Shrimp Tortilla Pizza for One (or Two)

I recently came up with a recipe based on a "Chef for a Day" challenge over in "The Refugees" group at Group Recipes. The challenge was simple: people suggested random ingredients until 10 ingredients total were listed. Then we were to come up with a unique recipe using the 10 ingredients suggested. The ingredients for this recipe were: tortilla, shrimp, cheese, white rice, black beans, Spanish olives, fruit, red pepper, red onion and sour cream. For my fruit, I chose mango as I had an over-ripe one handy in my fruit bowl. Fortunately, we could add any combination of spices, herbs and seasonings that we wished. The following was my effort.

INGREDIENTS
Base:
1 10-12" tortilla

Marinade:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon lime juice
a pinch of Kosher salt and a few grinds for fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro

6 medium-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup sliced red onion

Bean Layer:
1/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of Kosher salt and a few grinds of fresh ground black pepper

Rice Layer:
1/3 cup leftover white rice
2 ounces grated cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped Spanish olives, pimento included
1/4 teaspoon Polly's Signature Spice Blend
1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro

Red pepper slices
1/4 cup finely diced mango

DIRECTIONS

Blend ingredients for marinade.
Add the shrimp and onion, toss to coat and set aside.
Meanwhile, place the ingredients for the bean layer in a food processer or blender and process until well blended.
Spread bean mixture onto tortilla.
Gently mix all the ingredients for the rice layer and spread on top of the bean layer.
Add the marinaded shrimp and onion.
Top with red pepper slices and mango.
Drizzle with the remaining marinade.
Bake in preheated 425 oven for 8-10 minutes.
Turn oven to broil and continue cooking for an additional 3-5 minutes, until bubbly.
Garnish with sprig of fresh cilantro and serve.
Enjoy!

A spicy and satisfying meal! I hope, if you try this, you'll let me know what you think!

Spinach and Chicken Enchiladas

These may be a bit time consuming to prepare but the end result is fabulous. My whole family raves about these everytime I make them. To quote LOLCats: Nom, nom, nom, nom, nom!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup chopped onion

2-3 cloves minced garlic

1 package fresh spinach, rinsed well

5 tablespoons butter, divided

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I always use left over rotisserie chicken or roast chicken)

1 small can green chili peppers, chopped

2-3 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or a few dashes of red pepper flakes

Fresh ground pepper to taste

2 cups shredded cheese, divided (I usually use a combination of cheddar and monteray jack)

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon coriander

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

10 - 12 6 inch flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS: THE FILLING

Saute onion and garlic in 2 talbespoons of butter until tender.

Add spinach and toss until wilted.

In a bowl, combine spinach-onion mixture with the chicken.

Add green chili pepper, 1/2 cup shredded cheese, cumin, lime juice, cayenne pepper, black pepper, mix and set aside.

Using same pan that you used for the onion, spinach and garlic, melt 3 tablespoons butter.

Stir in flour and coriander and continue cooking for about 3-5 minutes to ensure a nice golden roux.

Once you have an acceptable roux, slowly add the chicken broth, stirring to blend well.

(Helpful Hint Alert! I like to use one of these gadgets when adding my flour to the butter. No more lumpy gravy or sauces...ever!)

Continue stirring, over medium to medium high heat, until thickened and bubbly...then continue to cook and stir a few minutes longer (this part takes time and patience as I find it takes anywhere from 10-20 minutes to get to the "thick and bubbly" stage that I prefer)

Once thickened, remove pan from heat and gently stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese until sauce is well blended and smooth. (See? What did I tell you? No lumps!)

Add 1/2 cup of this sauce to your chicken mixture.

DIRECTIONS: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:

Add a couple of spoonfuls of sauce mixture to bottom of 13 x 9 baking pan.

Place approximately 1/4 cup chicken mix into tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in pan.

Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Pour remaining sauce over the tortillas and top with the remaining cheese.

Bake in a 350 oven for at least 30 minutes.

To ensure a perfect golden cheese topping, I BROIL the dish for a couple of minutes until cheese is nice and bubbly.

Serve with a side of black beans and rice and you have a perfect "Mexican" meal!

Prep time: 45 minutes

Cook time: 30-40 minutes