Cilantro Lime Shrimp Wraps

(I forgot to take a photo of the entire wrap)

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tsp. ground cumin

Juice of 1 lime

2 Tbsp. freshly chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Romaine lettuce, for serving

1 avocado, thinly sliced

¼ cup sour cream, for serving

In a large bowl, stir together shrimp, cumin, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss until combined, then let marinate in the fridge 10 minutes.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat remaining tablespoon oil. Add shrimp and marinade cook until pink, 2 minutes per side.

Assemble wraps: Add shrimp and avocado to lettuce, drizzle with sour cream, and garnish with cilantro.

King Ranch Chicken

Butter, for the baking dish

One 10.5-ounce can cream of chicken soup 

One 10.5-ounce can cream of mushroom soup 

One 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with chiles, such as Rotel

2 Tbsp. chili powder 

½ tsp. ground cumin 

½ tsp. kosher salt 

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chicken broth 

16 corn tortillas, torn into pieces 

1 roasted whole chicken, cooled and torn into chunks

1 large white or yellow onion, finely diced 

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced 

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced 

1 jalapeno, finely diced 

1½ cups grated sharp Cheddar

1½ cups grated Monterey Jack cheese 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the soups and diced tomatoes and chiles. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and chicken broth. Then stir it all together.

Line the bottom of the baking dish with half of the torn tortillas. Layer on half the chicken. Add half the onion, bell pepper and jalapeno. Sprinkle on half the cheese and pour on half the soup mixture. Then repeat the layers.

Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake until bubbling, another 15 minutes.

To make ahead and freeze: Fold foil over the unbaked casserole and freeze until solid. Then, lift the foil-topped casserole out of the pan, wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap and freeze until needed. When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap, put the foiled-topped casserole back into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and thaw. Bake at 350° following the baking instructions above.

This recipe can be found here.

Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas

9 corn tortillas

1 15-oz. can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 Tbsp. packed fresh cilantro

½ small chipotle chile in adobo, plus 1 tsp. sauce from the can

½ tsp. ground cumin

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus more for the dish

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (skin removed; about 8 ounces)

½ cup sour cream

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (about 4 ounces)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

Diced avocado and sliced scallions, for topping

Preheat the broiler. Tear 1 tortilla into pieces and transfer to a blender. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, cilantro, chipotle and adobo, and cumin; puree until smooth.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pureed sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.

Meanwhile, coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with vegetable oil. Mix the chicken, sour cream, 1/2 cup of each cheese and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Warm the remaining 8 tortillas in the microwave as the label directs. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla and roll up to enclose. Arrange side by side in the prepared baking dish and brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.

Broil the enchiladas until lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Top with the tomato sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Broil until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Top with avocado and scallions.

This recipe can be found here.

Enchilada Casserole

1 can (16 oz) kidney beans or pinto beans

¾ cup scallions, sliced

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. minced garlic; 1 tsp cumin

6 six-inch corn tortillas

1 can (11 oz) corn, undrained

1½ cups cheddar cheese, grated

1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies

1 can (14½ oz) pasta style stewed tomatoes

sour cream

Drain beans, reserving 1 Tbsp. liquid.  Put in medium sized bowl with scallions and spices.  Mash to make a chunky puree.

Cut tortillas in half.  Line the bottom of a 8 X 8 pan, with 4 tortilla halves, longside against the sides.  Spread half the bean mixture on top.  Top with 4 more tortilla halves.  Spoon corn on top.  Sprinkle with half the cheese and all the chilies. Top with remaining tortilla halves.  Spread remaining bean mixture.  Spoon tomatoes over beans and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cover tightly with foil.  Bake at 350° for 50 – 55 minutes.

Serve with sour cream.

Carne Asada

1 jalapeno, minced

1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 limes, juiced

1 orange, juiced

2 tablespoons white vinegar

½ cup olive oil

2 pounds flank or skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat

In a mortar and pestle or bowl, mash together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Put the paste in a glass jar or plastic container. Add the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, and oil. Shake it up really well to combine.

Lay the flank steak in a large baking dish and pour the mojo over it. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours, so the flavors can sink into the meat. Don't marinate the steak for more than 8 hours though, or the fibers break down too much and the meat gets mushy.

Preheat an outdoor grill or a ridged grill pan over medium-high flame (you can also use a broiler). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Pull the steak out of the mojo marinade and season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill (or broil) the steak for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.

This recipe can be found here.

Shrimp Tostadas

1 Tbsp oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1 lb shrimp

12 tostadas

3 Tbsp parmesan

finely chopped lettuce

oil and vinegar, salt, pepper

hot sauce, avocado (optional)

Heat oil in skillet; sauté onion until transparent.  Add tomato; cook until thick.

Add shrimp, season to taste and remove from heat.

Cover tostada with shrimp mixture, cheese, and lettuce.  Add dressing.

Serve with hot sauce and avocado.

I don't remember where I got the recipe. . .it was a long time ago!

Baked Tortilla Chips

Twelve 6-inch corn tortillas (preferably white)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Fine salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush both sides of the tortillas with the oil. Stack the tortillas and cut the pile into sixths to make chips. Spread the chips out in a single layer on two large baking sheets and season with salt.

Bake until golden brown and crisp, rotating the baking sheets once, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve.

This recipe can be found here.

Guacamole

2-3 medium avocados

1 Tbsp. lime juice

½ -1 tsp. fresh minced garlic

2 Tbsp. finely minced onion

2 heaping spoons of sour cream

Salt (and pepper if you like) to taste

Optional: 3-4 T finely diced tomatoes

Scoop out avocado from skins and mash in a bowl with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and combine well.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. I like to make it at least 30 minutes ahead of time to let the flavors combine and intensify.

This recipe can be found here.

Chili and Cilantro Salsa

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 cup tomato sauce

½ cup onion, chopped

2 jalapenos, minced

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

¼ tsp garlic salt

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in serving bowl.  Let stand for 15 minutes.  Serve at room temperature.

Emily's Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken

1 package taco seasoning

Chicken broth (enough to cover chicken in crock pot)

Corn tortillas

Monterrey jack and cheddar cheese (about 2 cups combined)

Green chilies (small can)

Green enchilada sauce (large sauce)

Put chicken, chicken broth, and taco seasoning in a crock-pot. Cook for approximately 6 hours. Shred chicken. 

Prepare a 9 X 13 glass pan by spraying it with cooking spray and just covering the bottom with enchilada sauce (approximately ¼ of the can, just enough to cover the bottom). 

Warm corn tortillas put shredded chicken, green chili, and cheese on tortilla and roll it up and place in the prepared pan. 

Once all the tortillas are rolled and placed in pan, pour the remaining enchilada sauce and cover with foil. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Take off foil and sprinkle cheese on top. Leave in oven just until cheese is melted. 


(from my friend, Emily who is a great cook)

Grilled Taco Chicken

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2-3 juicy limes

1-2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

Place chicken in a heavy duty Ziploc bag.  Squeeze limes over chicken.  Add splash of vinegar and the garlic.  Seal bag and shake to distribute the marinade.  Marinate 4-8 hours.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (about 400°).

Combine seasonings in a small bowl.  Remove chicken from the bag and discard the marinade.  Rub spices into chicken.

Place chicken on hot grill.  Grill 7 minutes, turn over and grill 5-7 minutes more.  Remove from heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Great for tacos or a taco salad. 

(from Our Best Bites)

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn, or fresh if in season
Crumbled tortilla chips


Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn. 
Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
To serve, sprinkle tortilla chips over soup.


(found on this blog)