Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole

 Main Dishes  8 Responses »
Jun 222013
 

Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole | My Little Gourmet

These last days have been pretty hectic for us here. We went to a 4 day wedding, celebrated Arik’s 2nd birthday and my husband’s cell phone was stolen right from under his nose at his office. Even though we’ve been somewhat stressed I still wanted Arik’s day to be about him and filled with his favorite things. For breakfast he had some blueberry lemon whole-wheat pancakes, I baked him a strawberry roll cake (recipe to come soon) and for dinner I made one of his favorite meals, this enchilada casserole.

Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole | My Little Gourmet

The enchilada sauce can be easily made from scratch and that way you are able to control the spiciness. I’ve noticed that different chili powder brands have different amounts of spicy so I would start with just a 1/4 teaspoon and then increase after tasting. I usually end up keeping the casserole fairly mild and then add some chipotle hot sauce to mine at the end.  If you have a family of meatlovers, you could of course add some chicken or ground beef to keep them happy. Enjoy and happy birthday my sweet boy! Thank you for 2 amazing fun-filled years and here’s to many more to come!

Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole | My Little Gourmet

 

5.0 from 1 reviews
Enchilada Casserole
 
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Serves: 4-5
Ingredients
Enchilada Sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½-1 teaspoon chili powder depending on the spiciness of your powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 14oz/400g can of diced tomatoes, unsalted
  • ¼ cup/60 ml water
Filling:
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup/150g sour cream plus some for garnish
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup/250g frozen or canned corn kernels
  • 1 14oz/400g can black beans, drained
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2½ cups/ 250g shredded cheese, I used gouda, but cheddar or mexican blend would be great too
  • 6 corn or flour tortillas
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil up in a medium saucepan and saute onions for 4 minutes. Add garlic, salt, cumin and chili powder and saute another minute.
  2. Add honey, tomatoes and water and stir. Bring to a boil, cover, turn down heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Allow sauce to cool for 10 minutes, puree/blend, and set aside.
  4. While sauce is cooling, preheat oven to 350℉/175℃ and start to prepare filling.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together onion, garlic, cumin, salt, sour cream and egg.
  6. Stir in corn, beans, bell pepper, cilantro and 2 cups/200g of the cheese.
  7. To make the casserole pour ½ cup/125ml of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 7x11 baking dish. Cover with 2 corn tortillas, tearing them to fill in the empty spaces.
  8. Spread half of the veggie and cheese mixure on top of the tortillas and top with another ½ cup/125ml of sauce followed by 2 more tortillas.
  9. Spread the remaining mixture on top and top with the last 2 tortillas, sauce and cheese.
  10. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.
  11. Serve with sour cream and fresh cilantro on top.
Notes
*Prepared casserole can be frozen and then baked in a 350℉/175℃ oven for 45-50 minutes.

 
Recipe adapted from Weelicious. 
 Posted by at 22:11

Cheesy Tuna Pasta Bake

 Main Dishes  7 Responses »
Apr 262013
 

Cheesy Tuna Pasta Bake | My Little Gourmet

Since my kid is not too keen on spinach, I am always looking for ways to hide it. I’ve shared our green eggs and ham (his favorite way to eat spinach) with you guys and now I’ve come across this tuna casserole. This recipe not only intrigued me because of the spinach, but also because it doesn’t call for a can of Cream of So-and-So Soup, which is rare with tuna casserole recipes. The spinach is added to a self-made creamy cheese sauce and was eaten without any complaints, which doesn’t happen often when there is spinach involved.

Cheesy Tuna Pasta Bake | My Little Gourmet

The one thing that bothers me about this recipe is the amount of dishes you have to wash in the end. Unfortunately, it’s unavoidable, but you will see, it is well worth it. I end up just washing all of the pots while the casserole is baking in the oven, so once dinner is done and eaten, all I have to wash is the casserole dish. I know what you’re thinking…why is this lady giving me a play-by-play of her dish washing routine? To be honest, I don’t know why, and I’m done now. 🙂

Cheesy Tuna Pasta Bake | My Little Gourmet

The great thing about this casserole is that we always have enough left-overs for another meal and it freezes really well. So, other than the dish-washing, it really is a favorite in our home, and your kids will get their spinach and tuna all in one. Doesn’t get much better than that!

