Oh, boy, so sorry for this, gotta toss something together and you're getting brain leftovers tonight.
Mrs. Andrew has a rather nasty tooth infection that flared up at the last minute and now we're dealing with that. So tomorrow first thing call the doc and get some antibiotics and then go hunting for functional dentists who will be willing to rip out said tooth and maybe another tooth without charging an arm and a leg.
Until such time as she can get relief from the pain either by antibiotics or ripping the tooth out, we'll just have to muddle along using hot compresses, hot tea, tea-bag poultices on the area (the tannin helps draw out the infection) and excessive flossing to keep the infection going out, not in.
The reason for needing to find a new dentist is because the dentist that last worked on the tooth promised oh so heartily that she'd be able to 'save' the tooth, when Mrs. Andrew was ready to get it yanked out four years ago. Lack of decent follow-up care or giveadamn by said dentist has us now scrambling for another one. And hopefully one who will be willing to listen to us.
And the dental insurance doesn't take effect for another 6 darned months. Darned it.
Oh, well, woe is me blah blah blah. Life sucks, deal with it.
Instead, enchiladas. Made by a fat white guy. Wanna get all stroppy over cultural appropriation? Then give up your cars, your refrigerators, your air conditioning, electricity, modern indoor plumbing, modern clothes, European style houses.
Enchiladas - Beans style
1 chicken breast, cut up into little bitty pieces.
1 clump of cilantro chopped up real fine (warsh the darned stuff first or you'll be eating sand)
1 can Pinto Beans
1 large or 2 small cans enchilada sauce
1 large or 2 small cans petite diced tomatoes (oh, sure, you could use fresh, but why?)(drained, drink the liquid, it's tomato juice for God's sake.)
Ground Cumin
Ground Chili Pepper
20 corn tortillas
2lb bag of shredded Cheddar cheese (or whatever your favorite mix of cheese for Mexish food you like)
In a large fry pan, brown the chicken in oil (I use bacon grease because IT'S THE SOUTH!)(and tasty) and adding Cumin and Chili Powder as you like it, lots if you like it, not so much if you don't. Me? Cover the chicken with Cumin and half the chicken with Chili Powder.)
Once brown and not sweating out liquid no more, add the cilantro, the Pinto beans and half the enchilada sauce and boil that stuff down until it's nice and thick and almost a paste (stir lots.) If you want, toss in about a cup of cheese and melt it in.
Meanwhile, get a really large pan, or 2 smaller 8x8 pans, and grease that pan (or pans) up (with bacon grease, or butter, or, well, whatever, just not car grease)
Take a couple paper towel sheets, moisten, place 10 tortillas on the paper towels, wrap, place on plate, microwave for 1 minute.
Get a large plate, place between your fry pan full of goodness and the oven pan(s). Plop the 10 hot tortillas on your large plate.
Add the other 10 tortillas onto the paper towel, wrap, toss in the microwave and cook for a minute.
Now, take 1/16th of the mixture and put it in a line in the center of the top hot tortilla. Roll it, place it in the oven pan. Continue for 7 more per side of big pan or 8 total in one small pan. You should have 2 tortillas left over. Plop the next 10 on top, finish off the filling and placing them in the other side of the pan or in the other pan. You should now have 4 tortillas left over.
Pour your remaining enchilada sauce on top of enchiladas.
Pour your drained tomatoes on top of enchiladas.
Pour remaining cheese on top of enchiladas.
Smoosh down on the cheese to even everything out.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, then bake at 424 for another 10-15, until the cheese is browned to your liking.
Now is the important part. Your pan is full of sticky enchilada waste. And you have 4 tortillas left over. Waste. Tortillas. Hey, you're the cook, wipe that waste up with the tortillas and enjoy a snack while you're cleaning up.
Serve with your favorite sauce and sour cream and some Spanish or Mexican rice (in those neat microwave bags.)
2 enchiladas per person is a good serving. That leaves, for two people, 3 more nights' worth. Reheat 4 enchiladas in a microwave pan for another night's dinner (nukes for about 6-7 minutes.) And then freeze 2 night's worth of 4 tortillas each wrapped in plastic wrap within a tight ziploc bag (thawed takes about 7-8 minutes of nuking, frozen takes more...)
Udder dan dat, I gots nothing.
So, well, here's a tune from the America I grew up in.
