Chili Lime Fish Tacos

This is a dinner time favorite, healthy and packed with lots of flavor. 

Fish Filling
1 lb. tilapia filets
2 TBS. olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 lime juice
1 TBS. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

Slaw Topping
3 TBS. lime juice
2 green onions, chopped
2 TBS. cilantro, finely chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 c. cabbage, finely sliced
salt & pepper to taste

Assembly
Corn tortillas, fry in pan flipping once
Shredded cheese
Cilantro Lime Dressing
Avocado
Slaw

Homemade Tortillas

Speaking of tortillas...the whole thing got me wondering why on earth I haven't tried to make my own...So I did - and they were great.  Better fresh than the next day.  These are fun to try, but they are a lot of work.  My recommendation if you don't have time/energy to do this is to buy the ones from Tortillaland! :)

3.5 c. flour
5 tsp. baking powder
1.5 tsp. salt
1/3 c. canola oil
1 c. HOT water

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl until well combined.  In separate bowl, place 2 c. of flour mixture.  Add oil and mix well with hands until well combined.  Slowly add water and  enough flour until you reach achieve a ball of dough with no sticky parts remaining (this left me about 1/2 - 1 c. of flour to use for rolling out).  Place ball of dough on heavily floured surface.  Pinch ball into 1/3 c. portions and roll each ball out with rolling pin until it is EXTREMELY thin (1/16").  Place on hot griddle (or medium high frying pan - ungreased) and cook on each side until little bubbles appear (about 15 seconds on each side).  We served these with homemade fajitas. 

Hearty Southwestern Bean Chili

I think this could easily win the Chili Cook-Off contest this year.  It's hearty, bursting with flavor, and so easy to throw together.  Perfect way to start off a chilly autumn evening.  Also freezes lovely, so if you make this (approximately 8 servings), the average size family will have enough for 2 meals.

5 slices bacon, finely chopped
1 large sweet onions chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
6 garlic cloves, pressed
2 c. chicken broth
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 can tomato paste
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can corn (optional)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
4 cans black beans, drained but not rinsed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch cilantro
juice of 1/2 lime
cilantro sprigs, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheddar, for garnish

Directions:
Put the bacon into a large heavy pot and place it over medium heat. Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire, and chili powder. Stir in the beans, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the soup is bubbling gently and cook 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, pick off all the thick stems from the cilantro. Wash it and shake dry. Chop the cilantro coarsely and stir it into the soup when it has been simmering 10 minutes. cook until the soup is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Top with sour cream, cheddar and cilantro

Garden Fresh Veggie Enchiladas

We had the MOST amazing meal the other night.  One that our ENTIRE family could enjoy (one kid just didn't get the beans, and we added his own special cheese).  It was delicious.  I compiled it from a bunch of vegetarian enchilada recipes I had been eyeing, and it was To. Die. For.  Seriously one of the best meals I have had in a long time.  So healthy, so filling, and remarkably flavorful.   The only downside to this recipe is that it is a little time consuming.  It's much faster if you make the enchilada sauce a day ahead of time (I double the recipe and freeze some for later use).  It's also handy to have a food processor or chopper available since these babies are stocked with all the garden veggies you could dream of!

For the sauce:

1 tsp. canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. sugar
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
½-¾ cup water
Salt and pepper

For the filling:
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small sweet red pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
1/2 zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeded and chopped

1/2 summer squash, halved lengthwise, seeded and chopped

1 c. fresh spinach, chopped

4 small carrots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Enchilada sauce (above), divided
1 cup finely crumbled queso fresco
½ cup minced fresh cilantro
4 oz. can chopped green chiles
Salt and pepper

To Assemble:

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Lime wedges, for serving
sour cream, totally optional

Enchilada Sauce: 

To make the enchilada sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water, bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (I like to double the recipe and freeze it for future enchiladas.)

Enchiladas

Preheat the oven to 450˚ F. Transfer half of the black beans to a bowl and mash with a fork until almost completely smooth. Set aside. Add the oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion, carrots and peppers and cook until slightly softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the zucchini and squash and cook just until tender, 3-5 minutes more. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the mashed beans and remaining whole beans, along with the chopped spinach and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the veggie mixture to a large bowl and stir in ½ cup of the enchilada sauce, the queso fresco, cilantro and green chiles. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble, briefly microwave the tortillas until warm and pliable, about 30 seconds (I cover with a moistened paper towel). Place 1/3 cup of the filling mixture down the center of a tortilla. Tightly roll up the tortilla and place in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas. Pour 1 cup of the sauce over the enchiladas, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar over the top of the sauce and dot with a little extra crumbled queso fresco.  Bake uncovered about 15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Sprinkle with additional queso fresco and cilantro for garnish, if desired. Serve warm with lime wedges.

