In my weekly menu planning posts I talk a lot (a whole lot) about the “freezer stash” that saves my bacon — ha ha — when I’m too tired or the hours in the day are running by just a little too fast. Somewhere along the way I promised to write about some of my tried and true freezer filling techniques. I’m here today to begin delivering on said promise by sharing the sheer brilliance that is macaroni and cheese cupcakes.

I wish I could take credit for this idea, but alas I’m just not that creative. I am really great at finding and curating great ideas though so that has to count for something. I discovered this nifty trick via my latest obsession, Pinterest, and it’s not surprising that it’s a Once a Month Mom technique. It’s so simple but I suppose the best ones always are.

Your Favorite Mac and Cheese in 30 – 60 Seconds

Macaroni and cheese cupcakes are individual portions of macaroni and cheese that you can reheat lickity-split in the microwave. They are perfect for after school treats or a fast side dish for a rotisserie chicken. And because you make them from scratch from whole ingredients they are far superior to any boxed mac and cheese out there. The cupcakes come together in four steps and take about an hour or so to prepare:

1. Make a big batch of your favorite from-scratch macaroni and cheese recipe. Our house standard is the recipe from Beecher’s Cheese Shop in Seattle. I make a single batch of their Flagship cheese sauce and a double batch of the mac and cheese. I can’t always get Beecher’s cheeses here in Austin so I’ll substitute a good quality sharp cheddar and regular Monterey Jack cheese. I tend to get about 36 muffins in a batch and I use small elbow or shell noodles because they fit better in the muffin-size servings.
2. Dish the mac and cheese into lined muffin tins. The liners help the muffins release later and I use fun seasonal wrappers because well, they’re just plain fun. Bake the macaroni and cheese according to the recipe directions. When the muffins are finished take the tins out of the oven and let them cool a bit on the kitchen counter.
3. Transfer the muffin tins to the freezer and freeze until the muffins are completely frozen then remove the muffins from the tin. If the muffins are stubborn and stick to the tin, run a bit of warm water over the bottom of the tin and they will pop right out.
4. Store the muffins in zip-top freezer bags for up to 3 months. Reheat each muffin in the microwave for 30 – 60 seconds.

One last word on why I love this idea: I’m a big fan of macaroni and cheese but of course when it’s made right it’s full of fat, carbs, and calories. These individual servings come with portion-control built in so I can treat myself from time to time. I take one muffin with me to work to have with a big salad for a fun indulgence.

Because even grown-ups need a special treat now and again.

When I was growing up my very Southern grandmother adapted all sorts of traditional Southern recipes to fit the ingredients, cooking styles, and tastes she encountered in El Paso. I can’t tell you how many nights she served collard or mustard greens (cooked with ham hocks of course) with a warm pan of onion and green chile cornbread. What’s funny is back then I only liked straight up cornbread with just a touch of sweetness, so I usually skipped her version. If only I could turn back time and enjoy a square right now. I didn’t know what I was missing.

Several years ago I came across a wonderful recipe for blue corn madelelines. The delicate cornbread bites are lighter than a dense square of cornbread and the fun shape is just a little unexpected. They have earned a permanent place on my Christmas Eve Mexican food menu. For this year’s Hatch chile festivities I decided to try a new twist on this stand-by recipe inspired by my grandmother’s cornbread. I’ve kept the madeleine shape because that’s half of the fun, but this version is stuffed with onions, green chiles, and gooey cheese. It makes these cornbread nibbles a little denser than the original recipe but because they are two bites, you hardly notice at all.

I’ve been making these madeleines for at least five or six years and found the recipe back when I still clipped and copied recipes from magazines instead of just saving them right into my online notebook. I’ve been working from a hand-written version of the recipe, without date or attribution of course, and  while some quality time with Google seems to indicate that this is a Bon Appetit recipe, I can’t find it anywhere on their actual site to verify. Long story short, this is my adaptation of a fantastic recipe and I humbly thank whomever originally created it because it’s a sining gem in my collection.

I have wonderful silicon baking molds that I use to bake these madeleines. I can’t recommend them enough. The cornbread cakes pop right out of the molds leaving the beautiful detailing intact.

It’s August and that means one thing here at Fete & Feast: it’s Hatch Chile Month! Over the last several years Hatch Chiles have become something of a celebrated vegetable here in Central Texas. Given my roots in far West Texas just down the road from Hatch, New Mexico, this thrills me to no end. Last year I celebrated Hatch with the likes of macaroni and cheese, enchiladas, green chile cheese beer bread, and green chile palmiers. This year I’m cooking up cornbread, roast chicken thighs, and even grilled cheese, all featuring the little green chile that could.

