Enchilada Pasta

As regular readers know, I am a huge fan of the blog (and cookbook) Budget Bytes.  Beth's meals are always delicious, simple to prepare, and affordable.  This vegetarian Mexican-Italian mashup is no different.  Everything is prepared in one pot, and there's very little prep -- just chopping a little garlic, cilantro, and green onions, and opening some cans and bags.  And it really does taste like enchiladas in pasta form (with way less work)!  This is a great recipe for weeknights, and the leftovers also keep well for lunch the next day.  The pasta is super creamy and satisfying, with a nice kick from the green chiles.  If you like spicier food, you can add extra red pepper flakes or a minced jalapeno.  Next time I make this, I'll probably also chop up a bell pepper and add it with the garlic to up the veggie quotient.  If you're not vegetarian, some chopped rotisserie chicken would also not be out of place.

Enchilada Pasta (adapted from Budget Bytes, original recipe here)

Serves 4

1 T olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 ounce can green chiles

1 cup frozen corn

15 ounce can black beans

1 tsp cumin

Generous pinch of red pepper flakes

8 ounces wide egg noodles

2 cup chicken (or vegetable) broth

1/2 cup sour cream

3 green onions, thinly sliced

A handful of fresh cilantro, minced

3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated

1. In a large non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat and add the garlic.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, and then add the green chiles, corn, black beans, cumin, and red pepper flakes.  Stir well.

2. Add the pasta and chicken broth to the skillet -- the broth won't fully cover the noodles, but that's ok -- just get as much under the liquid as possible.  Cover the skillet and bring everything to a boil.  Turn heat town to low, and let simmer 10 minutes, covered, stirring every few minutes or so.

3. Check the noodles and make sure they are tender -- if not, cook a bit longer.  Stir well, and then stir in the sour cream, green onions, and most of the cilantro (reserve a little to sprinkle on at the end).

4. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the skillet, replace the lid, and let melt over the heat for a few minutes.  Then sprinkle with the reserved cilantro and seve hot.