Pure Taco Heaven by Guest Chef Amanda

Pure Taco Heaven - straight from guest chef Amanda!

2-3 Chicken breasts

Taco seasoning pk.
Small Corn Tortillas
Mozzarella or Cheddar cheese

Toppings:
Mexican Rice (see recipe below)
Lettuce
Tomato
Salsa (see recipe below)
Crushed pineapple (**secret ingredient **gives taco a fresh new taste! It’s delicious!)
Green onions
Olives
Sour cream
Cilantro

Mamma Sue’s Mexican Rice
Slice Chicken breasts, and cook along with package of taco seasoning, (according to directions) in a non-stick sauce pan.

Heat soft corn tortilla in a bit of olive oil sprinkle with mozzarella or cheddar cheese and melt.

Add a scoop of Mexican rice (to tortilla with cheese) and then top with Chicken, lettuce, crushed pineapple*, tomato, favorite salsa, green onions, olives, and top with sour cream and Cilantro.

B. Mama Sue’s Mexican Rice
1 cup uncooked rice (white, Jasmine: if you use Brown Rice, add 1 more cup of water, cook for total of 45 min!)
1 T olive oil
4 oz. tomato sauce (I sometimes use spaghetti sauce! Ragu Traditional)
2 cups water
½ Finely chopped onion
1 or 2 Crushed garlic
Salt
Pepper

In a non-stick sauce pan, brown rice with olive oil on medium/ low heat. Add tomato sauce and water, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15-20 minutes, till nice and sticky!

C. Homemade Salsa-
Recipe from my good friend: Jodee Egbert
Ingredients:

SAUCE BASE ADD-INS:
1 (28-oz.) can Whole Tomatoes**
5-6 Diced Green Onions
1 Tablespoon Garlic Salt
1/3 c. Diced cilantro
3 teaspoons ground Cumin
1 – 1 ½ T. diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon ground Oregano
3-4 Roma Tomatoes Cubed
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne/red pepper
1 Tablespoon canned diced jalapeños
Dash sugar to taste

Instructions:
1. Open can of whole tomatoes and using lid, poor tomato juice in blender.

2. Add other ingredients from sauce base. (Do not add the ADD-INS yet.)

3. Blend ingredients from sauce base on low to medium for 10 to 20 seconds until well blended.

4. Add the ADD-INS and whole tomatoes left in the can to the sauce base in the blender and blend on low until tomatoes reach the consistency desired. Less time for chunky, more for saucy.
Caution: Do not over-blend the ADD-INS.
5. Let sit overnight for better flavor.

**You can also use fresh tomatoes for this recipe (about 6-8 fresh tomatoes)… just cut tomatoes and squeeze juices into blender!

Sweet Pork & Roasted Corn Green Enchiladas

*Yesterday's Winner from facebook comments: Laura Garn! Laura, email me your mailing info to heidisrecipes {at} hotmail {dot} com. Congrats!*

If you like Mexican food and potent flavor that will leave you drooling over the smell alone, this dish is for you. These enchiladas are sweet, spicy, and have an authentic Mexican flavor that is hard to find north of the border. With the aid of Tortillaland's fresh grilled corn tortillas, homegrown jalapenos, fresh-off-the grill corn, and some delicious Herdez salsa verde...this meal screams fresh and sassy and will not leave you disappointed.

These enchiladas are a mega-crowd pleaser. Make a family-size portion (1 8x8 pan) for dinner, and freeze the other family-size portion (another 8x8 pan) for another night. Or pack it all in one 9x13 pan to feed the masses.

one 3-4 lb. pork butt, prepared this way (or your favorite sweet & spicy pork recipe) - you'll have leftovers for tacos or salads, freeze or use for later in the week.
corn tortillas, cooked (I love Tortillaland)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cups salsa verde (we like Herdez)
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 C. sour cream
1 can chopped green chilies
1 jalapeno, de-veined (optional for less heat), seeds removed, chopped fine
2 ears roasted corn, cut off cob (or use frozen, thawed and drained)
2 green onions, chopped
guacamole for garnish
2 cups monterrey jack or Mexican blend cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix half of your shredded pork (reserve the rest for another meal), salt, pepper, corn, green chilies, jalapeno and green onions.  Add 1 cup of cheese and stir to mix.

