Refried Beans

You know we are a mexican food loving family right? There is nothing yummier than some homemade refried beans. The canned stuff is so blah. The cannery beans are a step up but still pale in comparison to making them yourself. We have made these 3 times in the last month. Cook up some uncooked tortillas from costco and you have one easy meal!

1 lb pinto beans (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup dehydrated onion
2 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. cumin

Sort, rinse, cover with water, and soak beans (either over night or boil for 2 minutes and then cover and let sit for an hour). Drain soak water and rinse beans again. Return beans to pan or to crockpot. Add remaining ingredients and cover beans with fresh water. I should have measured how much water exactly but it probably depends. Cover and simmer beans for 4 hours or cook in crockpot as long as you want (probably low for 6 hours or high for 4). You really can't cook them too long. Just keep an eye on your water level. If it gets low add more water. After cook time check water level. If there is still a fair amount of water, turn the heat up and bring to a boil. You really don't want to drain any of the water as all the flavor is there. Keep in mind as you mash the beans and let them sit they will thicken up. You can always add water as needed. Mash beans. If still runny, turn heat up to medium and cook while stirring to prevent sticking until beans thicken.

Pineapple and Green Chile Pork Tacos

3 lb. boneless pork roast (or beef)

1 (20 ounce can) crushed pineapple with juices

1 (16 ounce) jar tomatillo salsa (my favorite is Herdez, if you can't find it next to regular salsa, look by the mexican food- you know like the dried peppers and stuff)

2 (4 ounce) cans green chiles, undrained

2/3 cup brown sugar

corn tortillas
cheese
chopped cilantro
sour cream
guacamole

Combine first 5 ingredients in the crock pot and cook on high for four hours or on low for 6 to eight hours. Shred pork, season to taste with salt and pepper. In a colander, drain juices from crock pot. Mix shredded pork with pineapple/salsa mixture that remains in colander and serve in tortillas with desired accompaniments.

Mock Homemade Refried Beans

Do you ever start dinner and wish you had some homemade refried beans to go with it but don't have the hours it takes to make them? This is my mock version to go with Sunny's spanish rice (which we make A LOT!) and it only takes a minute to throw together (Especially if I already have onion diced for the rice or if I use dehydrated onions which I love to use when my trip to the cannery is not so long overdue)

1-2Tbsp. oil
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin (or less to taste depending on how much you like it. It is one of my top 5 favorite ingredients so if you don't love it I would put a little less in.)
salt to taste (1/4-1/2 tsp.)
2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
shredded cheese to top it off with

Saute onion in oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until onion is translucent. (This is about all the cooking it will get so cook it well, and not too hot so you don't have crunchy onions in your beans!) Add garlic and seasonings and cook a minute longer. Add beans and let cook in seasoning and oil to fry up a bit (about 5 minutes stirring every once and a while). Mash beans with a potato masher and add water as needed to make smooth. Adjust seasoning if needed. If you really want to go for a smooth texture use an immersion blender (you know what I am talking about, right?) to blend the beans all up. Top with cheese and there you have it- mock homemade refried beans.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

This recipe has to be one of my favorites! I found it over at Our Best Bites. This is the original recipes but here's the thing- I don't think I have actually followed this recipe exatly, or even ever made them the same way twice. So since I don't have a real recipe I will give you the original and you can play with it. You can change the filling however you want and use whatever you have. I have used chicken in a tomatillo sauce, or carne asada... you really can't go wrong.

3 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 green onion, sliced finely
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup cheese (whatever you like- monterey jack, cheddar, pepper jack)

About 15 corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Heat a couple tortillas in the microwave at a time until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges and roll it up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Corn and Black Bean Quesadillas with Pepper Jack Cheese

1/3 cup frozen corn kernals, thawed
2 tsp. oil
1/3 cup minced red onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/3 cup black beans
2 tsp. lime juice
salt
2 plain flour tortillas, eight inch
2/3 cup pepper jack, or cheddar, or Monterey jack, or a combination
1 Tbs. minced pickled jalapenos

Heat corn in skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until kernels begin to brown and pop, 3-5 minutes;transfer corn to medium bowl. Heat 2 tsp. oil in empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering, add red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Return corn to skillet and toss to combine. Gently press mixture with spatula to lightly crush black beans. Transfer mixture to now-empty bowl, stir in lime juice, and season to taste with salt.

Assemble quesadillas by spreading half the corn and bean mixture, half the cheese, and half the jalapenos over half of tortilla. Fold in half and repeat with second tortilla. And cook it up!

Guacamole is a must have on these!

Chicken Tamale Casserole

Mock tamales really. I love love this recipe. It is really easy and yummy!

