Date Nights

Here are a few photos from our "date nights." Since both are working we thought we should plan a date night once a week to make sure we get good focused time together throughout the week. Here are a few photos of our most recent dates.

We decided to try out Joe's Crab Shack in Oceanside, right on the harbor. We shared a tasty mixture of crab (of course), shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn. I'm glad we ended up wearing the bibs because cracking crab is much messier than I expected.

This weekend we went to a Padres vs Giants (Joel's favorite team) game...our first since we moved to San Diego. We got the classic ballpark hotdogs and shared a bag of cracker jacks (this reminds me my dad and roads trips when we were little). Unfortunately the Giants lost, but it was fun to people watch for me anyway :)

I will also post pictures from my birthday weekend at Disneyland, once I steal some pictures from Jamie and CJ!

A few tasty EASY recipes

Since I have started working again, I've been on the look out for easy, quick and affordable recipes online, so that I can still enjoy cooking when I get home, but not have to make my hungry husband wait an hour for dinner :)

I wanted to share two of our new favorites. They're definitely under 30 minutes and really flavorful.

Let me know what you think!

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 1 small red onion, halved
• 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 1 to 2 serrano chile peppers, stemmed and seeded (I use 1-1/2)
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• Kosher salt
• Pinch of sugar
• 8 corn tortillas
• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (I bake 2 chicken breasts ahead from Costco)
• 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
• 3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco
• 1 Roma tomato

Directions

Preheat the broiler. Slice half of the onion into thin rings and set aside. Place the other onion half, tomatillos and serranos on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until the vegetables are soft and slightly brown, 7 to 10 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the vegetables and any liquid to a blender, add the broth and puree. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the sugar.

Meanwhile, stack the tortillas, wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave just until warm and soft, 1 minute; keep covered. Toss the chicken with 2 cups shredded cheese in a bowl. Spoon a portion of the chicken mixture down the middle of each tortilla. Add a few cilantro leaves and roll up. Place the enchiladas side by side in a lightly oiled 9-by-13-inch baking dish and brush with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Broil until crisp and golden, 3 minutes.

Pour the tomatillo sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Return to the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with the onion rings (I ended up using green onions), queso fresco, diced tomatoes, and any remaining cilantro.

Beef and Bok Choy Stir Fry

Ingredients

1 cup long-grain white rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced
kosher salt and black pepper
4 heads baby bok choy, quartered
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Directions
Cook the rice according to the package directions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season the steak with 1⁄4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, turning often, until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the steak to a plate.
Wipe out the skillet. Add the bok choy and 1⁄4 cup water and simmer, covered, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, and sugar. Add to the bok choy in the skillet and bring to a boil. Add the steak and any accumulated juices and cook, tossing, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve over the rice.