Mexican Casserole

This recipe has been in the rotation for a long time.  I found it in the Parade Magazine from Sunday’s issue of the Boston Globe, where it was appropriately named one of “The Best Casseroles in the U.S.A.” 

I love it!!  It’s simplistic, yet totally satisfying.  Here are my personal notes.   I don’t use the tortilla chips if we’re going to have leftovers.  They’re great for the first meal but  get soggy and don’t heat up well.  I also HATE cilantro – tastes like soap to me so I always pass when I can. 

1 ½ cups crushed tortilla chips

1 pound shredded chicken (I use a whole rotisserie chicken from the grocery store)

1 can garbanzo beans, drained

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 can corn kernels, drained (I use frozen corn kernels)

1 8-oz can tomato sauce

1 cup prepared salsa

1 cup red onion, diced

1 cup sweet peppers, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

8 oz monterey jack shredded cheese

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.  Scatter crushed tortilla chips on the bottom of the pan. 

Combine chicken, beans, corn, tomato sauce, salsa, sweet pepper, cilantro, garlic and salt and pepper in a bowl. 

Place half of the mixture in the baking dish.  Cover with one half of the cheese and repeat with the mixture.  Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese on top and bake for 35 minutes.  Serve with the toppings of your choice (sour cream, cilantro, diced tomatoes). 

Marinara Sauce

Today I knew I wasn’t going to want to go through a big production for dinner since we moved the clocks back an hour.  When it starts getting dark out at 4:30, it’s time to ease things up in the kitchen at the end of the day – especially for a week or so. 

I put together a marinara sauce in the slow cooker this morning and it turned out great.  I love recipes that afford you the creativity of putting in a pinch of this and a pinch of that and seasoning to taste.  Here’s the recipe I made but feel free to adjustments as desired or inspired!!  I would have tried adding black olives but Ian wouldn’t have heard of that so maybe I can work on that addition next time.

3 large cans of Muir Glen diced tomatoes

1 large can of Muir Glen chunky tomato sauce

1 can artichokes, quartered

3 tbsp capers

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup sauterne wine (I find it at Price Chopper)

1 cup Porcini mushrooms (I heat up some water and add dry mushrooms, then add to the sauce)

Place everything in the slow cooker and set to low for 7 to 8 hours.  Serve with your favorite pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. 

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

The other day, my sister-in-law, Jen, sent me the link to a food blog she found – www.joythebaker.com.  Thanks, Jen!

This is an amazing website which is fun to read, has tons of great recipes and great photography.  Right now I have a list of recipes I want to try but yesterday I happened to have some ripe bananas that needed to be used up and I found this recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Bread!  Who doesn’t love the combination of peanut butter and bananas?  I just had to try it and it ended up being one of the best banana breads I’ve ever had.  It was a nice twist with the peanut butter and sometimes I love to bake when I don't have to use a mixer -- just a couple bowls and a little arm power.  I didn’t happen to have the allspice on hand so I just left that out and I substituted chunky peanut butter because I didn’t have any dry roasted peanuts.  

I just had a slice toasted for breakfast – time to hit the treadmill!!

1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas

1/3 cup plain or vanilla fat free yogurt

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

3 tbsp butter, melted

2 large eggs

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup whole wheat flour

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup ground flaxseed meal

¾ cup baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground allspice

¼ cup chopped dry roasted peanuts

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, flaxseed meal, baking soda, salt and spices.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, yogurt, peanut butter and melted butter.  Whisk in eggs and sugar.  Blend mixture well.

Pour the wet mixture into the larger bowl with the dry ingredients.  Fold together with a spatula until everything is blended.  Fold in the chopped nuts.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool 20 minutes.  Run a knife along the edges of the pan and invert the loaf onto a wire rack to cool.