Guacamole Chicken Salad

Ingredients

2 cups leftover cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
1/3 cup whole plain Greek yogurt
2-3 T salsa verde (optional)
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (feta works well)
1/2 an avocado, diced (I used more)
juice from 1/2 a lime
generous pinches of salt and ground cumin

Directions

  In a medium bowl combine the chicken, yogurt, salsa verde, onion, cilantro, and Cotija cheese. Mix thoroughly. Gently fold in the avocado. Add the lime juice, salt, and cumin and stir again gently. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Serve wrapped in a tortilla, in a pita, with chips, or over salad greens. Or by itself.

from Perry's Plate

"Spicy" Chicken & Black Bean Pasta

We've been enjoying this recipe for a while, but only this past time did Siena gobble it all up! I'm not sure if it is just taste buds maturing a bit, but every time she eats a meal completely unmodified I want to jump for joy. Really, I could go on and on about how happy this makes me- in fact, I'm sure I will as I post other recipes of food she willingly (and knowingly) eats.

 This makes a lot! I halved the original recipe and we still ate it for 2-3 days. The original is a little spicier (hence the name), but I'm wimpy so this ratio of spices seemed to work out pretty well.

1/2 lb whole wheat pasta, cooked al dente  (spaghetti & fettuccine work great)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (1 is plenty for our family)*
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1-2 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2-4  oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 small Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil  over medium heat. Add chicken, chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Saute until chicken is cooked through, but not browned. Remove chicken and set aside.

2 .Return skillet to heat. Add jalapenos, green onions, and red bell pepper; saute 3-4 minutes. Stir in black beans; heat about 3 minutes. Add feta and chicken, and heat thoroughly. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes. Toss pasta gently with sauce and sprinkle with cilantro.

*I think this could easily be adapted to be vegetarian-just add spices when you saute jalapenos, onions, and pepper. I'd also consider increasing the black beans.

adapted from Lauren Loves Food

White Bean Tomatillo Tacos

This dish was inspired from a need to use a lot of tomatillos and tomatoes.  The Hatch family loves bean burros from a restaurant in Phoenix called Don Jose. There are many Hatch traditions I've come to love... unfortunately Don Jose's isn't exactly my favorite tradition. (I was relieved to find out one of my brothers-in-law isn't a huge fan either!) I do appreciate that it is a family-run place, but not quite my first choice for eating out. When going to Don Jose's most family members order a 'bean burro'- refried beans with cheese in a tortilla. I won't claim this recipe to be close to the beloved Don Jose bean burro, but it got a stamp of approval from Nick and is I'm sure significantly healthier.

Tomatillo Salsa

Ingredients

1 jalapeno

1 1/2 bunches of cilantro, no stems

12-15 fresh tomatillos, about 1 1/2 to 2 inch size, husked and cleaned

juice of 1 lime plus zest

1-2 tsp. of sugar, or other sweetener
1-2 cloves garlic
1/4 of large onion

salt to taste

Directions

Boil the jalapeno in water. Cut off stem and add to blender with all other ingredients (I split it in half first and removed the seeds because I'm wimpy.)  Blend until almost smooth. Chill. 

Tacos

Ingredients

2 cans of white beans, drained and rinsed
cumin, to taste
oregano, to taste
coriander, to taste
tortillas
shredded cheese
cucumbers, diced
tomatoes, diced
fresh spinach, roughly chopped
tomatillo salsa

1. In a medium saucepan, add rinsed beans with a bit of water- about 1/4 of the saucepan. Turn heat to medium-high and add cumin, oregano, coriander.  Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally til beans have thickened and have a texture almost like refried beans.


2. Cook or warm tortillas. Add beans, sprinkle with cheese and allow to melt. Garnish with cucumbers, tomatoes, and spinach. Add tomatillo salsa and enjoy!

adapted from the Enlightened Homemaker

Black Bean Soup

Nick is working nights this month. Yep, we're back to an incredibly crappy schedule. Sometimes the 15 minutes that we have together isn't worth trying to cram down an early dinner, so Siena and I have been flying solo most nights. I made this the other night when all I wanted was to order pizza or drive to Chipotle- but Siena was already in bed and I couldn't justify the cost at the time. Besides loving black beans, I love this recipe because it is right up my alley: ingredients I almost always have on hand, easy to adjust quantity, and no measuring. I ate it just as it was, but I think you could pair it with lots of things if you prefer it as a side rather than the main dish.

