Category: MEXICAN

CARNITAS

The recipe I was given years ago lacked in flavor so I modified it and we’re extremely happy with the outcome. I’ve been making them this way for years. Originally the roasting was done on a rack with water underneath and just a simple salt and pepper.
Now I use a large onion diced as my natural rack to protect the pork. The onions bake together and become an essential flavor to the dish. I place the pork roast on top of the onion pieces and surround it with a can of diced green chiles and 4-5 cloves of minced garlic. Then I pour a can of salsa verde enchilada sauce on top of the green chiles and onions.  Cover it with foil and bake for 2 hours at 350°.
Then uncover it and bake another hour or until fork tender.  Remove the roast to a cutting board and shred it into bite sized pieces.
Add the pork pieces back into the onion mixture and coat well.
Serve with your favorite salsa, grated cheese and sour cream. Enjoy!

CARNITAS

The recipe I was given years ago lacked in flavor so I modified it and we’re extremely happy with the outcome. I’ve been making them this way for years. Originally the roasting was done on a rack with water underneath and just a simple salt and pepper.
Now I use a large onion diced as my natural rack to protect the pork. The onions bake together and become an essential flavor to the dish. I place the pork roast on top of the onion pieces and surround it with a can of diced green chiles and 4-5 cloves of minced garlic. Then I pour a can of salsa verde enchilada sauce on top of the green chiles and onions.  Cover it with foil and bake for 2 hours at 350°.
Then uncover it and bake another hour or until fork tender.  Remove the roast to a cutting board and shred it into bite sized pieces. 

Add the pork pieces back into the onion mixture and coat well.

Serve with your favorite salsa, grated cheese and sour cream. Enjoy!

LINK PARTY PALOOZA & FOODIE FRIDAY submissions by 3 Sides of Crazy

It’s FOODIE FRIDAY over at RATTLEBRIDGE FARM and a great time for me to catch up on a few recipes that needed posting from the recently tried stack of Magazine Monday recipes and this week there were quite a few winners I must say.

First up is:

BULLAI RUBBED CHICKEN

2 pounds chicken tenders, rinsed and dried

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 KNORR onion bouillon cube, crushed

1 teaspoon California sweet Paprika

1 KNORR chicken homestyle stock tub

2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes

Juice of 1 lemon

4 tablespoons butter, divided

  • Combine spices until well blended.
  • Sprinkle rub on both sides of chicken  rubbing in well.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat.
  • Cook chicken pieces until just done, about 4 minutes per side.
  • Remove chicken pieces, keeping them warm.
  • Add remaining butter and KNORR stock and hot water, whisking into drippings until well blended.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat and simmer about 10 minutes until reduced by half.
  • Whisk in the lemon juice and whipping cream until well blended.
  • Add sun dried tomatoes.
  • Reduce heat, simmering to desired consistency.
  • Pour over chicken and mashed potatoes.

Next was a super easy and SUPER tasty recipe:

GERMAN SMASHED POTATOES

3 pounds YUKON GOLD potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks, cooked tender

1/2 pound bacon

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

  • Cook bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels.
  • Add vinegar and sugar to bacon fat, being sure to scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the pan and cook until well blended. Remove from heat.
  • In a large bowl add the potatoes and smash.
  • Crumble the bacon over the potatoes.
  • Pour the vinegar mixture over top and mix well.
  • Enjoy.

Then came a more time consuming recipe, but one hubs fell in love with:

I also found that they now make refried BLACK beans – gotta tell you I’m loving these!

LAYERED TORTILLA PIE

1 cup salsa

1 pound ground beef

homemade taco seasoning

1 can refried BLACK beans

1 can traditional refried beans

8 inch flour tortillas

2 cups Mexican shredded cheese

sour cream

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

  • Brown the hamburger and drain off the grease.
  • Add 1/2 cup water and taco seasoning to the hamburger.
  • Cook until liquid is absorbed.
  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • In a medium bowl mash together the refried beans, 1/2 the salsa and 1/2 the garlic.
  • In another medium bowl mash together the refried BLACK beans, 1/2 the salsa and 1/2 the garlic.
  • Spray a shallow pie pan with PURE.
  • Spread a small amount of sour cream on a tortilla and lay in the bottom of the pie pan.
  • Spread with one of the bean mixtures.
  • Add another tortilla and spread with some meat mixture.  Top with a thin layer of cheese.
  • Repeat layers until you have about 7 or 8 layers.
  • Top with remaining cheese.
  • Cover lightly with foil.
  • Bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
  • Cut into wedges and serve with salsa and sour cream.

