Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15 ounces) can of diced tomatoes
1-28 oz can of Fire Roasted Red Pepper strips
1 cup of corn
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 corn tortillas, cut into strips
Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno peppers and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add broth, tomatoes, red peppers chili powder, and cumin. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Toss the tortilla strips with 1 tablespoon oil and place on a sheet pan. Toast the strips in a 425-degree F oven until crispy, about 10 minutes.
Add chicken. Remove from heat. Add cheese and tortilla strips. Stir well. Return the pot to medium heat and cook until hot, 1 to 2 minutes.
For 2 servings
Avocado Salsa
¼ of red onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 Hass avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
Shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chipotle or blended chili powder
2 tablespoons jarred salsa
1/2 pound larg3 shrimp (about 8) peeled and deveined
4 -6-inch tortillas, heated
1 lime, cut into wedges
Shredded lettuce
Chipotle Lime Sour Cream
¼ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon lime juice
14 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
Directions
Combine the salsa ingredients in a medium-serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
Mix the sour cream sauce ingredients together and refrigerate until serving.
Season the shrimp with chipotle powder and salsa. Cook in the oil in a medium skillet just until pink.
Serve in heated tortillas of your choice. With the Avocado Salsa, cheese, and shredded lettuce.
Enchilada Sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
4 oz container chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons Instant flour
2 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce or finely chopped tomatoes (low sodium)
1 teaspoon agave syrup or honey
Enchilada Filling
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 lbs lean ground beef (sirloin or round)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup corn
1 cup jarred salsa
8 flour tortillas (8-inch)
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
For the sauce:
Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a medium saucepan. Whisk until smooth.
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes
For the filling:
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, another minute. Add the ground beef and salt. Turn the heat to medium-high, break the beef up, and cook until all pink is gone from the meat. Stir in the corn and salsa and cook until all liquid has evaporated for about 15 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool slightly. Stir in 1 cup of enchilada sauce into the beef mixture.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil a 9 ×13-inch glass baking dish.
To make the enchiladas:
Place the tortillas on kitchen towels or wax paper.
Spoon 2 cups of sauce into the prepared baking dish and spread it out on the bottom. Divide the filling evenly among the 8 tortillas. Roll up each tortilla tightly and place seam-side-down into the baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over all and sprinkle with cheese. Spray one side of a sheet of foil large enough to cover the baking den with cooking spray. Place the sprayed side down over the casserole.
Place enchiladas into the oven and bake15 minutes. Remove the foil and return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 18 more minutes until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is bubbling.
Remove the dish from the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Hot Dog Cornbread Casserole
4 servings
Ingredients
Casserole
2 cups leftover Creamy Southern Succotash (recipe)
6 organic all-beef hot dogs cut into half-inch slices
Cornbread Topping
Vegetable cooking oil spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch baking pan with cooking oil.
Combine the succotash and hot dogs. Spread mixture in the prepared pan
For the topping
Stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and cheddar into a medium bowl.
In a smaller bowl, stir baking soda into buttermilk. Whisk in sugar, egg, and oil.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients; combine quickly, using as few strokes as possible. Pour batter over the hot dog mixture and bake 30 minutes.
Steak Quesadillas
2 servings
Ingredients
Four 8-inch tortillas
2 cups Leftover steak, peppers, and onion from \the Steak burrito recipe
2 cups Mexican Four Cheese Blend
Jalapeno slices
Avocado oil
Salsa for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare the quesadillas.
Lightly spray a large cookie sheetcovered with parchment with cooking oil. Place 2 tortillas on the baking sheet. Spread ½ cup of the cheese over each tortilla and then divide the leftover beef and pepper mixture over the cheese. Top with jalapeno slices and sprinkle each with the remaining cheese. Place a tortilla on top of each quesadilla and brush with avocado oil.
Place the baking sheet in the oven for a couple of minutes and bake for a couple of minutes. Open up the oven and with a large spoon, press down on the quesadillas.
