Mexican Lasagna

A twist on an old favorite, this recipe for Mexican Lasagna layers enchilada sauce, corn tortillas, refried beans, vegetables, and cheese that reaches ooey gooey levels of deliciousness as it bakes in your oven. Enjoy it with some fresh cilantro or a dollop of guacamole and a glass of sangria (this one or this one would do nicely) for a dinner you won't soon forget!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce (jarred, canned, or homemade)
• 18-20 6-inch corn tortillas
• 1 can refried pinto beans, with or without chiles/jalapeños/salsa-style/etc. depending on your taste
• 1 can refried black beans, with or without chiles/jalapeños/salsa-style/etc. depending on your taste
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1-3 jalapeños, minced: Use one for a mild lasagna... more to add heat!
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cups shredded cheddar or "mexican blend" cheese
• cilantro or guacamole for garnish

To Make

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Blend the two cans of refried beans using a spoon or food processor. Add a little water if necessary to make them more spreadable.
3. Combine the tomatoes, jalapeños, and onions in a bowl.
4. Coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with enchilada sauce. 
5. Add a layer of tortillas.
6. For the next layer, spread half of the beans over the tortillas. 
7. Spoon half of your vegetables on top of the beans.
8. Sprinkle on a layer of cheese.
9. Add a second layer of tortillas. 
10. Coat the tortillas with more enchilada sauce. 
11. Spread the remaining beans on top of the sauce. It's okay if they blend a little bit.
12. Distribute the rest of the vegetables and another coating of cheese on top of the second bean layer.
13. Finish off with a final layer of tortillas, the rest of your sauce, and the last of the shredded cheese. 
14. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.
15. Allow the lasagna to set up for at least 10-15 minutes after removing from the oven to avoid a runny dinner plate.

Oven Roasted Chickpeas

Feel like a crunchy snack, but not in the mood to break out the chips and crackers? I love roasting chickpeas. There's a nice protein punch in this snack, and you get to customize your spices to boot!

Ingredients

• 1 15.5 ounce can of chickpeas
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• Your spices of choice (about 2-3 tsp total). Sky's the limit, so be creative and pick flavors you like. I like using:
• kosher salt and cayenne pepper
• garlic salt
• parsley and paprika

To Make

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Rinse chickpeas thoroughly, and allow to drain.
3. Spread the chickpeas out in one layer on a cookie sheet and bake for 20-40 minutes, until golden and crunchy.
4. While they're still warm, toss the chickpeas in the olive oil, then stir in your spices.

Cold Sesame Noodles

This dish is a warm-weather favorite in our house. The noodles get better and better over a few days in the 'fridge... if they last that long. Chili paste gives them a little zing, but they're truly not spicy as far as my palate is concerned. Serve 'em up with some freshly sliced cucumbers or sugar snap peas.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces Chinese egg noodles
• 2 TBSP peanut oil
• 3 TBSP dark/toasted sesame oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 TBSP freshly grated ginger (depending on how much you enjoy ginger)
• 2 scallions, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 TBSP reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tsp red chili paste- I've used Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce and had good results
• 2 TBSP brown sugar
• 3 TBSP rice vinegar
• 6 TBSP hot water
• 1.5 TBSP sesame seeds, toasted

To Make

1. Cook the noodles to al dente, according to package directions. When cooked, drain and rinse noodles until room temperature.
2. Put noodles in a large bowl, making sure that all of the water has been drained. Toss them in the sesame oil to keep them from sticking together.
3. Heat the peanut oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the scallions, garlic, ginger, and chili paste until soft. Stir in the brown sugar, peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, and water. Mix until the peanut butter is blended in and the sugar has dissolved. 
4. Toss your noodles in the peanut butter mixture and stir in the toasted sesame seeds. 
5. Chill for a few hours and serve.

Chili Pie

The start of football season coincides with the beginning of chili season in our home. It doesn't get better than crusty, homemade bread or freshly baked cornbread on the side. This recipe combines the two for a quick and easy dinner that makes a great meal whether you're having guests over, a casual game day, or a combination of the two. It's based on the recipe found in the 2002 edition of Practical Vegetarian Cookery. If you're lacking fresh tomatoes, corn, and dried beans, simply substitute one drained and rinsed can of each for the filling ingredients listed below.

Ingredients

For The Filling You'll Need...
- 1 TBSP vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bell peppers (one red, one green), seeded and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1-2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 1/2 cups corn
- 1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans
- 2 TBSP fresh cilantro, chopped + plus a little extra to garnish
- salt and pepper, to taste

For The Cornbread Topping You'll Need...
- 2/3 cup cornmeal
- 1 TBSP all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg, beaten
- 6 TBSP whole milk
- 1 TBSP vegetable oil
- 1 cup of your favorite sharp cheese, shredded

How To Cook It
1) Heat 1 TBSP of oil in a large skillet and gently fry the garlic, peppers, and celery for about five minutes until they're just softened.
2) Stir in the spices (salt, pepper, and chili pepper), tomatoes, corn, and beans. Bring all to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for ten minutes. Add the cilantro.
3) Spoon all into an ovenproof dish and set aside.
4) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
5) Mix the dry topping ingredients (cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt). Once well combined, add the egg, milk, and oil. Stir until just moistened.
6) Use a spatula to evenly cover your chili filling with the cornbread batter.
7) Bake the Chili Pie for about 30 minutes, or until golden and firm.
8) Garnish with cilantro and serve.

"Ever Changing" Chili

Most Fridays, I host a family-style dinner for our friends. It's so much fun cooking a good meal for folks who usually have to eat on the fly!

On the menu this week is freshly baked Broa (Portuguese Corn Bread) alongside my "Ever Changing" Chili. As you might expect, this chili is never the same twice. I don't always have the same beans, veggies, or spices in stock, so I use what I have. There have been times when I've made this dish using onion and garlic powder instead of the fresh stuff, and it still turns out just fine. I promise, you won't miss the meat!

Ingredients
- 4 cups dried kidney beans
- 1 cup dried black beans
- 1 cup brown rice
- 6 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 large head of garlic (Yes, the whole thing... I love garlic.), diced
- 2 poblano peppers, diced
- 1/8 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 TSBP chili powder
- 1 TBSP salt
- 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- 32+ ounces vegetable broth

How to Cook It
1) Put your beans in a large mixing bowl and soak in water overnight. Once soaked, rinse the beans and put them in a large crockpot.
2) Add the rice, tomatoes, brown sugar, cumin, chipotle chili powder, chili powder, and salt to the crockpot.
3) Heat up the olive oil in a medium to large pan and sauté your onion, garlic, and peppers until they just barely begin to brown.
4) Add the contents of your frying pan to the crockpot.
5) Using a large spoon, gently stir the ingredients together.
6) Pour at least 32 ounces of vegetable broth over the top of your mixture. There should be about an inch or so of liquid covering everything before you turn on the crockpot.
7) Time to cook your chili low and slow! Cover, and set your crockpot to cook on low for 8 hours.
8) Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
9) As the crockpot chugs along, you can add more broth if you prefer a soupier chili, or let things be if you like your chili on the thicker side.