Diana's Mexican Street Corn

So SO good!   

Photo and Recipe from Dessert Now Dinner Later

INGREDIENTS

•  2 Tbsp unsalted butter
•  4 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
•  1 tsp minced garlic
•  1/3 cup mayonnaise
•  1/2 tsp chili powder
•  1/2 cup cotija cheese
•  1 Tbsp lime juice, fresh squeezed
•  1-2 Tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)
•  kosher salt, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Melt butter in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and slightly charred, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic the last 2 minutes of cooking.
2. Allow corn to cool slightly. Stir in mayonnaise, chili powder, cotija cheese, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Season to taste with salt.
3. Serve warm or cold. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Symona's Enchalada Sauce & Spanish Rice

Put about 4 1/2 cups of water onto stove in a medium sized pot.  Turn heat to high to boil water.  

De-seed the dried peppers.  In a another bigger frying pan, toast the peppers, letting each side get dark.  Flip to other side and repeat.  

3 Ancho Peppers

4 New Mexico Peppers

3 Chile de Arbol peppers

Put toasted peppers into a big bowl.  Pour hot water on top of peppers to re-hydrate.  Should be about 4 cups of water poured into big bowl.  Let sit for 20ish minutes.  

In the same bigger frying pan that you used to cook the peppers, saute 1 medium onion in a few TBSP of vegetable oil.  After a few minutes of cooking the onion, add a few cloves of garlic.  Don't add the garlic too early or else it will burn.  Saute together until onions are translucent and cooked.  

Put the cooked onions and garlic into large blender.  Add the rehydrated peppers and 4 cups of hot water the peppers were re-hydrating in.  

Add 1 tsp salt

Add 1 cap full of distilled vinegar

Blend mixture for a minute or two to get enchilada sauce.  

*to make Spanish rice, use 3 parts chicken broth and 1 part enchilada sauce.  For example, 1 1/2 C chicken broth, 1/2 c enchilada sauce, then add the 1 cup rice and cook 20 minutes.   

Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

 

CREAMY GREEN CHILE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

YIELD:  6 SERVINGS

 

PREP TIME:  25 MINUTES

 

COOK TIME:  35 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME:  1 HOUR

INGREDIENTS

FILLING:

•  3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (a rotisserie chicken works great here or this simple method for quick, cooked shredded chicken)
•  2 cans (4-ounces each) green chiles, lightly drained (see note)
•  1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, light or 
• regular, softened and cubed
•  1 can (15-ounces) white or black beans, rinsed and drained (you can really use any type of bean you prefer here or leave them out)
•  1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
•  1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

SAUCE:

•  2 tablespoons butter
•  1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
•  2 tablespoons flour
•  1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
•  1/4 cup milk
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup (8 ounces) green chile enchilada sauce (or salsa verde) - homemade version here
•  1/2 cup sour cream, light or regular

ASSEMBLY:

•  8 ounces (about 2 cups) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
•  8 medium (soft taco size) flour or corn tortillas
•  Handful of chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

• INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and green chiles. Mix well. Add the chicken, beans, cilantro and lime juice. Mix to combine. Set aside.
  3. For the sauce: in a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. As you whisk and the mixture cooks, the flour will get less lumpy around the onions and the mixture will become smooth. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the enchilada sauce and sour cream.
  4. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish. Spread 1/4 cup of the sauce in a thin layer on the bottom of the dish. Fill each tortilla with about 1/2 cup of the chicken/cream cheese filling. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, a couple tablespoonfuls for each enchilada. Save at least 1/2 cup cheese for the top of the enchiladas.
  5. Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling enchiladas until the dish is full (I get about 8 enchiladas for this recipe; the exact number will depend on the size of tortillas).
  6. Pour the white sauce over the top of the enchiladas and spread evenly. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbling, hot and lightly browned. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top and serve.

