Mock Ovgo-Lemono (Greek Lemon Chicken Rice Soup)

When I moved from the city of Chicago to the far northwest suburbs there were many things I was happy to leave behind:  traffic, lack of parking, dirt, lack of nature.  One of the things I still miss, decades later are the wonderful Greek restaurants. You can occasionally find one or two Greek items on the menu out here, but I miss those little mom-and-pop places with the amazing food.  One of our family favorites is Ovgo-Lemono, a thick, creamy egg chicken lemon rice soup.

I really missed it.  The authentic way to make it involves raw chicken, cooked rice and many egg yolks.  So  I figured out how to make a knockoff that's foolproof, easy and pretty close to the taste and textures of the real deal.

Just three ingredients (four, if I ever remember to add oregano), one pot, less than 10 minutes.

Dump undiluted Cream of Chicken and Chicken with Rice soups (and a pinch of oregano) in a saucepan and whisk to combine.

Heat to a simmer and add lemon juice from a bottle.  Stir.  Serve. Yum.

Greek Lemon Rice Soup

Gluten-Free Crock Pot Vegetarian Enchiladas AND Dessert Enchiladas

Vegetarian Enchiladas

Dessert Enchiladas

I saw a wonderful sounding recipe for enchiladas you can make in your crock pot.  It needed a little tweaking to make it work for me.  Oh boy!  They were delicious!  My darling husband said "Mmm. Wow. Make them again."  Here's what I did:

Spray the inside of your crock pot with non-stick.  Pour 1 cup of chunky salsa in the crock pot.  Chop some red and green sweet bell peppers and half an onion, grate 8 oz. of Monterey Jack cheese and measure out some salt, cumin and garlic powder.  Rinse and drain a can of black beans and pour into a medium bowl.  Add the veggies and spices and stir until combined.  

Scoop 1/3 cup onto one side of a flour tortilla and add 1 tablespoon of cheese; roll up and place seam down in the crock pot.  Roll and add until you have 5 or 6 side by side in the bottom of the crock.  

Pour 1 cup of salsa over them, and spread with a spoon.  Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over the salsa.

Fill and roll tortillas until filling is gone.  Pour the rest of the salsa over the top and spread so all the tortillas are moistened with the salsa.  Don't add the rest of the cheese yet.

Cover, turn to High and cook 2 - 3 hours or until heated through.  

 Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, cover and let sit until the cheese melts.

Crock Pot Vegetarian Enchiladas

Adapted from recipe found at thekitchn.com

Serves 4 - 6, 2 enchiladas per serving

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup chopped sweet bell pepper

1 (16 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

32 oz. chunky salsa

10 - 12  8" flour tortillas, I use gluten-free corn tortillas

Spray inside of crock with non-stick.

Pour in 1 cup of salsa.

Combine onion, bell pepper, beans and spices.

Scoop 1/3 cup onto a flour tortilla.  Add 1 tablespoon cheese.  Roll up and place seam side down in crock.

Continue filling and rolling until you have a layer of enchiladas snugly side-by-side.

Pour half of the salsa over and spread to moisten the tortillas.  

Sprinkle with half the cheese.

Repeat filling and rolling until filling is gone.

Pour remaining salsa over the enchiladas and spread to moisten.  Don't add remaining cheese yet.

Cover and cook on High 2-3 hours or until filling is hot.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese, recover and let stand until cheese melts.

Make Salsa Rice.  Recipe link: http://www.food.com/recipe/salsa-rice-97070

Serve with Salsa Rice and corn. Corn completes the protein of the beans.

Dessert Enchiladas

When you have a pack of 12 tortillas and the dinner recipe only uses 10 of them, then make Dessert Enchiladas in your microwave.

Spread a teaspoon or so of peanut butter on one side of a flour tortilla.  Head's up: corn tortillas don't taste as good.

Add a tablespoon of chocolate chips.

And some mini marshmallows.  Roll up, microwave 45 seconds until the marshmallows are gooey.

Walt got the green plate, I got the pink plate.  Oh, yum.  Peanut butter cup meets s'more.