Tequila Refried Beans

I love refried beans. My favorite being the ones full of bacon fat or lard. While those beans are incredibly smooth and flavorful, they are certainly not very healthy. Occasionally we do break down and eat them this way or have them at a restaurant prepared the traditional way, but since we eat Mexican food quite often it is just not an option to have weekly. 

In the past, I admit that a lot of times I've taken the easy route and just purchased canned refried beans at the grocery store. They are pretty decent tasting and really no one complained about having them. When I fixed the shrimp tacos, my magazine Cuisine at Home had a recipe for tequila refried beans featured on the same page. Tequila and refried beans? Really? But hey, I was intrigued, the picture looked good and the recipe sounded pretty awesome as well, so I went ahead and gave them a try.

Well, I'm sorry to say it, but I won't be supporting the canned refried bean companies any longer. I have found the most perfect recipe. I even have to go as far as saying that it might be more flavorful then beans prepared with lard. Considering that it is quick and easy to fix (it relies on canned pinto beans), is high in fiber, and much lower in fat then traditional prepared beans I find this recipe a true keeper. Don't let the tequila scare you, all the alcohol cooks out and it just imparts additional flavor, but if you don't cook with alcohol you could certainly use water or additional chicken broth.

The recipe is cooked in about 15 minutes with very little effort. Topping it with some fresh queso fresco and sliced serrano chiles (which you could leave off) and you have a fantastic show stopper of a recipe. If you love Mexican food as much as we do, then serve this at your next fiesta, your guests will appreciate it!

Tequila Refried Beans

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Ingredients:

1/4 cup white onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons tequila or water

2 (15 ounce each) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Salt and black pepper to taste

Crumbled queso fresco

Sliced serrano chile (optional)

Directions:

Saute onion in oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, cumin, and coriander. Saute 1 minute. Deglaze pan with tequila (or water); reduce until evaporated.

Stir in beans and broth. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Crush beans with a potato masher and cook until soupy, 5 minutes. Keep adding chicken broth if the bean mixture gets too dry until desired consistency is achieved.

Stir in lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Serve with cheese and chile slices.

Adapted from: Cuisine at Home

Mexican Rice

A while ago I received a message from an old friend. He wondered if I had any luck producing a decent Mexican rice recipe so far. Unfortunately, I had to tell him that my efforts, just like his, had only cooked up disaster after disaster. I have tried so many different recipes, but nothing has come close so far. Always up for a challenge I told him that I would go ahead and keep testing and tasting until I found the perfect blend of flavor and spice.

Mexican rice doesn't sound all that hard but it has sure proven to be. Every recipe I was finding was either bland or something else just wasn't right. Many recipes have an abundance of garlic, which overpowered everything else (and I like garlic). Others tasted like a cheap boxed mix. Even some restaurants I have eaten at can't produce a decent tasting rice on their plate. So my work was definitely cut out for me.

After talking to my friend for a bit, we both agreed that yellow rice is best and not the tomato based Spanish type rice. Now, I'm not an expert on Hispanic food, and even despite living in the southwest the rice in restaurants will vary from red to yellow. So forgive me if this is not 100% authentic, but the main goal was flavor in this endeavor.

I started reading through a ton of recipes online and made notes left and right. I finally came across a few that called for Goya seasoning* and I thought I was finally on to something. Starting with a high quality rice and a flavorful broth, I was finally able to achieve a rice that was worthy of being served to family and friends. I'm not completely sure if I want to keep relying on a seasoning mix like Goya and so my search will continue to find a way to achieve the same flavor without it. For the time being though, this makes one tasty rice full of everything I was looking for.

So Steve, this one is for you; while it is not my final work, I still truly hope you enjoy it!

* Goya seasoning is available in the southwest at a lot of grocery stores in the Hispanic food aisle. If you can't find it at your local store, you can easily purchase it here. There are 36 envelopes in the box and you only need 1 envelope per recipe made.

