Beef Enchilada Skillet

This dish is so easy and you can have it on the table in a snap.  When you read the ingredients list I know you are going to ask...."I thought you didn't buy canned creamed soups?"  I don't.  However, in this case I do.  I use Amy's Organic Cream of Tomato soup.  The first draw was that it doesn't contain flour for a thickener.  The second, that the other ingredients besides tomato are water, cream, sugar, onions, salt and black pepper.   That's all, no funky preservatives or funny names. 

Someday I will try my home canned roasted tomato sauce to see how to re-create this dish using that.  I am thinking that it will be really good!

Ground pork would be a good substitution in this dish or maybe a mix and match with the ground beef. 

Beef Enchilada Skillet                                                          

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 small can condensed tomato soup (use Amy's Organic for gluten free)

3/4 to 1 cup salsa

1/4 cup water

6 - 6" corn tortillas

1 to 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexi blend cheese

Chiles Rellenos - Poblanos Stuffed with Cheese

Have you ever tasted chiles rellenos? If you haven't, let me try to describe it to you! They are poblano chiles (some spice but it is a manageable heat) softened with roasting, then peeled, stuffed with cheese, battered with a fluffy egg batter and fried until crispy. A Mexican version of comfort food. 

The restaurant we eat them at serves it with white cheese sauce drizzled on top. I serve mine with a tomato sauce. It helps to cut all the richness of the cheese that is stuffed inside the pepper.  I use my Restaurant Style Salsa recipe for the sauce.  I'll give you more information below on how to adapt it.

Have your sauce ready then fry up the chiles rellenos. You can keep the rellenos on a cooling rack on a jelly roll pan in a 200* oven so you can enjoy them all at once or your family can eat them as you fry them. 

Chiles Rellenos                                                                     Printable Recipe

4 large poblano peppers
2 cups shredded Chihuahua quesadilla cheese (or a mix of other cheeses that melt, like Monterey Jack and Cheddar)
1/4 to 1/3 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
5 egg whites at room temperature
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
lard or canola oil (1/2-3/4" depth in skillet)

Crock Pot Chipotle Beef Barbacoa

I don't use my crock pot a lot (personal preference) but for a roasting meat it's a good choice.  Even the toughest meats will be tender and juicy after the hours spent cooking.  This recipe has just a little kick that says "Hello." in a soft voice.  If you want it louder or to give a shout add more chipotles.  I like it nice and easy so I can taste all of the flavors I've stuffed into my tortilla shell.

Whether you like crispy or soft, flour or corn, any tortilla shell will work well with this meal.  I'll tell you below which toppings  I used but feel free to change the up to suit your taste!

Next time I make this beef recipe I will double or triple it and have extra for the freezer! I could also use a pork roast and it would be awesome as well.  

Crock Pot Chipotle Beef Barbacoa                                                      Printable Recipe

1 round steak (approx 2 pounds)

salt

olive oil

1 chipotle in adobo sauce

1/2 Tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 cup water

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Mexican Chorizo, Rice and Bean Skillet

This dish is full of flavor and just the right amount of spice for our family.  If you are an adventurous one you can add cayenne, chilies in adobo sauce and/or sprinkle jalapenos on top to kick it up.  This skillet meal can be made in less than 30 mins so it is on the table quickly and it only uses one pan so there is a smaller mess to clean when the meal is done.   I had plenty for the family to eat and some for leftovers for lunches so I packed them up and tossed them in the freezer.

Mexican Chorizo, Rice and Bean Skillet                                      Printable Recipe

7 ounce tube Mexican Chorizo

14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

3/4 cup uncooked instant brown rice

1 cup water (more or less as needed*)

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 cups sweet corn

15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup Mexi blend cheese, Chihuahua or even mozzarella would work

Small handful of chopped cilantro

Sour cream

50+ Fiesta of Flavors for Cinco de Mayo!

Mexican cuisine is definitely one of my most-like cuisines and Cinco de Mayo is the perfect excuse to whip up some tasty recipes.  Check out a few of my favs and then scroll on down to find even more recipes from myself and my blogging friends!

"Cinco de Mayo" Linky Party

An InLinkz Link-up

Restaurant Style Salsa and Chips

Sit down at a Mexican restaurant and the first things they bring you are chips and salsa.  I have to tell myself to quit eating them to leave room for the main meal.   If you want to make your own at home this recipe has several shortcuts from my original homemade salsa that can be preserved and shows you how to make your own chips.