Far, we've been traveling far
Without a home but not without a star
Free, only want to be free
We huddle close, hang on to a dream
On the boats and on the planes
They're coming to America
Never looking back again
They're coming to America
Home, don't it seem so far away
We're traveling light today
In the eye of the storm
In the eye of the storm
Home, to a new and a shiny place
Make our bed, we'll say our grace
Freedom's light burning warm
Freedom's light burning warm
Everywhere around the world
They're coming to America
Every time that flag's unfurled
They're coming to America
Got a dream to take them there
They're coming to America
Got a dream they've come to share
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
They're coming to America today
Today, today, today, today
My country 'tis of thee (today)
Sweet land of liberty (today)
Of thee I sing (today)
Of thee I sing today
Today, today, today
Today, today
If you swap out the chicken for a certain crepuscular rodent, would the recipe be enchinchiladas?
ReplyDelete(If you hadn't planted the Looking Glass reread seed in my brain, I might not have thought of that one)
Good music, fingers crossed for Mrs. Andrew, and I'm going to binge Neil Diamond.
Well, yes, yes it would. And if you use a certain Caribbean lizard that is now predominate in the Miami area, it would be igchiladas.
DeleteThanks, hopefully meds will be forthcoming and a visit to the local painless dentist will soon follow.
The Looking Glass series will be followed by the Warp Speed series by Travis Taylor followed by the Live Free or Die series by Ringo and then maybe the March Across series also by Ringo. Wife seems to like him (Ringo) and has a bit of a crush on Taylor. I will respectfully keep the Ghost series from her, though I'll probably go read them again also.
I reread Kratman's Yellow Eyes from time to time, and each time I realize just how much he got right about ships and sailors.
DeleteI loved the Live Free or Die series, and I thought that The Warp Speed series had a hefty dollop of pulp writing and space opera.
"Yellow Eyes" and "Watch on the Rhine" are two very very good books. Sure to be lots of butt-hurt for liberal sissy folk.
DeleteThe second Warp Speed book is a tad... Manga-y for a certain part, but they are good reads and an interesting way to handle some serious questions that the relatively latest Quantum Mechanics brings up.
Sorry Beans, you lost us at cilantro. Mrs J can't stand the taste so it would be a no go at that point.(I'm not particularly fond of it either.) Just a question though, what's the purpose of the beans add fiber to the meal or is there a structural reason for adding them? I don't think I've ever had chicken enchiladas with beans in them. Other than that, your methodology/recipe is very similar to mine.
ReplyDeleteHope Mrs Andrew feels better soon.
Leave out the cilantro and try it?
DeleteWhat Rob said. Cilantro is either a YES-GOOOD! or a big EW-ICK-SOAP-BLEH. Ditch the weed.
DeleteBeans because it's both an extender so you don't use straight chicken and because it also serves as paste and because it rounds out the flavor profile. Really. Some people use refried beans but they're too salty. Just a whole can of beans, liquids and solids, stir it in and cook it like mad.
As to Mrs. Andrew, so do I. Teeth are no fun when they act up. Thankfully my parents gave me good dentistry growing up so I only have occasional problems. Her parents sucked for any type of care and she didn't see a dentist until she was 19. And then after the brain-bleed she produced no saliva for almost 8 years, so all the damage from chronic dry mouth compounded it. She now wishes she had all her troublesome teeth yanked and dentures installed. Probably would have cost about the same. Damn dentist. So much for high ratings on all the sites...
I kinda thought the beans might be acting as a binder. So, do you leave them whole, mash them or just cook them until they're falling apart, or somewhere in between?
DeletePlop the whole can in and just cook them. Don't mash them, just cook the whole mixture down until it's thick enough to plop on a tortilla and not flow everywhere. The cheese is the real binder in the mixture.
DeleteAnd this is based on about 4 different enchilada recipes, so, of course, futz around and make it to your liking. Try nutria, or pork, or iguana, or chinchilla or whatever meats you have. Vary the spicing according to taste and digestive issues.
It's a bad thing that food comes first to mind when I'm stressed. My body tells me I've been way stressed for too long, as I cook and eat too damned much. Sad thing is, if I was a bad cook I'd probably be a lot thinner.
That bad tooth? Start calling around and find a dentist who will do a cash pull, the sooner it's gone the better.
