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MEXICAN FOOD TERMINOLOGY MEXICAN / TEX-MEX RECIPES CHILIES PEPPERS TIPS
MEXICAN FOOD TERMINOLOGY
I love good mexican food. One of the things I miss most since moving to New England. I miss the family owned restaurants found in southern California that serve real, homestyle mexican food. They often did not have English menus when ordering so you needed to become familiar with food terms to understand what the dishes consisted of and what to expect when you placed your order. You were served good food for a very reasonable price and lots of it. You did not leave the table hungry, broke and dissatisfied. Here are some basic food terms you can become familiar with when ordering food at a restaurant or finding recipes to make at home.
Ajo - Garlic.
Albóndigas - Meatballs.
Al Horno - Oven-baked.
Antojito - An hors d'oeuvre or small snack food.
Arroz - Rice.
Asadero cheese - A white cow's milk cheese of Mexican origin: comes in braids, balls or round. Also known as Chihuahua and Oaxaca cheese.
Asar - To roast or broil.
Azucar - Sugar.
Barbacoa - Barbecued meat.
Borracho - Cooked with wine; means drunk.
Buñuelo - Puffy, sweet, deep-fried pastry.
Burrito/Burro - Large flour tortilla wrapped around a filling.
Cacahuatas - Peanuts.
Cafe - Coffee.
Calabaza - Squash, pumpkin.
Caldo - Soup, broth.
Caliente - Hot to the touch (temperature).
Camarón - Shrimp.
Canela - Cinnamon.
Capirotada - Spicy bread pudding, made with raisins, fruit and cheese, served during Lent; means a little bit of everything.
Carne - Meat, specifically beef.
Carnero - Lamb.
Carnitas - Shredded Pork.
Cebolla - Onion.
Cerveza - Beer.
Ceviche - Salad made of raw fish "cooked" in limejuice combined with tomatoes, onions, spices, chiles, served with chips as an appetizer.
Chalupa - A special custard and fruit on a flaky shell.
Chicharrones - Deep fried pork rinds, a favorite snack in Mexico.
Chicos - A dish of parched corn cooked with pork.
Chilaquiles - Corn tortilla pieces marinated in chile, layered with a filling, sauce and cheese, and baked in a casserole.
Chile con queso - A melted cheese dip seasoned with mild green chilies. Served with tortilla chips.
Chiles rellenos - Translates to "stuffed peppers", cheese-stuffed mild green chilies, dipped in an egg batter and fried until crisp.
Chili con carne - Translates to "chili with meat", diced or ground beef, chilies and chili powder.
Chili Powder - Commercially, the product made from ground red chiles, including a variety of other spices.
Chimichanga - Deep-fried meat-filled burritos.
Chipotle - Ripened and smoked jalapeno. Fiery hot with lasting smoky flavor.
Chorizo - Spicy pork and beef sausage.
Churro - Mexican specialty made of a sweet-dough spiral, deep-fried, coated with cinnamon and sugar.
Chuleta - Chop or cutlet.
Cilantro - Coriander or Chinese parsley. It is used extensively in Tex Mex and Mexican food cooking. This green, highly aromatic spice exudes a somewhat bitter taste that is usually acquired over time. Fine chopped leaves are used as a condiment or as an ingredient in dishes. The stems are chopped and used in soups and beans. The dried cilantro herb is called cumin or comino. The seed produced at full maturity is coriander.
Coco - Coconut.
Comal - Heavy, round griddle for baking tortillas.
Cumin (Comino) - A pungent spice commonly used in Mexican dishes. Available in seed and ground form. Has a nutty flavor and aroma. Used in dishes such as chili and tamales.
Crema - Cream.
Ejote - String bean.
Elote - Corn. Sometimes called helote.
Empanada - A Mexican pie made by baking meat or fruit that has been wrapped in dough.
Enchilada - A corn tortilla dipped in red chile sauce, rolled around just about anything, then topped with sauce and cheese.
Enrollado - Rolled.
Ensalada - Salad.
Escabeche - Pickled.
Fajita - Skirt steak. Most people associate "fajita" with a taco or the strips of meat that go into the taco. Beef skirt steak comes from the outer covering of the breast near where the brisket comes from. There are only 2 skirts per cow, a highly flavorful cut of meat as a result of the fat membrane that burns off when cooked.
Farina - Wheat Flour.
Fideos - Vermicelli. Thin pasta.
Flan - Baked custard with caramel coating.
Flauta - Means "flute". Corn tortilla tightly rolled around a filling, then deep-fried. Frijoles - A traditional Mexican dish made from pinto beans and served with any meal as a side dish. Fried beans are mashed and then refried in lard. Refried beans can be purchased in supermarkets in a can.
Galletas - Cookies.
Gallina - Hen.
Garbanzo - Chickpea.
Gazpacho - Cold, spicy tomato and vegetable soup.
Granada - Pomegranate.
Guacamole - Avocado mixture that is made from ripened avocados and lemon or limejuice, diced onions and tomato, cilantro. Used as a condiment in numerous Tex-Mex dishes.
Guajolote - In Mexico, turkey; pavo is turkey in other Spanish-speaking countries.
Habanero - Mexico's hottest. Delicate looking green, yellow and orange "lanterns" are prized by the Yucatecos for their hotter-than-heck fire. Green and crispest, orange are softest. The special fruity flavor compliments fresh salsas made with tropical fruits.
Harina - Wheat flour.
Helado - Ice cream.
Huevo - Egg. Also blanquillo.
Jalapeño - The most widely used fresh green (ripens to red) chile in the US. Also, referred to as the Texas sweet pickle. Averages 2 inches in length. The "hot" comes from the seed and the membrane. It is the most used pepper in Tex-Mex cooking with Serrano pepper coming in second. A great source of vitamin C. When ripened and smoked, it becomes a chipotle chile.
Jamón - Ham.
Jícama - A white-fleshed root vegetable also called a Mexican potato. It is crunchy and sweet and can be eaten either raw or cooked. Makes a great addition to salads or can be boiled and baked like a potato, available from May to November.
Jocoque - A Mexican style of sour cream with equal or less fat content than American sour cream. Flavors range from mildly tangy to refreshingly sharp.
Jugo de Naranja - Orange juice.
Kahlúa - Coffee-flavored liqueur made in Mexico.
Leche - Milk.
Lechuga - Lettuce.
Maíz - Corn.
Mano - Means "hand". A piece of volcanic rock used with both hands to grind food against another rock.
Manteca - Lard.
Mantequilla - Butter.
Manzana - (Peron and rocolo chile) Fresh chile, looks like a cross between a yellow bell pepper and a golden habanero. Medium to hot at its peak. It has black seeds and the flower is purple. Fruity flavor with a thin flesh.
Margaritas - The national drink of Mexico, made with Tequila, Controy and fresh lime juice served either blended with ice or on the rocks in a salt-rimmed glass.
Mariscos - Shellfish; fish is pescado.
Masa - Dough called nixtamal. Masa is the corn based tamale dough surrounding the tamale filling. Masa is made from stone-ground corn, lard, and spices. Masa is spread onto softened corn husks, topped with a filling and then folded to create a tamale.
Masa Harina - Masa Harina is a flour that is made from cooking dried corn kernels with lime and then grinding. It can be used to make corn tortillas and masa for tamales. It can also be used for breads and other foods.
Menudo - Tripe soup; New Year's Day tradition to ease hangovers. A spicy soup made from tripe, chile, hominy and spices. Served with lemon slices, onion, oregano, avocado, and chile which you add to taste. Also served with warm tortillas.
Mexican Chocolate - Chocolate that has been flavored with cinnamon, almonds and vanilla. It is available in Mexican markets and is used for hot chocolate or mole sauces.
Miel - Honey.
Molcajete - A volcanic rock- stone mortar and pestle used in traditional Mexican cooking. Used to grind spices, corn, and vegetables.
Mole - Term used for a thick sauce or paste. A spicy rich traditional Mexican sauce that is usually served with poultry. The most common ingredients include nuts, seeds, spices, Mexican chocolate, and chiles. The most famous moles are Mole Poblano and Oaxaca's Black Mole.
Mora - A cordovan-colored chipotle with a fruit-leather texture. This midsize Jalapeno is lightly smoked and often used for canned chipotles in adobo. Mostly used in salsas and sauces.
Naranja - Orange.
Nixtamal - Hominy; Raw corn grains, soaked in lime, then ground to make a dough (masa) for tortillas, tamales and chalupas.
Nopales - Known as the "prickly pear" cactus in America, this cactus is cleaned of spines, diced and used in many Mexican dishes. The cactus leaf looks like a large green paddle with spines. The fruit of the cactus called tuna can also be eaten. The cactus is usually boiled or grilled. Cooked cactus can be added to soups, stews, scrambled with eggs or used as taco filling.
Oja - Cornhusk, used to wrap tamales; sometimes called hoja.
Olla - Clay pot. A utensil in which beans are simmered.
Pan - Bread.
Pan Dulce - Translated as "sweet bread". A sweet round dessert bread topped with fine red, yellow or brown colored sugar. A Mexican Christmas tradition.
Pastel - Cake.
Pay - Pie.
Pepino - Cucumber.
Picadillo - Meat hash.
Picante - Hot to the taste buds.
Pico de gallo - Translates to rooster's beak in Spanish. This is a relish of fruit topped with a sprinkle of chile.
Piloncillo - Brown sugar formed into a cone for marketing.
Pimienta - Black pepper.
Piña - Pineapple.
Pipián - A sauce made of pumpkin seed, chile and spices.
Poblano - A variety of chile.
Pollo - Chicken.
Postre - Dessert.
Posole - A soup made from roasted corn. A spicy soup made from beef or pork, chile, hominy and spices. Served with lemon slices, onion, oregano, avocado, and chile which you add to taste. Also served with warm tortillas.
Puerco - Pork.
Quesadilla - Grilled cheese sandwich made with a tortilla.
Queso - Cheese.
Rábano - Radish.
Refrescos - Soft drinks.
Relleno - Stuffed.
Repollo - Cabbage.
Ristra - String of dried red chiles.
Sal - Salt. "Sin sal" means without salt, useful to know when ordering a tequila cocktail called a margarita, which usually is served with its rim coated with salt.
Salchicha - Sausage.
Salsa - Sauce. Usually refers to a tomato-based condiment used to dip or to accent dishes. If the salsa is uncooked, as in Pico De Gallo, it is referred to as "salsa cruda." If it is processed, in Tex-Mex lingo, this is called "chile." If cooked and then bottled, this is called "picante."
Sangría - A drink made of red or white wine, sugar, oranges, lemons and lime.
Seco - Dry.
Serrano Pepper - The serrano pepper is a very hot pepper, slightly hotter than a jalapeno pepper. Used often in salsa's and table sauces, the serrano chile pepper is thin skinned making it easy to work with (no need to remove the skin).
Sopa - Soup.
Taco - A corn tortilla folded over a filling.
Tamale (plural is tamales) - A corn husk stuffed with masa, meat or beans. Masa (dough) that surrounds your choice of filling, traditionally pork. The 5 to 6 inches long and 1 inch thick tamale is wrapped in a soaked cornhusk and steamed to cook dough. A traditional Mexican Christmas dish.
Tatemar - Verb meaning to roast, peel and seed green chiles.
Té Caliente - Hot Tea.
Té Helado - Iced Tea.
Tejano - Spanish word meaning "Texan."
Tequila - Distilled liquor made from the agave, or century plant. Typically served in a shot glass or blended in margaritas or other cocktails.
Tomatillo - Looks like a tiny green tomato, actually a relative of the gooseberry family. Enclosed in a paper-like husk that is removed before cooking. Used in a variety of Mexican dishes and sauces to add an acidic flavor. Native to Mexico but can be found fresh or canned in many grocery stores.
Topopo - A salad shaped like a volcano or pyramid.
Torta - A Mexican sandwich made from bolillo (hard Mexican roll) cut in half and stuffed with tomatoes, avocados or guacamole and carne asada, shredded beef or chicken, cheese and salsa.
Tortilla - A thin, flat bread made from wheat flour or corn masa.
Tortilla Press - A device used to flatten balls of masa (corn meal dough) into thin patties for tortillas.
Tostada - A fried flat corn tortilla topped with a layer of beans, shredded beef or chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, avocado and salsa.
Tripe - The stomach lining of a cow, pig or sheep. Must be cleaned for cooking. The primary ingredient used in menudo soup.
Uvas - Grapes.
Vainilla - Vanilla.
Zanahoria - Carrot.
FAVORITE MEXICAN & TEX-MEX RECIPES
ENCHILADA RECIPES FAJITA RECIPES CHICKEN RECIPES MEAT RECIPES SOUP RECIPES TORTILLA RECIPES POTATO RECIPES VEGETABLE RECIPES SALSA RECIPES SPECIALTY RECIPES DIP RECIPES LOW FAT RECIPES
ENCHILADA RECIPES
Southwest Red Enchiladas
Enchiladas Joaquin
Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Cream Chicken Enchiladas
Crabmeat Enchiladas
Enchiladas Rojas - Red Enchiladas
Enchiladas De Aguacate - Avocado Enchiladas
Enchiladas De Apio – Celery Enchiladas
Chicken & Sour Cream Enchiladas
Chili Bean Enchiladas
Vegetable Enchiladas
Turkey Chorizo Enchiladas
Acapulco Enchiladas
Olive Almond Enchiladas
Green Enchiladas With Chicken
Cottage & Cheddar Cheese Enchiladas With Green Sauce
Skillet Enchiladas
Black Bean Enchiladas
Beef Enchiladas
Chicken Enchiladas
Cheese Enchiladas
SOUTHWEST RED ENCHILADAS
This Enchilada recipe is terrific with a fried egg on top and grated lettuce on the side.
Ingredients:10 dried red New Mexico chiles
1 dozen fresh corn tortillas
Vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
Grated raw onion (optional)
Instructions:
1. Place prepared chiles in blender; run at high speed.
2. Add spices.
3. Strain mixture through sieve or strainer and place in frying pan.
4. Add oil to sauce and water if needed.
5. Cook 15 minutes over medium heat.
6. Fry tortillas just slightly in hot oil and drain on paper towels.
7. Dip tortillas in sauce.
8. Fill with cheese and grated onions, if desired.
9. Place rolled tortillas in 1-1/2 quart shallow baking dish.
10. Pour over remaining sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
11. Bake at 350°F approximately 20 minutes.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
4 servings
Ingredients:3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 dozen corn tortillas
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 pound soft Monterey ]ack cheese cut in strips
2 fresh green chiles, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Salt to taste
2 cups sour cream
2 10-ounce cans red enchilada sauce
Instructions:
1. Heat oil in wide frying pan; add onions and chiles and cook until soft.
2. Season with salt.
3. Turn mixture into smaller container and set aside.
4. In frying pan blend sour cream and enchilada sauce; heat and stir until bubbly.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Dip a tortilla in sauce and let stand a few seconds to soften; place in 1-1/2 quart shallow baking dish and spoon part of onion mixture across center and top with Monterey ]ack cheese.
7. Fold tortilla around filling.
8. Repeat procedure until all tortillas are filled and arranged close together in baking dish.
9. Ladle remaining sauce over casserole and sprinkle tortillas evenly with Cheddar cheese.
10. Bake 20 to 25 minutes at 375°F.
11. Serve very hot.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
6 Servings
Ingredients:1 small onion, chopped
1 ripe avocado
1 carrot, sliced
10 corn tortillas
4 cups water
Hot vegetable oil
2 whole chicken breasts
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 long green chiles, roasted, peeled & deveined
3/4 pound Monterey ]ack cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
Instructions:
1. Cook onions and carrots in water until tender.
2. Add chicken breasts and poach 10 minutes or until tender. Do not overcook.
3. Cool chicken in broth; remove, reserving broth.
4. Skin, dice and salt chicken lightly.
5. Blend broth, carrots, onions and chiles in blender or food processor.
6. In saucepan, slightly cook flour in melted butter.
7. Add milk and 3 cups blended broth, leaving 1 cup in blender; cook and stir until thickened.
8. Add pulp of avocado to broth in blender and blend until smooth.
9. Add avocado mixture to sauce in pan and stir until mixed.
10. Keep sauce warm.
11. Cook each tortilla separately in hot oil until soft.
12. Fill and roll each with chicken, onion and cheese.
13. Put filled and rolled tortillas in greased 1-1/2 quart flat casserole.
14. Cover with sauce and top with remaining shredded cheese and sour cream.
15. Keep hot until ready to serve.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
4 Servings
Ingredients:1 onion, chopped
Hot vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 chicken bouillon cubes
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 cups hot cream (1/2 pint cream and 1 pint half-and-half)
2 cups tomato purée
2 cups chopped chicken
1/4 pound Monterey ]ack cheese, shredded
3 to 4 green chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped and seeded
Sour cream (optional)
1 dozen corn tortillas
Instructions:
1. Sauté onion in oil; add garlic and tomato purée.
2. Add chicken and chiles and simmer 10 minutes.
3. Soften tortillas in about 1 inch of hot oil. Do not overcook.
4. Dissolve bouillon cubes in hot cream.
5. Dip each tortilla in this mixture and cover generously with chicken filling.
6. Roll up tortillas and arrange in baking dish.
7. Pour remaining cream over all and top with cheese.
8. Bake 30 minutes at 350°F.
9. Top with sour cream (Optional)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
6 Servings
Ingredients:1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound Monterey ]ack cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 dozen corn tortillas
2 to 2-1/2 cups milk
Vegetable oil
l 4-ounce can chopped green chiles, drained
1 7-1/2 ounce can crabmeat (or freshly cooked crabmeat removed from the crabshell)
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Sauté onion in oil.
