skillet for 15 – 20 seconds. Spoon one fourth of the chicken / ricotta mixture onto the tortilla and roll up. Place seam side down in the oiled baking dish. Repeat with remaining three tortillas. Pour taco sauce over the top – how much depends on your taste. I use 1 jar now and the rest as additional sauce at the table. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake at 400F (200C) for 20 minutes, until heated through and cheese is bubbly. Remove foil for the last 5 minutes to brown the cheese if you like.
In addition to this, for the week of February 11 we have Seared Tuna with Capers, Cheese Flan with Spinach Salad, Garlic Fried Lamb Chops, Meatballs with Ricotta and Cannellini….
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Like you, we make pretty much everything from scratch. Very occasionally, we use tinned pinto beans rather than pre-soaking dried beans. And also, very occasionally, we use tinned chicken stock rather than stock we’ve made ourselves.
And I simply will NOT eat commercially processed cheese. Unless it’s MacLaren’s Imperial or Velveeta. Yup, go figure. I adore Velveeta cheese. (Shhh. Don’t tell anyone. It will ruin my reputation as the snobbiest food snob in the world.)
LOL Does Légere mean “Old El Paso” in French? 🙂
Pizza dough is my secret thing. I never make my own, I buy it from a local pizzeria since it just can’t be duplicated.
I’m like you Katie – make everything from scratch….except….Mayonnaise. The reason being – I am a Mayonnaise freak! If I made it from scratch I would probably eat it all right out of the bowl, so store bought real Mayonnaise it is. Oh, and canned beans once in a while never hurt anyone right?
If you are going to use canned sauce at least use enchilada sauce and make sure there isn’t any tomato in it. You can find that where they have authentic Mexican products.
Elizabeth, Velveeta???? They still make that? (It does make the best grilled cheese sandwiches – and it melts like a dream in anything)
TikiPundit, it’s actually a line of prepared foods – but prepared French foods, like cassoulet and tripe…. not tortillas.
Val, I used to make my own, now I just use puff pastry – so easy (but not as easy, or likely as good, as your way)
Ina, I only make mayo if I’m using a lot. The hubs has it on his sandwiches everyday, with mustard. Not worth making for that.
tulsamom, now that would be assuming I could find authentic Mexican products…. I’m lucky to find Old El Paso LOL
Sounds so yummy. And the cheese… oh so tempting!
Yes, Katie. They still make Velveeta.
And Velveeta does melt wonderfully. But, here’s the thing. I like it straight out of the box.
Of course, I can’t bring myself to actually buy it. Someone might see me…. I only get to have my Velveeta fix when we visit my parents-in-law (shshssshhhhhh don’t tell anyone that they buy and eat Velveeta. It will ruin their reputation as very discerning diners.)
I doctor supermarket pizza to make a quick and cheap children’s meal sometimes. I buy a base with cheese and ham on it and then load it with ‘home’ extras like diced tomatoes, pesto, olives, fetta and more cheese. That’s my secret – don’t tell anyone please !!
You are lucky to have tortillas easily available–even though I shudder at El Paso brand, but hey, there is an embarras du choix for Mexican products stateside! When we lived in France in the mid-80’s, there was NADA. I had chili powder stockpiled, and a friend would have any visitors from Calif smuggle in fresh flour tortillas. Bon appetit tonight!
Christopher, they were yummy – cheese, especially!
Elizabeth, you could buy it, grumbling to yourself all the while about the children – or the old people, or the …..
manningroad, I’ve never bought a supermarket pizza here – but mon mari stocks up whenever I’m gone… and does the same. He assures me they’re wonderful!
MaryMary, I still bring chili powder back with me – not here yet. And even the Old El Paso is somewhat limited, although there are in every supermarket!