Ingredients

olive oil
1-2 red bell pepper, chopped
medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cans black beans (reserve 1/2-3/4 of one can), mostly drained
1/2 can diced tomatoes in juice
1/2-1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. coriander
fresh cilantro, to taste

Directions

1. In a saucepan or pot, over medium heat, add olive oil and saute bell pepper, onions, and garlic until tender (about 5-6 min).

2. Add beans (reserving 1/2-3/4 of one can), diced tomatoes (in some juice) a bit of chicken broth-I splashed some in, but start on the lower end knowing you can always add more.

3. Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, coriander (I approximated above, because I like to just shake 'em in). Bring to boil, reduce heat to low/medium low and simmer uncovered til carrots are tender. Add fresh cilantro (1-2 Tbsp. chopped)

4. Using an immersion blender, or a traditional blender, blend the beans to desired consistency. Add chicken broth as needed to get desired consistency. Add reserved black beans and return to stove to heat through.

5. Garnish with fresh lime juice, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, dollop of sour cream, and/or fresh cilantro.

If you are fortunate enough to have leftovers, this reheats really well. It may need a little broth added the next day.

Stacked Roasted Veggie Enchiladas

I was a little hesitant to try this, but having seen this recipe (or very similar) over and over I figured there must be something good about it! It was a great meatless dinner, even Nick approved and was pleasantly surprised. Honestly, we made this so long ago I can't remember if I changed much from the original recipe- I'm pretty sure I used a little less red sauce and only 1/2 a jalapeno since I didn't want too much spice for a 2-year-old.

Ingredients

1 large red pepper, chopped, seeds removed
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium yellow squash, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups red enchilada sauce
9-10 small corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place red pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, and onion on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until vegetables are coated. Season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables for 30-40 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove vegetables from oven and let cool to room temperature. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

2. Grease an 8x8 square baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine roasted vegetables, black beans, cumin, chili powder, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro. Stir and season with salt and pepper.

3. Spread 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce into the bottom of the baking pan. Add a layer of tortillas, to completely cover the bottom of the pan. You might have to cut the tortillas to make them fit. Top with 1/3 of the vegetable/bean mixture and 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, enchilada sauce, vegetables/beans, and cheese. Top with with a layer of tortillas, enchilada sauce, vegetables/beans, and cheese. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover the pan.

4. Bake enchiladas for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the enchiladas are bubbling. Remove enchiladas from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm.

from twopeasandtheirpod

Frijoles Negros- Authentic Cuban Black Beans

       With a Cuban mamacita, I was eating black beans as soon as I could gum them. This was, however, the first time I've made them from dry beans. After a trip to California where I saw my Tia Nora make them I realized there was no reason to be timid. If time permits, this is certainly the way to make beans. Unfortunately, as with most good cooking, things aren't really measured- a lot is "to taste," but I think that is part of what makes something delcious-ly personal. I've given approximations below.

Ingredients

1 lb dry black beans, rinsed in cold water and picked over
enough cold water to cover the beans 1/2-1"
1 bay leaf

Sofrito
2-3 Tbps. olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
2-3 tsp. ground cumin (to tate)
few dashes of oregano
2 Tbsp.white vinegar or cider vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
1 spicy sausage (I use turkey sausage)
*specialty spices- my aunt uses a Goya seasoning, but since it is not available everywhere you can add a bit more of the spices listed above, to taste.

Directions

1. Rinse beans in cold water, picking out anything odd. Place beans in a large pot and soak overnight in cold water- covering the beans by about 1 inch. Remove any beans that float to the top.
2. The next day, make sure that there is still water covering the beans, add water until it they are still covered by at least 1 inch. Add bay leaf, bring to a boil over a high heat, reduce heat to low and cook uncovered, until the beans are tender and have almost cracked open. Check the beans periodically and add more water as needed.
3. To make the sofrito, in a separate skillet heat the olive oil over low heat. Add garlic, onion, and bell peppers, cooking and stirring until the onion is transparent approx. 8-10 minutes. Add cumin, vinegar, oregano, vinegar, whole sausage and other optional specialty seasonings. Mix well. When the sofrito is ready, I remove the sausage due to personal taste- if not, break it up with a wooden spoon. Add the sofrito to the beans, mix well and continue to cook over low heat until the beans crack open. Season to taste and serve. {Since these beans are dried you will need to add more salt than you would with canned beans.} Be sure to remove the bay leaf!