To kick the season off I’ve put together this recipe for a hand pie stuffed with squash, green chile, tomatoes, and cheese. It’s a fun take on calabacitas, a traditional way to cook squash with onions and green chiles that was featured at my family’s dinner table many a summer when squash were in abundance. I’ve tucked the squash, chile, and cheese mixture into puff pastry to make it convenient finger food, just perfect for a party. You can make these little bites ahead of time and freeze them unbaked so you have a quick meal or appetizer any time you get a hankerin’ for a taste of Hatch. The filling in these empanadas is so substantial they will hold up nicely as a main dish. Serve them with a side of guacamole and a green salad for an effortless Meatless Monday menu.

Queso flameado (or flaming cheese) is one of my favorite indulgent dishes. It’s nothing more than melted cheese in a cast-iron skillet with some sausage and an occasional green chile thrown in for good measure. It’s served fresh and bubbling hot to be spooned into warm tortillas. The Homesick Texan has an awesome recipe for this dish of cheese and chorizo awesomeness. Yes, I used the word awesome, or some derivation thereof, twice in that last sentence because it’s a totally appropriate usage.

The down side to queso flameado – besides the fact that you might as well just wipe it on your thighs – is that it has to be piping hot to stay ooey and gooey and melty. When it’s fresh out of the oven or off of the grill, that’s just fine. In fact, I’ve been known to serve it from a pan on the grill during an outdoor party. But, when it sits around, it starts to get stiff and not so melty, making it not the best option to sit on a table of party fare for an extended period of time.

When I was trying to come up with a way to serve queso flameado at a party without having to involve a heating element, it occurred to me that it would be great stuffed in bread, with the bread also providing the perfect vessel for transferring the cheese from plate to mouth without the need for a utensil. I put this theory to the test and voila, I offer you bread stuffed with chorizo and cheese.

Bread, cheese, and sausage. What could be better?

Recipe: Chorizo and Cheese Stuffed Bread

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
  
• Makes: 16 slices
  
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
  
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
  

Ingredients

• 1 14-16 oz. ciabatta, rustic Italian, or other rectangular loaf of bread
• 1 lb. fresh chorizo (aka Mexican chorizo)
• 5 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1.5 c.)
• 5 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 1.5 c.)
• 1 Tbsp. snipped chives for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the chorizo in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. Drain well on paper towels and let cool slightly.
3. While the chorizo drains and cools, hollow out the bread to create a 1 inch thick bread shell with a wide opening at the top (sort of like a brad bowl, or I suppose a bread tray). Save the bread you remove for fresh breadcrumbs.
   
4. In a medium bowl toss the mozzarella and jack cheeses with the cooked chorizo until well combined.
5. Fill the bread shell with the cheese and chorizo mixture, mounding it in the center until almost overflowing.
   
6. Place the filled bread on a rimmed baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top of the bread nicely browned.
8. Remove from the oven and cut into slices.
9. Garnish with chives.

Recipe for Success

• Be sure to use fresh pork chorizo in this recipe and not cured Spanish chorizo.
• You can substitute Italian sausage in this recipe, or really any other bulk sausage you’d like. For an Italian take on this dish, use hot Italian sausage, a combination of mozzarella and provolone cheese with a bit of parmesan cheese grated on top for good measure. Garnish with chopped Italian parsley or fresh oregano.
• You could easily toss a can of drained4 oz of chopped Hatch Green Chiles (or roasted Anaheim peppers) into this dish for a little more of a kick and depth of flavor.

I love quick breads. They come together, well, quickly, and they can be a vehicle for so many different flavors. From sweet breakfast breads to savory dinner loaves, the options are almost endless. A couple of years ago I came across a recipe in Cooking Light for a basic beer cheese bread and I thought at the time that it would be a great base for a green chile cheese bread. It turns out I was right. The green chile’s trusted companions, gooey cheese and earthy cumin, come along for the ride. The beer lends a slightly bitter edge to the bread to cut through the creaminess of the cheese and the soft dough. Serve this bread with a hearty soup or on its own with a bit of honey butter. It travels well too, so it’s perfect for a potluck or a holiday party. Or, make a loaf and eat the whole thing yourself. I won’t tell anyone.

