Recipe Redo: Avocado Enchiladas

Someone was looking for vegetarian Mexican recipes recently and I recommended these avocado enchiladas. Then I looked at the picture and cringed. I know enchiladas are hard to photograph but I knew I could do at least slightly better. We all love guacamole so I put these on the menu for the weekend.

These are basically guacamole-stuffed tortillas topped with homemade enchilada sauce and cheese. Nothing wrong with that. My guacamole recipe is below but you can prepare it however you would normally. I don't add garlic or jalapeno, but some people like that. Whatever you do, make the homemade enchilada sauce. It's a very simple recipe and I love the spice and tang from the chipotle in adobo. It's the perfect compliment to the creamy avocado.

I froze the leftovers in individual portions and can't wait to pull out one of those parcels for a quick lunch or dinner.

Avocado Enchiladas
Modified from ...But where do you get your protein?

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 small canned chipotle chile in adobo
3/4 cup water
4 ripe avocados, sliced in half, pit removed and flesh scooped out
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Lemon juice, to taste
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
Salt and black pepper to taste
8 fajita-size flour tortillas
8oz grated sharp Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Additional cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add flour and cook, whisking occasionally, 1 minute. Add broth, chili powder, chipotle, and 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer until lightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Spray a glass 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray. Mash the avocado in a bowl. Add the onion, cilantro, lemon juice, tomatoes, and salt and pepper. Mix together like you're making guacamole. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Lay one tortilla on a work surface. Spoon 1/8 the avocado mixture into each tortilla and roll them up. Place tortillas in the prepared baking dish and cover with the enchilada sauce. Sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with additional cilantro just before serving.

Black Bean, Avocado and Onion Quesadillas

I like to have one Mexican dish on the menu every week. Lately I've felt like we're eating too much meat so I was on the hunt for a vegetarian dish. My friend Jaida recommended these Black Bean and Avocado Quesadillas and I couldn't wait to try them.

One nice thing about cooking without meat is the prep time is substantially less. I was able to toast the tortillas while I mashed the beans and avocado and then it was simply a matter of assembling and baking to melt the cheese. I love easy dinners like that.

We all loved these. SP said he thought the beans were unnecessary but I liked the contrasting flavors. Plus the protein - beans are so good for you. I opted to add caramelized onions for flavor and to break up the monotony of mashed beans and avocado and it was the perfect addition. Delicious!

Black Bean & Avocado Quesadilla
Adapted from Sweet Beginnings, originally from Sing For Your Supper

1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
salt
cooking spray
4 burrito-size flour tortillas
1 can black beans, drained, rinsed and mashed
1 avocado, mashed
shredded cheese (mix of cheddar, monterey jack, etc)
lime wedges
sour cream for dipping

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter and olive oil together. Add the onion slices, season with salt and allow to cook slowly until they caramelize. This will take about 30 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid burning. The onions can be made ahead of time, allowed to cool and then refrigerated until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Place 1 tortilla at a time in the skillet, turning often to brown on both sides. Remove to a plate.

Place two of the tortillas side by side on a baking sheet lined with foil. Top each with half the mashed beans followed by half the mashed avocado. Add half the onions to each tortilla, then top with cheese. Place the other two tortillas on top.

Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted, then cut into triangles. Serve with lime wedges and sour cream for dipping.

Bacon, Brie, Lettuce, Avocado and Tomato (BBLAT) Sandwiches

::Putting on my flame-retardant suit::

I'm not a fan of BLTs.

There, I said it. The simplicity just doesn't do it for me. I need more than bacon, lettuce and tomato to make a sandwich. In my mind, those are toppings. Add them to a burger or chicken sandwich and I'm a happy camper. But on their own, meh. SP, on the other hand, loves BLTs.

I think I've mentioned before that we always do a what's for dinner post on my cooking board and one night someone said they were having bacon, Brie, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwiches - a gourmet twist on a traditional BLT. It sounded heavenly and a good way to compromise on dinner.

These sandwiches were amazing. I loved the Brie and avocado - both added a great creaminess to the sandwich. I still think a nice piece of chicken would have made these perfect but they were still great without it. I left the Brie off SP's sandwich (although Baby Girl insisted on having some on hers) and when I couldn't finish my sandwich he ate the last few bites of mine and decided he liked it better. Score!

The recipe below is really just an ingredient list since we all know how to make a sandwich. I can't wait to make these again the next time SP asks for BLTs.

Bacon, Brie, Lettuce, Avocado and Tomato Sandwiches
For two sandwiches

4 slices bread, toasted
Mayo
8 slices bacon, cooked to desired doneness
4oz Brie, sliced
2 Romaine leaves
1/2 avocado, sliced
4 slices tomato

Spread some mayo on all four slices of bread. Layer on the bacon, Brie, lettuce, avocado and tomato. Cut in half and serve.

Recipe Swap: Avocado and Cucumber Tartine

It's always fun to receive a new blog for the Blogger's Choice swaps. Obviously I'm familiar with Caroline's blog, The Barbee Housewife, since she's a member of my cooking board, but I haven't had a chance to really look through her blog. Since Caroline is relatively new to blogging I actually went through her entire blog to check out what she's made. I had a really hard time picking something to make - I actually made something for breakfast after seeing it on her blog, post to come soon - but in the end I needed something easy for lunch one day and this Avocado and Cucumber Tartine looked like it would fit the bill.

I bought a Portuguese roll from my supermarket the same day I made this for lunch, which I highly recommend. There's nothing like fresh-baked bread on a simple sandwich like this. Mincing the cucumber and mashing the avocado took about as long as my toaster oven took to toast the bread, which makes this a super fast lunch.

Holy yum, this is one amazing sandwich. Like cancel your lunch plans, go to the supermarket to purchase the ingredients and whip one up today amazing. You can't go wrong in my book when avocado is involved, but add a crispy baguette and tangy cucumber salad and you've got perfection on a plate. The creaminess of the avocado blended nicely with the tang from the rice vinegar and the nuttiness of the toasted sesame oil.

I'm already contemplating when I can make this sandwich again. So, so good. Thanks for sharing this one, Caroline!

Avocado and Cucumber Tartine
As seen on The Barbee Housewife, from Smitten Kitchen

1 6-inch baguette
1/2 cup cucumber, seeds removed, minced
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Salt and pepper
1 avocado, halved, pit removed
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Cut bread in half lengthwise and toast.

While the bread is toasting, combine the cucumbers, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and salt in a small bowl. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes. Mash the avocado in a separate bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Once the bread is toasted, spread the mashed avocado on each baguette half. Top with the cucumber salad, making sure to drizzle the liquid on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Tropical Chicken Quesadillas with Pineapple-Avocado Salsa

I've had this recipe for Tropical Chicken Quesadillas with Mango-Avocado Salsa printed out for awhile but I wasn't sold on the mango. Then I had leftover pineapple from these Island Burgers with Pineapple-Lime Salsa and realized I could sub the pineapple for the mango.

I left the hot pepper out of the salsa because I'm not that into spice. I also opted to cook the onion until caramelized and leave out the red pepper because I don't particularly like peppers. As I was getting ready to cook the chicken I noticed the leftover spice rub from the BBQ Spiced Pork Tenderloin sitting on the counter. I decided to use it and wow, what a great idea. The flavors from the rub were perfect on the chicken and went so well with the onions and cheese.

But the real winner was the salsa combined with the quesadillas. The pineapple was a great substitute for the mango and when I put a little salsa on the quesadilla it was the perfect combination of tang from the pineapple, creaminess of the avocado and a slight bite from the red onion.

I can't wait to make these again.

Tropical Chicken Quesadillas with Pineapple-Avocado Salsa
Adapted from Apple a Day

For the salsa:
1 1/2 cups diced pineapple, cut into quarters (juice reserved)
1/2 avocado, peeled and diced
1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup thinly slicked red onion
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the quesadillas:
2 boneless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground ginger powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoons crushed dried rosemary
2 teaspoons oil, divided
1 onion, thinly sliced
8 medium/soft taco size tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese
Cooking spray

To make the salsa, combine all ingredients in a nonreactive bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Marinate the chicken breasts in the reserved pineapple juice for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.

Combine the brown sugar through dried rosemary in a bowl. Mix well. Remove the chicken from the pineapple juice and sprinkle the dry rub on the chicken breasts, coating evenly.

Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 350 degrees. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet. Sauté chicken until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with tinfoil and put in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Cut into a small dice or shred.

While the chicken is cooking, heat the other teaspoon of oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the onions and saute until caramelized and brown, about 15 minutes.

Lay out four tortillas and assemble quesadillas in this order - cheese, onion, chicken, cheese. Top with remaining tortillas.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Lay quesadilla in the skillet and let cook until the bottom of the tortilla is golden and crispy. Flip and let cook until the other side is also golden and crispy and the cheese is melted. Repeat cooking process with remaining quesadillas. Serve immediately with salsa.

Recipe Swap: Island Burgers with Pineapple-Lime Salsa

It's time for another round of the Blogger's Choice Recipe Swap. I was excited when I received Coleen's blog, The Redheaded Baker, which recently went through a redesign and name change.

My game plan when I get a blog for these swaps is to figure out what ingredient or cuisine I want to make to help me narrow down the choices. I had already made my menu for the week and decided I wanted something using ground beef. As soon as this recipe for Island Burgers with Pineapple-Lime Salsa popped up I remembered printing it out when Coleen made it for the Sandwich/Burger Swap.

This was a messy but delicious burger. I didn't even bother making it for SP - he got a plain cheeseburger to dress however he wanted. It worked out well because my one pound of ground beef only yielded 3 burgers. The jerk seasoning added a wonderful flavor to the burger patties - I don't think I've ever had anything with that particular flavor profile before. The pineapple salsa was a great compliment to the burger but the chunks made it tough to eat - pieces were falling out left and right. It was worth it, though.

Thanks for a delicious burger, Coleen!

Island Burgers with Pineapple-Lime Salsa
As seen on The Redheaded Baker

For the salsa:
1/2 can diced pineapple, cut into smaller dice
2 tablespoons diced red onion
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 avocado

For the burgers:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
4 teaspoons jerk seasoning
Cooking spray
4 slices Cheddar cheese
4 burger rolls

Early the day of serving, or the day before, combine the pineapple, sweet onion, cilantro, pepper and lime juice in a medium bowl. Toss to combine. Let stand at room temperature for one hour, then cover and refrigerate.

Divide the beef into 4 portions and form into patties. Use your thumb to press an indentation in the center of each patty. Sprinkle the top half of each patty with 1/2 teaspoon jerk seasoning. Flip over and season the other side with another 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning.

Spray a heavy skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Add the burgers and cook for 6 minutes. Split the burger buns, and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.

Flip and cook another 6 minutes for medium-rare doneness and place baking sheet in oven to toast the burger buns.

Place one slice of cheese atop each burger and cover the skillet with a large pot lid to melt the cheese. While cheese is melting, dice the avocado, add it to the salsa, and gently toss to combine.
Place one patty on each roll and top with a spoonful or two of the salsa.

To see what the other swap participants made click the links below.

Black Bean Burgers with Avocado Basil Cream

I had two more Black Bean Burgers in the freezer and wanted an easy, no-fuss dinner for the end of the week. I had seen this Avocado Basil Cream on How Sweet It Is so I thought I'd give it a whirl.


Please forgive the photos. I thought I'd try my hand at those staging shots so many bloggers do with the ingredients and the finished product. I even edited both of these photos in PicMonkey, although I doubt you can tell. My photography is a work in progress, that's for sure.

Anyway, on to the cream. It was delicious but I did modify it a bit. I've been burned before by avocado creams that have way too much sour cream, so much that you can't taste the avocado anymore. I was worried that this recipe had too much and since I was only using half an avocado to begin with I decreased the sour cream substantially. I also added lemon juice because I felt it needed a little something to brighten and lighten it up. It was delicious paired with the black bean burgers.

A funny story - Baby Girl insists on helping me in the kitchen these days (not that I'm complaining, I love it) and I also want her to taste and smell the ingredients. I offered her avocado, which she declined, but as soon as I opened the sour cream she asked for a taste. I ended up spoon feeding her at least 1 tablespoon of sour cream before I cut her off. First lemons and now sour cream? The kid is weird.

Avocado Basil Cream
Modified from How Sweet It Is

1 tablespoon sour cream
1 avocado, chopped
10 medium basil leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
Lemon juice, to taste

Add sour cream, avocado, basil, a pinch of salt and pepper to a food processor, blending to combine. Once somewhat smooth, add lemon juice, blending a bit and then tasting. Keep tasting and seasoning until you're happy.