To make it more soupy, add more water while cooking, to make it thicker, use less water-both ways are fantastic.

I doubled this recipe and froze portions. To reconstitute, I found it best to add a little chicken broth and warm on the stove.

Southwest Rolls

slightly adapted from A Hint of Honey 

My friend, Jessie made these for my baby shower 2 years ago and I've also enjoyed them at a church activity where I was in charge of serving/replacing food trays = shoving these in my mouth behind the scenes. They are so delicious and worth making a lot at atime. We ate some the same evening and froze the rest, super easy to reheat-great as an appetizer or paired with something as a main dish.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and diced

2/3 cup green onion, sliced

2 large red bell peppers, minced
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed (I used fresh corn cooked, then cut off the cob)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained- I used fresh spinach, closer to 3/4 cup or 1 cup
1/4 cup diced jalapeno peppers, seeded and rinsed (1 medium sized)
3 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley (or 1 1/2 tsp dried)
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. garlic powder (or 5 cloves fresh minced garlic)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (or 1 Tbsp. dried)
1 tsp. salt
1/4-1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)

3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack or Cheddar cheese
20-30 (6-8 inch) whole wheat flour tortillas (or your favorite tortilla- like the ones you cook yourself)

Avocado Dipping Sauce

1 fresh avocado, smashed
1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 Tbsp. buttermilk-- didn't have on hand, used a little fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. white vinegar

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. dried parsley

1/8 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1 dash dried dill weed

1 dash pepper

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add green onions and bell pepper and saute 5 minutes until tender.

2. Add diced cooked chicken, corn, spinach, black beans, jalapeno, parsley, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, cilantro, salt, and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes until well blended and tender. Remove from heat and stir in cheese so it melts.

3. Place tortillas between two moist paper towels and microwave 30 seconds-1 minute until hot and pliable. {I was using the tortillas you cook yourself, so this was bit different}

4. Spoon even amounts of mixture onto each tortilla. Fold in ends of tortilla, then roll tightly around mixture. Arrange in a medium dish, cover, and store in the freezer or refrigerator. Chilling them for several hours before baking helps hold them together, but is not absolutely necessary. They keep well frozen, and can be placed directly in the oven.

5. Lightly butter a baking sheet and place rolls evenly on the pan.

6. Bake rolls at 375 F for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and the edges begin to crisp, rotating them every 10 minutes.

7. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for several minutes before slicing in half. Serve with Avocado Dipping Sauce and garnish with chopped onion and tomato.

8. To prepare sauce combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whip until creamy. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

adapted from many-a-cooking blog, originally from The Sisters Cafe


Weird. I just noticed that I posted this June 25, 2010- almost exactly a year ago. Well, after a year of eating this many times I think I've found my favorite way to prepare it. Adding black beans and fresh chopped spinach as well as omitting the cream make these a little bit healthier and even more tasty.

Ingredients

4-5 Tbsp. honey
juice from 2 small or 1 large lime (approx 5 Tbsp.)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. chili powder
1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and shredded (approx. 2 large chicken breasts)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
fresh baby spinach, to taste (I do maybe 3-4 oz?)
12 8-inch whole wheat or flour tortillas
Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded (or Mexican blend)
14 oz. green enchilada sauce (I'm partial to Hatch enchilada sauce)
1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half (*can omit entirely)

Directions

1. Mix the honey, lime juice, garlic powder, and chili powder in a small bowl. Add the shredded chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour, but up to several hours.

2.  Take spinach leaves, stack several, roll up and chop. Repeat as needed until all spinach is chopped.

3. Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Fill tortillas with chicken & bean mixture, spinach, and shredded cheese (saving enough cheese to sprinkle on top) and roll tightly. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. *Last time I didn't use any cream and I didn't miss it at all. Promise.

3. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for 20-30 minutes, until brown and crispy on top.

Serves 4-6.