Recipe: Green Chile Cheese Beer Bread

Adapted from Basic Beer-Cheese Bread

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
• Makes: 16 slices
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 4 oz. hot green chilies, chopped (about ½ c.)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• ¼ c. diced shallot
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• ¾ tsp. ground cumin
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 13.5 oz. all purpose flour (about 3 c.)
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about ½ c.)
• 2 oz. manchego cheese, shredded (about ½ c.)
• 12 oz. lager-style Mexican beer such as Dos Equis

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. Place the green chilies in a double layer of paper towels and squeeze to remove as much moister as possible.
3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for five minutes or until tender but not brown.
4. Add the black pepper, cumin, honey, and chilies to the pan and stir to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
5. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
6. Add the onion and chile mixture, cheeses, and beer to the flour mixture and stir just until the ingredients are combined, careful not to over-mix.
7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for an hour or until a tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
8. Cool the loaf in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes then remove it from the pan and cool completely on the rack.

Recipe for Success

• You can use mild chilies in this recipe if you’d like, but there’s enough going on with the bread and the cheese to help balance out the heat of warmer chilies.
• The final batter is very thick; resist the urge to over-mix it or the final bread will be tough.
• The recipe doubles beautifully and is great for gifting. Take a loaf to a potluck or to the office to make your co-workers happy.

I have written over on Fete and Feast about how much I love enchiladas and my quest to find the perfect enchilada in my now home-town of Austin. And while I spent many words waxing rhapsodic about red chile enchiladas, there’s plenty of room in my enchilada-loving heart for green chile enchiladas. In my experience, green chile enchiladas are a little mellower than their red counterparts, making them a great starter enchilada for those new to the dish or a nice change of pace from the more acidic red enchiladas or fruity tomato-based enchiladas. I tend to like my green chile enchilada sauce smooth and creamy, which means it’s often sour cream based, but I’ve come to enjoy Greek yogurt as a twist on that tradition. I’ve been making this enchilada recipe for about twenty years now and it’s never failed me. You’ll note that it’s filled with cheese and onions, my preferred filling for any enchilada, but if you take a look at the Recipe for Success section at the end of the post, I include some other ideas on what other fillings might go well with this ooey-gooey green sauce.

Recipe: Green Chile Enchiladas

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
  
• Serves: 4-6
  
• Prep Time: 30 min
  
• Cook Time: 25 min
  

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• ¼ c. butter
• 1 ¼ c. diced yellow onion, divided (about 1 medium onion)
• ¼ c. all purpose flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ½ tsp. cumin
• 14 oz. chicken broth (1 can)
• 8 oz. 2% Greek yogurt
• 8 oz. roasted green chilies, chopped (about 1 c.)
• 12 corn tortillas
• 6 oz. queso asadero cheese, shredded (about 1 ½ c.)
• 6 oz. manchego cheese, shredded (about 1 ½ c.)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9″ x 13″ glass baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat.
3. Sauté ¼ c. of onion in the butter until soft but not brown.
4. Add the flour, salt, pepper, and cumin to the butter and onion and stir to combine. Continue to stir as the mixture bubbles, about two minutes more.
5. Pour the broth into the pan in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Raise the heat to medium high and continue whisking until the mixture bubbles and begins to thicken. Whisk for 3 more minutes.
6. Turn off the heat and add the yogurt to the sauce; whisk to combine.
7. Add the green chilies to the sauce and whisk to combine. The sauce will be very thick.
8. Taste the sauce for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Spread ½ c. of the sauce sauce along the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
10. Toss the queso asadero and manchego cheese to combine. Reserve 3/4 c. of the cheese.
11. Lay three tortillas on a plate so their edges are barely overlapping; microwave them for 20-30 seconds on high, or until they are soft and pliable.
12. Remove the tortillas from the microwave and lay them on a clean counter or on a sheet pan. Fill each tortilla with about 2 Tbps. of grated cheese and 1 Tbsp. of onion. Roll up each tortilla and place it seam side down on top of the thin layer of sauce in the prepared baking dish.
13. Repeat the heating, filling, and rolling process with the remaining tortillas, cheese, and onion.
14. Pour the remaining green chile sauce over the top of the rolled tortillas and use a spatula to spread it evenly across the top. Push the sauce down between the tortillas as well so it covers them on all sides.
15. Sprinkle the reserved cheese and any leftover onions on top of the enchiladas.
16. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.
17. Remove the foil from the dish and bake for another 5-7 minutes or until the sauce bubbles and the tops of the enchiladas begin to brown lightly.
18. Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest in the baking dish for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe for Success

