Enchiladas & Encharitos

Quick Enchilada Sauce

                     4 Tb        Vegetable Oil

                 1-2 Tb        Flour

               1/4 cup        Chili Powder

                  2 cups        Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock

                    10 oz        Tomato Paste

                     2 tsp        Dried Oregano

                     1 tsp        Ground Cumin

                   ½ tsp        cayenne

                                      Salt to taste

                        

In saucepan heat oil, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minute. Add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock, tomato paste, oregano, cumin and cayenne, stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. The sauce should be smooth and slightly thick.  Season to taste

 

Cheese Enchiladas

           1 package      Corn Tortillas

                  ½ cup      Vegetable Oil

              2-3 cups      Enchilada Sauce (or 2-3 canned Enchilada Sauce)

        4-5 pounds      Cheddar Cheese or Cheddar-Jack, grated      

                          ½      Onion, chopped (or ½ cup Dried Onions)

 

Heat oil and quickly cook the corn tortillas until soft and pliable (about 20 seconds on both sides).  Drain on paper towel. 

 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray casserole dish with vegetable spray. 

Thoroughly mix the cheese and onions in a bowl.  Place enchilada sauce in a shallow dish.  Dip tortilla in enchilada sauce, place in casserole dish, and roll a handful of cheese in the center.  Repeat process until tortillas are gone or casserole dish is full.  Cover with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15-30 minutes - until cheese is melted and sauce slightly bubbling around the edges.

 

Encharitos

           1 package      Corn Tortillas

                  ½ cup      Vegetable Oil

              2-3 cups      Enchilada Sauce (or 2-3 canned Enchilada Sauce)

              1 pound      Ground Beef

                                    Salt & Pepper to taste

                   ½ tsp      Ground Cumin

                          ½      Onion, chopped

                    1 can      Refried Beans           

            1 pounds      Cheddar Cheese or Cheddar-Jack, grated      

                             

Brown ground beef and onions over high heat.  Strain and discard grease.  Season with salt, pepper and cumin.  Add refried beans, mix and heat.  When mixture begins to bubble, remove from heat and set aside.

Heat oil and quickly cook the corn tortillas until soft and pliable (about 20 seconds on both sides).  Drain on paper towel. 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray casserole dish with vegetable spray. 

Place enchilada sauce in a shallow dish.  Dip tortilla in enchilada sauce, place in casserole dish, and roll a spoonful of beef-bean mixture and spoonful of cheese in the center.  Repeat process until tortillas are gone or casserole dish is full.  Cover with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15-30 minutes - until cheese is melted and sauce slightly bubbling around the edges.

Chorizo & Eggs

Our Aunt Ann introduced us to Chorizo and Eggs many year's ago.  This seems such an easy recipe, I almost hate to include it, but this is our family’s legacy.  And chorizo & eggs have become a tradition for both 4^th of July and Christmas mornings.  So this recipe if for the future generations… just in case.

 

       1 pound    Mexican chorizo

             8-12    eggs
                        flour and corn tortillas
 

       Garnish    cheddar cheese, grated

                        onions, chopped
                        tomatoes, diced
                        cilantro, chopped
                        sour cream
                        salsa
                        hot sauce

 

Crack eggs into bowl and scramble.

Remove casing from chorizo.  Place chorizo in skillet over high heat.  When the sausage has melted and starts to bubble. Add eggs and scramble till fluffy.

Warm tortillas.

Place small amount of egg mixture in tortilla, garnish to taste.

Cucumber Salad with Pineapple and Jalapeño

Bon Appétit
June 1999
This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires addtional sitting time.

3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup 1/3-inch pieces peeled cored fresh pineapple
1 English hothouse cucumber, cut into 1/3-inch pieces
1 carrot, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño chili
1 head green leaf lettuce, leaves separated
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

 

Bring first 4 ingredients to boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 4 minutes. Transfer syrup to large bowl and refrigerate until cold.

Add pineapple to syrup. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Add cucumber and next 3 ingredients to pineapple mixture; stir to coat. Line plates with lettuce leaves. Spoon salad atop lettuce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

 

Serves 6 to 8.

