Cinco de Mayo Recipe Round-Up

Today is Thursday, and typically on Thursday's I have a #tbt (Throw Back Thursday) 

post on my facebook page.

With Cinco de Mayo coming up on Monday, I knew it would be a Mexican themed one. 

I was having a hard time picking just one Mexican recipe to share.  

So, I decided I would do a NEW post, with a round up of OLDer recipes!

Before I get to sharing all of these FANTASTIC Mexican delights that range from 

Taquitos to Sangria and from Chili Rellenos to Mexican Chocolate... I have to tell you something!!

I am SO EXCITED!!

This is my 300th blog post.

and it's my last one for this site.

This whole site will be migrating over to my NEW site this weekend.  

You cannot imagine how excited I am to share it with you!!

this is a little teaser... the logo. Isn't it so pretty!?!?  

My friend, Rhonda, made all of the magic happen.  

She owns a company in Omaha, called FPO Designs.

She didn't just leave off there, she has made different formats of my logo, and is helping me with all of my business tools, business cards, labels and such.  She has such an eye for this stuff! I am so lucky to have her help (and her friendship, but that goes without saying!)

Rhonda and I last fall

The website has been designed and handled by a wonderful person, and fabulous designer, Lauren, from Lauren Prentiss Designs.  I feel so lucky to have had her to help me through all of this, and lucky to have met her, what an amazing woman she is.

Finally the last piece of this awesome puzzle, is Jeni, from The Blog Maven.

Jeni is handling the whole migration process.  Once Lauren had my new site designed and built, Jeni jumps in and migrates everything from my existing site to the new one. 

(If you are reading this AFTER May 5, 2014 ... you are on the new one!)

So, all of the posts that are here, the comments, the followers, links, everything travels over so you can find it right where you saw it last.

Isn't technology cool?

and how about a BIG HAND for these three tech savvy women without whom 

I couldn't have done any of this?!?!

Now... onto the FOOD!!

Cinco de Mayo Recipe Round-Up 2014

Chili Rellenos / Bean Cheese and Onion Enchiladas

Chicken and Doritos Casserole

Mexican Chocolate Brownies

Copy Cat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

Pico de Gallo

Baked Shredded Chicken Taquitos

Easy "Dump" Salsa

 

Beef Enchilada Soup

Crock Pot Shredded Beef Burritos

White Rose Infused Sangria

White Chicken Enchiladas

Homemade Taco Seasoning

These are just a few of my Mexican recipes that you can find here on my blog.

To find more, search the word MEXICAN in the search bar, or click on the tab for Mexican Recipes to be taken to a list of all of them!

Thank you for being here with me!

easy "dump" Salsa

It seems like every time I buy cilantro for a recipe, some of it goes to waste.

I love cilantro, but a little bit goes a long way.

I used to wish the bunches came half their size ... that was until I told my friend, Betsy that, and she said, "just make salsa!"

Well, I LOVE to make Homemade Pico de Gallo in the summer when all of the veggies are fresh from my garden, but this particular day it was blustery and cold.

She raved about the Pioneer Woman's Salsa made in a food processor, and reminded me that I had even had it at her house one time.

Best part, I have all of the ingredients on hand.

So, because my most popular recipes seem to be the easiest ones, I knew I had to pass on this one!

"Dump" Salsa

inspired from: The Pioneer Woman

2 -14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes

2 - 10 ounce cans Rotel

1/2 of a large onion, sliced

1 clove minced garlic, or 1 teaspoon garlic puree

1 whole jalapeno, sliced

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/2-3/4 cup cilantro, packed into measuring cup, no need to chop

juice of 1 small lime

This makes quite a bit, instead of using my food processor, I used my blender.

Simply dump everything into your large food processor, or blender.

Don't blend it though, use the pulse setting and whir it a few times until bigger ingredients are incorporated.

and Ta-Da!

Grab your chips, because you have SALSA!!

Keep covered in the refrigerator, tastes even better the second day!

