easy

delicious hatch green chile chicken casserole.

December 28, 2023 by Becky Spoon

Indulge in the irresistibly cheesy and creamy delight of this Hatch Green Chile Chicken Casserole. It epitomizes comforting goodness, utilizing simple ingredients and effortless preparation. Prepare to be amazed by its delectable taste. I devoured a whole casserole dish of this scrumptiousness within just two days, even enjoying it for breakfast. Truly, it is a culinary triumph.

Hatch Green chile chicken casserole

For this recipe you can either cook your chicken or buy rotisserie chicken. Canned Hatch green chile is typically found in the Mexican food section of stores, the brand 505 offers jarred green chile and they are found in the frozen section of many stores. Another option is to order them from a New Mexico store that ships them to your location. Personally, I order them annually. If you’re lucky, you might live near a store that roasts them for you during the season. Additionally, you will need cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup (or just one of them), corn tortillas, cheese, and chicken broth. Personally, I like to prepare my own stock and freeze it in plastic containers for later use.

I first tried New Mexico Green Chile Chicken Casserole in Las Cruces while my sister resided there, where it enjoys great popularity. I thoroughly enjoyed it when she prepared it, and I continue to make it myself! We prefer to use hatch green chile, and the spiciness of the dish can be adjusted based on whether you opt for mild, medium, or hot chile. I tend to combine medium and mild to get a little heat but not too much. I have tried some New Mexico Hatch chiles very hot.

I have used The Hatch Chile Store to purchase if we haven’t brought them home with us. Their link is: https://www.hatch-green-chile.com . HOWEVER, you can buy green chile in cans on or in the freezer section of your grocery store.

This is comfort food at its best. I like to serve it with pinto beans, https://the2spoons.com/pinto-beans-for-refried-beans/s: shredded lettuce and tomatoes, and some tortilla chips.

Hatch Green chile chicken casserole

I think you’ll add this recipe to your favorites! It’s creamy, spicy from Green Chile, luscious with the cheese and tortillas and hearty with the chicken! Enjoy!

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Casserole

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Total Time 55

Servings: 6 Servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 Onion, chopped
1 Can Cream of mushroom soup
1 Can Cream of chicken soup
2 Cups Hatch Green chile (if hot you may want to reduce the amount to 1 cup, then see how much more you want, I used 1 1/2 with hot chiles)
2 Cups Chicken broth
2-3 Cups Chopped or shredded chicken
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tsp Ground cumin
12 Corn tortillas
Grated cheddar for layering and topping
12-15 corn tortillas

Method

Combine the chopped onion, soups, green chiles, chicken stock and salt and pepper to taste in a saucepan. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the onions are soft. You don’t sauté the onions first. After the onions are soft add the chicken, stir to combine and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Get your casserole dish, sauce, cheese and tortillas together to start layering.
In a 9×11 casserole or pan put a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom. Top with 6 tortillas (they’ll overlap a little).
Top with a layer of sauce.
Add a layer of cheese, a little sauce, then top with 6 more tortillas.
Add the remaining sauce and cheese.
Cover with foil that you have sprayed or rubbed a little oil on so it won’t stick to your cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and cook about 10 minutes longer.
Serve with pinto beans or refried beans, Mexican rice or even a nice salad and tortilla chips.

the best beef stew over creamy polenta.

November 21, 2023 by Becky Spoon

Jump to Recipe

This beef stew over creamy polenta really is the best. I used short ribs that fell off the bone and their marbling just makes it delicious. The broth is rich mostly because of the short ribs. I use a chuck roast mostly which is very good too, but because I love short ribs so much it occurred to me that I should try this old fashioned beef stew I grew up with using short ribs. If you ever make a basic stew using short ribs, I think it will become your favorite.

Stew is the perfect comfort food in my opinion. I love it year around but especially when it’s cold. I love it with cornbread or just some really fresh saltines and of course big chunks of cheddar cheese. And, a favorite is over polenta. I remember growing up my Dad would make “polenta”. Seriously. It was before polenta was popular. We called it cornmeal mush. Anyway, we’d put the cornmeal mush or polenta in the bottom of the bowl, then add our beef stew! Amazingly Good! That is to this day a favorite way to eat beef stew.

No polenta, just the yummy stew with cornbread!

making the beef stew.

There’s a couple of steps in this recipe, but they are easy and make such a tremendous difference. I always use a well marbled chuck roast or in this instance I used short ribs. You actually could use a combination of oxtails and beef short ribs. I don’t use the stew meat you see in the store because it seems a little tough and it is really lean. You need the fat to make a delicious and rich broth.

