Tis the season for food and fun

Tis the season for food and fun

Happy Thursday, everyone!  Yes, tis the season for food and fun! 

Let’s get right to it…first tis the season for fun!

I snapped this as I was headed out to meet a friend for lunch yesterday.  You can see my Talbot’s jacket and my ana skinny jeans from JCP are workhorses in my current wardrobe!

And I love to toss on a Patrician Nash scarf that I originally bought on sale at Dillard’s.

The Chico’s Travelers Tank looks black…but it is actually a dark brown.

Remember, Chico’s is running specials every day this week and today is $49 cotton cashmere!  Yes, tis the season for fun!

One more thing on clothes….I was with Susan on Instagram yesterday discussing color and winter clothing…listen to us COLOR DISCUSSION!

AS PROMISED…TIS THE SEASON FOR FOOD

Tis the season

A San Antonio holiday meal almost always includes Mexican food!  Though, tamales are the most popular for the season.

When we planned to have a dinner party, Mr. B requested the Sour Cream Enchiladas I have made for years.  I lost the recipe. so I had to write it down just for this post.

But, fortunately I cooked it enough in the past to remember the meal.   They are so good and even better as leftovers!

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

You will need:

Tis the season

For the chicken stock

1 whole chicken

1 chopped onion

3 garlic cloves

2 celery stalk

2 teaspoons of salt…the stock should be salted well

Dash of pepper

For the enchiladas

1 chopped onion ( I like the sweet yellow onions)

½ cup chopped green pepper

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

1 container of fresh medium heat salsa from the produce section

1 tablespoon of cumin

30 corn tortillas…I like a hefty yellow corn tort…you will see why later.

For the enchilada sauce

9 tablespoons of butter

9 tablespoons of flour

6 cups of chicken broth

3 cups of sour cream

For the topping

32 oz. bag of shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

You can pepper the top with a green salsa, or with green chiles, or with jalapenos

Now, let’s get started:

  1. The night before, place all the listed ingredients for the stock in a slow cooker. Cover with water, salt the water (one teaspoon), and cook overnight.  I believe a flavorful stock is best achieved this way…and not in a can from the store.  It makes such a difference.
  2. The next morning, remove the chicken and let it cool before shredding the meat into a bowl.  Set the meat aside.

Tis the season

3. Put a little olive oil in a large saucepan, and cook the onion and bell peppers until soft.  

4. Stir in the meat, salsa, cumin, and sometimes I add a minced garlic…season to your taste with salt.  Cook for about 30 minutes, then set aside to cool.

5. Measure out six cups of the stock and set aside for the sauce.  Place the remainder of the stock in a medium saucepan and put on the stove to heat up, but not boil.

6. You are going to individually place the corn tortillas in the stock to soften…this is why you want a nice thicker corn tort.  The thin ones fall apart easily.  As pictured, I like to use this skimmer for this process. Makes it easier.

Tis the season

7. I take the soft corn tort, and toss in another one, while I roll up the meat mixture and place in a baking pan.  This mix will easily make 30 enchiladas and if there is extra I sprinkle the meat on top before the sauce.

8. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a pan on Medium Hight, and use a whisk to mix in the flour well.  It will be a thick consistency. Then slowly whisk in the cups of broth.  Whisk until thick which will be when it boils.

9. Let this cool slightly before whisking in the sour cream or the sour cream curdles.  Then pour the sauce generously over all of the enchiladas.

Tis the season

10. Sprinkle with the cheese, and on top you can use a green sauce, green chiles, or jalapenos…it is very tasty with a good green chile salsa verde.

Tis the season

 

11. Cook at 350 degrees until it is nice and bubbly which may take 40 minutes…serve to a hungry crowd.

TIS THE SEASON FOR TURKEY

Tis the season

I was asked by a reader in my Topping Off Thanksgiving post how I cook my turkey.

First off, I have purchased the same brand of turkey for years…it is a frozen turkey by Riverside and our local grocery, HEB, always has a special…buy a ham get 12 pounds of turkey for free.

The grandchildren love ham…the adults like to have both!

The Riverside turkeys have never let me down!  This year I cooked a 23 pound turkey.  Traditionally it takes 24 hours for every 5 lbs. to thaw in the refrigerator. so that is where I begin.

This year, because Leigh Ann encouraged me, I washed it off the day before, dried it with paper towels, rubbed olive oil all over it and salt pepper, and poultry seasoning throughout the turkey and the cavity.

Thanksgiving morning, I took it out, and stuffed the cavity with apples, a chopped onion, garlic cloves, and a fresh spice packet that includes fresh sage, rosemary. and thyme.

I also surrounded the turkey in the pan with the same concoction…apples, onions.etc.

I turn the turkey over and cook it breast side down…it sends juices into the breast meat and works well every time.

