Kitchen Pantry Enchiladas

Every where I go, I inevitably make a home for myself. Growing up in a small town gave me a need to connect with my surroundings and find friendly faces in any crowd. While I found this smothering when I was in high school, my move to San Diego for college suddenly left me craving the familiarity of my tiny hick town.

So, naturally, I became a part of the Residential Education program (working in the "dorms," for those of you who don't speak ResEd). I started out as a Desk Assistant and eventually applied to be a Resident Adviser... Before I knew it, I had recreated my small community, more than 1,000 miles away from home. Again I had the friendly faces in the crowd, the constantly available resources and the support system that I didn't know I would miss so much.

When I finished college, I was at a loss. No longer was I living in the residence halls, surrounded by other students who relied on me and needed my assistance. I hadn't anticipated that graduation would leave me feeling lonely and abandoned (again) and I quickly resorted to my old ways to try and recreate my community. I became a property manager for graduate student housing, keeping my connection to SDSU alive and working adjacent to all my friends in the Residential Education office. I stayed active in the halls, working as an assistant to Hall Coordinators and I was never far from my old ResEd friends. Additionally, starting my credential program (along with another ResEd graduate and vet) exposed me to a whole new community to connect with. While I didn't form as many bonds in my teaching credential program as I had during my days as an RA, I became fast friends with a small group of fellow teacher candidates in my cohort. I also found a family of my own within the school communities I started working in.

I learned quickly during my time student teaching that the connections you create with your colleagues can have a huge impact on the quality of your teaching experience. Sure, the kids are a part of the equation, too, but having other teachers to vent to, laugh with, talk smack about the students with, etc. is an important outlet as well. I was very lucky to be in two different schools that had create cooperative working environments among the staff. The Matador Pride program at Mount Miguel demonstrated an entertaining, good cop/bad cop, tough love approach to team teaching. My cooperating teacher team taught at-risk students in English and Social Science. When I was at La Presa Middle School, the grade level teams that the school modeled showed me how great of a resource other teachers could be, outside of the classroom. I loved the banter between my cooperating teacher and her peers during "Lunch Bunch," and I had so much fun being a part of the ladies circle that was actually our official "prep" period--even thought it was often a group of four or five english teachers gabbing while grading.

When I completed my student teaching, finding a school with an outstanding faculty community wasn't exactly at the top of my list. At the time, I just wanted a job. Any job. And what would I know about camaraderie among the staff based on a job posting or interview?

But it didn't take me long after being hired at Orange Glen to begin to build my own family. First and foremost, I found myself an on-campus mommy. My department chair, and coincidentally one of the people on my hiring panel, took me under her wing early on and made sure that I felt supported and had resources whenever I needed them. From day one, she's been on of the people that I know has my back, believes in me and is proud of what I have been able to accomplish at OG. As such, we've become more than just work friends.

Sitting and typing this now, I am snuggled up between her two lab puppies, while she treks across the world on a European adventure. I'll be calling Rainbow home for the next several days, as I house sit and dog sit while my on-campus mommy gets to have a much-needed vacation. And while I'm here, I'm making sure my biggest supporter is taken care of. My plan for the next four days? Prep meals that are easy to freeze and reheat and leave a freezer full of delicious dinners when I go!

The first on the list are "Throw in whatever I find in the pantry" enchiladas---and they were a hit! They are exactly what they sound like. I opened the fridge, saw some tortillas, an avocado and cheese. I stuck my head in the pantry and spied some enchilada sauce and chiles and black beans and I instantly knew what was on the menu. I'd venture a guess that the items I included are found in MOST pantries... So, you don't think you know what to make for dinner? Think again.

Kitchen Pantry Enchiladas

Inspired by  Mo's Kitchen Pantry

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 6-8 corn tortillas
• 1 T taco seasoning
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can green chiles
• 1 can corn
• 1 can sliced black olives
• 1 can green enchilada sauce
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Cook the chicken, seasoning with the taco seasoning (or a mixture of cumin, chili powder and garlic salt). Once it cools, shred the chicken into small pieces.
2. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
3. Pour about 1/3 of the can of enchilada sauce into a shallow bowl.
4. Drain all of the canned ingredients (except the enchilada sauce).
5. Transfer the drained ingredients into a bowl. Add the avocado and onion.
6. Take one tortilla, coat both sides with enchilada sauce (by dipping in the bowl).
7. Spoon about two tablespoons of the mixture down the center of the tortilla. Add about a table spoon of chicken. Top with cheese.
8. Roll the tortilla tightly and place it seam side down in the baking dish.
9. Repeat steps 6-8 until all the tortillas are filled and the dish is tightly packed.
10. Pour the remainder of the enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas.
11. Sprinkle any left over ingredients over the top of the enchiladas.
12. Top with cheese.
13. Cover with foil.
14. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes, removing the foil with 15 minutes remaining.
15. Enjoy!

Chicken, Spinach and Gnocchi Soup

You may or may not be aware that I don't have a heater. If you know me at all, you must know... because I've been complaining about it relentlessly since September. I've been in a back and forth war with my home warranty company since the end of summer, and it seems that everyone just wants to pass the buck. But, as sad as that is, it's not the point.

Being a teacher, I worship, crave and live for my long weekends and extra days off. I know there are plenty of people out there who think, Oh, but you have summers off... Right, I do. But guess what I? I don't get paid during the summer. And I work 10 to 12 hour days, often, during the school year. But also, again, this is not my point.

But these things are coming together. I have a long weekend. And my heater doesn't work. And it's cold. And I'm sick. I can't seem to get warm, my throat is raw, like someone raked over it with sand paper and thumbtacks. My body hurts. My brain is full of snot.

I am determined not to let this dang cold ruin what is left of my weekend. There are too many runs to enjoy and too many group X classes that I need to take. And if I choose to lie around on the couch all day, I want to do it by choice, not by default.

So I am making myself better. With soup. Delicious, creamy, healthy soup. And you should make it, too. It's the yummiest! I'm fairly certain that you don't need to be sick to enjoy this, but I may also market this as an absolute cure-all. One bowl and I'm already feeling better!

Sign me up for five miles AND bootcamp tomorrow!

Gnocchi, Chicken and Spinach Soup

adapted from allrecipes.com

photo by Jessica Y.

Full of yummy veggies, shredded chunks of chicken and just enough creaminess to call it perfection.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 small sweet chili peppers, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 pound cooked,  shredded chicken
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 (16 ounce) package mini potato gnocchi
• 1 (6 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves
• 1 can evaporated milk
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, garlic, and carrots in the hot oil until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. 
2. Stir in cubed chicken and chicken broth; bring to a simmer.
3. Stir gnocchi into the simmering soup and cook until they begin to float, 3 to 4 minutes. 
4. Stir in spinach; cook until wilted, about 3 additional minutes.
5. Stir evaporated milk into the simmering soup. Cook until soup thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Chicken & Avocado Enchiladas

Love is being able to go to the bathroom with the door open.

Love is crying over something stupid (like breaking your Anthropologie measuring spoons) and knowing that the other person won't judge you.

Love is what makes you want to rush home from work everyday, even though you don't have air conditioning and it's 100 degrees in your house and your classroom happens to have a nice arctic chill to it.

Love is that funny feeling that tells you everything is just right, everything is ok and your life is going in the right direction, even though sometimes it feels like nothing is going right, everything is wrong and you have no direction.

There is no denying that the last year has been a rough one. There was a lot of stress, many tears, a few break downs and some major challenges in the last 12 months. But there was also a lot of love, support, compassion and understanding. And for that, I am incredibly lucky.

I'm currently sitting on my porch, folded up like human oragami, in my wicker patio chairs. I'm listening to the tinkling of my windchime, the barking of my neighbor's neglected dog and the constant drum of activity from the corner 7-11. The background reel is the never-ending buzz of cars heading down College Avenue.

And while this year has been hard, it's been a reminder that love really does conquer all. I wouldn't be sitting where I am now, enjoying the breeze, watching my weirdo cat eat ants and thinking about my lecture for tomorrow's photography class without all of the love that I have in my life. Sure, love doesn't buy groceries, or do the laundry or fill your car with gas... But it does give you the motivation, drive and energy to make those things happen for yourself.

With summer drawing to a close and school getting into full swing, I'm realizing just how lucky I am. I wake up everyday excited to go to a job I love. To teach kids things that I am passionate about. And I come home everyday to a man who I love more than anything in the world. And he loves me right back. And our life isn't perfect, and there have been plenty of bumps along the way, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

And on top of that, I've been able to embrace a hobby that makes me happy. I've been able to hone a skill that I love having. I've been able to share bite-sized bits of cupcake love with so many people. I've been able to experiment with recipes and share my results with... whoever wants to read them. Food is love, and this is all my way of spreading love in whatever ways I can.

I Love You, A Whole enchil-LOT-as

6 flour tortillas

1 can enchilada sauce (red or green... I prefer green)

4 cups chopped chicken

1/2 cup chopped red onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 bell peppers, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chipotle seasoning

1 can refried beans

2 avocados, diced

1 can diced green chiles

1 can sliced olives

3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

2 cups shredded cheddar & jack cheese, divided

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and seasonings. Once the chicken begins to cook, add the onions, garlic and peppers. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked all the way through. Remove from heat.

2. In a large bowl, mix the beans, chiles, avocado, cilantro and olives. Add one cup of the cheese mixture.

3. In another bowl (shallow and wide), empty the enchilada sauce. Dip the one tortilla in the sauce, thoroughly coating it. 

4. Spread a heaping spoonful of the bean mixture in the center of the dipped tortilla. Add two spoonfuls of the chicken/veggie mix. Roll tightly. Place seam-side down in a greased baking dish.

5. Once you roll all the tortillas, pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and any leftover chicken mixture.

6. Cover and bake at 425 for 25-30 minutes. Remove the cover for the last 10 minutes of baking time and sprinkle with any remaining cilantro. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Photo by Jessica Y.

They taste like love. Really, they do.