• 1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
• 1/3 cup fat-free milk
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
  
• 1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
• Cooking spray
• 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
  
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

*Notes:
1. I didn't have any creamed corn and surely wasn't going to buy some when I could just throw some regular corn in the food processor for a second or two.
2. I was afraid the chicken would dry out so I mixed some enchilada sauce up with the chicken.
3. I also wanted a thicker cornbread so I used a smaller pan (11x7).
4. It might be good with a can of black beans mixed up with the chicken. I will probably try that next time.
5. 1 small can of enchilada sauce just wasn't going to be enough so I used about 3/4 of a BIG can. In the future I will make our homemade enchilada sauce that we LOVE. I didn't have any tomato sauce (what?) so I couldn't make it this time and had to resort to the not so good canned stuff, which I surprisingly even had in my pantry. I am thinking about half of that recipe should be enough for this.

YUM. Enjoy!

White Chicken Chili

3- 15 oz. cans Great Northern beans, drained
8 oz. chicken cooked, diced or shredded
1 C. chopped onion
1 1/2 C. chopped green pepper ( I did red/green mix)
2 jalapeno chili peppers, chopped (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. oregano
3 1/2 C. chicken broth

Combine all together in large pot and cook on stove until beans and peppers are done (soft).
Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips.

This is also a great crockpot recipe.

Irma's Salsa

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
3 jalapenos (more if you like hotter)
28 oz. stewed tomatoes (from a can, or boil your own from your garden, remove skin)
1 bunch green onions, chopped


Place tomatoes and cilantro in a blender.

In a small pan, boil the jalapenos til they turn an army green color. Remove them from water, cut off tops, slice down middle and remove seeds.

Place in blender.

Blend until smooth. Pour into large bowl, stir in green onions. Chill.

Boom! You're done.

It's good to add a little extra at the end, before placing in fridge; like salt, garlic salt, onion salt, lime juice... whatever you're feelin'- go for it!!

p.s. Irma is the mother of my good friend Christina! :)

Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

Sauce
2 teaspoons vegetable oil or corn oil
1 medium onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
3/4 pound small tomatillos , husks and stems removed, each tomatillo quartered (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 large jalapeño chiles , seeded and coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt

Filling
2 teaspoons vegetable oil or corn oil
1 medium onion , chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4 thighs), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese , grated (2 cups)

Tortillas and Toppings
10 corn tortillas (six-inch)
Vegetable cooking spray
3 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese (3/4 cup)
3/4 cup sour cream
1 avocado , diced medium
5 leaves romaine lettuce , washed, dried, and shredded
2 limes , quartered


FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomatillos, jalapeños, sugar and salt; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1/3 cup of water and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until tomatillos are softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to blender and puree until smooth, about 30 seconds; set aside. Rinse out saucepan.

FOR THE FILLING: Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring ocassionally, until beginning to soften and brown, about 3 minutes, then reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until browned, about 3 minutes longer. Add cumin and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken mixture to large plate; freeze for 10 minutes to cool, then combine with cilantro and cheese in medium bowl and set aside.

Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 300 degrees.

TO ASSEMBLE: Follow illustrations to heat tortillas and fill, roll, and sauce enchiladas. Cover baking dish with foil. Bake enchiladas on lower-middle rack until heated through and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and serve immediately, passing sour cream, avocado, lettuce, and lime wedges separately.

Beef Tacos

A bit on the spicy side. Not too bad, though. Beef Filling
2	tablespoons vegetable oil or corn oil
1	small onion , chopped small (about 2/3 cup)
3	medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
2	tablespoons chili powder
1	teaspoon ground cumin
1	teaspoon ground coriander
1/2	teaspoon dried oregano
1/4	teaspoon cayenne pepper
	Salt
1	pound 90% lean ground beef (or leaner)
1/2	cup tomato sauce
1/2	cup low-sodium chicken broth
1	teaspoon brown sugar
2	teaspoons vinegar (preferably cider vinegar)
	Pepper
Shells and Toppings
8	taco shells (warmed according to package instructions), or Home-Fried Taco Shells
1	cup shredded cheddar cheese(4 ounces), or Monterey Jack cheese
2	cups shredded iceberg lettuce
2	small tomatoes , chopped small
1/2	cup sour cream
1	avocado , diced medium
1	small onion , chopped small
2	tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
	hot sauce

Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, spices, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook, breaking meat up with wooden spoon and scraping pan bottom to prevent scorching, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, and vinegar; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently and breaking meat up so that no chunks remain, until liquid has reduced and thickened (mixture should not be completely dry), about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Using wide, shallow spoon, divide filling evenly among taco shells; place two tacos on individual plates. Serve immediately, passing toppings separately.

Chicken Fajita Tostadas!

