Today I’m thrilled to be kicking off a new series called Reader Recipes. I’m constantly on the search for quick, easy meals that I can feel good about feeding my family. I figure each and every one of us has at least one go-to super simple, fairly healthy meal that we turn to on a busy evening that, you know, doesn’t come from the frozen-food aisle.
My hope is that, together, we can ease the madness that is the dinnertime rush, and find new ways to enjoy sitting down with our families for a delicious meal. (That’s right, I need YOUR recipes to succeed.) Don’t worry, I’ll be testing each one and adding my own notes to the chef’s. Because of course we need to be sure it’s idiot (aka Amy) proof!
It makes perfect sense that the first person I’m featuring is my friend, Domonique, of TheSimpleProof.com. She’s constantly posting gorgeous pictures of fabulous recipes and it takes everything I have in me not to invite myself—and my kids—over for dinner. So, of course, I asked her to dumb it down and give me her simplest of the simple. Here’s what she had to say:
This may possibly be one of my most simple family meals. It is definitely one of the few that EVERYONE enjoys. You can add it to the list of meals I make with either leftovers from a fresh roasted chicken or a rotisserie chicken you can pick up from the market on the way home. It is a simple weeknight version. Best of all, it takes me less than 10 minutes to prep and 20 minutes in the oven. Dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less. Who can argue with that?!
Ingredients
12 corn tortillas
12 oz. bag of shredded monterey jack cheese
1 can of refried black beans
2 15 oz. cans of mild green chile enchilada sauce
approximately 4 c. shredded chicken
optional sour cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 375º. In a large casserole, spray completely with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon enough sauce into the dish to completely coat the bottom of the pan. In two separate batches, place 6 tortillas in a thin cloth or dish towel. Moisten slightly and wrap loosely. Microwave the tortillas for 1 minute or depending on your microwave, until slightly soft. Heat black beans in microwave for 1 minute or until heated through and stir. Take your first tortilla, place it in the dish and fill it with black beans, chicken, cheese and a small spoonful of sauce. (You can also add sour cream here too.) Roll it up so that the seam is on the bottom. Continue to fill and roll the tortillas until all 12 are made. Pour more sauce on top of finished enchiladas to cover. Depending on how dry or wet you prefer you can add more or less. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered in the oven for about 20 minutes or until enchiladas become just slightly golden and the sauce is bubbling.
I like to serve these with a green salad for adults and yellow corn on the side for the kids.
So, was it a success for the least talented of chefs? YES! The Simple Proof’s Chicken Enchiladas received a 4-1/2 star rating from my family.
Little (and then later Pink, because, you know, copying) decided that he didn’t like the green sauce, but I could easily make him a sauce-less version in the microwave (thus, the half star). Yes, our whole family ate and enjoyed a meal together! Bonus? I’ve also made it for friends who loved it too.
Since I love gorgeous photography as much as the next gal, here’s Domonique’s shot:
Since I also like making people feel better about their own lack of artfulness at the dinner table—and everywhere else for that matter—here’s my finished product (note, I couldn’t make 12 tortillas fit because I used big ones…plus I needed some extras for the sauce-less version):
Huge thanks to Domonique for sharing her go-to meal which is now my go-to meal. Do you have a simple favorite? If so, I’d love to test it out and feature it here. Just comment on this post and I’ll reach out to you, or you can email it to usingourwords (at) yahoo (dot) com. I look forward to hearing from you!
Photos of Domonique, ingredients, and prep courtesy of The Simple Proof.
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