Cheesy Turkey Enchiladas

Listening to: Gypsy Kings Pandora Station

Drinking: Bud Light with Lime ;)

Tip not listed in Rocco's book: Swaying hips while cooking

adds flavor to your enchiladas. {I might have just made that up}

“In this country, dishes of Mexican origin have a reputation for being fat- laden and bad for you. At the same time, we can’t seem to get enough of them! The funny thing is that in Mexico, the traditional food is generally fresh, healthy, and wholesome—lots of grilled fish and meats, intensely flavored (and cream- free) sauces, fresh vegetables and fruits, and herbs. The problem is the blanket of full- fat cheese and sour cream under which most Mexican- American dishes are served. The Mexican flavors we love come from healthy foods like bright- tasting tomatillos and cilantro, so I banked on them in this new version of enchiladas” – Chef Rocco

Ingredients:

12 Ounces ground Turkey Breast

Four 9-inch low-carb tortillas, such as La Tortilla Factory

2/3 Cup fat- free spicy black bean dip, such as Desert Pepper Trading Company

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 12- ounce jar tomatillo salsa, such as Ortega

1 Cup reduced- fat Mexican cheese blend, such as Weight Watchers

½ Cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Heat a large nonstick saute pan over medium- high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring to break it up a little, until it is just cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, using flameproof tongs, char the tortillas lightly on each side over an open flame, or toast them under a preheated broiler. Keep the tortillas warm by covering them with a clean kitchen towel as you go.

Stir the black bean dip into the turkey. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Lay the tortillas on a work surface, and divide the turkey mixture among them. Fold the sides of the tortillas in over the filling and roll the tortillas up tightly to encase the filling. Lay them side-by-side in a 9×13- inch baking dish.

Spoon the salsa over the tortillas, and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the enchiladas are hot throughout, 10 to 12 minutes.

The recipe calls for cilantro, which reminds me of green soap. So I omitted. I did, however, add sliced pickled jalapenos on top of the cheese to add some yummy spice and speed up the metablolism ever so slightly.{every bit counts,right?}

Cook Smart Tip:

This recipe does cut down the calories. The previous version had 33 grams of fat and 900 calories whereas Chef Rocco’s version above has 9.9 grams of fat and only 314 calories per serving. Aye Carumba!

C&D rating *****out of ***** stars. A.Mazing.

**Refer to my first post, where my cousin Melissa has tips on cutting out the cheese with a soy replacement**

***on a related note: I will not be using the cheese substitute at this time, as I enjoy my family and friends, and me -cheese = a crabby zoo animal with signs posted to keep your fingers out of the cage***

~Happy Domesticating~

Presents for Parker

David's and my sweet little cupcake of a niece, Parker, just had her first birthday! Her official Birthday party is tomorrow. So auntie Chelsea crafted up some stuff to send to Dallas to have on hand. Have fun you guys! I know it will be quite the shindig for little tiny people ;)

Bib. I call this look...the "Parker"

A few compartments to save some cake for later ;)

The beginnings of a table cloth, soon to evolve into a blankey, post party.

Happy Birthday, Parker!

~Happy Domesticating~

In honor of the Kentucky Derby, I thought I would post a hat a embellished for my friend, Taylor last year.

My mom had to model it for photo documentation ;)

If I could have found a way, I probably would have stuck this birdhouse I embellished for a gift shop, right on top!

Some of my favorite Derby hats via Hat-A-Tude

Domestic Maiden Voyage

Welcome to A domesti-cupcake!

As far as the cooking posts, you'll notice I'm going to be cooking from this book a LOT.

You see, its painfully simple, AND a healthy alternative to the classics that David and I like. I'm attempting to cook at least 3 healthy meals a week. {because those other days? I eat like I have the metabolism of a 12 year old boy}

Set the scene:

Music:

Broken Bells, The High Road

Sipping while cooking:

Robert Mondavi Private selection Merlot

{I don't know if this is a smart pairing, but it I'm easy to please!}

On the Menu:

{aka:David's only option}

Grilled Chicken Parmigiano

Serves 4

What you'll need:

~Nonstick olive oil cooking spray

~4 boneless,skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat, pounded thin

~salt and freshly ground black pepper

~2 cups low-fat marinara sauce

~1 cup drained, canned whole plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

~1 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves

~1 cup shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese

~1 1/2oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

~1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 400*F. Lightly spray a 9x13" baking dish with olive oil spray, set aside.

2. Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. When the grill is hot, spray the chicken lightly with olive oil spray. grill until just cooked through, about 1 1/2min per side.

3.Spread a little less than half the marinara sauce over the bottom of prepared baking dish. Lay the grilled chicken breasts on the sauce. Spoon remaining marinara sauce over the chicken; scatter chopped tomatoes over the top. Sprinkle with 1/2cup chopped basil, the mozzarella, and the parmigiano.

4. Bake the chicken until the cheese has melted and is beginning to brown, 10-12min. sprinkle bread crumbs and remaining basil on top, and serve!

Before /After

Fat 49 g 9.3g

Cal 1,090 332

*Chelsea & David rating *****out of ***** stars! yum.

Have a great week, and if anyone tries the recipe, let me know how you liked it!

~happy domesticating~