Category: TEXMEX / CAJUN / CUBAN

CHIPOTLE DR PEPPER SHREDDED PORK

CHIPOTLE DR. PEPPER SHREDDED PORK

Prep Time:  5 Minutes
Difficulty:     REALLY Easy
Cook Time: 6+ Hours
Servings:    18-20 Servings

1 Large Vidalia Onion
5-7 pound Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt
Freshly ground Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
11 ounce Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce
2 cans Dr. Pepper
1/3 cup packed Brown Sugar
1 batch Sauce Recipe below **

  • Preheat oven to 300˚.
  • Peel the onion and cut it into wedges. Lay onion wedges in the bottom of a large dutch oven.
  • Generously salt and pepper the pork roast, then set it on top of the onions in the pan fat side up.
  • Puree the peppers and the juice.
  • Strain the peppers to remove the seeds and skins.
  • Mix together the pureed peppers and  brown sugar.
  • Pour over top of the roast then pour the  Dr. Pepper over it all.
  • Cover and place in oven.
  • Cook for at least six hours, undistrubed.
  • Check meat; it should be absolutely falling apart (use two forks to test.) If it’s not  falling apart, return to the oven for another hour or until it is.
  • Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board or other work surface. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding large pieces of fat.
  • Drain the meat in a colander and discard all but 1 cup of the liquid.
  • Add warm sauce (recipe below) to meat and coat well. If necessary use the 1 cup of liquid to keep the meat moist and juicy.
  • Keep warm until ready to serve.
  • Serve on warm flour tortillas topped with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, avocado slices, salsa, and whatever else you’d like.NOTE: You can also refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it’s cold.  Then heat up the liquid on the stove top and return the meat to the liquid to warm up.

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**BBQ SAUCE
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup Smucker’s apricot pineapple jam
1 tablespoon Bragg’s Aminos
3/4 cup Tabasco Jalapeno ketchup
Fresh ground salt and black pepper

  • In a large sauce pan whisk together all the ingredients and bring to a SLOW boil, stirring frequently.
  • Reduce heat to as low as possible and simmer while the ribs bake.
  • Sauce will thicken during this simmering so stir frequently.

**NOTE:  If you prefer, a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce will work just as well.

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SOUTH of the BORDER CHICKEN WINGS

SOUTH of the BORDER CHICKEN WINGS
GLAZE
1 cup BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray’s Original)
1/4  cup light corn syrup
1 small can chopped green chiles, drained
1 bunch green onions, finely minced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Juice of 1 lime

  • In a small saucepan whisk together the BBQ sauce, corn syrup, garlic powder and cumin.
  • Stir in green chiles and onions.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
  • Whisk in lime juice and set aside.

WINGS
2 pounds chicken tenders
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Fresh ground salt and black pepper

  • Preheat oven to 450°.
  • Line baking sheet with foil and spray with non stick spray.
  • Sprinkle garlic powder, salt and pepper on chicken pieces.
  • Arrange chicken in a single layer.
  • Bake 25-30 until cooked through.
  • Brush with glaze last 10 minutes.
  • Serve with remaining sauce and ranch for dipping.

JALAPENO RANCH (FOR DIPPING)
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon crushed parsley flakes
2 tablespoons Penzey’s California crushed jalapenos
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

  • Whisk all together and chill overnight before serving

BEER BAKED BEANS
1 pound small white beans, soaked over night, drained and sorted
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
1 large shallot, sliced
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon honey
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2 bottles Angry Orchard Summer Honey hard cider or Shocktop
1 1/2 cups hot water
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 KNORR chicken gel bouillon
Fresh ground salt and black pepper, to taste

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • In a large skillet cook bacon, reserving 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease.
  • When bacon is done, add onions, shallot and garlic to bacon grease sauteing until opaque.
  • Whisk together the beer, hot water and bouillon. Add to onion mixture and bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Add honey, vinegar, salt and pepper.
  • Add beans and return to a boil.
  • Transfer to baking dish baking until beans are tender and moisture is absorbed.
  • Stir in bacon just before serving.

