Italian enchiladas

I was at a loss about what to make last night for dinner.  I didn't want to do chicken again and didn't want to do anything with ground turkey.  I had some italian sausage (well italian turkey sausage) that I needed to use, but had no idea how I wanted to cook them.  My hubby, lets call him M, LOVES enchiladas so I thought "italian enchiladas."  Why didn't I think of this sooner?!?!?!?!?!

1 lb of italian sausage, casings removed
1 large portabella mushroom diced
1 tbsp of olive oil
8 oz of cream cheese
1 15 oz can of italian tomatoes
1 tbsp of tomato paste (I will leave this out next time, it made the sauce WAY to thick)
6-8 tortillas
3-4 fresh basil leaves
Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium high skillet cook the mushroom in the olive oil.  When brown but still firm, remove and set aside.  In the same skillet cook the sausage till done.  Add the cream cheese and melt.  When the cream cheese is melted add in the mushroom.  Taste and season if needed.  (I think the sausage has enough, but if you think it needs more, hey more power to ya) 

Wrap the tortillas in wet paper towels and warm in the microwave for 60-90 seconds to make them pliable.  Fill each tortilla and place seam side down in a baking dish that has been covered in cooking spray.  This is where I took the tomatoes and tomato paste and warmed it up.  Like I said next time I will leave out the paste and add pasta sauce.  Otherwise put the tomatoes on top of the enchiladas along with the mozzarella cheese and bake for 20 minutes.  Top with the fresh chopped basil.  (My basil was mia at picture time!)

 Before going into the oven

After the oven, please excuse the cheese I had to rewarm ours after getting the kids in bed

Pesto grilled cheese

I love grilled cheese.
I am always looking for new ways to make grilled cheese.
I love pesto.
I am always looking for new ways to make pesto.

Light going off in my head..........PESTO GRILLED CHEESE

Pesto
Toast 1/4 cup of pine nuts in a small pan.  Don't worry your nose will know when they are done.  Fill your food processor with fresh spinach.  Yes, to the top, don't worry it will blend down a lot.  Add the toasted pine nuts, a mashed garlic clove, and a handful of parmesan cheese.  (I know, precise measurements right?)  Blend till completely chopped.  While the processor is on drizzle olive oil in till just combined. 

Grilled cheese
Lightly toast 2 slices of bread, I used 12 grain (so GOOD).  Spread pesto on both sides of the bread and add 2 slices of muenster cheese (or whatever you like).  Lightly butter a skillet over med low heat, and heat both sides of the sandwich till browned lightly.  This wont take long since you already toasted the bread, just long enough to melt cheese.  Cut in half and enjoy the ooey, gooey, cheesy goodness that is your pesto grilled cheese!!!!!!

Chicken with almost 40 cloves of garlic

When I first saw this on For the Love of Cooking I thought "wow that is A LOT of garlic."  I didnt have 40 cloves, I had about 20-30 but they were very large cloves.  And it wasnt overpowering at all.  We ended up putting the garlic on french bread and it was wonderful.

Chicken with almost 40 cloves of garlic
Adapted from For the Love of Cooking

1-2 lbs of chicken thighs
1-2 tbsp olive oil
Dried thyme to taste
Salt & pepper to taste
20-30 large cloves  of garlic peeled
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 2/3 cups of chicken broth
1/4 cup of milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Season both sides on chicken thighs with salt, pepper, & thyme.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and cook smooth side first till nice and brown, about 4 minutes . Flip and cook the other side for about a minutes then place in a baking dish.  You will have to cook thighs in batches. Once the chicken is all cooked lower the heat to medium add the garlic to the skillet and saute 3-4 minutes. Add broth to garlic, make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the goodness.  Cook for a few minutes then pour the sauce over the chicken, cover with foil and bake for about 20 minutes.

When the chicken is done carefully move the chicken and garlic cloves to a plate and cover with a tin foil tent. Place the sauce back in the skillet you cooked the chicken in.  In a small bowl wisk together the cornstarch, milk and a little of the sauce till combined.  When combined slowly add back to the sauce, add in the butter, raise the heat and cook till its is nice and thick.  Taste, and reseason if needed.

Serve chicken and sause over angel hair pasta.