2. Add flour, milk, chiles and a little cheese.
3. Cook until medium thick.
4. Dip each tortilla in hot oil a few seconds until limp.
5. Put 1 tablespoon each of cheese, crabmeat and sauce on a tortilla and roll up.
6. Place in shallow baking dish and pour remaining sauce on top.
7. Bake 1O to 15 minutes at 250°F.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients:1 dozen corn tortillas
1 onion, chopped
2 to 3 cups grated cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons bacon drippings
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground comino (cumin)
2 tablespoons red chile powder
1 to 2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup oil
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Chop onion and grate cheese, set aside.
3. Brown flour in bacon drippings until almost burned.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Add next five ingredients.
6. Mix well and retum to heat.
7. Slowly add water, stirring to a smooth red sauce.
8. Simmer gently while preparing other ingredients, adding more water if the sauce becomes too thick.
9. ln another skillet, heat oil.
10. Quickly dip the tortillas, one at a time, into the hot oil and then into the enchilada sauce.
11. NOTE: The tortillas must be dipped into the oil and removed very rapidly in order to prevent them from becoming rubbery.
12. Fill each tortilla with 2 tablespoons cheese and 1 teaspoon onion.
13. Roll and place side by side in a 9 X 12 inch baking dish.
14. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and onion.
15. Cover and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
16. Enchiladas must be covered tightly to prevent the edges of the tortillas from becoming hard.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients:
4 fresh wax chiles or 3 cans peeled roasted chiles
8 ounces sour cream
2 ripe avocados
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated jack cheese
1 small onion, minced
12 corn tortillas
1/2 cup corn oil
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Roast chiles, peel and shred.
3. (If canned chiles are used, shred lengthwise.)
4. Blend avocados well with sour cream, add lemon juice.
5. Salt to taste and cover.
6. Mince onion and grate cheese.
7. Set aside.
8. Dip tortillas, one at a time, in hot oil.
9. Fill each tortilla with 2 tablespoons cheese, 1 tablespoon onion, and 1/2 of a shredded green chile.
10. Roll and arrange in a 9 X 12 inch baking dish.
11. Cover with sour cream and avocado mixture.
12. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
6 Servings
Ingredients:1 dozen corn tortillas
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup water
2 to 3 cups grated mild cheddar cheese
1 minced onion (optional)
3 4-ounce cans roasted and peeled green chiles
1/2 cup oil
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine soup with water and the juice from the green chiles.
3. Set aside. (This is to be poured over the enchiladas alter they have been prepared.)
4. Mince onion and grate cheese, set aside.
5. Tear green chiles into wide strips, set aside.
6. Heat oil in skillet.
7. Quickly dip all of the tortillas, one at a time, into the hot oil.
8. Fill each tortilla with 2 tablespoons cheese, one tablespoon onion, and 1/2 of a shredded green chile.
9. Roll and arrange in a 9 X 12 inch baking dish.
10. Pour the soup combination over the enchiladas.
11. Place any remaining chiles, cheese, and onion on top of the soup mixture.
12. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
6 Servings
Ingredients:1 cup sour cream
1 cup cream of chicken soup
2 cups chicken, cooked, shredded
1/3 cup green chiles, diced
1/4 teaspoon cumin
8 corn tortillas
2 green onions, diced
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
Cooking Oil
Instructions:
1. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and chicken soup, divide in half and set half aside for topping.
2. Combine remaining half with chicken, green chiles and cumin; blend well.
3. Heat oil.
4. Soften tortillas in hot oil, drain lightly on paper towels, then spoon chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll to close.
5. Place rolled tortillas, folded side down into a greased baking dish.
6. Top with remaining sour cream, green onions and grated cheese.
7. Microwave on MEDIUM 5 to 8 minutes or until heated through, or bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes (microwave) or 25 minutes (conventional oven)
4 Servings
Ingredients:3 cans chili beans (or equal amount of homemade chili)
2 eggs
2-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 cups cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
Instructions:
1. Beat eggs and Water in a bowl; add dry ingredients and mix well.
2. Using a lightly oiled skillet, cook batter "crepe style."
3. As each crepe is done, fill with 2 to 3 tablespoons beans and place seam side down in a 9 X 13 inch pan.
4. Repeat with remaining batter.
5. Pour remaining beans over enchiladas.
6. Top with cheese and bake at 325°F for 20 minutes.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
6 Servings
Ingredients:6 cups assorted frozen vegetables (Example: broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)
2 tablespoons oil
1/3 to 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (to taste)
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cumin (to taste)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated (divided)
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, grated (divided)
12 flour tortillas
1 jar salsa of choice (or homemade salsa - see Salsa Recipes)
Instructions:
1. Cook vegetables in microwave on HIGH until done, about 10 to 14 minutes.
2. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
3. Quickly stirfry vegetables; add spices, stir.
4. Add one half cup of each cheese; stir and remove from heat.
5. In a greased 9 X 13 inch pan, fill each flour tortilla with vegetable mixture and roll closed.
6. Place seam side down in pan.
7. Spoon salsa across top and sprinkle With remaining cheese. Bake at 350°F, about 10 minutes.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
4 Servings
In these spicy enchiladas, deliciously seasoned turkey sausage provides a flavorful reduced-fat alternative to the traditional pork-based Chorizo.
Ingredients:2 Cups Red Chile Sauce
1 Pound Turkey Chorizo Sausage
2 teaspoons cornstarch blended with 1 tablespoon cold water
Salt (Optional)
12 corn tortillas (6-inch diameter)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup each plain nonfat yogurt and sliced green onions
Instructions:
1. Prepare and cook Turkey Chorizo Sausage as directed.
2. To sausage in frying pan, add 3/4 cup of the chile sauce and cornstarch mixture.
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring; season to taste with salt, if desired.
4. To assemble enchiladas, immerse a tortilla in a bowl of very hot Water until pliable (5 to 15 seconds); drain.
5. Spoon a twelfth of the sausage mixture in center of tortilla; roll to enclose.
6. Set enchilada, seam side down, in a 9 X 13 inch baking dish.
7. Repeat to use remaining tortillas, arranging enchiladas in dish in a single layer.
8. (At this point, you may cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.)
9. Spoon remaining Red Chile Sauce over enchiladas.
10. Bake, uncovered, in a 350°F oven until enchiladas are hot in center (about 15 minutes; about 25 minutes if refrigerated).
11. Sprinkle with cheese and continue to bake until cheese is melted (8 to 10 more minutes).
12. Top with yogurt and onions before serving.
Quick Notes: Per serving: 329 calories (21% calories from fat), 28 g protein, 40 g carbohydrates, 8 g total fat (3 g saturated fat), 57 mg cholesterol, 639 mg sodium
Makes 6 servings.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Diet tags: Reduced fat
These Enchiladas Can Be Made with Either Turkey or Veal.
Ingredients:3 cups cubed, cooked, Turkey or Veal
1 cup chopped, ripe Olives
1/2 cup blanched and chopped Almonds
1/2 cup sliced, green Olives, salt
2 10-ounce cans Enchilada Sauce
1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
12 Corn Tortillas
Instructions:
1. Mix meat with olives, almonds and salt.
2. Heat sauce.
3. Drop tortillas into sauce one at a time, permitting it to stay until soaked and heated.
4. Place a generous amount of filling on each tortilla and roll.
5. Arrange on large heat-proof platter, folded side down.
6. Pour remaining sauce over them, sprinkle with half the cheese and place in hot oven for 10 minutes.
7. Serve at once.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
6 Servings
This Enchilada Recipe Can be Made With Pork, Beef or Chicken
Ingredients:12 Tortillas
1 cup Jack Cheese (shredded)
2 cups cooked Pork, Beef, or Chicken
1 cup chopped ripe Olives
2 small chopped Onions
1/4 cup blanched and chopped Almonds
1 can diced Green Chilis
3 cans (8~ounce) Tomato Sauce
3 teaspoons Chili Powder
Salt
1 teaspoon Oil
Chopped Green 0nions
Instructions:
1. Mix meat, olives, almonds, one onion, and salt to taste.
2. Set aside.
3. Heat oil.
4. Add remaining onion and cook until tender but not browned.
5. Add tomato sauce, chili powder and chiles.
6. Simmer 10 minutes.
7. Heat tortillas separately in sauce until softened.
8. Remove each tortilla from sauce.
9. Place some of the meat mixture across the center and roll.
10. Arrange in a shallow baking dish, seam side down.
11. Pour the remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle with half the cheese.
12. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
13. Serve with shredded cheese and chopped green onion.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
6 Servings
Ingredients:1 pound fresh tomatillos or 2 cans (13 ounces each) tomatillos, drained
1 can (7 ounces) diced green chilies, undrained
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) ready-to-serve chicken broth or 1-3/4 cups Chicken Stock
Vegetable oil for frying
12 corn tortillas, 6 to 7-inch diameter
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
2-1/2 cups (10 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (1/2 pint) sour cream
4 green onions with tops, thinly sliced
Cilantro sprigs for garnish
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. If using fresh tomatillos, remove husks; wash thoroughly: Place tomatillos in 2-quart pan; add 1/2 inch water.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Cover; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until tender.
5. Drain.
6. Place tomatillos and chilies in blender or food processor container fitted with metal blade; process until pureed.
7. Heat the 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat.
8. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is tender.
9. Stir in puree and chicken broth.
10. Simmer, uncovered, until sauce has reduced to about 2-1/2 cups and is consistency of canned tomato sauce.
11. Heat 1/2 inch oil in 7 to 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
12. Place one tortilla in hot oil; cook 2 seconds on each side or just until limp.
13. Drain briefly on paper towels, then dip softened tortilla into tomatillo sauce.
14. Transfer sauced tortilla to a plate.
15. Place about 1/4 cup of the chicken and 2 tablespoons of the cheese across center of tortilla; roll to enclose.
16. Place enchilada, seam side down, in 15 X 10 inch baking pan.
17. Repeat until all tortillas are filled.
18. Spoon remaining sauce over enchiladas, making sure all ends are moistened; reserve remaining cheese.
19. Cover and bake 20 to 30 minutes or until hot in center. Uncover and top with reserved cheese.
20. Continue baking, uncovered, 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
21. Spoon sour cream down center of enchiladas; sprinkle with green onions.
22. Garnish with cilantro.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
6 Servings
Ingredients:2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup low-fat or nonfat cottage cheese
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon marjoram leaves
1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves
6 corn tortillas
Green Sauce Ingredients:1/2 cup water
3 large outer leaves romaine lettuce
4 ounce can diced chiles, drained
1 tablespoon melted butter
Instructions:
1. Set aside 1 cup of the grated cheese and the combine the main ingredients except tortillas.
2. For green sauce, liquify first three Green Sauce ingredients in blender; then simmer for 3 minutes in the melted butter.
3. Pour 2/3 of the sauce in baking dish and distribute evenly over the bottom (use a baking dish in which 6 rolled and filled tortillas will fit in a single layer).
4. Heat tortillas in ungreased frying pan over moderate heat.
5. Fill each tortilla with 1/3 cup cheese mixture, roll up, and place in baking dish with edges tucked underneath.
6. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas and top with remaining cup grated cheddar cheese.
7. Bake uncovered at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes until heated through and cheese melts.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
3 to 4 Servings
Tasty Skillet Beef Enchiladas Can Be Cooked Using a Conventional Oven or Microwave.
Ingredients:1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 can (15-1/4 ounces) kidney beans, drained
1 can (13-3/4 ounces) chicken broth
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can (8 ounces) corn, drained
1-1/2 cups quick cooking rice (such as Minute Rice)
1/2 cup sour cream
8 flour tortillas, steamed
Instructions:
1. Brown beef with onion in large skillet, about 5 minutes.
2. Add beans, broth, taco mix and corn.
3. Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.
4. Stir in rice.
5. Cover; remove from heat.
6. Let stand 5 minutes.
7. Stir in sour cream. Serve with tortillas.
Microwave Directions:
8. Decrease broth to 1-1/4 cups.
9. Combine beef and onion in 12 X 7-1/2 inch microwavable dish.
10. Cover with plastic wrap and cook at HIGH 3 minutes.
11. Stir, breaking beef into pieces. Add beans, broth, taco mix, corn and rice.
12. Cover and cook at HIGH 4 minutes.
13. Stir; cover and cook at HIGH 3 to 4 minutes longer.
14. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream.
15. Serve with tortillas.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
4 Servings
A different approach to your enchiladas with this delicious black bean recipe.
Ingredients:1 pound ground round
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cans (10 ounce size) enchilada sauce, divided
1 can (15 ounce size) black beans, rinsed and drained
12 (6 inch size) corn tortillas
1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
Instructions:
1. Cook beef and onion until meat is browned; drain and return to skillet.
2. Add cumin, chili powder, pepper, half the enchilada sauce and the black beans. Heat through.
3. Stack tortillas between 2 damp paper towels and microwave on high (100 percent) power 1 minute.
4. Spoon meat mixture down center of each tortilla and place in 9 X 13 inch baking dish that has been lightly coated with nonstick vegetable cooking spray.
5. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
6. Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Sprinkle with green onions.
Cooking time: 25 minutes
6 Servings
All of the ingredients are here; baked corn tortillas filled with sauteed beef, onion and chile peppers, tomato sauce, sour cream, green onions, and cheddar cheese.
Ingredients:1 cup chopped onion
1 pound sirloin steak, cut into bite size strips
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 (7 ounce) cans diced green chile peppers
4 cups tomato sauce, divided
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 (12 ounce) package corn tortillas
1/2 cup fresh salsa
3/4 cup chopped black olives, drained
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup chopped green onion
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a large casserole dish.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, saute onions until almost translucent.
3. Stir in beef, garlic, and chile peppers, and continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink.
4. Pour in the tomato sauce and chili powder.
5. Mix thoroughly and heat through.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Spoon a little of the meat mixture into a corn tortilla and add small amounts of salsa, Cheddar cheese and olives.
8. Fold the tortilla up and place in the prepared casserole dish.
9. Repeat for the remaining tortillas using up all of the meat mixture.
10. Reserve 1/2 cup of Cheddar cheese for topping.
11. Pour the other half of the tomato sauce and sour cream over all of the tortillas.
12. Top with green onions and 1/2 cup of reserved Cheddar cheese.
13. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until hot and bubbly.
Baking time: 30 minutes
6 Servings
Chicken enchiladas are a staple of any good Mexican recipe collection. Garnish with sour cream and enjoy.
Ingredients:3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon Mexican Spice Blend
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
5 canned whole green chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 canned chipotle chiles, seeded and minced
1 (28 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
16 corn tortillas
1-1/2 cups enchilada sauce, canned
1 cup shredded Cheddar & Jack cheeses
Garnish: Chopped cilantro leaves, chopped scallions, sour cream, chopped tomatoes.
Instructions:
1. Coat large saute pan with oil.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Brown chicken over medium heat, allow 7 minutes each side or until no longer pink.
4. Sprinkle chicken with cumin, garlic powder and Mexican spices before turning.
5. Remove chicken to a platter, allow to cool.
6. Saute onion and garlic in chicken drippings until tender.
7. Add corn and chiles.
8. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes, saute 1 minute.
9. Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips.
10. Add shredded chicken to saute pan, combine with vegetables.
11. Dust the mixture with flour to help set.
12. Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds.
13. This softens them and makes them more pliable.
14. Coat the bottom of 2 (13 X 9 inch) pans with a ladle of enchilada sauce.
15. Using a large shallow bowl, dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce to lightly coat.
16. Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture in each tortilla.
17. Fold over filling, place 8 enchiladas in each pan with seam side down.
18. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.
19. Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven until cheese melts.
20. Garnish with cilantro, scallion, sour cream and chopped tomatoes before serving.
21. Serve with Spanish rice and beans.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
6 Servings
Ingredients:1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounces)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 flour tortillas (7-inch diameter)
Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease rectangular baking dish, 12 X 7-1/2 X 2 inches. Mix Monterey Jack cheese, 1 cup Cheddar cheese, the onion, sour cream, parsley and pepper.
2. Spoon about 1/2 cup cheese mixture onto each tortilla.
3. Roll tortilla around filling and place seam side down in dish.
4. Mix remaining ingredients except 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese.
5. Pour over enchiladas. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese.
6. Bake uncovered about 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
7. Garnish with sour cream and sliced black olives or lime wedges, if desired.
Microwave Instructions:
8. Prepare as directed – except place enchiladas in greased rectangular microwavable dish, same size as above, and do not sprinkle with 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese.
9. Cover with waxed paper and microwave on high 9 to 11 minutes, rotating dish 1/2 turn after 5 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
10. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Cover and let stand about 3 minutes.
Quick Notes: 360 calories per serving.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
6 Servings
FAJITA RECIPES
Beef Steak Fajitas
Chicken Fajitas
Salmon Fajitas
Beef Chuck Fajitas
Mexican Vegetable Fajitas
Spicy Chicken Fajitas
Grilled Shrimp Fajitas
Tex-Mex Steak Fajitas
Ingredients:1 pound beef skirt steak, flank steak or top round steak, cut 1/2 inch thick
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 flour tortillas, warmed
Juice of 2 to 3 limes
Garnish: chopped tomato, diced onion, guacamole, sour cream
Instructions:
1. Trim excess fat and gristle from steak.
2. Pound steak to 1/4 inch thickness.
3. Place in ziploc bag and sprinkle both sides with lime juice, garlic salt and pepper.
4. Seal bag and marinate in refrigerate 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
5. Drain marinade; discard.
6. Broil steak over medium hot coals or broil 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
7. Carve across grain into thin slices.
8. Serve in warmed tortillas and garnish as desired.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
4 Servings
Ingredients:2 chicken breast halves, boned, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
Dash ground red pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 onion, cut into long, thin strips
1/2 bell pepper, cut into long, thin strips
1/2 lemon
4 flour tortillas, soft taco size
Garnish: avocado, salsa, sour cream
Instructions:
1. In large frying pan, heat oil With Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, ground red pepper, and chili powder.