Here’s an all-time favorite:

SEAFOOD SALAD

Shredded Romaine

Tomato wedges

Sliced green onions

Juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

1 large can tuna, drained really well

Mayo to taste

  • Toss all together and enjoy with some garlic bread.

And lastly one of our new favorites:

ITALIAN MEATLOAF CUPS w/ PARMA ROSA PASTA

1 pound hamburger

1 pound Italian sausage

2 bunches green onions, chopped

1 sleeve saltines, crushed

2 eggs

1 can Italian tomato paste

8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Blend all together.
  • I use the mini loaf pans and fill each one 2/3.
  • Bake for 45 minutes or until top is crispy.
  • Pour off excess fat before serving.
  • Bake how ever many you need today and freeze the others for future meals. Thaw in refrigerator before baking.
These are truly greatest hits at our house and welcome leftovers for weekend picnic sandwiches.

PARMA ROSA PASTA

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon minced garlic, jar

1 tablespoon Classico sun-dried tomato paste

1 egg yolk, beaten

1/4 teaspoon thyme

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • Melt butter in a saucepan.
  • Add garlic and saute until fragrant.
  • Gradually add heavy cream, stirring constantly. Stir in salt, pepper and grated Parmesan cheese and stir constantly until melted.
  • Whisk in egg quickly and heat through.

Recipes Submitted to:

and TATERTOTS & JELLO’S  LINK PARTY PALOOZA

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CARNE ASADA

According to Wikipedia Carne asada is a roasted beef dish, literally meaning “roasted meat”[1][2]. The dish mainly consists of pieces or thin cuts of beef (e.g. flank steak, skirt steak), sometimes marinated, sometimes lightly salted or rubbed with salt, pepper and/or spices, and then grilled. It can be eaten alone, with side dishes, chopped and eaten as tacos, or chopped and used as filler for tortas, burritos, etc. It is commonly accompanied with guacamole, salsa, beans, and grilled scallions and tortillas.

The dish is commonly prepared in the northern parts of Mexico (in the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Coahuila, Sonora, Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas) as well as in the American Southwest (especially Texas and New Mexico). It can be found as the main ingredient in tacos, tortas, burritos and fajitas, or is simply served as a stand-alone. It is sold at Mexican meat markets called “carnicerias” in the American Southwest; especially those states with Mexican/Mexican-American enclaves.

When purchasing carne asada from meat markets, consumers have two options available to them regarding the amount of preparation the steak has undergone pre-purchase: preparada, marinated meat as described above, serving as a time-saver for the home cook but typically at higher cost; and no preparada, unprepared meat, allowing for a home cook to create one’s own marinade. I buy unprepared meat and doctor my own.

What you have left after the marinating.

CARNE ASADA

2-3 pounds flank or skirt steak, sliced THIN

1 medium Vidalia onion, sliced thin

2 lemons, 1 sliced thin, 1 wedged for squeezing

1 lime, sliced thin

1 orange, sliced thin

1/3 cup champagne vinegar

2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon FRESH ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

  • Soak the meat in the vinegar for an hour or so.
  • Remove meat from vinegar and dry on paper towels.
  • Sift together all the seasonings and rub into the meat on both sides.
  • Layer the meat into a container alternating with the slices of lemon, limes, oranges and onions squeezing lemon juice on each layer as you go.
  • Let marinate for overnight or a day or so.
  • Grill on a VERY hot grill to desired doneness.
  • Serve with warm tortillas, Fresh Guacamole and Garden Tomato Salsa.

BAKED MEATBALLS w/ ONION GRAVY

MEATBALLS
1 pound hamburger
1 pound ground pork

2 bunches green onions, chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup Panko crumbs or crushed saltines

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon bail

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Using your hands blend all the ingredients together.
  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Roll meatballs into golf ball size meatballs.
  • Bake for 30-45.
  • Bake how ever many you need today and freeze the others for future meals. Thaw in refrigerator before baking.

