Category Archives: Mexican

The Best Nacho Cheese Sauce I Have Ever Made

Our youngest child got it in his head that I needed to make nacho cheese sauce while we were in the middle of grocery shopping last weekend. I don’t mind making nacho cheese sauce, but I didn’t have a recipe…thank goodness for smart phones. I looked one up real quick and we got all of the ingredients. This is the best nacho cheese sauce I have ever made.

Ingredients:
4 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk, divided
2 teaspoons hot sauce OR 1/3 cup salsa

Instructions:
Toss together cheese and cornstarch, in a medium-sized saucepan, until evenly coated.

Stir in 1 cup evaporated milk and the hot sauce/salsa.

Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat until thickened, smooth and bubbly.

Stir in additional evaporated milk, if needed, until desired consistency is reached.

Add extra hot sauce/salsa to reach desired consistency and/or heat.

What did the family think? Only three of us were home to try this, but it was gone in a HURRY!

Where did this recipe come from? I adapted it from Kitchen Simplicity and they adapted it from Serious Eats.

photo from Just a Pinch

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Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Mexican, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make

Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies

These were our dessert while watching the Fiesta Bowl the other night. We shared some with friends, too, and everyone gave them rave reviews. P.S. Don’t be afraid of the cayenne.

1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cups natural cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
1 egg

Instructions:
Stir together flour, cocoa, salt, pepper, cayenne and cinnamon.

In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add vanilla, sugar, and beat thoroughly. Beat in egg and gradually add dry ingredients. Blend only until mixed.

Turn dough out on lightly floured cutting board/silpat/counter and — oh yeah: flouring your hands is a good idea too — shape dough into a cylinder about 10 inches long and two inches in diameter. Wrap cylinder in wax paper and place in freezer until firm, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Unwrap dough and cut into slices 1/4-inch thick. Place about 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 10 to 11 minutes.

What did the family think? Everyone loved them. They are also, I should note, VERY good with a little vanilla ice cream on the side.

Did I change anything? I was a total wimp and only used half the cayenne. I should have used all of it.

Where did this recipe come from? Food 52

photo from The Baking Pan

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Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Everybody Ate It, Mexican

CrockPot Taco Dip

We decided to have a Mexican-themed dinner last night since we were having a Fiesta Bowl mini-watchparty. We started the night with this tasty dip from the CrockPot It was a huge hit and super easy to make.

Ingredients:
10 oz. can enchilada sauce
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, cut into cubes
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese
2-3 tsp. taco seasoning mix (season to your liking)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 small jalapeno pepper, minced (I used jarred jalapeños since that what I had on hand.)
Tortilla chips, for dipping

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients (except tortilla chips) in slow cooker and stir gently. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours, stirring twice during cooking time, until blended and smooth.

What did the family think? Everyone loved it! We also had a friend over watching the game and she loved it too! We went through a bag and a half chips.

Did I change anything? I only used 2 tsp of taco seasoning and I think it would have been better with 3 tsp. Also, I had taken the dip out of the slow cooker and put it in a different bowl for serving. When it got cold, I just put it in the microwave to heat it back up and I think it was even better after that.

Where did this recipe come from? About.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Mexican, Vegetarian

Chorizo Mac and Cheese

The kids like mac and cheese and hubby and I like chorizo so I knew that this was going to be a complete hit or a complete bomb. It turned out that the kids and I really liked it and hubby was not impressed. He wanted more chorizo which is super easy to do, but if you are cooking for a group (or for people who you know don’t want their food too spicy like the kids) you might not want to add the extra chorizo.

Ingredients:
2 cups elbow macaroni
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon corn starch
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)
4 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese (about 1 cup)
6 ounces ground Mexican chorizo
1/4 cup red onion, finely minced
2 Tbsp flour
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 Tbsp breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp butter
Avocado slices, optional but highly recommended

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook pasta according to the directions on the package.

Combine cheese and cornstarch in a bowl and set aside.