We had these yesterday and they were SOOOOOOOOOOO yummy!!! And easy too! I stole the pictures from my friend's blog and she is the one that actually made her own salsa. I didn't, but I probably will next time. I just knew we wouldn't have enough time yesterday. YUM!

Chicken Fajita Tostadas


2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 box frozen corn
1 cup prepared salsa (I made my own-- recipe at the bottom)
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken breast
6 corn tortillas
1 cup sharp cheddar


1. Preheat oven to 450. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. On foil combine sliced onions, peppers, frozen corn, and 1/4 C of the salsa. Drizzle with 1 T olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Move one of your oven racks into the highest position, right under the top broiler. Place cookie sheet on the top rack. Roast veggies, tossing occasionally-- until they are tender and lightly browned-- about 15 to 20 minutes. Add chicken and continue to roast an additional 5 minutes. Transfer chicken and veggies into a bowl and discard foil.

2. On the same hot cookie sheet, arrange tortillas and brush with remaining olive oil. Top with cheese and bake (at the same temp of 450) until edges are golden brown and cheese is very bubbly and melted, 5 to 8 minutes.

3. Top tortillas with chicken and veggie mixture, and then top with salsa.

Homemade Salsa

3-4 Roma tomatoes
1/2 C cilantro
1/2 of an onion
1 jalapeno
1 lime
salt and pepper

Chop tomatoes, cilantro, onion, and seeded jalapeno. Toss in juice of 1 lime and season with salt and pepper.

Crispy Bean and Cheese Burritos

1 c. oil

1 pkg small flour tortillas (20)

1 can refried beans or 1 can pinto beans put in blender with some garlic salt and cumin for flavor!

1 slice of cheese for each tortilla (I used American from Costco, it melts like Velveeta)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a skillet. Spread beans on each tortilla, place a slice of cheese, then roll up. Fry in oil for about 15 seconds on each side. Put them on paper towels to drain excess grease. Then place on baking sheet and put in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and serve. We ate these with pico! You can use salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or however else you like burritos! I just need some tips on how to fold them. I just rolled them up! This made 17 crispy burritos. They were more filling than I thought.

Southwest Eggrolls

Last year at the Ray cousin Christmas party my dad & I made these eggrolls and they were gone before the opening prayer! I make them all the time. I made them last time and all my roommates (and my fiance) were amazed! The secret is: they are so dang easy!

Southwest Eggrolls

1 can black beans
1 can corn
2-3 chicken breasts, boiled & shredded
1/2-1 pack frozen chopped spinach (depending on how much spinach you want)
Chopped green peppers
Chopped onions
Seasonings—we use "essence of Emeril" seasoning (which has paprika, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, and thyme) but you really can season it however you prefer!

Won Ton Wrappers
Vegetable oil for cooking

Combine all ingredients in large pan; cook on medium-high until everything is hot. Season to taste.

Remove from heat. Wrap eggroll mix in won ton wrappers (approximately 1 tablespoon filling per wrapper). Heat oil (deep enough to half-submerse the eggrolls) over medium; when oil is hot fry eggrolls for a minute or two on each side (until golden brown).

For dipping: Mix 1 part salsa and 1 part Ranch dressing; enjoy!

This recipe is far from exact—you really can adjust it to make as much or as little as you want. The chicken, beans & corn should be roughly proportional to one another; other than that it's pretty lenient and INCREDIBLY delicious!

Tortillas

2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup lard (shortening)

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or 2 knives. Add water. Divide into abt. 8 balls (depending how big or small you want them) and roll each ball thinly. Cook in electric skillet or on stove over a medium to medium-low heat. You don't want them to cook too fast/too hot they will turn crisp.

Lime Tortilla Chicken

1 cup finely crushed plain tortilla chips
(for best results, crush in food processor or blender)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tsp. honey
6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 6 oz. each)

1 can (14.5 oz.) Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried cilantro (or 2 tablespoons fresh)
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup grated Jack cheese

Place finely crushed tortilla chips on plate.
Combine oil, lime juice and honey in a shallow bowl.
Dip chicken breasts in oil mixture, then press in chips.
Place on a greased jelly roll pan with sides.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

While chicken bakes, puree tomatoes, cilantro, chili powder and garlic powder together in food processor or blender to make a sauce.
Remove chicken from oven and spread evenly with sauce.
Sprinkle with cheese. Continue baking until cheese melts, about 5-8 minutes

From: Good Things Utah

5-minute Southwest Salad

I know it's the time of the year for soups and stews, but with Spencer gone even more I'm looking for very simple and quick dinner ideas. This is super easy and like Spencer said, "My kind of salad."

torn romaine lettuce
1 can black beans
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
3/4 cup salsa
1/2 cup cheese
1/4 cup ranch dressing (I used Italian, and Spencer used hot sauce)
1 cup tortilla chips
Optional 1-2 chicken breasts (I did the Shake and Bake with it)

Arrange lettuce in bottom of glass or serving bowl or on serving plate.

