A beautiful Sunday morning here with the sun shining and everything that can sing in nature is singing right in my back yard. Seems we humans aren't the only ones with Spring Fever. God just blows my mind with His wonder, I DO stand in awe for certain.
Better finish up my coffee and start planning next weeks menu, clueless as to which dish will sound good, but wanting to be sure it's all 'in-house' when I'm ready cook it! Plus I like to plan a little 'extra' in case someone pops in or if the 'kids' find themselves around our table. The truth is, I would rather cook for 10 than 2, what can I say except it's how I function!?!
After checking my pantry I see there are plenty of tomatoes to be used up, and some nice Southwest spices waiting for me to shake them into a beautiful place. So, I think we'll kick some Southwest booty with my Chicken and Vegetable Enchiladas, a side of Mole' Brown Rice, and some serious PicoDeGallo.
The C & V Enchilada's are filled with richly seasoned shredded chicken and a touch of sharp cheese, a great mixed vege combo of carrots, potatoes, peas, green beans and celery, rolled into fresh flour (or corn) tortillas. Then Enchilada's are smothered in a sharp Mexican Cheese and topped with a salty/sweet, softly spiced rich red sauce and baked till bubbly brown and crazy good.
I love to serve them with a Mole' Brown Rice. This is simply brown rice cooked in a low-sodium chicken broth and just at the last few moments of it's simmering time I add a bit of smokey Mole' sauce, a touch of butter, and it's a great marriage to the Enchilada's.
Now with these two rich dishes, you need to have some fresh zip, so PicoDeGallo is ESSENTIAL to rounding out this meal. It's basically a chopped salsa of fresh tomatoes, garlic, scallions, lime and cilantro...pretty easy, huh! Yet it's a 'missing piece' if not used in this menu because the light and fresh flavors bring out the best of the rich, smoked spice in the other parts of this Southwest feast.
And what do you serve for dessert with a Southwest meal??? You have many options and should go according to your and your families tastes. For us, we particularly love "Chocolate" as a decadent end to this wonderful dinner...but Chocolate cannot remain 'plain' and miss it's chance to embark on new territory. SO, our family loves my Chocolate, Cinnamon and Cayenne Cake!!! Yup, spicy, moist, dark chocolate cake with a thick layer of incredible Chocolate CreamCheese Buttercream frosting, whew, that's a mouthful!!! Sometimes, when I'm in a hurry, I'll just whip up some 'brownies' with the same concept, still, the CCC Cake is an all time Fave! You may want to go with some simple ice cream or fruit, whatever works for you is what you want from your kitchen.
I learned a long time ago, God wants me to be the best 'me' I can be, and so whether I'm in my kitchen or in a crowded mall, I just want to work at being the best 'me' for Him. If creating a meal that family and/or friends can share is part of being the best 'me' I can be, then I know for certain that Gods love is going to reach out and speak to those around my table. I can't think of a greater Love to sit at our table than Jesus...I can't offer greater joy in my kitchen or in my home than that! God knows He is ALWAYS welcome in our home, and I hope I can honor Him by sharing His hospitality ~ in my heart, in my kitchen you are always welcome too! Thanks for stopping by, I hope you'll come back soon, and that you are richly blessed today with all that He knows is best for you!!!
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