Mexican cooking

[Arrianna]

missteetheironchef May 5, 2006, 3:00pm »
YUMMY! How about this one? Honoring Cinco de Mayo:

Taco Soup from Paula Deen

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Yield: 12 to 16 servings

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

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

If you have any Mexican Recipes honoring Cinco de Mayo, post them here!

-Misstee

[Arrianna]

missteetheironchef May 11, 2006, 1:07pm »
Muffelleta Rellenos

from the Hormel website

Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 CHI-CHI'S® Restaurante Seasoning Mix (.78-ounce) package
- 1 CHI-CHI'S® Diced Green Chilies (4.25-ounce) jar drained
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 (4-ounce) can sliced ripe olives drained
- 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup CHI-CHI'S® Salsa
- 2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder


Servings: 6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. In skillet, brown ground beef; drain. Add 1/2 cup water and seasoning mix. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add green chilies, celery, olives, bell pepper, and salsa. Spread in 12x8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Beat together remaining ingredients; spoon over cheese. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

Nutrition (per serving)
571 Calories
46 Grams Fat
29 Grams Protein
241 Milligrams Cholesterol
10 Grams Carbohydrates
1,218 Milligrams Sodium

[Arrianna]

missteetheironchef Jul 3, 2006, 10:24am »
Deep Dish Taco Squares

2 C Bisquick mix
1-pound ground beef
2 Tbl chopped onion
8 ounces sour cream
1/3 C mayonnaise
1/2 C cold water
1 chopped green pepper
8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 C shredded cheese

Combine mix and water to make crust, stirring until blended. Press
into greased 12 x 8 x 2 inch baking dish. Bake at 375F for 9 minutes.
Brown beef, green pepper and onion together until the meat is browned,
then drain off fat. Stir in tomato sauce; spoon over crust. Combine
sour cream, cheese and mayonnaise. Spoon over meat mixture. Sprinkle
with paprika. Bake uncovered for another 25 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

[Arrianna]

missteetheironchef Jul 15, 2006, 10:52am »
Appetizer: Salsa Pizza

1 8-oz. package crescent rolls
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
One third cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. lime juice
2 serrano chiles, seeded and chopped
One quarter cup Mexican beer
Dash of sugar

Spread out crescent rolls evenly onto lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Meanwhile, combine cream cheese, cilantro and garlic in a bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, lime juice, chiles, beer and sugar and mix well. Spread cream cheese mixture over rolls and top with tomato mixture. Slice and serve. If you prefer you may use homemade pizza crust or pre-made store bought pizza crust instead of crescent rolls.

The Skinny: Use light cream cheese.

[Arrianna]

missteetheironchef Oct 16, 2006, 2:03pm »
Mexican Chicken Fricassee (Stew)

Serves 4.

4 bone-in chicken breasts
2 Tbl olive oil
1 Tbl butter
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 large onion cut into chunks
1 red bell pepper cut into chunks
1 Tbl chopped garlic (Roasted if you can get it. Jar garlic is fine.)
5 medium red potatoes cut into approximately 1-inch chunks
1-1/2 cups of salsa (preferably fresh; mild or medium)
1 cup water
1-1/2 cups of dry white wine (If you don't cook with wine, substitute chicken broth for the wine.)
1 cup sour cream (low-fat is fine)
1/2 cup French onion dip
2 Tbl chopped fresh parsley (optional)

In a LARGE skillet, brown the chicken breasts skin-side down in the oil and butter. (You use oil and butter in combination because the oil keeps the butter from browning too fast and burning.) You want the breasts a nice golden brown. Include the sliced mushrooms. This should take about 4 to 5 minutes on Medium High.

Turn the breasts over. Add the onions, red pepper, garlic, potatoes, salsa, water, and wine.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Turn down to Medium and simmer for 40 minutes. At the halfway mark, stir the mixture to make sure the potatoes are boiling in the sauce so they get fully cooked.