• I like the tartness that Greek yogurt adds to the dish. The fact that it is good for you and not weighed down with calories is a bonus. You can substitute regular plain yogurt or even sour cream for the lower fat Greek yogurt.
• I prefer to use thin corn tortillas for any enchilada preparation. The thicker tortillas bring too much tortilla to the party and eclipse the other ingredients.
• If you can’t find queso asadero, a Mexican melting cheese, you can substitute Monterrey Jack instead. I like to use a mix of the melting cheese and manchego cheese for a more complex flavor profile. For simplicity’s sake though, you can simply use 10 oz of either Monterey Jack or queso asadero.
• I like to work with tortillas three at a time because they all stay warm enough to be pliable. If I try to work with more than three, the last couple have cooled down by the time I’m ready to roll them and they inevitably break.
• The full cup of chopped chilies gives this dish a very robust green chile flavor. You can reduce the chile by up to half for a less intense chile flavor or, to heat things up a bit, combine hot and mild chilies.
• You can prepare the dish all the way through step 16 up to eight hours ahead and refrigerate the prepared enchiladas. Remove the cold dish from the oven 30 minutes before you’re ready to put it in the over and then proceed with baking the enchiladas at 425 degrees.
• While I’m a firm believer that enchiladas should only be filled with cheese and onion, this recipe adapts easily to other fillings. Shredded chicken or tender pork would be a great place to start, as would grilled vegetables or sautéed spinach. You could also fill these with crab or shrimp for a seafood variation.

You may have seen palmiers in a bakery as a sweet treat, with the layers of puff pastry filled with sugar and butter, but they are equally tasty in savory form. Great fillings for palmiers include (but are not limited to)

• Herbs and spices
• Harder cheeses like cheddar and parmesan
• Soft spreadable cheeses like goat cheese
• Cured meats like prosciutto
• Cooked spinach
• Spreads like tapenade and pesto
• Sun dried tomatoes

For this recipe I made a green chile pesto and paired it with creamy Monterey Jack cheese and aged manchgo, a firm cheese similar to parmesan in texture, and Serrano ham, which is essentially the Spanish version of prosciutto. The result is lovely blending of flavors with the green chilies proving a subtle heat and chile undertone that’s nicely balanced by the creamy cheese and the salt of the ham. Unlike my Green Chile Macaroni & Cheese recipe, these palmiers won’t beat you over the head with their green chile flavor, making them perfect for those who are new to green chile. Green chile aficionados will still appreciate the familiar flavor and may be pleasantly surprised to find green chilies used in this way.

Puff pastry is one of my entertaining secret weapons. It’s versatile, easy to work with, and impressive. For many years puff pastry was a bakery specialty because there weren’t very many good pre-made options. Today however, several food companies have perfectly acceptable packaged puff pastry offerings that you can find in the freezer section at your local grocery store. I typically use Pepperidge Farm because it’s consistent from package to package.

Recipe: Green Chile Palmiers

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
  
• Makes: About 24 palmiers
  
• Active Prep Time: 20 minutes
  
• Rest Time: 30 minutes
  
• Cook Time: minutes
  

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about ½ c.)
• 1.5 oz. aged manchego cheese, shredded (about ½ c.)
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
• Scant ¼ c. green chile pesto (recipe to follow)
• 1.5 oz. thinly sliced Serrano ham (about 3 slices)

Instructions

1. Combine the cheeses, cumin, coriander, oregano, and salt in a medium bowl and toss to combine well.
2. Lay the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to a 9 x 10.5 inch rectangle.
3. Spread the green chile pesto evenly over the puff pastry leaving a border of about ¼ inch on all sides.
4. Sprinkle the cheese and spice mixture evenly over the pesto.
5. Lay the slices of ham over the cheese, cutting them as needed to cover the cheese mixture evenly.
6. Starting with one long side, roll the pastry over the filling into a tight spiral, stopping when you reach the mid-point of the pastry.

   Roll the other side of pastry over the filling until it meets the first roll.

7. Using wet fingertips or a wet pastry brush, brush the pastry where the two rolls meet lightly with water and press them lightly together to seal.
8. Gently transfer the rolled pastry to a cookie sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes until firm and easy to slice.
9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
10. Cut the rolled pastry into ¼ inch slices and place an inch apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Gently shape each slice to make any square corners rounder.
11. Transfer to the hot oven and cook for 13-15 minutes until the pastry is puffed and the cheese melted. Remove from oven, transfer to a serving dish, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe for Success

• You can prepare the recipe through step nine up to three days in advance and freeze the rolled and filled puff pastry wrapped tightly in a double-layer of plastic wrap. When you’re ready to slice and bake the palmiers, set the frozen pastry on the counter for about 15 minutes and then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
• You can easily double this recipe to use both sheets of puff pastry that typically come in a package.
• If you can’t find Serrano ham, you can substitute prosciutto or any other thinly sliced dried ham.
• If you can’t fine manchego cheese, any other firm Spanish cheese or even parmesan will do in a pinch.
• Don’t worry if the uncooked palmiers look like scrunchy faces instead of smoothly curved pastry. When the pastry cooks, it will flesh out and become nicely rounded.

