Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes and a twist on Enchiladas

Fall is upon us, and I couldn’t be happier.  No, not for the pumpkin spice lattes – tasty as they are.  I love the fact it’s not so ridiculously hot outside that I can’t cook almost as much as I love the flavors of fall.  Soon I’ll be doing practice runs of my Ma’s cranberry sauce, attempting my Great-Grandma’s stuffing, and possibly talking my husband into buying a turkey breast for roasting.

That said, we still love the flavors of the southwest any time of the year.  I’m starting to more truly believe I could get my husband to try any wacky thing I read about so long as I promise to make Tex Mex at some point in the week.  This week’s meatless meal I know sounds like a side dish.  However, sweet potatoes are huge, and only get bigger when twice-baked.  One of these made a delicious filling meal.

Southwest Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

• 4 medium sized sweet potatoes
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1/2 C sour cream
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. coriander
• 1 C shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake sweet potatoes until done, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients except cheese in a medium-sized bowl.  When sweet potatoes are done, let cool, then cut in half, and scoop out the center, leaving 1/4″ of meat inside to retain shape.  Mash the centers into the bowl, stirring to combine, then use it to fill the sweet potato halves.  Top with cheese and bake an extra ten minutes.

This is another wonderful take from The Joy of Cooking.  Who doesn’t love enchiladas? This is a flavorful twist on a household staple. The peppers and tomatillos give a spicy, smoky kick without the ton of chili powder it takes to make the red sauce.

Enchiladas Verdes (from The Joy of Cooking)

• For Tomatillo Spinach Sauce:
• 1 lb. tomatillos, husked and rinsed

  

• 1 medium poblano pepper, halved and seeded
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 1/4 C roughly chopped spinach
• 1/3 C chopped cilantro
• 1/4 C chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the enchiladas:

• 2 1/2 Cups chicken, cooked and shredded
• 1/2 C sour cream
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped scallions
• 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 12 corn tortillas
• veggie oil
• Shredded cheese of your choosing (optional)

First make the sauce.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spread the tomatillos, poblano, onion quarters, and garlic in a single layer on a baking sheet, then roast until very soft, 40-45 minutes.

Transfer the roasted vegetables, as well as the juices, to a blender or food processor.  Add the remaining ingredients, and pulse until smooth.  Slowly pour in additional broth if needed to make a medium-bodied sauce. Set aside

Combine chicken, sour cream, scallions, cilantro, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Line a baking sheet with foil, then lightly brush both sides of the tortillas with oil, slightly overlapping them on the tray.  Cover tightly with a second sheet of foil, then bake for 5 minutes, just long enough to make the tortillas soft and pliable.  Remove from oven, then spoon about 3 Tbsp. of the mixture down the middle of a tortilla, then roll into a cylinder.  Arrange in a lightly oiled 9×13 baking dis, seam side down. Cover with sauce, and cheese of your choosing, and bake 10 minutes.

Tip of the Week: With fall comes football – a great reason to bring people together and eat unhealthy food.  Guy Fieri offers the tip for tailgating: make food that can be held in one hand, like wraps and sliders.  Hey, you need you other hand for your drink.