Copy Cat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

Typically when I go to Taco Bell I order the same thing #1 no sour cream on the tacos.... burrito yes, taco...no.

If I sway...it's for a Mexican Pizza.

Dang, they are just so good.

I have seen many versions of them on other people's blogs, and on Pinterest, and couldn't decide which one to try, so like usual, I just ran with it.

They were a HUGE hit at our house!!

(and it was SUB ZERO outside and I didn't have to leave to "make a run for the border!")

ooey gooey cheese.

My family doesn't like olives... (Whhhhat?!) so this one is MINE!

Copy Cat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

1-1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 packet Taco Bell  Taco Seasoning (or make YOUR OWN)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 15 ounce can Fat-Free refried beans (I love the old El Paso spicy ones!), warmed

Salsa or taco sauce, your choice, we buy the Taco Bell Taco Sauce in a bottle

8 - 9" flour tortillas, soft taco size

2 cups Shredded Mexican Cheese, divided

tops of 4 Green Onions, sliced

4 Roma sized tomatoes, diced

Sliced black olives (optional)

Non-Stick Cooking Spray

In a skillet brown your ground beef with onions and garlic, salt and pepper to taste, drain, add taco seasoning packet and 1/4 cup water and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Set Aside.

Spray a small skillet with non-stick cooking spray and place on stove over medium heat. 

Place a tortilla in skillet and let it slightly brown, and flip it to do the other side.

The kids got a kick out of watching the big bubbles!

Place them on a paper towel until you're ready to "build" your pizzas.

We made 4 pizzas, so you will need 8 tortillas browned on both sides.

Now it's time to BUILD your pizzas.

Place about 1/3 cup of refried beans and top with about 1/2 cup beef mixture, spread to coat.

Top with other tortilla.

Place under broiler set on low for about 5 minutes. 

Remove from oven. 

Spread with 2-3 Tablespoons of salsa/taco sauce.

Sprinkle with tomatoes, green onions and cheese.

Top with olives.

Broil on high for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Remove from oven, plate, slice and dig in!

Baked Chicken Taquitos

I have seen LOTS of taquitos on Pinterest. 

The baked ones always enticed me because they are healthier for you.

I have been watching what I eat over the last year, and have successfully lost about 40 pounds.

I still have 10 to go.

Summer has been hard on me with the lack of routine, and let's face it... too much food and drink.

My kids went back to school this week, and I have decided it's time to lose this last 10... NOW.

I am ready to maintain my goal number for the next year, not a number that's 10 pounds OVER my goal.

So I decided it was time to concoct some taquitos of my own, and make them fit into my low calorie/high fiber diet.

mmmm....goodness that is filling.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

5-6 chicken breasts, frozen is fine

1 (4 oz) can of green chilies + one can water

1 can Rotel tomatoes ( I used original, you can use the spicy if you want to heat them up some) + one can water

1 teaspoon cumin powder

10-12 taco sized flour tortilla shells (I always buy the Carb Balance Mission brand, they have 120 calories and 13 grams of fiber)

Shredded Cheese (I used fat free)

Place the chicken, chilies and Rotel and water in your crock pot.  Cover and cook for 5-6 hours on high, until the chicken falls apart, and shred with two forks.

Place meat in your strainer and squeeze the excess juice out.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

Warm your tortillas in a microwave for about 30-60 seconds so they are soft and easy to work with.

Lay one down and place about 1/3 cup of meat and 1/8 cup of cheese toward the bottom and spread it out in a row like shown.

Roll them up tightly from the bottom, and place them seam side down on your baking dish.

Continue with other tortillas.

I made 11 of them, because that is how many tortillas I had.  I had enough left over to make at least 6 more, but I put it in the refrigerator to use on salads, or in chicken tacos for lunches.

Spray the top of the taquitos with non-stick cooking spray.

Place in oven.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on the outside.

Watch them so your edges don't burn!!

Serve them with your favorite toppings: guacamole, sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce etc...

We had ours with the batch of homemade Pico de Gallo I made the day before.