My family added some of the extra wing sauce from above to the beans and LOVED it.

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SLOW COOKER BARBACOA

A true Barbacoa uses parts of a cow that I prefer not to use, so when I ran across this recipe I thought it was wonderful. I think of this as a Mexican Sauerbraten. You do serve it shredded, but this was so pretty I just had to show you the before shredding picture.

SLOW COOKER BARBACOA
1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons cumin
3 teaspoons oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoons fresh ground sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup beef broth
1 medium Walla Walla onion, slivered
3-4 pounds beef chuck roast

  • Place the lime juice, vinegar, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, cloves, cumin, oregano, pepper, salt and cloves in a blender and pulse until smooth.
  • Add broth and pulse until well blended.
  • Place roast in slow cooker and pour sauce over top.
  • Cook on low 7-9 hours or until meat is tender.
  • Shred meat into juices.
  • Prepare rice 20-30 minutes before ready to serve.
  • Serve over rice.

RICE
3 cups water
2 cups uncooked Jasmine rice
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground sea salt
1/2 cup minced cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice

  • In a large saucepan combine water, rice, butter and salt.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer covered 12-15 minutes or until rice is tender and all liquid has been absorbed.
  • Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice.

CHILI COLORADO

Hubby and I have a local and fairly favorite frequent Mexican restaurant and one of his favorites is Chile Colorado which was good, but homemade is better!  We had the leftovers the next day with scrambled eggs.

Chili Colorado means chunks of BEEF, NOT PORK in spicy, sweet red sauce.

CHILI COLORADO
2 -3 pounds beef shoulder or chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1⁄2 cup Wondra flour
4 tablespoons avocado oil
5 teaspoons REAL chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon California sweet paprika
6 ounces tomato paste
2 cups water
Fresh ground salt and pepper

  • Coat beef cubes in Wondra flour, shaking off all excess.  This step is important because the flour also helps to thicken the sauce in the end.
  • Brown the beef in a heavy-bottomed pot in the oil over medium-high heat. Do not under cook. You want a good sear with a lot of color.  COLOR=FLAVOR
  • Whisk together the tomato paste and water. 
  • Add spices and sugar, blend well.
  • Bring this to a slow boil over medium high heat.
  • Reduce heat and season with salt and pepper.
  • Cook over low heat slowly for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the beef is tender and beginning to fall apart.
  • Serve with tortillas and refried beans.
  • Garnish with lime and cilantro.

SLOW COOKER CARNITAS

I LOVE carnitas! This is one of the tastiest and easy recipes.  So add some sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions, guacamole and add it to your next TEX-MEX gathering.

SLOW COOKER CARNITAS
3-4 pounds pork shoulder, cut into several pieces
1 bottle green taco sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can original Rotel tomatoes
1 can chopped green chiles
Fresh ground Sea Salt and Black Pepper
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
1 cup water

  • Place onion pieces in bottom of slow cooker.
  • Pour Rotel tomatoes and green chiles over onions.
  • Add pork pieces.
  • GENEROUSLY salt and pepper pork.
  • Whisk together water and taco sauce.
  • Pour taco sauce over top of pork pieces.
  • Cover and cook 6-8 hours on high until meat shreds.
  • Remove from crock pot (reserving 1/2 cup of liquid) and shred all your meat.

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup liquid from crock pot

  • Preheat oven to 300°.
  • Whisk together the milk and cooking liquid.
  • Place shredded meat on a cookie sheet.
  • Pour liquid over meat shreds.
  • Bake 45 minutes until meat begins to crisp.

Golden Blend tortillas
sour cream
shredded cheese
sliced green onions
guacamole

    DURANGO CHICKEN & I LOVE MY BAKING BANDS

    DURANGO CHICKEN
    4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    1 can diced green chiles, drained REALLY well
    1 green onion per chicken breast, minced
    1 1/2 slices thin swiss or jack cheese
    8 ounce package Old El Paso Roasted Tomato Mexican Cooking Sauce
    salt and pepper to taste
    1 tablespoon butter per chicken breast, melted and cooled slightly
    1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
    1/2 cup fresh fine bread crumbs
    1/2 tablespoon chili powder
    1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    • Crush together the bread crumbs, chili powder and garlic salt until you have fine crumbs.
    • Add Parmesan cheese and blend well.  Set aside.
    • Pour sauce into bottom of baking dish.
    • Flatten chicken breasts – I like to put them in a large ziploc bag and use a rolling pin.
    • Season with salt and pepper.
    • Add a single layer of cheese on chicken breasts.
    • Top with green onions and green chiles.
    • Carefully roll chicken breasts, securing with baking bands. DO NOT USE RUBBER BANDS.
    • Roll each breast in butter and then the crumb mixture.
    • Place on top of sauce.
    • Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
    • Plate chicken.
    • Ladle sauce over chicken.
    • Enjoy.

    PORK CHOPS with PEANUT BUTTER GREEN CHILE CREAM GRAVY

    I ran across a little blurb of a recipe in an old pamphlet and thought about trying it.  It was just weird enough that I figured it must really be good. I found it a bit plain when I first combined the ingredients and made some adjustments for us, but I’ll give you both versions (original in black with my changes in red) and let you decide.

    PEANUT BUTTER PORK CHOPS
    PORK CHOPS with PEANUT BUTTER GREEN CHILE CREAM GRAVY
    6 large pork loin chops
    1 stick butter
    2 cups peanut butter 1/2 cups JIF peanut butter
    seasonings to taste Hawaiian pink salt & fresh ground black pepper
    2 cups milk 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
    3/4 cup green chile verde sauce (Las Palmas or Old El Paso)

    • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
    • In a large skillet melt butter over medium high heat.
    • Season pork chops with salt and pepper.
    • Add pork chops to butter and brown, searing both sides. Remove pork chops to a prepared baking dish and cover.
    • Bake 30 minutes.
    • Add peanut butter to butter drippings, stirring to blend well.
    • Add chile verde sauce, blending again.
    • Add milk blending together until you have a creamy gravy. Add whipping cream gradually blending until you have a creamy gravy.
    • Pour gravy over pork chops. DON’T DO THIS! Instead make this gravy while pork chops are baking.  Gravy will be creamier and tastier without going into the oven.
    • Bake 30 minutes.
    • Enjoy.

    TEX MEX STEW

    I had such good luck with throwing together the Tomato Bean Soup that I’d try another round with different ingredients and was not disappointed!  Tonight’s offering I made with chicken, but it could easily be made with stew meat, cubed pork or chili grind beef.

    TEX MEX STEW
    2-4 chicken breasts (or meat of choice)
    10 ounce green enchilada sauce
    10 ounce Rotel original tomatoes and green chiles
    1 large onion, chopped large
    2 large celery ribs, chopped
    1 cup baby carrots
    1/3 cup white wine
    1 package Taco Bell Seasoning (1/8 cup homemade)
    2 cups egg noodles

    • Whisk together the wine, enchilada sauce and seasoning.
    • Spray crock-pot with non-stick spray.
    • Place meat in bottom topped by chopped veggies.
    • Pour sauce over.
    • Cook 4-6 hours on low. I started with frozen chicken breasts so did the first 2 hours on high and then 3 hours on low. During the last hour I added egg noodles.

    I also found some locally made tortillas that are half flour and half corn that are excellent accompaniment for this stew.

    TOMATO BEAN SOUP

    Hubby had dental work the other day and I didn’t realize how much he was going to need a soft menu so I was scrambling to make a soup with what I had on hand.  This soup turned out so well that hubby asked for thirds!  The best part was how simple it was.

    TOMATO BEAN SOUP
    1 1/2 cups great northern (white beans)
    1 can Bush’s seasoned black beans
    1 can Hunt’s diced tomatoes (I used basil, oregano and garlic flavored)
    1 KNORR beef gel
    6 ounces Sprite
    1 ham steak, cubed into bite size pieces

    • Whisk the bouillon with sprite until well blended.  
    • Add everything to crock pot.
    • Cook 4-6 hours on low.

    CHICKEN CHILE RELLENO CASSEROLE

    CHICKEN CHILE RELLENO CASSEROLE
    2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
    1/4 cup Wondra
    3 tablespoons corn meal
    1 LARGE egg, beaten
    4 ounce can of green chiles, drained WELL
    2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
    1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
    1/2 cup shredded cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese mix
    Taco sauce, warmed
    Sour cream

    • Toss chicken pieces, egg and green chiles until well coated.  Chill for 30 minutes.
    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    • Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
    • Combine Wondra and corn meal in a large ziploc bag.
    • Add chicken pieces to bag, tossing to coat each piece well.
    • Add cilantro and red pepper, tossing again.
    • Layer into baking dish.
    • Top with cheese.
    • Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through
    • Serve with Taco sauce and sour cream.

    CHICKEN ENCHILADAS SUIZA





    • 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts (or bone in if your prefer)

    • 1 teaspoon garlic salt

    • 1 teaspoon white pepper

    • 1/2 cup sour cream +

    • 1 4 oz. can chopped green chiles, drained

    • 1 bunch green onions, chopped

    • 1 can Rotel mild original tomatoes with green chiles, drained

    • 1 14 oz. can mild enchilada sauce, green

    • 2 cups finely shredded jack and cheddar cheese

    • tortillas

    Place chicken in stock pot with enough water to cover, salt and pepper. Bring to a low rolling boil until chicken is cooked through. Cool, de-bone if necessary and cut into bite sized pieces, preferably shredded.

    In a large bowl mix together the chicken pieces, Rotel tomatoes, green chiles, 1 cup of the cheese and 1/4 cup of the sour cream. Mix well.

    I like to slice off the major portion of the arc of the tortilla so I have a large rectangle to work with. Lightly spread a thin layer of sour cream on each tortilla. Divide the chicken mixture amongst all the tortillas and roll them securely. Place each one seam side down, side by side in a lightly sprayed rectangular baking dish. Pour the sauce evenly over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.

    Bake foil covered for 30 minutes at 325 degrees. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes until cheese is melted and crisp. Serve with refried beans.

    CLEANING THE CABINETS TACOS

    So our move is a ways off, but I’m making a conscience effort to clean out the cabinets of canned goods and the freezer of meat.  I have a few packages of pork chops in there that I’ve been eating around.  The original package of pork chops was a family pack and the first 2 we ate were quite tough.  I have found though that slow roasting them and shredding them makes them delicious!


    So I was poking around in the cabinet and found a can of pineapple, a can of artichoke hearts and had one of those moments where anything sounded possible. It was a great decision!  These are going to be one of our new favorites.

    HAWAIIAN TACOS
    4 boneless pork chops
    8 ounce can crushed pineapple
    6 ounce can pineapple juice
    1 small onion, finely diced
    14 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained well

    • Spray baking dish with non-stick spray.
    • Spread onion pieces in baking dish.
    • Salt and pepper pork chops well on both sides and place on top of onions.
    • Combine the artichokes, pineapple juice and pineapple in a small food processor blending until smooth.
    • Pour over top pork chops.
    • Cover with foil.
    • Bake 2 hours.
    • Uncover and bake 20 minutes more.
    • Rest 10 minutes before shredding.
    • Shred pork and toss with pineapple mixture.
    • Serve with cabbage slaw and limes.