Category: Dinners

Dinners

Recipe—Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Diva di Cucina

Mexican food is a staple in our household, we typically eat it at least twice a week. Yes, I am a total gringa that can cook up some mean Mexican food. Enchiladas are one of my husband’s absolute favorite meals that I prepare. An enchilada is typically a tortilla rolled around filling and topped with sauce. However, this recipe could easily be served as an enchilada casserole by layering the ingredients to save a few minutes. These are fairly time consuming to make, which is why I typically make them on the weekends. But they are ohhhhhh so worth it.

Note: This recipe makes 12–16 enchiladas when made with soft taco sized tortillas. If you are having a dinner party, then this recipe will be perfectly sized and affordable.  For my family this recipe makes enough for three meals and some leftovers. These enchiladas freeze incredibly well, so I typically split it up into three or more containers and freeze some of them. If you would like to freeze the enchiladas, I find that the foil containers you can buy at the supermarket are perfect. Some even come with lids. Best of all, they are disposable, which makes for an easy dinner, and even easier cleanup after a long day of work. (See frozen cooking instructions at the end of the recipe.) I like to seal mine up using my Food Saver bags. This really does help keep them fresh and I find that they last at least 6 months without getting freezer burn.

INGREDIENTS
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (7oz) can of diced green chilies
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
1 c green salsa
2 (28 oz) cans Las Palmas Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
12–16 soft taco sized tortillas
4 c grated cheddar cheese
2 (6 oz) cans sliced black olives
Sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo are all great as garnishes.

STEPS

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add chicken breasts.
  • Boil chicken breast for 20–25 minutes.
  • Remove chicken from pot and place on a large cutting board to cool.
  • Using a large fork shred the chicken breasts to pieces.
  • Preheat oven to 375º.
  • In a large skillet combine onions, garlic, and oil.
  • Sauté onions and garlic until soft, about 5–7 minutes.
  • Add in chilies, garlic powder, chili, cumin, salt and pepper, green salsa, and one cup of the green chile enchilada sauce.
  • Cook over medium-high heat until bubbling.
  • Add in shredded chicken breasts and heat through. If the chicken mixture still seems dry after stirring, add in additional green salsa or enchilada sauce until wet and saucy.
  • Remove skillet from heat.
  • Wrap tortillas in foil (6–8 tortillas in two packs) and place in oven just long enough to heat through. (I prefer to microwave my tortillas 4 at a time to expedite the process. If microwaving, just place tortillas between two paper towels and heat for 30–60 seconds.)
  • Pour some of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of your baking to dish(es) to evenly coat.
  • Lay tortillas out flat on an oversized cutting board.
  • Place a handful of cheese on the tortillas and sprinkle with sliced olives.
  • Top the cheese and olives with a handful of your chicken mixture.
  • Roll up the enchiladas and place seam side down in the baking dish. Continue rolling up enchiladas until you are out of chicken. (Be sure to save extra cheese and olives for the top of the enchiladas.)
  • Pour remaining enchilada sauce over your enchiladas and top with remaining cheese and sliced olives.
  • Bake in oven for 25 minutes. If cheese has not started to brown after that much time, turn on the boiler for a couple of minutes just to finish it off.
  • Remove from oven and allow to set for 5 minutes before serving.

Frozen cooking instructions: Preheat oven to 425º. Cover loosely with foil and place on a cookie sheet. Bake covered for 45–55 minutes or until cheese and sauce are bubbly. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until cheese just starts to brown on top.

Dinners, Sauces

Recipe—Beef Wellington with a Red Wine Mushroom Gravy

Diva di Cucina

Still trying to rack your brain about what you will be cooking up your sweetie for Valentine’s Day? If you’re looking for a meal sure to impress, search no further. Beef wellington is very elegant and full of flavor. This has become my favorite dinner for special occasions. It is certainly a little more time consuming to make, but it is relatively easy and well worth it. I was skeptical of the liver pate at first, but paired with mushrooms and fresh herbs, the flavor is rich and fabulous. If you have never had a “foodgasm,” this will certainly cause you to have your first.  My husband and I were moaning through the entire dinner when I made it for the first time.

Note: This dish can be made with individual beef filets if you are unable to find a small tenderloin roast. You can prepare the pastry wrapped meat a day ahead of time for an effortless meal.

