Tuesday, February 15

Dinner for Real

Last week I asked if anyone would be interested in an ongoing series devoted to real dinners for everyday life. Lots of people said they would be interested. To be honest, I was surprised that there were so many people who share my difficulty in coming up with dinner ideas. I've always felt terribly deficient in the area of meal planning and execution, but maybe it's a more common hardship than I thought!

This series will be dedicated to sharing real recipes for real dinners for real people in real life. Nothing fancy, nothing prize-winning. . . but also nothing that hasn't been taste-tested by real people.


We'll start with one of our favorite kinds of food: Mexican.  I'm not sure that what we call "Mexican" is particularly authentic, but we like it--simple fare that's not too expensive.  Maybe it's more Tex-Mex than Mexican.  Or maybe it's just what we like since it usually involves meat and cheese.  Anyway, here's one of our favorites:  simple enchiladas.

You can cook meat specifically to use in enchiladas, but this also a great way to use up leftover chicken or beef.  We especially like chicken enchiladas, and I simply pull chicken apart with two forks to stuff the enchiladas.  Here's how to make them: 


Simple Enchiladas

First, spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour some canned or bottled enchilada sauce (I use store brand red sauce) into the pan.

In the microwave, warm some tortillas. We prefer flour tortillas, although I think corn tortillas are often preferred for enchiladas. Use whatever you like.

Wet the warm tortillas a bit with the enchilada sauce. That way they won't tear when you roll them.  (See how the tops and bottoms of the tortillas are cut off?  That's because my tortillas were a little too big for my baking pan!)



Place some of the chicken, a bit of the enchilada sauce, and some cheese inside each tortilla.  
Roll up.

Place rolled tortillas, seam side down, into prepared pan.  
Pour remainder of enchilada sauce across top of tortillas. Sprinkle with more cheese if you like (I always do).


Bake 30 minutes or more, until everything is hot and melty and yummy.



My kids love these, and I have to admit that I really like them, too. They're not fancy, but they taste really good. We like to have rice and beans with them, and my husband usually likes to have some salad as well.

Now, what do you think? Is this a recipe you think you could use? Do you have a recipe you'd like to contribute? I'd really like this series to be a collaborative effort. Would you like to write a guest post for this series? Or would you prefer that we do a recipe linky party? Please let me know! And may your dinnertime be blessed!

32 comments:

  1. Those look amazing. I am a huge fan of yummy Mexican food. Delicious!! I like this recipe b/c there aren't any extra complicated steps. Thanks for sharing. :)

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  2. Looks yummy! And easy. My two requirements for dinner selections!

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  3. Yum! I'd be up for a linky or a guest post for real recipes. I love to cook and see what others are cooking!

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  4. Thank you thank you thank you..I actually had some chicken out and was wondering just what to do with it when I read your post.

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  5. Another winner, Richella!

    By the way, we tried your pork tenderloin this weekend. Yummy! We'll definitely be doing that one again. My only mishap was setting the toothpicks on fire under the broiler.

    I probably won't link up with a recipe, but I can be a taste tester!

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  6. It's a recipe I could use. Like you say, real recipe for everyday life. I can almost taste the chicken!

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  7. This recipe DOES look good and one that I will try. Thanks!

    I like the idea of a linky party, please! :)

    Donna

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  8. Those look great! I'll have to try that sometime!
    Carla

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  9. Oh... Looks so good. I will be trying this one. I am not much of a cook, but love the crockpot way of cooking the chicken.
    I really like the idea of a linky party, I probably would not contribute, but would love to see what others are doing.

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  10. Richella this looks delish and easy. I'm half Mexican side so it's always one of my favorites.

    I think a link party would be great and nice to be able to click through the different recipes.