I made the stew in the instant pot to save time in producing a very tender meat whether it is chuck roast or short ribs. Of course, you don’t have to make it in an Instant Pot; however, it will take some time to render the fat and to make a very tender ribs or roast, The ingredients and technique will remain the same without an Instant Pot.

My first step is to salt and pepper the short ribs or roast. If using a roast, I cut it into 1 inch cubes. I then brown them on both sides in a little oil on the normal sauté mode in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop in a heavy pan, medium to medium high. I saute in batches if I’m working with a large portion.

more instructions……

I then remove the meat from the pan and add a roughly choppd onion, carrots, celery and garlic. I cook stirring to release the bits from the bottom allowing the onions to become translucent I add the meat back in, the tomatoes , then I add the beef stock to cover the meat by about two inches, stirring to continue to deglaze the pan. I then add a bay leaf and I add one or two sprigs of fresh thyme. I secure the lid of the instant pot and set the Instant Pot for 35 to 45 minutes depending on the size.

At that point you can do a quick release or allow the Instant Pot to cool on it’s on. I check for salt and pepper and adjust. At this time I add additional carrots and potatoes because in the first cook I was building flavors and bringing the meat to fork tender so I just throw in a couple of carrots in for the flavor. Now I want lots of potatoes and carrots added and cooked until they are tender. I then set the instant pot to 10 minutes.

If you are cooking on your stovetop, cook follow the above steps and cook until the meat is tender. It make take 2 to 2 1/2 hours to become fork tender. At that point, check for seasoning, add the potatoes and carrots and cook until they are tender. Add your carrots about 5 to 10 minutes before potatoes, as it takes longer for carrots to get tender.

If you’re serving this without the polenta and want to serve it with cornbread, try my recipe for Southern Cornbread because it is no-fail (I think) and is delicious. Here’s the recipe for it: https://the2spoons.com/southern-cornbread/.

Another favorite to have with this stew is my Jalapeno Cornbread! It’s delicious. Loaded with jalapeno, creamed corn and cheddar cheese,s it is the perfect accompaniment so easy, the best jalapeno cornbread.

If you decide to make polenta, you can make it from cornmeal or you can buy polenta. I have purchased a coarse polenta and I’ve purchased an Instant polenta that seems finely ground. I have a hard time finding polenta in my area so if I order it online. This is what I ordered the last time: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DVIA9AE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. This is an Instant Polenta that is good and so fast to make. Because I was having the polenta with the stew I really didn’t want a parmesan cheese element so I just added salt, pepper and butter. So good.

Here’s the yummy recipe for this beef stew. Enjoy!

beef stew over creamy polenta.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

3 lbs Beef Short Ribs
Enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan
1 Lg onion, quartered
2 Carrots, quartered
2 Stalks Celery, diced
2 Cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes, crushed with your hands or diced tomatoes if you prefer
Beef broth to cover the beef by 2 inches above
2 Bay leaves
2 Tbsp Canola oil

Finishing the stew

4-6 Carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4-5 Baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks Add more depending on your potato size, you want lots of potatoes and carrots
Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

Instant Pot or other Pressure Cooker If not using a instant pot, I would use a Dutch oven or heavy pot.

Method

For the Short Ribs

Set your Instant Pot mode to sauté or if cooking on the cooktop, heat your pan to medium to medium high. While your pans are heating, salt and pepper the short ribs. Add the oil to your heated pan. Add the short ribs and sear on all sides. Remove and set aside.
Add the carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and bay leaves to the pot and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the back into the pot. Add your canned tomatoes to the pot. Add enough beef broth to cover the ribs by about 2 or 3 inches over.
Change the setting to the meat/stew mode and set for 45 minutes. When the 45 minutes has completed, quick release the steam. Check the doneness of the short ribs. They should be fork tender, falling off the bones.

To finish the Stew

Remove the short ribs from the pan. Remove the bone and cut the meat into large pieces if necessary. Set aside.
Add the potatoes and carrots to the broth and other ingredients. If using the pressure cook mode, set for 10 minutes. At the end of the 10 minutes, quick release the steam and check to see if your potatoes and carrots are tender. Stove top, add them to your pot and cook until tender.
Add your rib meat back in and adjust seasoning! Enjoy!

For the Polenta

Cook the polenta according to the package directions. Most recipes call for parmesan cheese. If you don't want the cheese just add salt, pepper and butter.