(RECIPE FOR PICO HERE)

Enjoy!!

Ole!

Pico de Gallo

Hands down, my favorite thing to make with my home grown tomatoes is 

homemade salsa / homemade pico de gallo.

My kids call them both salsa, but I would say that what I make is more of a pico.

Salsa seems to be more of a blended/cooked/canned type sauce.

Pico is more fresh ingredients.

Correct me if I am wrong?

Either way, sign me up, because it is literally my most FAVORITE snack.

It's also my son, Spencer's favorite.

I think it's because I ate more Mexican food when I was pregnant with him, than anything else.

And the hotter the better.

I still laugh when I think if the time my Mother-In-Law told me my baby was going to be born bald, because all of the spicy food I was eating was burning his hair off!!

Spencer has a great garden this year, full of peppers, all kinds, and tomatoes, too.

Right now, the peppers are going like crazy and the tomatoes are green.

*sigh*

So I hit a local stand and bought a bunch, and mixed up some pico tonight., 

He was a happy camper when he got home from work!

Pico de Gallo

8 medium sized ripe tomatoes

1- 1 1/2 onion diced (I used a Vidalia one)

1-2 jalapeno

2 hot wax or banana peppers

1 salsa pepper

1 clove garlic minced

2 teaspoons of lime juice

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, or to taste

sea salt

Dice tomatoes and onions and place in a large bowl.

In your food processor, place peppers and cilantro and give them a whir!

Scoop into tomato/onion mixture.

Add garlic, lime and give it a sprinkle of sea salt.  

If you leave it in the fridge overnight, it always tastes better the next day!

Notes: This "recipe" is really based on taste.  If you want it more mild, use more peppers, don't like cilantro? omit it.  I start with the tomatoes and onions and add peppers to it, it will "heat up" a bit as it sits, but not so much that if you think you can't taste the peppers, you shouldn't add more.

I use what peppers I have on hand, always jalapenos, but sometimes I might not have the salsa pepper, and you can just add and take away.

The sea salt seems to really bring out the taste.  Use as much or as little as your tastes allow.

Chicken and DORITOS Casserole

Every day when my kids get in the car, the first thing they ask me is 

"what's for dinner?"

I am known to be a smartalec once in a while (ok...so a lot of times)

so yesterday, I said 

"DORITOS!!"

They said sure, Mom...what's really for dinner?

I said...ok, DORITOS Casserole.

They still didn't believe me.

When we got home they saw the bag of Doritos on the counter and it was like

"dang...she really meant it!"

EYE POPPING moment!

Now I am going to tell you, this is REALLY good, and it's REALLY easy, but most certainly not one of those "health conscience" foods.

I did however use as much "fat free" stuff as possible, to try and counteract the bag of crunched up Doritos!

Chicken and Doritos Casserole

1 can refried beans

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or cubed

1 (10oz) can of cream of chicken soup

4 cups Mexican shredded cheese

1/2 cup milk

2/3 cup sour cream

1 can Ro-tel tomatoes, drained

1/2 packet of taco seasoning (or use your own!)

1 large bag of Doritos crushed 

Optional Toppings:

Tomatoes

Shredded Lettuce

Sour Cream

Olives

Jalapenos

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a small pan, place chicken with a little bit of water and cover.  Cook until chicken is done, and is able to be shredded or cubed.

Spread the refried beans into the bottom of the baking dish, set aside.

In a large bowl combine the soup, milk, sour cream, Ro-tel, 1 1/2 cup of cheese and taco seasoning.  Add chicken, and combine.

Over the bean layer, sprinkle a layer of Doritos.

Top with half of chicken mixture.

Add another layer of Doritos.

Top with the remaining chicken mixture.

Top with remaining cheese and more Doritos.

Cover and bake for 30-35 minutes.

I did bake mine uncovered for the last 5 minutes.  

hot out of the oven!

Taco Soup

Today is a snow day.

I always get hungry for soup on snow days!!

I rummaged around in the pantry to decide what to make.

Taco Soup it is!!