2. Add garlic, onion and bell pepper and cook until onion is transparent.
3. Add chicken and cook 5 to 8 minutes or until meat is no longer pink on the inside.
4. When ready to serve, squeeze lemon over fajitas and serve on warm tortillas.
5. Garnish as desired.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
4 Servings
Ingredients:1-1/4 pounds salmon, boned, skinned, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 large leaves romaine lettuce
3 tomatoes, chopped
6 flour tortillas, warmed
Garnish: sour cream
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, combine salmon, onion, lemon juice, cumin, ginger, hot sauce and chili flakes; mix Well.
2. Cover and chill 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, shred lettuce, chop tomatoes; cover and chill separately until serving time.
4. When ready to serve, heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat.
5. When hot, add salmon mixture.
6. Cook, stirring often, until fish is opaque, about 6 minutes.
7. Serve immediately in warmed tortillas and top with lettuce and tomatoes.
8. Garnish with sour cream.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
3 Servings
Ingredients:1-1/2 to 1-3/4 pounds boneless beef chuck under blade pot roast (center steak section)
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions:
1. Cut beef chuck under blade pot roast in half crosswise.
2. Cut each half across the grain lengthwise into 4 pieces, each about 1/2-inch thick.
3. Pound each piece to 1/4-inch thickness.
4. Combine lime juice, jalapeno peppers and garlic.
5. Place beef in plastic bag; add lime juice mixture, turning to coat beef.
6. Close bag securely; marinate in refrigerator 4 to 6 hours, turning occasionally.
7. Combine tomato, green onions and cilantro for salsa.
8. Cover tightly; refrigerate.
9. Remove beef from marinade; discard marinade.
10. Pat beef dry with paper towels.
11. Heat large heavy nonstick skillet over high heat 5 minutes.
12. Add oil to pan. Cook beef pieces, 2 at a time, in hot oil 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.
13. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
14. Carve beef across the grain into thin slices.
15. Serve beef slices in warmed tortillas with reserved tomato salsa and, if desired, guacamole.
Preparation time: 4 hours
Cooking time: 5 minutes
6 Servings
Try these delicious super-healthy fajitas for your next party. These colorful, hearty fajitas are packed with crisp-tender veggies and are sure to please.
Ingredients:1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small onion, halved and sliced
1 medium carrot, julienned
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 cup salsa
Instructions:
1. In a large skillet, saute the vegetables, salt and pepper in oil for 5-7 minutes or until crisp-tender.
2. Using a slotted spoon, place about 1/2 cup vegetable mixture down the center of each tortilla.
3. Sprinkle each with 1/4 cup cheese; fold in sides.
4. Top with sour cream and salsa.
4 Servings
These spicy Chicken Fajitas are easy and take very little time to make.
Ingredients:8 ounces boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons water
1 clove garlic
Jalapeno flavored Velveeta cheese
Lettuce
Green onions
Tomatoes
Ripe Olives
Flour tortillas
Instructions:
1. Marinate chicken breasts in lime juice, water and garlic.
2. Broil or grill chicken; slice thinly and serve in flour tortillas with the other ingredients.
8 Servings
These fajitas assemble quickly and easily. They are delicious will impress any of your guests. Nice touch with the shrimp.
Ingredients:1/2 pound sliced bacon
1/2 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 medium green pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut in 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions:
1. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until cooked but not crisp. Drain on paper towels.
2. Wrap a strip of bacon around each shrimp; secure ends with toothpicks.
3. On six metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread shrimp, peppers and onion.
4. Grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until shrimp turn pink and vegetables are tender, basting frequently with barbecue sauce.
5. Remove shrimp and vegetables from skewers; discard toothpicks.
6. Place on one side of each tortilla.
7. Top with lettuce, tomato and cheese; fold over.
6 Servings
Classic Tex-Mex fajitas are typically made with grilled strips of steak with onions and bell peppers, and served sizzling hot with fresh tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. Here is a quick and easy recipe for steak fajitas.
Ingredients:1 lb of flank steak or skirt steak
1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced with the grain, not against the grain as one would normally slice an onion. Slice first in half, and then slice off sections a half inch wide at widest point.
2 large bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, de-ribbed, sliced lengthwise into half-inch wide strips.
Marinade:Juice of 1 lime
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 fresh Jalapeno pepper, seeded, ribs removed, finely chopped (be careful not to touch your eyes or anywhere near your eyes after handling a Jalapeno pepper).
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, including stems.
Instructions:
1. Mix all marinade ingredients.
2. Set the steak in the marinade and let it sit at least an hour, the longer the better.
3. Heat to high heat a large cast iron pan or griddle.
4. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to the pan.
5. Add the steak, frying on each side for 3 minutes, or to desired doneness.
6. 3 minutes per side will yield approximately medium rare doneness for an average cut of flank steak.
7. If pan starts to smoke too much, reduce the heat to medium high.
8. We want the steak browned, not burned. Remove from pan and let sit for 5 minutes.
9. Reduce the pan heat to medium high.
10. Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary.
11. Add the onions, bell peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, until the onions are slightly translucent.
12. Slice the meat against the grain into thin slices. If you slice the meat at a slanted angle, you will be able to get your slices pretty thin.
13. Flank steak is flavorful but can be a little tough, so thin slices will really help make it easier to eat.
14. Serve immediately with shredded cheese, salsa, shredded iceberg lettuce, sour cream, guacamole and warm flour tortillas. (Hint for warming tortillas – put in microwave over a paper towel for 20 seconds on high heat.)
4 Servings
MEXICAN CHICKEN RECIPES
Arroz con Pollo recipe (Chicken with Rice)
Tex-Mex Chicken Salad
Mexican Chicken Salad
Tex-Mex Chili-Chicken Stew
Flautas De Pollo (Chicken Flautas)
Texas Pecan Chicken
Burritos De Pollo
From: www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:2 cups Long grain rice
1 16 ounce jar Tejano Rice Mex (Order From www.texmextogo.com) or favorite tomato-based salsa
2 cup or 16 ounce jar of water
1/2 Chicken (parts or boneless breast)
3 tablespoons Oil
Instructions: Boil chicken in Rice Mex (or salsa) and water. In another deep pan heat oil on high setting until it starts to smoke. When oil smokes, put in your 2 cups of rice and stir constantly until it turns white like popcorn. When the rice is mostly popped, put in the chicken and broth. Cook on high until it comes to a rolling boil. Lower heat, set to low, cover pan and allow rice to cook for 25 minutes. Serves 6 to 8 persons.
From: www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:Meat of 1 entire fully cooked chicken chopped and/or shredded.
(4 whole chicken breasts may be substituted but not recommended)
6 boiled eggs coarsely chopped
1 small onion finely chopped
2 stalks celery coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 jar candied jalapenos finely chopped (Order From www.texmextogo.com) or your own homemade candied jalapenos
1/4 cup Dijon or spicy mustard
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
1 medium apple (optional)
Instructions: Place all ingredients into a large bowl and fold until completely mixed. Ready to serve with tortilla chips or toast points on a bed of lettuce. You can include a Margarita on the side.
QUICK CANDIED JALAPENO RECIPE: 1 gallon diced canned or bottled jalapeno peppers and 5 pounds white sugar. Drain off enough of the juice in the jalapeno jar so that adding the sugar will not cause a spill. Pour the 5 pound bag into the jar and seal tightly. Let jar sit for at least one week to mix flavors. Flip the jar daily to blend. Makes 1 gallon of candied jalapenos. For a smaller batch, reduce ingredients by proportional amounts. (e.g. about 26 to 28 ounces of canned jalapenos to 1 pound of sugar.)
See Candied Jalapenos for a more extensive version of making your own candied jalapenos.
Ingredients:4 fully cooked shredded chicken breasts
4 coarsely chopped boiled eggs
2 stalks coarsely chopped celery
1 finely chopped onion
1/2 jar (8 to 10 ounces) finely chopped candied jalapenos
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup spicy mustard
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
1 medium apple (optional)
Instructions:
1. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
2. Serve with tortilla chips preferably on a bed of lettuce.
From: www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:3 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cans (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1 15 ounce can pinto beans
3/4 cup Tejano salsa medium (Order From www.texmextogo.com) or favorite tomato-based salsa
1/2 teaspoon Chipotle chili mix (see below)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions: Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces. Using a Dutch oven, cook chicken, onion, green pepper and garlic in oil until chicken looses its pink color. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer 20 minutes. For a thicker sauce, simmer an additional hour. Ladle into crock bowls, top with shredded cheese, chopped green onion, diced avocado or sour cream. Serve with a large center piece of tortilla chips, hard crusty bread or warm tortillas.
CHIPOTLE CHILI MIX RECIPE
Ingredients:1/2 cup chili powder
1/4 cup Hungarian sweet paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground dried chipotle chile pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon salt
Instructions: Whisk together chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chipotle pepper, oregano, and salt until evenly combined. Place Mexican spice mix in an airtight glass jar and store in a cool, dark place. Use within 3 months. Shake before each use to re-combine. Great in chili. Sprinkle on beef, pork, or chicken before grilling, baking, or broiling. Yield: About 1 cup.
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:1.5 - 2 lbs chicken (bone in or boneless, your choice)
1 16 oz. jar Tejano Rice Mex (Order From www.texmextogo.com) or favorite tomato-based salsa
1 16 oz. jar Tejano Salsa Verde (Order From www.texmextogo.com) or your favorite Tejano Salsa Verde
1 20 count pack Corn tortillas
3 cups Vegetable oil
20 toothpicks
1 container sour cream
Instructions: Cook chicken in the Rice Mex for 40 minutes in a covered pot or pan over medium/high heat. De-bone the chicken (if needed); Shred the chicken to palatable sized shreds. Keep the de-boned chicken with the sauce in a pan warming while you. Warm the tortillas in a skillet or steam them to soften them. They should be soft and pliable. Heat the oil on medium/high heat until hot. Meanwhile, fill tortillas with about 2-3 ounces of the shredded de-boned chicken. Roll the tortilla around the chicken filling into a snug (but not tight) flute shape. Use a toothpick to hold the tortilla in the flute ("flauta" in Spanish) shape. Fry chicken "flauta" until tortilla holds its shape (approximately 2 to 3 minutes). Remove the toothpicks and serve 2-3 flautas on a plate. Add green salsa on top of flautas (about 2 tablespoons). Add a dollop of sour cream on one end of the flautas if you like.
From: www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/2 small onion, diced or 6 green onions
2 tablespoons butter
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon French style mustard
1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups finely diced Texas pecans (Order From www.texmextogo.com)
1 cup fine bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Directions: On hard surface with meat mallet, pound chicken to 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté mushrooms and onions in butter. Cool. Mix with cream cheese, mustard and thyme. Divide into 4 equal portions and spread on each piece of chicken. Fold over ends and roll up, pressing edges to seal. Mix pecans, bread crumbs and parsley in a bowl. Dip chicken in butter, then into crumbs, turning to coat. Place on greased baking sheet seam side down. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until done. Makes 4 servings. Serve with rice and tossed salad.
HONEY GLAZED PECANS RECIPE #1
Ingredients:2 cups pecan halves
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
Instructions: This recipe only has four ingredients and the flavor is sensational. Start with two cups of pecan halves and add 2 tablespoons of honey, stirring it into the nuts making sure they are all completely coated. Then just sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder over them. Now, blend all of this together really well. You will want to make sure that the seasoning is completely distributed over the pecans. Then just pour the pecans onto a foil covered baking sheet and roast them in the oven at 350°F oven for about 15 minutes. You will want to stir them occasionally. After you bring them from the oven, let them cool a few minutes and they are ready to eat.
HONEY GLAZED PECANS RECIPE #2
Ingredients:1/3 cup honey, warmed
1 cup pecans
1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together honey and pecans, tossing to coat well. Spread pecans in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in middle of oven 15 minutes, then stir and bake 5 minutes more. Transfer while still warm to a sheet of parchment paper or foil and, working quickly, separate pecans with a fork. Cool completely (about 1 hour) and remove nuts from parchment, breaking up any large pieces.
PECAN PRODUCTS
Ingredients:2 to 3 pound fryer chicken, cooked and boned
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
1 dozen flour tortillas
1 pound Monterey ]ack cheese, shredded
1 10-ounce can tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. In saucepan sauté onion and garlic in oil until glazed.
2. Add green chiles and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
3. Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour.
4. Add chicken and mix until meat is shredded.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Place 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons mixture in each flour tortilla with a generous amount of cheese.
7. Roll tortilla.
8. Place in greased 12 X 9 X 2 inch baking pan and cover with foil.
9. Heat about 30 minutes at 300°F.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 90 minutes
6 Servings
MEXICAN MEAT RECIPES
Tamales
Beef Filled Empanadas
Easy Tamale Pie
Smothered Pork Chops
Tex-Mex Tacos
Fajitas
Fajita Marinade
Picadillo
Tex-Mex Lasagna
Barbacoa
Carne Asada
Texas Cowboy Hash
Carne Guisada
Classic Beef Burrito
Beef and Bean Burrito
Roast Beef Burritos
From: www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:2 cups Maseca for tamales (Order From www.texmextogo.com)
2 cups lukewarm water or broth
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup lard or vegetable shortening
Dried corn husks
Directions: Soak corn husks for at least 6 hours. Combine maseca, baking powder and salt in a bowl, work broth or water with your fingers to make a soft moist dough. In a small bowl, beat lard or shortening until fluffy, add masa and beat until dough has a spongy texture. Prepare tamales with desired filling. This recipe will make enough dough for 16 small tamales. Easily doubles.
TAMALE FILLING:1-1/4 pounds boneless pork loin or shoulder (chicken or beef if preferred)
1-1/2 pounds chile pasilla or california pods
1/8 cup cooking oil (corn)
3/4 cup water
1/2 tablespoon salt
16 corn husks
2-1/4 pounds prepared masa (above)
Cover meat with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until done (about 2 hours). Lightly sauté clean chile pods (removing stems and seeds) in cooking oil. Place in blender, add water and blend until smooth. Cut meat into small pieces, cook in cooking oil until browned. Add chile mixture and salt to meat, cook approx. 7 minutes. Soak corn husks for a few minutes and rinse well. Using the masa spreader, spread evenly over the smooth side of the corn husks, place a tbsp. of meat mixture in the center. Fold sides towards the center, fold end of husk and pinch the open end, place tamales upright in steamer with the folded side on the bottom. Cover with a wet cloth or more husks, add water and steam, approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
MASECA CORN MASA & TAMALE MAKING PRODUCTS
From: www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 tablespoon vegetable shortening
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pie crust (9 or 12 inch)
1 tablespoon water
1 egg yolk
Sauté beef in shortening until lightly browned. Pour off excess fat and drain beef on paper towel to get out all excess fat. Return beef to pan, add onion, tomato, green pepper, and garlic. Cook until onion is tender, stirring often. Blend in flour, salt, and black pepper. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Let cool.
Prepare pie crust and roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 6 inch rounds and place in floured dough press. Place 3 tablespoons meat mixture onto rounds and fold, forming fried pies. Place on ungreased baking pan. Add water to egg yolk, beat slightly. Brush tops of pastries lightly with egg mixture. Bake in hot oven (425°F) until browned, 10-15 minutes.
Makes 6 Large Empanadas
From: www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:1 pound hamburger
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon butter
2 onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 whole pimento, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon Gebhardt Chili powder
Dash of hot sauce
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons cold water
2 cups Monterey Jack grated cheese
2 cups corn chips, crushed
Instructions: Brown hamburger in oil and butter. Add chopped onions, garlic, pimento and green pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, water, chili powder and hot sauce. Make a paste with flour and water. Slowly pour and stir into meat sauce. Simmer for 20 minutes. Layer in casserole: 1/2 meat sauce, 1 cup cheese and 1 cup crushed corn chips. Repeat layer, making 2 layers in all. Bake at 350°F for 20 - 25 minutes.
HOMEMADE CHILI POWDER RECIPE
Ingredients:1-1/2 ounces dried red chilies, medium heat, preferably ancho and new mexican (the original recipe used 4 to 2 respectively)
2 to 5 dried red chilies, of greater heat, to taste (like Chile de arbol or cayenne)
1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground oregano (preferably Mexican)
1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
3. Transfer chiles to a baking sheet, and arrange them in a single layer.
4. Place pan in heated oven.
5. The chile de árbol or cayenne pods will be toasted first, so remove them after 4-5 minutes.
6. Bake the larger pods and additional 4-5 minutes, until they are well dried.
7. When cool enough to handle, break them into 2 or 3 pieces each.
8. Transfer pieces to a blender, and pulverize briefly, until you have powder.
9. Add remaining ingredients, and blend just until combined.
10. Store chili powder in a jar with a lid, for up to 3 months.
From: www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:4 to 6 Pork Chops
1 16 ounce jar Tejano Salsa ( or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
Salt and pepper or use Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
Instructions:
Sprinkle pork chops lightly with Tony Chachere's or seasoning or your choice. Brown chops in skillet (both sides). Pour one 16 ounce jar of your choice of Tejano Salsa (mild, medium, or hot) over pork chops and simmer on medium to high heat for approximately 15 minutes.
CREOLE SEASONING PRODUCTS
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:2 pounds Ground Beef or meat of your choice
1 16 ounce jar Tejano Taco Mex (Order From www.texmextogo.com) or your favorite Taco sauce (see recipes below).
Instructions: Brown ground meat in a 10-inch pan. Drain grease, and then pour in Taco Mex. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot in tortillas of your choosing. Garnish with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced onions, diced jalapenos, grated cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream and few spoonfuls of taco sauce on top.
HOMEMADE HOT TACO SAUCE
Ingredients:1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
3 cups water
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced dried onions
2 tablespoons canned jalapeno slices
Instructions:
1. Combine the tomato paste with the water in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir until smooth.
3. Add the cayenne pepper; chili powder, salt, cornstarch, vinegar, and dried onion and stir.
4. Chop the jalapeno slices very fine. You can use a food processor, but do not puree. The best kind of jalapenos to use are those bottled for nachos or pizza.
