Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Celebrate the Harvest with Chile's

I mentioned in a post a while back that I love collecting recipes from people I've met and fallen in love with; I get to think about them when I cook the meal, and add fun an interesting meals to my repertoire.

As Halloween approaches, and the weather is thinking about turning blustery, here are two recipes from two fabulous women that will allow you to celebrate the changing season Southwest style! Both women are talented clinicians who provide therapy to survivors of sexual trauma at two different organizations in Tucson. I had the opportunity to work with both of them professionally and had the pleasure of getting to know them personally.

Michelle and I bonded while watching our two girls grow up with one another (2 months a part), and now will get to enjoy (from afar!) watching our sons grow up (let's say a month a part to be safe). And then there is Norma - Norma told me once to learn to be a little more "ghetto" and a little less serious at work. I love that woman!

Both ladies hail from the Southwest (New Mexico and Arizona) and make delicious food!

Here are their fabulous chile-laden recipes for you to try; and I hope that you do!

Michelle's Chile Rellenos

Heat oven to 350, spray/grease a 9x12 pan with Pam (I don't have any, so I use butter)

Needed:
26oz can whole green chiles
12oz can can milk- low fat or no fat
4 eggs
4 tablespoons flour
8 oz chedder cheese (just buy the pre-grated stuff to make your life easy)
8 oz jack cheese

What to do:
Beat eggs, milk and flour until smooth. Pour a small amount to cover the bottom of the pan. Layer cheese and chiles beginning and ending with the cheese. Pour the remaining mixture over the top. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes. Let it set for 5 minutes prior to serving.


Norma's Enchiladas


Heat oven to 350 degrees, bake for 15-20 minutes

Needed:
1 Family-size Cream of Chicken
1 small can Cream of Mushroom
Boil a small whole chicken, use as much meat in this recipe as you'd prefer. You'll dice the chicken once it's cooled a bit. Save the broth.
1 can of Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (Hatch, if they have this brand at your store)
Sour Cream, I think the more the merrier
Medium onion, chopped
8 oz mixed Mexican blend grated cheese
Corn tortillas (the small, soft shell kind) - please don't use Mission unless that's all your store carries. Try a local brand or something that isn't so chewy.
1/2 cup milk
Optional - diced green chile's (I say go for it!)

What to do:
Fry your tortillas in cooking oil, or not (This is such a Norma instruction!)


Mix in a separate bowl, cream of chicken and mushroom, diced chicken, milk and broth (start with a cup of broth until you have a consistency you like)

Layer in a baking dish the tortilla shells, onion, cheese and sour cream. Pour some of the chicken mixture above over each layer, ending with the chicken mixture.

Cook and enjoy - maybe with some Tomatillo Salsa and chips!

Cute girl with bonnet and flowers optional but highly recommended!!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Welcome to the Hood, and 2 other posts


I am way behind on posts, so will apologize now for the 3 separate posts today...just thought I'd get them in before things get a little hectic around here. So - be sure to scroll down and peruse the 2 posts prior to this one, which chronicles our adventures in the kitchen and a trip to Maymont.

Sam and I went on a walk to the local school which has a playground open to the public. It's been an incredible Fall here; warm-ish days, but a super cool and satisfying breeze. The leaves are changing colors, and that combined with super old neighborhoods make living here this time of year just perfect.

The monument above (Richmond is apparently known as the "City of Monuments") is of Abrose Powell Hill, a confederate "lieutenant general" during the Civil War and native Virginian; Sam learned that he is the only person who was actually buried under their monument in the city. A.P. Hill's remains/monument are at the center of a round-about at the major intersection in our neighborhood.

Here are a few photos I took of our neighborhood, the "Rosedale" community to and from our walk to the playground...and it wouldn't be a fitting photo collection without a picture of Ada's awesome hair taken at our destination. It's very difficult to capture the beauty of the neighborhoods here with our little camera, but that just means you have to come and take a look at them yourself! Enjoy!






Our street


Our neighbors


Our house

Our kid and her glorious hair

A new cook in the house

Caught by surprise in her snazzy apron and Quentin's hat.


Helping Dad butter our bread for dinner




Ada loves, loves, loves helping in the kitchen, which I know is good, but you have to be insane to cook with kids...and have lots of patience! :)

...it's all worth it when you get to lick the batter off of the spoon


...and show Dad what you have "tooking" in the oven.

An unplanned day

We spent an impromptu and lovely day with our good friends Mike and Sarah (Seerah...as Ada calls her) yesterday at Maymont http://www.maymont.org, minus Ada's ridiculous tantrum at the petting zoo that meant the end of our outing. Aside from that, Maymont offered us beautiful gardens, old buildings, a modest petting zoo and a still somewhat vague history. The gist I got was that the Dooley's lived in a nice, beautiful mansion and owned the grounds, then donated it to the City. Don't know much more than that, but I'm sure we'll learn. There is much more for us to explore there, so plan on a trip to Maymont if you come to visit us - it will take us a while to get to see it all.










Later "Seerah" and Mike came over and actually cooked us dinner (!!!!), and we watched our mutual Alma mater, University of Tennessee. I have no idea if they won or not, which should tell you how much I enjoy football and how little of it I was actually paying attention to. It was fun to hear a few renditions of "Rocky Top" though. Doesn't matter - I enjoyed our company and these delicious oatmeal raisin cookies that we made for dessert http://lisasnumnum.blogspot.com/2010/10/oatmeal-raisin-cookies.html.

Anyway, there it is folks - finally a picture of the big belly. Let's just say I was waiting for the right spot to take a picture of it - and Maymont seemed as good a place as any!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Dancing pants


Taking a break from tormenting the squirrels


Taking command of the neighborhood


Playing out back with Dad

Thanks Sarabeth for the snazzy Jayna hand-me-down. We love this dress!