  NOTES

  Green Chiles: you can sub out the green chiles completely and use storebought or homemade green enchilada sauce or salsa verde. Use about 2/3 to 3/4 cup of sauce in place of the green chiles in the filling. 

  Sauce: I wouldn't classify these enchiladas as being overly saucy (because I'm ethically opposed to soggy tortillas); if you like things on the saucier side, consider doubling the sauce. 

  Make Ahead: follow the recipe instructions, letting the sauce cool to warm room temperature before proceeding with filling the enchiladas. Assemble the enchiladas as directed in the recipe with the cooled sauce. Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-12 hours before baking. Bake according to the recipe, adding an additional 5-10 minutes if needed since the enchiladas were refrigerated. Alternately, after assembling, the baking pan can be covered with a double layer of foil and put in a jumbo-sized resealable bag and frozen for up to two months. Bake from frozen by decreasing the baking temperature to 350 degrees F and baking the enchiladas covered for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour until the dish is hot and bubbly.

  
  

  Photo and recipe source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Symona's Refried Beans

 

1.5 lbs pinto beans sorted and rinsed (you may find rocks)

about 5 cups water

about 5 cups chicken stock

1 thick slice onion (1/2 white onion)

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBSP chili powder

1.5 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

black pepper to taste

Cook in crock pot on high 6-8 hours adding water if needed.  Mash with potato masher or puree with immersion blender for smooth, lump-free beans.  Remove onion before mashing for a more subtle onion flavor.  Add cheddar cheese on top, let melt before serving.  

Symona's Salsa

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can Rotel (mild)

Roma tomatoes, chopped (added 1 or so to the tomatoes above, can also use instead of diced tomatoes)

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1-2 limes to taste (I used 2 last time)

minced garlic, 1-2 tsp (I used about 1 last time)

salt, 1 tsp

pepper, about 1/2-3/4 tsp

cumin, about 1 tsp

1 jalapeño, diced

Chop and mix!  Super delicious!

Cafe Rio Sweet Pulled Pork

There is more effort in this recipe than others.  Still deciding if its worth it haha!

• Ingredients for Sweet Pulled Pork:

• 2 pounds pork (we use boneless pork rib meat)
• 3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• dash garlic salt
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 can diced green chilies
• 3/4 (10oz) can red enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness but any will work)
• 1 c. brown sugar

Directions:

Marinade: 

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Crockpot:
Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don’t let it get TOO dry). 

Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

Sauce:

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little. Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That’s it!

Photo Sources:  Carlsbad Cravings

Cilantro Lime Rice

Just like Cafe Rio!  My kids love this rice!

Cilantro Lime Rice
 
1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth (about 2 C)
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

The Stay at Home Chef

Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing

Just like Cafe Rio's!  Sooooo yum!


Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing

3 T salsa verde

1/2 t tabasco sauce

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro

2 small cloves garlic

3/4 c mayo (NOT MIRACLE WHIP)

3/4 c sour cream

juice from one squeezed lime

buttermilk

put ingredients in blender except buttermilk. Blend and add buttermilk until desired consistancy reached. Refrigerate overnight.

Picture Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Fish Taco Sauce

Thee best fish tacos I ever had was in Hawaii at a friends home.  Her husband Scott had just caught fresh ahi and fried it up with a little olive oil and pepper in a frying pan (no salt).  He said the biggest mistake people make when making fish is over-salting.  Serve fish with corn tortillas, chopped cabbage and this amazing dressing.  Cheryl makes the dressing to taste, so experiment!

All ingredients are to taste.

mayo-2 cups
lime zest-3 to 4 limes (maybe 3)
lime juice-4-5 limes (maybe 3-4)
cajun seasoning-1 to 2 tsp
minced garlic-2 tsp?
tobassco sauce- 1/2 to 1 tsp

Mix together.