5. Add them to the mixture.
6. Heat the mixture to boiling.
7. Continue to stir about 3 minutes and remove from heat.
8. Let the sauce stand until cool, and then put in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate.
9. This will last for 1 to 2 months.
HOMEMADE TACO SAUCE
Ingredients:8 ounce tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (more if you want this hotter)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon of onion, chopped
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Instructions: Mix all together in a blender until smooth. Pour sauce into pan and cook over med-low heat for 15-20 minutes. Do not skip the cooking part of this. You need to heat the sauce up to really blend the flavors together.
From www.texmexto.com
Ingredients:1-1/2 pounds beef skirt steak, cut in strips
3 garlic cloves, chopped
juice of 1 lime
large pinch of mild chili powder, paprika & cumin
1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 flour tortillas
vegetable oil (for frying)
salt & pepper to taste
Instructions: Combine beef with the garlic cloves, the lime juice, chili powder, paprika, cumin and olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Mix well and marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight, sealed and refrigerated. Cut meat into bite size strips and grill in 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over high to medium high heat until browned and cooked through. Serve with pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole and cheese.
Ingredients:4 cups "light" soy sauce
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 skirt steak (about 3/4 inch thick), approximately 1-1/2 pounds
Instructions: Combine all ingredients (except beef) and shake well until sugar is dissolved. Let stand overnight in a sealed jar. Set aside 1 cup and pour remainder over beef; cover for 2 hours or overnight, refrigerated. Remove beef from marinade and grill over very hot coals for a short time (10 minutes). Chop meat with a clever into bite-size pieces. Fold into warm tortillas and serve with pico de gallo, sour cream, shredded cheese and sour cream. NOTE: The secret to tender fajitas is a hot fire and a short cooking time. Meat should be no more than 3/4 inch thick.
MEAT SUBSTITUTIONS: flank steak, boneless sirloin, tenderized round steak or boneless chicken breasts or tenders.
LIGHT SOY SAUCE PRODUCTS
From www.texmextogo.com
A dish that can be served on white rice, on sliced bread, or eaten as a taco on a hot flour tortilla. For a large crowd, simply double the recipe. Add a fresh vegetable such as fresh green beans and you have a complete meal.
Ingredients:1 pound lean ground beef
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced fine (1/4 inch or less)
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced fine (1/4 inch or less)
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin (comino) 2 large tomatoes, cored, peeled, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Instructions: Heat a large skillet and, when hot, add the olive oil. Add the ground beef, crumbling as you put it in the skillet. When lightly browned, add the onions, bell pepper, garlic, and all the spices. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, and then add the diced potatoes. Cover, reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add the tomatoes, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, put into a bowl and serve over white rice or with hot flour tortillas. Picadillo is also used to make Chiles Rellenos. (stuffed peppers).
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:12 corn tortillas or lasagna noodles
1 can (14 to 16 ouncesz) tomato sauce
1/2 pound Ricotta cheese (can substitute with 1 cup cottage cheese)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound cheddar cheese, sliced thin or grated
1 cup Tejano salsa ( or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
1 med onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
2 teaspoons chili seasoning
2 eggs, slightly beaten
4 ounces diced green chiles
1 can 16 ounces red kidney beans, drained
1 can 8 ounces whole kernel corn, drained
1 teaspoon cumin (comino)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 pound ground beef
Instructions: Pre-heat oven to 375°F. If using lasagna noodles, cook according to package directions or until tender but still firm. Drain, keep warm. Meanwhile, sauté the ground beef, garlic and onion in a large cast iron skillet or heavy frying pan until beef is done. Add tomato sauce, salsa, green chiles, chile powder, cumin, corn and kidney beans. Stir to mix and simmer on low heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, ricotta cheese and oregano. Arrange 6 tortillas on bottom and up sides of lightly greased 9 X 13 inch deep-sided baking pan, overlapping as needed. If using lasagna pasta arrange a first layer of noodles so the ends hang over the sides of the pan. (The ends will be laid back-over the top for the final layer). Then add about 1/2 of the meat, bean and tomato sauce. Spoon cheese and egg mixture on top of the meat sauce and add 1/2 of the cheddar cheese. Add a second alternating layer of tortillas or pasta, the meat sauce and cheese mixture and top with remaining cheddar cheese. If using noodles, at this point fold over the ends from the first layer.
Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Allow to set for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. Serve extra parmesan or shredded Cheddar cheese at the table. Extra salsa or hot sauce can also be served.
From www.texmextogo.com
Instructions: Purchase a beef head or calf head at the grocer or slaughterhouse. Rinse it out. Rub oil or lard all over, salt and pepper, wrap in heavy foil. Place in shallow pan and into the oven at 350°F for 3 to 4 hours or until the meat pulls away easily from the bone. Serve on flour tortillas and top with salsa. (Boneless beef heads are also available).
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients: Beef Skirt.
Instructions: Marinate in Kraft Italian salad dressing and sprinkle Tony Chachere's seasoning on meat for 30 minutes. Grill over hot coals.
CREOLE SEASONING PRODUCTS
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:1 pound lean ground beef
2 onions, sliced
2 green peppers, sliced into rings
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 jar Tejano salsa mild ( or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
3/4 cup raw rice
Instructions: Cook beef, add onions, green peppers, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cook until veggies are beginning to get tender, stirring frequently to crumble meat - about 3 minutes. Add salsa and rice. Put in buttered 2-quart casserole, cover. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes, or until rice is cooked, stirring once or twice.
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:1-1/2 pound of cubed meat
1 16oz. jar Tejano Taco Mex (Order From www.texmextogo.com) or your favorite Taco sauce (see recipes above)
Quartered onions & tomatoes (2 each)
1 Serrano pepper, quartered (so you can find it)
1 yellow bell pepper, julienne slices
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons oil
Instructions: Brown meat in hot oil and add garlic (5 minutes). Pour Tejano Taco Mex over the meat and simmer 15 minutes. Add all vegetables and cook for another 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.
This beef burrito recipe is simple but so good. Must try it today.
Ingredients:1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried whole oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce, divided
6 flour tortillas, 8-inch size
Shredded Lettuce
Instructions:
1. In a large skillet cook ground beef, onion, and garlic until ground beef is no longer pink, stirring to break up meat.
2. Drain well.
3. Add chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper; simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add refried beans and 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce.
5. Cook until heated through; keep warm.
6. Wrap tortillas in foil; bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Spoon about 1/2 cup ground beef mixture on each warm tortilla.
7. Roll tightly and place seam-side down on a shredded lettuce-lined serving platter.
8. When all burritos are made, spoon remaining enchilada sauce over the burritos.
9. Garnish with your choice of toppings.
Variations: Optional garnishes: shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, sliced ripe olives, shredded cheese
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
6 Servings
This burrito recipe is easy to make. Garnish with shredded lettuce, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, or your favorite garnish.
Ingredients:1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce, divided
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
shredded lettuce
garnishes
Instructions:
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef, onion, and garlic until meat is browned, stirring often to break up meat.
2. Drain well.
3. Add chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper; simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add refried beans and 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce. Heat thoroughly.
5. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in a 350°F oven to heat for 10 minutes.
6. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the ground beef mixture onto each tortilla; roll tightly and place seam-side down on serving platter lined with shredded lettuce.
7. Spoon remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas.
8. Garnish and serve with any of the following: shredded cheese, sliced ripe olives, chopped tomatoes, sour cream or guacamole, and more shredded lettuce.
9. Burrito recipe makes 6 burritos.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
6 Servings
This recipe is a great way to turn leftover roast beef into an amazing Mexican meal. The beef is mixed with onions, tomatoes, chilies, seasonings, and served up burrito style. You will love this recipe.
Ingredients:1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 cups chopped cooked roast beef
1 (8 ounce) jar prepared taco sauce
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste (optional)
6 (7 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded lettuce
Instructions:
1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook until tender and transparent, about 5 minutes.
3. Mix in the tomatoes, roast beef, chile peppers, cumin, and red pepper flakes, if desired.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes, or until thickened.
6. Arrange tortillas on a clean, flat work surface.
7. Spread about 2/3 cup of beef mixture in the center of each warm tortilla.
8. Sprinkle evenly with cheese and lettuce.
9. Fold over ends and sides to make a package.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
6 Servings
MEXICAN VEGETABLE RECIPES
Candied Jalapenos
Jalapenos in Vinegar (Jalapenos en Vinagre)
Vegetarian Chipotle Chili
Spinach Empanadas
Refried Beans
Calabasita (Mexican Squash)
Hot Flavorful Beans
Tex-Mex Squash Casserole
Black Bean & Artichoke Burritos
Put candied jalapenos on sandwiches, tacos, rice or bake them into cornbread.
Ingredients:3 pounds fresh, firm, jalapeno peppers, washed
2 cups cider vinegar
6 cups white granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
3 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Instructions:
1. Wearing gloves, remove the stems from all of the jalapeno peppers. The easiest way to do this is to slice a small disc off of the stem-end along with the stem. Discard the stems.
2. Slice the peppers into uniform 1/8-1/4 inch rounds. Set aside.
3. In a large pot, bring cider vinegar, white sugar, turmeric, celery seed, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pepper slices and simmer for exactly 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peppers, loading into clean, sterile canning jars to within 1/4 inch of the upper rim of the jar. Turn heat up under the pot with the syrup and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 6 minutes.
4. Use a ladle to pour the boiling syrup into the jars over the jalapeno slices. Insert a cooking chopstick to the bottom of the jar two or three times to release any trapped pockets of air. Adjust the level of the syrup if necessary. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp paper towel and fix on new, two-piece lids to finger-tip tightness.
5. If you have leftover syrup, and it is likely that you will, you may can it in half-pint or pint jars, too. It is great brushed on meat on the grill or added to potato salad. Do not discard it.
6. Place jars in a canner, cover with water by 2-inches. Bring the water to a full rolling boil. When it reaches a full rolling boil, set the timer for 10 minutes for half-pints or 15 minutes for pints. When timer goes off, use canning tongs to transfer the jars to a cooling rack. Leave them to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. When fully cooled, wipe them with a clean, damp washcloth then label.
7. Allow to mellow for at least two weeks, but preferably a month before eating.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves: 32
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:1 pound jalapeno peppers
2 cups vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 carrots, cut in slices
2 medium onions, cut in slices
1 tablespoon bay leaf
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon sweet marjoram
Instructions: Cut the chiles in 4 slices, (if you want you can keep some without cutting). Cut the carrots in round slices and cut the onions in slices. Fry the onion, peppers and carrots in the vegetable oil for just a few minutes to make the vegetables soft, then add the vinegar and spices and boil 3 or 4 minutes. Let cool and then keep in glass jars. Use immediately or keep them in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 weeks.
Variations: You can add cloves of garlic and cauliflower, or add the spices you like. If you add more ingredients need also to add more vinegar and oil. The peppers and vegetables need to be covered with oil and vinegar. If you like you can use less oil and more vinegar.
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:1/4 cup olive oil
1-1/2 cups onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
2 tablespoon tomato paste
4 large carrots, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained, chopped
2 cups tomato juice
2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, drained
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
2 tablespoons Chipotle Tabasco sauce
salt to taste
Garnish:16 ounces sour cream
2 tablespoons Chipotle Tabasco sauce
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Directions: Heat oil in large heavy pot over high heat. Add onions garlic, cumin pepper flakes and black pepper. Sauté until onions are transparent. Stir in chili powder and tomato paste. Sauté for 30 seconds then stir in celery, carrots and peppers. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato juice and beans. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the Chipotle Tabasco sauce and season to taste.
To make garnish: Stir together the Chipotle Tabasco sauce and sour cream. Top each bowl of chili with a spoonful of the sour cream/Tabasco mixture and then sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup butter, softened
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tablespoon bacon drippings
10 ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
Directions: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. (Use a stand mixer, since the mixture is heavy.) Gradually add in the flour and salt. Lightly knead the dough by hand. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours. In a medium skillet, cook the onion and garlic in the bacon drippings until the onion is tender but not brown. Mix in the bacon, spinach, cottage cheese, pepper, and nutmeg; let the mixture cool. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut 6 inch circles in the pastry and place in a floured empanada press, place 2 teaspoons of the filling in each circle, just to one side of the center. Moisten the edge of the circle with the egg, fold the dough in half over the filling to make a semicircular empanada. Seal the edges with fork tines, and poke the top of each pastry with a fork to make a vent. Put the empanadas on an ungreased cookie sheet, brush their tops with egg, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.
Makes 60 empanadas. If using a press, the yield will be different depending on the size of the emanada press.
EMPANADA PRODUCTS
Ingredients:1 slice bacon, diced or bacon grease
16 ounce can pinto beans
2 cloves of garlic, crushed or diced
dash ground cumin
dash oregano
dash pepper
1 cup Colby Jack or cheddar cheese, grated
2 diced roasted chili peppers, optional
Directions: If using bacon add to frying pan with garlic and spices. Fry until bacon is brown, remove bacon if you like. Otherwise, put enough bacon grease in pan to coat bottom. Lightly fry spices and garlic until garlic is browned. Meanwhile mash beans, add grated cheese and chilies; stir. After browning add bean mixture. Cook until bubbly and hot. Serve covered with grated Colby or cheddar cheese.
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:2 pounds Mexican squash (Tatum) or mixture of yellow squash and zucchini
1/2 jar Tejano Rice Mex (Order From www.texmextogo.com) or favorite tomato-based salsa
1 jar of water
Instructions: Cut ends of squash and split in half. Then slice pieces 1/4 inch for quick cooking. Pour Tejano Rice Mex plus one jar of water in 9 in. pan with squash. Bring to boil and then cover and let it simmer on low for 20 minutes. If too soupy, let it cook down uncovered until you are satisfied. Add chicken or pork to make a more complete meal.
6 To 8 Servings
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:1 can refried beans
1 medium-large yellow onion
Yucatan Habanaro pepper sauce (Tabasco sauce as substitute)
1/8 cup Coita Cheese
Cilantro to taste (generally 1-1/2 teaspoons)
Cumin to taste (generally 3/4 teaspoons)
Roughly 4 ounces Fat Free sour cream
Instructions: Roughly chop the onions and fry them in the pepper sauce (amount to taste) over medium heat until transparent. Add the beans. Once beans begin to warm, Add the Coita Cheese, Cilantro, and Cumin. Generally, I make a 2 to 1 ration with the Cilantro and Cumin. If beans start to stick to the pan, reduce the heat. Heat beans until the Coita is starting to melt. It will take longer to heat Coita vs. normal cheese, because of the low fat content. Coita has plenty of salt, therefore additional salt is not needed. After the beans are done, add sour cream immediately. Serve hot, cold or warmed up.
Ingredients:2 small yellow squash, sliced
2 small zucchini, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons oil
4 ounces green chilies, chopped
2 cups yellow corn
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup Monterey Jack, grated
1 teaspoon Cumin
Instructions: Lightly sauté the squash, zucchini, onion, and garlic until just soft. Toss with the remaining ingredients. Place in a lightly oiled 2-quart casserole dish. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Serve warm with grilled chicken or pork.
A new idea for burritos, and actually they are just as good fried up all together as a side dish, and then put into a tortilla.
Ingredients:1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (10 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
8 (10 inch) flour tortillas
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 large tomato, diced (optional)
Instructions:
1. Pour the beans into a large iron skillet, and bring to a boil.
2. Cook at a hard simmer until they become pasty and begin to resemble burrito beans in texture.
3. Heat oil in a separate skillet over medium heat.
4. Stir in artichoke hearts, onion, and garlic; cook until the artichokes become golden brown.
5. Place tortillas in a dry skillet over low heat to warm. Remove from skillet.
6. Spoon beans and artichoke mixture onto each tortilla, and top with cheese and tomato.
7. Fold in ends, and roll up.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
6 Servings
MEXICAN DIP RECIPES
Roasted Red Bell Pepper Dip
Mexican Roasted Pepper Dip
Guacamole Dip #1
Guacamole Dip #2
Guacamole with Shrimp Dip
Avocado Green Chile Dressing
Chili Con Queso (Cheese Dip)
Hot Mexican Spinach Queso Dip
Chili Cream Cheese Dip
Pancho Villa's Secret Dip
Spinach Artichoke Dip With Salsa
Guacamole & Cheese Dip
Hot Crab Dip
Ingredients:1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, peels intact
3 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons sour cream
Salt & freshly ground pepper
Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle the olive oil over the garlic cloves and wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Place in the oven until the cloves are soft (40-60 minutes), let cool. Squeeze the soft garlic cloves from their peels into a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the red peppers and cumin and purée. Add the cream cheese and blend until smooth. Transfer into a small bowl and fold in the sour cream. Salt and pepper to taste. This dip will keep in an air tight container, refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.
Ingredients:3 Red bell peppers
4 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt & Pepper
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Sprinkle the olive oil over the garlic (do not remove the peels of the garlic) and then wrap the garlic tightly in an aluminum foil. Place it in the oven for about 40 minutes until the garlic turn soft. Let it cool for sometime.
3. Next squeeze the garlic out of its skin.
4. Cut the peppers into slices and remove the seeds. Roast it for a few minutes on medium flame.
5. Add the roasted red pepper, garlic, cumin, cream, cheese, salt and pepper into a blender with metal blades.
6. Blend till a smooth even paste is obtained.
7. Remove the dip into a bowl.
8> If you refrigerate in an air tight container, then the dip can be used for a couple of days.
Ingredients:3 to 4 Avocados depending on the size of the avocados
1/4 or 1/3 jar Tejano Salsa (Tejano Salsa or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
Salt to taste
6 ounces cream cheese (to stretch dip during high avocado prices!)
Instructions: Mix avocado chunks, lemon or limejuice, diced onions, diced tomato and cilantro. Mix by hand with a fork until the consistency still has very small (1/8") chunks of avocado. Never use a food processor for making guacamole. To prevent browning over night, put Saran Wrap over dip with no air in between (push Saran Wrap toward bottom of bowl to expel air).
