Frugal Floozie Friday - Chela's

I'd heard so many wonderful things about Chela's from friends and readers that when Craig - making his debut here on ye olde blog as "the new guy," a nice Jewish boy (with emphasis on the nice, since he seems to think I'm more Jewish than he is!) - was craving Mexican food, I thought this would be the perfect place to go for a Frugal Floozie Friday post. I'd been told that the prices definitely met my $5 per person mandatory budget, so we went off on an adventure.

The campechana taco pictured above - made with a combination of chorizo and carne asada on a corn tortilla - cost a ridiculously measly $1.85 ... I'm serious! And yet, there was no skimping on the filling, which was very flavorful and tender. Accompanied by horchata - a creamy, sweet rice-almond drink - that cost a whopping $1 for the equivalent of, say, an average medium-sized drink, this would make a great light lunch or substantial snack. (Those who quibble about my portion sizing could order a second taco and still come in at under $5. I might order a second taco too, just 'cause it was really good.)

We also ordered a pork tamale, yet another treat for a mere $1.85, simply because I love tamales. I've always wanted to go to a tamale-making party, and have yet to receive an invitation; I was so jealous when my blogging buddy Jenn, of Jenn's Food Journey, wrote about her own opportunity to do so! I order them whenever I can, and was impressed again at the generosity of the serving and the filling at Chela's.

Complementary accompaniments to the dishes are offered at the counter: sour cream, a mild green sauce, and a vibrantly spicy orange hot sauce.

Craig had not only been dreaming of Mexican food, but specifically of a burrito. So he ordered the black bean variety, also stuffed with rice, cheese, guacamole, lettuce, and hot sauce; this is a great value at $6, even if it's just out of our mandatory price range for one person. It was a nice, fat, happy, round offering that could satisfy one hearty appetite, or two hungry people for only $3 each.

Our final dish to sample was the cheese and vegetable quesadilla for exactly $5. It would be a lot of food for one person to finish, in all honesty, but would be great to share along with other inexpensive dishes. Filed with bright, colorful zucchini and peppers, this was far more than a mere serving of a tortilla and some cheese.

There are many varieties of each dish, as well as salads; and virtually everything on the menu comes in at under $5 period, not just per person. Desserts - cookies, rice pudding, and flan - are also available. And vegetarians can eat happily with lots of options. Brunch is served on weekends, and Huevos Rancheros as well as chilaquiles and a breakfast burrito all meet our budgetary requirement, too.

So, go try Chela's, a welcome addition to town!

I'm hosting an amazing giveaway: you could win 2 tickets to CRUSH Birmingham on Saturday, September 22 at 6:30 p.m., to be held at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, Michigan. A fabulous party featuring food, wine, area chefs, and master sommeliers, it's a benefit for The Children's Leukemia Foundation of Michigan. But you - yes, you! - might be able to win 2 tickets. Click here for more information.


Chela's
683 S. Maple Rd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
734-332-6055
Monday - Saturday: 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sunday: 10:30 a.m. - 8 p.m.



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Yam 'n' Cheese Sandwich

Nope -- that's not a typo. I didn't mean to say "ham 'n' cheese". I'm currently staying at the vegetarian and kosher home of a friend, after all; ham is completely and utterly verboten!!!

So one night recently, I made myself a Yam 'n' Cheese Sandwich ... well, really a quesadilla, but that's a sandwich, right? Two pieces of bread with stuff in the middle. And the stuff was leftover yams transformed into a meal with the addition of some onions and some cheese.

Jeremy relies upon sandwich meat for a quick food fix, since he can simply reach into the refrigerator and start eating 6 seconds later; and sometimes I wonder whether Tom doesn't love hot dogs more than he does me, as he'll put them into virtually anything!

But my "go to" meal seems to be quesadillas -- they couldn't be easier, and I always have tortillas around for wrap sandwiches or burritos/enchiladas or some such thing. Fry 'em up, eat within 5 minutes!

Thus, when I found myself with leftover roasted yams, some whole wheat tortillas, some Muenster cheese slices, a scrap of onion to use up, and about a tablespoon of taco seasoning floating around, I threw it all together into something a tad more glamourous -- and infinitely more nutritious -- than any of the individual parts.

I know it sounds a kinda weird, but I've eaten roasted squash enchiladas at vegetarian restaurants; the sweetness of the vegetables goes quite well with the creaminess of the cheese and the toasted tortillas. And really, the mashed yams are virtually the same consistency as the refried beans traditionally used in these types of dishes.

So, give these quesadillas a try -- trust me! I wouldn't steer you wrong, I promise ... :)

Yam 'n' Cheese Quesadillas

1/2 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup sliced onion
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
2 large whole wheat tortillas
3 slices Muenster cheese
1/3 cup mashed pre-cooked yams

Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat; add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the taco seasoning and cook for 1 more minute.

Place 1 tortilla into a large skillet. Tear the cheese into 2-3" pieces, and place half the cheese onto the tortilla.


Spread the yams over the cheese, and top with the onion.


Place the rest of the cheese over everything, then top with the second tortilla.


Cook over medium-high heat for a few minutes per side, until toasted and golden. Let rest for 1 minute before cutting into 4 pieces.

Serves 2.




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Pepper 'n' Onion Quesadillas

My friend Wendy came over for dinner the other night -- my first guest in the new apartment!

We were just hangin' around, indulging in BFF time, so we didn't need an elaborate dinner. Quesadillas seemed to be just the right thing -- quick and easy, and not a distraction from our vital conversation about life, men, and the mysteries of each.

I sliced some gorgeous yellow and orange peppers, as well as chopping some green onions, and then sauteed them in a bit of oil with some red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. All fresh fruits and vegetables are kosher, so there's no need to look for any certifications. (Though Dan, from the highly entertaining The Haggis and The Herring, tells me "that many kosher authorities/caterers etc., won't serve raspberries because they're too difficult to search for bugs." And fyi: bugs aren't kosher.)

Domestic cheeses that are pre-packaged are also acceptable, so I sprinkled some shredded CoJack cheese onto whole wheat tortillas, added the vegetables, sprinkled on a bit more cheese, then folded the tortillas over to fit two into the skillet at the same time.



Cook them over medium-high heat 'til the cheese is melted and the tortillas are golden brown. A little salsa, a little sour cream, a little guacamole and you've got yourself some dinner!

And not only are these ideal for a casual Saturday night supper with a best friend, but they'd also be perfect Super Bowl food, too, cut into smaller portions and served to hungry hordes ....