"Enchiladas, baby!!" I would sing into the phone.
She would laugh and say, "Mom, you're so crazy!"
Proud of myself for cooking tonight even though I feel like crap.
Had a little tango with the spice cupboard, but I won that round. Let me explain:
As I was searching for the spices I needed tonight, I went back in time to the afternoon of July 5th, as my hands went through the same exact motions as I hunted for the chili powder. I had moved containers, rummaged, and searched some more, but ultimately came up empty handed. I had then took out the Anchole Chili Powder and actually Googled it to see if it was too spicy to be used as a substitute for regular chili powder. Turned out, it was. And well, you know what happened next.
Can you see how close it was? Can you try to put yourself in my shoes, and understand why I hate myself so much, and find it so hard to push away the guilt?
I could have scrapped the whole thing, and made pancakes instead.
But I didn't.
Cory offered to walk to the store, and I let her. The next time I saw her, she was broken and laid out on the road.
Okay. I have just taken some deep breaths and read my index card. Let's continue, shall we?
Feeling overwhelmed at the spice cupboard tonight, I pushed away those thoughts, and invited in the memories of Cory as my little helper in the kitchen. I would get chopping while she found the spices. She'd perch on the stool, and watch me cook while we talked and laughed. There was always music; there was always dancing. It was joy.
She'd take one bite of the finished product, and say, "Oh my God, Mom, this is sooo good. I am NEVER leaving home."
And she didn't.
Love you, Cory Girl, you are my heart.
Rachel Ray's Chicken Enchiladas:
Ingredients
- 8 soft corn tortillas
Filling:
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 pieces boneless skinless chicken breast, 6 to 8 ounces
- 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
- 2 sprigs fresh oregano
- 1 small onion, quartered
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/3 palm full
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt
Sauce:
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons hot cayenne pepper sauce, several drops
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 pinches
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 1/2 cups Monterey Jack shredded cheese, available on dairy aisle
Directions
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
Wrap corn tortillas in foil and warm in the oven. Bring broth to a boil in a saute pan. Set chicken into broth with bay and oregano and onion. Return to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Poach chicken in broth 10 minutes. Remove chicken breasts to a bowl and shred with 2 forks. Add 1/2 cup of cooking liquid and tomato paste, spices and salt and work through the chicken using the forks.
Combine all sauce ingredients and heat through, keeping warm until needed.
Remove tortillas from oven and switch broiler on high.
Pile chicken mixture into warm corn tortillas and roll. Line casserole or baking dish with enchiladas, seam side down. Pour hot tomato sauce over the chicken enchiladas and top with cheese. Place in enchiladas in hot oven 6 inches from broiler and broil 5 minutes to melt cheese and set enchiladas. Serve.
My Commentary:
- You can totally cheat and use shredded rotesserie chicken...a life saver on work nights. Just be sure to add the spices, tomato paste, and chicken broth to flavor the filling.
- Don't be stingy with the hot sauce...it gives a delicious spicy counterpart to the sweet cinnamon! Mmmm! This is the best enchilada sauce I've ever had.
- Love to add chopped scallions or chopped cilantro over the top
- Don't forget the sour cream!
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