Quinoa and Cucumber Salad with Zesty Garlic Dressing

This recipe came to me after reading about tons of fresh, summery salads made from cooked grains. It was the beautiful union of several ideas, yielding a simple and fresh recipe that was suited to what I had on hand. I have been trying to get in the habit of cooking extra quinoa to store in the fridge to use later. I love re-frying it in butter and salt and pepper and serving it with scrambled eggs for breakfast. It is healthy and delicious, and I feel good about what my family is eating.
There are so many perks with this one, I don't even know where to begin. It can be made hours in advance and kept in the fridge, and it only tastes better because the veggies get to marinate in the dressing. It is perfect for a picnic, potluck, or barbeque, because there is no mayo, so no risk of that spoiling. You could change up the ingredients any way you like. As is, the recipe is vegetarian, vegan, preservative-free and loaded with whole grains and fresh veggies. And there is no compromise in flavor with this tangy lemon and garlic dressing. 

Give it a try and tell me what you think.

Quinoa and Cucumber Salad with Zesty Garlic Dressing
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 English cucumber, chopped in a thick dice
1 roma tomato, diced
1 can olives, drained

for the dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 minced cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Allow the quinoa to cool. Combine dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake well or whisk in a bowl. Lightly dress the quinoa, then add other ingredients. Add remaining dressing and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Green Enchiladas

Quite often, at a potluck at church, you can find a dish or two of green enchiladas.
I generally avoid green-sauced things, mostly because I discovered as a teenager they didn't like me. My mom always made red enchiladas, a favorite dish around our house that consisted corn tortillas filled with shredded, canned chicken and processed cheese. If we were lucky there were black olives on top and sour cream....mmm just thinking about it makes me miss mom's enchiladas. But that's not why we are here today.
I tried some enchiladas a few years back at a church potluck that blew my socks off. Now, I really, really like Mexican food (by now you have probably figured out that I really, really like any food), but I have a bone to pick with the Senoritas that make enchiladas. Many times the meat is bland. And I know why. They boil it, add the teeniest bit of salt and pepper and throw it in a tortilla and rely on the sauce on the top to deliver the flavor. I advocate highly seasoned food. I want every bite to be filled with flavor and make me so desirous of my next bite I don't chew my food properly. That is how these enchiladas were. After I stuffed my face with them, I hurried back to the line to see if there were any more. No luck. Others must have discovered this well-kept secret. After asking around a bit, I discovered who made them. One of the senior Spanish ladies, probably the sweetest person I know. After drowning her in flattery for about five full minutes, I asked her if she would share her recipe. It was sooooo easy I couldn't believe it! I made them that week, and my husband was pretty much in shock. I shared them with my family, next, and they have become quite a hit around here. I actually was planning on making them tomorrow or the next day when someone asked me for the recipe. Now, there are two ways you can go about making this, and I highly recommend making extra sauce and freezing it for the next time you make enchiladas. This lady who makes them also said you can freeze the whole pan and just pop it into the oven. They never last that long around here.... You can use fresh tomatillos when they are in season and just puree them in a blender or food processor, or you can just buy the can.

So here it is.

For the Sauce
2 cans green enchilada sauce (the large ones)
or
2-3 lbs. tomatillos, peeled, washed and pureed
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 of a medium onion, finely chopped
4 teaspoons chicken bouillon
2 teaspoons cumin


For the Chicken
2 or 3 fresh or frozen chicken breasts, boiled until cooked and shredded
salt and pepper to taste
Enchilada Sauce

For the Tortillas
1/2 lb jack cheese
24 medium size corn tortillas
Enchilada Sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Prepare the sauce. Combine all listed sauce ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil. Adjust seasoning as necessary. In the meantime, boil and shred the chicken, and add about each of salt and pepper, and 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350.
To make the enchiladas, heat vegetable oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Dunk tortillas in the enchilada sauce, then fry them for a few seconds on each side. Place in a prepared baking dish. Add chicken and roll up the tortilla. Repeat until the ingredients are gone.
Add more sauce to the edges of the rolled shells, and sprinkle jack cheese on top. Place in oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
Top with sour cream if desired, and serve!