Fridge Friday, episode 3

I have found that while Fridge Friday has so far accomplished its intended duty of prompting me to blog more regularly, it has also made me infinitely more aware of a few other things.

1. I clean my fridge more often. I have to. You are looking at it every week. Yikes. Maybe I should start posting regular photos of my bed so that I will make it more often than just when someone is coming over? Umm...Not.
2. I plan my menus a bit more, if only for Friday. It might surprise you, but I don't often menu plan. I go to the store, buy what looks good and come home and find something to do with it. 
3. And, I have learned that snapping photos inside a refrigerator is tough. The lighting sucks. That little bulb glares like an interrogation room spotlight.  Unscrew it, and you have coarse, grainy light through my camera lens. Of course, that is pretty much the norm for my food pics, so what am I worried about?

 So...anyway...I have been away a lot of this week, but did a big grocery purchase yesterday. Here is my fridge today:

What catches your eye? The English cucumber on the bottom shelf? The pearls of fresh mozzarella in the bottom left deli drawer? That HUGE bunch of asparagus cut fresh from my backyard? Silk soy milk? I know, there is still a lot of butter in the bottom right corner. That is what we use. Olive oil and real (unsalted) butter are my fats of choice. (I keep canola oil and a can of Pam on hand for baking, but they stay in the cupboard a lot.) Oh! Did you notice the bowl of fresh cherries on the middle shelf? It might be a little early for good fresh cherries, but I couldn't resist throwing them in my cart while shopping.

What catches my eye are the poblano peppers on the second shelf. I was giddy to find these mild chile peppers at the store. One of my favorite meatless meals is Grilled Chiles Rellenos served up with Spanish Rice and Grilled Zucchini.  Of course, you wouldn't have to go meatless. The recipe that I pulled from an issue of Real Simple magazine is a great side with chicken or steaks, too. It is healthier than traditional battered and fried chile rellenos and gives a slight nod to Latin flavors with the addition of raisins for a bit of sweetness with the spicy filling. How spicy your Grilled Chiles Rellenos will be depends on your choice of chili powder and salsa. I like using Chipotle Chile Powder and my home canned salsa. Those options provide some awesome heat. However, more mild versions with regular McCormick's Chili Powder and some store-bought salsa have been just as quickly devoured. The beauty of all recipes is that they are just ideas. Mix it up. Do your own thing; even add some ground beef or turkey to the filling, if you so desire. I just want you to enjoy your own version of Grilled Chiles Rellenos On Your Plate.

Grilled Chiles Rellenos

4 poblano chiles

1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (8 ounce) package monterey jack cheese, shredded (for a more mild flavor use a Mexican blend cheese)

1/4 cup raisins (more or less, or not at all if this doesn't interest you)

1/4 cup salsa (I like a chunky salsa for this.)

2 teaspoons chili powder

Heat the grill to medium. (We like a charcoal grill for more flavor.)
Cut a slit lengthwise in each chile and carefully scoop out the seeds and ribs.
In a medium bowl, combine the beans, cheese, raisins, salsa, and chili powder. (This is the point where you would add cooked, seasoned, and crumbled ground beef or turkey, if you want to try a non-meatless version.)
Stuff the peppers with the filling.
Place peppers on grill and cook, turning frequently, until they are soft and the cheese has melted. (Serves 4)