Quesadilla Night!

Not too long ago i posted about a new recipe i found for enchiladas on Lesley's blog The M'ija Chronicles. Well i made them again this weekend. The weekend seems to be the only time i can really make some good Mexican food since it usually turns into an all-day affair. This time though i had enough leftover filling to make some quesadillas for tonight's dinner. And they were divine!! And so quick and easy to make -
1. just heat the flour tortilla on your comal, non-stick pan or griddle
2. add some cheese (your choice - monterrey jack, cheddar, oaxaca or combo)
3. add any other fillings - spinach, mushrooms, chicken or in this case the combination corn, poblano pepper and spinach filling.
4. add more cheese (i can never get enough cheese)
5. fold over your tortilla into a taco shape or you can add another tortilla on top and then slice into half or fourths

The combinations you can do are endless and nothing tops quite right like some fresh guacamole!

New twist on enchiladas...

The enchiladas I have made and eaten all my life here in Texas has always been the kind with loads of cheese, sometimes some chicken thrown in there or some chili. The other day I came across this recipe from Lesley on The M’ija Chronicles. Lesley had made hers with some local Mexican greens, spinach and a homemade tomato based enchilada sauce. They looked so good I had to try.


Now she suggested using Kale to substitute for the greens she used, but I used strictly spinach and as I’m not a big fan of Kale or Collard Greens. These came out fabulous and made for a healthy dinner. Not everything has to be smothered in cheese (although I do love cheese). Check out her full recipe through the link above. A slight warning, you will use a lot of pots and it’s not a quick 30 minutes to the table meal. That’s the thing with real Mexican cooking – it can take all afternoon and sometimes all day for a great tasting meal. These were worth it though….

Sunday's End

Today my oldest cooked dinner. i was surprised she had the energy as she went grocery shopping with me (saved $20 with coupons!), to Starbucks and Walgreens. But of course i had much more energy when i was her age than i do now.

So no asking, begging or prodding. Just in the mood i guess to cook and i wasn't going to turn down the offer. She whipped up a simple pasta dish with turkey, mascarpone, corn and parmesan. While she cooked my other two kids came into the kitchen and they all talked, teased and were actually jovial and enjoying each other's company. Usually they are arguing or stressed (understandably) and in no mood to do much talking.

The times we have had to be together for a meal have been so rare lately with all of us so busy - working, going to school and other activities. My kids (3) are 18, 23 and 26. They all live at home and will most likely remain at home until they marry (this is latino tradition). As they bantered i just listened and enjoyed this moment of family harmony.

It was just nice for everyone to be together for this hour or so. Then one by one, they all went off their separate ways for the evening. The oldest to see her boyfriend, my son to see his girlfriend and the youngest went to work. My husband was at his soccer game (i'm a soccer widow every sunday) and all was quiet for the evening.

It was a nice ending to a nice weekend. Hopefully the coming week can be just as good, I'll be enjoying the leftovers from her dish for tomorrow's lunch!