Da Booty

I raided my in-laws herb garden last weekend and this was my booty:

In that glass there is:

basil

oregano

sage

parsley

mint

& chives

I had a plan for all of it...

First up:

Pasta with Garlic, Shrimp and Fresh Herbs

makes 4 servings

1lb pasta

1/2 lb shrimp, shells removed

3T olive oil

8-16 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 cups fresh herbs, chopped (I used all of them listed above, except for the sage)

1/2 t Kosher salt

black pepper

1-2 cups milk or heavy cream

1 lemon

Parmesan Cheese

Cook the pasta according to package directions, add the shrimp during the last two minutes of cooking time. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic until very lightly browned.

Return the pot of drained pasta to medium heat and add the garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. Add the milk or cream slowly and mix until a little sauce forms around the pasta. Taste and re-season if necessary (it will probably need a little more salt).

Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon and Parmesan on top.

~~~

#2:

Chicken Salad with Apple and Basil

from Real Simple

makes 4 servings

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 t Kosher salt

1 t black pepper

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (~2 limes)

1 T white wine or rice vinegar

2 T light brown sugar

4 scallions, thinly sliced

2 granny smith apples, diced

1/3 cup peanuts, roughly chopped

2 T fresh mint, thinly sliced

1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

Place the chicken in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1/2". Add 3 t of the salt and 1/2 t of the pepper and bring to gentle simmer. Cook until no trace of pink remains, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the lime juice, vinegar and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the scallions and apples and toss.

Drain the chicken and pat it dry. Dice the chicken and add it to the apple mixture along with the peanuts, mint basil and the remaining salt and pepper. Toss.

Serve with a hearty bread and a good cheddar cheese to make it a meal.

~~~

And last:

Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage

from Real Simple

makes 4 servings

1 24-oz package cheese ravioli

6 T unsalted butter

2 medium shallots, thinly sliced

16 fresh sage leaves (the leaves I had were huge, so I cut them into four pieces each, and counted 1 piece as 1 leaf)

1/4 t kosher salt

1/4 t black pepper

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the ravioli according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it foams. Add the shallots and cook until golden, 1-2 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium, add the sage and cook until the leaves get crispy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Return the cooked ravioli to the pot, add the butter mixture and toss gently. Add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan and toss again. Top each serving with the remaining Parmesan.

~~~

So, that was it for the herbs and 3 days was really pushing their shelf life in the fridge. This meal was born out of the need to use up some of the stack of corn tortillas that I had leftover from the Poblano Soup a couple of weeks back. I make another version of Enchilada Casserole but I wanted to try something new for this one. Also, I looked at a few different pans to use before I decided on this one. It was a little strange to bake the casserole in a loaf pan but it really ended up being the perfect size. This was very rich and a little heavy. I think if I make it again it will be when the weather is much cooler.

Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole

makes 4 servings

1 T vegetable oil

1 lb chicken, cut into bite sized pieces

1 can green chili enchilada sauce

1 can diced green chilies

1 8 oz. package cream cheese

10 corn tortillas

1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until no pink remains. Stir in the diced green chilies and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

Layer two corn tortillas in the bottom a loaf pan and top with 1/4 of the chicken mixture and a little bit of the enchilada sauce. Repeat three more times. Once you have used all of the chick mixture place two corn tortillas on top and cover with the remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle with the cheddar. Bake for ~15 minutes, until heated through and cheese is bubbling.

~~~

I have had this meal on the menu for three weeks now and kept not getting around to making it. The shrimp were frozen so they kept fine but I had to replace the zucchini and the lemon because I ended up using them in other things. It is so simple and really delicious, especially on a sweltering night.

Grilled Shrimp and Lemon Kebabs

modified from Real Simple

makes 2 servings

12 large shrimp, shells on, deveined

1 lemon, cut into small wedges

2 small zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and then cut into 1" thick slices

1 T olive oil

1/2 t kosher salt

8 skewers (if using bamboo soak them in water for 30 minutes)

Heat grill to medium. Thread the zucchini onto 4 skewers. Brush with the half of the oil and season with half of the salt. Grill turning once, until tender, 4-5 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, thread the shrimp and lemon wedges onto the 4 remaining skewers, alternating them. Brush with the remaining oil and season with the remaining salt. Grill, turning once, until the shrimp are cooked through. About 2 minutes per side.

~~~

I made this salad to have along with the kebabs above. I hadn't planned it but had all of the ingredients on hand and wanted to use the broccoli before it went bad. When I went over to my in-laws house later that night they had made the same thing. We compared notes and had pretty much come up with the same recipe.

Broccoli Salad

makes 2 servings

1 small head broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces

1/8 cup raisins (I used golden, or you could also use dried cranberries)

1/8 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/8 cup red onions, chopped

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 t white wine vinegar

1 t sugar

Combine the first five ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar and pour over the broccoli mixture. Stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

~~~

Jer and I are hitting the road this week, headed for the great Rocky Mountain West! The home of my childhood, my family and my heart. So, there will be a little hiatus here on This Week's Menu. We will be packing light on the way out so that we can load up on the things we love that we can't get out East. For Jer it will be Fat Tire and I will searching for a bushel of roasted green chilies! See you all in a few weeks!

