Mexican Salad

(To serve 6)

1 can kidney beans

1 can black beans

1/2 can black olives sliced
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 lb grated cheddar cheese
10 oz sour cream
10 oz salsa
  4 diced tomatoes
   2 diced avocado
some diced green onion

I add 1/2 oniion diced and 1 green pepper diced.  I didn't have sour cream so I actually used ranch dressing this time.

Mix all together.
Add broken corn tortilla chips just before serving (or they go all soggy).
Serve in flour tortilla cones.

Green Enchiladas

This recipe is from Jake's brother Stuart's girlfriend's mom.  You got that? Last April, when Jake's grandmother passed away, and I was yucky pregnant sick, I ate some and it tasted AMAZING and even more amazingly it was the only thing I kept down.  Jake doesn't like enchilada's (except Tiff Pierce's recipe for them, which he just asked me to make two days ago), but he will eat this recipe.  I use this blog as reference a lot, but always plan on writing better recipes or doing pics for tutorials.  Until I get to that point, I'm going to post it here for now:

2 big cans green enchilada sauce
3 cans cream of chicken soup
10 chicken breasts
10-12 tortillas
1 big bag cheese, 1 small
1 container sour cream



mix soup, sauce , & half of sour cream in pan, heat
cook chicken 20 min at 375
chop chicken, about1/3 cup sauce in every tortilla, add chicken and cheese
line pan with sauceaaa
fold into burrito, place into pan
fill entire pan with tortillas
pour all extra sauce on top and add remaining cheese


cook for 30 minutes at 350

Chicken Tortilla Soup

My family loves this recipe.  I got it from Brooke Andelin, who is the identical twin sister of our friend Megan Larkin in St. George.  I have made it and shared it with lots of people, most of whom have asked for the recipe.  In France I need to learn to make my own crunchy tortilla strips, but at home, we just bought them from Bajio or Café Rio.  I especially love this recipe for being easy, but really tasty too!

Ingredients:

2 large or 3 small chicken breasts (fresh or frozen—I have used both)

1 28-oz. can green chili enchilada sauce

1 10-oz. can chicken broth

3 green onions, chopped (optional, and I have to admit, I have never used green onions in this recipe)

1 T. garlic, minced

3 T. chopped cilantro

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (I have also used white beans)

1 can corn, drained

½ can green chilies (I added this to the recipe, so it’s optional too, and I usually double the recipe and use a whole can)

Black pepper to taste

Topping:

Diced avocado (drizzled with lime juice)

Sour cream

Shredded cheese

Tortilla strips

Directions:

In a crock pot place the chicken with the ½ can green chilies (if desired), the green enchilada sauce, chicken broth, onions (if you are using them), and garlic.  Cook on low until chicken shreds easily (about 4-5 hours for frozen, and about 2 hours for fresh).  After chicken is cooked and shredded, add corn, beans, and pepper to taste.  Heat through.  Add cilantro just before serving to preserve bright green color.  Top with tortilla strips, sour cream, diced avocado (drizzled with lime juice if desired), and shredded cheese.  You can also omit the chicken broth and serve the chicken mixture on fresh flour tortillas, burrito style.   

Mexican Starter

This recipe came from the website cooks.com; however, I made a few modifications.  I have made this about 4 times, and I finally now really like the recipe (original recipe called for oregano, which was too weird in a Mexican dish, so I substituted cumin; I also changed some of the ratios, but didn’t change any other ingredients).  It is extremely versatile, and it can make several main dishes, but our favorite for taste was just simple tostadas (see picture below). I also made zucchini boats with it, stuffed bell peppers (also picture below), both of which we liked a lot.  The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. I doubled it every time I made it, and it was great left over.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained

1 T. olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 T. minced garlic (2-3 cloves)

1 green bell pepper, cored and diced (could use just ½ pepper)

6 oz. can tomato paste

1 C. water (add more to thin if needed)

1 small jar salsa (mild or medium to your taste)

½ t. cumin

1 T. Taco Seasoning

1 T. balsamic vinegar

2 T. brown sugar

½ t. salt

¼ t. black pepper

To increase heat, you can add 1T. minced jalapeño, or ¼ to ½ t. chili powder, or a few dashes of Tobasco, or you could even add all three if you feel really hot and spicy!

Directions:

After browning ground beef, set aside.  In a large skillet, sauté the onion and green pepper till soft, about 5 minutes, adding the garlic after about 2-3 minutes.  Add all remaining ingredients, including cooked ground beef.  Simmer for 30-45 minutes on low heat.  If using jalapeño, add it to onions and pepper while sautéing. 