Recipe: Green Chile Pesto

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
  
• Makes: 1 ½ – 2 cups
  
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
  

Ingredients

• ¼ c. toasted pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 c. whole green chilies, roasted, peeled, and seeded
• 1.5 oz. aged manchego cheese, shredded (about ½ c.)
• 4 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper

Instructions

1. Combine the pine nuts and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process for 10-20 seconds or until the garlic is chopped into small pieces.
2. Add the green chiles and manchego to the bowl of the processor and process with on/off turns until the mixture forms a paste.
3. With the processor running, gently stream the grapeseed oil into the bowl.
4. Scrape the pesto into a small bowl then stir in the salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Recipe for Success

• This pesto resembles hummus more than it does traditional pesto because the pine nuts and manchego cheese tone down the green in the cheese. Once you taste it, you’ll know it’s absolutely not hummus. This pesto is a nice alternative to using green chilies on their own because it brings a more subtle green chile taste to a dish where you don’t want to the chilies to overpower the other ingredients.
• You can substitute canola oil or any other flavorless vegetable oil for the grapeseed oil.
• Store the pesto for 3-5 days in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap.
• You can serve this pesto as a dip with tortilla or pita chips, tossed with pasta and some additional cheese and cherry tomatoes, or even in a quesadilla. You could also serve it over (or under) grilled chicken or roast pork. Let your imagination go wild.

As a start to this month of green chile goodness, I thought I’d start with a fun recipe that infuses one of my personal favorite dishes, macaroni and cheese, with the mild heat of green chile. I’ve had a few versions of this dish at different restaurants and wanted to try my own hand at it. The result is an intense combination of chile, cheese, and pasta that you’ll want to eat right out of the baking dish.

Recipe: Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
  
• Serves: 4-6
  
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
  
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
  

Ingredients

• 6 oz. macaroni or similar pasta
• 3 whole green chilies, roasted, peeled, and seeded.
• 2 corn tortillas
• 3 oz. manchego cheese, grated, divided
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/3 c. chopped yellow onion
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ¼ tsp. cumin
• 1 ¼ c. whole milk
• 4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 4 oz. queso asadero or provolone cheese, grated
• 4 oz. green chilies, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped. (about ½ c.)

Instructions

1. Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain, toss with a little bit of olive oil, and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Spray a 9 x 9 baking dish with non-stick spray.
4. Puree the whole green chilies in a blender or small food processor. They should yield about ¼ to 1/3 cups of pureed chilies. Reserve the puree to use later in the sauce.
5. Tear the corn tortillas into pieces and place them in a food processor mini chopper. Process until they resemble coarse corn meal. Add 1 oz. of the manchego chese to the chopper bowl and pulse until the entire mixture is uniform in size. Reserve the mixture to use as the topping.
6. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat.
7. Sauté the onion in the butter until soft but not brown.
8. Add the flour, salt, pepper, and cumin to the butter and onion and stir to combine.
9. Pour the milk into the pan in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Raise the heat to medium high and continue whisking until the mixture bubbles and begins to thicken. Whisk for 3 more minutes then reduce the heat to low.
10. Stir the puree into the sauce then add the cheddar, queso asadero, and remaining manchego cheeses in small batches, stirring until each batch fully melts into the sauce.
11. When all of the cheese is incorporated, add the chopped green chilies and stir to combine.
12. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss it with the sauce until the pasta is evenly coated.
13. Pour the sauced pasta into the prepared baking dish. Spread the tortilla and cheese topping evenly over the top.
14. Transfer to the 350 degree oven and cook for 20 minutes or until the sauce bubbles.
15. Turn the oven broiler on to high and broil for an additional 7-10 minutes until the topping is brown and crisp.
16. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe for Success

• “Green chilies” in the Southwest usually refer to the Anaheim variety of pepper grown predominantly in New Mexico. If you can’t find this variety, you can easily substitute poblano peppers in this recipe. You can also order fresh Hatch green chilies online if you want the authentic thing delivered to your door.
• You peel green chilies the same way you peel other peppers, by roasting them until the skin blisters and letting them sweat in a plastic bag or bowl covered with plastic wrap. It’s a very simple process and the skins rub right off. If you’ve never peeled a pepper before, watch this quick video to see how it’s done.
• You may also be able buy green chilies roasted and peeled in cans at the grocery store. My favorite brand is the Hatch brand, but others will do in a pinch.
• My goal when I created this recipe was for the green chile flavor to be intense and pervasive. If you like a more subtle flavor, you can reduce or omit the puree all together and just use the chopped chilies. If you like your chile on the hot side, you can add some hotter chilies into the mix.