~A

Capital H.O.T.

What a week!

Work was crazy, I was only in the office one day and all the others I was out in the field. It is exhausting work, measuring and documenting buildings. My co-worker and I decided it is because it is this slow, monotonous pace all day long, not enough to get your blood pumping. And... it was capital H.O.T!

On top of that, I am getting down to the wire on studying for my next exam (next Friday), Jer's Aunt was in town a couple of days, and we are planning a cross country road trip in two weeks. We also saw Julie & Julia. Loved it! Although I missed some of the side stories that filled out the book, but I understand why they needed to be edited, with Julie's being only half of the story in the movie.

To top off the craziness of the week we went to a filming of Deal Or No Deal yesterday. It was a riot. A friend of ours got some tickets and invited us along. It is not a show that I have ever really watched but it was fun to see in person. It is really high energy and you have to ham it up big time for the camera. At the end of the filming of the actual game we had to stick around and film a bunch of audience reactions, laughing, cheering, gasping... It got a little tiring by the end but it was fun to do something different.

Because of the long days, cooking was the last priority this week so the meals are not the most exciting, but they're simple and good. Sometimes the best kind of all!

~~~

You want to know a secret to saving money big time at the grocery store and cutting tons of unwanted fat, calories, sodium and other junk from your diet? Stick to the perimeter of the store. It is as simple as that. The perimeter has all of the "whole" foods if you will. The food that is in it's most natural state. And the center isles (with some exceptions) have the all of the packaged and processed foods. I can't say I always avoid these items all together but I do my best to cook from the "whole" ingredients to avoid the "junk" and save money. And you know what else? It tastes a lot better too!

This is my recipe for taco seasoning. I love that in this picture I can actually identify all of the different herbs and spices that went into it. And I love that when I make my own I can control the spiciness level. I like some heat for sure but the nose running, brow sweating kind? Not so much, and I find that the pre-made mixes are either too bland or too hot, never just right.

Taco Seasoning

This makes enough for about 6 pounds of meat, use ~2 T per pound (or to taste). Keep the rest in an airtight container in the pantry.

6 T chili powder

1 1/2t garlic powder

1 1/2 t onion powder

3/4 t red pepper flakes (or 1/4 t cayenne pepper)

1 1/2 t oregano

1 T paprika

3 T cumin

2 T Kosher salt

2 T black pepper

Put all of the ingredients in a jar or a container with a lid and shake, shake, shake...

~~~

We had a roasted chicken on Sunday (which I was too lazy to take a picture of) and we had the leftovers in a couple of meals throughout the week. For these tacos I roughly chopped the chicken and put it in a skillet over medium high heat with the seasoning from above and a little water. As it heats it is easy to shred up while you stir it.

1. Shredded Chicken Tacos

~~~

I bought this pork and pineapple for an entirely different dish but when I was reading the recipe it was way to time consuming for me to handle this week so I reverted to this old favorite because I had everything I needed on hand.

2. Chili Rubbed Pork Kebabs with Pineapple Salsa

from Real Simple

makes 4 servings

1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut lengthwise into 16 strips

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1 T fresh lime juice

1/4 t black pepper

2 T olive oil

1 3/4 t Kosher salt

3 t chili powder

4 boneless pork loin chops, cut into 1" cubes

Heat grill to medium-high. Skewer the pineapple strips and grill for 2 minutes per side. Cut into a small dice and combine with the jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, pepper, 1 T of the oil and 3/4 t of the salt. Set aside.

Combine the chili powder and remaining 1 t salt in a large bowl. Add the pork and the remaining 1 T oil and toss to coat. Thread the pork onto skewers. Grill the kebabs, turning every 2 minutes, until cooked through, about 8 minutes total.

~~~

We also had mashed potatoes with our roasted chicken on Sunday (which I was too lazy to take a picture of) and I planned to make these burritos with the leftovers. These were something I ate back in my vegetarian days (all of high school and college, I was an herbivore, my husband was a carnivore, and we met in the middle). They are a little plain but surprisingly good.

