Marinated Tomatoes (think Tucanos)

This side dish is made ahead of time, so it helps to ease the dinner rush and it's light and cool - the perfect summer side!

Marinated Tomatoes

(from Paula Deen)

Serves 6-8 people

-4-6 large tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges

-3/4 cup vegetable oil

-1/2 cup red wine vinegar (I heap this, so it's more like 2/3 cup)

-1 T sugar

-3 T chopped fresh parsley leaves (or 2 T dried parsley)

-1 1/2 tsp garlic salt

-1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt

-1/2 tsp ground pepper

-3/4 tsp dried thyme

-2-3 green onions, chopped

Combine all ingredients, except tomatoes, in a mixing bowl. Whisk well. Place tomatoes in a resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over. Marinate at room temperature for up to 2 hours, turning the bag occasionally.

Pico!!

As per Julie's request, here is my pico recipe.

I seriously HEART pico!! Mmmm - it is the perfect addition to burritos, Cafe Rio type salads, and it's divine just eaten straight up as salsa. Yum! Pico makes me happy. :)

Pico de Gallo

-4 large ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

-1 small white onion, finely chopped

-1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped (or more to taste)

-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

-1 TBSP lime juice

-salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients, cover, and refrigerate at least one hour. Serve the same day.

Tip: There is this awesome thing called the "Vidalia Chop Wizard". It's "As Seen on TV" which sounds totally crazy, but it is amazing and a must for pico making. It does all the chopping for you in a matter of seconds and all the pieces are uniform. Like I said, perfect for pico. And for anything else where you need finely diced vegetables (like pretty much every recipe where it calls for diced onions at the beginning!) You can get it at Target and at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

(Not your average) Chicken Enchiladas

As per Christy's request, here is my Chicken Enchilada recipe. They are oh, so yummy - give them a try!

Now, I call these "not your average" chicken enchiladas for three reasons:

1. First and foremost, they are filled with a spicy (you can pick how spicy) red sauce rather than a creamy sauce.

2. They are filled with more vegetables than your average chicken enchiladas - corn, tomatoes, and two different types of chiles.

3. The full on recipe is HOT! But the great thing about this recipe is that it is easily adaptable if you like less heat - just add less peppers. By adding less peppers, you just end up with a very flavorful, but not really spicy enchilada. They are good both ways. Just make sure to have some sour cream and guac on hand if you make them full on spicy.

Chicken Enchiladas

serves 6-8 people generously

-3 T vegetable oil

-1 1/2 lbs chicken

-salt and pepper

-2 tsp cumin

-2 tsp garlic powder

-1 tsp Mexican Spice Blend (see below)

-1 red onion

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1 cup frozen corn, thawed (I always use canned corn)

-5 canned whole green chiles (I always use a small can of those diced green chiles instead)

-5 canned chipotle chiles (these are hot - use less if you want less heat)

-1 28oz can stewed tomatoes, broken up into small pieces

-1/2 tsp flour

-Corn or flour tortillas

-1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce

-Cheese, grated

-Cilantro, sour cream, guacamole

To start, season and cook the chicken for shredding. There are two ways to do this: put the frozen chicken in the crockpot, wet with a couple of teaspoons of water, and then season with salt and pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and Mexican Spice Blend, and let cook for 4-6 hours on low or until chicken is done (my preferred method) or coat large pan w/ oil, season chicken with salt and pepper, and cook. Sprinkle chicken with cumin, garlic powder, and Mexican Spice blend before turning. Do not overcook - keep soft and moist for shredding.

Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add corn and chiles. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes and continue to break apart. Saute 1 minute.

Shred chicken. Combine with vegetables in pan and dust mixture with flour to set.

Microwave tortillas to make pliable if using cooked tortillas. (Corn tortillas are amazing for enchiladas, but remember those uncooked tortillas I told you about a few posts back? Use those as a yummy way to change it up. They will be pliable from being freshly cooked and do not need to be microwaved.) Coat the bottom of 2 13x9" pans with a ladle of enchilada sauce. Dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce to coat. Fill tortillas and fold - place seam side down. Top w/ enchilada sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes in 350 degree oven. Garnish with cilantro, sour cream, and guacamole. Serve with Spanish rice and semi-homemade refried beans (you'll never want to go back to canned) for an AWESOME meal.

Mexican Spice Blend

1 T chili powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 T oregano

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp coriander

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 T garlic powder

1 T black pepper

Mix all together. Label and save extra spice blend for future use.