Red Chile Beef Empanadas

[Jump right to the recipes: New Twists on Old Favorites, An Elegant Super Bowl, or Red Chile Beef Empanadas]

Football is all about fandom, and half the fun of being a fan is sharing your obsession for the sport with other similarly obsessed folk. For many years I was torn between my love of the sport and my love of the kitchen, often missing part of the big game because I was cooking. Of course I do have a TV within sight of my kitchen, but I’d miss key plays anyway. My solution to this conundrum is to create menus that include a collection of make-ahead dishes that, at the most, need to go into and come of the oven during the game. I do all of the heavy lifting days or hours before the party so I’m free to enjoy ever pass, tackle, fumble, and long run.

To help you with your super bowl planning I’ve put together a collection of make-ahead recipes that work well for me and in some cases my fellow food bloggers. I’d love to know what your favorite big game recipes are, so please share them with me in the comments.

New Twists on Old Favorites

I’m a big fan (no pun intended) of trying new recipes and techniques at my parties because, well, my friends make good guinea pigs. Even so, I’ve learned that while most people enjoy a guided excursion to new tastes, they also enjoy traditional favorites. As a happy medium between the new hotness and the old and comfortable, I try to update favorite recipes or put a new spin on them.

• Sriracha Chicken Wings from White On Rice Couple
  Make the sauce early in the day and then toss quickly with wings when they come out of the oven.
• Soft Pretzels from Big Black Dogs
  These are a great alternative to chips. Serve them with spicy mustard, ranch dressing, or your favorite fondue. You can make these ahead and warm them in the oven before serving.
• Pastry-Wrapped Sausages
  I serve these at most of my parties and they are always a hit. Dress them up with hand-made sausages with interesting flavors like chicken and apple or blueberry and pork. Use a special cheese like a bandaged cheddar or an aged gruyere for a more sophisticated flavor. You can prep these in the morning and pop them into the oven just before you’re ready to serve them.
• Red Chile Beef Empanadas
  Instead of a taco bar, serve up a collection of these little premade pies to make snacking out-of-hand easy for everyone. You can put just about anything you’d put into a taco into an empanada. I like red chile beef with nutty manchego, but you could go with a chicken and Monterey Jack filling or even ground beef and Colby. The possibilities are almost endless.

An Elegant Super Bowl

While it’s true that the Super Bowl is a casual and comfortable affair, if you have an opportunity to host a more refined party, you should – if nothing else just for the fun of it. This collection of recipes isn’t your typical football party fare, but it’s still completely accessible and easy to make.

• Savory Madeleins as made by Lisa from Lisa is Cooking
  Put out a few baskets of these savory treats along with some champagne for a truly refined snack table. Pair them with fruit and a cheese plate for an elegant offering. Make them the morning of the party so all you have to do is set them out before your guests arrive.
  
• Chive, Mascarpone, and Pine Nut Dip as also made by Lisa
  This dip is a refined version onion dip and would be lovely with toasted bread or even pita triangles. Make it the morning of the party so that the flavors have time to meld together.
  
• Tomato Tartlets
  I made these for my holiday party this year and they were a hit. The recipe features just a few ingredients so the flavor of each shines through. You can roast the tomatoes and make the crust several hours before the party so it comes together quickly just before you serve it.
  
• Prosciutto-Wrapped Dates
  These are one of my go-to appetizers for any party because they are so easy to make, so versatile, and yet so impressive to guest. Prep them the morning of your party and bake them off just before guests arrive.