Ropa Vieja

adapted from Memories of a Cuban Kitchen

   Interested in "Old Clothes" for dinner? I wish I could say I grew up eating this dish frequently and have a family recipe handed down from my bisabuela or something- but I was a super picky eater until high school...and a cookbook from my esposo is the true source. The 'lahatchita' part of me comes from being 1/2 Cuban.  My mom used to joke that the only visible Cuban part was my Cuban booty. Nevertheless, I really love good Cuban food and hope to cook lots so that maybe my 1/4 Cuban daughter will have some good recipes up her sleeve in the future.
  I made the recipe as described below, but I think it could easily be adjusted to work in a slow cooker. Also, if you want to make it super authentic, you could make it with horse meat from Argentine horses- that is how my mom had it growing up.

Ingredients

1 1/2 - 2 lbs flank steak, cut in half
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1-2 tsp. dried oregano
1-2 tsp. ground cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2-1 cup early sweet peas, (if using canned, drain)


Directions

1. Place beef and one bay leaf in a large saucepan, cover with salted water and cook over low heat until meat is tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove the meat from the stock (save the stock if you desire), allow to cool at room temperature, then cut into 2-inch chunks.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over low heat until fragrant. Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic, stirring until tender- about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sherry, oregano, cumin, and remaining bay leaf, cooking uncovered an additional 15 minutes.

3. When the meat is cool, shred it with fingers,  remove excess fat, and season with salt and pepper. Add it to the tomato mixture and cover. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, garnish with peas and serve with rice and beans and perhaps a little Cuban salad on the side.

Note: This dish can be prepared a day or two in advance, cooled, and refrigerated, then simmered (covered) over low heat until heated through, 30-35 minutes.

Serves 6-8

Ensalada de Aguacate

{Avocado salad}

   This is a pretty typical little Cuban salad with the European influence evident in the very simple oil & vinegar dressing. (Oh how I ate oily salads for 6 weeks in Spain...) The ingredients might seem a bit unusual, but they are good- te prometo. Enjoy it as a light accompaniment to another tasty dish.

Ingredients

watercress or lettuce leaves
1-2 large ripe avocado, halved and sliced
bit of onion, very thinly sliced-almost shaved
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. white vinegar (or lemon juice)
1-2 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions

 On a platter lined with greens, arrange avocado slices and onion slices, sprinkle with a salt and pepper. In a small bowl whisk together oil and vinegar and drizzle over salad. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Southwestern Chicken and Barley "Soup"

 

 adapted from Perrys' Plate

{This is kinda cheating since this recipe was already on the blog a while ago...but we ate it again and this time I took a picture...and yes, that spoon had already been in my mouth.}

    Maybe I'm super lazy, but I am beginning to have the mindset that many soups taste better and are easier to prepare in a trusty crock pot. I threw everything in just before nap-time ended, cooked on high for 4 hours and called it done. This resembles a tortilla soup, but had a little something extra filling with the barely. This is a perfect number for a busy (or in my case lazy) day.

Ingredients

1-2 chicken breasts (fresh or frozen)
1-2 minced garlic cloves
2-3 cups chicken broth {depending on if you want it more soup-like or chili-like}
2 cups frozen corn
1 15-oz can kidney or black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes w/green chilies
1/2-1 cup pearl barley (uncooked)... or just throw in however much you'd like
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
dash of coriander
juice from 1 small lime or 1/2 large lime (about 2-3 T)

Garnish with...
green onions, chopped
fresh cilantro, chopped
sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese
avocado, diced

Directions

   In a slow cooker, add chicken through lime juice. Cook 3-6 hours at the appropriate temperature. Before serving, use two forks and shred chicken into bite sized pieces. Garnish with desired topping and enjoy every bite.

Serves 6

Lime Marinaded Pork Tacos

adapted from Acquired Taste

We will use this marinade again and again- it was awesome. I think Nick liked it so much he thought it would be perfect to eat without any need for the rest of the taco :)

Ingredients

Marinade
1 Tbsp. lime zest
2 limes, juiced (about 1/2 cup)
1 tsp. ground coriander
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
salt to taste
1 pork tenderloin

Guacamole
2 avocados
1-2 Tbsp. plain yogurt
1-2 tsp. lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Fixin's
corn or whole wheat tortillas
shredded cheese
fresh cilantro
diced tomatoes
other options-- jalapeno pepper slices, sliced onion, lettuce


Directions

1. In a bowl whisk together lime juice, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic, vegetable oil and salt.
In a large zip bag or glass container, place the pork tenderloin in and pour the marinade on top. Chill for at least 1 hour, up to several hours. (I did 5 hours)

2. When ready to cook pork, preheat grill and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Cook tenderloin over medium to medium-high heat, rolling to rotate and cooking in 3 to 4 segments until pork is cooked through with a nice crust on the outside. {I finished cooking my pork by putting it in the oven to broil for 5-7 min.}Remove from the grill/oven and allow to cool before shredding meat with either forks or your hands.

