Stuffed Zucchini (Calabaza Rellena)

I thank Allrecipes.com for this dish. Last summer Greg and I had a bunch of “overgrown” zucchini to eat. I wanted to find a recipe that would work for the big seeds that come with big zucchini. It is a good thing that I have this recipe under my belt because the “overgrown” zucchini is the norm here in Peru. That is how they sell them in the markets. I was explaining how I made this dish to my teacher, Elsa, and she asked if she could have a copy of the recipe. It has become a common part of our conversation each day to discuss recipes that I use. So, Elsa and I decided that it would be a good idea for me to post my recipes in English and Spanish so that friends from both countries can understand the recipes. So, Elsa, here is my recipe homework just for you. 🙂

 

Stuffed Zucchini (serves 4-5 people)

1 lb cooked sausage

1/2 C Paremesan cheese

1 clove of garlic

1 C bread crumbs

1 giant zucchini or 5-6 small zucchini

1 32-ounce jar of spaghetti sauce

1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Cut zucchini lengthwise and gut the insides.

2. Mix sausage, parmesan, garlic, bread crumbs, and zucchini seeds in bowl.

3. Stuff mixture into the zucchini (as full as you can)

4. Pour the spaghetti sauce over the tops of the stuffed zucchini.

5. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in preheated oven.

6. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 F.

7. Remove foil and sprinkle mozarella over tops of zucchini. Place back in the oven until cheese has melted.

*This dish goes great with breadsticks and salad.

Calabaza Rellena (para 4-5 personas)

1 paquete de chorizo, cocido (1/2 K y uso chorizo Argentino)

1/2 T queso Parmesano

1 diente de ajo

1 T pan rallado (Uso galletas de soda)

1 calabaza mediana

2 paquetes de salsa de tomate

1/2 T queso mozarella o Andino

1. Partes en dos la calabaza. Sacar las semillas.

2. Mesclar el chorizo, Parmesano, ajo, pan rallado, y semillas.

3. Rellenar la calabaza en una fuente.

4. Agregar la salsa encima de calabaza rellena.

5. Cubrir con papel de aluminio.

6. Hornear por 30 min. (180 C)

7. Sacar el papel y agregar queso mozarella. Dejar en el horno hasta que derrita.

*Es bueno con pan y ensalada.

Suzanne’s Chicken Enchiladas

Suzanne, this post is for you. I did it. I made your wonderful enchilada recipe here in Peru. Were they as good? No. I haven’t figured out a good way to create my own half and half yet, and they do not sell green chiles here. Do you have any suggestions?

For those of you that want to try a wonderful enchilada recipe, thank Suzanne (she catered our wedding) for this recipe. It is one of our favorites.

Suzanne’s Chicken Enchiladas

 

Ingredients:

4 cooked chicken breasts, chopped up

1 package cream cheese (they carry Philadelphis here!)

1 can green chiles, diced (I used the Peruvian Rocoto pepper)

1 medium onion, diced up

1 package taco seasoning

package of 10 good-size tortillas (fajita style is too small)

Colby-Jack cheese (about 2 cups shredded)

2 cups of half and half

Directions:

I have cooked these so many times I can type this by memory. There are not many that I can recite.

Saute onion in sauce pan. After onions appear clear, turn off heat and add green chiles, taco seasoning. Mix. Add cream cheese. Stir in until all of the cream cheese is melted. Stir the chicken into the cream cheese mixture. (I find it easiest to do this all in the same pan.)

Fill 10 meduim tortilla shells with mixture and place in a greased casserole dish. Layer the cheese over the top and pour half and half over the cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

We love to eat these over a bed of lettuce and serve Spanish rice on the side. I asked Larissa to make guacomole with it the other night, and it was a very tasty side. I hope you try it. You are sure to enjoy it. Just check out the girls:

 

Thanks Suzanne for a “McKinzie Classic Recipe.”

Sopa de Tortilla Peruana

Is anyone surprised to see a post by me on our family site? I am usually posting my thoughts on my blog, but for this I thought, Why not post it on the family site home page. I had a very real cultural moment today. First of all, our empleada, Manuela, came for her first day. She will be a different post (on my blog). We are on vacation from language school this week because Ana is on Spring Break. I decided that I would try cooking one of my favorite recipes from home (thank you Cindee Stockstill) Tortilla Soup. Now I realize that there are tons of tortilla soup recipes but you just cannot beat this one. It is all cans and you dump them inso easy unless you are living in a country that does not pride itself on convenience.

Here is the recipe if you want something easy to cook tonight:

The American Version
2 cans of 2 different types of beans (we always use black beans for one kind)
2 cans corn
3 cans chicken or beef broth
1 can Rotel
1 jar of Black Bean/White Corn Salsa (Sams Choice is what we used)
cooked diced chicken or cooked ground beef (you could go the vegetarian route but it is a great recipe to use for leftover chicken)
tortilla chips
sour cream (if you are like me)
shredded cheese (cheddar is my preference)

Dump all of the above (excluding the chips, cheese, and sour cream) into a pot. Simmer. Serve over crunched up tortilla chips and add cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Easy and delish!

My New Peruvian Version
4 ears of choclo (corn)
1 bag of black beans
beef bullion cubes
ground beef
Texjoy (the most wonderful ingredient that Gregs family in Port Arthur, TX introduced us to)
crema de leche
grated cheese
Dippas
salsa ingredients (Deborah, we tried our best):
tomatoes
onion
garlic
cilantro
limes
rocoto peper
3 aji limos (another pepper)
cumin
vinegar
olive oil
salt

Soak beans over night. Cook in pressure cooker the next day (you would be so proud of my new pressure cooker skills Mom!). After beans have cooled in cooker, clean cooker and cook corn. While waiting, prepare beef broth. Cook ground beef and add Texjoy for wonderful flavor. Ask husband to make his famous salsa (always Gregs job). While all of the ingredients from above are mixed and simmering, add salsa when Greg finishes. Serve with Dippas (I am so thankful for this one version of tortilla chips that they have here), crema de leche (which is actually cream that can be turned into whipped cream), and whatever cheese you can find grated at the store already (we really need to buy a cheese graterthey do have imported cheddar).

Greg loved it! And so did Manuela. It was a hit, and even though it took much longer than in the states it is worth the time. So much for quick dinner nights of Tortilla Soup. Unless, of course, I make enough to freeze for another occasion.