The Pajama Chef

Aunt Charlotte’s Tex Mex Corn

October 29, 2010December 14, 2015 Sarah

Side dishes are one of those things that I am always unprepared for during meal planning. Sides are hard because I’m not the most skillful at coordinating the timing of meal components. Consequently, our sides are pretty boring–salad, maybe some bread or fruit and I’ll call it a day. I’m a fan of one-dish meals too that combine protein, veggies, and carbs–the less coordination required, the better. The exception to meals with boring sides are when we have company over. Then things can get interesting, and I spend more time planning, shopping, cooking, and experimenting. The following recipe is perfect for company. It can be [mostly] prepared in advance and baked right before mealtime.

My family first had this delectable Tex-Mex Corn on a family vacation. We were visiting my Great Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Cal and were served this dish at dinner one night at their then-home in San Francisco. Though it was made with the unfamiliar ingredients of chilies [probably my first experience with them, ever] and canned corn [I never eat canned veggies], it soon became an often-requested family favorite, and is still going strong, 12 years later.

I made this last weekend during a cooking spree with my mom and sister when I was visiting my family briefly, and as we made it, we realized it hadn’t been served since my parents moved into their new house more than two years ago! We always baked it in an 8×8 pan, which I inherited during the move. After a brief moment of panic realizing the necessary pan was MIA, we discovered that a 10 inch round pan would work just as well. Crisis averted! Well, except for the fact that the recipe had been abandoned for so long. Oh, the travesty! Alas, it has been rediscovered and is here for you all now.

This is not your average corn casserole. There’s just something about the creaminess of the cream cheese [imagine that!] with the slight tang and bite of paprika and chilies, and the unexpected taste of white corn [instead of the more common yellow corn] that does me in. Nothing simple, nothing fancy, but a lot of yum. I could eat almost a whole pan of this myself… and I would, except I was taught to share. And so I will. But you don’t have to! I won’t tell. 🙂

Aunt Charlotte's Tex Mex Corn

Servings: 8
Time: 45 minutes
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Ingredients:

6 ounces cream cheese
2 15-ounce cans white corn, drained
1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies, drained
1/4 cup milk
bread crumbs
paprika
cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 8 by 8 inch baking pan [or a 10 inch round casserole dish] by greasing with cooking spray. In a small pot over medium heat, melt cream cheese and stir in milk until well combined. Mix in corn and chilies. Pour into prepared pan, cover with a thin layer of bread crumbs [if making them from scratch, use about 1-1 1/2 slices of sandwich bread] and a sprinkling of paprika. Bake for 30 minutes or until top is lightly browned and crispy.

Note:

If preparing in advance, wait until baking time to add the bread crumbs and paprika or it will be soggy.

Question of the Day: What are some family recipes that you want to rescue from their poor, neglected state?

Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

October 28, 2010December 14, 2015 Sarah

I’m not entirely sure what is wrong with me. My tastes are a-changin’. I didn’t used to like peas, but now I made a dish and purposely bought peas to put in it. I didn’t used to really like soup, and since beginning this blog in July, have made soup at least twice [and that’s a LOT for me!]. I usually just tolerated it when it was on the menu, with the rare exception of a few varieties, but now I’m saving recipes for soup left and right!

My latest soup creation was Chicken Tortilla Soup in the crock pot. It was so easy and I bet you even have most of the ingredients in your pantry/fridge already! You can just put everything in the crock pot in the morning and presto! Dinner is served. There’s just something really satisfying about getting home and having a ready-made, tasty dinner.

Rich in flavor and in spicy goodness, a steaming bowl of this Chicken Tortilla Soup is the perfect end to a blustery fall day. In each delicious bite the spices that absorbed into the broth and chicken during the hours of simmering can be tasted and savored. The soup is spicy with just enough zest and zing for the spice lover of your family [Benjamin!], but mild enough for a more delicate palate [me!]. Even the kitty wanted some too! You should probably make this over the weekend… it’s supposed to be on the chilly side!

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Servings: 8-10
Time: 8 hours
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Ingredients:

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded
6 cups chicken broth
15 ounce can diced tomatoes w/ green chilis
12 ounces frozen corn
2 cups black beans [drained and rinsed if from a can; I cooked some dried black beans up the night before but you can use either.]
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
couple dashes red pepper flakes
couple dashes cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
broken tortilla chips

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips in a crock pot and stir several times to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove bay leaf and enjoy! Serves 8-10.