3. While pork is cooking or cooling, prepare guacamole. Place the avocado in a bowl with yogurt and lime juice. Using the back of a fork, mash the avocado together with the yogurt and lime juice. Stir in onion and salt. *Could add a bit of chopped cilantro here if desired.

4. Assemble tacos by heating tortillas on in a large pan. Assemble tacos with desired ingredients and chow down.

Chicken Tomale-esque

adapted from Cooking Light

This was pretty tasty, though I was pretty surprised it came from Cooking Light. I guess it would be 'light' if you really got 8 servings out of it. We managed about 5ish. Nick wanted tomales but this was a good compromise for weekday. It came together really quickly (I cooked the chicken during Siena's nap) and we enjoyed it with a nice big salad on the side.

I think this could be played around with and might go well with onions, bell peppers, in a tomatillo sauce, etc.

Ingredients

1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup corn meal

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup milk

2 egg, beaten

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained

cooking spray

1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast *

sour cream

fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup cheese, cumin, pepper, corn, flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder, milk, egg, and green chilies, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

2. Bake at 400° for 15-20 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. Top each serving with a little sour cream and plenty of cilantro.

* This is a great way to cook chicken that needs to be shredded (pizza, enchiladas, pitas, etc). Preheat oven to 350 F. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Loosely wrap it in aluminum foil and place it (directly on the rack is fine) in the the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until the juices run clear. After removing it from the oven let it sit for at least 10 minutes to cool and to let the juices settle before shredding or dicing it.

from A Hint of Honey

Chipotle Skirt Steak Tacos

from Steamy Kitchen

Ingredients

1-2 lbs skirt steak
1/4 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
canned chili en adobo: 1-3 chipotle peppers + 2 tsp of adobo sauce {I used 1 1/2 peppers}
1-2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

accompaniments: corn tortillas, shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, lettuce, lime wedges, salsa, etc.

Directions

1. Puree 1 chipotle pepper + 2 tsp of the adobo sauce with the onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Taste and add more chipotle if needed. Stir in the cilantro. Throw it all in a zip lock bag with the skirt steak for at least 2 hours. Grill until medium-rare or medium-well. Cut the skirt steak into thin strips across the grain.

2. Place the corn tortillas directly on the grill 30 seconds, flip, add cheese, grill 30 seconds, remove. Transfer to plate, top with steak and desired accompaniments.

{This marinade is so delicioso it would take fabulous with chicken as well. We easily could have eaten the grilled steak with other sides, too}

Slow-Cooker Fajitas

adapted from stephmodo

Ingredients

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. flank or skirt steak, or boneless chicken (I used frozen chicken)
1 onion, thinly sliced
2-3 peppers (red, green, orange, yellow), sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno chile, finely chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
1 fresh lime, juiced (could use lemon)

warm corn or whole wheat tortillas
sour cream
shredded cheese
sliced avocado

Directions

1. Cut meat across the grain into 1/2 inch diagonal strips. Place in a slow-cooker. {If using frozen chicken, simply place whole piece in slow cooker.} Top with onion and bell peppers.

2. In a small bowl, combine garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, salt, oil and lime juice. Pour mixture over meat. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours. Spoon several slices of meat with sauce into center of each warm tortilla. Fold over. Top with sour cream, shredded cheese, and avocado.

Cuban Sandwich and Cuban Pork

Ingredients

pork roast {see recipe below}
sweet cured ham (thick slice)
dill pickles
Swiss cheese (baby Swiss)
Cuban bread (can use Italian or French, but do not use a baguette)
yellow mustard

Layer ingredients on bread. Grill on lightly greased sandwich press.
Enjoy with mariquitas (plantain chips)!


