Minto pesto

Randomly stumbled upon this yesterday, perusing an email from our local supermarkets - it was one of their Christmas lunch ideas (potato salad with mint pesto dressing).  I made a couple of minor changes (we didn't have any almonds, so used toasted pine nuts and cashews instead) and made a really tasty wee dressing.  I enjoyed it as a dressing for the potatoes, but to be honest I think this will really sing as a drizzle over salmon, or perhaps BBQed asparagus or steak...  Watch this space! 

1/2 cup fresh mint

1/4 cup nuts 

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed 

good squeeze lemon juice 

1/4 cup oil (I used rice bran this time) 

2 tbsp aioli/potato salad dressing/mayo (thick and creamy is good) 

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Blitz all ingredients, except mayo, in blender until loose paste starts to form.  
2. Add in mayo and blitz again.  Voila!  

Enchilloni

We had lots of milk, so cheese sauce.  We had leftover bolognese mince, so lasagna.  Boys come home, they're keen for enchiladas.  This is that moment in the kitchen when things can go two ways - dinner dissension, or full-on fusion.  We hit the full-on fusion last night.  

Added some black beans and Mexican seasoning to our bolognese mince.  Boom - Mexican mince! 

Spread some sour cream over tortilla wraps, lay our a line of mince and roll up, place in baking dish like you would an enchilada.  But once all your little enchiladas are neatly lined up in their dish, there comes a curve ball - instead of grated cheese and salsa on top, we top with cheese sauce!!  Boom - these little enchiladas just became Mexican cannelloni!   

The enchilloni was born!!  (apologies to anyone else in the world who may have come up with this revolutionary idea before I did)

They were sublime - and the best part is that you can add or subtract to suit your tastes.  Want more beans, add in some kidney beans too.  Like lots of veges in your mince, or none at all - not a problem.  Viva la fiesta muchachos!! 

PS: You could also use fresh lasagna pasta, in place of wraps, if you prefer.