Didn't really have a recipe so I just started dumping in cans of stuff until it tasted good!

Everybody loved it!!

Taco Soup

1 onion minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 lbs lean ground beef, browned and drained

2 packets of taco seasoning or YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN! (click HERE)

(if you make your own use 2.5 ounces for soup)

1 - 14 oz can Mexican Stewed tomatoes + one can water

1 can or Rotel Tomatoes

2 -  14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes

2 - 15 oz cans dark red kidney beans + 2 cans water

2 - 15.25  oz cans corn, drained

Toppings:

Cheese

Avocado

tortilla chips

sour cream

Brown beef with onion and garlic in your soup pot until cooked, drain any excess fat.

Puree the Mexican stewed tomatoes and Rotel tomatoes together in a blender.

Pour them and all of the other ingredients into the pot and combine.

(except the toppings!!)

Let simmer on low for one hour and serve with your choice of toppings.

Beef Enchilada Soup

I wanted to add a new addition to this year's Halloween Soup Supper.

My kids always request Homemade Chicken Noodle and Broccoli Cheese, 

but I wanted something new....

So this year, it's Beef Enchilada Soup!

Everyone LOVED it!!  

Beef Enchilada Soup

2 lbs ground beef, browned and drained

1 onion, chopped

1 - 15oz can of Mexican stewed tomatoes

1 - 15oz can pinto beans, liquid an all

2 - 11oz cans of Mexi-Corn

2 - 10oz cans enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded Mexican Blend cheese

extra cheese for topping

6 corn tortillas, cut into strips

Spray crock pot with Pam. Brown ground beef with chopped onion, drain and put into your crock pot.

Dump the rest of the ingredients (except for the cheese and tortillas) into your crock pot.  

Add two cans of water, using the enchilada sauce cans.

Give it a stir.

Cook on low all day.

About an hour before eating add your 2 cups of cheese and tortillas.

Top with extra cheese if desired!

White Chicken Enchiladas

These enchiladas are all over Pinterest.  

At this point it's hard to tell who actually "made them first!"

white chicken enchiladas

I made them for the first time about a month ago, to "try them out" on my family before I made them for the luncheon with my friends.

My family LOVED them.

I did make a couple of changes to the recipe I found, but when don't I?

Here's what you do:

White Chicken Enchiladas

recipe adapted from Joyful Momma's Kitchen

8 burrito sized flour tortillas

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 cups chicken broth

3 T. butter

3 T flour

1 - 4oz can diced green chilies

8 ounces of sour cream

8 oz pkg Monterrey Jack cheese shredded

1 - 4oz can sliced black olives, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Evenly divide chicken and half of cheese to fill tortillas.  Roll enchilada style, place in prepared pan.

In a small saucepan melt butter, add flour to make a rue.

Add chicken stock and whisk until combined.  Cook until thick and bubbly.

Add green chilies and sour cream, remove from heat.

Pour over enchiladas.  Cover and bake for 20 minutes.

Uncover add remaining cheese and bake another 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted.

Top with olives, and serve.

White Rose infused Sangria

What is a girlfriend's Mexican Valentine luncheon without SANGRIA?!?

The last two years I have done a brunch, and had Mimosas.

This year I opted for Sangria.

I wish I could give you the measurements of the fruit, but I honestly just kind of added it!!

Note to self: Sangria is a summer drink for a reason, more fruit in season.

I did use a couple of frozen fruits, and I am pretty sure nobody else noticed!!

Here is what I did.

White Rose infused Sangria

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup water

the petals of 1 large rose ( mine was white...so was my wine...that's where it got it's name!)

Over a medium heat, bring to boil the water sugar and petals.

Remove from heat and let petals steep for about 15 minutes.

Remove petals and set aside. You have just made a rose simple syrup.

2 bottles of Sauvignon Blanc Wine

Fruit of choice: I used frozen peaches, frozen pitted red cherries, clementines, red grapes cut in half, halved strawberries, raspberries and pineapple.

 Cut up fruit and place in an airtight container.