Use with other Mexican Recipes Such as Rolled Tacos, Tostadas or as a Dip
Ingredients:2 large avocados, peeled and pitted
1/4 cup finely chopped tomato
2 tablespoons lime juice or lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated onion with juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
ground black pepper
Instructions:
1. Place avocados in medium bowl; mash coarsely with fork.
2. Stir in tomato, lime juice, onion, salt and hot pepper sauce; mix well.
3. Add black pepper to taste.
4. Spoon into serving container: Serve im- mediately or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours.
5. Garnish with additional chopped tomatoes if desired.
To ripen hard avocados, store them in a loosely closed paper bag at room temperature.
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients:2 avocados
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup salad shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces green onion dip
1/2 cup green pimento olives, diced
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1/3 cup water
Instructions: Mash avocados, add green onion dip, olive oil, and garlic. Combine all other ingredients, thoroughly mix. Add 1/3 cup of water to hold green color. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and Refrigerate. Serve with chips and vegetables.
Ingredients:2 ripe avocados
2 jalapenos, seeded
2/3 cup extra virgin oil
2 medium garlic cloves
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tomatillos, cooked (green tomatoes)
1-1/2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions: Place pepper and tomatillos in covered pan with water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Place all other ingredients in blender, adding the cooked pepper and tomatillos. Add 1-1/2 cups water. Place dressing in tight container and refrigerate.
Ingredients:1 pound Velveeta Cheese
1/2 cup Tejano Salsa (Tejano Salsa or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
1/8 cup milk
Instructions: Place ingredients in saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring frequently until all melted together. For microwave as above in bowl on low power. Check frequently until melted to desired consistency.
Note: In Tex-Mex cooking, cheddar cheese is the first choice. This is the pure difference between Mexican food and Tex-Mex food. In Mexico, goat's cheese is used for traditional dishes. In Tex-Mex cooking, cheddar, Monterey Jack and even American cheese are the cheeses of choice.
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:1 large can Wolf Brand Chili (no beans)
8 ounces cream cheese
16 ounces Tejano Salsa (Tejano Salsa or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
Instructions: Heat all together in large pot until all cheese has melted. Pour into a warming dish and serve warm with tortilla chips, vegetable sticks, toasted bread.
WOLF BRAND CHILI PRODUCTS
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:16 ounces Tejano salsa (Tejano Salsa or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
1 pound fresh spinach, cleaned and loosely chopped
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 8-ounce cream cheese, softened, cubed
1 cup evaporated milk
1 4-ounce can chopped black olives, drained
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
Directions: Preheat oven to 400°F. In a medium mixing bowl, add all the above ingredients and mix evenly. Pour into a shallow, oven proof baking dish, bake mixture for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with plenty of tortilla chip and bite-size fresh vegetables on a warming plate Note: This dip is quite creamy and thin straight out of the oven.
Makes 7 cups.
Ingredients:1 can refried beans
1 tomato, chopped
1 can chopped black olives
1 4-ounce can green chilies, chopped
1 8-ounce carton guacamole
2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup Tejano salsa (Tejano Salsa or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
1 pint sour cream
Instructions: Layer ingredients in the order given in a 9 X 5-inch casserole dish. Serve with tortilla chips.
Ingredients:2 packages (8-ounce each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bunch fresh spinach, chopped or 1 16-ounce package frozen cut leaf spinach, thawed & drained
1 13-ounce can or jar quartered marinated artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
2/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup Tejano Salsa (Tejano Salsa or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
Plenty of tortilla chips, crackers or toast points
Instructions: Using a hand-mixer, blend together cream cheese, cream. Garlic, Parmesan and Jack cheeses until smooth and creamy. Fold in chopped spinach and artichokes. Place mixture in oven-proof casserole dish. Bake at 300°F for 1 hour. Remove from oven, spoon 1 cup of salsa around the outer edge. Return to oven for another 15 minutes. Serve warm with crackers, tortilla chips or toast points.
Ingredients:3 avocados, ripe
8 ounces jar cheese dip
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 cup pimentos, diced
1/3 cup water
Instructions: Mash avocados; add cheese dip, sour cream and garlic. Combine all other ingredients, thoroughly mix. Add 1/3 cup of water to hold the green color. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate.
Ingredients: 1 pound fresh crab meat (or 3 6-ounce cans)
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1 stick margarine
Tabasco sauce or Worcestershire sauce to taste.
Instructions: Heat all ingredients together and serve in chafing dish with tortilla chips.
MEXICAN SOUP, STEW & CHILI RECIPES
Mexican Onion Soup
Cream of Poblano Soup
Mexican Tortilla Soup
Borracho Bean Soup (Frijoles a la Charra)
Caldo De Pollo (Chicken Soup)
Caldo De Res recipe (Beef Soup)
Taco Soup
Corn Chip Chili
Chili Con Queso
Chicken Chili
Reno Red chili
Turkey Chili
Green Chili With Pork
Crockpot Beef Chili
Ingredients:3 large yellow onions
2 cups tomato juice
2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup Tex-Mex salsa
1 cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup butter
1 cup water
Instructions:
1. Slice the onion into thin slices after removing their skin.
2. Mince the garlic after peeling it.
3. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and then add the onions. Cook for about 20 minutes till the onions are tender and golden brown in color.
4. Add the tomato juice, broth, salsa and water.
5. Let the soup boil for a while before reducing the heat.
6. Let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes.
7. Garnish the soup with cheese and serve hot.
Ingredients:2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon fresh chopped garlic
1 cup chopped red onions
1 cup chopped Poblano peppers (seeded)
1 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 cup roasted corn
1/2 gallon water
1/2 pound butter
3/4 cup flour
5 cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions: In a large 6 quart kettle, sauté the first 10 ingredients for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 gallon of water and warm to a simmer. In a small pan, place 1/2 lb butter and 3/4 cup flour, wisk together to make a roux. Cook slowly until think and bubbly. Slowly, add roux to simmering mixture. Slowly (using your whisk), add the 5 cups of heavy whipping cream. Simmer another 15 minutes.
Makes 3 quarts.
This Mexican tortilla soup really packs a punch. Sit down and enjoy.
Ingredients:1 medium onion chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons oil
2 pounds stew meat, optional
1 14-ounce can tomatoes
1/2 jar Tejano salsa
1 10-1/2 ounce can beef broth
1 10-1/2 ounce can of water
1 10-3/4 ounce can chicken broth
1 10-3/4 ounce can tomato soup
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
4 tortillas, cut in 1 inch squares
1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Instructions:
1. Saute the first 5 ingredients in a large skillet.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except tortillas and cheese, and simmer for 50 minutes.
3. Add tortillas and cook 10 minutes.
4. Pour into mugs and sprinkle with cheese.
Cooking time: 10 minutes
6 Servings
From: www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:1 medium onion chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons oil
2 pounds stew meat, optional
1 14 ounce can tomatoes
1/2 jar Tejano salsa ( or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
1 10-1/2 ounce can beef broth
1 10-1/2 ounce can water
1 10-3/4 ounce can chicken broth
1 10-3/4 ounce can tomato soup
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
4 tortillas, cut in 1 inch squares
1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Instructions:
1. Saute the first 5 ingredients in a large skillet.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except tortillas and cheese, and simmer for 50 minutes.
3. Add tortillas and cook 10 minutes.
4. Pour into mugs and sprinkle with cheese.
5. With your first sip you will leave your chair, but quickly sit down and continue to sip. HOT but so good!
Serves 6-8.
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:1 16 ounce jar Tejano salsa, mild, medium or hot ( or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
1 16 ounce jar of water
4 15.5 ounce cans Trappey's pinto beans - flavored with slab bacon (See product links below.)
1 small onion chopped (use red onion for added color)
1 small bundle cilantro chopped (remove half of the stems)
1 tablespoon Tony Chachere's seasoning (See product links below.)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (to taste)
Instructions: Put everything into a pot (except cilantro) and bring to a boil for approximately 10 minutes. Add the cilantro last. These beans are outstanding and easy to make.
PRODUCT LINKS
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:1 16 ounce jar Authentic Mexican Style Rice Mex (Order From www.texmextogo.com) or favorite tomato-based salsa
2 16 ounce jars of water
2 pounds chicken parts (boneless or skinless optional)
4 stalks celery
1/2 cup onion or 2 shallots
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, green beans, carrots)
Instructions: Put all ingredients except for mixed vegetables into crock-pot and cook overnight on low. Add mixed vegetables to crock-pot one hour before serving.
From: www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:2 16 ounce jars Taco Mex (Order From www.texmextogo.com) or your favorite Taco sauce (see recipes above)
1 16 ounce jar of water
2 16 ounce cans whole tomatoes
2 pounds stew meat
4 stalks celery
6 new potatoes
1 yellow onion
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, green beans, carrots)
Instructions: Put all ingredients except for mixed vegetables into crock-pot and cook overnight on low. Add tomatoes and mixed vegetables to crock-pot one hour before serving time.
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:2 pounds ground beef
1-1/2 cups pinto beans
1 16 ounce jar Tejano salsa, medium ( or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
8 ounces sour cream
1 pound Velveeta cheese.
1 chopped onion
1 can or 1-1/2 cups shoe peg corn (add juice if canned)
1 16 ounce jar Tejano Taco Mex (Order From www.texmextogo.com) or your favorite Taco sauce (see recipes above)
1 package dry Ranch dressing
Garlic, salt and pepper to taste
Instructions: Add enough water for soup consistency. Brown ground beef and throw everything into one big pot as they say down here. Simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with grated cheddar cheese on top. And if you are lucky to have any left-over, it is even better on the second and third day.
PRODUCT LINKS
Ingredients:1-1/2 cups onion, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 clove garlic
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
3 (16 ounce) cans black or red beans, drained
1 (20 ounce) can enchilada sauce
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1-1/2 tablespoons chili powder
4 to 6 cups tortilla or corn chips
1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped finely
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Instructions:
1. Brown onions in oil for 3 minutes.
2. Add garlic and beef and cook until meat is browned; drain off fat.
3. Add drained beans, enchilada sauce, cheese, chili powder and stir well.
4. Arrange chips in a greased 3 quart casserole and top with meat and bean mixture.
5. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, mix yogurt with cilantro and cumin.
7. When ready to serve, pass this sauce to spoon over corn chip chili.
Serves 8 To 10 Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilies
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey jack cheese with jalapeno peppers
Tortilla chips and crisp raw vegetable dippers
Instructions:
1. Melt butter in 3 to 4 quart pan over medium heat.
2. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chilies. Reduce heat to low.
3. Simmer 3 minutes.
4. Gradually add cheeses, stirring until cheeses are melted and mixture is evenly blended.
5. Transfer to fondue pot or chafing dish; keep warm over heat source.
6. Serve with tortilla chips and vegetable dippers.
Makes 3 cups, about 12 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
This chicken chili recipe is easy to make and uses common ingredients. Great with tortillas as a full meal.
Ingredients:1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup tomato salsa
1 can (28 ounce) tomatoes, undrained, cut up
1 can (8 ounce) tomato sauce
3 teaspoon chili powder (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 can (15 ounce) garbonzo beans, drained
1 green bell pepper, chopped
Instructions:
1. Spray large nonstick saucepan with cooking spray.
2. Heat over medium heat until hot.
3. Add chicken, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic; cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink.
4. Stir in salsa, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, and cumin. Bring to a boil and reduce heat.
5. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Stir in garbanzo beans and green pepper; simmer until thoroughly heated.
7. Serve over rice.
6 Servings
This chili is full of meat and taste. It is a classic chili recipe and a proven winner.
Ingredients:3 pounds round steak, coarsely ground
3 pounds chuck steak, coarsely ground
1 cup Wesson oil or suet
black pepper to taste
3 ounces chili powder
6 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons MSG (monosodium glutemate)
6 small cloves garlic, minced
2 medium onions, chopped
6 each dried chili pods, boiled 30 minutes in water, (seeded & de-stemmed)
1 tablespoon oregano, brewed in 1/2 cup Budweiser beer, like tea
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 cups beef broth
4 ounces diced green chilies
14 ounces stewed tomatoes (or to taste)
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste
2 tablespoons masa harina flour
Instructions:
1. Brown meat in oil or fat, adding black pepper to taste.
2. Drain meat and add chili powder, cumin, MSG, garlic and chopped onion.
3. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes using as little liquid as possible.
4. Add water only as necessary.
5. Stir often.
6. Remove skins from boiled chile pods.
7. Mash the pulp and add to meat mixture.
8. Strain oregano tea, then add to meat mixture along with paprika, vinegar, 2/3 of the beef broth, green chiles, stewed tomatoes and Tabasco sauce.
9. Simmer 30 to 45 minutes.
10. Stir often.
11. Dissolve masa flour into remaining beef broth then pour into chili.
12. Simmer another 30 minutes, stirring often.
8 Servings.
PRODUCT LINKS
Using both fresh and canned ingredients, this chili is a snap to throw together and will keep you craving it for days. Chunky zucchini, fresh green onion, sour cream, and shredded Cheddar cheese are sure to make this your favorite chili recipe.
Ingredients:3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1-1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 (7 ounce) can salsa
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or coarsely chopped tomatoes packed in puree
1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.
2. Crumble turkey into the pot, stirring with a wooden spoon to break apart as much as possible.
3. Season with taco seasoning mix, coriander, oregano, chili flakes, and tomato paste, and mix until meat is evenly coated with seasonings.
4. Continue cooking, reducing heat if necessary, until turkey is well browned.
5. Pour in beef broth, and simmer to reduce liquid slightly, about 5 minutes.
6. Add salsa, tomatoes, and green chilies, and continue cooking at a moderate simmer for ten minutes.
7. Adjust the thickness at any time you feel necessary by adding water.
8. While chili is still cooking, heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
9. Cook onion and green bell pepper, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent and bell pepper is lightly browned.
10. Add onion and bell pepper to the chili, and continue cooking at a very low simmer.
11. In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat.
12. Add the zucchini, and cook stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
13. Add the zucchini to the chili, reduce heat, and continue cooking 15 minutes more.
14. Again, adjust the consistency with water as needed.
15. Ladle chili into serving bowls.
16. Top with sour cream, green onion, and cheddar cheese, and serve.
6 Servings
This Mexican green chili is both colorful and delicious. Serve with tortillas and extra cheese. It is a meal.
Ingredients:1/2 cup olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped, about 4 cups
8 medium garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
8 fresh Jalapeno peppers, stemmed and minced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces
1-1/2 tablespoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
5 cups Chicken stock or canned broth
Salt to taste
28 ounces crushed Italian plum tomatoes, drained
1 potato, peeled and grated (1 = 8 ounces)
12 large Poblano chilies (1-1/2 pound), roasted and peeled or 28 ounces can whole roasted mild green chilies, drained
Instructions:
1. In a large heavy duty casserole or Dutch oven (about 5 quarts) warm the oil over medium heat.
2. Add onions, garlic, Jalapenos, and carrots.
3. Cook, stirring once or twice, for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in oregano and pork cubes and cook until pork has lost its pink color, about 20 minutes.
5. Stir occasionally.
6. Stir in the chicken stock, 1 teaspoon of salt, crushed tomatoes and the grated potato.
7. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook partially covered, for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
8. Cut the Poblano into 1/2 inch strips.
9. Add them to the chili and cook, stirring often, for another 30 to 45 minutes or until the pork is tender and the chili is thickened to your liking.
10. Taste for correct seasonings and let cook another 5 minutes.
11. Serve hot.
NOTE: To roast Poblanos, stick them on a serving fork and turn over a gas burner until thoroughly charred. Wrap chilies in a paper bag after you roast them. When cool, rinse under cold running water, rubbing off the burned skin. Pat dry and de-stem chilies.
6 Servings
Enjoy this classic crockpot Mexican chili recipe. Full flavor and delicious.
Ingredients:1 29 ounce can tomatoes, cut up
1 10 ounce can chopped tomatoes and green chili peppers
2 cups vegetable juice or tomato juice
1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 pounds beef or pork stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cups chopped onion
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped green pepper
2 15 ounce cans black, kidney, and/or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed.
Instructions:
1. In a 6 quart crockery cooker combine both cans of undrained tomatoes, vegetables or tomato juice, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic.
2. Stir in the meat, onion, celery, and sweet pepper.
3. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.
4. If using low heat setting, turn to high heat setting.
5. Stir in the beans; cook 15 minutes more.
6. Spoon into bowls.
7. If desired, serve with toppers.
Variations: Toppers such as shredded Mexican cheese or cheddar cheese, dairy sour cream, thinly sliced green onion, snipped cilantro, thinly sliced jalapeno peppers, and/or sliced pitted ripe olives (optional).
8 Servings
SPECIALTY RECIPES
Mexican Lasagna
Tex-Mex Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Mole Poblano de Guajolote
Mexican Pizzas
Beef Filled Empanadas
Black Bean Quesadillas
Jalapeno Egg Pie
Tex-Mex Quiche
Tex-Mex Hot Chocolate
Jalapeno Egg Pie
Tex-Mex Salsa Salad
Pinto Bean & Feta Cheese Quesadillas
Quesadillas With Avocado Cream
Avocado Cream
Mexican Eggs
Mexican Skillet Pasta
Mexican Wedding Cookies
Chilaquiles
Bow Tie Shrimp
Sangria
Spicy Breakfast Omelette
Avocado Tomatillo Dressing
Tepache (Fermented Pineapple Drink)
Ingredients:12 corn tortillas
1 pound ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 pound grated cheddar cheese
1 cup Tejano salsa ( or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
3 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons chili seasoning
2 beaten eggs
4 ounces diced green chiles
16 ounces drained red kidney beans
8 ounces drained whole kernel corn
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Instructions:
1. Saute the ground beef along with the onion and garlic in a large heavy pan till the beef is done.
2. Add the tomato sauce, salsa, green chiles, chiles powder, corn, kidney beans and cumin into the pan. Mix with the beef and simmer the pan for a few minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the cottage cheese with the eggs and oregano.
