enchiladas verdes with mexican rice

Let's break up all this Thanksgiving recap with a dinner you might actually want to make this week. How about it? I really can be helpful. I bet you were starting to doubt that, but I'm here today to prove you wrong. Try this one out. Your family will thank you for it. Or at least I sure hope so. Otherwise, I'm going to feel really bad. My guys liked it. In fact, my daughter and I ate it for leftovers at least 3 different times. (That's a lot for us. We usually tire of things much quicker than that.)

And this rice was awesome. From this point on, anytime I make a Mexican-inspired main dish, this rice will serve as it's accompaniment.

Enchiladas Verdes
recipe from Taste of Home magazine

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 can chopped green chilies, drained
12 flour or corn tortillas (6 inch), your choice
1/4 cup canola oil

In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion, garlic and salt over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain if necessary. Stir in cheddar cheese; set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook and stir the soup, Velveeta, and milk over medium heat until cheese is melted. Stir in chilies.

If using corn tortillas, in a large skillet, fry tortillas, one at a time, in oil for 5 seconds on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Skip this step if you're using flour tortillas.

Place a scant 1/4 cup of meat mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over the top.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.


Mexican Rice
recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman
Serves 8

2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups rice
1 can Rotel
1 can petite diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
2 cups chicken broth (maybe a little more)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions and garlic, then cook for 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add rice. Stir constantly, making sure the rice doesn't burn. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes.

Add Rotel and tomatoes. Stir to combine and let cook for 2 minutes.

Finally, add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until rice is done. Add more liquid as needed; rice shouldn't be sticky. I left the rice with a bit of a bite still to it, al dente, if you will, and we loved it like that.

Just before serving, sprinkle freshly chopped cilantro over the top.

braised short ribs and creamy polenta

When we have mixed feelings about a dish, I usually find myself at a loss for words. So today I'll start with the recipes, then I just might have a little something to say.

Braised Short Ribs
recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman

Serves 4

8 beef short ribs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 slices bacon
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 cups red wine
2 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried rosemary

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Salt and pepper ribs then dredge them in the flour. Set ribs aside.

In a dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy and all the fat is rendered. Remove bacon and set aside.

Add vegetable oil to the bacon grease and raise heat to high. Brown ribs on all sides, then remove and set aside. Turn heat back down to medium.

Add the chopped onions and carrots to the dutch oven and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and then cook for 2 minutes.

Add beef broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Throw the bacon back in the pan. Add thyme and rosemary and stir. Then add the ribs to the liquid. They should be almost completely submerged.

Put on the lid to the dutch oven and place in the oven. Cook for 2 hours then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and cook for an additional 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit for 20 minutes with the lid on before serving.


Creamy Polenta with Goat Cheese

4 1/2 cups water
1 scant cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
4 ounces goat cheese

Bring water to a boil.

Slowly add cornmeal to the water, whisking constantly as you pour.

Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, adding salt and extra water as needed if it looks to dry.

When finished cooking, stir in the butter and goat cheese until melted.

Serve with the braised short ribs on top.


These ribs are fall off the bone tender and very flavorful. We both really enjoyed them and the sauce they were cooked in. In fact, usually I'm not a fan of cooked carrots, but the ones submerged in this sauce for hours were spectacular. Truly. I think I would have been in love with this dish had I served mashed potatoes in place of the polenta. Oh polenta.

Not that you all wouldn't like it. You just might. It's different, something we're not quite used to, and I'm glad we tried it so we know what it takes like. But both me and Mr. Anderson wanted mashed potatoes. And I think my creamy, cheesy mashed potatoes would've brought those succulent ribs to another level. So if we have these ribs again, that's the plan. But I'm not saying you shouldn't try the polenta. If you're feeling adventurous, go for it. Just might surprise you.