BEEF INGREDIENTS
2–3 lb beef tenderloin roast
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
1/4 c butter
4 tbsp brandy
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
1 (4 ounce) can liver pate
2 green onions, chopped
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

RED WINE MUSHROOM GRAVY INGREDIENTS
1/4 c yellow onion, minced
6 large mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 c red wine
1 (10 1/2 oz) can beef broth
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

PASTRY INGREDIENTS
1 package Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets at room temperature
1 egg, beaten

BEEF STEPS

  • Rub roast with garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Melt butter in large skillet.
  • Sear the roast in skillet over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes on each side.
  • Pour brandy over the roast and be sure to evenly coat it. (Flame brandy if you are comfortable with doing so.)
  • Remove roast from pan and set aside uncovered.
  • In the same skillet, sauté chopped mushrooms for 4­–5 minutes and set aside. Allow mushrooms to cool for a few minutes.
  • Mix pate with cooled mushrooms, green onions, and parsley.

RED WINE MUSHROOM GRAVY STEPS

  • Over medium heat, sauté yellow onion and sliced mushrooms using the same skillet.
  • Stir in flour and gradually add wine, broth, and bay leaf.
  • Stir until sauce bubbles and is thickened.
  • Season with salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.

PASTRY STEPS

  • Roll out pastry sheet and spread your pate mixture evenly leaving a one-inch border around the edge.
  • Place the cooked roast at one end of the pastry sheet and roll away from you.
  • Fold in the ends of the pastry being sure that the entire roast is covered.
  • Place seam side down on a cookie sheet or in a Pyrex dish.
  • Using the second sheet of puff pastry, finish off your wrapped roast with decorative elements if you’d like. I recommend using a festive cookie cutter. This extra step yields impressive results. Dough can be attached using beaten egg.
  • Brush pastry with the beaten egg.
  • Bake at 425º for 20–25 minutes, or until pastry is browned.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Transfer to cutting board and allow to rest for 3–4 minutes.
  • Slice roast and serve.

Dinners

Recipe—Creamy Beef Stroganoff

Diva di Cucina

During the cold winter months I am a glutton for comfort foods. One of my favorite comfort foods is a big serving of rich and creamy beef stroganoff. Beef stroganoff is a traditional Russian dish typically made up of pieces of beef in a sour cream based sauce. I love that this recipe is not only delicious, but also really quick and easy. And what’s not appealing about a dinner that can be made in one pot? This makes after dinner dishes and cleanup a breeze. Beef stroganoff is filling and the leftovers are just as good as the night you made it.

Note: Be sure you use thinly sliced beef so that it doesn’t become tough.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
1 c chopped onion
2 c sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb beef sirloin steak, thinly sliced
2 tbsp flour
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 (14 1/2 oz) can beef broth
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp paprika
12 oz bag egg noodles, uncooked
1 1/2 c water
3/4 c sour cream

STEPS

  • Heat oil in large deep skillet or Dutch oven.
  • Sauté onion, mushrooms, and garlic until tender.
  • Add meat and cook until browned, stirring frequently.
  • Mix in flour.
  • Stir in peppers, beef broth, mustard, and paprika and bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Add noodles and water and again bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in sour cream and cook for an additional minute heating through.
Dinners, Sauces

Recipe—Baked Sea Scallops with a Mushroom Cream Sauce

Diva di Cucina

I am a lover of all things seafood. Whenever I see seared scallops on a cooking show my mouth starts to water. They always look perfectly seared, and of course the professional chefs make it look so easy. Being a fan of scallops, I wondered why I had yet to ever cook them myself. I think it is the fear of cooking such an elegant piece of meat and ruining it. Over the weekend I was feeling adventurous and thought I would finally give it a shot.

This recipe turned out to be so easy and it looked like something out of a fancy restaurant. The scallops just melt in your mouth. The rich sauce paired really nicely with the scallops. In fact the sauce was so good I think it would pair well with beef or chicken too. I served my scallops over couscous, but I’m sure it would go just as well with rice or pasta. This sophisticated dish is perfect for your next date night. Give it a try. You won’t be disappointed!

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 large shallot, finely chopped
10 small white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/2 c white wine
1/2 c chicken broth
1 c heavy cream
Dash of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
2 dashes hot sauce
14–20 large sea scallops, patted dry
1 c breadcrumbs (I use Texas Toast croutons coarsely crushed)
1/3 flat leaf parsley, chopped

STEPS

  • Place an empty baking dish in oven and preheat oven to 400º.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat and add the shallots and mushrooms, cook 5 minutes.
  • Add 2 tablespoons butter and flour to softened shallots and mushrooms and cook 1 minute then whisk in wine, reduce 30 seconds.
  • Add stock and bring to a bubble.
  • Stir in cream and heat through.
  • Season sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper, and a couple dashes hot sauce, and reduce heat to low.
  • Heat a skillet over high heat.
  • Season the scallops with salt and pepper and dress with 1 tbsp olive oil.
  • Sear the scallops to caramelize 1–1 1/2 minutes on each side.
  • Mix breadcrumbs with chopped parsley.
  • Transfer the seared scallops to the heated baking dish and cover them with sauce and your breadcrumb mixture.
  • Finish scallops in oven about 7–8 minutes until brown and bubbly.
Dinners, Sauces

Recipe—Beef Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic Horseradish Cream Sauce

Diva di Cucina

When it comes to Christmas dinner this girl loves her beef. Every year we either cook prime rib or beef tenderloin. This recipe calls for beef tenderloin but feel free to try the seasoning and sauce recipe with prime rib. Both turn out fantastic! I prepare this recipe every year and it has never disappointed. The roasted garlic horseradish sauce is spectacular! For lunch the next day spread some of the sauce on a roll with leftover meat and there will be fireworks in your mouth. Oh how I can’t wait for Christmas dinner and the leftovers that come with!

Note: I recommend making the sauce the night before so that it has time to chill and thicken. This large of a tenderloin will serve 12–16 people. Plan on 1/3–1/2 lb per person. Feel free to half the rub recipe and use a 3 lb tenderloin but be sure to adjust the cooking times. The temperature is really what you need to pay attention to.

ROASTED GARLIC HORSERADISH CREAM SAUCE INGREDIENTS
1 large head of garlic, left intact
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 c heavy cream
1/4 c drained bottled horseradish
1/8 tsp white pepper

STEPS

  • Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°.
  • Cut off and discard top fourth of garlic head and place on a large sheet of foil.
  • Drizzle exposed garlic with oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt.
  • Wrap the seasoned garlic head tightly in foil.
  • Roast garlic until tender, about 1 hour, then open foil and allow to cool.
  • While garlic is cooling, simmer the cream in a heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3/4 c, about 20–25 minutes, then transfer to a bowl.
  • Squeeze the garlic cloves into a small bowl, discarding skins, and mash together with horseradish, pepper, and the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt.
  • Stir the garlic mixture into the cream.
  • Chill until ready to use.

BEEF TENDERLOIN INGREDIENTS
1 (6 lb) beef tenderloin roast, tied
1 c cracked black pepper
4 tsp granulated beef bouillon
4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp olive oil

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 475°.
  • Pat tenderloin dry.
  • Stir together pepper, bouillon, salt, cornstarch, oregano, garlic powder, and paprika in a small bowl.
  • Rub oil over tenderloin, and then cover with seasoning mixture, rubbing it into meat.
  • Put tenderloin on a rack in the roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 425° and cook until thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 130° for medium rare, probably 50–60 minutes.
  • Let beef stand on rack in pan for 10 minutes before carving.
  • Cut beef into 1/4-inch thick slices and serve with the roasted garlic horseradish cream sauce.
Dinners

Recipe—Zucchini “Pasta” with Basil Cream Sauce

Diva di Cucina

In this recipe the zucchini replaces the noodle in what I would consider a flavorful spinoff of pasta alfredo. I have served it with just garlic bread but it also goes great with a grilled chicken breast for some added protein. The most time consuming part is slicing up the zucchini and carrots, once you get that done the meal comes together really quickly. To get a jumpstart on dinner cut up your vegetables the night before or in the morning and this dinner will take you less than 10 minutes.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 c chicken broth
1/2 c white wine (If not available substitute additional broth.)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 large carrot cut into julienne strips
2 large zucchini, cut into 1/8” strips
2 yellow squash, cut into 1/8” strips
1 tbsp fresh basil, minced
1/4 c parmesean cheese, grated
1/4 c mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 c half and half
salt and pepper to taste

STEPS

  • In a large skillet bring stock, wine, and cayenne pepper to a boil over high heat.
  • Add zucchini and carrot, cover and cook until tender, about 3–4 minutes.
  • Drain off most of the liquid.
  • Add remaining ingredients to skillet and toss together. 
  • Cook just until the half and half comes to a boil and the cheese is melted.
  • Garnish with a fresh basil sprig and serve immediately.