Pour  wine and syrup over fruit.

Refrigerate for 24 hours.

Pour into a pitcher or punch bowl, before serving pour a can of ginger ale over the top to add a little bubble effect.

It was YUMMY!!

Bean, Cheese and Onion Enchiladas

While I was planning my Valentine Luncheon this year, I planned to make my cheesy beef enchiladas.

Then...

I realized, that it would be on a Friday during Lent.

So, I decided to use my base recipe for them, and turn them into bean, cheese and onion.

They turned out AMAZING!!

pictured here with chili rellenos

RECIPE HERE

Bean, Cheese and Onion Enchiladas

1 can of refried beans mixed with 1/4 cup milk

1 two cup package of Mexican blend shredded cheese

1 small onion diced

1 package (8 qty) large flour tortillas

1 large can (14 ounce size) Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Spread about 2 Tablespoons of enchilada sauce on a tortilla.

Do the same (2 Tablespoons, or a good pinch) of cheese

Evenly divide beans and onions between the 8 tortillas, rolling up enchilada style.

Place in pan.

Pour remaining sauce and cheese over the top. 

Cover with non-stick foil and bake for 30 minutes covered.

Uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Chili Rellenos

When planning my Valentine luncheon this year, I didn't take into consideration that it fell on

 a Friday during Lent.

Out of all of my friends attending, only three weren't Catholic, and out of those three, one was a vegetarian!!

I did make some white chicken enchiladas, but everything else was meatless.

I had wanted to try this Chili Relleno recipe for a long time.

a photo of my plate!!

When I moved out, I had sat and copied many of my Mom's recipes.  

(this was a long time ago...)

I have transferred this recipe from book to book my whole adult life, and I have never made it?

(why??)

So when I was telling my Mom that I was going to make these, she said,

 "really? I forgot how much I liked those?" 

She hadn't made them in eons either!

Well, they got RAVE reviews at the party!!

And they were so simple!!

I LOVE green chilies, don't you?

Chili Rellenos

3 - 4ounce cans of WHOLE green chilies

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1/4 cup flour

8 ounce package of Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 2quart casserole with non-stick cooking spray.

Drain chilies, spread them out flat and remove any seeds.

Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and flour together, set aside.

Line the bottom of the casserole with half of the chilies.

Top with half of the cheese.

Add the other half of the chilies, top with cheese.

Pour egg mixture over the top and bake for 40-45 minutes, until they slightly brown on top and eggs are cooked.

Mexican Chocolate Frosted Brownies

Mexican frosted chocolate brownies with cinnamon whipped cream

Every luncheon needs one main ingredient.... CHOCOLATE.

My Valentine luncheon this year was no different.  

I do a bake along challenge with Danielle, from Hugs and Cookies XOXO 

and this month it was for frosted brownies.

Danielle challenged everyone to put their own spin on things, though, with candy toppings, etc.

I decided I would "kill two birds with one stone" and make them Mexican chocolate.

With the reading I did, it seemed that pretty much meant adding cinnamon.

Have you ever had a Mexican hot chocolate??

AMAZING.

Some recipes called for cayenne pepper, but I decided to leave that out.

Here is the link to the original recipe on Hugs and Cookies XOXO for frosted brownies.

Mexican Chocolate Frosted Brownies

1 2/3 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter

2 T Water

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

1 1/3 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13x9 pan.

Combine sugar,  butter ad water in a large bowl. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, stir into sugar mixture.  Spread into prepared pan.

Bake for 18 to 25 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.

Cool.

Frosting:

Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy:

1 stick butter

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

3 T cocoa powder

2 T milk

1/4 t cinnamon

splash of vanilla

Frost cooled brownies.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream frosting topping

by Your Cup of Cake

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 stick butter

2-3 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Whip cream until fluffy, remove from bowl and set aside.

Beat butter for 5 minutes.

Add whipped cream back in, add cinnamon, vanilla and powdered sugar slowly.  More sugar if you prefer it sweeter.

Pipe on and sprinkle with cinnamon.