Cuban Pork

Ingredients

5 lb pork shoulder roast or pork tenderloin
Mojo:
10-12 garlic cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 cup sour orange juice- if not available---1/2 cup fresh orange juice, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice &
      1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1-2 tsp. oregano
1 cup minced onion
1/2 cup olive oil

1. Using a mortar and pestle or a food processor crush the garlic, salt, and peppercorns into a thick paste. In a mixing bowl, combine garlic paste with sour orange juice, onion, and oregano. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or longer.

2. In a small saucepan, heat olive oil til very hot. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in garlic-orange juice mixture. (It can splatter). Allow to cool.

3. Pierce pork several times with the tip of a knife. Cover with mojo and allow to marinate for several hours, up to overnight, turning every few hours. Bake at 325 for 1 hour 1/2- 2 hours, basting with juices throughout.

Crock Pot Tostada

Ingredients

1-2 chicken breasts (fresh or frozen)
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 cups frozen corn
1 cup diced onion
1/2-1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
tortilla chips or tostada
optional- brown rice
shredded cheese
sour cream
fresh cilantro

Directions

1. In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients and cook for 3-6 hours.

2. Layer a bed of tortilla chips, optional layer of brown rice, and chicken mixture. Garnish with shredded cheese, a bit of sour cream, and fresh cilantro

Enchiladas Verdes

adapted from A Hint of Honey, originally from allrecipes.com

Ingredients

2-3 chicken breasts
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/4 white onion, chopped, approx. ½ cup
1 clove garlic, approx. ¼ tsp
2 tsp. salt
1 lb. fresh tomatillos, husks removed, approx. 15
1 serrano pepper (or more, if you like it super spicy)
1/4 white onion, chopped, approx. ½ cup
1 clove garlic
1 pinch salt
12 corn tortillas
1 cup crumbled queso fresco
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine chicken breast with chicken broth, one quarter onion, a clove of garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt. Boil for 20 minutes. Reserve broth, set chicken aside to cool, and discard onion and garlic. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken.

2. Place tomatillos and serrano chiles in a pot with enough water to cover them. Boil until tomatillos turn a different shade of green (approximately 5-8 minutes, from bright green to a dull, army green). Strain tomatillos and chilis, and place in a blender with another quarter piece of onion, 1 clove garlic, and a pinch of salt. Pour in reserved chicken broth, so that liquid just covers the veggies in the blender by about an inch. Blend all ingredients until they are completely pureed. Pour salsa in a medium saucepan, and bring to a low boil.

3. Optional to fry tortillas: Pour oil in a frying pan, and allow to get very hot. Slightly fry tortillas one by one in hot oil, setting each on a paper towel afterwards to soak up some of the oil. Finally, dip slightly fried tortillas in low-boiling green salsa, until tortillas become soft again.

4. Fill or top tortillas (if you are NOT frying them, just heat them in the microwave until soft) with shredded chicken, then extra green sauce. Top with crumbled cheese and chopped onion. Bake in 400 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with cilantro.

Serves 4.

Quinoa Taco Salad

from Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 cup Quinoa
red onion (to taste), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cups red bell pepper, chopped
½ cups yellow bell pepper, chopped
½ cups green bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin, to taste
½ teaspoons oregano, to taste

1 teaspoon chili powder, to taste
1 dash cayenne Pepper, to taste
15 ounces, weight black beans, drained and rinsed
¾ cups diced tomatoes
2 whole limes, divided
8 ounces, weight baby spinach
1 cup cilantro
⅓ cups cheddar or feta cheese
1 whole Avocado, diced

Directions:

1.Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. Meanwhile, swirl a bit of olive oil in a saute pan. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, until translucent and tender. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne and peppers and saute for an additional 2 minutes.

2. Remove from heat. Stir in the black beans, tomatoes, and the juice of 1 lime. Stir in the quinoa. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill.

3. Roughly cut baby spinach into strips (stack several leaves at a time). Remove about 1 cup of cilantro leaves from the bunch, rinse and pat dry, and toss with the spinach. Divide spinach and cilantro mixture evenly among salad plates.

4. Top each plate with a scoop of the quinoa salad. Top each salad with your choice of cheese and diced avocado. Cut the remaining lime into slices to garnish the plates.

Serves 4 generously, or 6 comfortably.