mixed greens with grapes, goat cheese, avocado & candied pecans
inspired by Joylicious, as featured on www.6bittersweets.com

(please note… this is a *salad* folks… add as much or little of any particular ingredient as you want!)

1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup white or brown sugar
1 tbsp butter
several handfuls of mixed spring greens
red grapes (I used a small bunch for our two salads)
goat cheese (I used about 1 tbsp per salad)
1 medium avocado, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4″ slices (I used about 4-5 slices per salad)
1 tbsp good quality olive oil per person
1/2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar per person (we used a cranberry pear infused white balsamic, but I think it would be fine with a regular white balsamic as well)
sea salt and pepper for sprinkling on top

In a sautee pan over medium heat, add the pecans, brown sugar and butter and stir until caramelized. Remove and place on a sheet of wax paper in a single layer. Let cool while you assemble the rest of the salad.

Place a layer of greens on each plate. Add some grapes, crumble some goat cheese, and layer with some slices of avocado. Place several candied pecans on each salad. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and vinegar. Pour over individual salads, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

chicken enchiladas
adapted from a recipe by Cook’s Illustrated

1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
3 medium cloves of garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
2-3 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp granulated sugar
2-3 cups cooked, shredded chicken meat
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2-4 oz diced roasted poblano chili peppers (or 2-4 oz pickled jalapenos, drained and chopped)
1/2 cup corn kernels, optional
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
10 corn tortillas
sour cream, cheese, avocado, lettuce, and limes to taste

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and sugar; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add tomato sauce and 3/4 cup water. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded, about 5 minutes. Put the cooked chicken in a large bowl and pour 1 cup of the tomato mixture over the chicken pieces; stir well to combine. Set the remaining sauce aside. To the chicken mixture add cilantro, roasted poblano chili peppers or jalapenos, corn, and most of the cheese (saving a little to sprinkle on top of the enchiladas before cooking).

Adjust oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.

Heat tortillas in a non-stick frying pan until pliable and fill with a tablespoon or two of the chicken mixture. Roll the tortilla closed, place seam side down in your 8×11 or 9×13 pan, and repeat until you’ve used all the filling. Pour the sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.

Bake enchiladas on lower-middle rack until heated through and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and serve immediately, passing sour cream, avocado, lettuce, and lime wedges separately.