Chicken Pozole

ingredients:

I           whole chicken  (or any variation thereof)

1/2       onion

6-7       dried chilies (Anaheim or New Mexican)

                        dried or fresh oregano

                        dried or fresh cilantro

1           clove garlic

2Tb      lemon pepper

                        salt to taste

3          cans of hominy

 

garnish:           

            chopped cilantro

            chopped onions

            chopped oregano

            shredded red cabbage

            lime wedges

 

 

cover chicken, onions, chilies, oregano, cilantro and garlic with water.

bring to simmer boil, then reduce heat and simmer.

when chicken is cooked through, remove it from stock, and set aside to cool.

after stock has cooled, place all remaining ingredients and stock in blender and puree.

then using a wood spoon push puree through a metal mesh back into the stock pot

discard what cannot be pushed through the mesh.

return stock to heat, add water if needed.

remove the meat from the chicken bones, and add it to the stock.  discard bones and skin.

add lemon pepper and salt.

add hominy.

simmer

serve and garnish.

Taco Salad

Giselle’s favorite family recipe... although she usually picked the tomatoes out...

 

              1 pound      Ground Beef

            1 package      Taco Seasoning
                 1 head      Lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
               ¼ head      Red Cabbage, chopped
                         1      Tomato, chopped
                       ½      Red Onion, chopped
              1 bunch      Cilantro, chopped
                  1 can      Kidney Beans (8 oz.)
                  1 can      Garbanzo Beans (8 oz.)
                  1 cup      Cheddar Cheese, grated
                                Tortilla Chips
                                Sour Cream
                                Salsa and Hot Sauce

1.    Prepare ground beef per the instructions on seasoning package.  Strain kidney & garbanzo beans, then add to beef mixture.  Let mixture cool

 

2.  Toss lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, and cheddar in large bowl, just before serving add meat & bean mixture and toss.

3.  Serve salad on top of crushed tortilla chips.  Dress salad with sour cream, salsa, and hot sauce to individual tastes.

 

Stacey's Bloody Mary

                1 can     Tomato Juice
               3 tbsp     Worcestershire Sauce
               1 tbsp     Prepared Horseradish
                 dash     A-1 Sauce
                 2 tsp     Celery Salt
                 2 tsp     Black Pepper
             to taste     Tabasco Sauce
             garnish     Lime or Lemon Wedge
                             Celery Stick
                             Pickled Asparagus or Green Bean

  For glass rims:     mix equal parts kosher salt, celery salt, and lemon pepper

                             and place in shallow dish.  Rub lime around glass lip then dip into salt mix
                            

                             Vodka

Mix tomato juice, Worcestershire, horseradish, A-1, celery salt, pepper and Tabasco in a pitcher.  Taste to check seasoning.

Salt rims of glass and fill with ice.  Add 1 oz. of vodka, fill with the Bloody Mary mix.

Garnish with a squeeze of lime and celery stalk (or pickled asparagus/green bean)

Thai Satays & Peanut Sauce

Satays
         2-3 pounds      Chicken or Beef, cut into
                                    thin strips - or -  large Shrimp
                                    Bamboo skewers
Marinade
                1 bunch      Fresh Basil
                1 bunch      Fresh Cilantro
                1 bunch      Green Onions, chopped coarsely
                3 cloves      Fresh Garlic   
                      2 Tb      Fresh Ginger, grated
                        2-3      Chiles (Thai or Serrano)
                 2 stalks      Lemon Grass
                   ¼ cup      Oyster Sauce
                   ½ cup      Vegetable Oil

·        Place all marinade ingredients in a food processor or blender.  Blend until smooth. 

·        Place beef or chicken strips container and coat with marinade.  Do not marinate both beef and chicken in the same container. Cover and let sit in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

·        Skewer meat and grill on barbecue.

 

Peanut Dipping Sauce:

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

                     1 cup      peanut oil
              8 ounces      natural unsalted peanuts in their shells, shelled (1 cup shelled)

                            3      large shallots, thinly sliced
                      2 Tb      minced peeled fresh ginger (packed)
                             1      garlic clove, minced
                            3      anchovy fillets, drained, minced
                       1 Tb      brown sugar (packed)
                 1½  tsp      Sambal
                      1 tsp      ground coriander
                      1 tsp      salt
                  1/2 tsp      ground cumin
           2 3/4 cups      (or more) water
                      2 Tb      fresh lemon juice

·        Line baking sheet with paper towels. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add peanuts; fry until golden brown, watching closely to avoid burning, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer peanuts to paper towels; drain. Cool. Finely grind peanuts in processor. Discard all but 1 tablespoon oil in skillet.