Layer beans, corn, salsa, and cheese, evenly on top.

Drizzle with dressing; sprinkle with chips.

Makes 4 serving, 1 1/2 cups each.

Layered Enchilada Bake

This one comes from the Food and Family Magazine. We tried this last night and we all loved it.

1 lb. ground beef (I used 3 large chicken breasts)
1 large onion (I omitted this. I thought the chunky salsa would have enough onions)
2 cups chunky salsa
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup zesty Italian dressing
2 Tbs. taco seasoning mix
6 flour tortillas (8 inch)
1 cup sour cream (I used 1/4 - 1/2 cup)
1 pkg. Mexican Style Shredded Four Cheese (I used some sharp cheddar)

Line a 13x9-inch dish with foil.

Cook the meat with the onions. Add the salsa, beans, dressing, and seasoning. Mix well.

Arrange 3 tortillas in a single layer on bottom of dish. Cover with layers of half each of the meat mixture, sour cream, and cheese. Repeat all layers. Cover with foil.

Bake, covered, 30 min at 400. Bake an additional 10 min uncovered. Top with tomatoes, shredded lettuce and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Then bake at 400 for 1 hour. Remove foil. Bake an additional 15-20 min uncovered.

Blackberry Salsa

Okay I know you all think I'm nuts. I couldn't find a recipe for this (imagine that) so I altered a few to use blackberries. I think it turned out REALLY good. I can't wait for David to get home to give me a third opinion (I already have Katelyn's approval). Anyway I need to write it down before I forget.

1 1/2 cups blackberries
1/2 sweet red bell pepper, diced
1/4 white onion, diced
1 serrano pepper, seeds removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lime juiced and peel grated
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 tablespoon vinegar
salt and pepper

Puree in blender!

Calico Chicken

6 chicken breast halves; boneless, skinless
(1) 4 oz. can diced green chiles; drained
1 packet taco seasoning
(1) 11 oz. can mexicorn; drained
8 oz. pepper jack cheese
(1) 15 oz. can black beans; drained
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup black olives; sliced
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup green onions; sliced
1/2 cup corn flakes; crushed

Place 1 chicken breast between 2 pieces of waxed paper and gently pound with a meat mallet until about 1/8" thick. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts. Sprinkle about 1/2 tsp. of taco seasoning on the boned side of each breast. Place a 1/2" x 1 1/2" slice of pepper jack cheese on each chicken breast then roll up jelly roll fashion. Tuck in ends and seal well with a toothpick. Dip each chicken roll in melted butter then roll in corn flake crumbs, turning to thoroughly coat each roll. Place in a lightly greased 12" Dutch oven. Bake using 10-12 briquettes bottom and 16-18 briquettes top for 35-45 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned. Remove chicken from oven and remove toothpicks. Wipe the oven clean with a paper towel.

In a large bowl mix together green chiles, mexicorn, black beans, tomato, olives, green olives and 2 Tbs. of the taco seasoning. Spoon vegetables into Dutch oven. Place chicken rolls on top of the vegetable mixture. Grate the remaining cheese and sprinkle over the chicken rolls. Cover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until vegetables are warmed thru and the cheese has melted.
Serves: 6

Refried Beans

I'm sorry Sunny I don't think I will be much help. I found the recipe and like I thought, there isn't really a special way I make them, basically just mashed up beans. But I will post this just in case.

4 cups dried beans, sorted and rinsed well.

Put into a large pot and cover with water about an inch over the beans. Cover and let soak overnight (or if you don't have time bring the beans and water to a boil for about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat cover and soak 1 hour).

Dump out all the water and cover the beans with clean water. Boil and add 1/3 c. dehydrated onion. Cover and simmer 4-6 hours. Keep an eye on them to make sure there is still water in them. About 30 minutes before they are done check water level. If they need more water add some if there is too much dump some out. I usually keep a bit of water in there and at this point I empty most of it into a bowl or cup and add it as I need it. They thicken up a lot after you mash them so I like to hold onto the extra water. Add a heaping tablespoon of salt (or more to taste). Mash with potato masher. If they are hard cook them longer if they are dry add water. If they are runny cook with the lid off and stir so it doesn't burn. And from there you can season however you want. I can't tell you specific amounts, just to taste. You can add garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, tabasco sauce... David likes them plain so I usually only add some garlic powder.

This is probably the same way you made them, so sorry! If anyone else has any ideas be my guest.

***Oh and by the way the cannery is discontinuing their refried beans (which are second to homemade) so stock up now!