Home Cooked Sunday

Next week Joey and Dana have been assigned to go against each other in a mini trial exercise for school.  So, the strategies for each one of their sides of the case was a big topic of conversation at dinner tonight.  Everyone was pretty into it, and I think it helped them both to talk it out, but it was just another affirmation to me that the right spouse is in law school. :)  I'm not a huge fan of arguing, (unless it's with Joey and I know I'm right).  I was pretty tense throughout dinner, but everyone liked the meal and seemed to be enjoying their heated discussion, so I was happy to stay out of it.  The menu this Sunday was:

Dinner: Turkey Enchiladas with Guacamole and Chips
Dessert: Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Turkey Enchiladas

recipe courtesy of Mom

Ingredients:

• 10 flour tortillas
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 1 poblano pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 cups cooked turkey, chopped (Thanksgiving leftovers are the best, but otherwise I use ground turkey cooked in a skillet with salt, pepper, and cumin)
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees and wrap tortillas in foil and put them in oven to warm for 10 minutes.

For sauce: Heat next eight ingredients in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. 

Combine half of the sauce with the turkey, cream cheese, and half of the cheddar.  Place mixture in tortillas, roll, and place in a 13"x9" baking dish- seam side down.  Pour sauce and remaining cheese on top and cover with foil.  Bake covered for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.

This dish is my brother, Taylor's, favorite thing my mom makes.  So, it's tradition for her to make it for his birthday in July and the day after Thanksgiving with leftover turkey.  It is a good one that was a hit tonight and any other time I have made it.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

recipe adapted from one by Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:

• 1 can sliced pineapple, drained
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• pecan halves
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbs. rum

Directions:

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a 12 inch iron skillet, over medium heat.  Add the brown sugar and stir to combine.  Increase the heat to medium high and cook until the sugar mixture is bubbly, about 2 minutes.  Add 1 tablespoon of rum.  Arrange pineapple slices in the skillet in a pleasing pattern and continue to cook for 2 minutes.  Turn the pineapple slices over and remove the pan from the heat.  (The mixture will continue to cook event though the heat is off.)  Arrange the pecan halves in the middle of the pineapple rings.  Set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the remaining 1/2 cup of butter and the granulated sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time.  Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture at a low speed.  Stir in the vanilla and the remaining tablespoon of rum. 

Spoon the batter evenly over the pineapple slices in the skillet.  Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.

Cool the cake in the skillet for only 4 minutes.  Then, invert the cake onto a cake plate and replace any fruit that gets misplaced or stuck to skillet.  I served the cake warm with whipped cream.  It was delicious and a great evening with friends... legal debate and all!  Hopefully JW and Dana are still friends after this week. :)