Salsa Verde Stacked Chicken Enchiladas

Let me start this post by saying I am a real person. I work a full time job. And I do not always have the time or the energy to make “made-from-scratch” meals.

So sometimes it’s necessary to take shortcuts in the kitchen.

For example, as of recently I’ve been dying to make salsa verde enchiladas. But every single recipe that I looked at involved making homemade salsa by peeling and roasting tomatillos and garlic and grilling peppers, etc.

And even though I would LOVE to make homemade salsa every time I made enchiladas, I just do not have time for that.

I could pretend I always make my own salsa to seem like a more “credible” food blogger. But that just wouldn’t be truthful.

Instead, I tested out a few store-bought salsas and came up with my favorite – Frontera Tomatillo Salsa. It has the right amount of heat, and there’s no added sugar. And I’ve been able to find it at most supermarkets.

Additionally, as you may have noticed, this recipe is for “stacked enchiladas,” or as some people like to call it “Mexican lasagna.” So basically, instead of rolling up the enchiladas I just stacked layers of tortillas, chicken, and cheese. It saved me a little bit of time, and it was kind of fun to mix things up.

Let me know what your favorite timesaving tips and tricks are in a comment below!

Salsa Verde Stacked Chicken Enchiladas

Yield: Makes about 6 servings

Ingredients

• About 2 1/2 cups salsa verde (tomatillo salsa)
• 12 - 15 small corn tortillas
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breast (shredded)
• 2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese (or pepper jack or Mexican blend)
• Avocado, cilantro, jalapeños for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spray an 8 x 8 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Spread a layer of 1/2 cup salsa verde at the bottom of the pan.
4. Layer bottom of pan with 4 or 5 tortillas (they’ll overlap).
5. Add half of the shredded chicken and then sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese on top.
6. Add 1 cup of salsa verde on top of cheese.
7. Add layer of tortillas.
8. Add the rest of the shredded chicken and another 1/3 of the cheese.
9. Add layer of tortillas.
10. Pour 1 cup salsa verde on tortillas and add rest of cheese on top.
11. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove dish from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
12. Garnish with avocado, cilantro, and jalapeños before slicing and serving.

Flourless Mini Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

I love popular recipes that can be re-mixed and made with a-typical ingredients. For example: pancakes. Pancakes are usually made with flour, sugar, buttermilk, etc, etc. But this recipe for three-ingredient pancakes that I posted a few months ago only requires banana, eggs, and cinnamon, and they taste and have the same texture as regular pancakes. How cool is that?! It’s like a magic trick!

So when I saw this recipe for mini muffins made with a banana and no flour I was totally game!

For muffins to taste like muffins, they need to be springy and cakey. I was a little nervous these particular muffins wouldn’t have the proper consistency and they would be flat since there is no flour. But I was wrong. The banana, egg, and baking soda were enough to fluff them up. They were like little trampolines!

Also, I should add that the banana taste isn’t overwhelming. In fact, you can hardly taste it. These muffins taste more like peanut butter mini chocolate chip muffins as opposed to banana muffins with chocolate chips.

Flourless Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Serving size: Makes 16 mini muffins

Ingredients

• 1 peeled ripe banana, medium size
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 heaping cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 Tablespoon honey (agave or maple syrup can be substituted)
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Spray mini-muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray
3. Add the banana, egg, peanut butter, honey, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt to a blender.
4. Blend on high speed until completely combined, or about 1 minute.
5. Add chocolate chips to batter and mix in gently with spoon or spatula.
6. Scoop one tablespoon of batter into mini muffin cavities. Each cavity should be 3/4 full.
7. Bake mini muffins for about 8 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
8. Allow muffins to cool before removing from pan.
9. Store muffins in airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 4 months.

Best Oreo Brownies Ever

Yes, I do know how to make brownies from scratch.

But let’s be real, life is busy! And sometimes it is impractical to spend 20 minutes measuring out ingredients and another 20 minutes cleaning up.

So I’m going to share with you my secret to making the best and easiest brownies ever – boxed Ghirardelli Double Chocolate brownie mix and Oreos!

I’ve tested out 6 different “made from scratch” brownie recipes, and I’m telling you these really are the best brownies you’ll ever have!

The Oreos melt into the rest of the batter as it’s baking for extra chocolatey, frosting deliciousness. And the Ghirardelli boxed mix really is outstanding – I mean, can you ever go wrong with Ghirardelli?

Plus (my favorite part) there’s only one bowl to clean up! So go on and make these for dessert tonight! You have time, I promise!

Best Oreo Brownies Ever

Servings: 12 brownies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 package Ghirardelli Double Chocolate brownie mix
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 10 Oreo cookies

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and spray an 8x8 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Mix the egg, oil, and water in a bowl.
3. Add the brownie mix to the bowl and mix until just combined.
4. Coarsely crush the Oreos. I do this by putting the Oreos in a bag and pounding them with my fist.
5. Add the Oreo pieces to the batter and mix until just combined.
6. Pour the batter into the baking pan.
7. Bake for about 35 minutes. Check the doneness of the brownies by inserting a toothpick into the center – if it comes out clean, you’re good to go!

NOTES: 

• Double the recipe if you’re baking in a 9x13 pan.
• If you want the Oreos in your brownie to be more visible, reserve half of the crushed brownies to sprinkle on top.
• This idea was adapted from Pinch of Yum.