Poblano Peppers stuffed with Black Beans and Couscous

You've seen poblano peppers stuffed with lots of cheese, and sometimes meat.  But how about a healthier version?  I had some leftover couscous, 3 poblano peppers, and a few other little items in the refrigeration, and within an hour I had dinner.  Let me show you how easy, feeds 3 to 6 people, (depending or whether it's a main dish or a side dish), and it's delicious.

You will need:
3 poblano peppers
1/4 cup diced onions
1 teas. minced garlic
2 teas. ground cumin
1 1/2 cups cooked couscous
1 cup black beans
1/4 cup crushed tomatoes
1 lime
3 Tabs. cilantro leaves
1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

Pre-heat the broiler, (low setting).  Wash, and slice the peppers in half.  Remove the seeds and membranes.  This is not a spicy dish, so don't worry about leaving a few seeds.

Arrange the peppers on a sheet pan, lined with parchment paper.  Broil both sides of the peppers until the skin begins to brown and the skin starts to blister.

Remove from broiler and allow to cool.

Over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon of oil.  Add the onion and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently until translucent and fragrant, (about 1 minute).

Make sure to add salt and pepper, about 1 teaspoon each.

Add the crushed tomatoes.

Add the couscous.

Add the ground cumin.

Drain, rinse and add the black beans.  Stir to combine.

Wash and cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice from 1/2 over the stuffing mixture.

Add in the cilantro.  Stir well  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Adding more salt and pepper to taste.  Continue cooking for another 3 or 4 minutes.

Divide the stuffing mixture between the pepper halves.

Top each stuffed pepper with cheese.

Return to broiler, (on highest setting), and broil for about 1 to 2 minutes, while cheese melts.  Watch carefully to avoid scorching.

Remove from oven and add a few fresh cilantro leaves on top.

Note:  Another delicious topping is to make a quick cilantro lime cream sauce:  In a blender add 1/2 cup sour cream, juice from remaining lime,  and 1 or 2 Tabs. cilantro leaves.  Blend until smooth.  Add salt to taste.  Drizzle over peppers.

And that quick you have great stuffed pepper.

I've made these several times for my family.  And they go very quickly.  It's healthier than all the cheese filled, deep fried traditional version.  But delicious.

Give these a try.

Enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

At our house, we love a good chicken enchilada soup, and a soup that's hearty and fast is even better.  This is my recipe for a very good chicken enchilada soup, and it makes a big pot of soup to feed the whole family.

You will need:
2 Tabs. oil
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 4-ounce can of diced green chilies
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded chicken
1 Tabs. fresh lime juice
1/2 teas. ground cumin
1 14-ounce can black beans
1 cup corn
2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese
plus items of choice for garnish: diced avocado, diced tomato, tortilla strips, sour cream, more cheese.

In a large, heavy pot, over medium-high heat, heat oil.  Add the onions and cook until translucent, (about 5 minutes).

Add the garlic and chopped cilantro.  Cook for another 1 - 2 minutes, make sure not to burn the garlic.

Add the chicken broth.

I am using my homemade broth.  You can use canned broth, or whatever type you choose.

Add the chopped chilies.

Add the chopped tomatoes.

I am using my canned tomatoes from my garden, but you can use canned tomatoes, (about a 14 ounce can).

Add the red enchilada sauce.

I am using a canned sauce, (for convenience), it is a 10-ounce size.  You can use homemade, (I usually make enchilada sauce).

Give everything a good stir.

Add a generous amount of black pepper (about 1 tablespoon).

 Add salt also, (about 1 tablespoon).

Stir again, and taste for seasoning.  Does it need a little more?  If so, add.  But don't overdo it.  We will be adding more later.

Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, with a lid on the pot.

Add the shredded chicken.

Add the corn.


You can use fresh or frozen corn.  I am using frozen corn from our garden.  Feel free to use whatever you have.

Drain and rinse the black beans.  Add the beans.

You can even cook dry beans, remove 1 1/2 cups of the beans, rinse them off and use them for the soup.

Add the ground cumin.

Add the fresh lime juice.

Stir well.  Taste for seasoning.  Does it need any additional salt or pepper?  If so add it now.  Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the shredded cheese.   Turn off the heat.

Your soup is now ready to serve.

Ladle it up in bowls and top with your favorite topping.

