Recipe: Chili Rellano Casserole*

Let’s face it—dinner preparation can be a real drag.  Don’t get me wrong—I enjoy trying new recipes or making family favorites for special occasions or parties—especially when we all work together in the kitchen.  But when it comes to an ordinary weeknight supper, there’s nothing worse than looking at the clock at 5 pm and remembering you have to have everyone fed and off to their various activities by 7, but have no idea what to make.  No meat thawing in the fridge, nothing simmering away in the crock pot.  Just you waiting for a bunch of hungry people to arrive any minute and ask, “What’s for dinner?” 

It’s at moments like this that I’m glad we live in a time when we can stock our shelves and freezers with products that save us hours of chopping and peeling, making tasty, healthy meals possible with a minimum of time and effort.

The recipe I’m sharing this week fits the bill for easy, as it involves little more than opening cans and beating up a few eggs.  Because it also has lots of cheese, it’s a little indulgent, but keep in mind that compared to purchasing a similar meal in a restaurant or ordering take-out, homemade food, even with pre-prepared ingredients, is always going to be lower in fat and preservatives—better all around for your family.  And when it takes less time to make a meal such as my Chile Rellano Casserole than to go out for dinner, the advantages to both health and finances are clear.  I tried this recipe for the first time last night, my own version based loosely on several I found on the Internet.  I often choose Chili Rellenos when having Mexican food out, and while not as fancy as the classic dish, this is a pretty good substitute!  Add canned or frozen veggies and a whip up a package of Mexican Rice-a-Roni, and dinner is on the table.  By the way, if you buy mild canned chiles, the casserole is not hot or too spicy--suitable for the whole family.

2 (7 oz) cans whole green chiles

2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chiles

5 eggs

1 pkg cream cheese

1 can evaporated milk

3 tablespoons flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

¼ teas garlic powder

¼ teas black pepper

(You can also add red pepper flakes or cayenne if you want it spicy)

1 lb grated medium cheddar OR Monterey Jack cheese or half of each

1 (10 oz) can red OR green enchilada sauce

Put cream cheese out to soften for an hour OR soften in microwave just enough so it will mix easily (don’t overdo it).  Grate the cheese and set aside. Open the whole chiles, drain, and split them open, cleaning out the seeds with your thumb.  Lay these out flat on a paper towel to drain.  Drain the chopped chiles and set aside. 

Beat up the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl.  Separate yokes from whites and add the yokes to the cream cheese.  Add the salt, garlic powder, pepper, and flour to the yolks/cream cheese mixture and beat all together with a mixer, along with the can of milk.  In separate bowl, beat the egg whites just until soft peaks form.  Fold these into the yolk and cream cheese mixture until well blended. 

Grease or spray a regular sized oblong glass baking dish.  Lay the whole chiles out evenly in the baking pan, opening them out flat. They will not entirely cover the pan.  Sprinkle 1/3 of the grated cheese over them.  Sprinkle the drained chopped chiles over this, then another 1/3 of the cheese.  Pour egg mixture evenly over it all.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Remove from oven and pour the enchilada sauce on top, then the remainder of the cheese.  Bake another 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.  Cut into squares.  Serves 6.

*Originally distributed February 2014