Put the milk in a small saucepan to get warm. Do not let it boil.

In a large saucepan, cook chorizo until almost done and then add onions. Cook until onions are soft.

Add flour to the chorizo and stir well.

Add milk a little at a time. Continue to stir until you have a creamy mixture.

Add the cheese to the chorizo mixture and stir until it is well combined.

Add lime juice and pour mixture into casserole dish and spread evenly so the macaroni is level.

Add breadcrumbs to the top and dot with pieces of butter.

Bake for about 20 minutes.

We had this with a small salad and grapes with avocado slices on the side.

What did the family think? The boys loved it. Their dad did not. My favorite part was eating a bite of the warm, somewhat spicy chorizo with a bite of avocado to cool it down. Yum!

Did I change anything? I added less red onion and if you wanted it to be spicier you could definitely add more chorizo or use chunks of chorizo instead of the ground chorizo.

Where did this recipe come from? Simply Recipes

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Mexican, Spicy

Roasted Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Cream Sauce

These tacos are SO good! The secret is in the sauce. WARNING: This sauce has a lot of garlic in it as well as a lot of cilantro. Do not eat this if you are planning on going to a party and talking to a lot of people anytime soon or just make sure you invest in a lot of mouthwash first.

Ingredients for Tacos:
Roasted chicken, by one from the store or use this CrockPot recipe
Small flour tortillas
Cabbage, thinly sliced or bagged broccoli slaw mix from the grocery store
Mexican cheese blend, shredded

Ingredients for Cilantro Cream Sauce:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 (7 ounce) jar tomatillo salsa
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 T fresh lime juice

Instructions for sauce:
Combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, pepper, celery salt, cumin, garlic powder, cilantro and lime juice in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Instructions for assembling tacos:
Assemble tacos with chicken, cabbage and cheese. Serve with sauce on the side. OR Stir some of the sauce into the cabbage and let sit for about 15 minutes and serve on top of the tacos with some of the sauce on the side as well.

What did the family think? Hubby and I loved these. This sauce is AWESOME!!! The crunchiness of the cabbage with the warm soft tortillas is fantastic.

Where did this recipe come from? This recipe was inspired by: Allrecipes and Smells Like Home

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Mexican, Not so Easy

Chile-Rubbed Grilled Chicken with Tomatillo Salsa

I knew this would be too spicy for the kids, but the hubs and I like spice so I thought I would give it a try. This would be perfect for a weekend cookout. The spicy (not super spicy, just flavorful spicy) chicken with the cool tomatillo salsa is the perfect combo.

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 small clove garlic, finely grated
1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder (We didn’t have any of this, so I left it out.)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
Kosher salt
2 tomatoes, diced
3 tomatillos, husked, rinsed and diced
1/4 cup finely diced red onion

Instructions:
Butterfly the chicken: Slice each breast almost in half horizontally (do not cut all the way through); open like a book so the chicken lies flat.

Combine the olive oil, garlic, ancho chile powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, chipotle chile powder, 1 teaspoon lime juice and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Preheat a grill to medium. Meanwhile, make the salsa: Toss the tomatoes, tomatillos, red onion and the remaining 3 teaspoons lime juice in a bowl; season with salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Brush the grill grates with olive oil. Grill the chicken, turning once, until marked and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Top with the salsa.

We had this with avocado slices on the side.

What did the family think? Well, I loved it. I knew the boys wouldn’t like it so they had pasta and my husband was still recovering from a fairly major dental surgery, so I was the only one who got to eat it.

Where did this recipe come from? Food Network Magazine

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Mexican

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

My husband absolutely LOVED these! I think what makes these stand out is how the tortillas are prepared. They turn out hot and crispy and the cheese inside gets all melty. Yum! This could also easily be made into a vegetarian dish…just leave out the chicken and add some more beans and rice.

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked rice, warm
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
Sour cream
6 burrito-sized tortillas
Cooking spray
Salsa

Instructions:
Mix rice together with chili powder and cumin.