ONION GRAVY

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons self-rising flour

1 tablespoons cream sherry

2 cups hot water

1 tablespoon better than bouillon beef base

1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet

salt and pepper to taste

  • In a large skillet melt the butter for the gravy. Saute the onions until browned.
  • Add the bouillon base, cream sherry and hot water. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat, add flour and continue cooking to desired consistency.

HONEY LIME ENCHILADAS

Enchiladas are just something that I never grow tired of. For one thing, you can make them a bazillion different ways.  So I’m always excited when I see a new way to make enchiladas.  This time I needed something quick.  I had the chicken, I just needed stuff to put in it.  These were perfect.

The flavor combination of the honey, lime and chipotle is wonderful.  A lot sweet with a little spice for the tongue. 

This recipe made a lot, we froze one 8 x 8 pan so I have something to look forward to next month! 

Honey Lime Enchiladas

Adapted from TidyMom

2 pounds chicken, cooked and shredded
2 cans (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained


6 tablespoons honey (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder


2 (10 oz) cans green enchilada sauce
6 ounces colby jack cheese (or whatever kind you’d like)
1/2 cup milk
18 -6 inch 100 calories whole wheat tortillas

  • Cook chicken, cool, shred.  Mix together the honey, lime juice, chipotle chili powder and garlic powder.  Add the chicken and black beans to it, stir and marinate in the frig for 30 minutes or more. 
  • I used a 9 x 13 pan and an 8 x 8 pan.  Pour a small bit of sauce on the bottom of the pans. 
  • Mix milk with the enchilada sauce. 
  • Lay out tortilla. Spread a small amount of enchilada sauce around on tortilla.  Place 1/4 cup of chicken/bean mixture on the tortilla, sprinkle with a bit of cheese.  Not too much as you want to save some for the top. Fold enchilada and place in pan. I got 12 in the 9 x 13 pan and 6 in the 8 x 8 pan.  Cover enchiladas with the rest of the sauce and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.  Or cover one pan with aluminum foil and freeze for another night. 

You could also use 3 – 8 x 8 pans with 6 enchiladas in each and freeze two of them.


Total calories = 4801 calories
18 servings = 267 calories per enchilada

PIQUANT CHICKEN with CHARRED TOMATO SAUCE

Chipotle chiles add a nice smoky heat to the sauce.  Serve this piquant chicken with lime wedges, chopped cilantro and chiles, and sour cream.
PIQUANT CHICKEN with CHARRED TOMATO SAUCE
3 pounds skinless chicken breast
1-1/2 cups oil
2 cans Chipolte Peppers in Adobo Sauce
1 (can) 16 ounce whole tomatoes, chopped
1 cup onions, chopped fine
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 large bunches green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3 large cloves garlic, sliced thin
3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon red pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • Drain peppers, retaining sauce. Finely chop peppers and set aside.
  • In a heavy skillet, add 1/4 oil and heat until hot. 
  • Add 1/2 cup flour and stir mixture until roux is a nice caramel color.  Set aside.
  • In a 4 quart heavy pot add 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil and adobo sauce. 
  • Cook on low heat until brown in color. 
  • Add onions, celery, garlic and stir until mixture is sauteed. 
  • Add roux, a pepper or two depending on your heat index and whole tomatoes, while continuing to stir to keep mixture from sticking to bottom of pot. 
  • Slowly add chicken broth while stirring to blend all ingredients together. 
  • Add all seasonings, sugar and Worcestershire sauce. 
  • Cook on medium heat for about 1 hour, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes. 
  • Turn down heat, and add green onions and parsley. 
  • Heat remaining oil until hot. 
  • Slowly add chicken and pan-fry until slightly brown. Salt and peppering generously.
  • Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil. 
  • Slowly add chicken to the sauce and cook for about 45 minutes.

CHICKEN ADOBO – MEXICAN PHILIPINO CROSS – CHICKEN ADOBO ala TAMY

When  you look up recipes for Chicken Adobo ou have to choose between either a Phillipino recipe or a Mexican recipe.  I couldn’t choose so I decided to combine my favorite ingredients from each of them and make my own recipe.

Chicken Adobo
1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  3tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced VERY thin
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 tablespoon achiote seeds
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • Cover achiote seeds with boiling water. 
  • Cover and set aside overnight. 
  • Drain seeds discarding water.
  • Place seeds, orange juice, soy sauce, vinegar, cayenne, paprika, cinnamon, honey, salt, pepper and garlic in a food processor. Grind until well blended.
  • In a large wok or skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on one side until light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and sear the other side for another 5 minutes.  
  • Add the onions over the chicken.
  • Pour the seed mixture over chicken and heat through.
  • Serve hot over rice and vegetable sides. 

TACO SOUP – SIMPLY DELICIOUS SUNDAY

Taco Soup Adapted from Paula Deen
Serves 12 to 16
2 pounds ground beef

2 cups diced onions
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chiles
2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans diced green chiles
1 (4.6-ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced, optional
1/2 cup green olives, sliced, optional
1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
Corn chips, for serving
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheese, for garnish
Chopped green onions, for garnish
Pickled jalapenos, for garnish

Directions:  Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black olives, green olives, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and jalapenos.

Modifications:
-I cut this recipe in half.  There was still more than enough.
-I elminated the stewed tomatoes.


Here’s what you’ll need:
  • Diced up one onion.
  • Brown the ground beef and add the onions.
  • Once cooked, transfer the drained meat and onions to a crockpot.

  • Add the beans.
  • Drain and add the corn.
  • Add the tomatoes.
  • Add the green chilies and the black olives. 
  • Add the taco seasoning and the ranch seasoning. 
  • Cook for 6-8 hours and here’s what you’ll end up with:
  • Garnish with chips, sour cream, green onions, jalapenos, guacamole, lettuce . . . taco stuff.
Our Thoughts:
We thought this dish was pretty good.  It reminded me of just a chunky chili (except I didn’t add any chili powder).  The whole time I was eating it, I kept thinking that it would make great nachos or even a “chili/taco” dog.
Scott said that he really enjoyed it and that it would be great football food.  I think that I will actually make this for my next football party instead of chili to see how it goes over.

TURKEY BACON ENCHILADAS

Need something to do with those turkey leftovers? 
I love this time of year. All the super cheap turkeys around. I’ll cook one up just to shred it for meals like this!  Enchiladas, soups, casseroles, potpies…tons of things to do with shredded turkey! 
…and of course the bacon makes it better!!

Smokey Bacon Enchiladas Recipe Adapted from Meg’s Cooking Corner

Filling:
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic; minced
5 cups cooked chicken breast; shredded
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
3 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
15 – 100 calorie whole wheat flour tortillas

Sauce:
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/4 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
3 cloves garlic; minced
1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Topping:
5 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1 green onion, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350,
 
In a medium sized bowl combine all sauce ingredients and stir to mix well. Set aside.
 
 In a pan sprayed with cooking spray, add onions and cook until onions are soft. Add garlic and cook for a couple more minutes. Remove to a large mixing bowl. To the onions, add chicken, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper, shredded cheese and 3/4 cup of the prepared sauce. Stir to mix.

Spoon 3/4 cup of the sauce into the bottom of the 9 x13 baking pan and spread evenly. Warm tortillas slightly until they are soft and flexible. Spoon 1/2 cup of the chicken filling down the center of each tortilla. Fold in the ends and roll up the tortillas. Place seam side down in the Dutch oven or baking pan. Spoon the remaining sauce over the top and top with cheddar cheese and green onions.

Bake in 350 oven for 30 minutes or until hot and cheese is bubbly.

We put 10 enchiladas in a 9 x 13 pan and then 5 of them in an 8 x 8 pan and froze the small pan. 

Total calories = 4500
15 servings = 300 calories per enchilada

2 Bacon Enchiladas = 600 calorie dinner

BLACK BEAN CHICKEN BURRITOS

BLACK BEAN CHICKEN BURRITOS
corn tortillas
black beans, drained well
KNORR creamy rice mix
4 ounce green chiles, drained well
2 cups rotisserie chicken pieces
15 ounce can HATCH green enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded cojack cheese
sour cream

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Spray a large baking dish.
  • Prepare KNORR rice mix as directed.
  • In a large bowl combine chicken pieces, black beans, green chiles, rice and 1/3 of the cheese.
  • Spread sour cream on each tortilla.
  • Add a scoop of the chicken mixture.
  • Layer in baking dish seam side down.
  • When baking dish is full, evenly pour the enchilada sauce over the enchilads.
  • Sprinkle cheese evenly over all enchiladas.
  • Bake 30 minutes.
  • Enjoy.