Food for the Masses

Did I mention that I row? I do. I LOVE it. It cracks my family up that I was never athletic as a kid but at the ripe age of 31 I finally found my sport. It’s great for me because it does not require me to be on my feet. Which, given my inclinations to skinned knees, twisted ankles and broken feet, is a very good thing.

This week was the Head of the Oklahoma Regatta and theOG&E Night Sprints. Shameless plug time: this is an amazing thing that the OKC Boathouse District puts on every fall. It’s family friendly and is really a terrific opportunity for the community to come out and see something very foreign to most Oklahomans. There are corporate races, collegiate races, masters races, everything. They have entertainment for the kids, food trucks, and a beer garden. You can get tours of the boathouses and even learn how to kayak from the US Kayak Team coach.

My team (pictured) was amazing this year. We’ve been practicing every Sunday afternoon for the last 3 months.  All ladies from work and I’m the only one who’d ever been in a racing boat before.  In celebration of the end of the season, I had the entire team (and spouses) over to my home last weekend for a Mexican Fiesta.  I love to cook and entertain and this was just the opportunity I’d been looking for to pull out my crock pots and get them warmed up for the Fall!

The only hitch was that I’d be at practice while everything needed to be cooking. Enter my wonderful friend Jake who came over and popped the enchiladas in the oven to bake while I was sweating away the calories out on the water.

Sadly, no pics of the deliciousness that was my ropa vieja, chicken enchiladas and Spanish rice…but I will share how they are made.  Be warned, I’m a “creative cook” and rarely use a recipe or adhere strictly to one. What is below are time tested, family/friend/boyfriend approved recipes that I’ve tweaked and made my own over the years.  Also, these “recipes” make a TON. Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas

3 chicken breasts

4-6 chicken thighs
1 can cream of chicken soup (you can use low sodium/fat/whatever you like)
1 can Rotel
1-2 cups Greek Yogurt (you can use sour cream here, but I like to use the yogurt as it accomplishes that you want without the fat and calories of the sour cream)
8 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
Salt/Pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves
½ onion finely chopped
Sliced jalapenos
20 flour tortillas

·         In a large pot place the chicken and cover with water. Add the two garlic cloves (smashed) and salt and pepper. Boil until cooked thru. I let mine cook about an hour which might be too long but with chicken I ALWAYS err on the side of too long rather than not long enough. Nobody wants Ecoli.

·         After the chicken is cooked remove it from the pot and allow to cool. You’ll have some nice chicken stock in the pot so reserve that for later.

·         Once the chicken is cooled shred it in a giant bowl (remember this makes a TON) then add the soup, rotel, yogurt, onion and 4 cups of the cheese. IF it seems a little dry, you can add some of your stock to it. I usually wind up using about a cup.  ***Because there is so much of this, I like to just use my hands to mix everything. It’s quicker and because you feel it… you know when everything is mixed well.

·         You’ll need to large lasagna/casserole dishes for the baking.

·         Lightly spray your lasagna dishes with cooking spray then begin scooping about a tablespoon and a half of the chicken mixture into each tortilla. Roll the tortilla and place it edges down into the dish. I like to place them all pretty snug so that they hold each other together.

·         Once they are all placed in the dishes, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and then top each one with a jalapeno slice.

·         Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 325 for about an hour.

·         These can be made early and frozen or just kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

 

Ropa Vieja (this is by far the easiest thing you’ll EVER make)

1 beef chuck roast (you can also use a pork roast but beef seems to be the crowd pleaser) I usually just get whatever size looks like it’s going to fit into my crock pot. IF you’ve got a small crock pot get a smaller roast. Be sure to get one with good marbling. This bad boy is going to cook at least 8 hours so it’s going to need a little fat in it.

2 – 12oz cans tomato sauce

1 largely diced onion
2 largely diced Anaheim peppers
1 jalapeno
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Bay leaves
1 Tbsp cumin (I really like cumin so I usually use a bit more in mine)
Salt/pepper

·         In the bottom of the crock pot put the onion, peppers, and jalapeno.

·         On top of all that put your roast and be sure to salt and pepper it really good.

·         Sprinkle the top of the roast with the garlic and cumin

·         Pour in the two cans of tomato sauce and add the Bay leaves to the sides.

·         Turn your crock pot on to High and let it cook for 4 hours then check it. You might need to add a little water if it’s looking dry. Then turn it down to LOW and cook for another 2 hours. ***You can also make this while you’re at work, just cook it on LOW all day (8hrs) and it should be fine.

·         After six hours it should pull apart with a fork. I leave it in the crock pot and try to pull out as much of the onions and peppers as I can before shredding it. But honestly it’s fine with those in there. You really only need to pull out the Bay Leaves.

·         Serve the shredded beef with corn tortillas like tacos OR it’s really great served over rice.

 

Spanish Rice

3 cups long grain rice

½ onion finely chopped
1 bell pepper finely chopped
1 – 12oz can tomato sauce
1 can Rotel
1 cup chicken stock
½  tsp cumin
1 Tbsp butter
Salt/pepper to taste

·         In a large sauce pan sauté the onion, green pepper and rice with the butter.  *** You really just want to kind of toast the rice.

·         Add the rest of the ingredients, stir and cook to the directions on the rice bag. ***usually about 45 minutes or until all the liquid has been soaked up by the rice.