3. Potato Burritos

makes as many as you have ingredients for

mashed potatoes

green chilies, diced

Cheddar cheese, shredded

flour tortillas

Fill the tortillas with the goodies and heat. Um, that was easy.

~~~

I came home from work on Monday with a killer headache and went strait to bed for two hours. Jer whipped up this salad for me when I woke up with some of the left over chicken. What a sweetie, and not bad for a reformed carnivore, huh?

4. Chicken Cesar Salad

this one had:

Romaine lettuce

red onion

black olives

avocado

chicken

Parmesan cheese (?)

and Cesar dressing

Business Time

I am sitting here with nothing to say so I am just going to get right down to business. The menu this week has a couple of old favorites and a couple of new things. All in all it was a good week of eatin'!

Enjoy...

~~~

This is a combination of two different recipes for pork with apples. I like the pork from one and the apple slaw from the other. Cutting the apples into matchstick size pieces is made a lot easier if you have a mandolin slicer. If not it can take quite a while.

1. Pork Chops with Apple Slaw

modified from Real Simple

makes 4 servings

For the apple slaw: (I like to make this before I start the pork and keep it in the refrigerator while the pork is cooking.)

1/3 cup pine nuts

2 Granny Smith apples, cut into matchstick-size strips

1 T fresh lemon juice

2 celery stalks, chopped

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/2 t kosher salt

1/8 t black pepper

Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat, be careful not to let them burn, it can happen very quickly. Remove from heat and set aside. Place the apples in a large bowl and top with the lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. Stir in the celery, sour cream, parsley, salt, pepper and pine nuts. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the pork:

2 T all-purpose flour

1 t ground cumin

1 t kosher salt

1 t black pepper

4 medium size boneless pork chops OR one 1 1/2 - 2 lb. pork tenderloin cut into 1/2" thick slices

1 T vegetable oil

1 T butter

1/4 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 T white wine vinegar

2 T grainy mustard (optional, but delicious)

Mix together the flour, cumin, salt and pepper on a large plate. Lightly coat each piece of pork with the flour mixture and set aside. Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the pork in the skillet, sprinkle with the parsley, and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, mix together the broth and vinegar. When the pork is done remove it from the skillet and set aside. Pour the broth mixture into the skillet, stirring and scraping up any bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened.

Serve each piece of pork with a drizzle of pan sauce a dab of mustard and a side of the apple slaw.

~~~

I saw these on foodgawker a while back and put them in my favorites. I didn't get around to making them but did recommend them to a friend/co-worker and they loved them. That gave me the kick in the pants I needed to give them a try. Next time I would use fresh ginger in the sauce instead of ground but other than that they were delish!

2. Bacon-Wrapped Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

modified slightly from Our Best Bites

makes 4 servings

For the Teriyaki Sauce:

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/4 t fresh ginger, grated (or 1/2 t ground ginger)

1/4 t black pepper

1 T cornstarch

1 T cold water

Combine the first six ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Combine the cornstarch and water, set aside. When the sauce comes to a boil (it will happen pretty quickly) add the cornstarch mixture and stir until the sauce is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the skewers:

1 package chicken tenders, cut into bite sized pieces

1 package bacon (not thick-sliced), cut into thirds lengthwise

1 fresh pineapple, cut into chunks about the same size as the chicken pieces

If using bamboo skewers soak them in water before using so the don't burn on the grill. Wrap each piece of chicken with a piece of bacon and slide onto a skewer, follow with a piece of pineapple. Repeat three more times per skewer. place in a 9x13 baking dish

When all of the ingredients have been used up pour the Teriyaki sauce over them , reserving about 1/4 cup. Let them marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, no longer than 8.

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Place the skewers on the grill and baste with some of the reserved sauce. Cook about 7 minutes, flip, baste again and cook another 7 minutes.

~~~

I usually make these burgers with turkey but they didn't have any at my market this week so I went with the chicken instead. I could not even tell the difference. I love these once they are cooked but I am always a little doubtful while I am making them because the texture of ground poultry kind of grosses me out.