This summer, we discovered crispy roasted hatch chili chips.  Now, instead of tortilla chips, (or anything else), we add these to our chicken enchilada soup and our chili.  They are a delicious addition.  Add there's no heat to them.  If you can find them in your store, give them a try.  They are Fresh Gourmet Crispy Hatch Chilies.

A few chile chips on top and the bowl of soup is ready for supper.

Oh, Boy - does that every taste good.  And on a chilly fall evening, it's just the thing.

Give this recipe a try.  I think you'll enjoy it.


Enjoy!

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Sometimes you want a dish that's kid approved, easy, quick, and tasty.  If you have some leftover chicken - then this dish is the dish.  With a few ingredients, you can easily feed 6 to 8 people.

You will need:
1 can, (10.5 oz), cream of chicken soup
milk (1/2 of the empty can)
1 can, (4 oz), chilies, chopped
1/4 cup chopped black olives
2 cups shredded chicken
1 1/2 cup Mexican style, (or Jack blend) cheese
6 to 8 tortilla

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Lightly spray coat a 9 X 9 inch baking dish with baking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of the cheese, the can of cream of chicken soup, and 1/2 of the can filled with milk.  Stir well to combine.  Sit aside, this will become your sauce.

In another bowl, combine the shredded chicken, chopped chilies, chopped onions, and remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.  Mix well to incorporate.

Spoon a generous amount of the chicken mixture onto a tortilla shell, (about 1 or 2 tablespoons).

Roll up the tortilla shell, making sure to tuck in the filling.

Place the rolled filled tortilla into the sprayed baking dish, seam side down.

Continue until all the mixture and tortillas are used up.  Depending on how much filling you place in the tortillas, you will get 6 to 8 enchiladas.

Pour the cheesy sauce over the rolled tortillas.

Smooth out, making sure all the tortillas are covered well.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and nice and sauce is nice and smooth.

 Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Garnish as desired.  Tonight I am serving my enchiladas with my homemade refried beans, and a dollop of sour cream and some cilantro.

Notice how wonderful cheesy the inside is, as well as the outside.  The kids as well as adults love this, and it's a good way to use up leftover chicken.

Enjoy !

Green Chili Sauce

This year has been a very good year for my peppers.  In fact everyone I've talked to has remarked about how their peppers have done well.  And the farmer's markets are selling all kinds of peppers at very low prices this years.  My Anaheim peppers are very large, and the plants are very full.  We've been enjoying them in many dishes, and my freezer is full for this winter.  One dish we like to use the Anaheim peppers in, is a green chili sauce.  It's so simple, and uses very few ingredients.  Yet, once you make it - you can use it in many dishes.

You will need:
8 - 10 good sized Anaheim peppers
3 Tabs. olive oil
1/2 onion chopped
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken stock
3/4 teas salt

Preheat the broiler.  Wash and dry the peppers, then place them on a baking sheet.   Broil the peppers until they are nice and charred, turning them over after 5 minutes.

Note:  You can also roast the peppers on a grill outside.

 This is what your charred peppers will look like.

Next place the peppers inside a plastic bag, and close the bag.  Allow the peppers to cool, until you can handle them.  This will make peeling the peppers easier.

 Remove the outer skin, stem, seeds and membrane, (if you want your sauce to have some heat, leave a few seeds in).  Chop the peppers.

 Heat the olive oil in a small sauce pan, over medium heat.

 Add the onions and saute until softened.

Add the chopped chili peppers.

Add the minced garlic.

We love garlic, so I always add a little more.

Add the salt.

Add the chicken stock.

Note:  You can use homemade, or store bought stock.

Stir well, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.   Make sure to stir every so often so the sauce doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.

 You will notice the sauce is starting to thicken.

 After about 20 minutes, puree the sauce.

You can use an immersion blender, a food processor, or a blender.

Once the sauce is nice and smooth, it is ready to use.

You can use it for enchiladas, tacos, burritos, on pulled pork, fish, chicken, so many ways.

This will keep in the refrigerator easily, and you can freeze it for later use.

Tonight, I am using it over chicken.  I have one pound of chicken thighs that I seasoned and browned the outside.

I placed the chicken into a dutch over, covered the chicken with the green chili sauce, placed the lid on the pan, and baked it in the oven, (350 degrees), for 1 hour.

And I now have a delicious green chili chicken that we can eat with a couple of side dishes.  I can also shred the chicken and make tacos, enchiladas, or burritos.  And I have some sauce to spread over the top.

So, if you have a few peppers, and you're wondering what to do with them, give this green chili sauce a try.

Enjoy !