Bubbly, Melty Goodness

I haven't fed you in a while, so here's the latest recipe I've been playing around with.

Quinoa enchilada casserole hails from Damn Delicious, but... Guys? I have changed this up, because I found their recipe a little strange. It wasn't even the quinoa I found strange -- the quinoa works perfectly as a tortilla replacement. Mostly it's their measurements (but they also don't use an onion? What!). You're using such slight quantities and saying it feeds 6? I just didn't find that to be true the first time I made this.

So here's my revision!

BUBBLYpan

1 cup dry quinoa, cooked to package instructions
1 can of your favorite enchilada sauce or maybe you make your own! (10 ounces ish)
1 small sweet onion
4 ounces green chilies (you could easily spice this step up!)
2 ears fresh corn, kernels sliced off
1 can of black beans, drained/rinsed

Pick your cheeses: motz? jack? cheddar? queso fresco? vegetarian cheeses?
To your taste: fresh chopped cilantro, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper
To garnish: tomato, avocado, sour cream

 

Preheat your oven to 400.

Cook your quinoa, and set aside while you saute your onion in a pretty large pan. I saute mine with salt, pepper, and olive oil. YUM. When the onion is getting happy, add the chilies, corn, and black beans.

Don't know how to cut corn off the cob? #1: Carefully, but #2: I find the secret is a bread knife. Hold the ear by its stem, and slice carefully down the length of the cob into bowl or skillet!

If you're using cilantro, go ahead and add it to your veggies. You could also use fresh jalapenos in place of the chilies if you wanted, or in addition to. The "tamed" jalapenos are also great in here -- but they would also make a fine garnish, too!

Stir in your quinoa, and your spices, and then add your enchilada sauce. Here is when you take a taste and see if you need more spices. If you aren't using cilantro because you don't like it, you might try coriander -- it's the seed form of cilantro and I find tastes entirely different.

When everything is mixed and warm and delightful, pour it into a baking dish. I used an 8x8 pan. Top with your cheeses, and slide into your hot oven. Let bake until you're happy with the way it's bubbling and browning (20 minutes? Ish!). I like my cheeses brown, but not black.

Garnish how you will, with sour cream, avocado, fresh tomatoes, jalapenos. The quinoa is pretty brilliant in this -- I tried it with rice and it was not nearly as fabulous. The quinoa adds a great texture, because it has that whole poppy thing going on when you bite into it.

YUMBOWL