4. Arrange 6 tortilla pieces at the bottom of a greased deep sided pan.
5. Spread half the meat mixture on the tortillas.
6. Next, spread the egg mixture on the meat and cover this layer with half the cheddar cheese.
7. Add the second layer of tortillas, meat and cover it with all the remaining cheese.
8. In a oven that was preheated at 375°F, bake the lasagna for 30 minutes at 350°F.
9. Let the lasagna set for about ten minutes before cutting it. Serve with extra parmesan on the side.
Ingredients:8 slices whole wheat bread
1/4 cup butter
4 slices American cheese
1/4 cup salsa
2 pickled jalapenos, sliced
4 slices pepper jack cheese
Directions: Place bread on work surface, spread one side of each piece with butter. Turn bread slices over and place American cheese on half of the slices, top with salsa and pickled jalapeno slices. Cover salsa with pepper jack cheese. Top with the other bread slice (buttered side up).
Cook sandwiches for 4-5 minutes on each side on heated griddle, turning once until bread is brown and crisp and the cheeses are melted. Serve with fresh fruit and sour cream on the side for dipping.
TIP: These are quick and easy sandwiches for lunch on a busy day with a very different twist and taste.
They say this legendary recipe was created in Puebla in the XVII Century by Sister Andrea de la Asunción, a Dominic nun from Santa Rosa's convent. The original concoction used nearly one hundred ingredients. Today, the mole is still the classic celebration meal, present at weddings, birthdays, baptisms and other fiestas. It is better to prepare the salsa in advance and then add the guajolote -turkey- on the big day. The reason for this is not only the lengthy and complicated procedure, but because it tastes better when the different aromas of the ingredients are given time to intermingle and combine.
To make the mole sauce - la salsa del mole - you should use a molcajete grinder, that heavy, flat stone present in every Mexican kitchen. A food processor is okay. Whichever way, the mole sauce must attain a smooth, even, thick consistency, without perceptible chunks of ingredients in it, but at the same time, not too fine.
Turkey Ingredients:1 guajolote (turkey) (8 to 9 pounds - 4 kg) cut in pieces
16 cups water
4 cloves garlic
1/2 yellow onion
1 tablespoon salt
Salsa Ingredients:1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cooking oil
8 ounces (220 grams) chile ancho, deveined and seedless
3 ounces (90 grams) chile pasilla, deveined and seedless
11 ounces (315 grams) chile mulato, deveined and seedless
4 chipotle chiles
26.5 ounces (750 grams) red tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
10 garlic cloves
5 to 6 ounces (150 grams) almonds, peeled
3.5 ounces (100 grams) peanuts, peeled
8 cloves
1-1/3 ounces (4 grains) black pepper
1 stick cinnamon, about (about 1.5 inches or 4 cm) in length
1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
3 ounces (90 grams) raisins
3 ounces (90 grams) sugarless confectionery cocoa (bitter chocolate)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons salt, or to your liking
1/2 cup sesame seeds
Remember: 1 kg = 1 kilogram = 1,000 g = 1,000 grams = 2.2 lb
Instructions:
In a big cauldron, over high heat, place the turkey, water, garlic, onion and salt. When it starts to boil, cover and cook over medium heat for one hour, or until the guajolote is soft. Drain and reserve the broth.
To make the mole sauce, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy skillet and sauté for a couple of minutes, the chiles anchos, pasillas and mulatos. Then put the chiles in a bowl with hot water and let them stand for half an hour. Drain the chiles and grind them with your metate or whatever. Set aside, reserving the remaining oil in the skillet.
Roast chiles chipotle and tomatoes in a heavy skillet. In Mexico we use a flat, round piece of steel or barro, called comal, for these operations. Peel tomatoes and pureé them with the chipotles. Reserve.
In the same oil you used for the chiles, sauté garlic and onion until translucent, remove from the oil and make a pureé out of them.
Saute the almonds in the same oil for five minutes. Add peanuts, cloves, pepper, cinnamon and anise seeds, and sauté three more minutes. Grind this mixture along with the raisins.
Heat over high heat, 1/2 cup of cooking oil in a big casserole (cazuela de barro). Add all ground and pureed ingredients and cook for five minutes, stirring constantly. Mix in the grated chocolate and sugar, stirring constantly. When the mixture boils, pour in 4 cups of the turkey broth you reserved. Cover and keep cooking over slow heat for 20 minutes. Add salt; check seasoning. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more broth.
Add turkey pieces, cover and cook over medium heat for another ten minutes. Meanwhile, roast the sesame seeds until golden, in your comal or heavy skillet. Serve the mole with sesame seeds sprinkled all over it. You may accompany it if you wish with Mexican rice and refried beans, and, of course, tortillas.
Serves 10 to 12.
PRODUCTS USED IN THIS RECIPE
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:1 pound spicy pork sausage
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1 cup Tejano salsa mild or medium ( or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
1/2 cup Tejano Taco Mex (Order From www.texmextogo.com) or your favorite Taco sauce (see recipes above)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 flour tortillas
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese.
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a heavy saucepan, cook pork sausage with the onion and garlic until the pork is thoroughly cooked, stirring to break up the meat. Drain well. Add pinto beans, refried beans, salsa and Taco sauce and mix well. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
In another skillet, heat the vegetable oil to 350°F. Fry tortillas, turning once, about 2 minutes until crisp, remove and place on a baking sheet. Divide pork mixture among the fried tortillas and top with cheese. Bake pizzas at 400°F for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts.
TIP: these little pizzas are like Mexican tostadas without the shredded lettuce and tomatoes. Serve with guacamole and sliced jalapenos.
Ingredients:1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 tablespoon vegetable shortening
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pie crust (9 or 12 inch)
1 tablespoon water
1 egg yolk
Instructions: Saute beef in shortening until lightly browned. Pour off excess fat and drain beef on paper towel to get out all excess fat. Return beef to pan, add onion, tomato, green pepper, and garlic. Cook until onion is tender, stirring often. Blend in flour, salt, and black pepper. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Let cool.
Prepare pie crust and roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 6 inch rounds and place in floured empanada dough press (see below). Place 3 tablespoons meat mixture onto rounds and fold, forming fried pies. Place on ungreased baking pan. Add water to egg yolk, beat slightly. Brush tops of pastries lightly with egg mixture. Bake in hot oven (425°F) until browned, 10-15 minutes.
Makes about 6 large empanadas.
EMPANADA PRODUCTS
Ingredients:2 burrito-size tortillas
1 (14 ounce) can refried low fat black beans
1 cup Tejano salsa ( or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
1-1/2 cups Mexican-style shredded cheese
1/2 cup guacamole (homemade or from the Deli store)
2 tablespoons sour cream
Directions: Preheat oven to 400°F. Lay one tortilla on a flat surface. Spread the beans evenly over the tortilla. Spoon 3/4 cup of Tejano salsa over the beans, then sprinkle cheese. Top with the second tortilla. Place the quesadilla on a foil-covered cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes (cheese will be melted and the top tortilla will be crisp and brown). Mix the guacamole and sour cream and pour into a bowl, add to a large plate, add another bowl with the remaining salsa, cut the quesadilla in 4 portions and transfer to the plate. Colorful presentation, tasty appetizer or meal.
Ingredients:8 eggs, beaten
1 pound cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
3 jalapeno peppers, Seeded & chopped jalapeno peppers
Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
2. Pour the entire mixture on a greased 10 inch pie plate.
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about half an hour till the pie is firm.
4. Let the pie cool for sometime before serving it.
5. For a spicier version of the same pie, you can add salsa or increase the number of jalapeno peppers.
Ingredients:2 prepared pie crusts
5 large eggs
1-1/2 cups Half & Half
8 ounces Cheddar & Monterey Jack Cheese (shredded fine)
12 ounces bacon (fried crisp)
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced green onion tops
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1 large pickled jalapeno (seeded & vein removed) chopped fine
4 ounces button mushrooms (sliced)
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped fine
1/2 stick butter or margarine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon fajita seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
Directions: Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare pie crusts according to directions for pre-baked pie crust and bake for 8 - 10 minutes or until ridge just starts to turn light brown. Remove from oven and set on a cookie cooling rack. Fry the bacon until crisp, remove and drain on paper towel. When cool and crisp, chop until fine (1/8 inch).
In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil and 1/2 of the butter or margarine. Add the mushrooms, bell peppers, yellow onions and garlic. Saute until mushrooms change to a light tan color (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and cool in a bowl. At this time, take the remaining 1/2 of butter or margarine and put in the freezer section.
In a large bowl, break eggs and beat by hand like making scrambled eggs. Add the half & half and mix well. Add the green onion tops, the diced jalapeno, the shredded cheese, and all the spices listed. Add the chopped bacon and mix again. Add the sauteed mushrooms, bell peppers, garlic, and yellow onions using a slotted spoon to remove any excess liquid. Mix again until egg mixture is combined with all other ingredients.
With a large ladle, fill each cooled, pre-cooked pie crust until 1/4 inch from the top ridge. Take the frozen butter or margarine and cut into 1/4 inch pieces. At random, put about 10 pieces of the butter chunks on top of the egg mixture.
Bake in a 350°F oven for 35 minutes or until top (egg mixture) just starts to turn a golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Let sit 1 hour. Slice into 8 equal portions and serve with a fresh Caesar salad. Cover any leftovers with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated. Best served when slightly warmed or at room temperature.
Makes Two 9 inch quiche pies.
Ingredients:1 large mug of heated milk (skim milk for low-calorie & low-fat version)
1 capful Mexican vanilla (see products below)
3 packets of non-sugar sweetener (for low-calorie version) or a few spoonfuls of sugar to taste.
2 teaspoons (heaping) powdered Hershey's cocoa
If using skim milk and non-sugar sweetener, it is a near-guiltless and warm comfort drink. If using whole milk and sugar, it still is a comforting drink to have while relaxing, especially on those cold winter evenings. To add an extra flair, you can sprinkle a little cinnamon on top of the drink and maybe a dollop of whipped cream (for those who do not mind the extra calories).
PRODUCTS
Ingredients:6 to 8 eggs, beaten
1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese or Swiss, shredded
1/4 cup drained, chopped pimentos or tomatoes
2 to 3 jalapeno peppers, seeded & chopped
Instructions: Mix all ingredients and pour into a 9 or 10 inch greased pie plate. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. or until firm. Cool before cutting. For a hotter pie, add chopped onions, more jalapeno peppers and/or hot salsa.
Ingredients:9 tomatoes, diced
7 avocados, peeled and diced
3 white onions, chopped
2/3 cup oil
1/3 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
4 or 5 Serrano or jalapeno chilies, seeded & chopped
3 or 4 garlic cloves, chopped
Directions: Combine all ingredients, cover and refrigerate.
From www.texmextogo.com
Ingredients:1 16 ounce jar pinto bean salsa (drained) (Pinto Bean Salsa, www.texmextogo.com) 8 whole wheat flour tortillas (8 inch)
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
vegetable oil
Instructions: Pour pinto bean salsa in blender or food processor. Use on/off or pulse process until very chunky puree forms. Salt & pepper to taste. Place 1 tortilla on work surface. Spread with 1/4 cup bean mixture. Top with 2 tablespoonsTbsp feta cheese, cover with another tortilla. Using a heavy skillet over medium heat, brush with oil, add quesadilla and cook until beans are heated and tortillas are brown (4 minutes per side). Transfer to warm plate, cover and repeat process with remaining tortillas. Cut in wedges & serve.
Ingredients:4 flour tortillas
fresh spinach
fresh mushrooms
Muenster cheese slices
Jalapeno jam (Jalapeno Jam From www.texmextogo.com or see recipes for making homemade jalapeno jam below.)
Place 4 tortillas on a work surface and spread our favorite jalapeno jam over one surface. Cover with thin slices of Muenster cheese, fresh spinach and fresh thin sliced mushrooms. Place a second tortilla over each creating a sandwich. Heat a dry nonstick large skillet; using a large spatula, place one quesadilla in the skillet and cook over medium heat pressing down with the spatula and turning once until the cheese melts and the tortillas brown. Keep the tortillas warm in the oven (250°F) while making the remaining quesadillas. To serve, cut each quesadillas into quarters and serve hot, garnished with quartered limes, cilantro sprigs and a dollop of avocado cream.
JALAPENO JELLY
Ingredients:12 to 16 jalapeno peppers, chopped
2 additional jalapeno peppers, diced and seeded
4-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
4 ounces liquid pectin
pinch salt
Cooking Instructions: To a sauce pan, add chopped jalapeno peppers an cider vinegar. Bring it to a boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the mixture through at least 2 layers of cheesecloth and remove the pulp. Add strained liquid back into saucepan. Stir in salt and sugar. Mix to dissolve. Increase heat and boil about 1 minute. Stir in pectin. Add diced jalapeno peppers and mix. Add mixture to sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Seal jars in a hot water bath and refrigerate.
JALAPENO JAM #1
Ingredients:6 fresh jalapenos
1 small green bell pepper
6 cups sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 of a 6 ounce package liquid pectin
1/4 cup lime juice
Instructions: Remove seeds and veins from jalapenos (wearing rubber gloves). Coarsley chop jalapenos and bell pepper. Using food processor or blender, puree jalapenos and bell pepper. Combine puree, sugar, and vinegar in very large pan or stock pot. (Mixture will foam a lot!) Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 3 minutes. Quickly stir in pectin and lime juice. Boil 1 minute longer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to stop bubbling a minute or so. Skim off foam before canning.
Makes 6 half-pints.
JALAPENO JAM #2
Ingredients:1 each red and green bell pepper
5 fresh red or green jalapeno chiles
6 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
6 ounces liquid pectin
Directions:
1. Puree bell peppers and jalapeno chiles in a blender or food processor. In a 6-quart saucepan combine pureed peppers and chiles, sugar, and vinegar; bring to a hard rolling boil and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and add pectin; mix well. Skim foam from surface with metal spoon.
2. Pour into hot, sterilized jars. Wipe rims of jars with a clean cloth. Seal jars with canning lid and screw top and process in a hot water bath for 5 minutes or allow jars to cool and then store in the refrigerator.
Ingredients:1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut in large pieces.
juice of one lime
1/2 cup sour cream
salt to taste
Place all ingredients except the salt in a food processor and process until smooth. Scrape into a bowl, season with salt. Serve immediately.
Ingredients:12 Pinta chips
1 dozen eggs
1 8-ounce carton sour cream
1 3-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup Tejano Salsa ( or use your own favorite tomato-based salsa recipe.
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
Instructions: Line a greased oven dish with chips. Cook eggs, cream cheese and sour cream in skillet (as you would scrambled eggs). When eggs are almost done, add salsa and continue to cook til very dry. Pour mixture on top of chips and sprinkle grated cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 250-300°F for 20-30 minutes. Check occasionally.
Serves 6.
Ingredients:8 ounces vermicelli broken in 2 inch pieces
3 tablespoons oil
3 cloves garlic chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup canned tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon leaf oregano
Garnish: sour cream & grated cheese
Instructions: Heat oil in heavy skillet. Add pasta, onion and garlic. Cook and stir til onion is limp. Add broth, tomatoes and oregano. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover skillet and lower heat. Cook for 15 minutes. until the pasta is tender and the broth is absorbed. Top with spoonfuls of sour cream and grated cheese Serve from skillet.
4 servings.
Ingredients:4 cups flour
2 cups vegetable shortening, butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons Mexican vanilla
2 eggs
Instructions: Mix all together in bowl. Roll in your hands into small balls the size of quarters. Place on cookie sheet, use thumb to indent in the center. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Spoon onto wax paper and use shaker filled with sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over cookies.
PRODUCTS
Ingredients: 16 ounces salsa, medium
8 ounces sour cream
8 ounces shredded mild cheddar cheese or mexican blend cheese
1 bag of tortilla chips or 16 to 20 tortillas cut in quarters slightly fried in oil.
Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread the tortilla chips on a glass or ceramic rectangular container, pour the salsa evenly on top of the chips. Pour the sour cream, making sure it spreads out evenly as well. Pour the cheese on top. Place it in the oven for 25 minutes. Take it out and enjoy.
Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients:2 pounds peeled & cleaned shrimp
1/2 stick butter
16 ounces salsa, mild or medium
1-1/2 tablespoons lemon & herbs seasoning
2 cloves garlic, crushed
16 ounces bow tie pasta.
Instructions: Cook pasta as indicated, drain, rinse with cold water. Melt 1/2 stick butter in 9" skillet, add crushed garlic and cook until garlic begins to brown. Add shrimp and cook 5 minutes. Remove shrimp from skillet with serrated spoon and set aside. In large sauce pan, pour in salsa, add lemon & herb seasoning and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add shrimp, and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Place bow tie pasta in large serving dish, pour shrimp sauce over it and serve.
6 Servings.
Ingredients:4 oranges
2 lemons
2 limes
1 cup sugar
1 liter of dry red wine
15 to 20 ounces club soda
Instructions: Cut fruits into thin slices. Squeeze juice from the slices into a pitcher. Add slices and sugar to the pitcher. Stir well. Add red wine and club soda. Have tall, ice-filled glasses ready. Garnish with floating fruit of choice.
Ingredients:3/4 cup salsa, medium or hot
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
6 large eggs
8 ounces sour cream
1 cup low fat sausage, cut into bite-size
Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 10 inch oven-safe casserole dish. Spread salsa on the bottom. Sprinkle chopped artichoke evenly over salsa. Next, sprinkle Parmesan cheese over artichoke then the Monterey and Cheddar cheeses. Add the sausage (turkey sausage can be used - if fatty sausage is used, cook first and drain grease before spreading in casserole). Blend eggs and sour cream with blender until smooth. Pour over cheeses and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until set. Use broil setting for 1 minute or less at the end to form a golden top. Watch carefully.
