Chicken Burritos

I wasn't sure what I would think of this recipe, but I am so glad I tried it out. Super tasty! I found this recipe and the photo below here. I made some alterations to the recipe to make it my own. And using corn tortillas makes it gluten free if you substitute in some GF flour. 

Chicken Burritos
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 35 min.YIELD:12 servings
INGREDIENTS:
6 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 can green chilies, undrained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 can (15 ounces) chili with beans
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
8 cups cubed cooked chicken
24 corn tortillas, warmed
6 cups (24 ounces) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

HOW TO PREPARE:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in seasonings. Cook 5 minutes. Add chili and cream cheese; stir until cream cheese is melted. Stir in chicken.

2. Spoon about 1/2 cup filling across center of each tortilla; sprinkle each with 1/4 cup Colby-Monterey Jack cheese. Fold bottom and sides over filling and roll up. Place in two greased 13x9-in. baking dishes.

3. Bake, covered, 35-40 minutes or until heated through. If desired, serve with salsa. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Nutritional Facts

2 burritos equals 760 calories, 44 g fat (23 g saturated fat), 177 mg cholesterol, 1,608 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 51 g protein.

Slow Cooker Taco Meat

This is super easy and goes beautifully in taco salads or as tacos. I like to also make crockpot refried beans when I make this recipe, in separate crockpots, of course.


Photo and recipe found here.


Slow Cooker Taco Meat
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs ground meat of choice
2 pkg taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups water

HOW TO PREPARE:
Around lunchtime, add all ingredients to slow cooker. Cook on high for several hours, give the meat a stir and break it up occasionally. Turn to low after the meat looks like it is mostly cooked. That's it!

Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce

I made this recipe last night and it was a BIG hit! I doubled the recipe and it made three pans of enchiladas. My family of 7 ate one and a half pans, so we have tasty leftovers tonight. I served mine with kernel corn but I think rice and beans would round out the dish nicely. I modified the recipe I found here.

My photo. I had to hurry and get a picture before the kids had their second servings!

Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce:

Ingredients:

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp black pepper

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup sour cream

Lime juice

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

2 tbsp fresh cilantro

1 8-oz can tomato sauce

10-12 small corn tortillas, heated up*

1 - 2 10-oz cans of red enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil.  Add ground beef, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, black pepper, and salt.  Cook until onions are translucent and meat is fully cooked through.

Stir in the sour cream, lime juice, Monterrey Jack cheese, cilantro, and tomato sauce.  

Place 1/4 cup filling on each tortilla, roll up, and place seam-side down in a 9x13 baking dish. Continue until all mixture is used.

Top enchiladas with enchilada sauce, then cheddar cheese.

Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

*If you don't heat up the tortillas then they break when you roll them up. I use a tortilla warmer in the microwave for one minute. 

Pork Carnitas

This recipe takes time and effort. It is worth it. The leftovers were divine.

Photo found here.

Pork Carnitas
4 pound boneless pork butt, fat trimmed and cut into 2 inch cubes
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 onion, peeled and halved
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
2 Tb fresh lime juice
2 C water
1 medium orange, juiced and keep the spent halves

1.  Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat to 300 degrees.  Combine all the ingredients in a large Dutch oven, including the spent orange halves and juice.  Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, uncovered.  Once it simmers, cover pot and transfer it to the oven.  Cook until the meat falls apart when prodded with a fork, about 2 hours.
2.  Remove the pot from the oven and turn on the broiler.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan and place it on a large foil-lined jelly roll pan.  Remove and discard everything from the pot except for the cooking liquid.  Place pot over high heat on the stove and boil until thick and syrupy, about 20 minutes.  You should have about 1 C of liquid remaining when it is finished.
3.  While the liquid is reducing, use two forks to pull each cube of pork into three equal sized pieces.  Once the liquid has become a syrup, gently fold in the pieces of pork into the pot.  Try not to break up the pork any further.  Taste and add additional salt and pepper.
4.  Spread the pork back onto the foil lined pan and evenly spread the meat around so there is a single layer of meat.  Place the jelly roll pan on the lower middle rack of the oven and broil until the top of the meat is well browned and edges are slightly crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes.  Using a wide metal spatula, flip the pieces of meat and broil the other side until well browned and edges are slightly crisp, 5 to 8 minutes.  Serve immediately in a tortilla with all your favorite toppings.

Horchata (Mexican Rice Drink)

I discovered Horchata about 12 years ago in Utah. There was this fabulous 24 hour Mexican restaurant called BETO'S. I asked about a white drink in the fountain and they said it was Horchata. I tried it and I was in love! Since then, it has been difficult to find a restaurant to buy the drink - so I started making my own. Big thanks to Martha Stewart for sharing it in her magazine this month! :)

Horchata
INGREDIENTS:
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup rice or almond flour
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Ice cubes
• Garnish: ground cinnamon and cinnamon sticks
• Milk – add to taste (I added quite a bit – I thought it was too sweet, otherwise)

HOW TO PREPARE:
1. Bring whole milk and cinnamon stick to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, and transfer to a bowl. Whisk in condensed milk, flour, and vanilla. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Strain mixture through a fine sieve. Divide among 4 ice-filled glasses. Garnish with ground cinnamon and cinnamon sticks.

Photo found here.

Green Chili Chicken

My awesome friend, Melisa, passed this recipe on to me. These chicken sandwiches are the best I've ever eaten. Yummy.


