Enchiladas Suizas

Studying Time: 5 hours
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Recipe: Adapted from Pepper Jack Enchiladas in The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner by Liz Edmunds

I'm now almost positive that my desire to cook has nothing to do with how much I actual study. Sometimes I feel like cooking to take a break from studying (like today) and sometimes I feel like cooking is the last thing I want to do! I definitely don't make as many elaborate dishes, but the time I spend cooking really isn't related to how much I've studied during the day. Like today. I spent almost all day researching for a big Media Theory project and there I was in the kitchen cooking with J.

This recipe is one of my favorites. My mom gave me The Food Nanny for Christmas and this is the recipe I find myself coming to again and again. Probably because there is almost a complete lack of decent Mexican food on Long Island. I've had better Mexican food in Omaha, NE. (Seriously. If you're ever in Omaha, this place has amazing adobado burritos. I can't even...in Omaha!? Yes.) But, my standards for Mexican food have been lowered substantially. And I bastardize poor Enchiladas Suizas at home.

"Enchiladas Suizas" adapted from The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner
Cook Time: 20 min
Serves: 8 

8 flour tortillas
2 cups {8 oz} shredded Swiss cheese
1 jar Trader Joe's Salsa Verde

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat tortillas in a small skillet until soft and pliable. Spread 2 heaping tablespoons of the cheese into tortilla and roll up. Place tortilla seam side down in a 13 X 9 inch baking dish. Pour salsa over tortillas and top with remaining cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes until cheese is browned and bubbly.

Serve with chips, salsa, and refried beans.

Morn the loss of traditional Mexican food.

Caico e Pepe

Studying Time: 6 hours

Cooking Time: 30 min

Recipe: Caico e Pepe | Dinner a Love Story

I've always wanted to try caico e pepe (that's cheese and pepper since it seemed like such a simple, delicious recipe. When I saw a great recipe over on a Cup of Jo featuring the great couple from Dinner a Love Story, I knew what I was having for lunch. How can you go wrong with these simple ingredients?

Spaghetti, enough for 1, about ¼ pound

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. good, freshly ground black pepper 
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan 
Kosher salt

Head over to A Cup of Jo and check out the full recipe. It's perfect for eating alone when your fiance is at the hospital for 13 hours a day. 

You won't be disappointed. Although, I might recommend a dishwasher. The cheese is awfully sticky!

Pizza! Pizza!

 

Studying Time: 2 hrs
Cooking Time: 30 min
Recipe: Pizza picked up from good old Uncle G's

When J and I first came to Long Island, we entered into a small Italian grocery store. And in that grocery store there was a wall of cheese. A whole wall dedicated to sweet goat, sheep, and cow milk goodness. That place was Uncle G's.

We go there a lot, especially when we need something quick to eat. Why we needed something quick to eat when I didn't spend much time studying is beyond me. Unfortunately (or strangely enough?), I'm not seeing a trend in the data I'm collecting! We'll see.

Today's dinner brought to you by the letter G.

Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli

Studying Time: 0
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Recipe: Trader Joe's Pumpkin Ravioli

J and I really like to make pumpkin ravioli. We have a handmade version, but it takes a really long time to make! When we saw these at Trader Joe's, we knew what we were making for dinner tonight. I quickly browned 2 TB of butter while the ravioli cooked, then through in the sage leaves, dusted with Parmesan cheese, tossed and served with the beet salad and garlic bread. The garlic bread is just a loaf of Italian bread with 2 TB butter, rubbed with garlic and dusted with cheese. Wrapped it in foil and broiled. Quick and looks so fancy!

French Onion Soup | Mountain Mama Cooks

Studying Time: Three hours
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Recipe: Slow Cooker French Onion Soup | Mountain Mama Cooks

I found a recipe from a cook back home and thought French Onion soup sounded amazing. Unfortunately, I tried to make a creative substitute and it didn't turn out well. I haven't ever liked soup from Crockpots, so I don't know why I thought this one would be different. I'm sure it would've tasted better had a used the dry sherry the recipe called for rather than black currant balsamic vinegar. Bad idea!

Black Bean Tacos from Hidden Fruits and Veggies

Studying Time: Three hours
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Recipe: Black Bean Tacos | Hidden Fruits and Veggies

I like making black bean tacos, but some times you just need to mix things up a bit. I found this recipe over at Hidden Fruits and Veggies (this is a website for me. I hate veggies!) and had to try it! I added in some Cowboy Caviar from Trader Joe's and a little bit of salsa. J decided to spice things up by layering soft shells and hard shells. I *think* you are supposed to drain the beans before putting them in the crockpot because Kelly's tacos looked much more like refried beans than mine did. Even so, J and I loved this recipe and I'll definitely make it again, this time trying it with drained beans first. There's nothing better than coming home (or in my case moving from desk to kitchen when J comes home from the hospital) to dinner already MADE!