Ingredients:2 avocados
8 ounces Ranch Dip
3 boiled tomatillos (green tomatoes), skin peeled off
1/2 cup cilantro
1 tablespoon extra virgin oil
2 garlic cloves
2 cups tomatillo broth (from above boil)
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon dill
Instructions: Place all ingredients in blender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate in airtight container until used.
Tepache is a traditional Mexican beverage particularly common on the Central West Coast as well as in Mexico City, that is made by fermenting pineapple leftovers (rind, core etc.,). It is lightly fizzy like a spritzer, refreshing with hints of alcohol, pineapple and woodsy flavors. It is a brilliant way to get full use of all the fruit, and it poses endless possibilities... from a refreshing and exotic beverage, to a cool cocktail mixer, to a Gelatine ingredient (in the same vein as the Sherry Gelatines you find in Guadalajara), Sorbets, Coulis etc.
Ingredients:1 whole fresh pineapple (about 3 pounds)
12 cups water
2-3/4 cups brown sugar (or 20 ounces raw sugar)
1 stick cinnamon (about 3 inches length)
3 whole cloves
Instructions: Wash the pineapple; remove stalks at each end; cut pineapple into large cubes, including the rind. Place the pineapple cubes in a large (lidded) container and add 8 cups of water, brown sugar, cinnamon and the cloves. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 48 hours. Strain this resulting liquid "the Tepache" into a new, clean container and add the remaining 4 cups of water (or if you prefer, you can add 1 cup of ale or lager beer). Let rest another 12 hours. Strain again, add 3 cups water. Serve cold with ice cubes and fresh fruit slices.
6 Servings.
TORTILLA RECIPES
Flour Tortillas #1
Flour Tortillas #2
Corn Tortillas
Tortilla Chips
Ingredients:2 cups unsifted bread flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lard, chilled
3/4 cup warm Water
Instructions: Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Add the lard and mix in with your fingers until you have completely crumbled it in. Slowly add the warm water and mix with a large spoon. Take the ball out and put on a floured board and knead 3 to 5 minutes until elastic. Store in a warm place inside an oiled, plastic bag for 1 hour. Pinch off pieces of dough about the size of a golf ball (1 inch) and let rest 15 minutes. Roll the balls into circles approximately 7 inches in size. Cook on a hot griddle (450°F) griddle turning only once. Remove to a basket lined with a cloth towel or put between a towel until cool. After the tortillas have cooled completely, store them in a plastic bag.
Makes 9 to 10 tortillas.
TIP: tortillas are best eaten hot right off the griddle (comal). You can refrigerate and freeze them as well. To freeze tortillas: wrap tightly in a plastic wrap and place inside a ziplock bag. When ready to use: thaw at room temperature, remove plastic wrap, rewrap in foil with a moist paper towel inserted, place in a 250°F oven for 15 minutes.
Flour tortillas made a late appearance on the Mexican table and became the bread staple in the northern states only. They are traditionally made with lard but for health reasons, tortilla factories and chefs have switched to vegetable shortening or vegetable oil.
Ingredients:3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons Salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil or shortening
1 cup warm water but not boiling
Instructions: Combine the flour, salt, and shortening in a large bowl and mix together until crumbly, as for pie dough. Add water and mix until you can gather the dough into a ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
To form the tortillas, divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion between the palms of your hands to make a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball into an 8 inch circle. Layer the circles between sheets of plastic wrap as you go.
To cook the tortillas, heat a heavy skillet, griddle or comal over high heat until beginning to smoke. Place a tortilla in the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Turn and cook on the other side until slightly puffed and speckled brown on the underside but still soft enough to fold, about 30 seconds. Remove and continue until all the tortillas are cooked, stacking them as you go. Serve right away or cool, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The best homemade tortillas by far
We are all familiar with both the corn and flour tortillas, but the original ones were of the native corn only, and except in Northern Mexico, corn tortillas remain the staple.
Ingredients:4 cups masa harina
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups hot but not boiling water
Masa harina (corn flour) can be purchased in most supermarkets. Quaker and Maseca brands are both excellent. If you are fortunate to have a specialty Mexican market nearby, you can purchase the masa dough freshly made and ready to press or roll out.
Directions: Place the masa harina and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and mix with your hands to make a dough that comes together in a soft ball. Continue mixing and kneading until the dough is elastic enough to hold together without cracking, about 3 minutes. If using right away, divide the dough into 18 equal portions and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. If making ahead for later use, wrap the whole ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day and then divide.
To form the tortillas, place a portion of dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Press with a tortilla press or roll out with a rolling pin into a circle 6 or 7 inches in diameter. Use your fingers to smooth any raggedy edges. Continue with the remaining portions until the dough is used up.
To cook the tortillas, heat a heavy skillet, griddle or comal over high heat until it begins to smoke. Peel the plastic wrap off a tortilla and place the tortilla in the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 30 seconds. Turn and cook on the other side for 1 minute. Turn again, and cook until the tortilla puffs a bit but is still pliable, not crisp, about 30 seconds more. Remove and continue until all the tortillas are cooked. Serve right away as this is when they are the best.
Instructions: Using flour or corn tortillas (use old rather than freshly made or store bought) cut the tortillas in wedges or strips, set aside. Pour oil into a heavy saucepan or skillet to a depth of one inch. Heat to a temperature of 375°F or until a tortilla chip browns in 60 seconds. Drop the tortilla wedges or strips into the hot oil in batches and cook for one to two minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle salt (optional). Let cool and store in an airtight container (avoid humidity).
TORTILLA MAKING PRODUCTS
LOW-FAT RECIPES
Southwest Vegetable Wrap
Microwave Baked Tortilla Chips
Mango Salsa
Guiltless Guacamole Dip
Shredded Beef Soft Taco
Tortilla Soup
Ingredients:1/2 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup diced red or yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & chopped
3 tablespoons salsa
3/4 cup reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
4 thin slices red onion
4 leaves red or green leaf lettuce
2 8-inch fat-free flour tortillas
Directions: Combine zucchini, bell pepper, corn and jalapeño pepper in a small bowl. Stir in cheese and salsa, mix well. Soften the tortillas according to package directions, place 2 lettuce leaves over the tortilla and spoon vegetable mixture down the center of the tortillas evenly. Add thin slices of red onion on top of mixture. Fold in the bottom, then roll up burrito style. Serve the wraps warm or cold.
Makes 2 wraps.
Note: Mexicans typically do not serve a salad course with their meals. If a green salad is served, it usually takes the place of the vegetable. As a result, many of their salads feature a wide variety of vegetables.
Other ingredients that can be added are avocado slices, black beans (rinsed and drained), cream cheese, jack cheese strips and tomatoes, Use your imagination and create your own favorite ingredients.
Ingredients:12 corn tortillas
Vegetable oil for brushing or misting
Salt, preferably kosher or sea salt
Instructions: Lay the tortillas out on a cutting board, lightly spray, brush or mist both sides with oil, then cut each tortilla into 6 wedges. Lay the wedges out in a single layer on the bottom of the microwave oven. Microwave on high for 1-1/2 minutes. Turn the tortilla wedges over and microwave for another 1-1/2 minutes. Continue turning and microwaving at 1-1/2-minute intervals, moving the wedges around if some seem to be browning more than others, until they are crisp (remember, as they cool, they will crisp even more). Total microwaving time is likely to be 5-7 minutes. Immediately toss the chips with salt and serve.
Makes 72 chips.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: about 30 minutes (about 5-7 minutes per batch)
Nutritional Facts: (per chip) 10 calories, less than 1 g. protein, less than 1 g. fat (percent calories from fat, 15), 2 g. carbohydrates, no cholesterol, less than 1 mg. sodium, less than 1 g. fiber.
Ingredients:1 large mango; peeled & cubed
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 Jalapeno pepper (optional), finely chopped, seeds and membranes removed
Instructions: In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well. Let stand at room temperature a half hour before serving or refrigerate up to 24 hours. This does not hold up well and should be used quickly.
Nutritional Facts: 32 cal; 0g pro, 0g fat, 8g carb, 1 mg sod, 0mg chol.
Ingredients:3/4 cup broccoli florets
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 medium avocado (about 8 ounces), peeled and seeded
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 green onion, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 to 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt
Instructions: In a small saucepan, cook the broccoli in gently boiling water for about 10 minutes, until soft. Add the peas and simmer for about 3 minutes longer. Drain and cool. Transfer the broccoli and peas to a food processor; add the avocado and process until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a bowl. Add the tomato, red onion, green onion, jalapeno, garlic and cilantro and season to taste with limejuice and salt. Mix well and serve, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
Makes about 2-1/2 cups.
Preparation time: 25-30 minutes
Cooking time: 13 minutes
Nutritional Facts: (per tablespoon) 15 calories, less than 1 g. protein, 1 g. fat (percent calories from fat, 56), 2 g. carbohydrates, no cholesterol, 5 mg. sodium, 1 g. fiber.
Ingredients:1-1/2 pounds top sirloin steak or sirloin tip roast, all visible fat removed
3 cups chopped yellow onion (6 medium)
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup dry red wine (regular or nonalcoholic)
1/2 cup low-sodium ketchup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
6 medium cloves garlic, minced, or 1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
2 teaspoons low-sodium beef bouillon granules
2 bay leaves
3/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
1/2 teaspoon red hot pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dark brown, light brown or granulated sugar
8 8-inch nonfat or low-fat flour tortillas
Instructions: Preheat oven to 325°F. Put meat in slow cooker. Add onions and bell pepper. In a medium bowl, whisk together wine, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, bouillon granules, bay leaves, liquid smoke, 1/2-teaspoon cumin, hot pepper sauce and pepper. Pour wine mixture into slow cooker, cover tightly and cook on low setting for 9 hours, or until meat is tender.
Shred meat using two forks, and return it to slow cooker. Remove and discard bay leaves. Add 1/2 teaspoon cumin and sugar and let mixture stand for 1 hour to allow flavors to blend. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and warm in oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Spoon meat mixture down center of a tortilla. If you want to add garnishes, such as chopped tomatoes, salsa, shredded lettuce or nonfat or low-fat cheese and sour cream, do it now. Roll and repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 9 hours
Standing time: 1 hour
Nutritional Facts - per serving: 257 calories, 22 g. protein, 5 g. fat (percent calories from fat, 17), 31 g. carbohydrates, 53 mg. cholesterol, 229 mg. sodium, 3 g. fiber.
Ingredients:14-1/2 ounces chicken broth
14-1/2 ounces beef broth
1 med onion, chopped
1 cup salsa
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 corn tortillas, cut in 1/8 inch strips
4 ounces Monterey jack cheese
Instructions: In a large saucepan, combine the chicken and beef broths, the onion, salsa, and cumin over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the tortilla strips for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned, turning to brown both sides; drain on paper towels. When ready to serve, ladle the soup into serving bowls and sprinkle with the tortilla strips and cheese. Serve immediately.
Serves 6
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Nutritional Facts: Calories: 193 (58% from fat), Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Carbohydrate: 14g, Fiber: 2g, Sodium: 1278mg.
POTATO RECIPES
Salsa Potato Wrap
Nacho Golds
Roasted Potatos & Salsa
Potato soup
Stuffed potatoes with Cheese and Salsa Verde
Ingredients:1 pound white skinned potatoes, boiled
8 ounces Chorizo Mexican sausage, remove casing (substitute low fat sausage)
3/4 cup salsa
1 medium tomato, diced
1 white onion, diced
8 eggs, lightly beaten
Grated cheese (Queso Blanco, Cheddar or Jack)
Warm tortillas
Instructions: In cast-iron or nonstick skillet, fry Chorizo sausage, breaking up lumps with a spoon, until fully cooked. Drain fat, add potatoes and return to burner for 5 to 6 minutes or until brown. Add tomatoes, onions and salsa and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs and stir until eggs are scrambled. When set, transfer to a serving dish. Serve with warm tortillas, grated cheese and salsa on the side.
Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients:1 pound gold potatoes
1/2 pound cooked ground Beef (seasoned with 1 teaspoon Fajita Seasoning - if Fajita Seasoning is not available use 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon oregano and a little salt & chile pepper to taste)
1 cup grated jalapeno Jack Cheese (for a milder version to serve the little ones, use cheddar or regular Jack cheese)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Tex-Mex salsa
Instructions: Bake or microwave potatoes until done, about 6-10 minutes on high in the microwave, until gently yield to touch when firmly pressed or bake at 425°F for 30 minutes. Cut in half, allow to cool slightly. Scoop some of the flesh out of the centers with a spoon or melon baller, leaving about 1/2 inch of the flesh next to the skin. Fill each half with cooked and seasoned Ground Beef and top with Jalapeno Jack Cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven and top each half with Sour Cream. Sprinkle chopped tomato and chopped cilantro on top of each and serve. Add a bowl of salsa on the table, spoon salsa over warm potato nacho.
Ingredients:6 medium russet potatoes
1/3 cup salsa
2 green onions, finely chopped
Instructions: Preheat oven 400°F. Wash and cut potatoes into wedges. Toss potatoes in a deep bowl and toss with salsa. Grease a cookie sheet lightly. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 20 minutes, turning often and basting with salsa to prevent sticking. Broil for 3 minutes, again turning several times until evenly browned. Sprinkle with green onions and serve with nonfat yogurt.
Ingredients:2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cooked, cubed
1 pint heavy cream
4 tablespoons to 1/2 stick butter
1 cup water
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
3 strips bacon, crisp and crumbled
1 tablespoon Wondra flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup Tex-Mex salsa
Instructions: In a large cooking pot place all the above ingredients (reserve 1 cup of cubed potatoes and chopped chives). Using a hand mixer, blend until reaching a smooth consistency. Add 1 cup of cubed potatoes and cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Pour into serving bowls, garnish with shredded Cheddar cheese and sprinkle chopped chives.
Ingredients:4 large white skin potatoes
1/2 cup salsa verde
1 tablespoons minced green chiles
2 to 3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste
Instructions: Preheat oven to 375°F. Scrub and pat dry the potatoes. Do not peel. Using a paring knife, pierce deeply into each potato before baking. Set potatoes directly on oven rack and bake for 1 hour or until tender. Remove from oven and let set for 10 minutes. Cut about 1/3 off the tops of the potatoes. Use a spoon to scoop out the pulp. Reserve the shells. Mash the pulp and stir in the chiles, salsa, butter, sour cream and cheese. Add salt and pepper at will. Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Fill the shells generously with mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top of each potato and place in oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbling. Add a dollop of sour cream and serve immediately.
SALSA RECIPES
Tejano Salsa Verde
Salsa Mexicana
Mexican Salsa
Fresh Mexican Salsa
Salsa de Molcajete
Avocado Salsa
Spicy Bean Salsa
Mexican Food Salsa
Southwestern Mexican Salsa
Melon Salsa
Mango Salsa
Green Chili Sauce - Salsa de Chili Verde
Red Chili Sauce - Salsa de Chile Rojo
Two Tomato Salsa
Tropical Fruit & Black Bean Salsa
Fruit (Strawberry, Apple, Kiwi) Salsa
Avocado-Tomato Salsa
Fruit (Pineapple, Mango, Kiwi) Salsa
Fresh Tomato Salsa
Tropical Fruit Salsa
Salsa de Picante
Tejano Salsa
The avocado in this recipe is not necessary and is not used by everyone. The avocado adds a nice texture and richness to this salsa. If you cannot find ripe avocados they can also be substituted with a 1/4 cup of whipping cream.
Ingredients:10 to 15 tomatillos, halved
1 large serrano chili
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1 avocado, quartered
2 limes, juiced
salt and pepper to taste
1. Char the skin of the chili either in a flame or under a broiler. Place the charred chili in a paper bag for 5 minutes. Rinse off all of the blackened skin. Chop chili. Remove seeds for milder flavor. Warning: Do not rub your eyes!
2. Under a broiler or on a grill, roast dehusked, washed, and halved tomatillos until they are slightly caramelized.
3. Add tomatillos, chilies, onion, and garlic to a blender. Blend until smooth.
4. Add lime juice, cilantro, and avocado. Pulse until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
When ripe and sweet red tomatoes are included in this classic salsa, it is a perfect accompaniment to any Mexican meal. It is recommended that you cut the ingredients by hand, never using electric help.
Ingredients:3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 to 6 chiles verdes (chile serrano), finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions: Mix well all ingredients in a serving dish, or salsera. Add a little bit of water if needed. Salt to taste. You can, of course, make your salsa as hot as you want, by adjusting the amount of chile serrano you use. At the beginning of your fiesta, you can arrange a table with serving plates offering avocado cut into slices, sliced white fresh cheese, tortillas kept warm in a tortillero, and the salsa; small individual dishes and napkins. Let your guests prepare their own tacos.
Remember that exposed avocado turns black in a short period. So cut it just before serving. To prolong its good looks, keep it in close contact with its seed. Sprinkling it with lemon juice helps.
Cilantro and other fresh ingredients make this salsa a Mexican style favorite. Serve with corn chips, over eggs, or with any Mexican food.
Ingredients:5 roma (plum) tomatoes
3 serrano peppers
1/2 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
salt to taste
Instructions:
1. Place roma (plum) tomatoes and serrano peppers in a medium saucepan over medium high heat with enough water to cover.
2. Bring to a boil. Boil 15 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
3. Place roma tomatoes, serrano peppers, onion, cilantro and garlic in a blender or food processor.
4. Puree about 30 seconds, or to desired consistency.
5. Transfer to a medium serving bowl, and salt to taste.
12 Servings
Enjoy this delicious Mexican salsa recipe, fresca style!
