Crispy Baked Flautas

I'm always a little skeptical when a recipe is a healthy version of something I shamefully enjoy. I took a chance on it, and what do you know? It actually tastes good! Eric confirmed it (and he hates anything labeled "low fat"... each flauta is a little over 150 calories!).

I made the chicken and the spinach filling ahead of time and I just roll and bake when I'm ready to eat! I tweaked the original ingredients a little, but the great thing about this is that you really can fill the flautas with anything you want! 

Ingredients

-1 pound boneless, skinless Chicken breasts

-1 can chicken stock

-2 cups Water

-1 teaspoon Paprika

-1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

-1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

-1 teaspoon ground Cumin

-1 teaspoon Chili Powder

-2 tablespoon chopped jalepenos (I used the pickled kind)

-3 cups Baby Spinach, chopped

-5 burrito-size Flour Tortillas (9 inches)

-6 ounces Queso Quesadilla or other melting cheese, shredded

-1 tablespoon Olive Oil, or cooking spray

Directions

-Preheat the oven to 450*F.

-Put the chicken in a deep sided saute pan and cover with the beer and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the liquid and shred it. Mix together the chicken and seasonings.

-Pour out all but 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the jalapeno and spinach and cook over low heat until for 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.

-Cut the tortillas in half. Spoon 1/10th of the chicken (about 1 tablespoon) along the long edge of a tortilla. Repeat with the spinach and cheese. Roll the tortilla up, starting with the straight edge. Place seam-side down on an oiled baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

-Brush the flautas with olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn them over and bake for until 10 minutes, or until crispy (I baked for 7 mins on each side and it was plenty crispy). 

Serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole. Enjoy!!

Enchilada Casserole

Enchilada Casserole

I got this recipe from my brother and modified it to suit my taste.  It is a hefty dinner item and recipe makes enough for about 12-15 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 28 oz can of hot enchilada sauce
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 jalapeno with seeds and veins removed; finely diced
• 1 tbsp + 1 cup (for garnish) chopped cilantro
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 package of white corn tortillas
• 1 15.5 oz can of black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 15.25 oz can of corn drained
• 1 large brown onion diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper diced
•  1 large bag of shredded Kraft Mexican cheese
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp  garlic powder
• 1/2 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt 
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Cotija cheese for garnish

Directions

• Preheat oven at 325 degrees.
• Mix chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper into ground turkey and until mixed.
• Saute onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno until soft.  Set aside.
• Brown ground turkey until just cooked and remove from heat.  Mix turkey with sauteed onion and bell pepper with 1 tbsp cilantro.
• Mix tomato pasted and enchilada sauce and heat over medium heat until thoroughly mixed and just before mixture boils.
• In a dutch oven, add a ladle the enchilada mixture to the bottom.  Add a layer of corn tortillas, black beans, corn, turkey mixture, cheese, and enchilada mixture.  Repeat for about 5-7 layers.  
• Top final layer with corn tortillas ad cover with the remaining enchilada mixture covering all tortillas.  Top with a final of cheese.
• Put lid on dutch oven and put into oven.
• Bake for 1 hour and lower the temperature to 300 and bake for another hour.
• Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Cut into individual servings and top with cilantro and sprinkle with Cotija cheese.