Recipe: Red Chile Beef Empanadas

Adapted from Braised Chile-Spiced Short Ribs with Black Beans

Details

• Difficulty: Medium
• Makes: 48 empanadas
• Prep Time: 60 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

For the beef

• 4 medium dried New Mexico Red chiles
• 2 c. boiling water
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 chopped canned chipotles in adobo (about 2 Tbsp)
• 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce (from the canned chipotles)
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp. molasses
• 2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 ½ tsp. salt; divided
• 1 tsp. freshly-ground pepper
• 3 lb. chuck roast, cut into 2 inch by 2 inch pieces
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• ¼ lb. thick-cut bacon, sliced in to ¼ inch pieces
• 2 1/3 c. beef broth
• 1 cinnamon stick

For the empanadas

• 3 boxes of pre-made pie crust or 3 recipes of homemade pie crust for six total crusts
• 24 oz. manchego cheese, grated

Instructions

For the beef

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wipe dust from dried chiles. Cut and discard the stems from the chiles. Shake the loose seeds from inside the chiles and discard. Tear the chiles into 2 inch pieces.
3. Place the chiles in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Cover with the boiling water and place a heavy plate on top of the chiles to keep them submerged in the water. Soak for20 minutes.
4. Transfer the softened chiles to a blender along with 1/3 c of the soaking liquid. Reserve the remaining liquid.
5. Add the onion, garlic, chipotles, adobo, tomato paste, molasses, cumin seeds, cloves, and 1 tsp. salt to the blender with the chile and water. Puree until smooth.
6. Season the pot roast pieces evenly on all sides with remaining 1 ½ tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper.
7. Heat the oil in a large, deep pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers but doesn’t smoke.
8. Brown the pieces of chuck in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan, about 5-6 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate and reserve.
9. Once all of the meat is browned, drain off the fat from the pot but don’t wipe clean. You want to keep the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
10. Return the pot to medium-high heat and cook the bacon until brown and crispy. Remove the bacon to the platter with the beef. Do not discard the bacon fat.
11. Stir the pureed chile mixture into the fat carefully, watching for splattering, and cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
12. Add the reserved chile soaking liquid, the beef broth, and the cinnamon stick to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
13. Add the reserved beef and bacon to the pot, cover with a tight-fitting lid or foil, and move to the oven.
14. Cook for about 3 hours or until the beef is fork tender.
15. When the meat is done, remove the pieces of beef to clean platter or bowl. Use two forks to shred evenly.
16. Pour the braising liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a fat separator (or a medium bowl if you don’t have a fat separator).
17. Return the liquid without the fat to the pot and cook over medium-high heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
18. Return the beef to the reduced liquid and toss to combine. Taste for flavor and add salt and pepper as needed.
19. Let cool before making empanadas.

For the empanadas

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Roll a sheet of pie dough large enough to cut out eight 3 ½ inch circles.
3. On the right side of each circle of dough place with a scant tablespoon of beef and top with a teaspoon or so of cheese.
4. Fold the left side over the right side to create a half-moon shape.
5. Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges of the empanada. Use a sharp knife to make three slits in the top of the empanada to allow steam to escape.
6. Place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, beef, and cheese.
7. Bake empanadas for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and flaky.

Recipe for Success

• You can make the empanadas up to 3 months ahead. Place formed empanadas on a single row on a baking sheet and place in the freezer until solid. Transfer the frozen empanadas to a zip top bag and store in the freezer until you’re ready to bake them. On baking day, do not thaw the empanadas. Place them on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20-23 minutes or until golden brown.
• If you can’t find New Mexican red chiles, any other wide, flat dried red pepper will work.
• You can make the empanadas larger if they are the main dish on your menu. I like the smaller size for a buffet table or as an appetizer.
• Sour cream and guacamole are nice companions for the empanadas.
• You may have some of the beef filling left over depending on the size of your roast. The meat freezes beautifully and is great for taco filling or for making more empanadas later.

Breakfast is a great conundrum for the busy family. As a mom I know that it’s critical that we all start the day with a nutritious boost, but adding a healthy breakfast into a crazy morning routine can be daunting. Over the years I’ve worked hard to find and create recipes that make breakfast manageable and tasty, without requiring that I become a short order cook each and every morning. Recipes that fit the bill include ones that:

• Feature whole grain ingredients
• Can be made the night before and cooked the next day
• Can be frozen and re-heated
• Can be made quickly

I’m happy to report that with a bit of searching and testing it’s been possible to put together a nice collection.

