Easy Baked Cheesy Poblano Peppers – Chile Relleno

Mexican, Vegetarian

Hey guys! Anyone out there? I know it is a beautiful summer day, but if anyone out there is ready for some easy homemade Mexican food, please tune it! This recipe is super easy and delicious. Have you ever had a poblano pepper? In your nearby favorite Mexican restaurant, it is called a Chili Relleno. Basically, charred poblano peppers (slightly spicy, but just barely) stuffed with cheese and covered in a enchilada type tomato sauce and more cheese. I was thinking of my favorite Mexican place, Montery.

In any recipe on the Internet you find it fried and baked. This may be good and all, but not the same as my authentic Mexican restaurant. The Chile Relleno is not fried. The Chili Relleno is a perfect light vegetarian meal, despite all the cheese. I decided to try to create my own. This is a pretty amazing recipe… simplicity at its best. 3 ingredients- poblanos, mexican cheese blend, and enchilada sauce. You could shred and blend your own cheese mix. You could make your own enchilada sauce. You could, but then I could not call this “Easy…”

Easy Baked Cheesy Poblano Peppers

Ingredients

6-8 Poblano Peppers
1 large can Enchilada Sauce- I used Old El Paso, ya’ll…
1 large package of shredded mixed Mexican cheese… You know that blend in the grocery; don’t lie!

If you have a gas stove, char your peppers for a few minutes on each side. If not, roast them in your oven on 400 until charred- this will take longer, not going to lie.

Preheat your oven to 350

Place your roasted peppers in a zip top for 10 minutes. The peppers enclosed in the bag create a steam that will be helpful taking some of that skin off. In a few minutes rub the peppers around still in the closed bag with your fingers. If they are hot, use a towel or plastic gloves. I have no feeling left in my finger tips, so for me, I can use my bare hands. Open them up half way with a knife. Leave the tops in place. Take out the seeds and membranes.
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Take Corningware type dish that has been sprayed with kitchen spray. Pour a bit of your enchilada sauce on the bottom. Stuff your peppers and place in the pan. Cover with more sauce and cheese. Bake until fork tender, about 45 minutes. Serve with rice, beans, and a guacamole salad. I have found my new favorite Mexican dish to make at home! Don’t get me wrong, I will still go out to Montery. I love cooking their amazing dishes, but they can still do the dishes for me! I am still trying to perfect the homemade margarita.

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Copy Cat Monterey Chicken

Chicken

Evening friends! Tonight’s dinner was pretty delicious, if I do say so myself. I guess I always do that, huh? Well, this is a food blog afterall. It is and always will be about delicious tasting food! Tonight I recreated a dish that is at the popular dining institution Chili’s. There is a dish there called Montery Chicken. Basically, it is a chicken breast, covered with barbecue sauce ad topped with melted cheese and a bit of chopped bacon.

I thought I would try to make this at home for a controlled healthier dish. It was spot on! Full disclosure- I made this once before, but I totally forgot to add the bacon. It was still tasty, but just not what I had envisioned. Tonight it was spot on. I hope you guys get a chance to try this. Let me know what you think!

So cheap to make. I bought a bunch of chicken breasts on sale at Publix. I used the last bottle of Sticky Fingers (family favorite) bbq sauce, some bacon I got on sale at Publix (buy 2 get 1 free), and a few slices of Sargento mild cheddar cheese (also on sale). I served with a side of peas, mac and cheese, and salad for the adults. I just saved you guys like 8 bucks a plate! You are welcome!

Montery Chicken

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts- I butterfly them for a more even cooking temperature
Barbecue Sauce- varies- you are going to spread this on the top of the grilled chicken
4 strips bacon, cooked
3 pieces of mild cheddar (use what you have)
salt and pepper

Directions

Salt and pepper both sides of your chicken.
Grill your chicken. I used a cast iron grill pan.


Move your chicken to an oven safe pan (I used a corningware dish) that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Spread barbecue sauce liberally on top of each piece of chicken.

Add your cooked bacon on top. I cooked my bacon on the cast iron grill pan as soon as my chicken was done. Less dishes that way.


Add your cheese on top. Add to a 350 oven to melt all the cheese. The chicken should be moist and cooked perfectly through. Serve with your favorite sides. Maybe you would like browned skillet potatoes (small potatoes cut in half cooked in bacon fat with a bit of butter and garlic) and your favorite veggie.