Restaurant Style Salsa and Chips                                                     Printable Recipe

28 oz can petite or regular diced tomatoes

1/3 cup minced onions

1/3 cup minced green peppers

1-2 teaspoons green chiles (add more if you like it hotter)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 dash of red cayenne pepper

up to 1/4 cup lime juice - start off with a tablespoon and add to taste

small handful of cilantro, chopped (optional)

canola oil

yellow or white corn tortillas

For salsa:

Add the ingredients tomatoes through the cilantro to blender or food processor and pulse. Blend it until it is as smooth as you want.  If you like it really chunky, use the petite diced sized tomatoes and all of the ingredients can be mixed in a bowl instead.

For chips:

Cut tortillas into 4 or 6 pieces.

Heat oil to 350 degrees in small pan (or until you dip an edge of a tortilla into the oil and it bubbles.) You can use a large fryer if you are making lots of chips.

Cook tortillas for a minute or so, then flip.  Cook until almost starts to brown.  You need the moisture cooked out of the chips so they aren't chewy but you don't want them burnt.  Drain on paper towels. 

Mexican Chicken Alfredo

Most times when I go to the Mexican restaurant or even here at home when I make my own chicken fajitas I have leftovers  Although delicious, sometimes another meal of the same dish just doesn't appeal.  I took my garlic cream sauce (minus the garlic and spinach) and mixed it with pasta and my leftover chicken fajitas to make this re-vamped dish.  So creamy but with a little kick!

Mexican Chicken Alfredo

Olive oil
1 T flour** 
1/2 cup white wine (less if yours is strong flavored)
2 cups half and half (I use whole goat milk)
1 to 1-1/2 cups shredded Parmesan (not the stuff in the shaker)

6 ounces pasta, cooked and drained (I used Tinkyada gluten free)
Leftover chicken fajita meat and veggies, chopped
1 to 2 cups shredded Mexi blend cheese, Chihuahua cheese, and/or mozzarella

Chicken Fajitas

When I go out to the Mexican restaurant I always order chicken fajitas.  I think it must be the sizzle of the cast iron serving vessel that gets my taste buds drooling.  It's an easy dish to make and you can eat the chicken fajitas wrapped in tortillas like they serve at the restaurants, on a pizza, in a quesadilla, or Mexican Chicken Alfredo (coming soon to the blog!)

The restaurant serves it with lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, refried pinto beans, and rice.   They also keep their veggies on the crunchy side.  We prefer our veggie soft and caramelized but cook them how you like them.  

There isn't really a recipe here but guidelines to which spices and flavors to use.  If you make it a lot like I do you'll learn what you like.  I like cumin so I use fresh ground and it's my star here.

Chicken Fajitas

boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders
sliced green peppers, red, orange or yellow peppers 
sliced onions
olive oil
cumin (fresh ground if you can)
granulated garlic
granulated onion
cayenne pepper (dash or two)
salt and pepper
lime juice

refried beans
salsa
guacamole

Southwestern Chicken and Rice

Southwestern Chicken and Rice

olive oil

2/3 cup diced red pepper

2/3 cup diced green pepper

2/3 cup diced onion

1-1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts (can use boneless thighs) cut into 1 inch pieces

1-1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning

1 cup instant brown rice*

1 cup salsa

1-3/4 cups chicken broth

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

3/4-1 cup whole corn, drained

2 cups shredded Mexi-blend cheese, cheddar, Chihuahua cheese

Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of skillet.  Cook veggies until almost done. 

Walking Tacos

Food in a bag is fun.  Our church makes walking tacos to sell at our church "tent" in late summer at a local event in a nearby town.  They don't use tomato sauce in theirs but I like it saucy so I added it to mine.  It helps everything blend together when you stir.  If you really want to ditch the clean up, use a plastic spoon or fork instead of a metal one you have to wash. 

Walking Tacos

1 pound ground beef

2/3 cup diced green peppers

2/3 cup diced onion

8 ounce can tomato sauce plus 1 can water

2-1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning

4 dashes cayenne pepper (more if you like it spicy!)

4- 1 ounce size bags of Fritos corn chips or Doritos Nacho Cheese chips

Toppings:

shredded Mexi-blend cheese, cheddar, or Chihuahua cheese

thinly sliced lettuce

sour cream

salsa

cheater's guacamole

Cook beef, green pepper, and onions until veggies are soft and the beef is cooked through. 

Add tomato sauce to pan then fill can with water and dump that into pan also.

Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until liquid is almost gone.  It still needs to a be a little saucy.

Time to start layering. For individual bags of chips* open them on their side with a pair of scissors.   They put so much air in bags anymore you will have plenty of room for your toppings.   If you are using Doritos you will want to give your chips a smash to break them up a little.

Sprinkle in some cheese.  I like to add cheese now so when I add the meat the heat will melt it!

 Next is the meat mixture.

 Lettuce. 

 Sour cream.

 More cheese.

 Salsa and guacamole if you feel like it.

Stick a fork or spoon in it, stir and enjoy!  