A Favorite in Mexico, Simple Entomatadas with Fried Eggs

October 26, 2023 by Becky Spoon

Jump to Recipe

Entomatadas are tortillas bathed in a tomato sauce! They are very popular in Oaxaca, Mexico for breakfast. They are served with eggs or a jerky like meat from that region. I made them for breakfast today and I had forgotten how delicious they are. Literally, I had them made in less than 30 minutes. You could make the sauce the day before, double the recipe and freeze so that next time it’s a matter of heating and softening the tortillas in hot oil and folding.

I have made these before from a Youtube video. This recipe is from one of the very many cookbooks I have on the foods of Mexico. This book is Oaxaca al Gusto, An Infinite Gastronomy by Diana Kennedy. This book won the James Beard Foundation book of the year in 2014. I’ve just started reading and I’m ready to cook from it since I have spent a lot of time in Oaxaca, Puebla, Tlaxcala and surrounding towns, Mexico City, Baja California, the Caribbean areas like Tulum and other areas like Guadalajara. Here’s the link for the book: https://amzn.to/3MdNfzG

Just look at how delicious this dish looks. They are very easy too.

This is what Diana Kennedy writes in her book about Entomatadas “Entomatadas, literally tortillas bathd in a tomato sauce, are a very popular breakfast dish in Oaxaca. They are either served alone, with eggs or with a piece of tasajo.” Sounds delicious, right? They are so good.

How to Make Entomatadas with Fried Eggs

To make heat a little of the oil in a skillet and fry the tortillas, one by one, lightly on both sides, they should not becove crisp around the edge. Drain on paper towels and proceed with frying the rest, adding more oil as necessary.

Then, dip the tortillas, one by one, into the hot tomato sauce, fold into four and place on a warm serving dish or on individual plates. Pour the remaining sauce over them and garnish with the onion, cheese and parsley. If you are toping with a fried egg, arrange the 4 tortillas fourths on a plate,

Here’s another breakfast dish I think you will love! love this breakfast quesadilla!

Entomatadas with Fried Eggs

Entomatadas are corn tortillas bathed in a tomato sauce! They are very popular in Oaxaca, Mexico for breakfast.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Breakfast, dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

The Sauce

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 medium white onion, thinly sliced
2 small garlic cloves, peeled
2 chiles de agua, toasted, skinned and seeded or substitute jalapenos, toasted only
1 1/2 lbs. Roma tomatoes, quartered and cooked in very little water
2 large sprigs epazote
salt to taste

Preparing the Entomatadas

1/4 cup vegetable oil
12 tortillas about 6 inches in diameter
1 medium white onion, cut in thin half moons
3/4 cup queso fresco or shredded quesillo
1 small bunch flat-leaved parsley, torn into small pieces

Method

Heat a little of the oil in a skillet and fry the tortillas, one by one, lightly on both sides; they should not become crisp aground the edges, just soft. Drain on paper towels and proceed with frying the rest, adding more oil as necessary.
Dip the tortillas, one by one, into the hot tomato sauce, fold into four and place on a warm serving dish or on individual plates. Pour the remaining sauce over, If you are adding an egg or eggs, fry them to your liking and place on top of the entomatadas, then and garnish with the onion, cheese, and parsley.

you gotta try these easy homemade sloppy joes!

October 2, 2023 by Becky Spoon

Jump to Recipe

Who doesn’t love Sloppy Joes? Well, I do and these are delicious! Easy to make with ingredients you most likely have on hand in your refrigerator and pantry! You can make these spicy or cut back on the spice, depending on your heat level tolerance. I like a little spicy.

This makes a great weeknight meal or a great meal to feed a crowd. What about after your kids sports activities when they all head over to your house? This is one of those recipes that is even better the next day. Also, this would freeze well. Make a big batch on the weekend, stick in the freezer and let it defrost in your refrigerator for dinner that night.

Delicious Sloppy Joes!

I like to serve these on hoagie buns or on hamburger buns. Both work well. In a pinch, they are delicious on your favorite sandwich bread. The bread just doesn’t hold up as well as a bun, but just as tasty. This is a perfect ingredient for sliders for a party.

Don’t want a big hoagie bun? Make a sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese. You will not regret that!

Unlike most sloppy joe recipes that call for tomato sauce, these use a barbecue sauce. I make my own barbecue sauce which is Aaron Franklin’s barbecue sauce. I love it and it’s the best! If you don’t want to make it buy his bottled sauce or use your favorite barbecue sauce. If you can’t find Aaron’s barbecue sauces here’s a link for the sauce:https://amzn.to/2upieEn.