Before serving, stir the sour cream and French onion dip together in a bowl. Serve your stew (fricassee) in large bowls or on plates and top with a dollop of the dip mixture. Garnish with parsley (optional) if you want more color.

If you want to serve this dish to larger groups, just brown the chicken in saute pans and then transfer all ingredients to 9x13-inch casseroles or large lasagna pans. You'll roast the dishes in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes on 375 degrees.

[Arrianna]

missteetheironchef Oct 25, 2006, 4:28pm »
Super Nachos

1 large bag of tortilla chips
1 pound lean ground beef
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 15-oz. can refried beans
1 15-oz. can black olives, sliced
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 15-oz. can black beans
1 8-oz. jar pickled jalapeno pepper slices
One half head of lettuce shredded
2 fresh tomatoes chopped
1 onion chopped
8 oz. sour cream
Fresh Guacamole (recipe follows)

Brown lean ground beef in pan. Add taco seasoning and water per directions on taco seasoning mix. Cover and cook according to directions. Push taco meat to one side of pan. Add refried beans other side of pan and spread out over the bottom of the pan opposite the taco meat. Cover pan and warm on low heat until refried beans are warm. Cover very large casserole dish with layer of tortilla chips. Place a few spoonfuls of taco meat and refried beans over chips. Add one quarter of each cup of cheese over meat and beans.

Sprinkle on a few black olive and jalapeno pepper slices and black beans. Add more chips and repeat process two or three more times with cheese as last ingredient reserving some of the black beans, olives and jalapeno pepper slices to sprinkle on the top of the nachos. Place casserole dish in 300 degree oven and heat until cheese melts throughout. Remove from oven and add shredded lettuce, tomatoes, onions and remaining black beans, olives and jalapeno pickle slices. Add a few scoops of sour cream and Fresh Guacamole and serve.

Fresh Guacamole

2 ripe avocados
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 small sweet onion chopped
One quarter cup chopped parsley or cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced

Peel avocados and remove pits, reserving one pit. Mash avocado meat in bowl. Add lime juice and mix. Add remaining ingredients, mix well, add avocado pit then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using. Adding the avocado pit helps to prevent the Guacamole from turning brown.

The Skinny: Use low fat cheese, low fat tortilla chips, the leanest ground beef you can find and low fat sour cream.

[Arrianna]

missteetheironchef Nov 7, 2006, 9:55am »
Southwestern Pork Burritos

Serves 6

For meat filling

Two pounds of boneless pork roast (If you don't eat pork feel free to make these with 2 pounds of cooked chicken breast meat).
Three oz dried Guajillo chilies. Also called New Mexico chiles. Stems cut off, seeds removed.
Four tsp. of jar garlic grated or pureed
One Tbl of garlic powder
Three cups of water
One tsp of salt.

For Burritos

Six - 12" flour tortillas
Two small avocadoes diced
Two small tomatoes diced and divided
Two cups of grated cheddar cheese
one can 15 oz of vegetarian re-fried beans
2 cups of canned or frozen (thawed) corn
Three slices of a large onion diced
butter spray or three Tbl of melted butter

Preheat the oven at 375 degrees. Slice the pork roast into one inch wide slices. Then cut the slices into large cubes. 6 cubes per slice. Put all sliced meat in a 9 X 13 oven proof pan. Roast for 30 minutes.

While the meat is roasting. Put the chilies in a large sauce pan with enough water to cover them. Boil on medium for 30 minutes. Then strain. The fumes will make you sneeze or cough if you get too close so beware. Nothing dangerous; just authentic!

Take your blender and add the strained chilies, the garlic and powder, water and salt. Puree until smooth. You'll have a beautiful red sauce. Take the roast out of the oven and pour the sauce on top. Stir meat so it gets sauce on all sides. Continue roasting the meat another hour.

When the roast is done, take the pieces of meat out of the sauce and cut them into smaller bits; or shred them; your choice. DO NOT throw away that wonderful sauce! When you have the meat cut up take a drizzle of the sauce and put it on the meat and stir so all of the meat gets a good dose of sauce.

Now prepare to assemble your burritos. The flour tortillas should be heated in your microwave to soften them up. Put your oven on Broil.

Heat your vegetarian beans so they are hot. I put a little water in the pan to make that go faster. The beans are a bit runnier but that's fine with me.

Take the warm tortillas and lay them out on an assembly board. First smear a heaping tablespoon (or two) of beans on the inside of the tortilla. Then place about three quarters of a cup of meat inside the tortilla middle. Add one sixth of the onions, one sixth of the corn, a sprinkle of tomatoes (save some tomato pieces for garnish) and one sixth of the grated cheese.

Now you are going to roll it burrito-style. The tortilla is round but you are endeavoring to make an oblong shape that is closed on each side. I take two ends and fold them toward the middle. Then I start rolling from one side while still tucking in my two ends until I have the burrito fully rolled. Place it on the seam to hold it closed. Do the same assembly with each burrito and place them on an oven proof cookie sheet.

Spray the tops of all burritos (or brush on butter) and put them under your broiler until the tops get a nice crunchy brown. This is what makes a burrito taste extra-authentic to me. I love the crunchy top so it's worth the extra step.

The final touch is to pile the avocado bits on top of the burritos with a few tomato pieces. AND remember that fabulous sauce sitting in the pan from the meat? You can drizzle that around the burritos when you plate them! Extra jazz for your meal.

Serve with a side salad or chips and salsa. Makes a great informal dinner or a fun weekend lunch. You can also make mini-versions of these with smaller tortillas shells and put then on a buffet. They are even tasty at room temperature.

[Arrianna]

missteetheironchef Nov 9, 2006, 11:11am »
Salmon Quesadillas
8 oz. smoked salmon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried dill
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 flour tortillas
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
1 Tbsp. oil

Saute salmon, garlic dill and pepper in olive oil. Spread mixture over 1/2 of each flour tortilla and sprinkle with cheese. Fold tortillas over and return to skillet to brown on both sides and to melt cheese. Slice into quarters and serve with salsa.

The Skinny: Use low fat cheese and fat free non-stick spray in place of the oil.

[Arrianna]

missteetheironchef Nov 11, 2006, 2:25pm »
www.arcamax.com/pic/18485/509907

[Arrianna]

missteetheironchef Nov 18, 2006, 9:41am »
www.arcamax.com/pic/18758/527932

[Arrianna]

missteetheironchef Nov 28, 2006, 12:11pm »
Picadillo
By EatingWell.com

Yield: 4 servings, 1 cup each
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ease of preparation: Easy

Picadillo, which means "small bits and pieces," is a sweet-and-savory spiced ground- meat mixture from Latin America. Serve with warm corn or whole-wheat flour tortillas.

2 eggs (optional)
1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey breast
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped scallions, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped pitted green olives
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. If using eggs, place in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil; simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes. Drain; let cool; peel and slice.

2. Meanwhile, cook meat in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling it with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a colander; drain off fat.

3. Add oil to the skillet. Add onion, 1/4 cup scallions and garlic; cook over medium heat, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add raisins, olives, tomato paste, water and the browned meat; stir to blend. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Season with pepper. Garnish with the remaining scallions and the hard-cooked eggs, if desired.

Nutrition Information

Per serving (with beef): 313 calories; 13 g fat (3 g sat, 7 g mono); 70 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrate; 26 g protein; 4 g fiber; 558 mg sodium. Nutrition bonus: Iron (25% daily value), Vitamin A (20% dv), Vitamin C (15% dv). Per serving (with turkey): 277 calories; 9 g fat (0 g sat, 5 g mono); 45 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrate; 30 g protein; 4 g fiber; 548 mg sodium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (20% daily value), Iron (15% dv), Vitamin C (15% dv).
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1 other carbohydrate 1 vegetable 4 lean meat

[missteetheironchef]

Chicken-poblano enchiladas

Serves 3 - 4

2 full chicken breasts (4 halves) roasted and shredded (See Note Below)
1/2 half diced red bell pepper
2 poblano peppers roasted (See Note)
2 cups Chihuahua cheese (Mexican white cheese) or you can use mozzarella or another white cheese
2 cups fresh baby spinach
12 soft enchilada shells (I use the flour shells. You could use corn)
6 oz. red enchilada sauce (in a can)
6 oz. green enchilada sauce (in a can)
1 cup diced fresh tomato
sour cream optional

Note: You can buy roasted chicken or you can roast your own. I take the extra step to roast my own because I am roasting the poblanos at the same time.

In an ovenproof pan, 9 X 13, put in your chicken breasts. Spray with olive oil or canola oil. Cut the stem ends off of the poblanos and place them in the pan with the chicken. Roast the two of them, uncovered, at 350 degrees for an hour. Both will be done.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle shred it. I just hold the chicken down on a cutting board with a fork and use a second fork to pull shreds of chicken off. You can shred all of the breasts this way. Put them in a medium bowl with the diced red pepper. When the poblanos are cool enough to handle you are going to cut them into very narrow strips. Don't worry about taking out the seeds. These are mild, smoky-tasting peppers, not hot. Put the sliced poblanos in the bowl. Now add the cheese and mix the whole batch until it is fully blended.

Now you're ready to assemble.

Put an enchilada tortillas on the counter. Spread one-twelfth of the spinach in the middle. It's a small portion. Maybe 12 leaves. Then take one-twelfth of the chicken mixture and put that in the middle. Now, roll up the enchilada. Place in a 9 X 13 pan. Do the same with the rest of the tortillas and filling. Pour one can of the enchilada sauce over 6 of the enchiladas and the other can over the other 6. This way you have two flavors to choose from when you serve.

Put the dish, uncovered, in your oven on 350 for 30 minutes until it is completely heated through.

Now you are ready to serve.

Each person gets 3 - 4 enchiladas. When they are all plated, sprinkle on the diced fresh tomato. A little on each plate over the enchiladas. Now for a dollop of sour cream on each batch.

Serve with chips and salsa. Maybe even re-fried beans, hot pinto beans, or Mexican corn heated from the can. Easy meal.

[allezcuisine]

Great recipe, Misstee.

[missteetheironchef]

Vegetarian Chili With Nacho Crisps

Looking for a satisfying meal? This chili creation is loaded with fiber- and protein-rich beans, so it will hit the spot — and keep hunger at bay!

Phase 2

Makes 4 servings

Description

This fiber-rich chili is brimming with beans and veggies. It's spicy enough to please grown-up palates, but it's mild enough for kids, making it the perfect family meal.

Tip: Use the shredding disc on your food processor to make quick work of chopping, but be careful not to over-chop. If you do, the mixture releases too much liquid. Add the veggies in the order in which they appear — the onions go in last.

Ingredients
2 medium carrots, scrubbed
2 stalks celery, trimmed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large can (1 pound 13 ounces) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) chili-seasoned diced tomatoes
1 reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and black pepper
4 whole-wheat tortillas
4 tablespoons reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In food processor fitted with shredding disc, drop carrots, celery, garlic, and onion pieces down feed tube. Let vegetables process only until chopped.

2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-heat. Add chopped vegetables; cook 4 minutes, stirring. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a simmer and cook 8 minutes, covered, but stirring occasionally.

3. Meanwhile, lay tortillas on baking sheet. Cut in wide strips. Sprinkle strips with cheese. Bake 7 minutes, until crisp. 4. Ladle chili into serving bowls; top with nacho strips.

Nutritional Information:
441 calories
21 g protein
70 g carbohydrate
16 g fiber
9 g total fat (2 g saturated fat)
4 mg cholesterol
1085 mg sodium

[aiidealjimai]

Some cooking methods used in Mexico may be familiar to you already, but there are a few with which you may be less familiar. You have probably fried, boiled, and grilled lots of meals, but have you ever tried a steaming bucket? Do you know what a molcajete is?