Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas

I generally am not interested in "vegetarian" dishes. Large chunks of tofu or textured vegetable protein marinated in sauces and pretending to be meat. What I am interested in are delicious vegetable-based dishes with interesting and fresh ingredients and flavors that are so satisfying that meat isn't a necessary addition, nor is it missed at all.

These enchiladas fall under that category. We love sweet potatoes. If you trust the CDC's information it's among the most nutritious foods in the vegetable kingdom.  I just know that sweet potatoes are delicious real food that my kids enjoy as much as I do.  And being from Arizona I have a monthly recommended allowance of Southwestern Tex-Mex food, and if I don't meet that requirement I start to get cranky and mopey.  So this recipe is good in our home for many reasons. 

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

1 pound sweet potatoes peeled and diced, 1/2 inch cubes
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ketchup or tomato sauce
1 can (1 3/4 cup) black beans, drained
1 4 oz can diced green chilies
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
12 corn tortillas
Large (28 oz) can green enchilada sauce
Monterrey Jack Cheese, as desired

 In a bowl, toss diced sweet potatoes, cumin, chili powder, salt, and ketchup.  Spread on an oiled baking sheet. Cook 25 min at 425° or until golden and tender.

Combine the black beans, green chilis, and chopped cilantro with the potatoes.

I started doing a simplified layered enchilada to save time (and curses at cracking tortillas).  Spread some green enchilada sauce on bottom of a 9X13 pan. Lay out 6 corn tortillas on the bottom overlapping a bit and curling up the edges of the pan a bit.  Add the bean mixture, spreading it out over the tortillas. Sprinkle with some cheese.  Pour some enchilada sauce over the bean mixture.  Top with the remaining 6 tortillas.  Top with more cheese and sauce. Bake about 20 min at 350° until hot and bubbly . (Adapted from recipe here.)

When they come out they look like regular mushy enchiladas--but this is an appetizing picture of the pre-baked enchiladas before I put the top layer of tortillas on.  I love the orange sweet potatoes--great natural color always makes food more appetizing.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Dinner in a pumpkin is a longstanding fall tradition from my own childhood. We loved it as kids, what's not to love about baking a pumpkin whole in the oven?! I made it throughout college as well, introducing Jeremy to the tradition, so we've continued to make it every year since.

Pumpkin has a nice mild flavor, like many of the other winter squashes. You'll probably get the most preferred taste by buying a "pie pumpkin" or "sugar pumpkin." These are smaller pumpkins that are bred for flavor (as opposed to size like jack-o-lanterns) and these days can be found in most supermarkets. Look for a big one so your whole family can be fed. I was able to find one with about a 6 inch diameter.

First put the dad and children in charge of cutting a wide lid off the pumpkin, and cleaning out the seeds.

Preheat oven to 350°. Put 2 T. oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat and add 2 cloves minced garlic, and 1 pound ground beef. Brown the beef.

Next I added 1 small green pepper, chopped (mine was red and green) and ¼ C Finely chopped onion. Add remaining ingredients: 1/2 (15oz) can tomato sauce, 2 eggs, beaten, 1/4 C chopped stuffed green olives, 1/3 C raisins.

Add the seasonings 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp white vinegar, 1/2 tsp ground pepper and 1 ½ tsp salt, then cook until green pepper is tender.

Scoop meat mixture into the middle of the pumpkin and place the lid back on. I also added the rest of the can of tomato sauce since there was room.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour, until squash is soft. You should be able to insert a "butter knife" in the squash easily. I place it on baking sheet to catch any dribbles.

The skin takes on a nice dark color. Serve whole on the table for an instant centerpiece.

To serve scoop some squash with the meat mixture. Look at that pretty delicious squash! I love this dish the sweetness of the raisins against the briny tangy-ness of the olives, the hearty addition of the ground beef aside the smooth clean taste of the pumpkin. Give it a try!

Dinner in a Pumpkin

1 large pie pumpkin

2 T. oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 lb ground beef

1 small green pepper
¼ C finely chopped onion
1/2 (15oz) can tomato sauce
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 C chopped stuffed green olives
1/3 C raisins

1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 ½ tsp salt

Cut a wide lid off the pumpkin, and clean out the seeds.

Preheat oven to 350°. Put 2 T. oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat and add 2 cloves minced garlic, and 1 pound ground beef. Brown the beef.

Add 1 small green pepper, chopped and ¼ C Finely chopped onion. Add remaining ingredients and the seasonings, then cook until green pepper is tender.

Scoop meat mixture into the middle of the pumpkin and place the lid back on.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour, until squash is soft. You should be able to insert a "butter knife" in the squash easily.

To serve scoop some squash with the meat mixture. Serves 6