Lazy Weeknight Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole-ish Dinner

I created this recipe when I got home from class the other night. I knew I had some aging tortillas I wanted to use up, and I had just bought a rotisserie chicken, so I kinda threw this together and it turned out awesome! Less than 20 minutes from start to finish, full of protein, and delicious. Not the healthiest dinner ever, but it would be nicely complimented by a simple salad for a good lazy weeknight dinner.

I called it chicken chilaquiles because chilaquiles are traditionally eaten over/made with tortillas. This dinner really isn't that close to chilaquiles, though; I probably should have called it tortilla casserole or something like that. Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole-ish Dinner is alliterative though, so I had to keep it. Regardless, this dish is actually really good if you eat it over tortilla chips, so I guess the chilaquile name can stay.

I lost my camera, and this is the only pitiful picture I took on my phone. Sorry dudes.

Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole-ish Dinner
serves 2-3
total hands-on time: 7 minutes
total time: less than 20 minutes 


3 (ish) cups of shredded chicken
1 can black beans
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbsp garlic
8 or 9 corn tortillas, torn
most of a jar of salsa (I actually used green chile sauce, but salsa will work just as well)
sprinkle of Mexican seasoning

1. Put the garlic and the broth into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. I also put in a few sprinkles of a Mexican seasoning I have, but you can add salt, cumin, and chili powder if you don't have a pre-mixed seasoning.
2. Toss in the chicken and let simmer for a minute, then black beans, let cook for 5 minutes or so.
3. While the chicken and bean mixture is cooking, tear the tortillas into halves and cover the bottom of an 11 by 7 (greased!) pan.
4. When the mixture is finished cooking, spoon about half of it onto the torn tortillas. Spread salsa on top.
5. Add another layer of corn tortillas, then another layer of chicken & beans, then another layer of salsa. Sprinkle Mexican cheese on top.
6. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Eggplant Mini Pizzas

People have strong feelings about eggplant, I've noticed. You either hate it or love it. I happen to love it in all forms, but I'm part Italian, so I'm probably biased. Eggplant is, however, a great vegetable to eat if you're on a budget. It has a strong, distinctive and meaty flavor, and adds a lot of bulk to different dishes, especially pasta. Today for lunch I made eggplant mini-pizzas, which are basically slices of eggplant topped with tomato sauce and cheese. They are significantly lower in calories and healthier than regular pizza (no pizza dough!), they taste great, and they're pretty damn cheap.

I think I paid $1.50 for the eggplant, which I used half of in this recipe. I estimate the total cost of this recipe to be about $2-$3.50; I am, however, a poet, so don't hold me to those numbers! A whole medium eggplant has about 132 calories, so these mini-pizzas are really healthy, too.

Eggplant Mini Pizzas
total time: 20 minutes
total hands on time: 6 minutes

What you need:
1 eggplant
5-6 tbsps of tomato sauce
shredded cheese
spices or other vegetables (optional)

1. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 425.
2. Horizontally slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch rounds. Here, I have 5 slices.



3. Brush each slice on both sides with olive oil.
4. Roast 6-8 minutes on each side, until slightly browned.
5. Top each slice with tomato sauce and cheese. You can also add spices; I added an Italian herb mix and red pepper flakes.
6. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.
7. Enjoy!

I read a recipe somewhere where the cook added tomato slices on top of the eggplant, which I think would be extra delicious. Depending on the size of the eggplant you get, you may also have room to actually add other pizza toppings, maybe fresh basil, bacon bits or pepperoni, whatever strikes your fancy. This would also be good if you used some fancier cheese, like goat or fresh parmesan. It just occurred to me that this recipe would work as a good little appetizer at a party, too; of course, you'd need quite a few more eggplants.

The Four-Minute Magical Breakfast

This is the breakfast that has changed my mornings. I first read about it in a magazine a couple of months ago, decided to try it, and have been hooked ever since; I eat it a minimum of three times a week. I call it "magical" because it is just so good, so fast, so easy, so basic (4 ingredients!) and so healthy (protein and veggies!!), it seems too good to be true. This little egg dish keeps me full and happy for hours, and it is the perfect morning meal when I have a long day of teaching and class ahead of me.

The Four-Minute Magical Breakfast

Ingredients:

2 or 3 eggs
splash of milk
tomatoes, spinach, onions, mushrooms, whatever vegetable(s) your heart desires
small handful of shredded cheese

1. Break the eggs into a fairly deep microwave-safe bowl and add a splash of milk. Whisk with fork.



2. Chop some veggies directly into the bowl. Here I used baby spinach (torn into smaller pieces) and tomatoes. Stir around.



3. Microwave uncovered for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
4. Stir, add small handful of shredded cheese (here I used mozzarella), stir again.
5. Microwave for another 45 seconds to 1 minute depending on your microwave, stir, top with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Eat your scrambled mini-omelet!





Cooking time can vary based on your microwave. You might also want to put a small plate over the top of the bowl to keep the heat in, but this can also affect cooking time. I've heard some people are wary of microwaving eggs, but I love the fact that I don't have to dirty a bowl, a pan, and a cutting board for some good eggs in the morning: as you can see, the whole meal takes place in one little bowl.

One of the best things about this recipe is its versatility. You can make it with egg whites, you can make it with leftover veggies from last night's dinner, you can top it with salsa, you can eat it on toast. Make it spicy with Pepperjack cheese and green chiles, make it Greek with feta. Use more eggs if you're hungrier. Add pre-cooked sausage, add chopped peppers, omit the milk, douse it in hot sauce, use fresh dill or basil---whatever your tastes, you can modify this quick little dish to suit them.

If any of you try this, please let me know what you think. I'm also always open to new suggestions for fast, good and healthy breakfasts, so what do you guys eat in the morning?