3. Chicken Burgers

modified from Real Simple

makes 4 servings

Recipe is here. Just swap out the turkey for the chicken.

~~~

When I made the calzones last week I had a lot of leftover ingredients, including half a package of yeast so I threw these together pretty quickly before I had even done my shopping for the week. They were dangerously close to being burned but luckily they I caught them just in time.

4. Personal Pizzas

There isn't really a recipe for these except for the dough which you can fine here. They were pretty typical: red sauce, pepperoni, black olives, green olives, onions and mozzarella cheese.

Making Bank

This week seemed to fly by and this weekend is the last one that we don't have anything planned until the middle of September. Yikes! I am excited for the upcoming "events" but I know being so busy is going to make the rest of the summer fly by. Good thing I like fall so much, it is going to be here before I know it!

I have a little rant to get off my chest here. Do any of you ever look at you grocery store receipts after you leave the store? I friend of mine told me a while back that she always gets charged for the wrong produce. I thought "always" might have been an exaggeration but the next time I shopped I took a look when I got home and sure enough I was mis-charged for at least 5 things! I went right back to the store and got it corrected. It only ended up being a couple of dollars at the most and that hardly makes it worth it to get back in the car and drive all the way back to the store but it is really the principle. I have started trying to watch the screen while they ring things up (at my market it is easy to see) and EVERY TIME I buy a loose yellow onion they charge me for a Vidalia onion which is more expensive. I am starting to think it is on purpose. I mean really, how is it possible that they would do it every time as a mistake? Last week it was a good thing Jer came with me to the store because I did not pay attention and when we left he made a comment about how the bill seemed a little expensive. When I thought about it I agreed and I pulled out the receipt. They had charged me for 2 1/2 POUNDS of jalapenos when I had bought just 1 jalapeno! It cost me nearly $10! I was pissed and headed back into the store to get it fixed. I know people make mistakes and I am certainly not immune, but this market alone is making BANK on all of these mistakes. It is crazy! Check your receipts people and don't let them get away with it!

Ahh, I feel better now :) On to the menu!

~~~

It was a hot night the night I decided to make this soup. The whole time I was thinking "What am I doing making soup when it is 85 degrees outside with about 90% humidity!?!" But really it ended up being a great meal for a hot evening. The subtle heat can actually having a cooling effect and the soup itself was not too rich or creamy. It was so delicious we both ended up eating two servings!

1. Poblano Soup

from SippitySup

makes 4 servings

2 6" corn tortillas

3 T flour

1/2 t chili powder

1 t ground cumin

1/2 t kosher salt

1/2 t black pepper

2 T vegetable oil

1 onion, diced

1 poblano pepper, seeds and membrane removed, diced

1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

4 T unsalted butter

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 ears corn, kernels removed from the cob

1/4 cup sour cream

Optional Toppings/ Add Ins:

Shredded Monteray Jack or Cheddar Cheese

avocado

shredded chicken

corn chips

Slice the tortillas into thin strips and place them in a food processor. Pulse until uniformly chopped. Add the flour, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Process until it is the consistency of cornmeal.

Heat oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, poblano, jalapeno and garlic. Lower heat to medium and cook until the onion is transparent, 6-8 minutes. Add the tortilla mixture and stir until well combined. Add the butter, let it melt and stir to form a roux like

paste. Cook 4-5 minutes stirring constantly. Do not let the mixture burn.

Slowly add the half of the broth and stir until the paste is well Incorporated. Add the remaining broth and raise the heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Add the corn, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the mixture to come to a simmer. Add the sour cream and cook for 10 minutes, do not let the soup boil.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with cheese and/or avocado and add shredded chicken if desired.

~~~

I bought a jar of sundried tomatoes a while back to make a quinoa salad but I never got around to actually making it, so last week when I noticed this recipe for a sundried tomato pesto over on 101 cookbooks I thought it looked like a good way to use them up. I modified it a bit because she called for dry tomatoes and I already had the oil packed ones. I enjoyed the meal and even Jer who HATES tomatoes ate all of his! The leftovers made a good lunch the next day too.

2. Ravioli with Sundried Tomato Pesto

modified from 101 Cookbooks

makes 4 servings

1 lb cheese raviolis

1 7.5 oz can sundried tomatoes, packed in olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1/4 t red pepper flakes

1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves removed from stem

1/8 t kosher salt

1/4 cup walnuts

3 handfuls baby spinach

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain, but reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, place the sundried tomatoes, garlic, red pepper, thyme and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it all comes together. Add the walnuts and pulse a few more times.

Combine 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water, about 2/3 of the pesto and the

ravioli in a large bowl. Toss gently to combine. Add more of the pasta water if it needs to be thinned out a little more. Add the remaining pesto if desired. Serve the ravioli over a bed of baby spinach.