Then add chicken, black beans, onion, cilantro and lime juice .

Spoon desired amount of sour cream down the middle of each tortilla. Sprinkle cheese over sour cream. Add chicken and rice mixture down the center. Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the outside of tortillas all over with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps.

Serve with salsa.

We had these with some cantaloup on the side.

What did the family think? Hubby and I really liked these. Like I said before, it’s the crispiness of the tortillas that really make these stand apart from other wraps like this you might have had. The kids had plain quesadillas.

Where did this recipe come from? Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

photo from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Mexican, Vegetarian

Chicken Ranch Tacos

I think the reason I liked these so much was just because they are different than what you normally get when you eat a taco. The ranch dressing adds a nice little twist.

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked chicken, cut up
1 pkt. taco seasoning
1/2 cup Ranch dressing, plus extra for garnishing tacos
Taco shells, hard or soft
Lettuce
Cheese, grated

Instructions:
Heat a skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken and heat until warmed through. Sprinkle on dry taco seasoning. Do not add any water! Heat for 5-7 minuted until all heated through powder is stuck to the chicken.

Add Ranch dressing, stir and heat an additional 2-3 minutes to warm through.

Serve in taco shells with all the fixings you love. Drizzle a little more ranch on top and enjoy!

What did the family think? Hubby and I liked them. Our kids have never liked ranch dressing, so I wasn’t surprised that they weren’t too thrilled with these tacos, but if everyone in your house likes ranch dressing, then you’re probably safe.

Where did this recipe come from? Do You Smell That!!?

photo from Do You Smell That!!?

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Mexican

Enchiladas in Salsa Verde

These are SO good, not necessarily good for you…that’s a whole lotta sour cream, but VERY tasty. What was also great is that I assembled everything ahead of time and put it in the refrigerator and then that night when we got home I just put it in the oven which meant we got to sit down to dinner a whole lot earlier.

Ingredients:
8 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded chicken
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese (shredded)
2 cups salsa verde

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F.

Prepare the filling by mixing the chicken, sour cream and half of the cheese.

Place 1/2 cup of the green sauce in the baking dish.

Dip a tortilla in the green sauce.

Place the filling in the tortilla, wrap and place in baking dish seam down. Repeat until all of the filling has been used.

Cover with remaining green sauce and top with remaining cheese.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and it’s warmed through.

What did the family think? Hubby and I really liked these and there was enough for leftovers for lunch which is always a bonus. I think the green sauce scared the kids. They don’t know what they’re missing.

Did I change anything? I reduced the amount of sour cream. The change is reflected in the recipe above.

Where did this recipe come from? Closet Cooking

photo from Closet Cooking

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Mexican, Six Ingredients or Less

Easy Slow Cooker Refried Beans

These are super easy, healthy and were a wonderful addition to our taco dinner last night, but (full disclosure here) my house smelled like an onion factory exploded in it and we could smell it before we even got in the garage. I don’t know if I had a super stinky onion or if that’s just what you get when you throw a whole onion in the CrockPot. Ignore the smell, enjoy your beans and then light a candle to get the stink out.

Ingredients:
1 onion, peeled and halved
2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
½ fresh jalapeno or other hot pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
One big pinch of cumin
6 cups water

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.

Cook on high for 8 hours or overnight while you are sleeping.

When done cooking, remove the bigger onion chunks and drain the excess liquid.

Mash remaining beans with a potato masher or the backside of a wooden spoon.

What did the family think? Hubby and I liked them and there were enough for leftovers for the next day for lunch, too. Our kids aren’t huge refried bean fans, so they weren’t a hit with them. I would like to note though that when our youngest was little we had to practically restrain him from literally licking his plate clean when we would have refried beans. Somewhere around the age of three he decided refried beans weren’t for him

Where did this recipe come from? I got it from 100 Days of Real Food and she got it from Allrecipes

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Lent, Make Ahead of Time, Mexican, Side Dish, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian