Enchilada Quinoa Casserole

True or False...I should just make this a mexican food blog? Sorry for the similar recipes lately but I warned you that I L-O-V-E mexican food. Plus, I had leftover ingredients from the flautas I made on Thursday. Sometimes you just need to work with what you got!

I have to admit..I've never been a huge fan of quinoa. I've always found it kinda tasteless and boring. Its probably because I only make it when I'm on a diet and diet food just makes me sad. I've never had quinoa with enchilada sauce though, and now I'm kinda in love with it. The enchilada sauce, chiles, and everything else gave it so much flavor. Crazy goodness! Who would have thought quinoa could taste so good?!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce (I used green sauce because its my favorite)
• 1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chiles, drained 
• 1/2 cup canned corn
• 1/2 cup pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 cups shredded taco cheese
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 tomato, diced

Recipe:

• Cook quinoa according to the package instructions; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray.
• In a large bowl, combine quinoa, enchilada sauce, green chiles, corn, pinto beans, cilantro, cumin and chili powder.  Stir in 1 cup of the cheese.
• Pour quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. 
• Bake for 20 minutes. Top with remaining cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly and melted. 
• Garnish with diced tomato and avocado

Overnight French Toast Casserole

Hi strangers. Yes, I know its been over a month...I missed you too. This breakfast recipe is LIFE. So yummy and delicious. I'm already planning on making it for Christmas morning which is 9 months from now... That in itself must tell you its delicious considering I'm planning a meal 9 months in advance. The nutmeg and cinnamon makes the kitchen smell like the holidays. Of course that didn't stop me from making it on the first day of spring! It is too yummy to pass up. This recipe is definitely going down in the books.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter, melted
• 1 Loaf Bread, cut into cubes (I used italian bread and some baguette I had left over...)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 5 eggs
• 1 ½ cup milk

Recipe:

Melt the butter and pour into the bottom of a 13 x 9 in pan.  Mix the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl.  Whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla in another bowl.  Layer the bottom of the pan with half of the bread.  Sprinkle half of the sugar mixture over the bread.  Layer the second half of the bread.  Sprinkle the rest of the sugar mixture on top. Pour the egg mixture over the bread.  Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.  The next morning, take off the foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.