Enchiladas Verde Con Queso

Grandma made this a lot.

1 recipe Salsa Verde
8 flour tortillas
1 cup peanut oil -- for pan frying (see note below)
2 cups cooked chicken -- shredded (see note below)
3/4 pound monterey jack cheese -- grated
1/2 cup sour cream

Monterey jack cheese -- for garnish
Sour cream -- for garnish

Salsa Verde:
1 clove garlic -- peeled & minced
2 small yellow onion -- peeled & chopped
8 canned tomatillos -- chopped finely (I used fresh last time - quite tasty!)
3 Tablespoons flour
1 3/4 cups Chicken Stock
        7 ounces green chiles -- finely chopped
2 Tablespoons salsa jalapena -- "La Victoria" (it's green - and also very tasty on the white bean and chicken chili recipe listed on the main recipe page)
salt -- to taste

For Sauce: In a medium saucepan, saute the garlic, onion, and tomatillos in the oil. Stir in the flour and saute for a few minutes more. Add the Chicken Stock and stir until smooth. Add the chiles and simmer 30 minutes. Add the salsa jalapena and simmer 10 more minutes. Add salt to taste. 

For Enchiladas: Place a bit of the sauce in a 9X9 baking pan. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry each tortilla in the oil until pliable, just a few seconds. Fill them with the chicken, Jack Cheese, and sour cream, then roll them up. Top with more sauce and rest of the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with additional Jack Cheese, coriander, and more sour cream. 

NOTE: I don't fry the tortillas - I just assemble and put them in the pan. Very very yummy. Last time to cook the chicken - I threw it in the crockpot with 1 cup water and a chicken boullion cube and cooked on high 4 to 5 hours - chicken shredded easily. I refrigerated and made the enchiladas the next day.

NOTE: This freezes really well - really really well - very yummy!

Green Chili and Beef Pie

Another family favorite from my Grama Cardoza's arsenal...Aunt Heather says: This is AMAZING, and you cannot really get the same flavor if you use a ready made crust. I call this a Sunday recipe because it takes a while! 

Green chili & beef filling (recipe follows)
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese
Cream cheese pastry (recipe follows) or 1 unbaked crust for a 9" pie, laid flat
1 lg. egg, beaten to blend

Pour filling into a 9 inch pie pan or dish. If made ahead, cover and chill up until next day; sprinkle with cheese. 

On a lightly floured board, roll pastry into a 10 inch diameter round. With a cookie cutter, cut 1 or 2 pieces from center of pastry or unbaked pie crust; reserve cutouts. Lay pastry over filling, fold edges under and flush with pan rim, flute firmly again rim; top with cutouts. If made ahead, cover and chill up to 2 days if filling is fresh, 1 day if filling was made a day ahead. Set pie in a 10 x 15 inch baking pan. Brush pastry and cutouts with egg. 

Bake in a 400 degree oven on the lowest rack until pastry is well browned and filling is hot in center, 40-55 minutes. If pastry rim or cutouts darken excessively before center is brown, drape rim and cover cutouts with foil. 

If baked pie is made ahead, cool, cover airtight and chill up until next day. Reheat pie, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven until filling is hot in center, 30-40 minutes; lay foil over crust if it begins to darken too much. Spoon from dish. Serves 8 or 9. 

Cream Cheese Pastry: In a food processor or bowl, combine 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup 91/4 pound) butter, in chunks and 1/3 cup (about 3 ounce) neufchatel (light cream) cheese. Whirl or rub with fingers until coarse crumbs form. Add 1 large egg; whirl or stir with a fork until dough holds together. Pat into a ball. If made ahead, chill airtight up to 3 days.

Green chili and beef filling

2 lb. beef skirt steak or boned chuck, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1" pieces
1 lg. onion, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp. dry oregano leaves
1 pkg. 910 oz.) frozen corn kernels
1 can (7 oz.) diced green chilies
3 tbsp. cornstarch
3/4 c. regular strength beef broth

Place meat, onion, soy, 2 tablespoons water, garlic and oregano in a 4 to 4 to 5 quart pan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat; let simmer 30 minutes. Uncover; boil over high heat until juices evaporate. When meat sizzles, add 1/4 cup water and stir to release browned bits; when liquid evaporates, repeat procedure once. Then add 1 cup water, cover and simmer until meat is very tender when pierced, about 30 minutes. Stir in corn and chilies. 

Mix cornstarch with broth. Add about 2/3 of the mixture to meat and stir until boiling. Let cool; stir in remaining mixture. Use to fill pie, preceding.