If you don't want to buy the bags you can layer all your yummies into a bowl.  Just as good, just not as fun!

*(The best I could find for a single size sack was larger (4 oz) without buying several bags together so I had to cut it in 1/3 and dump out some chips to make it equal an individual size.)

Hot Beef and Bean Dip

Hot Beef and Bean Dip

2 pounds hamburger
1 small onion, chopped
16 ounce jar salsa
1-1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar or 12 ounces Velveeta
1 can refried beans

Cook hamburger and onion. Drain. 

Add salsa, taco seasoning*, cheese, and beans.  If you are using shredded cheese you can dump it into the crock now.  If not melt the Velveeta and then put it the crock. 

This can be made the day ahead and then heated back up in the crock pot.  Serve with tortilla chips. 

*The refried beans and salsa already have seasoning so you may want more or less of thee taco seasoning.

Homemade Salsa

Everyone has their own tastes and interpretations when it comes to salsa.  I was given a salsa recipe from a friend.   It contained quite a bit of sugar.  We don't use much sugar so I went on with the task of lowering the sugar. It also contained a thickener that dulled the color of our salsa.  I removed it so our salsa is more like fresh salsa, but canned. 

Taste your salsa before you can it.  If you wouldn't eat it fresh, you won't like it canned. 

Homemade Salsa

20 cups chopped peeled and seeded tomatoes*
1 to 1-1/2 cups minced onions (onions can be strong so ease in slow)
1-1/2 cups minced green peppers
7 banana peppers, minced
5-6 jalapenos (if they are hot, use less --if you can't tell start off with fewer, you can always add more), minced
2 Tablespoons sugar
2-1/2 Tablespoons chili powder
5-6 dashes of red cayenne pepper
1-1/2 cups vinegar
2 Tablespoons salt

Taco Pasta Shells

Taco Pasta Shells

1 pound ground beef
taco seasoning
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
4 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup whole corn (optional)
1/3 cup drained cooked black beans (optional)
15 jumbo pasta shells (gluten free works great too!)
1 cup salsa
1-1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese ( I use my homemade mozzarella)
sour cream

Homemade Taco Seasoning

In one of my classes with Chef Gaby we talked about whole spices and grinding our own.  We put together rubs, vinegars, oils, and other dry spices. One was this, taco seasoning.  She threw together spices I would never have thought to put together for true "taco" seasoning.  This is nothing like those taco packets.  It's better!  Why?  First off, they are whole spices that are ground.  A WOW! Bam! Burst of flavor! Second, whatever combination this is, works!!  

I only took basic notes on the spices so I figured up measurements and we liked this combo. 

Taco Seasoning

1 small cinnamon stick (broken up a little)

1 Tablespoon whole cumin seed

1/2 Tablespoon whole coriander 

1/2 Tablespoon whole fennel seed

1 Tablespoon ground chili powder

1 Tablespoon ground paprika

Cheater's Guacamole

I love guacamole but don't always have the time to chop or want to make a mess.  This is a quick and easy way to cheat your way to guacamole!

Cheater's Guacamole

1 ripe avocado
salsa
sour cream

Mash avocado in small bowl, add about 2 Tablespoons or so of drained salsa and 1-2 Tablespoons of sour cream.

Mix and enjoy without all the chopping and mess!! 

Mexican Lasagna

Mexican Lasagna

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1/2 cup green pepper, diced

1/2 cup onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon cumin
chili powder (or a blend of cayenne, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder) -this is to taste depending on how spicy you like it

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can black beans made into refried beans or a can of refried beans

1 cup salsa (as hot as you want it)

1 can enchilada sauce

1-2 Tablespoons of cornstarch (omit if you not making your own refried beans)

9 corn tortillas

6 ounces Chihuahua cheese or Mexican Blend cheese, shredded

To garnish:

Sour Cream

Chopped Tomatoes

Guacamole

In large skillet cook beef, green peppers, onions, and seasonings until beef is no longer pink. Drain as needed.

Make your refried beans (see link above on how I make mine.) Add them, your drained black beans, salsa, and enchilada sauce to the meat. Stir to combine. 

My refried beans were not as thick as what comes out of the can so I put a 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in the middle of the mixture, stirred well and heated it up.  It was still not thick enough to my liking so I used another tablespoon of cornstarch. Then it was good enough for me.


Spread a little bit on the bottom of a 2 quart baking dish.

Add 3 tortillas here, tearing to cover.

Add about 1/3 of the meat mixture next.

Then 1/3 of the cheese.

3 more tortillas.

More meat.

Cheese.

The last tortillas.

Spread the last of the meat being sure to cover the tortilla completely.

End with cheese.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly.

Let rest for 5 minutes or so then cut into lasagna to serve.  Garnish with guacamole or chopped avocado, tomatoes, and sour cream.