Hey there Florida Foodie friends,
It is the man in black, Thomas Mates. I shot a man in Reno and that’s just one of many reasons I can’t go back to Nevada.
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I am legally obligated to tell you that was just a joke. I’m actually wearing blue today.
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We made it to 2024 and 2025 will be here before you know it.
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. My wonderful wife and I spent a quiet evening in with sliders and buffalo chicken dip, listening to the myriad of explosions happening all across our neighborhood.
It was a nice, low-key way to end a year that had become extremely hectic for both of us.
That being said, I don’t think 2024 will be any less hectic and may even be more so. What fun?!
Well, here’s hoping the year at least brings us all some good meals and maybe a nice afternoon nap or two.
Just a quick programming note. We do not have a new Florida Foodie episode this week, but we are recording two in the next couple of days and we’ll get those out to you as soon as possible.
Remember, you can also find every episode of Florida Foodie on YouTube.
OK, let’s get into it.
Transplants🌮
There are a lot of transplants here in Florida, including myself, and that extends beyond just people.
In the past couple of years, more and more chains from different regions of the country and the world have been setting up shop here in Florida, offering everything from Tex-Mex to a Filipino take on fried chicken.
Check out the list of regional chains here.
Hard to say goodbye😭
In the past year, Central Floridians have had to say goodbye to some cherished dining spots and watering holes.
It was sad to see these places go.
Here’s a look back at some of the restaurants we lost in 2023.
Small bites🧇
Rolled a 1🎲: After a decade in business, an Orange County bar catering to the tabletop gaming community is closing for good. Cloak & Blaster is calling it quits, citing rising costs and a loss of business. Read more about it here.
Chocolate in court🍫: A Hillsborough County woman is filing a class-action lawsuit against The Hershey Company, claiming false advertising in its seasonal Reese’s candies. Her issue? The pumpkins don’t have little faces on them. Read all about it.
Who doesn’t love cobbler?🥧: The Peach Cobbler Factory is now open in Winter Garden after a long delay. The restaurant features all kinds of desserts but specializes in 12 different kinds of cobbler. Here’s where you can find it.
Something to try at home🍽️
This week, I’ve got a recipe that is easy, in that it doesn’t require a lot of technique, but it is a little labor-intensive.
We are making enchiladas.
Ingredients:
- 8 oz guajillo chilis, cut into pieces with the stems and seeds removed
- 8 oz ancho chilis, cut into pieces with the stems and seeds removed
- 4 oz arbol chilis, cut into pieces with the stems and seeds removed
- 8 oz water
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- 2-3 plum tomatoes, quartered
- 1 small white onion, quartered
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 8-10 oz of queso fresco, shredded (whole milk, low moisture mozzarella works too)
- 8-10 soft corn tortillas (do not use flour tortillas)
- vegetable oil
- salt and pepper
Step 1: Bloom your dried chilis (similar to the chili recipe above). Toast the chilis in a dry, high-walled skillet until fragrant over low heat. Then remove the chilis. Add some oil. Once the oil has a sheen, add your tomatoes, onion and garlic. Cook until slightly softened
Step 2: Add water to the skillet and return the chilis to the mixture. Let simmer for about 10 minutes.
Step 3: Carefully blend together the water and the rehydrated chilis. You can let everything cool down first to make it easier, but if you blend the hot liquid, do so carefully as the sudden release of steam from the liquid could cause the lid of your blender to blow off. Once blended, set aside.
Step 4: Wipe down your skillet and place it over medium heat. Season both sides of your chicken with salt and pepper. Add oil and then add your chicken. Be sure to brown it on both sides.
Step 5: Add half of your chili sauce to the skillet with the chicken. Reserve the rest. Reduce your heat to medium-low and allow the chicken to simmer until you can pull it apart with a fork. Then set aside to cool.
Step 6: Heat a shallow frying pan over medium heat, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pot. Doing one or two at a time, lightly fry your tortillas. You don’t want them to brown, just gain a little rigidity while remaining flexible. Set them aside on a paper towel-lined plate when done.
Step 7: Shred your chicken. Pour some of your reserved sauce on a plate. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Step 8: One at a time, coat your tortillas in the sauce. Then, fill the tortilla with chicken and cheese (reserve some cheese for later) and roll it over onto itself, leaving both sides open. Line your enchiladas into a casserole dish. Once your dish is filled, pour your remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas and then sprinkle your reserved cheese over the top.
Step 9: Bake for 10-15 minutes. Optionally, you can also turn on your broiler for another 10-15 minutes to brown the cheese over the top of the enchiladas.
This dish can be served on its own or over rice. The arbol chilis provide most of the heat and can be adjusted to your liking. You can also swap out the arbol chilis with chipotle peppers for a mild and smokey flavor.
That’s it for today.
Also, please take the time to rate and review the Florida Foodie podcast.
Send me your recipes so I can share them with everyone. My email is tmates@wkmg.com.
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