PW's White Chicken Enchiladas

Hey Boo-Boo, Mommy was thinking it's time she got up off her tushie and seriously started exercising again. And although carrying you around everywhere is doing wonders for my arms, I think a regular cardio-aerobic routine is what I should aim for. What do you think?

HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA ... you're shittin' me! You're shittin' me right?! Tell me you're shittin' me Mom ... exercise ... regular ... you?! Ohhhh, you're funny! What else ya got?!

Hmph. Rude child! I see I'm not getting any respect from you already, you little dinkus. Fine. Just for that, I'm going to leave you to fend for yourself, while I go drown my sorrows in Auntie Ree's cheesy chicken enchiladas.

Oooooooo, now you're talkin'! Did you say cheese? I might like cheese. It's made from that heavenly stuff you call "milk" right? Bring it!

It has been brung.
PW's White Chicken Enchiladas (see Ree's original awesome recipe here)
Serves 4-6

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I used rotisserie style)
1.5 cups chicken broth
12 whole corn tortillas, soft
1 large onion, diced
2 4oz can green chilies, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1 tsp paprika1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup sour cream2.5 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Salt & pepper to taste
Canola oil
Chopped tomatoes & cilantro for garnish

Method:
1. Heat a bit of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeno. Saute for 1 min. Add chicken, half of the green chilies, and 1/2 tsp paprika. Stir together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, then cream and stir again, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside.

2. In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in the flour. Cook while whisking for 1 min. Pour in 1 cup of the chicken broth. Keep whisking for another min or two. Reduce heat then stir in sour cream. Add 1.5 cups of the cheese and remaining paprika and green chilies, along with salt & pepper. Melt the cheese and incorporate into a smooth sauce.

3. To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top each filling with cheese and roll up. Place snugly next to each other in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Pour cheese mixture all over the top.
4. In a preheated 350 F oven, bake for 30 mins till browned on top. Serve with lots of chopped, fresh tomatoes and cilantro.
Verdict: I had a good amount of the chicken mixture left over, so I ended up making this twice in one week! You could possibly use cheddar cheese in this too, if you don't have monterey jack. I totally enjoyed this dish, although must admit that I don't recommend it for entertaining. It looks too messy. That didn't stop me. The cheesy sauce was excellent - it's loaded with flavor. And of course, the best part of any enchiladas for me are the crispy brown edges, crusted over with more cheese! Do I like this more than the Enchanting Enchiladas I made last year? Hmmmm. I'm on the fence about that - they're just so different. What's your take, dear readers? Red or white?
Listen up, little man. It's your Grandpa's birthday today. Be a good boy for once and send your Nana your sweetest smile, and sincere birthday wishes.

Awww, is it really?? Happy birthday Nanaaaaaa! I remember you being petrified of me when you first came to visit. I admit, I must have scared you with all my crying. It's the only way I can get those parents of mine to listen, I tell ya. But I promise to behave if you come see me again soon!

Don't believe a word he says, Dad. His promises about not crying stink more than his poopy diapers. But we do miss you, and can't wait to see you again! As you can see, little B is much happier with his lot in life now - definitely better than when you saw him last. Maybe this time you can actually play with him. So happy birthday Daddy dearest - I know you read my blog, and are my secret fan!

I finally managed to write this post! It's been a long time coming, because I had originally made this recipe to submit to the FFPW - Main Courses roundup. I make no excuses. Actually I do. And my excuse has a face. It's the one dressed up in the orange-stripey onesie you see above.