I use the Texas Style when I purchase, but I’ll include the recipe.

Here’s my smoked turkey sandwich that I use the same barbecue sauce, and I use it on brisket. It definitely is work making or the purchase. It will not disappoint. Here is the link for my Smoked Turkey Sandwich: https://the2spoons.com/amazing-the-best-ever-smoked-turkey-sandwiches/.

Delicious Sloppy Joes!

Here’s the recipe for the best Sloppy Joes! Enjoy

Sloppy Joes

Print Recipe

Servings: 8 servings

Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

For the Homemade Barbecue Sauce

1 3/4 cups ketchup
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tbsp plus 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp chile powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper

For the Sloppy Joes

1 lb Ground Beef
1 lb ground pork
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 orange pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 green peppers, coarsely chopped
salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp minced garlic
2 cups barbecue sauce, homemade or store bought
2 tbsp olive oil
3 sweet or spicy Italian pork sausages, casings removed
8 fresh hamburger buns or hoagie buns.
slices of cheese (optional)

Method

For the Barbecue Sauce

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and warm gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally. There is no need to bring the mixture to a boil, as the idea is just to warm it enough to melt and integrate the ingredients. Once you have done that, remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer to a jar, bottle, squeeze bottle, or however you want to store it. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

For the Sloppy Joes

Brown the meat for 3-5 minutes under a high flame. Drain most of the fat, leaving a little in for seasoning. Add the Worcestershire Sauce and mix well. Add the onions and pepper, add salt and crush the oregano and add to the pot. Add the garlic and stir everything together. Coop for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the barbecue sauce , cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in 2 large frying pans, add the sausage that the casings have been removed and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, until no longer pink. Drain any fat from the sausages. Add the sausages to the pot of barbecue meat mixture, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about an hour.
I like to toast the buns but you can just serve on fresh hamburger buns. If you toast, butter the bun and toast on a hot griddle or in a skillet. Add Cheese if you like. Enjoy!

love these easy and delicious breakfast quesadillas!

August 2, 2023 by Becky Spoon

Jump to Recipe

I woke up this morning craving delicious breakfast quesadillas! You know, the ones with scrambled eggs, cheese, meats and whatever you like! These are truly delicious. The flour tortillas are thin allowing them to get crispy on the outside, which I really like in a quesadilla. You know how some flour tortillas are thick? These aren’t and they make a difference in the outcome. I like mine with a little “char” here and there” however, you crisp yours how you like. Isn’t that what recipes are about…following your likes and dislikes, substituting, adding on, switching it up a little?

I love these easy and delicious breakfast quesadillas!

Let’s talk about the flour tortillas. To get the result I wanted I use the uncooked flour tortillas I get in the refrigerated section of my grocery store or there are some that are not cooked in the section where all tortillas are placed. These are what I use:

These are from HEB in the refrigerated section. They are ready to cook. Or these are really good too.

How to cook flour tortillas

Here is a video of actually making flour tortillas from scratch. If you buy the prepared ready to cook flour tortillas I mentioned…..watch the video to see how to cook them. https://youtu.be/QFQzYRF36og. Because you are cooking these flour tortillas twice if using the “ready to cook”, after the puff and lightly browned, I remove from the griddle, build my quesadilla, then place back on the griddle to brown on both sides and melt the yummy cheese!

Let’s talk about fillings

Here are some great cheeses to use in quesadillas:

Pepper jack
Colby Jack
Asadero
Cheddar cheese
Chihuahua Cheese
Pepper Jack Cheese
Fresh Mozzarella
Queso Fresco
Cotija Cheese
Colby Jack Cheese

Here are some great meat fillings:

Chorizo
Pork sausage
Bacon
Shredded chicken
Link sausage thinly sliced

Additional ingredients to enhance your quesadilla:

Roasted corn
Refried Beans
Black Beans
Sautéed red, yellow, green peppers
Hatch Green chile
Thinly sliced jalapeno

What should I serve with the Quesadillas?

A quesadilla is a mean in itself! However, I like to serve them with sliced avocado or guacamole. Salsa is a must in my opinion! I have to have sour cream too!

More recipes?

Need another quesadilla recipe? These fried egg quesadillas are wonderful! That crispy tortilla just changes it up completely and takes it to a new level. Here’s the link: The Best 10 Minute Breakfast – Fried Egg Quesadilla

Here’s the recipe for these delicious quesadillas. Enjoy!