Mexican Rice

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Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice

3 cups chicken broth

1 envelope Sazon Goya seasoning with coriander and annatto

Pinch of saffron

Salt and black pepper to taste

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender and translucent. Add the garlic and saute another 30 seconds.

Add the rice, the Sazon Goya envelope, and saffron, stir until the rice is coated with the oil and toasted. Add the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook until the rice is tender and all of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Stir in the fresh lime juice, then gently fold in cilantro. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with additional lime wedges.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

A few weeks ago I received a preview magazine for Cuisine at home in my mailbox. After looking through it and loving a lot of the recipes, I decided to subscribe to it since I'm always trying to get inspired by new and different things. I received my first issue a few days ago and the poor magazine is now covered in little sticky notes for all the recipes I'm planning on making.

The first one I chose caught my eye immediately as I flipped through the first few pages. I picked the Shrimp Tacos. The picture just screamed "summer time" and they looked incredibly delicious.

There are 3 components to this recipe. The marinated shrimp, a wonderful (and easy) slaw, and an incredibly tasty chipotle sauce. What makes this recipe even better is that the shrimp are grilled, to us that means the oven stays off, which is an added bonus for us here, especially since our temperatures have hit 110 degrees F over the past weekend.

The meal comes together quickly, the shrimp marinates while you prepare the sauce and the slaw. Grilling the shrimp takes no more then a few minutes from start to finish, I would almost go as far as calling this a "fast-food" meal, since dinner can be on the table in 30 minutes flat.

I have always enjoyed a good fish taco and still do, but this is my new favorite seafood taco. The taste is absolutely mouthwatering and amazing, but what makes this even more interesting is that each of the components of the taco aren't calling for a whole lot of ingredients, but once you put this together it's so good.  I didn't make a lot of changes, but went ahead and used double the ingredients in the sauce since it was so tasty.

I served these Tacos with Mexican Rice and Refried Beans. Stay tuned this week for recipes for both of these side dishes. They were just as good, plus you don't want to miss this weeks Ice Cream Flavor, it is out of this world!

So if you are trying to celebrate summer to it's fullest, and you love seafood, then make these tacos, they sure were a hit at our home.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

~serves 4~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

For the shrimp tacos:

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 pound (about 24)large shrimp, peeled and deveined

8 (6-inch) flour tortillas

For the chipotle sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

3 teaspoons chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced

2 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Salt to taste

For the red slaw:

4 cups shredded red cabbage

1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Salt to taste

Directions:

Whisk together 1/2 cup lime juice, 1 tablespoon oil, and chili powder for the shrimp. Add the cleaned shrimp to the marinade and chill until ready to skewer (about 10-15 minutes).

Preheat on side of the grill to medium-high and the other side to medium-low.

In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, chipotles, honey, and lime juice for the sauce. Season with salt and chill until ready to serve, or up to 2 days.

Combine cabbage, scallions, cilantro, 1 tablespoon oil, and vinegar for the slaw. Season with salt and chill until ready to serve, or up to 1 hour.

Warp tortillas in foil. Thread shrimp onto metal or soaked bamboo skewers.

Grill foil-wrapped tortillas, covered, over medium-low heat, 3-4 minutes. Flip and grill 3-4 minutes more. Grill shrimp skewers, covered, over medium-high heat, 1-2 minutes per side. Remove tortillas and skewers from the grill.

To serve, divide slaw and shrimp among 8 tortillas; drizzle with sauce.

Adapted from: Cuisine At Home

Southwest Corn Guacamole

Aside from grilling a lot in the warmer month we also like to eat a lot of Mexican food. Restaurants unfortunately are really hit and miss here, so we make most of our Mexican fare at home. By using fresh ingredients and being able to control what goes into each dish, most of the meals are beloved by the whole family.

Guacamole is one of those dishes. I usually make a traditional one that is mainly avocado and tomato along with seasonings and another version that is blended (and fantastic) which was given to me by a Hispanic friend.