Pressing down on the tortillas will flatten them and help them stick to the cheese. Continue to bake until brown and crispy. Remove and slice into quarters Serve with salsa.
Burritos
Ingredients
Marinade
1 orange
1 lime
¼ cup avocado oil
2 – 3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
1 pound beef flank steak
Burrito
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Half a large sweet onion cut into thin rings and rings halved
2 medium sweet bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced into thin strips
6-8 inch flour tortillas, warmed
¼ cup snipped fresh cilantro
1 cup of salsa
Directions
Zest the lime and orange. Juice both the orange and lime. In a large resealable plastic bag combine 1/4 cup orange juice, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 1 teaspoon lime zest, 2 tablespoons lime juice, avocado oil, chipotle peppers, cumin, and the salt. Add steak. Seal bag; turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 12 hours.
Remove meat from the marinade. Reserve 2 tablespoons marinade; discard any remaining marinade. Pat meat dry with paper towels. In a large grill pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Add steak to the pan. Cook for 14 to 18 minutes or until steak reaches desired doneness, turning once halfway through cooking. (Or, for a gas or charcoal grill, grill the steak on a greased rack of a covered grill over medium heat for 17 to 21 minutes or until steak reaches desired doneness.)
Transfer meat to a cutting board. Cover and let stand 10 minutes. Cut steak across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Heat the same grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and peppers to the drippings in the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Stir in the zucchini. Cook 1 minute more. Add the reserved 2 tablespoons marinade and 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Cook and stir 2 minutes more.
Lay tortillas on a flat work surface. Arrange the meat on the bottom third of the tortillas. Top with cooked vegetables, and cilantro. Roll up tortillas tightly. Serve with salsa.
Tips
If using a gas or charcoal grill, use a large skillet to cook the vegetables. Use 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in place of the drippings.
Cheese Sauce
ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan.
Stir over medium-high heat until all cheese is melted.
Creamy Southern Succotash
Ingredients
1 recipe cooked southern field peas (see recipe), drained
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 teaspoon Mexican chili powder
Cheese sauce, recipe above
Directions
After the cheese sauce is complete, stir in the drained peas and corn. Add the chili powder and simmer over low heat until hot.
Serve with the burritos.
Grilled Steak Fajitas
Flank steaks are usually quite large. When I purchase one, I cut it in half and freeze one half for another meal.
Ingredients
1/2 pound or half of a large flank steak
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Salt to taste
1 red bell pepper
2 medium Poblano peppers (dark green)
1 small onion
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 chipotle pepper in adobo + 1 tablespoon sauce, chopped
4 small flour tortillas or 2 large tortillas
Directions
At least two hours before dinner, coat the steak with salt to taste, the ground black pepper, cumin, and chili powder. Let sit in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
Cut the peppers into thick strips, discarding the ribs and seeds. Next, cut the onion into thick slices.
Place oil, peppers, and onions in a medium skillet and cook turning frequently until they are tender. Stir in the chipotle pepper and sauce. Keep warm.
Prepare an outdoor grill or heat a stovetop grill pan.
Place the steak on the grill and cook until the steak reaches an internal temperature of 125-130 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
Remove steak from the grill and cut diagonally into thin slices and add to the pepper mixture in the skillet.
Warm the tortillas on the edge of the grill, keeping them away from direct heat, so they are warm and soften but don’t dry out or turn crisp. Or wrap in paper towels and warm in the microwave.
Place a portion of the steak mixture into each tortilla, fold and serve.
Homemade Coleslaw
I like to make coleslaw in small batches because I don’t think it tastes very good after several days. I also like to serve coleslaw with Mexican entrees.
Ingredients
¼ of a large cabbage, shredded or sliced thin
1 carrot, shredded
2 scallions, minced
Dressing
1 teaspoon honey or another sweetener
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions
In a medium serving bowl with a cover, combine the dressing ingredients using a whisk.
Add the shredded cabbage, carrot, and scallions and stir gently to mix.
Refrigerate covered for several hours before serving.
Easy Dinner Night
Ingredients for 2 servings
Avocado Dressing
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons lower-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons avocado or canola oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 ripe peeled avocado, mashed
Tostadas
2 tablespoons avocado or canola oil, divided
2 large tortillas
1 small onion finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
1 lb lean ground beef
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled queso fresco
Directions
For the Dressing: Whisk the dressing ingredients together until smooth. Refrigerate until serving.
For the tostadas: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to the pan. Cook 1 tortilla 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Repeat procedure with 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining tortilla.
Add remaining oil to the pan. Add garlic, onion, and jalapeño; sauté 2 minutes. Add beef; cook until brown. Sprinkle with taco seasoning. Continue to cook until the beef and onions are completely cooked, about 5 minutes.
To assemble: Place 1 tortilla on a dinner plate; top the tortilla with 1 cup beef mixture, ¼ cup shredded cheddar, 1/2 cup lettuce, 1/4 cup chopped tomato, and 2 tablespoons Mexican cheese. Repeat with the second tortilla. Drizzle each serving with dressing.
Tortilla Soup
The tortilla strips and the garnishes are best prepared on the day of serving. The rest of the soup can easily be prepared ahead by several days.
I make my own chipotles en adobo, so I included the recipe at the end of the post. Canned chipotles can also be used.
Makes about 9 cups, serving 6
Tortilla Strips
8 corn tortillas (6-inch), cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 tablespoon avocado or vegetable oil
Table salt
Soup
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (total about 1 1/2 pounds)
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 medium onions (total about 1 pound), peeled, 1 cut in half and the other onion finely diced
2 cups corn kernels
4 medium cloves garlic, peeled, 2 cut in half and the other two minced
2 sprigs fresh epazote or 2 teaspoons dried ( or 8 to 10 sprigs fresh cilantro plus 1 sprig fresh oregano if you don’t have epazote)
Table salt
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 medium jalapeño chile, chopped
1 chipotle chile en adobo with 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, finely chopped
Garnishes
1 lime, cut into wedges
1 Hass avocado diced fine
8 ounces shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Mexican crema or sour cream
Note on Epazote
Epazote is a Mexican herb with an acidic lemony flavor.
I use the dried version since fresh is not easy to find in my area.
FOR THE TORTILLA STRIPS: Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread tortilla strips on rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with oil and toss until evenly coated. Bake until the strips are deep golden brown and crisp, about 14 minutes, rotating pan and shaking strips (to redistribute) halfway through the baking time. Season strips lightly with salt; transfer to plate lined with several layers paper towels. Set aside.
FOR THE SOUP: Bring the chicken breasts, broth, 1 onion halved, 2 garlic cloves cut in half, epazote, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boiling over medium-high heat in large saucepan; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is just cooked through about 20 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to a large plate. With a spider or slotted spoon remove the onion and garlic halves and discard them. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces; discard bones.
To the broth add the tomatoes, the chopped onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, jalapeño, corn, 1/2 teaspoon salt, chipotle chile, and 1 tablespoon adobo sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer to blend flavors, about 15 minutes. Add shredded chicken and simmer until heated through about 5 minutes. To serve, place portions of tortilla strips in the bottom of individual bowls and ladle soup into bowls; pass garnishes separately.
Loaded Nacho Platter
I save leftover steak in the freezer for making dishes like nachos.
2 servings
Ingredients
1/2 pound leftover steak or lean ground beef, cooked
1 cup chopped bell peppers
3 cups tortilla chips
1 tomato, diced
1/2 cup sliced jarred pickled jalapenos
2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup salsa or pico de gallo
Directions
Shred the cooked steak.
Preheat your oven to 375 F, or you can use your broiler.