Note:

To make this without a crock pot, combine all the ingredients in a large stock pot and simmer, covered, for at least an hour to get the same effect.

Question of the Day: How have your tastes changed over the years?

Chicken, Main Dishes, One Tablespoon Testosterone, Recipes

OTT: Asian Chicken Bowls

October 27, 2010October 29, 2015 Sarah

This is a guest post from my husband, Ben. Periodically, he has agreed to share some of his favorite recipes with you in a guest post column entitled One Tablespoon Testosterone, or OTT for short. Enjoy!

———-

Ah yes, some of my favorite food ever is Asian cuisine. Or perhaps more accurately, Asian food that’s been Americanized into a fast food format. Yum. But this is my take on Asian-inspired food that’s simple and delicious.

Asian Chicken Bowls

Servings: 3-4
Time: 30 minutes
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Ingredients:

Asian rice sticks (or another form of pasta or even rice)
1 lb chicken
1 bag frozen stir fry vegetables (or the same ones fresh-style that would probably cost a small fortune at your local grocery store)
2 T olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 T soy sauce
3 T Szcehuan sauce
1/4 t Chinese 5-spice
1/2 t sesame seeds
dash of red pepper flakes

Directions: Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. My bites may be larger than yours so adjust according to mouth size. Heat the oil in a large skillet on the stove (or better yet, in a wok if you have one…I don’t…). Place the chicken in the skillet and cook. Flip after several minutes and cook until golden brown. Add water, frozen vegetables, soy sauce, and szechaun sauce. Cover and let cook for several minutes. Meanwhile, begin making the rice sticks. Back to the chicken mixture, add Chinese spice, sesame seeds and red pepper flakes. Stir and let cook until vegetables are tender. When rice sticks are finished cooking, drain and add to chicken/vegetable mixture. Stir together and serve. Obviously, the amounts of sauces and seasonings can be adjusted. I used enough pepper flakes and szechuan to give it some kick. But for a sweeter sauce, add more Chinese spice and less pepper flakes and szechuan. If there isn’t much sauce at the end, add some more water.

Question of the Day: Since Halloween is nearly here, what’s the best person/thing/whatever you’ve ever been for Halloween?

Menu Plans

Menu Plan

October 24, 2010November 6, 2010 Sarah

Week of October 25

Monday: Tortilla Soup

Tuesday: French Toast

Wednesday: Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Thursday: Small Group party/leftovers

Friday: Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Saturday: Gnocchi

Sunday: leftovers

Main Dishes, Recipes, Tofu

You, Too, Can Like… Tofu! In Tofu Shrimp Bowls, that is.

October 21, 2010December 14, 2015 Sarah

…TOFU!

You don’t have to be a vegetarian. Or a vegan. Or really weird. Or any of the excuses you’ve made over the years for avoiding tofu.

If this guy… this bacon loving man likes tofu…

…then you can too!

It’s not slimy. It’s not smelly. It’s not mushy. I promise!

Just give it a try… these tofu shrimp bowls I made the other night don’t really have a recipe, per se, but here’s what I did.

Tofu Shrimp Bowls

Servings: 2-3
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Ingredients:

1 block tofu
8 ounces cooked cocktail shrimp
1/2 cup frozen lima beans
1 cup frozen peas
salt
pepper
cooked rice
1/3 cup water

Directions:

Prepare tofu according to The Front Burner Blog’s tutorial. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, place water, shrimp, lima beans, and peas. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer until heated through. Prepare your rice according to package directions, and combine rice, shrimp/veggie mixture, and tofu in a bowl to serve. Enjoy! We found everything very flavorful on its own, but you could experiment with soy sauce, teriyaki, etc. if you’d like an extra boost of flavor!

Question of the Day:

On a scale of 1-10, how do you feel about tofu? 1=EWWWW gross, I’d never eat it if I was starving in the desert and 10=tofu is the BEST thing EVER!!!!! I’m about an 8… I won’t go so far as to say it’s my absolute favorite food ever, and I wouldn’t eat it once a day [or once a week even], but I’ll eat it a few times a month.