Chicken topped with cheese alongside rice, salad, and GF garlic cheese biscuits.

Green Chili Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
4 chicken breasts
2/3 cup GF* soy sauce
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 small can green chilis
Monterey Jack Cheese, sliced

HOW TO PREPARE:
Pound chicken to flatten. Place in a large resealable bag.

In a 2 cup measuring pyrex (or a bowl), stir together soy sauce, cider vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil, & green chili. Set aside ¼ cup for basting. Pour remaining marinade into the resealable bag with chicken. Marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. Grill uncovered on medium heat until done, basting throughout. At the end we put the sliced cheese on the chicken while on the grill so they will melt. Then we eat them with rice. Enjoy!

GF* = Gluten Free

Lone Star Chicken Enchiladas

Photo found here.

Lone Star Chicken Enchiladas

6 Servings

Prep: 30 min. + freezing Bake: 35 min.

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, drained
3/4 cup salsa verde
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 corn tortillas (6 inches), warmed
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded pepper Jack cheese

HOW TO PREPARE:
In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a shallow
bowl, combine cream and salt.

Dip both sides of each tortilla in cream mixture; top with 1/4 cup
chicken mixture. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased
13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Pour remaining cream mixture over top;
sprinkle with cheese. Cover and freeze for up to 6 months.

To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove
from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at
350° for 35-40 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 6
servings.
Nutrition Facts: 2 enchiladas equals 897 calories, 65 g fat (37 g saturated fat), 270 mg cholesterol, 1,437 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 45 g protein.

I found this recipe here.

Cheesy Corn and Black Bean Quesadillas

I found this recipe online and thought it would be good to shake up the typical cheese quesadillas that we make around here. The results? Delicious!

Cheesy Corn and Black Bean Quesadillas
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 15.5-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 small onion, chopped 
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 ounces pepper Jack, shredded
• Salt and pepper
• 8 8-inch corn tortillas
• HOW TO PREPARE:
• 1. 1. In a bowl, coarsely mash beans with a potato masher. Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat; add corn and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until corn begins to brown. Add corn to bowl with beans.
  2. 2. In same skillet, warm oil. Add onion and jalapeño and sauté for 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute longer. Stir mixture into bowl with beans and corn. Let mixture cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
  3. 3. When cool, stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 200ºF. Spread a tortilla out on a work surface and spread a 1/2-cup portion of bean mixture over half. Fold tortilla in half. Repeat with remaining tortillas and bean mixture. Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook as many tortillas as fit in skillet, 3 minutes, then flip quesadillas and cook until golden brown and crispy and cheese is melting, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Place quesadillas on a baking sheet and keep warm in oven while you cook remaining quesadillas. Cut into wedges and serve.

Crockpot Pork and Pinto Beans

I made this tonight and it was a BIG hit! We put the meat and beans into taco shells and topped it with cheese. Delicious! I didn't have carrots or celery on hand, so I omitted those items. It was so good. I found the recipe here.

Crockpot Pork and Pinto Beans
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound dried pinto beans
1 boneless Pork Loin roast (3 to 4 pounds), halved
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
5 medium carrots, chopped (optional)
4 celery ribs, chopped (optional)
1-1/2 cups water
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons chili powder
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Dash pepper
2 packages (10-1/2 ounces each) corn tortilla chips or 30 corn tortillas (10 inches)
Chopped green onions, sliced ripe olives, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and/or shredded lettuce
HOW TO PREPARE:
Sort beans and rinse with cold water. Place beans in a Dutch oven;
add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 to 4 hours or until
beans are softened.
Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid. Place roast in a 5-qt. slow
cooker. In a bowl, combine the beans, tomatoes, carrots, celery,
water, chilies, chili powder, garlic, cumin, oregano and pepper.
Pour over roast. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. Reduce heat to
low; cook 5 hours longer or until beans are tender.
Remove meat, shred with two forks and return to slow cooker. With a
slotted spoon, serve meat mixture over corn chips or in tortillas;
serve with toppings of your choice. Yield: 10 servings.

Crockpot Refried Beans

I love refried beans. Whenever I go to a Mexican restaurant, I always ask for them. And then I mourn when I eat them and they're all gone. Those serving sizes are SO small, aren't they? Well, now you can control your serving sizes of refried beans. You're welcome. I found the recipe here.

Photo found here.

Crockpot Refried Beans

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups of Pinto beans 

5 cups water

4 cups chicken broth

1 onion, diced finely (I use 3 tbsp dehydrated onion)

3 cloves of minced garlic

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup salted butter

HOW TO PREPARE:

Photo found here.

1.) Rinse your beans. Spread them out on a cookie sheet and pull out all the discolored ones. You might find rocks and other random stuff in your beans (especially if you buy the cheaper beans) – so don’t skip this step.

2.) Combine everything (except butter) in the crockpot. Cook on HIGH for 8 hours. Add more water if you need (I didn’t need to add additional water).

3.) When beans have popped open and are soft, they are done. Put butter in the crockpot and cover with lid. Let it sit until melted.

4.) You can either mash them with a potato masher, use a food processor or use an immersion blender. I used the immersion blender, right in the slow cooker crock and it was a cinch! Add extra water if you need to get the consistency you want.

Photo found here.

5.) Eat! We usually make these with quesadillas, but they are great alone or with any Mexican dish.