Ingredients:5 to 10 Fresh jalapeno (small, green, very hot) chiles
5 to 10 Fresh guero (small, yellow, very hot) chiles
2 to 5 Fresh Anaheim chiles (long, green, mild)
10 – 12 Medium-sized tomatoes
2 onions
4 Garlic cloves
1 Large bunch cilantro
1/2 tablespoon Beef bouillon powder
1 teaspoon Lemon juice
1. Wash all chiles and tomatoes and remove stems.
2. In a large Dutch oven, place chiles and tomatoes in about one inch water.
3. Bring to boil and simmer for two to three minutes.
4. Remove from stove and cool for a few minutes.
5. When you can handle the chile mixture, drain off about half the water and mince, by hand or in the food processor.
6. Put all minced chiles and tomatoes in a large bowl.
7. Dice onions and garlic in food processor and stir into chile mixture.
8. Wash cilantro and cut off the longest portion of the stems.
9. Dice remaining part of the plant in the food processor.
10. Stir into salsa. Add lemon juice and bouillon.
11. Stir well.
12. Place in quart size jars and refrigerate.
13. Depending on quantities of chiles and tomatoes you use, this should make two to three jars of salsa.
14. It is best if refrigerated at least 8 to 12 hours and will keep for several days in the refrigerator.
12 Servings
Ingredients:5 chiles serranos, green
2 big red tomatoes, ripe
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon salt
Instructions: On a comal or heavy skillet, saute chiles and tomatoes, about 10 minutes, or until they soften. Peel tomatoes. On a molcajete or mortar crush chiles and garlic. When well mashed, add tomatoes and mash to perfection. Add and check salt. Serve on the same molcajete.
Enjoy with grilled steaks and similar dishes. The molcajete is that stone mortar, round and concave, supported by three short legs, in which, using another smaller and rounded stone, the tejolote, ingredients are crushed and ground for many salsas. The word molcajete means salsa cup. Of course, you can prepare this salsa using one an electric gadgets, but it not considered the same.
MOLCAJETE PRODUCTS
Once you start eating this dip you cannot stop. This recipes takes a little time to prepare but it is worth it. Serve with tortilla chips.
Ingredients:1 (16 ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 (2.25 ounce) cans sliced ripe olives, drained
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 avocados – peeled, pitted and diced
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, mix corn, olives, red bell pepper and onion.
2. In a small bowl, mix garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, cider vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper.
3. Pour into the corn mixture and toss to coat.
4. Cover and chill in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight.
5. Stir avocados into the mixture before serving.
For hotter version, you can add freshly chopped jalapeno peppers and chili powder to your taste.
12 Servings.
This spicy bean salsa is great served either cold or hot with tortilla chips.
Ingredients:1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapeno peppers (or fresh jalapenos can be used)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Instructions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, onion, green bell pepper, jalapeno peppers and tomatoes.
2. Season with Italian-style salad dressing and garlic salt; mix well.
3. Cover, and refrigerate overnight to blend flavors.
12 Servings
Ingredients:4 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped onion (up to 1 cup)
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper (bell pepper)
1/4 cup oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped green chiles
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoons mustard seed
1 teaspoons cilantro (coriander) seed, crushed (or fresh cilantro leaves)
1 teaspoons salt
Combine all ingredients. Cover and chill, stirring occasionally. Serve with corn chips.
Ingredients:6 green onions, chopped
1 ripe avocado, cubed
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small can green chiles
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions:
1. Combine all ingredients; let sit at least 1 hour for juices to combine.
2. Serve as a sauce for tacos, tostadas, steak or use as a dip with corn chips.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:1 small mango, peeled, pitted & diced
1 serrano or jalapeno chile, seeded & de-ribbed
juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup jicama, peeled & diced
1-1/2 tablespoons red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup honeydew, diced
1/2 cup cantaloupe, diced
2 tablespoons cucumber, peeled & diced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground
2 tablespoon sour cream
Instructions: Puree the mango in a blender or food processor along with the chile and lime juice. Place the diced vegetables and fruit in a mixing bowl. Add the puree. Mix thoroughly to combine. Mix in the cilantro, salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. Gently fold in the sour cream.
6 to 8 servings.
Ingredients:1 large Mango, peeled & cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1-1/2 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
1-1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 Jalapeno pepper, finely chopped, seeds & membranes discarded
Instructions: In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well. Let stand at room temperature a half hour before serving or refrigerate up to 24 hours. This does not hold up well and should be used quickly.
Nutrition Information: 32 calories; 0 g protein, 0 g fat, 8 g carbohydrates, 1 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol.
Ingredients:1 medium tomato, peeled and cut up
4 ounce can green chili peppers, rinsed and seeded
1 small onion, cut up
1 clove garlic
1 to 2 tablespoons snipped cilantro or parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
A dash of pepper
Instructions:
1. In blender container combine tomato, chili peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro or parsley, oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Cover and blend till nearly smooth.
3. Pour into small saucepan; bring to boiling.
4. Reduce heat; cook and stir over medium heat about 5 minutes or till slightly thickened.
Makes 1 cup of Green Chili Salsa
2 Servings.
Ingredients:4 dried ancho or pasilla chilies
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 medium tomatoes (1-1/2 pounds)
1 15-ounce can tomato puree
1 medium onion, cut up
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cooking oil
Instructions:
1. Cut chilies open.
2. Discard stems and seeds.
3. Cut chilies into small pieces with scissors or a knife.
4. Place in bowl; cover with boiling water.
5. Let stand 45 to 60 minutes.
6. Drain.
7. To peel tomatoes, dip them in boiling water for 30 seconds; plunge into cold water.
8. Slip skins off. Quarter tomatoes.
9. Place in blender container; cover and blend till nearly smooth.
10. Measure 2 cups of the blended tomatoes; return to blender container (or place canned tomato puree in blender container).
11. Add the drained chilies or chili powder or crushed red pepper.
12. Add onion, garlic, salt, and sugar; cover and blend till smooth.
13. In 1-1/2-quart saucepan combine tomato mixture and cooking oil.
14. Cook and stir over medium heat about 10 minutes or till sauce is slightly thickened.
Makes 2 cups of Red Salsa.
4 Servings.
Ingredients:2 cups diced unpeeled plum tomato
1 cup unpeeled green tomato
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped purple onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir well. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Use a slotted spoon to serve with corn tortilla wedges, poultry, or fish.
Makes 3 cups.
Approximately 6 calories per tablespoon
Ingredients:1/2 cup pineapple, diced
1/2 cup mango, diced
1/2 cup papaya, diced
1/2 cup onions, red, chopped
1/2 cup black beans, cooked
1 jalapeno, minced
Instructions: Mix all ingredients. Allow flavors to develop for at least 30 minutes.
Ingredients:1 cup strawberries
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled & chopped
2 kiwi fruit, peeled
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple jelly or all fruit jelly juice from 1 orange.
1 flour tortilla
Instructions: Chop all ingredients in food processor to desired consistency. Cut a flour tortilla into bite size pieces. Spray lightly with cooking oil. Dust with sugar/cinnamon mixture and toast in oven until lightly browned. Serve as a scooper with the Fruit Salsa.
Ingredients:2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup chopped red onions
1/4 avocado, cubed
1 green chili pepper, seeded & chopped
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley or cilantro
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons grated lime peel
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Combine tomatoes, onions, avocado, peppers, parsley (or cilantro), vinegar, lime peel, juice and cumin. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
6 servings.
Ingredients:1 cup chopped peeled pineapple
1 cup chopped peeled mango
1 cup chopped yellow or red bell pepper
2/3 cup chopped peeled kiwi fruit
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon minced Serrano chili (with seeds)
Ground white pepper
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Season with white pepper and salt. Can be made 3 hours ahead.
Makes about 4 cups.
Ingredients:4 to 6 medium tomatoes
2 to 3 white onions
1 can black olives
3 to 4 green chiles
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons oil
Instructions: Chop tomatoes, onions, olives and green chiles in very small pieces. Combine oil and vinegar, pour over tomato mixture. Serve with corn or taco chips. For best flavor, chill for several hours before serving.
Ingredients:1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 ripe papaya, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 ripe Avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon jalapeno peppers, drained
1 teaspoon ginger, crushed
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend. Serve with grilled fish or chicken. Also good with tortilla chips.
Ingredients:2 large cans tomatoes, chopped
3 small cans green chilies, chopped
2 small cans jalapeno peppers, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
6 to 10 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon salt
Instructions: Place all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Cool and refrigerate. Good as a dip for tortilla chips or over eggs, tacos, etc.
Ingredients:8 ounces tomato sauce
4 to 5 fresh (not canned) hot peppers (serrano, jalapeno, cayenne, or pequin)
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced bell pepper
1/4 cup diced tomato
garlic salt, to taste
In a blender, blend tomato sauce and peppers. The number of peppers used depends on how hot you would like your Chile salsa, so measure yourself. Sometimes peppers come a little weak in their hotness and sometimes they can be quite hot.
Add a small amount of water and add rest of ingredients except garlic salt. Blend until it looks course and thick. Add garlic salt (or regular salt) to taste. Pour blended sauce into small saucepan and heat over medium setting. Do not cook, just heat it until hot.
CHILIES PEPPER INFORMATION & USAGE TIPS
There are More than 140 varieties of chilies peppers are grown in Mexico alone. The types of chili pepper varieties listed below are most popular in the United States and are used in most Mexican cooking recipes.
DESCRIPTIONS
BELL PEPPERS: Bell peppers are probably the most familiar pepper in the United States, the green and red bell peppers are somewhat square and fist-size. Green peppers turn red in the fall, becoming sweeter and milder, yet retaining their crisp, firm texture.
ANCHO PEPPERS: This chili looks and tastes very much like ordinary bell pepper but can be considerably more peppery at times. Tapered rather than square, it is firmer, less crisp, more waxy-looking. It turns a bright red and sweetens up in the fall. When dry, it assumes a flat, round shape and wrinkles up like a prune.
CALIFORNIA GREEN CHILIES (ANAHEIM): Fresh California green (Anaheim) chilies peppers are 5 to 8 inches long, 1-1/2 to 2 inches wide, tapering to a point, usually a bright, shiny green. The flavor ranges from mild and sweet to moderate hot. To use fresh peppers, peel the skin from the chilies. When using fresh or canned, taste for hotness - they can vary greatly from pepper to pepper.
CHILACA CHILES: Chilaca Chiles look and taste much like the guajillo and guayon chiles.
CHILE DE ARBOL: Chile de Arbol, also known as the "Cola de Rata". Often dried, toasted, used to decorate Mexican dishes.
CHIPOTLE CHILES: Chipotle Chiles are made from jalapenos that have been dried and smoked. Sold both dried and canned in adobo, or a rich smoky dark reddids-brown sauce.
FRESNO CHILI PEPPERS: Fresno chili peppers are bright green, changing to orange and red when fully matured. Fresno chilies have a conical shape - about 2 inches long and 1 inch in diameter at the stem end. They are often just labeled "hot chili peppers" when canned or bottled.
GUAJILLO CHILES: Guajillo Chiles are smooth-skin, brick or cranberry red chiles, a bit spicier than anchos and not as sweet. Because of their tangy brightness, they are often powdered over fruit or vegetables or added to stews and soups.
JALAPENO CHILI PEPPERS: Jalapeno chili peppers have thicker flesh, darker green color, and more cylindrical shape than Fresno chilies; however, the heat level of the two varieties is about the same - HOT! Canned and bottled peppers are sometimes labeled "hot peppers" with jalapeno as a subtitle. They are always available in sauce form such as salsa and pickled.
MULATO CHILES: Mulato Chiles are deep brown, longer and more tapered than the ancho, more pungent also. Often replaces the ancho in recipes.
PASILLA PEPPERS: The true pasilla pepper is a long, thin pepper 7 to 12 inches long by 1 inch in diameter. Pasillas turn from dark green to dark brown as they mature.
PEQUIN CHILES: Pequin Chiles are tiny, dried red bullets of fiery heat, adding a unique flavor to many dishes. Crumble the dried pod and add.
PIMENTOS: Pimentos are heart-shaped chilies that are purchased canned in the United States. The flesh is softer and a little sweeter than the common red bell pepper.
POBLANO CHILES: Poblano Chiles are dark green, about the size of a bell pepper but tapered at one end, can be mild or hot. Often used in "Chile Rellenos".
SERRANO CHILES: Serrano Chiles are a small 1-1/2 inch fresh HOT pepper. The smaller they are, the more kick they have. Most often used in Pico de Gallo. Dynamite hot is an understatement for these tiny 1-inch peppers. When new on the vine, they are rich, waxy green, changing to orange and red as they mature. They also sold canned, pickled, or packed in oil. A great source of vitamin C.
SMALL, WHOLE RED DRIED HOT CHILI PEPPERS: Labeled this way on the supermarket spice shelves, many small tapered chiles about 1 to 2 inches long are sold dried, but there is no one variety name that applies to all of them.
YELLOW CHILE PEPPERS: Many short conical-shaped yellow peppers with a waxy sheen go by this name: Santa Fe grande, caribe, banana pepper, Hungarian, Armenian way, floral gem, and gold spike. Probably most familiar are the canned pickled wax peppers. Their flavor ranges from medium-hot to hot.
HABANERO PEPPERS: Habanero peppers, use extreme caution when handling. Marble-shaped chili peppers, ranges in color from unripe green to full ripe red.
RED SAVINA HABANERO: This cultivar of the habanero chile pepper has been produced to be hotter, heavier and slightly larger; Frank Garcia, GNS spices in California developed this beautiful deep red pepper.
NAGA JOLOKIA: Naga Jolokia is cultivated in India, it is presently the hottest chili in the world. You will find this pepper also called Bhut Jolokia, Ghost Pepper and Naga Morich in various states inside India.
ALWAYS Use Caution In Handling And Storing Chile Peppers
Capsaicin is the heat factor in chilies that is used medically to produce deep-heating rubs for treating sports injuries and arthritic therapies.
Capsaicin (Zostrix), a topical non-prescription cream, made from the seeds of hot chili peppers, is used to treat skin hypersensitivity resulting from "shingles" (Herpes Zoster). It is the only medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia. (Article originally published in the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, Nov. 1997)
When using fresh or dried chili peppers, wear gloves to protect your hands because the oils, capsaicin*, in the peppers can cause severe burns. Don't touch your face or eyes. If chilies do come in contact with your bare hands, wash thoroughly with soapy water. If burning persists, soak hands in a bowl of milk. When grinding dried chilies, beware of the chili dust in the air, which will irritate eyes and throats.
Drink milk, rinsing the mouth with it while swallowing, ice cream or yogurt. Eat rice or bread which will absorb the capsaicin. Drink tomato juice or eat a fresh lime or lemon (the acid will counter act the alkalinity of the capsaicin).
Do not drink water - capsaicin which is an oil will not mix with water but instead will distribute to more parts of the mouth.
To tap into the history of the spelling: the Oxford English dictionary writes the proper spelling is chilli (with two L's). Somewhere in history the Spanish people changed the spelling to "chile". Today, the generality lies in "chile" is mostly used in Mexico and "chili" is used in the USA, predominantly in California and Texas. Because American spice companies label their ground chili blends "chili", you will encounter that spelling in recipes using the purchased ground spice.
Perhaps the chief misconception about chili peppers is their red-hot reputation. Many are fiery hot, but many others are sweet, mild, or richly flavored. Their hotness is concentrated in the interior veins or ribs near the seed heart, not in the seeds as is commonly believed (the seeds taste extra hot because they are in close contact with the hot veins). If, when the pepper is cut open, the veins have a yellowish orange color in that area, it usually indicates the pepper will be a potent one.
That the burning sensation that makes chili peppers so appealing to culinary thrill-seekers comes from capsaicin or more accurately a collection of compounds called capsaicinoids. These develop in the placenta or cross-ribs of the fruit, which is why that part of the chili pepper is the hottest. A single dominant gene transmits capsaicinoids. Bell peppers are just like jalapeno peppers and Serrano peppers but bell peppers taste bland instead of pungent because they lack that gene.
Eating spicy food and/or chile peppers can become addictive. There are many people who don't enjoy tortilla chips unless they have salsa to eat with them, there are others that can never find a salsa HOT enough for their taste. Studies have shown that, yes, eating spicy food is addicting. What happens after eating something hot, is your body nerves feel pain. These pain signals are immediately transmitted to your brain. Your brain interprets this signal and automatically releases endorphins (the body's natural pain killer). The endorphins kick in and act as a pain killer and create this temporary feeling of euphoria. Hot and spicy food lovers soon begin to crave this feeling and are hooked!
In 1912, a pharmacist named Scoville came up with a heat index for measuring the "heat" in a chili product, or scoring capsaicinoid content. This index was called the Scoville Units and is still used today. A more modern version used by many chile writers is called "pthe Official Chile Pepper Heat Scale" with a rating of zero to ten. Bell peppers rate a zero because they contain no capsaicinoid. Jalapeno peppers are At a 5 rating. Serrano peppers are at a 6 rating. Cayenne and Tabasco peppers are at a 8 rating. Chalet pin and Thai hot peppers are at a 9 rating.
It is difficult to judge by just looking at a chili pepper however a good tip to keep in mind: the smaller the pepper, the hotter it will be. You will find numerous recipes instructing you to "seed" fresh chilies to reduce the heat aspect however, the heat is actually in the membranes surrounding the seeds. Here again, you are the cook, you decide on the heat level!
SCOVILLE UNITS TYPES OF PEPPERS
When you purchase dried, hard chipotle or other varieties of peppers at the fresh produce market and you need to reconstitute them to a useful texture, try cooking the dried peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove from burner and let stand for thirty minutes or until softened. Be aware of strong and irritating fumes while cooking. Do put your face over the cooking pot to smell the aroma of the peppers. Wear protective gloves when handling chile peppers. If you do handle them with your hands, avoid touching your face (especially the eyes). Wash hands thoroughly with hot water and soap after handling hot peppers of any kind.
Tie the stems onto a sturdy piece of twine, placing chilies close together and making the strand as long as you wish. Hang in dry area with the air circulating freely around the strand. In several weeks, chilies lose their brilliant hue, changing to a deep, glistening red; they will feel smooth and dry.
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