~~~

So, this meal was a bit of a disaster. Notice the word omelets is in quotes above? That's because I failed at making them. In my most recent issue of Fine Cooking there are instructions for making a classic omelet. It was different from how I have always made them and I thought I would give this method a try. I had visions of a very elegant dinner of a simple cheese omelet and green salad on the side. Well it tasted pretty good but omelet it was not. The first one was already cooked solid on the bottom when I started to stir and the second one didn't seem to ever get fully cooked. I'm afraid I will have to forget the frustration before I try again, but I hope someday I will be able to turn out a "simple" omelet without a thought.

3. Cheese Omelets and Green Leaf Salad

from Fine Cooking

makes 1 serving

1/2 T unsalted butter

2 large eggs

1/8 t kosher salt

black pepper

1/4 cup loosely packed Gruyere

Melt the butter in an 8" nonstick skillet over medium heat.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the salt and couple grinds of pepper until the eggs are frothy. Pour the eggs into the skillet and let sit until the eggs are just beginning to set around the edges, 30-60 seconds.

Gently scramble with a silicone spatula while shaking the pan back and forth just until the eggs have set on the bottom but are still undercooked on top, 45-60 seconds. Turn off the heat and shake the pan to evenly distribute the eggs. Tap it once firmly on the stovetop (or on a heat proof cutting board if you have a glass stovetop like me) to smooth out the bottom.

Sprinkle the cheese down the center and run a spatula around the edge. Let sit for about 1 minute.

Fold a third of the omelet over the cheese. Shake the unfolded third of the omelet up the side and slightly out of the pan. Slide the omelet onto the plate while completing the final fold. It should be folded in three. Serve immediately.

If you are interested in seeing step by step photos of the process there are really great ones in August/September issue of Fine Cooking.

~~~

After I failed at the dinner above I guess I needed to redeem myself because I had an urge to bake something. I looked around the kitchen and had everything I needed to make these muffins. I made them once before to take on a ski trip and they were super good. You could use any kind of jelly you like. After I made them I really didn't want the entire batch around the house so I packed up most of them and brought them over to our friends' house.

Jelly Doughnut Muffins

modified from 1 Mix, 100 Muffins

make 12 muffins

For the muffins:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 T baking powder

1/8 t salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup milk

6 T vegetable oil

1 t vanilla extract

~4 T jelly, any flavor (I used raspberry)

For the topping:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup sugar

(I had some raspberry flavored creme brulee sugar that I mixed in with the regular sugar for a little something special.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the sugar.

Lightly beat the eggs in another bowl. Beat in the milk, oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.

Fill each muffin cup about 1/3 of the way and make a well in the center with a spoon. Add ~1 t of jelly and then top with the remaining batter.

Bake for ~15 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown and spring back when pressed lightly.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a shallow bowl and place the sugar in a second bowl. When the muffins are baked let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Dip the tops of the muffins in the butter and then in the sugar and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

I like these muffins best when they are really fresh and still a little warm but they will also keep in an air tight container for 3-4 days.

~~~

This was Jer's contribution to the menu this week. I made the dough with the same recipe I used for the pizza crust last week except I cut it in half. That made two large calzones. I ate half of mine for dinner and the other half for lunch the next day. The fun thing about calzones is you can put whatever you like inside. Mine had pizza sauce, hot Italian sausage (which I crumbled and cooked first), black olives, green olives, thinly sliced onions, red pepper flakes and Mozarella cheese. The method is pretty easy. Roll out the dough into a large oval. Spread the pizza sauce on half and top with whatever ingredients you like. Fold the bare half over the toppings and crimp tightly. Brush with olive oil and bake in a 450 degree oven for about 16 minutes.

4. Calzones

Find dough recipe here. This full recipe will make 4 large calzones. I cut it in half.

~~~

This is my favorite enchilada filling. Unfortunately, I didn't have any almonds and had to leave them out. Jer didn't mind, he said they are not his favorite part anyway but I really like them, they add a nice flavor and crunch. On the side I just made a Spanish rice from a mix and had some refried beans. I topped the whole plate with a little cheese and put it under the broiler for a few minutes to get everything all meltly. Mmmmm, melty.

5. Enchilada Dinner

modified from Cabbage Town Cafe Cookbook

makes filling for 4 large enchiladas

1/2 cup sliced almonds

3 T vegetable oil

2 green peppers diced

2 cups fresh or frozen corn

1 t ground cumin

1/2 t ground coriander

1/4 t cayenne

1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

1 can enchilada sauce

4 large tortillas

Toast the almonds in a dry skillet until lightly browned, be careful not to let them burn. Heat the oil in another skillet over high heat. Add the green pepper and cook until they are tender. Add the corn and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Add the spices and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Remove from heat and mix in the almonds and cheese.

Fill the tortillas and top with enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Heat under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.