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Spanish Eggs

Breakfast and Brunch, Eggs

Good morning! It is a beautiful morning here in Georgia! I usually wake up around 8-9 in the summer, depending on when the girls wake up. I am pretty lazy in the mornings. I sip a cup of coffee while I watch some TV or surf the Internet. This morning started the same as normal, but about halfway in to my coffee I really started getting hungry and knew I needed some subsistence. I plan on going to a yoga class later, so I needed to eat something that would give me energy but not weigh me down. I was thinking of making an egg dish, so I searched my fridge and pantry to see what I had. I spied some green olives, and can of diced tomatoes, and some sweet peppers and decided on Spanish theme. This was perfect. At the end, I decided to add 1/2 a sliced avocado. Perfection! I only added 2 eggs, but if you are serving this at a brunch or for more than one, you can add up to 4 for this medium cast iron pan. If you wanted to make more, just go up a size in your pan. Now I have some extra sauce that I can use later. Hmmm, I can think of a lot of possibilities!!!

Spanish Eggs

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
1/4 of a yellow and orange sweet peppers
handful of sliced mushrooms
1 can diced tomatoes
handful of green olives cut in half
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
2-4 eggs

Directions

Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium-low heat. Add the onions, garlic, peppers, and mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes just to soften them. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar, then bubble for 8-10 mins until thick.

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Using the back of a large spoon, make 2-4 dips in the sauce, then crack an egg into each one. Put a lid on the pan, then cook over a low heat for 6-8 mins, until the eggs are done to your liking. Top with sliced avocado and serve with crusty bread.

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Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna and Spaghetti Bolognese with Garlic Butter Rolls

Breads and Muffins, Pasta, Vegetarian

Dinner tonight was so fun to make. I love making different pasta sauces, and I adored this one. I decided at the last minute to add some sweet peppers to the mix; I love this addition to a marinara. It gives it an extra chunky and sweet component that added something different from the normal marinara.

I am the only one who likes eggplant in this family, but that never stops me from making what I want! When I saw a beautiful eggplant at the store, I just had to get it. I made a small pan of eggplant parmesan lasagna- no noodles. I used the eggplant disks as the pasta; this recipe can serve 4. I had one, saved one for lunch tomorrow, and gave the rest to my awesome neighbor along with a bunch of leftover pasta. Oh, and those garlic butter rolls? So good!!!

Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef (could use sausage, turkey, chicken)
1 onion, chopped or sliced
1 container of sliced mushrooms
1/4 each yellow and orange pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
A few good squirts of tomato paste
A few good glugs of your favorite red wine- I used Cabernet Sauvignon tonight
2 tablespoons of worcestershire
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 large can of tomato sauce
1 small can of diced tomatoes
Any fresh herbs, chopped- I added basil, sage, thyme, oregano, marjoram, and parsley. Use dried herbs if you don’t have fresh. I would even combine them if you need to.
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Take your ground beef. Add in a screaming hot pan. Cook until meat is browned. I used a cast iron skillet. Once done, drain any excess fat/grease. Place to the side.
In a large dutch oven, cook your onion in a bit of oil/butter combo (about 1 tablespoon each). Add the rest of the veggies. Add your tomato paste and stir. Add the wine and worcestershire. Cook down for about 10 minutes. Add the canned tomato ingredients, sugar, and fresh (or dried) herbs. After it cooks for about 25 minutes, separate half in another pan (this is to have one without meat for your veggie eggplant parmesan). Add your ground meat in one of the sauce pans. Cook all together for AT LEAST 30-45 minutes— The longer you cook it, the better. Add to your favorite pasta. I used whole wheat spaghetti. There are some really great whole wheat pastas out there now. Give them a try!

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Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna (vegetarian)

Ingredients-
1 large eggplant, sliced in medium slices
Salt and pepper
canola oil
flour

Directions

Cut your eggplant in medium slices. Salt and pepper both sides well and let sit for 15 minutes or more. This draws out the water a bit in the eggplant. Add a bit of oil or cooking spray on each side of the eggplant. Dip each side in flour. I did not go with the traditional dip with eggs and breadcrumbs; trying to make it semi healthy. Brown each side in a bit of canola oil.
Put a bit of your marinara sauce on the bottom of a small corningware dish. Layer the eggplant (like noodles in lasagna), marinara, and mozzarella cheese. Bake at 300 for 30 minute. I turned it on broil the last 5 minutes or so to get my cheese to brown. SO GOOD!!!

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Garlic Butter Rolls

Melt a stick of butter with 4 cloves of crushed and chopped garlic. Take ordinary yeast rolls (or whatever bread you have). Poke some holes in them with a fork. Brush the rolls with the garlic butter. Cook for about 5 minutes. Then baste them in the garlic butter again. Put back in on broil with your eggplant. Take out and baste again. Heaven!

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