In separate bowl, mix sour cream, salsa verde and chicken broth.  Pour half of sauce mixture in bottom of well-greased pan.

Take corn tortillas, fill them with 1/3 cup o f fillling.  Roll tortilla tightly, placing in pan with seam side down.  Fit as many tortillas as you can in the pan.  Cover with remaining sauce.  Top with cheese.  Cover with foil.

Bake for 20 minutes, uncover and bake 15 minutes more or until cheese begins to crisp and bubble.  Serve with guacamole.

9x13 pan - makes at least 20.

To freeze, place tin foil in 8x8 pan before adding any ingredients. Grease well. Continue as directed above, do not top with shredded cheese. Remove from oven. Let cool in pan 20 minutes. Remove foil and let cool 20 more minutes. Cover completely with another layer of foil. Place in gallon sized freezer bag. Place in fridge to cool overnight. Place in freezer. Store up to 3 months. To re-heat - thaw overnight in fridge, or stick in oven for an extra 20 minutes or until heated through.

Fool Proof Messy Enchiladas

Give these enchiladas a chance.  They are not pretty, because they are served casserole style.  BUT, they are tasty - and that is what this blog is all about.   These are mild, flavorful, and you can add a kick to them by a little extra dash of cayenne and hot chili powder, if you're in the mood.

This is a regular meal at our house - it's easy to throw together (especially if you have cooked chicken on hand - thank you Costco rotisserie).  It's bursting with flavor.  It's not too spicy (unless you add the optional cayenne), but still leaves a little tingle on your taste bud that makes you feel the urge to shout "Arriba"!

Oh, and let me let you in on a little secret.  Every time I make this meal - I make enough to freeze one for later.  You can either feed the masses and makes (1) 9x 13 pan, or you can stretch it and make (2) 8x8 pans - saving one for a busy night.  I line one of my 8x8 pans with heavy foil and just make half the recipe in one and half in the other.  Simple! Fast! Delicious!

10-15 corn tortillas (I love the ones from Tortillaland), cut in half
20 oz. red enchilada sauce (2 cans)
1 can diced green chilies
1 can petite diced tomatoes (drained - liquid reserved to equal about 1 cup - add water if necessary)
4 c. cooked chicken, shredded or cubed 
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional for spice)
1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional for spice)
1 TBS. fresh cilantro, chopped (or 1 tsp. coriander powder)
1 c. finely chopped onion
2 c. cheese, shredded (divided) - I like monterrey jack and cheddar, but use your favorite!
salt & pepper to taste
sour cream & avocado for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. 

Mix chicken, drained tomatoes, green chilies, 1 cup cheese, chopped cilantro, and chopped onions - add salt & pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Bring reserved liquid drained from tomatoes (should equal about 1 cup, or add a little water to reach 1 cup), along with 2 cans of enchilada sauce to boiling point (if you like it spicy, cayenned and crushed red pepper as listed above).

Pour half of your boiled enchilada sauce mixture into bottom of greased or well-lined 8x8 pan.  On top, place enough of your halved tortillas (flat edges out, see below).

Add chicken mixture (see below). 

Cover with remaining halved tortillas. Pour remaining sauce on top of tortillas. Cover with remaining 1 c. cheese. Cover with tin foil. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes, or until cheese bubbles (I like to broil it for the last 2 minutes to make the cheese bubble a little). Serve w/ sour cream and avocado for garnish.

When you're done, just cut "casserole style", scoop and serve!

If you haven't already, enter the giveaway NOW and you could have some fresh Tortillaland tortillas shipped directly to your front door!

Mexi-Chip Chicken

My cousin told me this chicken tasted like chips and salsa as a main dish.  It was an easy, non-fried version (ok, well, fried if you count the fried tortilla chips, but I didn't fry those...) of chicken with a twist.  I really liked the garnish on these.  Sometime I can skip it, but the cilantro and guacamole completed this for me.

3 Tbsp. lime juice
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. honey
4 chicken breasts, halved
1 c. finely crushed tortilla chips
1 bottle of your favorite chunky salsa
1 c. shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Guacamole
Sour cream
Fresh cilantro

Combine lime juice, honey, and oil. Dip chicken in lime juice mixture then coat with crushed chips. Place in ungreased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until juices run clear. Spoon a tablespoon or two of salsa over each chicken piece and sprinkle with Cheese, bake for 20 more minutes or until the cheese melts.

Serve with guacamole and sour cream and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Easy Dinner Nachos

These are plain old nachos that we have at least once a month when we need a quick meal.  They are great and we like to serve them with Burnt Mexican Salsa!  Takes no more than 10 minutes to throw together and have on the table!

Your Favorite Tortilla Strips
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 can white kernel corn, drained
1/2 can diced tomatoes, drained well
shredded rotisserie chicken (if desired, we eat them without meat all the time)
1-2 cups Colby or Monterrey Jack cheese

Turn broiler on high.  Place chips on foil covered cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with beans, corn, chicken and tomatoes.  Cover with cheese.  Broil for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Dip in salsa and enjoy!

Tomatillo & Chicken Tacos

These are a new staple in our house.  A fresh, green spin on a quick dinner night.  We love corn tortillas at our house, but you could easily make these with flour.

(pardon the bite marks, I could not wait)

olive oil, plus more for brushing onto tortillas
1 medium zucchini, finely chopped
4 green onions, chopped
pulled rotisserie chicken breasts, shredded
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup salsa verde (green salsa)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 TBS. lime juice
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
10 corn tortillas (pan-fried until pliable)

Place zucchini in large frying pan with olive oil cook 3-4 minutes or until softened.  add onions, saute 1-2 minutes on medium heat.  Add chicken, cilantro, salsa and spices - saute until warmed through.  Pile high into tacos, top with cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa de repollo.

Salsa de Repollo

Salsa de Repollo literally translates to mean Cabbage Sauce.  That's enough to turn me away.  I'm not a huge fan of cabbage, but I can tell you that I LOVE this.  It is cool and crisp, and adds a nice, fresh crunch on tacos, burritos, pupusas, and salads.  Make it ahead of time and let it marinate in fridge for at least 30 minutes.  Serve with all your favorite Mexican dishes, or atop a dinner salad.

In large tupperware, add all ingredients below.  Top with lid, and set in fridge for at least 30 minutes.  Keeps for up to a week in the fridge.

1 small cucumber, finely shredded
1/2 head green cabbage, finely shredded
3 TBS. vinegar
1 TBS. lime juice
1 can green chiles (optional...use to taste)
1/2 tsp. ground oregano
1-2 tsp. salt

Chicken Pasole by Guest Chef Brook

I made this recipe from about 15 other recipes I read online. I just geared it to ease and my family’s taste. I am not claiming this is an authentic posole. As for hominy you should be able to find it canned at any local grocery store in the canned veggie aisle. If you prefer to use dried then follow the bag’s soaking and cooking directions and then add to soup as directed in instructions. If you don’t like hominy just use a can of white corn. It will change the flavor but to me it’s all about the red sauce. As for the chiles, I get my dried guajillo chiles from Aldi. This soup can be as spicy or mild as you want depending on what type of chile you use. It would be worth it to go to a Hispanic grocery store and get the chiles and hominy if you can’t find them at your local grocery store. This is so good and very worth the effort. It actually doesn’t take much time or prep to make this really delicious soup. My super picky toddler LOVES this soup (minus the hominy and chicken). This recipe feeds 2 to 3 people.

Ingredients:
2 cooked chicken breasts (cubed or shredded)
32 oz chicken broth
1 15.5 oz cans of hominy, rinsed (or 16 oz bag of dried hominy soaked and cooked)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1 teaspoon cumin

Red Sauce Ingredients:
1/4 large onion, chopped in large pieces
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 dried chiles (either New Mexico red chiles or ancho chiles, which are mild. For more heat use 2 guajillo chiles, which is what I use. Supposedly they are spicier but I didn’t find them spicy at all.)

Red sauce:
Wearing protective gloves (I don’t do this I just wash really well after I touch them and I don’t touch them once they’ve been soaked), discard stems from chiles. In a dish that the chiles can lay flat in, combine chiles with boiling-hot water. Soak chiles in 1 1/2 cups boiling water for 30 minutes, turning them after 15 minutes. Puree onion, chiles and soaking liquid, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1 teaspoons salt in a blender until smooth. (Don’t take a big whiff of it at this point because it’s potent!)
 You can use this red sauce for enchiladas also.

In a large soup pot add the chicken stock, canned or cooked dried hominy, cooked chicken, cumin, and oregano. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to gently simmer for 15 minutes. Then add red sauce to mixture 1/2 cup at a time until taste is to liking (I use all the red sauce). Simmer for 15 more minutes stirring occasionally.
 Garnish individual bowls.

Garnishes are where the soup really gets GREAT! Pick and choose from cabbage, radish slices, chopped cilantro, lemon or lime wedges, and fried corn tortilla strips (or you can use tortilla chips). I always use cilantro, lots of fresh lime juice (the more lime the better) and fried corn tortilla strips.

Fried corn tortilla strips - Stack about 4 or 5 tortillas and cut in half then half the other direction so you have triangles. Then cut strips from the triangles and fry in a pan with hot oil.

Vegetarian Burritos

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup water
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
12 (10 inch) whole or multi-grain tortillas, warmed
8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese, reduced fat

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350F.
2.Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion, mushroom and garlic until soft. Stir in beans, and mash well.  Add tomatoes. Gradually stir in water, and heat until warm. Remove from heat, and stir in the chili powder, cumin, mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.
3.Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the warm flour tortillas and top with chopped spinach. Fold up tortillas burrito style, top with cheese, and place on a baking sheet.
4.Bake for 12-15 minutes in the preheated oven, and serve.

Kristin's Chicken Enchiladas

So easy, and so good. How could anything with cream not be good?

4 chicken breasts (cooked and diced)
16 cz. jar of salsa (I used medium heat spicy red pepper salsa)
2 cups of cheddar cheese
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
8 large tortillas

Combine chicken, salsa and 1 cup of cheese in bowl.
*Pour small amount of heavy whipping cream on large plate. Wet one side of tortilla in the cream on the plate then put a few heaping spoonfuls of the stuffing in the middle of the tortilla. Roll up tortilla and place in a greased 9x13 casserole dish.
Pour remaining whip cream on Enchiladas and make sure all of tortillas are moist.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
Cook 20 mins. @ 350 degrees. Broil last 30-40 secs. *after you put a tortilla into the casserole dish, put more cream on the plate. Enough to wet the one side of the next tortilla

Honey Lime Enchiladas

Found this on Hint of Honey - it was delightful! I modified it to our family's liking.Ingredients:
5 Tbsp. honey (or less, if you don't want it too sweet)

5 Tbsp. lime juice

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. chili powder

10 whole wheat flour tortillas (my husband thinks he'd like these better with corn tortillas, so we'll try that next time.

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

12 oz. Marble Cheddar cheese, shredded

16 oz. salsa verde or green enchilada sauce

1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the honey, lime juice, garlic powder, and chili powder in a small bowl. Add the shredded chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour.

2. Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Fill tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese (saving enough cheese to sprinkle on top) and roll tightly. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.

3. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for 20-30 minutes, until brown and crispy on top.

Serve with brown rice, black beans, and sour cream. Serves 6 + leftovers.

Cafe Rio Pork - Another Version

*FYI - These have a bit more spice/kick to them than the authentic cafe rio pork.

3-4 lb. pork roast (I used the Boston Boneless Shoulder Blade)
1 20 oz. bottle Dr. Pepper
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
7 oz. can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp prepared mustard
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Place roast in crock-pot, cover half-way with water and cook on low for 8 hours.

I started mine at noon, shredded the pork and removed the fat around 8:30 p.m.

Mix remaining ingredients until sugar dissolves. I didn’t keep the actual chilies, I dumped the can into a bowl and added enough Dr. Pepper to get all the sauce off of the chilies - use all the sauce you can, but throw out the chilies. Pour the sauce over the shredded pork and stick in the fridge to marinate overnight.

In the morning, cook for 2-4 more hours on low. Serve with tacos or on salad. Great with tomatillo dressing - I'll post that recipe later.

Creamy Bean Soup & Taquito Dippers by Guest Chef Amy

Start to finish: 30 minutes 4 servings

1 can (16 oz) refried beans
1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup (from 14 oz can) unsweetened coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
1 package (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix
6 sticks (0.75 oz each) sharp cheddar or chipotle cheddar cheese
1 pkg (10.5 oz) of 12 flour tortillas for tacos & fajitas
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 medium green onions, sliced

Heat oven to 450. Line cookie sheet with foil. In 2-quart saucepan, stir beans, tomatoes, broth, coconut milk, chiles and taco mix; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut each cheese stick in half lengthwise to make 2 thin sticks. Place 1 cheese stick on one edge of each tortilla; roll tortilla tightly around cheese. Brush edges of tortillas with water to seal. Place taquitos, seam sides down, on cookies sheet. Brush each lightly with oil. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until edges of tortillas are golden brown and cheese is melted. Pour soup into serving bowls; garnish with cilantro or onions. Serve with taquitos for dipping.
**Amy’s notes:
--You can find unsweetened coconut milk in the oriental section of the grocery.
--Instead of prepackaged sticks of cheese, I just bought an 8 oz block and cut into thin strips.
--I had Azteca brand tortillas and Kroger brand tortillas. The Azteca sealed well with water. The Kroger brand wouldn’t stick and I had to secure with a toothpick for heating.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas by Guest Chef Summer

3+ large skinless/boneless chicken breasts
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cube butter
1, 8oz pkg cream cheese
1 small can green chilis
flour tortillas
1 pint whip cream
1 cup monterey jack cheese

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Boil chicken and cut up 2-3 chicken breasts. (Can do this the day before and refrigerate). Saute onion in butter. Add 1 pkg cream cheese and 1 small can green chilis. After cream cheese melts, mix in chicken. Drop chicken/cheese mix in flour tortillas. Put in 13x9 pan. Pour pint of whipping cream on top. Add 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.Great to top off with the black bean salsa dip!

Smoked Turkey Chimichangas by Guest Chef Jamie

1 lb. turkey from deli, chopped
1/2 T. chili powder
2 C. shredded slaw cabbage
1/2 chipolte in adobo sauce
1 C. tomato sauce
3 scallions chopped
salt and pepper
6 tortillas
1 1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese or pepper jack
2 T. vegetable oil
1 C. sour cream
2 T. cilantro
1 tomato finely chopped

Place turkey in a bowl and season with chili powder. Add cabbage, chipolte, tomato sauce, scallions. Toss filling and season with salt and pepper.
Place cheese near top of tortilla dn add 1/6 filling. Roll. Brush with vegetable oil and bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes. Top with sour cream, parsley/cilantro and tomato. Fast, easy and delicious!!

A Great Cinco de Mayo Taco Salad

My friend April gave me a tip on how to make non-fried taco salad bowls, and they were great! I decided to serve them for our Cinco de Mayo celebration! This salad is awesome. Don't forget to serve it with Jumex Guava Nectar (available in the Mexican food section).

Ingredients
Salad Filling:
Refried Beans (1 can)
4 chicken breasts
3 carrots, chopped and diced
1 small zucchini, chopped and diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped and diced
1/2 packet taco seasoning
1/2 c. medium salsa


Tortillas:
4 tortillas
vegetable oil or non-stick cooking spray
chili powder (to taste)


Salad Toppings:
finely chopped iceberg lettuce
2 tomatoes, diced
fresh guacamole
sour cream
1/2 c. fresh shredded cotija cheese (Mexican parmesan)


Salsa de Repollo (this is a must! make ahead of time and let it marinate in fridge for a while):
In large tupperware, add all ingredients below and let sit to take in flavors.

1 small cucumber, finely shredded
1/2 head green cabbage, finely shredded
3 TBS. vinegar
1 TBS. lime juice
1 can green chiles (optional...use to taste)
1/2 tsp. ground oregano
1-2 tsp. salt

Directions:

Add carrots and peppers to frying pan, turn on medium-high and cook until semi-tender, add a little water if needed. Cut up chicken, add to carrots and peppers, add salsa and taco seasoning. Cook until chicken is almost done. Add zucchini. Stir all together and cook until chicken and zucchini are done.

Preheat oven to 425. Spray each side of tortilla with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle to desired amount with chili powder. Make a fist-sized ball of tin foil for each tortilla. Place each tortilla so it makes a dome over the tin foil ball. Bake for about 8 minutes or until crispy and lightly browned.

Add a layer of refried beans, chicken mixture, the salad toppings and salsa de repollo. Serve fresh! mmmmmmm.