Cooking for Classics — Garlicky Bean Enchilada Casserole
Classic Structure, Wendy Pflaum, guest writes this week’s PixieTips. A week’s worth of ideas for home cooked meals, perfect for Classics, Smart Structures and Organic Structures.
Monday /Day 1
I hear so many people I know say they don’t have the time to cook fresh, healthy food on a regular basis, and I find it so frustrating, because with some basic planning, anyone can cook healthy meals. I am a single mother with a full-time job, and if I can find the time and energy to put a fresh meal on the table a minimum of four nights a week, then anyone can. Below are a week’s worth of tips and recipes to help get you started on putting a home cooked meal with all fresh ingredients on your table every night.
The first step to making your cooking life easier is to take inventory of the basics in your kitchen. Having all the fundamental ingredients on hand in your kitchen will save you time, frustration, and allow you to always put a meal on your table even if you didn’t plan one. Below is a check list of items that should always be on hand in your kitchen to help you get started:
Refrigerator
- Milk
- Parmelat Milk (in case of emergency)
- Butter
- Cream Cheese
- Eggs
- Parmesan Cheese
- Ketchup
- Mayonnaise
- Mustard
- Bacon (or can be stored in the freezer)
- Soy Sauce
- Hoison Sauce
- Inexpensive dry white wine
- Lemons
- Onions
- Garlic
- Potatoes
- White Bread (it keeps longer in the fridge)
- Jelly/ Jam
Freezer
- Frozen Vegetables
- Frozen loaves of Italian/French bread
- Shredded Cheese (Cheddar and Mozzarella)
Cupboard
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Vegetable Oil
- Cooking Spray
- Vinegar (red wine and white)
- Hot pepper sauce
- Worcestershire sauce
- Dried pasta
- Rice
- Polenta
- Chicken Broth
- Beef Broth
- Canned Crushed Tomatoes
- Fire Roasted tomatoes
- Tomato Paste
- Canned Beans (Black, Red and White or Cannellini)
- Taco Sauce
- Salsa Verde
- Flour tortillas
- Unbleached White Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Unsweetened Cocoa
- Semi Sweet chocolate chips
- Unsweetened Baking chocolate
- Bread Crumbs
- Cornflake Crumbs
- Marsala Wine
- Cooking Sherry
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Honey
- Maple Syrup
- Peanut Butter
- Nuts
Spice Cabinet
- Sea Salt
- Regular Salt
- Black Pepper
- Cayenne Pepper
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Paprika
- Bay Leaves
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Garlic Powder
This recipe uses only staple ingredients, and can stand alone as dinner:
Garlicky Bean Enchilada Casserole
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
- (2) 15.5 ounce cans cannellini beans, drained
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- Salt
- (12) tortillas (corn or flour depending on your taste)
- (2) cups Bottled Salsa Verde
- 1-1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese (but cheddar works too)
- Pre-heat oven to 375. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the garlic and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the beans and cook for one minute, then add the chicken broth. Mash the beans and cook until mixture is heated through, about 7 minutes.
- Place about ¼ cup of the beans on the tortilla and roll up, and place in an oiled 9X13 baking dish. Repeat until all the tortillas are layered in the dish.
- Pour the salsa over the top of the casserole, and top with the shredded cheese. Bake until the salsa is bubbling and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.