ReplyDeleteThat is the goal today. Track down dentist and get set up to get yanked ASAP. If I had the tools I'd almost be willing to do it myself. Meds and pulling, the way to go.
DeleteDentistry and those who practice it seems to be either great or horrible. We had a fellow for most of children's growing up, etc. (was actually a Naval Aviator, F3H's). Got to almost enjoy going there for all the tales he told while he had his hands in my mouth (me, thus, being unable to call him on his insights into flying). Then he retired! What a nerve! Sold his practice to a lady who was quite good. Since we've move East permanently (having fooled around with the notion since the early seventies) dentistry has become somewhat of a lost cause for us. We attached ourselves to a practice unto which newbies came for their first several years, then move to establish themselves somewhere else. Very frustrating. When you get someone with whom you are at ease, off they go! Enough of that. Beans, I hope the missus is relieved of her pain today so she call cheer for the Gators tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteYour mention of canned tomatoes brought this to mind.
You're welcome.
https://davesdailys.blogspot.com/2009/04/fulfilling-my-promise-ole.html
Mrs. Andrew is a Bobby Bowden-era FSU graduate (because backwards UF didn't have either night classes or online classes so people who work for a living could go to UF, the jerks, and that's the reason Santa Fe Community College became a 4 year degree school) so she won't be cheering the Gators. And the way FSU has played, she won't be cheering for them, either. What a way to celebrate the legacy of Bowden, by being a junior-rate high school team.
DeleteWe had a great dentist under the previous dental plan, and then we lost the plan and then the dentist retired. We went to one that had excellent reviews, not realizing that she really loved Steve Martin's character from the "Little Shop of Horrors" movie. So, thus, we go to find a new new dentist.
Meanwhile the clock is ticking on the antibiotics because her normal doctor is out today along with his normal nurse and the other nurses and doctors in the practice are less than good and haven't responded to any of our messages other than to tell the front desk that 'they're working on it.' Couldn't even get an emergency office visit. Which will be brought up with her doctor the next time we see him. Why have a family doctor if you can't get service fast and reliably? So, if nothing by 4:30pm, then off to Urgent Care we go, and then deal with finding a pharmacy that's open by the time they see her and prescribe something. Oh the joys of modern living. The meds and treatment are fantastic, but the waiting and paperwork aren't.
Hope she's feeling better today.
DeleteThanks for jumping in, I was exhausted, better today.
ReplyDeleteFWIW, I like cilantro.
Yer Welcome. And cilantro is a !SI! in the Beans house!
DeleteWe finally got a call from her doctor, amoxycillin called in, first dose at 5:45. From 8:30AM to 4:50PM (the time the doc's assistant called in.) Methinks our doc is gonna get a talking with/to.
juvat--if you are not a fan of cilantro, what about substituting parsley instead? Or spinach? After all, if it's just for you guys, who cares if it is less than authentic Mexican food, its not like you are going on a national cooking show...do what ya like, like what ya do can apply to more than just a job/career.
ReplyDeleteI just don't eat enough of it to acquire a taste. Mrs J REALLY doesn't like it. I do add parsley or chives or things like that to give a little veggie crunch to stuff that calls for it. I am intrigued by Bean's beans thing though. Gonna try that sometime soon.
DeleteYes, you know I just HAD to work that into the conversation dincha?
Beans--clove oil helps with dental pain, and infection. Just put a big drop in a finger ( or have Mrs B put one on her finger) and apply to the offending tooth. Clove oil is an old-timey remedy, but it is also the first ingredient in Ambesol that folks use on teething kiddos. It kills the pain PDQ, and has antibiotic effects also.
ReplyDeleteClove oil was tried and found lacking, unfortunately.
DeleteBeans - The Ravishing Mrs. TB has a lovely enchilada recipe which, sadly, I have no idea what it is although it is delicious. No cilantro though: The Ravishing Mrs. TB despises the stuff and so we never have it in the house- except as snacks for the rabbits, of course. They find it very delightful.
ReplyDeleteI am hopeful Mrs. Andrew's tooth is resolved quickly and without delay (I write this a day late, so hopefully all now in the past tense). We went through this last year with The Ravishing Mrs TB which ended in a root canal.
Should there be a section entitled "Recipes of the Chant?" :)
ReplyDelete-- ArmChairExpert1332