    Warmly, ~Melissa

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  11. This recipe looks wonderful! And easy to put together. Now that I'm working almost full time I need more of these recipes! Otherwise we may be eating cereal. Of course, if I were eating it in Paris..... :)

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  12. I'm so glad you loved the recipe, I got it from another blog too :) It's great to make a big batch then freeze for other meals later. I thought you were doing a linky? Hubby is out tonight so I'm not cooking but I can always link back up to old recipes (I have a cooking blog) ;) or repost about them and link up to your 'linky party' :)

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  13. that looks delicious! i could eat mexican every night. yes. every night!! i was htinking i might make this tonight... but we had tacos last night and while that is no problem for ME, there might be grumbling from the rest of the crowd!

    i think either a linky or guest post... you are so good!!

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  14. Thank you, Richella!
    I can smell the yumminess over here in South Carolina~
    This looks easy enough even for me!
    I know you are putting a lot of work into these posts and I appreciate it!
    I just wrote the ingredients on my shopping list--it's the 15th! Pay Day, shopping day.
    I appreciate you!
    ~me

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  15. Yum
    I like this idea of real food for real people way to go!!!

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  16. I love the idea . . . so much so that I give a recipe every Friday! Not sure I could do Tuesdays too, but I could link to what I did the week before. Make sense?

    Today's recipe looks yummy! I'm all about making real food that my family will actually EAT. :)

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  17. I think a linky party or guest posts would both be fun! I'm game!!

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  18. YUM! I could eat Mexican food every. single. day! I love it and these look wonderful! I don't make complicated stuff, so this rocks! YUM! Thanks for sharing!

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  19. This is something we would try!
    I probably would be able to participate in a linky at least sometimes (but maybe not every week). I'd be interested in be a guest poster, though, if you ever need one.

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  20. That looks so good, I love mexican food! I would love to participate in a linky, I am always looking for new recipes!

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  21. Richella, this is great. I was hoping for a crock-pot recipe and this is perfect. I don't know what a linky party is but would contribute some recipes.

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  22. This is my favorite meal! We call is Salsa Chicken and I do it in the crock pot. My favorite salsa to use is Wal-Mart's Black Bean and Corn salsa. I shred the chicken and we serve it over rice (or in tortillas) with cheese, sour cream, cilantro and avocado.

    By the way, I love this series. I need some for real dinner solutions...for real. : )

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  23. This looks so good! I love a recipe with few ingredients that produces a tasty product.

    I'd participate if you had a linky party and I'd also be willing to guest post. I've never been a guest poster for anyone, but I'd be willing to try.

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  24. Love this idea, Richella! My kids are on a tomato strike lately (grrrr), but I think it sounds divine. That's the beauty of everyone sharing recipes though, there's bound to be that will work (like the bacon tenderloin!) I would love to share one on here if you ever want me to...
    xo

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  25. Thanks for the enchilada recipe. It is a great example for a real meal. I would love to read other people's recipes because I have the same dilemma and could use some new ideas. I would contribute a recipe or two that I have that are easy and fast and just use regular ingredients.

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  26. These look really good! I've been trying to come up with different meals using chicken
    Thanks for sharing!

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  27. Yum, yum, YUM! It's going on my next menu plan. : ) And I'd love to guest post. I'll send you some links to look at. : )

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  28. i seriously just discovered this crock-pot chicken. so fast. so painless. so EASY. in fact it's what's for lazy dinner tonight.

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  29. Mexican: YUM! We eat a lot of Mexican-style dishes because they're so quick to make.
    I'd like to see a linky!

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  30. We love Mexican food and these look delicious!! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

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  31. I make this, too! I use 1 cup of my homemade salsa, 1 cup of frozen corn, and a can of black beans (or equal amounts of all 3), plus skinless chicken breasts (usually still frozen). Yummy!!! Easy, healthy, and versatile. We usually eat it like soup with toppings, or over rice, or in burritos. We eat lots of Mexican food in this house!!! Blessings!

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  32. I made these!!
    THEY rocked and were so stinkin' easy!
    Thought you'd like to know...
    They are also 6 points each with the new Weight Watchers Point Plus Program (which I am on).
    Have lost 4(.4) pounds.
    13 to go.
    Thank you for this recipe!
    YUMMO!

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