Cheesy Tuna Pasta Bake | My Little Gourmet

5.0 from 2 reviews
Cheesy Tuna Pasta Bake
 
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Serves: 5-6
Ingredients
  • 10oz./300g fusilli pasta
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ½ cup/120ml water
  • 14oz./400g canned chopped tomatoes
  • ½ teaspoon basil, dried
  • ½ teaspoon oregano, dried
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, fresh
  • 12oz./360g (2 cans) tuna in water, drained and flaked
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1¼ cups/300ml milk
  • 3oz./90g frozen or a few handfuls of fresh spinach, thawed, drained and chopped
  • ¾ cup/100g shredded cheese, we used gouda, but cheddar works great as well plus a few handfuls of cheese for the topping
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃.
  2. Boil the pasta just until al dente, drain and rinse off with cold water in order to keep it from over-cooking.
  3. Melt one tablespoon of butter in a large pot on medium heat. Add the garlic and ½ of the chopped onion and cook until soft. Add the bell pepper and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  4. Stir the cornstarch into the ½ cup of water until dissolved, then add it along with the chopped tomatoes to the onions. Bring to a boil.
  5. Then add the herbs and cook gently for about 5 minutes.
  6. Mix in the flaked tuna, heat through and season to taste.
  7. While the tomato sauce is cooking, melt the other tablespoon of butter in a medium pot, add the rest of the onion and cook until soft.
  8. Add the flour and continue to stir until well-mixed. Take the pot off of the heat and slowly add the milk continuing to stir. Place pot back on heat and allow to simmer under continuous stirring until sauce is thickened and smooth.
  9. Add the chopped spinach and stir until heated through or wilted (if using fresh).
  10. Remove from heat and stir in grated cheese.
  11. Mix the pasta and tomato sauce together and place in a greased oven-proof dish.
  12. Top with the spinach cheese sauce and sprinkle with some more grated cheese.
  13. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
 
Recipe adapted from Annabel Karmel 
 Posted by at 13:30

Stuffed Zucchini with Ham, Bell Pepper and Feta Cheese

 Main Dishes  4 Responses »
Jan 252013
 

Stuffed zucchini

If you look through my recipes you’ll most likely notice one common ingredient in a lot of them…CHEESE. I love cheese! The meatballs are filled with it, the tostadas are covered in it and the baked potato soup is topped with it; you see what I mean. Luckily my little man shares this adoration for cheese with me. So, to stay true to our love for cheese, I have now filled zucchinis with it.

Zucchini

We make these zucchinis a lot, especially when we have guests, and they are always enjoyed by all. You can easily prepare them before-hand so that you just have to stick them in the oven come dinnertime. If you don’t have any creme fraiche available it’s not a big deal; I’ve forgotten to add it before and it still tasted great…just a little less creamy. I usually serve them with a tomato or cucumber salad and some baguette. Enjoy!

Stuffed Zucchini

 

Stuffed Zucchini with Ham, Bell Pepper and Feta Cheese
 
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Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
  • 4 zucchini
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon oregano, dried
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 3.5 oz. cooked ham, cubed
  • 1 slice of sandwich bread (I use whole-wheat), cubed
  • 1 clove of garlic, pressed
  • 7-9 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon creme fraiche
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Wash zucchinis, halve lengthwise and scoop out the insides. Place the emptied zucchini halves in an oven-safe dish and set the scooped out meat to the side.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400℉/200℃.
  3. Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat and saute onions and oregano until soft. Add bell pepper and scooped-out zucchini and continue to saute for 3-4 minutes. Add ham and saute another 2 minutes.
  4. In the meantime, place the cubed bread and pressed garlic into a large bowl. Add the sauteed zucchini mixture, crumbled feta, and creme fraiche and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Fill the zucchini halves with the mixture and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until cheese has turned golden brown.

Recipe adapted from Skadel on Chefkoch

 Posted by at 13:26

Chicken and Vegetable Risotto

 Main Dishes  Comments Off on Chicken and Vegetable Risotto
Sep 282012
 

Chicken and Vegetable Risotto

This is one of our favorite meals because it is so flexible and easy for Arik to eat by himself.  You can toss in just about any vegetables you want.  I’ve been going with red bell pepper, zucchini and mushrooms since that seems to be the favorite right now, but just about anything will work (ie asparagus, peas, corn, green beans, eggplant, etc.) As far as the broth goes, you can go with chicken or vegetable.

I hope your kiddies will like this one as much as mine does!

Chicken and Vegetable Risotto

Chicken and Vegetable Risotto
 
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Serves: 4-5
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1 chopped garlic clove
  • 2 chicken breasts, cut to a size your baby can handle
  • 3¼ cups or 900 mL chicken or vegetable broth
  • Vegetables of your choosing (I used 1 zucchini and 1 red bell pepper)
  • 1½ cups or 300 grams risotto rice
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan. When the butter is melted add the onion and garlic, and fry until soft. Add the chicken and fry until the outside is white.
  2. Meanwhile, put the broth on to heat in a separate pan.
  3. Add the vegetables to the chicken, and fry gently for 3-4 minutes or until they start to soften.
  4. Add the rice and stir to make sure all of the grains are covered in oil/butter (add a little more oil or butter if necessary).
  5. Add the hot broth to the rice mixture, a ladle-ful at a time, stirring constantly, until each ladle-ful is absorbed. Simmer gently. Continue adding broth (you may not need to use all of it) stirring until the rice is plump but still has a "bite." The overall consistency should be creamy when done (this will take about 20 to 25 minutes).
  6. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese and black pepper, and serve.
 
Adapted from The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook
 
 Posted by at 22:15