Sesame Chicken

Better late than never, right?

I have had this recipe written down in my purse for about 2 weeks now and finally after some persuading from a friend, sat down to blog it (is blog a verb?). Anywho...

Mr.ShoeFanatic has been dying to cook Asian food in our household so one Friday, I let him loose in the Asian aisle and let his creative juices flow!

INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Seasoning (salt, pepper, Chinese five spice)
Vegetable oil
1 batch sesame chicken sauce (recipe below)
1/4 c sesame seeds, toasted

SESAME CHICKEN SAUCE:
1 c sugar
1/4 c corn starch
1/2 c water
1 c chicken broth
2 T soy sauce
2 T sesame oil
1/8 c rice wine vinegar
1 t chili paste
1 clove garlic, minced

Cut chicken into strips and season well. Dredge in corn starch and fry in oil until cooked through and crispy. About 4 minutes total.

TO MAKE SAUCE:
Bring all sauce ingredients to a boil, making sure to whisk out all the lumps. Reduce heat to simmer for about 5 minutes.

TO SERVE:
Plate chicken, drizzle with sauce, top with sesame seeds. Enjoy!

VERDICT:
Oh, this was soooo num yummy! It was very, very close to the chicken we get from the Chinese place down the street only much lighter. I really enjoyed it and it can't wait for Mr.SF to make it again!

SERVED WITH
Veggie Lo Mein

SOURCE:
Chinese Food DIY

Laughing Cow & Roasted Red Pepper Chicken

So the first time I saw a recipe for Laughing Cow Cheese Stuffed Chicken, I was intrigued. I love Laughing Cow Cheese. I mean, I love it so much, that it's a problem sometimes. Like when you eat the entire wheel in one sitting. Not that I'd ever do that...

Anyway, I was always just a little hesitant to make this because I wasn't sure how Mr. ShoeFanatic would like it. He can be a little particular. But when I stumbled across this gem, a light bulb in my head went off. We don't eat a lot of Sun Dried Tomatoes but we are total whores for Roasted Red Peppers! And an idea was born...

INGREDIENTS:

4-6 chicken breasts

Seasoning (salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne)
4-6 wedges Laughing Cow Cheese (1 per breast)
1/2 jar roasted red peppers, drained & chopped
Fresh basil
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350.

Season chicken breasts to your liking. Carefully cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast, taking care not to slice all the way through. Cut each cheese wedge into 2 or 3 pieces. If you have large chicken, do 3 pieces. Like this:

If you have smaller chicken, do 2 pieces. Like this:

Insert cheese into chicken pocket evenly. Add a layer of red peppers into each chicken breast pocket and top with 2-3 basil leaves per breast.


Carefully dip each breast into egg and bread crumbs, coating evenly. Place on a greased baking pan cook for 20 minutes uncovered.


VERDICT:

Oh, yes ma'am!

These are gooooood. Like, really really goooood.

Very juicy on the inside. The mixture of the cheese and the red pepper is awesome and when you add the basil. Oh, it's so good.

Mr. ShoeFanatic had seconds. I'll be making this again. Soon.

SERVED WITH:
Mushroom & Alfredo Pasta
Green Beans

SOURCE:
Tastes, Tales and Tours

Chicken Quesadillas

Oh I am so happy to have my camera cord back! I actually made this last week but didn't want to post it until I had photos to back up my recipe. I really love making quesadillas during the week and this is about as basic as it gets. Super easy for a weeknight meal!

INGREDIENTS:

4-6 chicken breasts, cubed

Salt & black pepper

Olive oil

1 onion

3 bell peppers (preferably in 3 different colors)

Tortillas

1 bag shredded Mexican cheese

Sour cream

Season chicken with salt and pepper to your liking. In a large skillet, coat the bottom with olive oil. Over medium heat, cook chicken until no longer pink. While that's cooking, cube bell peppers and onion.

Add veggies to the chicken and continue to cook until veggies are slightly soft (but still have a little crunch to them) and chicken is cooked all the way through. Remove from heat.


Start assembling quesadillas. On half of the tortilla, put a large spoonful of chicken/veggie mix and shredded cheese. Fold tortilla in half.

Spray a nonstick skillet liberally with Pam and grill tortilla over med-high heat or until cheese is melted. Continue for remaining quesadillas.

Serve with sour cream.

VERDICT:
We've been making this forever and it's still awesome. I really love the sweetness of the peppers after they've been sauteed. I will say that the peppers take a little longer to cook than I would like but I'm going to chalk that up to my craptastic stove!

SOURCE:
Me?

Chicken & Eggplant Parmesan

I don't think I've blogged about Mr. ShoeFanatic's garden yet? (note to self: start a post about the garden)

Well, it's fantastic. I'll get into more detail later but basically, it's producing eggplant as fast as we can cook it! Mr. ShoeFanatic requested eggplant parmesan this week and even though I've never cooked eggplant before, I accepted my challenge. The chicken was a last minute decision but an excellent one. Although, this could have easily been a great vegetarian dish.

INGREDIENTS:
3 med sized eggplants
Kosher salt
1 1/2 c AP flour
1 1/2 c Italian breadcrumbs
5 eggs, beaten
6-8 chicken breasts
Salt & Pepper
Canola Oil
1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese OR 1 block mozzarella cheese, sliced
Fresh basil leaves
1 batch Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Rinse eggplant and peel. Cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. Place a large colander in the sink. Arrange one layer of eggplant on the bottom and sprinkle evenly with Kosher salt. Repeat with remaining eggplant, salting until all eggplant is in the colander. Weigh down the slices with a couple of plates and a vase if you have one handy. Let drain for at least an hour. (The purpose of this is to have the eggplant release some of its moisture before cooking.)

While the eggplant is draining, prepare your spaghetti sauce so it can simmer. The aroma in your kitchen will rival Sophia Petrillo's.

In a wide, shallow bowl, combine flour and breadcrumbs (you made need more than called for, depending on how many slices of eggplant you have). Pour your beaten eggs in another wide, shallow bowl. Set these aside.

Place a large, deep skillet over med-high heat and pour about half an inch of canola oil. I used a candy thermometer to watch the heat. You want it to get up to about 400 degrees before you start frying.

Dredge the eggplant slices first in the egg, then in the flour mixture (side note: the original recipe called for flour then egg but to really get a good crust on it, I highly recommend egg then flour). Working in batches, slide coated eggplant into hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides, turning once. Drain on paper towels.

At this point, preheat your oven to 350.

When all your eggplant is fried, take the chicken and season with salt and pepper on each side. Dredge in egg, then flour. Get your oil back up to about 350 and place the chicken in. BUT DON'T COOK IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH! You just want to brown the outside a little. If you cook it all the way through, it will end up dry and no one likes dry chicken.

So, brown the chicken, flip and brown the other side. Then take it out and let it drain on paper towels.

In the bottom of a 9x13 inch glass baking dish, spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce. Place 6 chicken breasts in the pan (or however many you can fit). Top each breast with 2 eggplant medallions. Top eggplant with mozzarella slices. I used 3 slices per serving to make sure it was extra cheesy. I love cheese. Top the cheese with a fresh basil leaf (I also love the smell of fresh basil. I wish I could bottle it). Lastly, top each basil leave with a spoonful of spaghetti sauce.

Bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly. But I wouldn't go longer than 20 minutes or your chicken will be dry.

VERDICT:
Holy mother of all things green.

This is very possibly the best thing I have ever cooked. I don't even know where to start.

The eggplant was perfect. Soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. The chicken was SO moist! Usually only Mr. ShoeFanatic can achieve that kind of moistness in our kitchen but today, I surpassed him. And when they got married in that oven with the cheese and the basil. Oh, readers. It was heaven I tell you!

We'll definitely be having leftovers tonight.

SERVED WITH:
Pasta & Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

SOURCE:
Simply Recipes

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

I can honestly say I never thought I would be blogging about a sandwich. I mean, I like sandwiches but I wouldn't call them blog-worthy.

Until I met this sandwich. (I bet you're wondering why there's only half a sandwich in the picture. Keep reading.)

It all started with the bread. Oh, the bread. It's all I can think about. So I was sitting at work today thinking about how I didn't really want Lettuce Wraps like I said I did on Monday (don't judge; I've admitted to straying before). I wanted that bread. With chicken. Mr. ShoeFanatic's juicy grilled chicken. Oh yeah.

Then I remembered I had an avocado. This was coming together very nicely in my head. I also remembered seeing a sandwich on Pioneer Woman's blog that had intrigued me. So I headed there for further inspiration.

And boy was I inspired...

