Spicy Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas

 

This is the kind of dish that feels fancy but is surprisingly easy to make. The shrimp cooks quickly with the vegetables, then gets folded into this amazing spicy cream sauce that's rich without being too heavy. Wrapped in tortillas with melted Monterey Jack cheese, it's the perfect special occasion dinner or week night dinner that everyone will love.

Ingredients:

16 oz large raw shrimp, rough chop

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

2 medium sized tomatoes,  diced

1-2 T olive oil

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup sour cream

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1/4 t cayenne pepper

1/4 t chipotle chili powder

1/2 t cumin

Salt

Tortillas - flour

Shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (cheddar works as well or a mixture)

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 inch baking dish.

Preheat oil in a large skillet, add onions, jalapenos and tomatoes and saute with some salt until soft.

Whisk heavy cream, sour cream, pressed garlic, spices and salt in a mixing bowl and add it to the sauteed vegetables. Stir well. 

Add shrimp and cook over medium heat, until shrimp is almost done. 

Add some cheese in the center of each tortilla and using a slotted spoon scoop out some shrimp/veggie mixture (Draining most of the sauce) into the tortilla and roll with the seam side down.

Repeat.  Pour sauce over the enchiladas and spread remaining cheese on top.

Bake 15-18 minutes. Serve with black beans and yellow rice.

The Best Blueberry Banana Bread

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick) softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 T vanilla

2-3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2 cups blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

In a stand mixture cream together butter and sugar for a few minutes until light and creamy. This is when I mix the dry ingredients. Add eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla extract. Add mashed bananas and mix until well combined.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir with a whisk until combined. Slowly add dry ingredients to banana mixture until just combined. Do not over mix.

Toss blueberries into mix. Reserve and handful to place onto top of mixture. 

Pour batter into a prepared loaf pan (spray with baking cooking spray). Bake for 50 minutes and check if done with a toothpick inserted into middle with bread. Tent with aluminum foil if browning too quickly.

Allow to cool completely.

Layered Hummus Dip

What I love about this Mediterranean dip is how each topping brings a different flavor to the dish - the cumin-spiced hummus base, the garlic-salt seasoned tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and that perfect finishing touch of feta and olives. It's essentially all the best Mediterranean flavors in one gorgeous, shareable dish. Serve with pita chips. Best pot luck dip ever!

 

Ingredients:

8-10 oz prepared hummus

1/2 t cumin

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

Garlic salt

1/2 cup chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded

Fresh ground pepper

4 oz crumbled Feta

2-4 T chopped black and green olives

 

Directions:

Combine hummus and cumin and spread on bottom of pie plate. Season the tomatoes with garlic salt and layer over hummus. Layer cucumber over tomatoes and sprinkle with pepper. Add a layer of  Feta and chopped olives. 

Serve with pita chips or fresh warmed pitas cut into triangles.