Condiments:

Here is a quick pico de gallo recipe I like to top the quesadillas: http://pico de gallo

Guacamole#1 – delicious guacamole!

I hope you try these recipes soon!

Breakfast Quesadillas

Fresh flour tortillas, crisped on the outside, willed with eggs, cheese and meats of your choice

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings: 2

Course: Breakfast, brunch, dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

4 Flour tortillas, thin preferably uncooked
4 large or extra large eggs
1 tbsp butter
1/2 red bell pepper, diced (other vegetable of your choice)
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 small white onion (you can use green onions; if your onions are large 1/4 is adequate)
1/4 lb. sausage, bacon or meat of your choice
1/4 lb. or the amount you desire grated cheese of your choice; I used cheddar)
olive oil for sauteing your vegetables
salt and pepper

Equipment

griddle, iron skillet, Camal

Method

If you are using fresh made flour tortillas as I described in the content of the post, cook them according to the package instruction. After they puff, and they have lightly toasted on each side, remove them and set them aside to be used to build your quesadilla.
If you are using already cooked flour tortillas, place them on the griddle and lightly toast them on one side that you will build your quesadilla on. You'll lightly cook them to just brown a little so that the inside is not a raw tortilla. You can finish the browning on the outside after you have filled your quesadilla.
Grate your cheese and set aside.
Add 4 eggs to a dish and beat with a whisk, or fork until well mixed
In a skillet add about a tablespoon of oil and the table spoon of butter. Sauté the onions, peppers and any other vegetable you are using until the onions are translucent. Lightly season with a little salt and black pepper. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Add your sausage to the same skillet, breaking it up with a spoon or spatula. Add to the vegetable mixture and combine.
Wipe your skillet out and add a tablespoon of butter. Cook your eggs to a soft scramble. You do not want to overcook because they will continue to cook while you are finishing the quesadilla on your griddle, Comal or skillet.
On a clean flat surface, lay 2 tortillas down with the browned side up. Add half of the grated cheese to the bottom tortilla, spreading to the edges. Add the vegetable and meat mixture, the scrambled eggs, all going to the edge of the tortilla. Top with the remaining cheese, then top with the final tortillas with the browned side in.
Heat your Comal, skillet or griddle to medium high. Carefully so that your ingredients don't fall out, move to your heated griddle. Allow the quesadilla to cook on one side until golden brown, gently turn and cook on the other side until golden brown and your cheese has melted. Alternatively, if you want to have your griddle heated to a low heat, you can build your quesadilla on the griddle itself. I like to do it off because I don't want that first side to brown too fast, but do what works for you. If you do build it on a lightly heated griddle, once you have completed with the final tortilla on top, increase your heat to medium to medium high, being careful not to burn the tortilla.
When both sides are golden brown, your cheese is melted, remove to a cutting board and slice into the number of pieces you like. Serve with your choice of salsa, Pico de Gallo, sour cream or Mexican Crema, and guacamole or sliced avocado.
Enjoy!

Breakfast Quesadillas

You’ll love this Delicious Sweet Potato Casserole!

November 18, 2021 by Becky Spoon

Jump to Recipe

Who doesn’t love a sweet potato casserole for the holiday meal, especially Thanksgiving?

This is my sisters recipe and my Mom loved it. We always had a sweet potato dish for Thanksgiving, sometimes with marshmallows, sometimes candied but this one topped with a brown sugar mixture and pecans make it extra special. Thank you for the recipe sister Jackie!

Simply Delicious Sweet Potato Casserole

This recipe has the following ingredients:

sweet potatoes
sugar
butter
eggs
vanilla
cup milk

For the topping:

butter
light brown sugar
flour
pecans

How can you go wrong with such delicious ingredients? I added some pomegranate to the top for color.

Serve this as a side dish to this beautiful Turkey!

Beautiful Dry Brined Spiced Roast Turkey

Simply Delicious Sweet Potato Casserole

Here’s the recipe for this delicious casserole! Follow “the 2 spoons” for so many more delicious recipes!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1 10

Servings: 10 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Print Recipe

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

6 cups sweet potatoes boiled and mashed up about 5 large sweet potatoes
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk

For the Topping

1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 cup pecans, chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix cooked and mashed sweet potatoes with next five ingredients , the sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and milk. Put mixture in a buttered 9×13 casserole dish.
Mix the melted butter, light brown sugar, flour and pecans and sprinkle on the top.
Bake for about 25 minutes. Casserole will be puffed and begin to brown on top! Delicious!