Suggestions:

1.       Stuffed Peppers-combine 1:1 with cooked rice.  Fill peppers and bake at 350⁰F until peppers are tender (about 20-25 minutes).  Top with cheese.

2.       Tostada-layer on a fried corn tortilla: refried beans, cheese, meat mixture, sour cream, lettuce, tomato, avocado

3.       Serve with chips as a dip

4.       Chili-add 2 cans of beans, drained and rinsed.  (Could add corn too.)  Top with cheese. 

5.       Zucchini boats-scoop out zucchini centers and fill with meat mixture.  Top with cheese or buttered bread crumbs and bake at 350⁰F until zucchini is tender (about 25-30 minutes).

6.       Sub sandwiches-Top a sub with meat mixture and cheese and broil on high until cheese melts.  Top with thinly-sliced jalapeño if desired.

Guacamole

Given to me by Tiffany Pierce.  Very yummy!  I can't remember, is an avocado a veggie?

3/4 T salt
1 c chopped onion
2 T chopped, seeded jalapeno's
3 T chopped fresh cilantro
6 ripe Hass avocados
3/4 c chopped, seeded tomatoes (discard juice)
tortilla chips

Put salt, 1/3 of onion and 1 T of both the jalapeno and cilantro in a mortar and pestle. Mash to a juicy paste.  Put in a bowl.

Cube the avocado's and add to bowl.  Mix without mashing them.

Add remaining onion, jalapeno and cilantro along with tomatoes.  season to taste with more salt if needed.  Serve immediately.

Cafe Rio Green Lime Ranch

I prefer the cilantro lime dressing, but here is the ranch one for fans.

3 fresh medium (golf ball size) tomatillos cut inot quarters
juice of 1 lime
1 c fresh cilantro  (use half the bunch here and half the bunch for the green rice dish)
5 stalks green onion with ends
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/4 to 3/4 tsp salt
1/2 c buttermilk
1/2 c mayo
1/2 c sour cream
1 pkg dry ranch buttermilk dressing mix or 3 T of the bulk
1/4 tsp crushed cayenne pepper
1 jalepeno chopped

Put all ingredients in the blender and blend well.  If you like it a  little more mild, use less cayenne pepper and less of the jalepeno seeds.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

I'm not a fan of this meat, but I know Scott is...

1 c favorite salsa
1 c brown sugar
3-4 lbs pork roast (bone in or out_

Put all in crock pot, cook and then shred (usually all day...if it looks dry add equal amounts more of salsa/brown sugar)

There's another recipe out there for this meat involving Coke, but I've never made it.

Cafe Rio Chicken

1 sm bottle zesty italian dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic-minced
4-5 lbs chicken breast

Cook all ingredients in crock pot for 4 hours, shred, then cook another hour.

Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Rice

I'm making this tonight so I'll take some pictures and add them later.

Also known as Green Rice

Juice of 1 lime
4 tsp chicken bouillon
2-3 minced garlic cloves
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 can green chili's
2/4 tsp salt
1 medium onion, chopped

Chop above ingredients coarsely and then fry in 1 T butter or oil.  Add 1 1/2 c rice and fry

Add 3 cups water, bring to a rapid boil, then turn down as low as possible, cover and simmer.  Do not stir and cook as low as possible for separated rice.  Stir occasionally and cook faster for stickier rice.

Shredded Beef Enchiladas

This recipe is a two in one.  The enchiladas are really my very own creation, but it's probably not that different from other recipes you have seen for making beef enchiladas with red sauce.  The special part is the shredded beef.  It's the only way I like making a roast, whether to have with potatoes for Sunday dinner or to put in this recipe.  If you have never tried making a roast like this, trust me, try it.  The roast recipe came from my mother, and she called it "Poor Man's Roast," because even with cheaper cuts of beef, it still turns out great every time. 

Also, I used to make these enchiladas with refried beans spread in the tortillas, and I have since taken that part out.  It really doesn't need it.  I like beans better as a side dish rather than inside the enchiladas.  Watch out--these are pretty hearty.

Makes 2 9x13 pans of 6-7 each, so great for when you need to take a meal to someone, because it feeds two families.  I also will freeze one pan for later. 

12-14 flour tortillas

2 lbs. Mexican blend shredded cheese

1 large onion, diced

1 small can green chiles

4 lb. pot roast

1 T worchesershire sauce

1 can mushroom soup

1 pkg. lipton dried onion soup

1 can tomato soup

1 pkg. enchilada seasonings

1 10 oz. can red enchilada sauce

1 can water (use tomato soup can)

1 small 6 oz can tomato paste

salt and pepper

minced garlic (about 4-5 tsp.)