Recipe Source: Cheryl Z in Hawaii

Grilled Chili-Lime Fish Tacos

A delicious chili-lime fish taco with a sour cream slaw, sweet mango, and avocado.  It really was extremely good!   I deleted the ingredients below that would add heat since I was feeding this to little ones. I also used corn tortillas from Costco, as they are so much better than anything you can find in the local grocery store.  The leftover tortillas freeze well.  I also prepped the marinade and let the fish marinade all day in the fridge before grilling.  I doubled the recipe below for my family of two adults, 3 kids and we had leftovers. 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound tilapia
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder (I didn't add this)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon red cayenne pepper (I didn't add this)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

 

 

• For slaw
• 2 cups shredded red or napa cabbage
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup low fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 ripe mango, diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 8 small corn tortillas
• avocado and extra cilantro, to garnish

 

 

Instructions

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place fish in large ziploc bag and add olive oil, lime juice, honey, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Close bag and massage seasonings into fish. Let marinade for 20 minutes.
2. Prepare slaw: In a medium bowl combine cabbage, cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Place in refrigerator.
3. Remove fish from marinade and place onto hot grill. Grill fish for 3-5 minutes each side, it will vary depending on the temperature of your grill. Typically the second side will take less time. Remove fish to hot plate.
4. Grill tortillas for 10-20 seconds each side. Divide fish equally into tortillas, add slaw, and mango and avocado. Garnish with extra cilantro, if desired. Makes 8 tacos total; 2 tacos each.

Photo and Recipe Source: Ambitious Kitchen

Authentic Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe came from here over at To Die For Recipes.  I renamed the soup for my own memory sake.  This soup was really good, pretty healthy and easy to make.  My 4 year old loved it too, which says a lot being as he doesn't love soup.  ;)

Rachelle from To Die For Recipes had some good tips and said it best so I will quote her:  "You can use any kind of cheese you have one hand, and you can also use store bought chips if you prefer. I like to cut my corn tortillas into strips, place them on a baking sheet, and bake them at 425 degrees until they are crisp and golden. Salt and pepper this dish to taste, as everyone has different seasoning preferences."  The only thing I did differently from Rachelle was use shredded rotisserie chicken from Costco.  It was so easy and amazing.  


3 tbsp. oil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
1 onion, sliced
1 can diced tomatoes, not drained
1/2 tsp cumin
4 c. chicken broth
2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
salt and pepper
5 corn tortillas
1 avocado, pitted and cubed
1/2 c. cheese

In a large pot over medium heat, warm 1 tbs. oil. Add sliced onion, garlic, cilantro and saute just until golden brown, about 10 minutes. In a blender, combine sauteed mixture and tomatoes and blend until smooth. In the same pot, over medium high heat, warm another tbs. oil. Add tomato mixture and cumin. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and darkened, 5-6 minutes. Add chicken stock, cover partially and simmer, stirring occasionally, until soup is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Add shredded chicken. While soup is simmering, heat 1 tbs. oil in frying pan over medium high heat. Drop tortilla strips and fry until crisp and brown. Set aside. Between four bowls, evely divide tortilla strips, sprinkle some grated cheese and ladle soup into bowls. Top with avocado and a squeeze of lime and more cheese if desired.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

I made a few substitutions to this recipe. For one, I made them with corn tortillas instead of flour (making this dish gluten free, a change I had to make because I was taking this meal to a friend who can't have gluten). I was nervous about the change, but I'll be honest-it turned out really good! It had a more authentic Mexican taste to it and I will probably make them with corn tortillas from now on because I liked the taste so much. I also substituted sour cream for the cream and added a large can of green chilies to the sour cream mixture because I didn't buy a big enough can of the green enchilada sauce. It turned out great! I served this with corn and bean salsa and shredded romaine lettuce.

INGREDIENTS:

6 tablespoons honey

5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used 3 small chicken breasts)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream (to lighten them up, I have substituted sour cream with good results)

DIRECTIONS:
Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (I tossed mine together in a ziploc bag in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator all day). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

*Freezable Meal: Freeze prior to baking. To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake enchiladas, covered (without thawing first) for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer, until brown and crispy on top.

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe