Roasted Asparagus, Tomato, and Portobello Salad

About six months ago, we discovered the roasted asparagus, tomato, and portobello salad at Whole Foods and were instantly enamored. As a result, I was determined to recreate it at home. 

I studied the ingredient label, made a few estimations and adjustments, and ended up with a super easy and delicious side dish. It makes roughly six servings, so it is good for company or for leftovers.

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches asparagus tips
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes
• 6-7 portobello mushrooms
• 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 cup olive oil 
• [The Whole Foods version also includes what appears to be Italian seasoning. However, I'm not a huge Italian seasoning fan, so I leave it out. But you could add in a couple teaspoons if it floats your boat.]

First, cut the asparagus tips into halves or thirds depending on how long they are. 

Chop up the mushrooms. 

And add them to a big bowl with the tomatoes. 

 You could also cut the tomatoes in half. But I made this on a weeknight last time, and as I was about to start chopping them, all I could think was "ain't nobody got time for that." 

Next, add the seasoned salt...

Pepper...

Vinegar...

And olive oil...

Mix it all together. 

Spread it out onto a baking sheet. 

Cook at 350 for an hour or until all the veggies are nice and roasted. 

This is a super versatile dish that can be served alongside whatever you want. 

It was especially delectible with roasted pork tenderloin and cheesy polenta. 

So simple and so delicious. I love this stuff!

Chicken Enchiladas with Cilantro Cream Sauce

I love chicken enchiladas, and this is one of my favorite versions I have made at home (although Josh prefers more of a sour cream sauce). The sauce is adapted from this recipe I found on Pinterest, but you could also use the base chicken enchilada recipe with whatever sauce you prefer. 

Ingredients:

Enchiladas

• 3 chicken breasts
• 1 cup Mexican beer
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground garlic
• 10 tortillas
• 4 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (divided)

Sauce

• 2 cups chopped cilantro
• 4 cups half and half
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

There are several methods for cooking chicken to shred for enchiladas (and you could even buy a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken), but I prefer to cook mine in the crockpot. It is super easy, and I love using my crockpot.

First, put the chicken breasts in the bottom of the crockpot (I cooked four because I had an extra, and I saved the extra shredded chicken for my quesadilla-loving husband). 

Then get out a bottle of your favorite Mexican beer. 

You only need a cup, which leaves a little bit to enjoy while you are cooking :). 

Mix in the salt, cumin, and garlic. 

And pour the mixture over the chicken. 

I did this the night before (but you don't have to), so I could simply pull it out of the fridge and turn it on in the morning. 

**A note on preparing the crockpot meal the night before and sticking it in the fridge overnight: I was frustrated the first time I tried this because it wouldn't fit into the fridge with the top on (because the handle made it stick up too far), and I had to cover it with foil. Then I realized I could turn the lid upside down. Duh!**

Cook the chicken in the crockpot on low for eight hours. Once it is done, shred all the chicken and put into a bowl. 

Add two cups of the cooking liquid back into the chicken to keep it moist (Sorry...I hate that word, but it is really appropriate here).  

Butter your casserole dish. In this case, I used two smaller dishes...one to cook for dinner, and one to freeze for later. 

Fill the tortillas with the chicken mixture. 

And top the chicken with cheese. Remember to save some cheese for the top of the casserole (I used a little more than half the cheese inside the enchiladas and the rest on top). 

Roll them up and place seam side down in the casserole dish. 

Now it is time to make the sauce. Start by chopping up all the cilantro. 

Then whisk together the water and cornstarch. 

Add the half and half, salt, and cayenne to a pot. 

Add about a third of the water/cornstarch mixture to start. 

Simmer until thickened, adding more water/cornstarch mixture and stirring fairly frequently as it cooks. 

It should be thick enough once you can coat a spoon. 

Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro. 

Cover the enchiladas with the sauce and the remaining cheese. 

At this point, you could refrigerate or freeze the casseroles for baking later. When you are ready to bake them, cook at 350 for 30 minutes (longer if frozen). The cheese will be nice and bubbly, with some browned edges (my favorite part). You could even broil them for a couple minutes if you want the cheese even more browned.

Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!

Italian Beef Casserole

This casserole is adapted from a Southern Living recipe, and it is the definition of comfort food. It is one of Josh's favorite meals that I make, and it is also a great casserole to take to moms with new babies.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef

• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano

• 10 oz. can mild Rotel 
• 6 oz. can tomato paste

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

• 1/4 tsp. pepper

• 12 oz. uncooked medium-size egg noodles

• 6 green onions, chopped (both green and white parts)

• 8 oz. container sour cream

• 6 oz. cream cheese, softened
 (I know this is a weird amount, but 8 oz. is a bit too much)
• 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• 1.5 cups shredded parmesan cheese

• 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

The first step is to start boiling the water for the noodles. You want to time it all right so the noodles are warm for mixing with the cream cheese later. 

Then brown the ground beef and drain the grease. 

Add in the diced tomatoes, Rotel, and tomato paste.

And the salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper.

Stir it all together and simmer for at least five minutes.

Boil the noodles according to the package directions.

In a large bowl, add the cream cheese...

sour cream...

green onion...

and the hot noodles.

Mix together.

Put the noodle mixture in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan (or two 8x8 pans so you can give one away/freeze one for later).

Top evenly with the meat mixture.

Then add the cheese in the order listed. 

First add the cheddar. 

Then the parmesan.

And finally the mozzarella.

See what I mean about comfort food?

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until the casserole is heated through and the cheese on top is melted (you can also freeze the assembled casserole for up to a month, and bake the frozen casserole for 90 minutes or until heated through).

Uncover and broil for approximately four minutes (keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn).

The broiling step is very important because you get this nice browned-cheese crust.

Mmmmmmmm. It smells so good at this point.

Serve with a nice salad and some rolls/garlic bread, and you have a perfect meal.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!