Proud Moments

Today was the first time I felt that my son may actually like me. Why am I so obsessed with having a 6-week-old baby love me?! Don't answer that, it's a rhetorical question. Anyhow, until today B would only turn to me for sustenance, accompanied by high-pitched, heart-wrenching cries. I was seriously beginning to wonder if this kid and I would ever get along, when all of a sudden we had a breakthrough. When I got up this morning (or was it the middle of the night? I've lost track of time) to B's waking up noises emanating from his crib, I got myself ready for another bout of incessant crying. Instead, God gave me another little miracle (first one being B himself). As I smiled sleepily at B, whispering "good morning sweetheart", I got a huge smile in return! It wasn't even one of those funny, reflex smiles that babies have in the first few weeks. This one was real, because it was accompanied by lots of happy gurgling, almost laughing sounds, and so much adorable toothless smiling - I thought I'd died and gone to heaven! *sigh* So yes, dear readers, I'm having a good day today. Because my baby showed me that he loves me, even if it's just a tiny wee bit right now. I couldn't be more proud!

Speaking of proud moments, there's another special someone in my life who is making everyone who knows her really really proud. Her name is Tazeen Qayyum, and most of us can only wish we were half as talented as she is. A fellow Pakistani/Canadian, she is an artist whose work was featured in Vancouver during these Winter Olympics. That's big, folks. I've known her all my life, and seeing her career shine brighter every year has been pretty exciting. Her art is unique, arresting and best of all, relevant and meaningful to all of us. I wish I could own all her pieces, but since I can't afford them, I like to admire them from afar and emotionally blackmail her into gifting one to me every year for my birthday. You see, she also happens to be my sister-in-law.

One of my fav works by her. "Use Only As Intended" 2006. Opaque watercolor, photo transfer, entomology pins and labels on wasli.

Hah! Oh yes I did. Shamelessly promoting family members, you say?! Well, duh, it is my blog. But I'm really doing this because I think it's super-cool that she was one of the handful of Canadian artists whose work was chosen to be displayed at the Winter Olympics in such a unique way! Check out her interview in this online magazine.

Another proud moment for me was when I tasted these new cupcakes I made. I had a feeling these would be good, but I didn't know they'd be this good. They actually taste even better than they look, which is saying something, because they look absolutely darling, no?!
Dreamy Blackberry-Vanilla Cupcakes (thanks to that Irish cutie over at The Good Mood Food Blog)
Makes 12 regular or 34 mini cupcakes

Click here for printable recipe

For the cupcakes:
1 cup AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup blackberry coulis (recipe below)

For the frosting:
8 oz cream cheese, room temp
1.5 cups confectioners' sugar
3-4 tbsp blackberry coulis

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line your cupcake mold with paper liners.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time and mix again, remembering to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the milk and blackberry coulis. Add half of the dry ingredients to the bowl of the mixer and mix on low speed until just combined. Pour in the blackberry coulis-milk mixture. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients until just incorporated.

4. Divide the batter evenly in your cupcake pan. Bake 12-15 mins (10-11 for mini cupcakes). Allow to cool in the pan for 15 mins. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

You could serve and eat these babies without the frosting - look at the unbelievable mauve color! So in love with them!

5. To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and blackberry coulis in the bowl of a stand mixture fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth and well-blended. Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired, then pop one into your gaping maw. Swoon. Grab another.

Into the fridge you go, my pretties.

To make the Blackberry Coulis: Take 6 oz blackberries, 2 tbsp sugar, 1/4 tsp vanilla and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 mins. Once cool, puree in a blender. Then strain to remove the seeds. Makes 1 cup.

Oh crap. I used a wooden spoon for the coulis. That's gonna stain. Learn from my mistakes people!

Verdict: I gave some of these away to my neighbors and got rave reviews. DH enjoyed them so much, he begged me to make them again. And I think they are precious jewels in the pantheon of cupcake varieties, with those love shades of amethyst. Oh you can bet your bouncing baby that I'll be making these many times. I can't wait for B to grow up and start enjoying this kind of stuff! Uh oh, fat baby alert. I'll have to curb my own sweet tooth if I want my son to have a healthy lifestyle. But these are so tiny and cute and wittle itty bitty numnums! *sigh* There is no hope for me, is there?

I'd never seen a purple cupcake, folks, but there you have it, in all its glory!