Some Easy Go-To Breakfast Options

I have a handful of breakfast recipes I make again and again because they are easy, healthy, and my family likes them. My favorites include:

• Lemon-Blueberry Muffins (4 Weight Watchers™ Points each) – I love muffins because they are easy to make, portable, and freeze well. In a pinch, a boxed muffin mix will do, but I much prefer to make them from scratch so I know exactly what is in them. This recipe whips up quickly, particularly if you use a food processor to cut in the butter instead of doing it by hand. These aren’t super-sweet muffins. Instead, they let the blueberries really shine through. I top mine with raw sugar instead of the glaze because I like the extra crunch it adds. Wrap individual leftover muffins in aluminum foil and freeze in a zip-top bag. Reheat in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes for an easy weekday breakfast.
• Blueberry-Almond French Toast Bake (5 Weight Watchers™ Points per serving) – If your family likes French toast but you’d like to serve them a lighter version, this recipe is perfect. You get the custardy goodness of French toast without all of the calories and fat. As a bonus, you make it the night before and slide it into the oven the next morning to bake. All you need to finish breakfast is a side of fruit and maybe some turkey sausage or ham. The recipe halves beautifully for four people.
• Homemade Ham Egg and Cheese Sandwiches (7 Weight Watchers™ Points per sandwich) – While I’ve found it easy to give up most fast food, I’ll admit that fast food breakfasts are my Achilles heel. Last year I set out on a mission to make a heartier, healthier version of a breakfast sandwich and am pretty happy with the result. My sandwich is significantly more filling than the one you’d get at McDonald’s but is better for you, particularly in the fiber department. These are easy to make, even on a busy weekday morning, and a reasonable alternative to the drive through.
• Whole Wheat Waffles (3 Weight Watchers™ Points per ½ waffle) – Waffles are a favorite in my house and I feel much better about making them now that I have a whole wheat variety that my family enjoys. This recipe uses yeast to compensate for the heaviness of whole wheat flour and to keep the waffles light. It’s also another recipe that you start the night before so breakfast the next morning is quick and easy. As you’ll see, the recipe makes 7 waffles, way too many for my family to eat at one sitting, but I make up a whole batch anyway and freeze the rest for weekday mornings.

What are your favorite healthy breakfast recipes? I’m always looking for new ones to expand my collection and keep us out of a breakfast rut.

Learn more about whole wheat flour

This post is linked to Healthy Green Kitchen’s breakfast recipe blog carnival for Haiti.

Recipe: Make-Ahead Whole Wheat Waffles

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
• Makes: 7 Waffles
• Active Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Inactive Prep Tim: 6 hours – overnight
• Cook Time: ~5 minutes per waffle
• Weight Watchers™ Points: 3 per ½ waffle, 7 per whole waffle*

Ingredients

• 1 c. skim milk
• 1 c. water
• ¼ c. melted butter
• ¼ c. honey
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 2/3 c. white wheat flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
• Zest of one orange
• 1 package active dry yeast (1/4 oz.)
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 3 eggs

Instructions

1. Combine the milk, water, butter, honey, and vanilla in a small sauce pan. Heat over a low heat until warm, about 120 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest, yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to mix well.
3. Add the eggs to the dry ingredients then pour in the liquid ingredients.
4. Using a hand mixer set on low speed, mix the ingredients until well combined. Turn the mixer up to medium speed for the last 30 minutes of mixing.
5. Cover the mixture in the mixing bowl and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
6. When you are ready to make the waffles, pre-heat your waffle maker and cook according to the manufacturer’s standard directions.

Recipe for Success

• I use white whole wheat flour to make these a little more golden in appearance. You can just as easily use regular whole wheat flour instead.
• Don’t let the liquid ingredients heat much past 120 degrees or they will kill the yeast.
• You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer to make this recipe. You could also mix everything by hand – it will just take a little bit longer.
• This batter is more like light dough than a batter because of the yeast, so don’t be surprised when it doesn’t pour out of the mixing bowl as standard waffle batter does. I use a ¾ cup measuring cup to scoop the batter out of the bowl and pour it on the waffle maker.
• To hold cooked waffles while the rest cook, place a cookie rack on top of a cookie sheet, place in the oven set at 200 degrees. Place cooked waffles on the rack until ready to eat. While you could place the waffles directly on the cookie sheet, the rack allows air to circulate under the waffle to keep both sides crisp.
• You can add additional ingredients like blueberries, nuts, or even cooked bacon into the batter just before baking.
• These freeze beautifully. Let them cool on a rack, break them into quarters, and freeze. You can reheat them in the toaster just as you would an Eggo or other frozen waffle.

*Points Details

• Every waffle maker is different, so the number of points per waffle is directly related to the number of waffles your model makes with this recipe. If you get more or fewer than 7 waffles, you may want to recalculate the points for accuracy.
• If you stir additional ingredients into the waffles like nuts or bacon, they will increase the points per waffle and you may need to recalculate based on your specific ingredients.