When I was flipping through my May 2010 Issue of Food Network Magazine I got excited to see they had a few different guacamole recipes that I had never tasted before and that sounded really good. I had a hard time deciding, but ultimately went with the Southwest Corn version.

The recipe called for broiling some of the vegetables before putting the dish together, but in true fashion my husband decided it would be even better if we grilled them. Boy, was he ever right. Unfortunately the pictures don't do this wonderful guacamole justice. I made the recipe as written, but doubled up on the corn which made the dish even more delicious.

We loved this recipe. The slightly charred vegetables added a wonderful flavor throughout. This recipe makes a big batch, but for us this wasn't a problem since we just ate it with tortilla chips for dinner. Remember, guacamole does not keep well overnight in the refrigerator, so if you are just serving this as a side dish or for a smaller crowd then scale back accordingly.

 

Southwest Corn Guacamole

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Ingredients:

2 ears of corn, grilled and kernels cut off

2 plum tomatoes

1 bunch green onions

3 avocados, diced

2 jalapenos, minced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Chili powder

Ground coriander

Kosher Salt

Directions:

Oil the corn; sprinkle with chili powder, ground coriander and kosher salt. Grill the corn, the plum tomatoes, and scallions, 5-7 minutes or until slightly charred (you might have to remove the tomatoes before the corn).

Chop the scallions and tomatoes; mash with 3 diced avocados, jalapenos, cilantro, and the lime juice. Add the corn kernels and season with chili powder, coriander and salt. Serve immediately with your favorite tortilla chips.

Adapted from: Food Network Magazine

Tres Leches Cake with Mango Sauce

The very first time I laid eyes on a Tres Leches Cake was on Alton Brown's Food Network Show "Good Eats". I watched him prepare this cake, that after being baked seemed to hold an unbelievable amount of liquid, like a sponge. I was very intrigued. 

A little while after that while out shopping one day, I came across a Tres Leches Cake in a boxed cake mix. I thought why not give that one a try. Oh my, it was disgusting. It tasted fake, the milk mixture didn't soak into the cake, and it was all just a big mess. I think I ended up tossing most of it. 

Still intrigued and not willing to give up, I decided to go with Alton Brown's version after all. His is truly a good recipe, but I still thought it was a little too rich with all the half and half and heavy cream that was called for in his recipe. Nonetheless, it is fantastic tasting, and I have taken it to parties before and everyone has loved it. 

So when my newest Food Network Magazine showed up not too long ago and I saw they had a Tres Leches Cake with Mango Sauce inside, I knew I had to make it. Well, this version blows any other version I have had out of the water. It calls for whole milk instead of half and half and also reduces the heavy cream topping and sugar. That along with a fantastic fresh mango sauce makes this my new go-to recipe. 

Give it a try, it would make the perfect ending to any Cinco de Mayo Celebration!

Tres Leches Cake with Mango Sauce

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Ingredients:
Vegetable oil, for greasing
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups whole milk, divided
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounce can evaporated milk
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon dark rum
2 large ripe mangoes
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup heavy cream
Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with vegetable oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Make the cake: Beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer until pale and slightly thick, about 6 minutes. Slowly beat in the melted butter, then beat in the vanilla and 1/4 cup whole milk.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Sift the flour mixture over the egg mixture, then gently fold together with a rubber spatula to make a thick batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted  into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes*. Run a knife along the edges to release the cake from the pan.

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 cups whole milk, the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and rum in a bowl. Pierce the warm cake all over with a fork, then pour the milk mixture evenly on top. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Before serving, make the topping: Peel, pit and dice the mangoes. Puree half the mangoes in a blender with 2 tablespoons sugar. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the remaining diced mango.
In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream and the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar with a mixer until soft peaks form. Slice the cake; top each piece with the whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve the mango topping on the side.

*I had to bake my cake closer to 45 minutes, after the 30 it called for it was still liquid inside.

