2010 July 28 — Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara

July 28, 2010 · by JudyL

Since so many ask me how I get so much done, all through the day I’m trying to think of what I do that’s not normal. Despite trying by best to figure it out, I can’t come up with anything to tell you. I think I do what everyone else does, but I just write about it all. If you write down what you do all day every day, I think you’ll be surprised at how much you accomplish too. I do sleep, but not enough. I’ve always been one who falls asleep the minute my head hits the pillow and don’t wake up once til the alarm goes off, though I often wake up a few minutes before the alarm just because I hate to be awakened from a sound sleep by the alarm.

Because there has to be a plan and I have to know exactly what’s going to happen each day, I have a menu done for each week . . well in advance of that week. Click to make it larger if you want to read it.

I hear from many who cannot plan ahead. If you’ve tried it and it doesn’t work for you . . at least you know what works or doesn’t work for you. If you find you’re spending a lot of time thinking about what you’re fixing for dinner, try making a menu. Find recipes that look like something you and your family will LOVE! I never fix something I don’t LOVE, except spaghetti and meatballs. I hardly eat it at all but Vince and Chad love it and it’s family tradition for Vince for it to be served every Sunday so . . it’s always on my Sunday menu. If I choose something for dinner that is something I can hardly wait to eat, then cooking is fun . . not a chore.

If it’s a dish that requires a recipe, I either print those or bookmark them on the laptop that stays in the kitchen. If they’re printed, then I keep them with the printed menu. At the end of the week, the recipes that we would like to have again, go into a “Future Menu Folder”. Those that were just . . ok . . go in the trash, never to be tried again. I rarely make a recipe exactly as printed. There are always a few tweaks . . something added, more or less of something or even something left off completely.

And, the menu for the next week is done too!

The menus and my grocery list are kept on my iPod Touch so when I go to the grocery store, I have my list with me. This is what works for me . . it may or may not help you.

Enchiladas & Gravy

July 28, 2010 · by JudyL

For those who asked how I make enchiladas, I don’t really uses a recipe but I’ll try to describe what I do in a manner that hopefully makes sense.

In this picture, I hadn’t yet sprinkled the cheese on top. I use either cheddar, Monterrey Jack, Pepper Jack . . truthfully, whatever is open and in the fridge is what gets sprinkled on top.

The first thing I do is boil chicken breasts. I use only chicken breasts and use the ones with the skin and the bone still on them. And, for the 8 enchiladas shown above, I used less than one split chicken breast! Usually when I make enchiladas, I boil several breasts and use the meat for chicken salad, casserole or whatever. In the water, I add cumin, chili powder, a quartered onion, a handful of cilantro, a tablespoon or two of chicken soup base or chicken boullion granules or cubes, a couple of bay leaves, a dozen or so peppercorns and anything else that seems like it should be in there. Make sure you have plenty of water because you’ll use that broth to make the gravy. Simmer the chicken breasts til the meat is very tender and will shred with a fork.

Once the chicken is done, take it out of the broth and let everything cool. If you’re worried about fat, let the broth cool down and skim the fat off the top but really . . you’re eating Mexican food . . why worry about the fat for this dish?

Next thing I do is make the flour tortillas. I use 3 cups flour, 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 cup shortening. I put all that in a big bowl and squish it all together with my fingers til it’s all mixed up and blended as good as it’s going to get. Add 1 cup warm milk and stir it all til mixed. Usually I dump it onto a floured countertop and kinda knead it til it’s mixed and smooth. Then let it sit and relax for 20 or 30 minutes.

I have a tortilla press but it’s a 6″ and I like larger tortillas for enchiladas so I just roll them out. They’re never perfectly round but who knows when they’re all rolled up and covered in gravy and cheese? Right . . no one knows!

The dough will make 8 good sized tortillas. Divide it into 8 little balls, roll them out and cook them, one at a time, over medium heat in a dry sauce pan. Stack them and keep them warm. I usually make the enchiladas as the tortillas come out of the skillet. To make the enchiladas, sprinkle a little shredded chicken and some chopped onion along one side, then roll it up.

For the gravy, I use the same pan in which I cooked the tortillas. Start with about 1/4 cup of shortening and 1/4 cup flour. Make a roux adding more flour or oil if needed. Get it medium brown. Stir in a bit of cumin, chili powder, red pepper . . whatever makes you happy. Don’t add salt yet. Add hot broth . . enough to make the gravy the consistency you want. As it simmers, you may find that you need to add more broth. Check for seasonings and add salt if needed.

Spread a little gravy in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Place the enchiladas in there and pour the rest of the gravy over them. Sprinkle with cheese and bake about 10 or 15 minutes.

Pretty simple and darned good!