PULLED PORK ENCHILADA PIE

**CROCK POT  MEAL**

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One thing I try to do is rotate my protein sources.  This way I don't get bored of the same type of dinner night after night.  This dish is actual quite easy as it features crock pot pulled pork (the other white meat right?!)-just don't be afraid to get in and use your hands.
 

Serve with a roasted corn, black bean and avocado salad.

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INGREDIENTS

 

MAIN DISH

• 3lb boneless pork roast
• Seasonings of your choice: I made a rub of salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, cumin, garlic powder, paprika and chili powder
• 2 medium sweet onions
• 1 small apple juice
• 1 can root beer
• Butter
• 1 Bottle of BBQ sauce
• Corn tortillas
• 1 can enchilada sauce
• Cream cheese
• Shredded cheese – I used combo of cheddar, mozzarella and pepper jack
• Few garlic cloves, smashed

To Make The Pulled Pork:

Rub the pork all over (with your seasoning blend). Slice one onion (into rings) and place half on bottom of crock pot. Place pork on top of onions and add another layer of onions rings on top. Throw in some smashed garlic cloves and add apple juice and root beer. Add water or chicken broth to cover the pork. Cook on low for 8 hours.

 

 

Remove the pork let cool and pull apart. Place back in crock pot and stir in bbq sauce and diced onions. Add a few pats of butter, cover and cook on low for another 2 hours or so. After that has cooked add to pork shredded cheese (as much as you would like).

 

The Enchilada Sauce: Mix together the 1 can medium enchilada sauce and about a 1/2  block of softened cream cheese (or more depending on your preference).

 

The Actual Pie!:

 

Place a layer of enchilada sauce/cream cheese mixture on bottom of baking dish....layer corn tortillas-pulled pork-corn tortilla until you have used those ingredients-make sure last layer is corn tortillas and then add sauce on top and layer on the cheese (again as much as you would like). Bake at 350 for approximately 20 minutes or until cheese is browning slightly and sides of dish are bubbling.

SIDE DISH

• 3 ears of corn on the cob
• 1 jalapeno
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 can black beans
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 a lime
• cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

Roasted corn on cob in oven at 400 for about 20 min (make sure to roll so all sides get roasted)Meanwhile, chop up red onion and red pepper. Also drain and rinse black beans. Finely dice jalapeno (remove half of the seeds and membrane inside (use a gloved hand for this). Finely, chop up cilantro. When corn is cooled, cut off from cob and mix all above ingredients. Chunk up the avocado and add that last before serving to prevent browning. Dress the salad with olive oil salt and pepper and lime juice.
 

 

FOR FURTHER READING

"Accidental Meal"  So let me explain.  I had intended to make pulled pork enchiladas; but when working with corn tortillas (or anything without gluten to be honest) the task always seems a bit tricker.  Because gluten makes breads, wraps, pastas etc. more pliable, while attempting to wrap the enchiladas up and place neatly in a baking dish, I encountered splitting and sliding.  The best way to salvage the ingredients I had already used to make this pie.  At the end of it all, I heard no complaints-lets face it, the ingredients are all going to the same place - whether wrapped or layered!  ENJOY...
 
 
 

CHEESE PLATE

I love wine.  I love cheese.  I love wine and cheese together. 

So when I didn't have dinner planned, I decided to put together a few key components (protein, vegetable, starch) and call it a tasting!

For this sort of "dinner" or tasting, be creative as you wish.  I had the chance of shopping at Fairway Market last weekend and discovered their extensive cheese shop.  I could have stayed all night sampling cheeses and imagining what wines and snacks would pair well  BUT I didn't have all night and eventually other customers would have come along looking for a try or two.  The shopping trip did inspire me for this dish:

WHAT YOU'LL FIND HERE (left - down - right)

• Hand Cut French Fries-russet potatoes cut into frie shape drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute and a dash of Kosher salt - roasted at 400 degrees (40 min) 
• Trader Joe's Double Cream Brie Cheese
• Fairway English Cheese with Cranberries-drizzled with a touch of honey
• Fairway Moliterno Cheese laced with Black Truffle (warning this is potent but seductively delicious)
• Blue Diamond Nut Thins, Country Ranch Crackers (gluten free of course!)
• Green Grapes
• Edamame sauteed in gf soy sauce and minced garlic
• Trader Joe's Basil Pesto Chicken Sausage and Jalapeno Chicken Sausage
• Dipping Sauces: spicy brown mustard and ketchup infused with hot sauce.

  
WHAT I WAS DRINKING:

Bedell Vineyards Taste White (Long Island): fusion of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Viognier (with a frozen strawberry in place of an ice cube).

Riunite Lambrusco: an Italian semisweet, fizzy red wine served chilled.

ALSO on the table:
Rose Champagne
Prosecco
Jones Winery Harvest Time (Connecticut, blend of apples and pears)
Jones Winery Strawberry Serenade (CT, bubbly)
Garnacha
Temparnillo
Jumilla
Syrah

This sort of dinner is different and can be a lot of fun.  I didn't start this with the intention to pair wines with foods specifically-again I just love wine and cheese!  My best suggestion:  take what you have in your refrigerator and pantry, place it on a large serving platter, pour yourself a glass, or two, (or three...) and RELAX!!

GOAT CHEESE AND SPINACH STUFFED (CHICKEN) MEATLOAF

Sophisticated Spin on an American Dinner Classic

Simple yet tasty.  Serve with a side of roasted sweet potatoes and red onions.





INGREDIENTS

Meatloaf:

1 lb ground chicken

2-4 oz goat cheese

1 box frozen spinach, thawed

1/2 cup gluten free breadcrumbs

1 egg

1 tablespoon Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute

pinch or two of Kosher salt and pepper

1/2 tablespoon minced garlic

dash of Worcestershire sauce

Glaze:

8 oz tomato sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon mustard

Side:

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

2 medium red onions, quartered

olive oil

salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven(s) to 350 degrees

Spread the peeled and diced sweet potatoes and quartered red onions in roasting pan or baking stone.  Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Roast at 350 for 1-1 1/2 hours.

In a bowl mix together ground chicken, breadcrumbs, seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and egg...

Lay out a long piece of plastic wrap...

Spread the meat mixture into rectangular shape.  Layer spinach and goat cheese...

Roll plastic wrap towards you until meat is shaped in loaf and place in loaf pan... 

Mix the glaze ingredients together and brush about 3 tablespoons on top of loaf.  Place the remaining glaze in sauce pan (simmer this for 5 minutes right before you take the meatloaf out of the oven).

Bake the meatloaf for 1 hour at 350.  Place under broiler for 1-2 minutes to crisp the glaze.  Let the meat rest for a few moments.  Serve remaining glaze as a sauce. 

**COOKING AND TIMING NOTE**

I do not have two ovens so in order to put the side dish out along with the meatloaf I began roasting the potatoes for a half hour prior to putting in the meat.  I then rotated the meat and potatoes on top and bottom shelves of oven every 15 minutes (1 hr).