Adapted from: Food Network Magazine

On the Go Breakfast Burritos

My oldest child is notorious for setting her alarm clock, then hitting snooze over and over until dad finally wakes her up which is usually about 10 minutes before they have to hit the road to get to school and work. Since my oldest also never wants to take a lunch, a decent breakfast will tie her over until school ends for the day.

We've tried several things and while she enjoys grabbing a muffin or a even a granola bar she definitely loves savory breakfasts much more. Her dad is the same way. He will eat something "sweet" for breakfast but he'll go nuts over traditional bacon and sausage especially if it's doused in hot sauce or salsa.

We have played with the Breakfast Burrito for some time now and quite frankly this is such a versatile dish that you can pretty much add whatever floats your boat short of the kitchen sink. The breakfast burritos are the perfect portable size but they keep you full for a long time. When I make these I usually make a big batch to freeze, as it is so easy for my loved ones to grab one out of the freezer, toss it in the microwave for about 1 minute and 20 seconds and off they go (paper towel in hand of course).

I think these Burritos are a great alternative for anyone who regularly wonders what to grab in the mornings and then usually ends up spending a small fortune somewhere on their way to work at a fast food place. Give them a try, who knows you might end up stocking your freezer with them as well.

On the Go Breakfast Burritos

~makes about 20~

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Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds Chorizo, any kind

1 large red onion, chopped

2 cups mixed bell peppers, chopped

1 serrano pepper, finely minced

1 can (4 ounce) diced green chiles

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons Kosher Salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

12 large eggs, beaten

12 ounce sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

20 (8-inch) Tortillas 

Wax Paper and Ziploc Bags for freezing

Directions:

In a large pan cook Chorizo on medium-high heat. Drain some of the excess fat. Add the onion, bell peppers and serrano pepper and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the green chiles, garlic powder, ground cumin, salt and black pepper and cook for another 1 minute. Add the eggs to the pan on medium heat and start scrambling the mixture. This can take anywhere from 4 to 8 minutes. Add the cheddar cheese and combine. Let the mixture hang out on the heat for a few more minutes to "dry" it out.

Take your tortillas, place 1/2 cup of filling into each and roll them up "Burrito style" making sure to roll them tight and tuck the ends in. Wrap the cooled Burritos in wax paper before placing them in gallon sized Ziploc freezer bags. Freeze for up to 2 months.

To reheat the burritos, place frozen burritos in microwave and microwave in wax paper for 1 to 2 minutes (depending on microwave) or until hot. Or you can defrost them overnight in the refrigerator and warm in oven or pan fry.

A Susi's Kochen und Backen Original Recipe

No More "Supermarket" Salsa (Verde Edition)

After successfully creating No More "Supermarket" Salsa a few weeks ago my Mexican food loving husband decided that he wasn't going to purchase Salsa Verde anymore either at the grocery store. So I left the task up to him to find a recipe and make it work for our tastes. 

We had this Salsa with the "Oven fried" chicken Chimichangas and it tasted wonderful together. This salsa is very versatile and will work with a variety of dishes,  even on top of Huevos Rancheros for a tasty breakfast.

This salsa takes only slightly longer then it's red counterpart. There is a little cooking involved but start to finish this didn't take longer then 30 minutes. The key is the tomatillos, which along with spices and cilantro make this salsa so much better then anything you could buy. As an additional bonus it doesn't have any dreaded additives that are just not necessary for taste. This will keep for a good week in the refrigerator  or you could even go ahead, put it in jars and go through the canning process since the added vinegar will work as your preservative. Just a word of advice: this makes quite a bit of Salsa Verde, so feel free to half the recipe with the same great results.

No More "Supermarket" Salsa (Verde Edition)

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Ingredients:

10-12 Tomatillos, husked

1 medium white onion, rough chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Jalapeno Peppers, rough chopped

1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

3 teaspoons Kosher Salt, divided

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

2 limes, juiced

Directions:

Place tomatillos, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, oregano, cumin and 2 teaspoons salt into a pot. Add chicken broth, vinegar and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the tomatillos are soft, 10-15 minutes.