INGREDIENTS:
2 chicken breasts
Rub (below)
4 slices Sandwich Bread
Cream cheese (~1/2 cup)
Green onions, diced
2 slices cheese (we used provolone)
Cucumber, sliced (I like mine with the peeling still on)
Tomato, sliced
Lettuce, washed and torn
Roasted Red Peppers (jarred or fresh) or Avocado (I left this out)

RUB:
Salt
Black Pepper
Olive Oil
Rosemary

Season chicken with rub ingredients to your liking. Grill until cooked through. Set aside while you make the rest of the sandwich.

OR while your husband is grilling...Mix together your cream cheese and green onions with a fork. Spread on one side of each slice of bread.

Layer your cucumbers, tomatoes & lettuce on one slice. Layer your roasted red peppers (or avocado), chicken and a slice of cheese on the other slice. Put the chicken side on top of the veggie side.

Cut in half and enjoy.

VERDICT:
This was seriously one of the best sandwiches I have ever had. It turns out that I did not have an avocado so I used roasted red peppers instead. I am sure the avocado would be awesome though.

I have to say that I am so in love with thise cream cheese/onion mixture. I used low fat cream cheese so I'm wondering if it wouldn't be my new mayo. Hmm...

AND the tomatoes, cucumbers and green onions were all grown in our garden! So fresh!

I was so excited about my sandwich that I started eating it before I took a picture. And the whole time I'm eating all I can think about is how I couldn't wait to blog about it! Then I realized I had no pic so I had to stop eating long enough to take one of the other half. Before I engulfed it of course.

I can't wait to have this for lunch tomorrow!

SERVED WITH:
Cucumber & Tomato salad

SOURCE:
Pioneer Woman
Me!

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

When I saw this recipe pop up on my Google Reader (aka the best thing ever) last week, I knew I had to try it. We love all things Mexican related in this household!

I did not have Vidalia onions in the house so I used yellow. It was still really good but I definitely can imagine that it would have been that much better with the Vidalia's. Mr. ShoeFanatic also created a rub/marinade for the chicken. He's badass like that.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 vidalia onions (I used 1 large and 1 small yellow onion)

2 T olive oil

2 T honey

4 chicken breasts, cubed

Marinade (below)

1/2 c BBQ sauce (we used KC Masterpiece Honey)

6 ten inch tortillas

Shredded Mexican cheese blend

Sour cream

MARINADE INGREDIENTS:

1/2 T Salt

10 grinds black pepper

1/2 T garlic powder

1/2 T onion powder

1 t red pepper

1/2 T smoked paprika

1 T Brown sugar

2 T apple cider vinegar

5 dashes hickory liquid smoke

Mix together rub ingredients. Coat chicken well and set aside.

Slice your onions into rings and in a large skillet, cook rings in 1 T of the olive oil over med-high heat until they start to turn golden brown. Turn the heat down to medium and caramelize for about 20 more minutes. Add in the honey about 5 minutes before they are done. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Add the other T of olive oil back to the skillet and add the chicken. Cook the chicken on medium heat for approximately 7 minutes and then stir in the BBQ sauce. Let simmer for another 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat when done.

Assemble tortillas with chicken, onions and cheese. Grill in a nonstick skillet on each side until cheese is melted and tortilla is golden.

Serve with sour cream.

VERDICT:
This was fantastic. If you even remotely like BBQ chicken pizza, you will love this. And I will be honest, I was very leery about the onions in this dish but between the caramelization and the honey...they were so sweet and no onion-ey flavor at all!

Mr. ShoeFanatic gave this 2 thumbs way up and begged me to cook it again!

SOURCE:
Cooking This and That

Chicken Parmesan

Yum, yum, yum. We have been cooking this for years. It's one of the few things our picky nieces will actually eat so I "think" we started cooking this one of the weekends they came over. Regardless, it's cheap, easy and delicious.

Totally my kind of meal.

INGREDIENTS:
2 eggs

2 T water

4-6 chicken breasts
Seasoning (salt, black pepper, red pepper, garlic powder)
Panko bread crumbs
Olive oil

1 jar spaghetti sauce (we like Prego)
Mozzarella cheese, grated

Parmesan cheese, grated

Pasta (we used thin spaghetti)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk eggs with water in shallow dish. Set aside.

Season chicken to your liking. Dip each breast in the egg mixture then dredge in bread crumbs till well coated. Set aside until all breasts are coated.

Heat olive oil in skillet on stove. Set a wire cooling rack inside a half sheet pan to prepare for baking.

Brown chicken in the skillet, 2 breasts at a time for 2-3 minutes on each side. Chicken will not be cooked all the way through. Set on top of your cooling rack contraption. Repeat for each breast.

Top each breast with 2 T sauce and 1 T of each cheese. Bake for 10 minutes.

Heat the remainder of the sauce in a saucepan. Season to your liking. Serve over pasta.

VERDICT:
I could eat this chicken for days. It is soooo tender and the Panko is soooo good and crunchy.

This should seriously take the place of any chicken parmesan recipe you already have.

Seriously.

SOURCE:

Mr. ShoeFanatic

Grilled Shrimp Soft Tacos

There has been a whole lot of hoopla regarding this recipe among a group of girlfriends. Christen, the creator, has a pretty fancy schmancy blog with some pretty yummy looking meals. So I trust her judgment in the kitchen. Plus I love shrimp and we all know about my love for Mexican food so this was really a win-win situation for me.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

Marinade (below)

Tortillas

1 avocado, sliced

Sour cream

Shredded cheese

Lettuce

Homemade Salsa

MARINADE:

1 envelope McCormick's Baja Citrus Marinade

1 T water

2 T tequila

juice of 1/2 lime

2 T apple cider vinegar

Whisk envelope of marinade, water, tequila, lime juice and vinegar together in a bowl. Add shrimp and coat evenly. Transfer marinade and shrimp to a ziploc bag (I find it coats better). Keep refrigerated until ready to put on the grill.

Preheat grill to 400 degrees. Place shrimp on skewers (easy way) or directly on grates (lazy way) and grill for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side.

Make tacos using toppings of your choice.

Mr. ShoeFanatic thinks the cheese picture is "dressed down." I think it's super yummy looking so I put it anyway.

VERDICT:

Oh this was good. Very, very good. That marinade is freaking amazing. And Mr. ShoeFanatic's homemade salsa was better than most restaurants. It went very well with all the other ingredients.

Make this soon. Very, very soon.

Thanks, Christen!

ETA: We also tried this with grilled chicken and it was equally as good.

SERVED WITH:

Homemade Salsa & Chips

SOURCE:

Cooking With Christen

Chicken Fettuccini

Many moons ago...

Ok, not really. More like 3 years ago, Mr. ShoeFanatic and I had our first date. But he didn't make this. He grilled steak and shrimp for me and pretended to like wine. Good times...

However, a week into our relationship he did make this meal for me and it might have sealed the deal. No, not that deal. Dirty minds!

He made this for me and it was sooo good that it still remains to be my favorite dish that he cooks. This is most definitely not healthy for you AT ALL. But it's very good and we don't have it often.

Ingredients:
4-6 chicken breasts
Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish Magic Seasoning Blend
1 c cream
1 c FF half & half
3 T butter
2 c parmesan cheese, grated
White pepper
Nutmeg, freshly grated
Pasta

Season chicken with redfish seasoning to your liking. Grill until thoroughly cooked, about 5 minutes per side. We did ours on the gas grill but you can do it inside as well.

Once chicken is cooked, set aside and start making sauce.

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Then add the cream and half & half. Bring this yumminess to a light simmer. Stir in parmesan cheese and add nutmeg and white pepper to taste. Simmer until sauce is at desired consistency.

Serve over noodles.

We usually add mushrooms and it's that much tastier.

Verdict:
I feel I should let you all know that Mr. ShoeFanatic usually does not use FF half & half, but because I have decided that I need to lose some unwanted honeymoon weight, he decided to go for it. And I actually like it better. The sauce is normally very thick and rich but this time it was just a little bit thinner and almost tasted...light. I mean, it wasn't light (at all) but it wasn't nearly as rich either. And the chicken (as always) was amazingly moist, tender and flavorful. Good job, honey!

Source:
Mr. ShoeFanatic

Cheesy Chicken Rice

SO...

We were supposed to have chicken enchiladas last night. But around 3pm I realized that I didn't have any enchilada sauce or refried beans. The beans I could of managed without but not the enchilada sauce. I hate going to the store for just 1 or 2 things so I made an executive decision that we would have quesadillas instead.

SO...

Got home and started preparing for said quesadillas. Everything was ready to go. I went in the fridge for my tortillas. And only found one. Crap.

I have seriously got to get it together. How in the world did I let that little fact go unseen? Anyway, the Hungry Husband needed to be fed so I made do with what I had.

Ingredients:

1 box Old El Paso Spanish Rice

5 chicken breasts

Seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika)

Leftover veggies from Chicken Fajitas

Sour Cream

Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese

Prepare Spanish Rice as directed.

While that's cooking, season your chicken to your liking and grill for approximately 7 minutes on each side. Or until it's cooked all the way through. Slice chicken into bite size pieces.

Dice up your veggies into bite size pieces. Heat up either in a skillet or the microwave.

In your bowl, put a layer of rice, some veggies, some chicken and sprinkle cheese on top. Microwave to melt the cheese. Put a dallop of sour cream on top of that.

Bam.

Verdict:

While it wasn't what we expected to have it really was very good. It was kind of like a naked burrito. I think Mr. ShoeFanatic even liked it. I would actually cook this again even though I think he does prefer the enchiladas.

Source:

Me

Chicken Fajitas

I swear some days I think we are part Mexican since we have Mexican food at least once a week. I L-O-V-E love these fajitas. Mr. ShoeFanatic cooks the veggies in a cast iron pan on the grill and they are just a little crunchy. And then they make their own juice that is so freaking good...I'm salivating as I type this.

You should make this tonight.

Stop reading and go to the store.

Now!

Ingredients:
4-6 chicken breasts
Seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt)

tortillas
4-6 bell peppers, sliced into strips
1-3 onions, sliced into strips
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
shredded cheese
sour cream (optional)

Chicken:
Season chicken with first 5 seasoning ingredients. Grill on each side for approximately 7 minutes or until it is cooked all the way through. When it is done, sliced it into thin strips.

Veggies:
Put your bell peppers, onions and mushrooms in a cast iron skillet on the grill. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Toss with tongs to make sure they are all seasoned.

Cook veggies for 15-20 minutes or until they are at your desired doneness. We like ours with just a little bit of crunch to them.

Heat tortillas in the microwave for approximately 30 seconds between 2 damp paper towels.

To Assemble the Perfect Fajita the ShoeFanatic Way:
1. Take a tortilla and spread a thin layer of sour cream on it
2. Put a strip of chicken down the center
3. Put a strip of veggies down the center (I like a lot of veggies)
4. Sprinkle with cheese
5. Fold together
6. Inhale fajita and repeat as often as necessary.

Verdict:
Yep, these are still as good as I remember. The crunchy veggies are seriously the bomb dot come. There are really an infinite amount of possibilities with these. Squash, zucchini, carrots...the list goes on. And if that's not enough to convince you, they are super easy to make and clean up is a breeze.

Served With:
Margaritas
Mexican Rice (I am apparently losing my mind. I forgot to make this but I'm sure it would have been great.)

Source:
I guess Mr. ShoeFanatic but only because he has mastered those yummy peppers. Although if someone can tell me who actually invented fajitas, I will be mighty impressed.

Chicken Marsala

We always have chicken and mushrooms in our house. Always. So on one of his days off, Mr. ShoeFanatic decided he wanted to make something different and try his hand at making Chicken Marsala. Chicken is always good with me (and Mr. ShoeFanatic has a way of making it insanely tender) and I have a strange love for all things mushroom. I'm also never one to turn down a night where I don't have to cook. I fixed myself a glass of wine and proceded to watch his creation emerge.

Ingredients:
4-6 chicken breasts
Olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
~1 c flour to dredge chicken + 3 T for sauce
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 c marsala wine
2 c chicken broth
1 c half and half
Salt & Pepper to taste

Season chicken breasts with salt & pepper to your liking. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Heat olive oil in a skillet and brown chicken breasts on both sides. Once the chicken is browned, remove from skillet and set aside. Just brown the outside, do not worry if it's not cooked all the way through; you will cook it more later on.

To the skillet, add mushrooms and garlic; saute until they are soft. Add 3 T flour and cook for about one minute, constantly stirring the flour into mushroom mixture until well combined. Add marsala wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes; continuously stirring.

Add chicken broth and half and half and let simmer until sauce thickens. When you have reached your desired consistency, return chicken to skillet and cook for about 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked all the way through. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve over the pasta of your choice. We think linguini works best.

Verdict:
This recipe quickly made it into our monthly rotation. We crave it all the time! Whenever you make this (and you should do it soon), have some bread on hand so you can soak up all the yummy sauce that's left behind.

I think this would be fantastic with a crisp chardonnay like Rombauer's or V. Sattui (2 of our fav's).

Served With:
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Cantaloupe

Source:
Mr. ShoeFanatic

Duck Quesadillas with Blueberry & Raspberry Chipotle Sauce

This is so freaking good. If your husband is an avid sportsman like mine and/or you find yourself with lots of ducks in the freezer, you really must try this recipe. Smoked Duck Quesadillas is actually an entree at one of our favorite restaurants. This is by far one of our favorite meals.



Ingredients:
13 ducks, breasted
marinade (recipe below)
Butter
15 tortillas
1/2 bag shredded cheese (we used the Kraft Mexican blend)
Blueberry & Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (recipe below)
Sour cream

Directions:
Let your duck breasts marinate for at least a few hours. If you have time, do it all day or overnight; it will make it that much more flavorful and tender.

When you are ready to start cooking, preheat your grill. Grill the ducks for approximately 10 minutes or to your prefered doneness. They are small so it won't take long to cook.

Remove from grill. Take each duck breast and slice it in half (long-wise) and then into strips.

Get your pan warm and add a small pat of butter. Take a tortilla and put a spoonful of duck meat and a sprinkle of cheese. Fold over and grill on each side until cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve with sauce and sour cream.

Marinade:
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
*Seasoning (Smoked Paprika, Salt, Black Pepper, Cayenne, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a large container that has a lid.

*Mr. ShoeFanatic does not understand the concept of measuring seasonings. I would guess equal parts of each until (1/2 tsp?) and you can add more later if you need.

Blueberry & Raspberry Chipotle Sauce:
16 oz frozen blueberries
12 oz frozen raspberries
1 1/2 c sugar
1 c ketchup
1/4 c red wine vinegar
2 T Honey
5 T Cane Syrup (we use Steens)
5 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
2 T Smoked Paprika

Directions:
Heat all ingredients together. When berries start to breakdown, allow to cool a little and blend until smooth. I used a blender but a stick or immersion style would work also. After blending strain through a mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Heat until sauce is thick.

This ratio makes a LOT of sauce. I think we probably could cut it in half and have plenty.

Verdict:
It's like you can't stop eating this. You know you are full but you just can't stop! The duck is really tender and very flavorful. Although that sauce is what really makes it. I think this recipe could have some more variety to it. There's no reason you couldn't do veggies with the duck or mix up the sauce with different berries.

The very first time we had this, we drank a bottle of Lily Hill Estate Petite Sirah from Bella Winery in Healdsburg, CA. We visited them on our honeymoon and it was such a great winery. If you ever get a chance to go by there, definitely jump on it. They are on the smaller side but produce some amazing wines.

Served With:
Grilled Corn on the Cob
Mirassou Pinot Noir

Source:
Coyote Blues

Chicken Enchiladas

Mmm, we love Mexican food and enchiladas are one of our easy, "go to" meals when we don't know what else to make. They are so quick and easy it's ridiculous but my regular recipe was starting to get a bit...boring. This recipe is anything but boring.

Ingredients:
5 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
Seasoning (salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder)
Olive Oil
1/2 onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1 lg can enchilada sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Water
7 tortillas
1 can refried beans
2 bags of cheese (we used finely shredded Mexican blend)
Sour cream

Preheat oven to 375.

Season chicken with equal parts of each seasoning or to your liking. Cube and set aside. You can also cube first and then season in a bowl but I think it's easier to season them when they are whole.

Pour olive oil on the bottom of your pan; just enough to cover the bottom. Add onions and garlic and let saute; about 10 minutes.

While your onions and garlic are sauteing, pour the cans of enchilada sauce and mushroom soup in a bowl. Whisk together until there are no lumps.

When your garlic and onions are soft, add the raw chicken and some water (just a little so it doesn't burn) and let it cook thoroughly.

While your chicken is cooking place your tortillas between 2 damp paper towels on a plate and heat in the microwave for about 25 seconds. Get a 9x13 casserole dish and coat with nonstick spray. And open your can of refried beans and one bag of cheese.

Once your chicken is cooked, it's time to assemble! Take a spoonful of beans and spread them on a tortilla. Add another spoonful (or two) of chicken. Sprinkle cheese on the chicken and roll together. Place folded side down in the casserole dish. Repeat for the remainder of the tortillas. When they are all situated, pour the enchilada sauce mixture on top and the other bag of cheese. You probably don't need to use an entire bag but we like cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 3. Top with sour cream (or whatever topping you like).

Verdict:
This is the best freaking enchilada recipe ever. They are so creamy and we could not stop eating! It also went pretty far. We had this for dinner on a Monday night and then each took some for lunch the next 2 days. This will definitely be cooked again in the very near future (and I will provide pictures then)!

Served With:
Uncle Ben's Spanish Rice (not recommended)

Source:
Erica's Kitchen Adventures