For Roast:

Prepare roast by rubbing with salt and pepper.  Cut 7-8 slits in roast and fill each slit with about ½ t of minced garlic.  Drizzle 1 T worchestire over roast.  Sprinkle lipton soup and spread the mushroom soup over roast.  Triple wrap with foil, but not too tightly, and seal well.  Bake on low (225°) for about 10 hours or so.  Carefully open foil, shred beef, and save all liquid.

For Enchiladas:

In a large skillet, sauté onion and green chilis.  Add shredded beef and set aside.  Strain roast gravy drippings into a large sauce pan over low heat.  Add 1 can tomato soup, 1 can water, enchilada sauce, seasonings, and tomato paste.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. 

Coat the bottom of a 9x13 pan with enchilada sauce.  Cut tortillas on each side so they fit in the pan (if necessary) without folding the sides in.  Divide the meat mixture in half and evenly distribute the meat with a generous amount of cheese onto each enchilada.  Roll each up and place in pan.  Repeat in a second 9x13 pan with 6-7 more tortillas and the rest of the meat.  Pour the red sauce evenly over both pans and top with lots of cheese.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes until bubbly.  May freeze before baking. 

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

I can't take credit for this recipe. I got it from the blog of my friend, Melanie Hegewald, but it is such a keeper. I love that it uses both corn tortillas and chicken; all the recipes for enchiladas I have used in the past with chicken and green enchilada sauce use flour tortillas, so it was fun to try something different.

Best part, my family LOVED these. All three of the girls just scarfed them, and then we had some for leftovers and the whole family ate them again really well. It's a home run of a recipe--delicious for both the kids and the adults. Just adjust heat level to your taste. I used 2 t. of chili powder and mild sauce for them. I could have gone hotter for me.

1/2 C. honey
1/3 C. lime juice (about 2 large limes)
2-3 t. chili powder, depending on heat level desired
2 large cloves of garlic, finely minced or 1/2 t. garlic powder
1 & 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 large breasts), cooked and shredded (I used all chicken off of a rotisserie chicken, including the dark meat)
3 C. Mexican cheese blend, shredded; 2C. is for the filling and 1C. is for the top
1/4 C. chopped cilantro
12 corn tortillas (the ones I used were fairly large, like the size of flour tortillas; I did not use the size used for “Pierce Tacos,” for example, and I cut them on the sides a little to fit side by side in the pan)
1 14-oz can of green enchilada sauce (mild or medium, to your taste)
3/4 C. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cooked and shredded chicken in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, place the honey, lime juice, chili powder and minced garlic or garlic powder. Whisk together thoroughly to combine. Pour this mixture over the chicken, add 2 cups shredded cheese and the cilantro and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap. Allow to marinate while you prepare the tortillas, 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, in the refrigerator.

Heat a large griddle till a drop of water skitters across (about 350 degrees F). Spray the surface with non-stick cooking spray or oil it with a little bit of canola oil in between each round of tortillas. Heat tortillas about 20 seconds on each side till warm and flexible and some golden brown spots have appeared. Remove the tortillas from the griddle and keep them between a couple of paper towels until ready to use.

Sray or oil the sides and bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.

In a medium bowl combine the enchilada sauce and the heavy cream. Spread about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the bottom of the oiled baking dish.
Add at least 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture to the center of each tortilla. Roll the tortilla up and place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish starting at one end with the long edge parallel to the longest side of the pan so that you end up with two columns of six enchiladas each.
Repeat with the remaining chicken mixture and tortillas. Pour the creamy mixture over the top of all the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake the enchiladas for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and starting to brown on top. Serve with sour cream, sliced avocado, black beans, and Spanish rice or a green salad for a great meal.

Taco Soup

From an old roommate.  Scott has called me about this recipe over the years.  He used to come over whenever I cooked it back in college.

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 c chopped onion
2 cans water
1 can corn with juice
1 can rinsed kidney beans
8 oz tomato sauce
24 oz can tomatoes with juice
1 pkg taco seasoning

Cook above ingredients in crockpot for 3-4 hours.  Top with cheese, chips (we like frito's) salsa, sour cream.

Mexican Rice

Tiffany Downey's awesome recipe for a red mexican rice.  I love this one!  I think she made it a few years at one of our reunions.

2 cups rice
diced tomato
pepper
onion
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth (she boils her chicken for the main meal and uses the broth left in the pot)
1 lime juice
tomato bouillon
can of corn

Fry rice in oil.  Add tomato, peppers, onion in and fry.  Add juices and bouillon and corn.  Bring to a quick boil and then turn on low and simmer for as long as possible covered.

Did I get that right, Tiff?  My recipe was jotted down on a very small post it note.