Strain the vegetables from the liquid (reserving liquid) and place in food processor or blender.  Carefully puree the tomatillo mixture adding reserved liquid until smooth and desired consistency is reached.

Stir in lime juice and remaining teaspoon of Kosher salt to taste.

"Oven Fried" Chicken Chimichangas

 

Whether it is Tacos, Fajitas, Burritos or Carnitas, my family does not care as long as it is Mexican Food. So far the Chimichanga has always been reserved for eating out. Making them at home would have required me to deep fry them. I'm not crazy about a big pot of oil on my stove and then there is always the question of what to do with the oil afterward.

The only logical choice was to make Chimichangas in the oven that would still have the crisp like the fried version, but without the mess of oil and additional calories. The debate continued if the filling should be beef or chicken but ultimately the latter won out in this battle.

Chicken Chimichangas can be extremely bland and we sure had our share of those at restaurants. With this in mind I tried to come up with the perfect combination of ingredients that would complement the chicken, add flavor but without overpowering the dish. 

A few diced peppers along with cilantro, onions and your typical Mexican cuisine spices cumin and oregano made the chicken filling delicious. Adding this to a mix of cream cheese (for firmness), sour cream, bacon bits and  lots of cheese and you have the perfect "oven fried" Chimichanga that no one could get enough off.

"Oven Fried" Chicken Chimichangas

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Ingredients:

3 whole roasted or poached* chicken breasts, shredded

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

6 scallions, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 whole jalapeno, finely minced

1/2 cup red bell pepper, small diced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt or to taste

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

6 ounces Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

8 whole flour tortillas (8")

Oil for brushing

*To poach the chicken: place chicken in a single layer in a pot or pan.  Fill with canned chicken broth or water until chicken is completely covered.  Season with salt, pepper, onion, carrot and any other herbs you like.  Bring to a boil, then turn the broth/water down to a simmer.  Cook for 8-12 minutes, depending on the size of your meat, or until it is firm to the touch. Cool slightly before handling.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Add the oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the scallions, garlic, jalapeno, red bell pepper, cumin and oregano. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl cream together cream cheese and sour cream and salt. Add the cooled down vegetable mixture, shredded chicken, cilantro and cheese. Mix to combine well and taste again for seasonings adjusting as needed.

Microwave the tortillas (wrapped between 2 damp paper towels) for about 25 seconds to make them more pliable. Using one tortilla add a time add about 1/2 cup filling in the center of the tortilla. Wrap the Chimichanga like you would a burrito (without wrapping too tight or it will burst later) making sure the sides are tucked in well to enclose the filling. Place the rolled up tortilla with filling seam-side down on the parchment lined baking sheet. Proceed with the additional tortillas in the same fashion.

Brush the top and sides of each Chimichanga with some oil or spray with cooking spray. Bake for 21 to 23 minutes or the filling is heated through and the chimis are golden brown and crispy.

Serve with your favorite Mexican rice, refried beans and salsa.

No More "Supermarket" Salsa

 

In my quest of finding the perfect Salsa recipe I think we have finally found and perfected the "one". It does not get any easier then this and if you have a food processor and about 5 minutes to spare I promise you will never go back to store bought.

No More "Supermarket" Salsa

(Print this recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cans (15 ounce) Whole Tomatoes with Juice

2 cans (10 ounce) Rotel Tomatoes with Juice (mild or any other variety)

1/2 white onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 Jalapenos, finely chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt (less if you use table salt)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Black Pepper to taste

2 tablespoons Ketchup

1 cup Cilantro, rough chopped

1-2 Limes, juiced (depending on size of lime)

Splash of white vinegar (optional)

Directions:

Combine all of the above ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until you get the desired consistency you like. Test for seasonings and add some more if needed. Let the salsa sit for at least an hour or so in the refrigerator to let the flavors blend. This will keep for at least a week in the refrigerator. Enjoy!