Crazy Englishwoman Cooks!

Since it's been a wee bit cold and gray outside lately, I've been in the mood to bake something warm and colorful, and this dish did the trick. Layers of tortillas and veggies. Tons of color. Lots of vitamins and goodness. It's great on its own with a dollop of sour cream and salsa, or as a veggie side dish, and it reheats wonderfully.

To serve 6, you need:

olive oil spray
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 lb zucchini
2 1/2 tsp cumin
1 can diced tomatoes with chiles
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 can enchilada sauce
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
5 tortillas
1 1/4 cup shredded cheese

Heat oven to 400F. Spray round baking dish.
Chop and dice zucchini into small pieces.
Spray a large skillet. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add zucchini and cumin and saute for 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, corn, black beans, and enchilada sauce to the pan. Simmer gently, then remove from the heat and add cilantro.
Put 1 tortilla in bottom of baking dish. Layer zucchini mix, cheese, and tortillas, finishing with a layer of veggies and a layer of cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Leave to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

I was recently lucky enough to win a gift card to my local Whole Foods store so, along with my beloved Natural Dentist rinse, I decided to try some of the bulk bins.

Fellow Kentucky-based foodie and writer Lori over at Fake Food Free had posted a recipe a while back for some muffins she made using 7 Grain Cereal. With that exact recipe in mind, I picked up some 7 Grain, and yesterday's snowy day was a perfect time for baking.

7 Grain Blackberry Pecan Muffins

1 cup milk
½ cup grain cereal, cooked (see note below)
¼ cup butter, melted
1 egg
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 cups flour - I used one cup whole wheat, one cup white
1 ½ cup blackberries (I used fresh)
1/3 cup pecans, chopped (Since I bought shelled, I also got in a nice mini workout as I crunched away)

This was my first time using the 7 grain cereal so I wasn't entirely sure how to cook it. One website gave microwave instructions which I followed to the letter. 2 minutes later, I was busy cleaning the goop out of my microwave.

Time to try Plan B: stovetop. This worked perfectly. 1/4 cup dry cereal to 3/4 cup water in a pan for about 10-15 minutes.

When it's cold outside, one of the meals I look forward to most is a big bowl of steaming hot soup. Now I don't mean something out of a can. For me, soup has to be a meal in itself - full of meat, veggies, and flavor. And of course there's the added bonus that you can make a huge pot, enough to last a few days.

Spicy Chicken Soup

1 lb chicken thighs, skin removed
3 cups water
2 cans chicken broth
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can corn
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
a good sprinkling of chili powder, cumin, and oregano - be generous, spicy foods are great for preventing colds
a squirt of lime juice

Bring chicken and water to a boil in a large saucepan. Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken and allow to cool.
Add the broth the pot and return to a boil. Stir in the beans, corn, tomatoes, and spices. Simmer for 5 minutes so the flavors can blend.
Pull the chicken meat from the bones and shred.
Stir the chicken into the soup. Add the lime juice and serve.

Great with a good crusty bread, or some tortillas and sour cream.