·        Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, ginger and garlic; sauté until shallots are almost tender, 3 minutes. Add anchovies and next 5 ingredients; stir 1 minute. Add 2 3/4 cups water; simmer until shallots are tender, 5 minutes. Add peanuts; simmer until mixture thickens slightly, 5 minutes longer. Season with salt. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Before using, rewarm over low heat, stirring occasionally and adding more water to thin sauce.) Stir lemon juice into sauce. Serve warm.

Spicy Chex Party Mix - family-style

              ½ cup     butter

                 5 Tb     Worcestershire sauce

                 1 tsp     garlic powder

                 1 tsp     onion powder

                 1 tsp     cayenne pepper

              ½ tsp     white pepper

             2 cups     Wheat Chex Cereal

             2 cups     Rice Chex Cereal

             2 cups     pretzels

               1 cup     mixed nuts or pine nuts

               2 cup     croutons, cheddar crackers or oyster crackers

               1 cup     wasabi peas (optional)

               1 cup     sesame sticks

 

1.      Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 250°

2.     Spray large pan with vegetable oil

3.     Melt butter and blend together the Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and white pepper.

4.     In a large container add remaining ingredients.  Toss to blend, then drizzle with butter mixture.  Toss till all ingredients are thoroughly coated

5.     Spread evenly inot the pan and bake for about 1 hour, stirring several times during baking, until browned and crispy.

 

Makes 10 to 11 cups

Buffalo Chicken Wings - Ode to the Honey Bucket

Buffalo Wings are NOT composed of any known part of a buffalo… and were actually created in Buffalo, New York.  I obtained a portion of this recipe from a bartender at the HoneyBucket in Long Beach, which was a fine established dive, popular for their secret wing recipe.  (I once waited for 45 minutes for an order.)
 

       12 or more     Chicken Wings, thawed

                             Vegetable Oil for frying

              ½ cup     Blue Cheese Dressing

               6 to 8     Celery Sticks, trimmed and cleaned

Heat oil in deep-sided skillet or deep fryer to 375°.  Place as many wings in the hot oil as will fit comfortably without causing the oil to overflow.  (Warning: when the moisture from the chicken first hits the hot oil it may froth up and over the sides if the pan is too full.)  Cook the wings until they reach the desired crispness.  You may have to cook wings in more than one batch.  If you are trying to cut calories, bake the wings (turning frequently) on a cookie sheet coated with a non-stick spray at 375°.

 

Meanwhile in a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine the following ingredients:

               1 stick     Butter

              ½ cup     Tabasco Sauce

                  1 Tb     Garlic Salt

                                       1 tsp     Paprika

                                       1 tsp     Cayenne Pepper (more if you like it hot, less if you don’t)

                                     ½ tsp     White Pepper

Stir ingredients till well mixed, then transfer to a larger container with a lid.  As the crisp chicken wings are removed from the oil, place them into the container.  Seal the lid and toss contents to coat the wings with the Tabasco mixture.  Place coated wings on a serving platter, and toss the next batch of wings in the remaining mixture.

 

Serve the wings with the traditional Blue Cheese Dressing for dipping (or Ranch Dressing for those less daring) and crunchy celery sticks to help cool the heat in the mouth

Cajun Spice Mix - Shelly's Restaurant

Keep this mix in your spice rack for an easy seasoning to any dish.  For blackened steak or fish: coat with mix, then sear both sides in a very hot skillet with a tablespoon of oil.  For a Cajun sauce:  melt butter, add mix, then stir in heavy cream, let reduce to desired thickness.

Mix the following ingredients well (recommend running them through spice grinder) and store in an air-tight container.

 

          Tb    spice or dried herb

            2    Salt

             1    Cayenne

             1    Black Pepper

             1    White Pepper

             1    Paprika

            5    Garlic Powder

            5    Onion Powder

            2    Dill

            2    Tarragon

            2    All Spice

            2    Cumin

            2    Oregano

            2    Thyme

            2    Basil

            2    Gumbo File

            2    Beef Base

            2    Chicken Base