Spread the 3 cups of chips over the bottom an ovenproof platter so that you can’t see the bottom of the plate.
Sprinkle1 cup cheese over the top of the chips. Evenly distribute the toppings so that every chip has some toppings.
Top with the remaining cheese. Place the platter into the oven or under the broiler.
When the cheese is melted, remove the platter from the oven and use a metal spatula to put nachos onto individual serving plates.
Homemade Chipotle Chiles en Adobo
Ingredients
12-14 dried Chipotle Chiles
3 cups of water
1/2 medium onion finely diced
6 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
Directions
Simmer all the ingredients in a covered pan for one hour, stirring occasionally or until the liquid reduces to about a cup.
I store the chilies in snack bags in the freezer for when I need them-1 pepper and 1 tablespoon sauce in each snack bag. They defrost very quickly. when you need them.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Chipotle Steak Marinade (Make this one day ahead)
Makes 11/2 cups
14-ounce can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes in juice
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 canned chipotle chile en adobo, diced
½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
1 flank steak (1 to 1 1/2 pounds)
Taco Herb Topping
Ingredients
½ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 medium scallions, finely chopped
1 medium jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon honey or agave
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Tacos
Ingredients
Marinated flank steak in the sauce
1 tablespoon oil
Taco Herb Topping, recipe above
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, soft or crispy, warmed
Avocado slices
Grated cheddar cheese
Directions
For the Marinade
Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a small (2-quart) saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer 15 minutes. Cool and refrigerate until cold.
With a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut the steak into 1 inch by 2-inch pieces.
Pour the sauce into a plastic ziplock bag and add the steak pieces. Seal the bag and refrigerate for several hours before cooking.
For the topping
Combine all the ingredients together in a medium serving bowl and set aside.
For the steak
Heat oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place steak and marinade in the skillet and cook the meat for about 2 minutes. Turn the steak pieces and cook the second side for 2 minutes.
For the tacos
I like to place the tortillas in a holder. They are easy to warm in the oven and then fill. Spoon a small amount of sliced steak into the center of each warm tortilla and add a teaspoon of the prepared herb topping. Add additional topping ingredients as desired.
Most people know Rick Bayless from Bravo’s Top Chef Masters, his Public Television series, Mexico–One Plate at a Time and his many cookbooks. He is also the owner of multiple restaurants, including the outstanding Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, where my family ate numerous times when we lived in Chicago. I recently discovered that he developed a line of Mexican cooking sauces that are sold in most supermarkets. While the sauces have been available for a while, I just recently discovered them and find them to be delicious, authentic and so very convenient. I especially like these sauces because they are made from fresh ingredients with no preservatives, are gluten-free, and low in carbohydrates. They also come in convenient, easy to use pouches.
These sauces are so convenient when you are busy and want a good tasting dinner fast. I used one of the taco sauces for my recipe below. There are quite a few made by his company, Frontera Foods, and you can check out the rest with this link.
Key Lime Shrimp Tacos
Serves 4. Since I only wanted two servings, I made half the recipe. I also used half of the sauce and froze the unused portion for another occasion. I also changed the directions from the one listed on the package in making this dish.
Serve this entree with a salad and ranch dressing.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon avocado or vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
1 Poblano pepper, diced
1 pound peeled, deveined medium shrimp;
1 pouch Frontera Key Lime Shrimp Taco Skillet Sauce
8 tortillas (crispy or soft), warmed
Toppings: cheese, jalapenos, shredded cabbage or lettuce, tomato, avocado, etc
Directions
Heat the oil in a nonstick 10 or 12-inch skillet over high heat. Add the onion and poblano pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, about 4 minutes. Add the sauce and let it sizzle for a minute or two and then add the shrimp. Cook and stir over medium heat until the shrimp turn pink and are just cooked through about 4 minutes.
Serve in warm tortillas with your choice of toppings.
Variations: Substitute 1 pound sea scallops or cubed firm fish for the shrimp.
