Chicken Enchiladas...and Vegetarian Burritos!

I have not made chicken enchiladas in such a long time that I have almost forgotten about it...not really how to make it, just not thinking about making it. There are so many choices to make for dinner, but I really like to try new and healthy dishes out, instead of the "humdrum" basic things.
Now that I'm feeling a lot better and get the full use of my arm back, I feel so relieved that I can go about my daily routine.
We were worrying about hurricane Irene coming to us in South Florida, but it decided to go towards the East Coast which does not look too good. Reaching all the way up to New York, and Maine.
We are experiencing the heavy winds, and storm, but nothing compared to what tha Bahamas is going through, and now the Carolinas.

Just peeking through my balcony to check the pouring rain on Thursday afternoon, in a matter of minutes you would thing the hurricane was coming through. This poor palm tree lost a few branches from the heavy wind, and for an hour we were getting pummeled with the heavy rainstorm. I was not about to go outside to venture out anywhere! Now it's calm again, but it will start up all over.

If enchiladas is not something you prefer with homemade enchilada sauce, then you might like a burrito filled with refried beans, black beans, chopped tomatoes, pickled jalapeno, fresh corn shaved from the cob, cheddar, and Colby cheese...and don't forget the sour cream. just heat up, and enjoy. Really delicious and filling!

I love Mission Flour Tortillas, especially the large burrito size. I like to use this for my enchiladas.

The Multi Grain tortilla wraps I used for the burritos, which were really very good!

It's so important to make your own enchilada

sauce...there's nothing like homemade!

Just start out sauteing a chopped onion, chopped garlic in 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, add 2 15 ounce of canned tomatoes 1 vegetable bouillon cube melted in 1/2 cup warm water, 1 Tbsp chili powder salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, a few dashes hot sauce, and cumin.
To thicken the sauce mix 1 Tbsp corn starch added
to 1/2 cup cold water. Add that at the end of simmer time which will take no more than 25 minutes. Stir, let it come to a bubble and turn off heat

Note:
You can leave the tomatoes in chunks when you cook them, or put them int the blender

Also, you can use tomato sauce in place of the canned tomatoes

The chicken, is already cooked (leftover store bought rotisserie chicken breast) flaked and heated up in about 1 cup of chicken broth.

With a tong, dip both sides of the tortilla shell in the sauce, transferred from the pot, to a large skillet.

Put about 1 Tbsp. of the shredded chicken on the dipped tortilla shell, a portion of the shredded cheddar, and Colby cheese.

Roll up as best as you can, and place them side

by side.

When they are all rolled up, add some more sauce
on top, bake in a 350 degree F. oven for about 25
minutes,  add the shredded cheese, and bake for an
additional 20 minutes, until cheese melts and gets
nice, and golden.








Roll up enough tortilla shells filled with chicken, and top with shredded cheese.

For the vegetarian burritos, start out by spreading
refried beans, add black beans, tomatoes, corn,
and last, add shredded cheese, roll up, and place in
vegetable sprayed baking pan, top with cheese and
heat up in a 350 degree F. oven till heated through and cheese melts, for about 25 minutes.

A Very Merry Christmas to all!

You might find this decoration "weird, or silly" but I think it's really chic, and festive. Since I don't have any foods to post, after the last two days of spending time with my granddaughters, and helping out my daughter with last minute shopping, this is all I have to show for my Christmas decoration, which is my "smart" thrift find, that I'm posting...after all this blog is called "food and thrift finds"...so I'm showing off my silk plant, which I bought at Goodwill, like new, and so perfect, for $3.99, the whit lights were $1.99, the pretty dark blue liqueur glasses, with the wrought iron case, $2.99, and last, but not least, the pretty cobalt blue vase, that I filled with our local sea shells, $2.99...so, just think, under $15.00 for all. Actually $12.00. Can't beat that, and it's so enjoyable!

My amazing kitty Prince,...little old, and wise guy, almost 18 yrs. old. I took this photo, in pitch dark, and turned out so nice. He is a Maine coon, with the longest legs I have ever seen on any cat. So sweet, and protective, my little alarm clock, every morning at 7:00AM!

Today, we went to City Place, in West Palm Beach...a magical city, within a city. Very popular place where everyone goes, and meets. Full of shops, and restaurants, and they actually are surrounded by condos, that people own, or rent. Oh so beautiful! These poinsettias are found at just about every corner...so Christmasy!

This was an original church from the thirties that is still surviving, and renovated into a theatre. The entire City Place is built around this lovely former church. Every hour, the church bells chime, and the water falls comes on to a wonderful tune...in this case, it's to Christmas carols.

The Christmas tree at City Place is so beautiful at night, all lit up with  lights. Plenty of parking space in the 4 story garage, and on the streets, as well!

Only in Florida, you get to witness something like this...Flip flops, on one girl, and boots on the other. The weather, about in the low seventies!

OK...Last, but not least...Yeahhh1 I just received my awesome giveaway gift, from Veronica, 
The Enchanted Cook. who had a giveaway, and I was one of the winners. Thank you so very much Veronica, and Thank you O for sending this pair of Olive oil, and vinegar combo. So amazing, I can hardly wait to try this pair...so pretty, that I'm almost afraid to open it. Wow!... this is my best Christmas present, ever!