Then I cover it all over with slices of Applewood Bacon.  Cover the roasting pan with foil and pop it in the oven at 325 to slow roast for several hours.

Topping off Thanksgiving and Christmas Trees

This year, instead of basting, I did inject it twice with melted butter, orange rind, orange juice and poultry seasoning (you can see more in that Thanksgiving post)…and this worked really well to add flavor.  I was very pleased.

I check it often with a thermometer…going for 165.  Usually, I remove the foil for the last 30 minutes to get this lovely brown color.  

It is yummy and I stand by my process because the people eating tell the story!

For years I was fearful of roasting turkey, but once you get it right…it is so easy and not intimidating at all! 

ONE LAST FOOD RECOMMENDATION

Tis the season

One last recommendation today, when I went to lunch with my friend, we both tried a new soup at La Madeleine French Bakery & Cafe.

It is called Spicy Tomato and Kale…and it is excellent!  We both liked it…highly recommend if you go to a La Madeleine cafe.

Thanks for stopping by today.  These recipes are delicious and that is why I share them.  Let me know if you have questions.

I will see you tomorrow…and until then……

KEEP SMILING!!

I almost forgot!

Tis the season for food and fun

The Christmas enchilada dinner was an ornament exchange and, of course, the one I kept said JOY!!

By Pamela Lutrell

Season of Joy on Over 50 Feeling 40

17 Comments

  1. I love your outfit today. As soon as I saw it, I thought, I’m so glad she got those jeans! For your blogging, I’m sure you try on a lot of clothes, and I bet sometimes it’s hard to decide what to keep. Your recipes, for those who eat meat, look great. I love the Hatch green chilies. You can get them in various products here.

  2. My goodness! Now I’m hungry! That’s a lot of work that goes into those enchiladas, a real labor of love!! I have always made mine with flour tortillas that bake in the sauce, but can understand the corn tortillas and soaking them in the stock. I would certainly have enjoyed being at your dinner Pam! I adore spicy food and have a collection of hot sauces, and love using very spicy peppers. I’m thinking for a shortcut you could use shredded rotisserie chicken, what do you think? Understandably, the way you do it is better, but I’m thinking of weeknight shortcuts. Maybe this recipe just needs to be the labor of love with no shortcuts! Anyway, this looks delicious and tells me I’m going to have to try this with the thick corn tortillas. I’m sure your guests demolished this!!

  3. These jeans are amazing and were such a surprise to find them at JCP. They have washed well and I do wear them often. It is hard to decide what to keep, but the price of these were so good they were worth the risk and now are yielding a very low cost per wear.
    I will be trying more of their clothing now that I know I can find a workhorse piece! Thanks Linda!

  4. I am sure your shortcuts would work, Karen. The maximum flavor of this dish I believe comes from the stock. It is in the chicken and the torts and the sauce. I do not believe the taste would be as good with boxed or canned stock, but I am sure they would still be good. It is a labor of love, but whenever I do it, the results make it worth the effort.

  5. Let me know what you think, Judy! They are great to serve and even better as leftovers!

  6. Yes! You put in all the ingredients…chicken etc. cover with water and cook overnight. So sorry I did not explain that. Thank you for asking, Maggie. I will fix that soon!

  7. Even though the enchiladas sound like they are a lot of work. They sound really good! I’m going to give them a try. Thanks for the idea.
    Also LaMadeline is one of my favorite places for lunch. I don’t have one near me but when I travel that is my one place to stop.

  8. The work is worth it, Paula! I also am a La Madeleine fan…love to eat by the fireplace too!

  9. Pam, I’m going to give the enchiladas a try. They look and sound delicious. What did you serve with the enchiladas? Looks like chips and guacamole and something with black beans and corn. Is that a salad or a hot side? Recipe?

  10. I made my pinto beans… Mr. B requested them. They are a good match. I will post that recipe soon!! Next week probably. The guests provided chips, guacamole and salad.

  11. You mentioned on your Instagram Live with Susan that you wanted more Tank Tops. LandsEnd always has them in many colours and often on Sale. Colours change seasonally so keep checking back for your favourite colours

  12. Hello– I just found your blogs and really enjoy them and all the suggestions and photos. You look amazing. I am 72 and young and want to stay that way!! Would love to find friends like you out here in my new home state of NW Arkansas! I am so excited to find your page and found it while ordering my Albertini moisturizing stuff and face tints. Next time I will try the olive oil!! By the way, since you are in San Antonio and the Mexican recipes look awesome, do you have any good recipes for Pork Green Chile? I have missed that since I left Colorado!! Thanks and blessings for a wonderful 2022

  13. Hi Carol, WELCOME!! So happy to have you join the audience. I do not have a good recipe for pork green chile…but it sounds so good, I might just play with ingredients and see what I can create. The ladies at Albertini are wonderful…glad they are still around.

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