Spicy Black Bean Enchiladas with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Dave didn't love these, I thought they were good but needed more of a kick. So next time I would do more jalepeno or put more red pepper flakes.

INGREDIENTS

• For pumpkin sour cream sauce:
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
• 1 cup good quality tomato sauce
• 1 cup low-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
• salt and pepper to taste
• For filling:
• 1 small roasted rotisserie chicken (purchase from grocery store), shredded OR 2-3 cups shredded chicken breast
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (15 oz) cans of black beans
• 1 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
• 2 cups good quality tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (add more or less depending on desired heat)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 16-20 corn tortillas
• 2-3 cups reduced-fat Mexican or Colby Jack cheese

1. Begin by making the pumpkin sour cream sauce: In your food processor or blender combine pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, sour cream, chili powder, and garlic and puree until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
2. Place 3 cups of shredded chicken in large bowl and add about a little less than half of the pumpkin sour cream sauce to it, toss chicken to coat; set aside remaining pumpkin sauce.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and spread a thin layer of pumpkin cream sauce on the bottom of pan.
4. Heat large non-stick pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion and minced garlic and cook until onions begin to soften. Add black beans, jalapeno, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a slight boil, then reduce heat to medium low, stir consistently and let simmer for 5 minutes while sauce thickens.
5. Next warm tortillas in microwave for about 30 seconds so they are easier to roll. Then, place about 1/4 cup of black bean mixture on each tortilla. Next take about 1/4 cup of chicken and pumpkin cream mixture and place on top of beans. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of Colby jack cheese in each tortilla. Roll each tortilla and place seam side down in baking pan. Pour remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle additional cheese on top.
6. Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and edges of tortillas begin to turn golden brown. Top with sour cream, greek yogurt, avocado, or cilantro.
7. Makes about 8 servings -- 2 enchiladas each.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Mix together and cook at 350 for 14 minutes or so:

1 can pumpkin
2 cups oats (or more for consistency)
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup choc chips (or to taste)

Brown Sugar Soy Chicken

Recipe is technically called "Best Ever Roast Chicken"

Ingredients

- 8 of your fave chicken pieces, skin on, bone in (I do a pack of drumsticks and a pack of thighs)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp light brown sugar
- 4 shallots, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- handful of fresh parsley
- salt and pepper

Put the chicken skin side up in a baking dish and put as much salt and pepper as you like.  Mix everything else but the parsley in a bowl and pour it over the chicken. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes until it starts to brown then take it out, flip the chicken over and baste with the marinade. Put it in for another ten minutes or until chicken is cooked. Top with the chopped parsley and voila! For sides I did roasted cauliflower and green beans. SO GOOD and easy!!

Turkey Meatballs

Referred to me by Michelle!

I made this with spaghetti squash, using THIS recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1 pound 97-98% lean ground turkey*
• 1 pound 92-93% lean ground turkey*
• 2/3 cup (40g) Panko*
• 3 Tablespoons (45ml) olive oil
• 1/4 cup (22g) grated parmesan cheese
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 large onion sweet onion, sliced
• two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
• chopped fresh basil for serving, optional

Directions:

1) Beat the egg in a large mixing bowl. Add the ground turkey, Panko, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, parmesan, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix everything up just so the ingredients are combined - avoid overmixing. Roll into desired size balls - mine were slightly larger than a golfball. Some people prefer them larger, some prefer them smaller. Place all rolled meatballs on a large baking sheet.

2) Place onion slices in the bottom of the crockpot, topped with 1 can of crushed tomatoes.

3) Coat a large skillet with remaining Tablespoon of olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Lightly brown the meatballs (only 6-8 meatballs at a time) for about 1 minute on each side. Do not skip this step - read above for why. Layer the meatballs into the crockpot as you're browning each batch. Once all browned meatballs have been added to the crockpot, pour remaining can of tomatoes on top.

4) Cover and cook on low for 6-6.5 hours. Serve with pasta, as meatball subs, plain, etc. No matter how I serve them, I always top with a little chopped fresh basil. Store leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

MAKE AHEAD/FREEZE: Prepare meatballs through the browning stage; cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day or freeze up to 2 months. Add to crockpot and cook as directed. OR you may fully prepare 1 day in advance, refrigerate, then cook in the crockpot on low for 45 minutes or until warmed. Freeze cooked meatballs in sauce for up to 2 months. Defrost before reheating as desired.

NO SLOW COOKER? No problem! Prepare through step 2. Add the shaped meatballs to a large skillet coated with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and saute until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer back to the large baking sheet. Repeat with all meatballs since they cannot all fit into the pan at once. Turn off heat. Pour off any excess oil. In a very large pot, add the sliced onions and 1 can crushed tomatoes. Add the meatballs and pour remaining can of crushed tomatoes on top. Turn the heat to low-medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, the flavors blend, and the meatballs are cooked through, 25-35 minutes.