Spicy Bean Enchilada Casserole and Homemade Enchilada Sauce

I like to make meatless meals every now and then, especially if it's good enough that Lo can't tell it's meatless (trickery, I know).  I cooked up a big bag of pinto beans and froze half of them.  The rest I used to make Spicy Bean Enchilada Casserole.  The recipe calls for refried beans, but I just made my own by sauteing pintos with seasonings (shakes of cayenne, chili powder, cumin, and chipotle seasonings), adding some water, and mashing them with a big spoon (I don't have a potato masher).  The recipe calls for black beans, but I just used the pintos that I cooked.  We really liked this meal.  Lo didn't know that it didn't contain meat until I told him.  He doesn't like it when I trick him, but he already said it was good so he couldn't take it back. 

Spicy Bean Enchilada Casserole
adapted from Once a Month Mom

Casseroles never look pretty...

• 1 can of red enchilada sauce (or see homemade recipe below)
• 12 ounces frozen whole kernel corn, thawed or microwaved until just cooked
• 16 ounces refried beans
• 12 soft corn tortillas (6 inch)
• 15 ounces black beans, drained, rinsed (I used pintos)
• 14.5 ounces petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 13×9-inch baking dish (or 2 8×8-inch) with cooking spray. Spread half of enchilada sauce in bottom of dish. Spread about half of refried beans on 6 tortillas. Place tortillas, bean-side up, over sauce in dish, overlapping to fit. Stir together remaining enchilada sauce, corn, black beans and undrained tomatoes in large bowl. Spread half of corn mixture over tortillas in dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Repeat layering with remaining refried beans and tortillas, corn mixture and remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake 35 minutes or until hot in center and bubbly around edges. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Freezing Directions: Prepare according to directions above except do not preheat oven and do not bake. Instead, once assembled, cover with foil and freeze. To serve: Thaw. Bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees or until hot in center and bubbly around edges. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into 8 pieces. 

 On to the sauce:

The enchilada sauce recipe makes 5 cups, I froze the remaining that Lo didn't use in the Enchilada Meatball recipe (which were also frozen).  This is a pretty spicy sauce, but we really liked it.  If you have a tender tongue, don't add any extra cayenne.

Enchilada Sauce
Tammy's Recipes

3 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water*
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup gluten free flour - I used Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour
Optional: Cayenne pepper added (to taste) at the end, if you like hot enchilada sauce

 

1. Place all ingredients into blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour into a 3- or 4-quart sauce pan. Or, place ingredients into a 4-quart sauce pan (no heat) and blend with an immersion stick blender until smooth.
2. Heat mixture in sauce pan over medium heat, whisking frequently, until mixture thickens and boils. Let boil for 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Cool. Taste, and whisk in some cayenne pepper if you want a hotter sauce.

*I had to add a little extra chicken broth, as it thickened a little too much.  Add extra to your preference.  

Tropical Irish Oatmeal Bake

Tropical Irish Oatmeal Bake

I made another version of irish oatmeal bake this week.  I wanted to make it "tropical" based, though I recognize that blueberries and cranberries aren't quite tropical.  I also added egg whites (I used Trader Joe's Egg Whites in a carton) to up the protein content.  I'm a little concerned I may be reacting to these oats, as they aren't certified gluten free, but I think I'll finish off the batch this week and then not make anymore.  Apparently over 50% of oats that aren't certified GF are contaminated, so there's a good chance.  I'm not positive whether I'm reacting to them for sure, but it's the only thing that I think has changed in the past week. 

Tropical Irish Oatmeal Bake

2 cups steel cut oats
3 cups milk (non-dairy is fine)
1 can of lite coconut milk
1 cup blueberries (mine were frozen
1 banana
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup pineapple chunks 
handful of dried fruit
1 t. baking powder
6 egg whites
2 T. maple syrup
1 t. vanilla

pinch of salt
1/4 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour 2 cups of boiling water over the oats and let soak for 10-20 minutes to soften.  Drain.  Stir together all ingredients and pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Bake for 50-60 minutes.  Allow to cool and portion into containers.  In the morning, I just pour a little milk over my oats and microwave for 30-45 seconds (I don't like my food very hot).

Cajun Cabbage and Beef

Cajun Cabbage Recipe
adapted from Taste of Home

Cajun Cabbage Recipe

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium red pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon each white, black and cayenne pepper
• 4 to 6 drops hot pepper sauce or sriracha
• shake of cajun seasoning
• 1 small head cabbage, chopped
• 1 cup shredded Colby cheese

In a skillet, cook the beef, green pepper, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, rice and seasonings. Spread into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with the cabbage and cheese. Cover and bake at 350° for 65-75 minutes or until the rice is tender. Serves 8.

Filling mix

After baking

Before baking