Breakfast of Champions

I love breakfast. Of all types, all cultures. It’s the only meal of the day I never skip. That because I believe that breakfast truly means “breaking the fast” and whatever time of day my first meal is, it’s breakfast (contrary to my heathen's thoughts). By this logic, I’ll eat most anything for breakfast. In the past week, I’ve been too busy baking bread for an event that served 96 people (I’m in the Society for Creative Anachronism) to cook a proper breakfast. So I cheerfully employ my microwave to heat up leftovers. Here’s one of my breakfasts from this past week.

Pantry Enchiladas

In a sauce pan, combine

1 can tomato soup (it doesn’t matter what brand, but I usually don’t waste my $$ on the expensive Campbell’s, I’ll buy the cheap-o store brand instead)

½ can Chicken broth (or 1 cup of leftover chicken stock from when you made matzo ball soup)

Then add

1-2 Tbs chili powder (you can add more to make the sauce the same color as the powder)

½ tsp granulated garlic

½ tsp onion powder (optional)

¼-1/2 tsp each cumin and coriander (your choice of amount)

½-1 tsp smoked paprika (plain is okay also)

¼ tsp black pepper

1/8-1/2 tsp cayenne (depends on how hot you want it)

1 tsp Mexican oregano

Stir to combine, and simmer over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally to work in the skin that will try to form.

Chop

1 medium-large onion

1 green or red bell pepper (or a bit of both)

1 jalapeno (optional if you’ve a heathen who hates spicy)

3-4 cloves garlic

Dump in a large skillet and saute with a smidge of oil (it doesn’t matter what type) and add

1 lb ground turkey (ground beef or ground soy will do)

Salt, pepper (to taste)

½ tsp each cumin and  granulated garlic.

1 can corn (drained—try to use low sodium or no salt corn)

1 can black or kidney beans (drained)

1 Chinese takeout box of leftover rice—about a cup (if it’s around from the other night)

Brown the turkey with the other ingredients, turn off burner and rummage in the fridge to find

1 package of flour tortillas

Remark to your heathen  husband that your father thinks that the flour tortillas make this recipe a wet burrito, not an enchilada. Stir the sauce as he says he doesn’t care, he loves this dish. Then put your hubby to work spooning turkey filling into each flour tortilla and rolling them, as you taste the sauce and locate some

½ -3/4 cup shredded cheese (Colby, cheddar, CoJack, Monterey Jack, Mozzerella, Chihuahua, whatever)

½ can olives (black, or green, sliced or whole---your choice)

2-3 stalks green onion (scallion)—that you then chop

When he’s done (he was standing in the kitchen, he deserved to be put to work, LOL). Douse the enchiladas with the sauce and cheese and top with the olives and green onion. Put in the oven for 15-20 minutes.  Meanwhile, chop

1 tomato

Handful of leftover cilantro you forgot was still in the fridge

Pull out the bubbly enchiladas, shout at the dog to get out of the way before you burn yourself.

 

She wants your food. And she'll use her powers of cuteness to get it.

Top with tomato and cilantro. And then serve with a dollop of

                Plain, unflavored, low-fat yogurt (or sour cream, if you must)

 

Unadorned, yet still perfect

Enjoy for breakfast the next day either cold or warmed in the microwave.  Top with a fried egg (yum!). And remind yourself of you father’s maxim “If it’s not good cold, it wasn’t good hot to begin with”.