Chile Relleno with Homemade Queso

I married a Mexican and my taste buds have been on cloud nine ever since! My mother-in-law has taught me  how to make a lot of things and some things I've sought out on my own. Here is a favorite in our household.

Queso Recipe
1/2 onion diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves of garlic minced
1-2 Serrano or jalapeno peppers diced
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1 cup of milk
6 cups of shredded cheese, can use any combination of Longhorn cheddar and Monterrey Jack
1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped
1-2 roma tomatoes, diced 
1/2 cup of sour cream
Salt to taste

Melt butter in a saucepan on medium-low heat. Saute onions,garlic, and peppers until onions tender. Whisk the flour into the butter/vegetable mix, Then add the milk and cook on medium, whisking constantly until sauce is thick, about five minutes. Stir in the cilantro and tomatoes. Turn heat down to low, and a 1/4-cup at a time, slowly add the shredded cheese stirring into the white sauce until completely melted. Repeat until all cheese has been added. Make sure cheese completely melts before adding more, this will make the queso the right consistency. Stir in the sour cream. Add salt, if needed.

*I adjusted this recipe from http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2008/04/more-natural-chile-con-queso.html

Chile Relleno Recipe
4 Anaheim or Poblano peppers
Monterrey jack cheese- shredded
1 egg
1/4 c. flour
oil for frying

Turn your oven on broil. Place peppers on a cookie sheet and broil until peppers are brown on top and bottom (you may need to rotate the peppers). Remove peppers. When cooled, peel off skin. (you can do this earlier and wrap peppers in saran-wrap and refrigerate. This makes it easier to remove the skin.) 

Place flour in a shallow dish. Beat one egg in a bowl until very frothy. slice each pepper on the side and stuff cheese inside the pepper. coat the pepper in flour and then dip in the egg. Place pepper in fry pan. Repeat with each pepper. fry on each side until golden brown.  Serve covered in queso.

We eat this with pinto beans and Mexican rice. 

Mexican Layered Dip

This is an awesome dip to take to parties! It is fairly fast and easy to make and looks beautiful will all the colors and textures.

INGREDIENTS
3-4 medium avocados
2-3 cloves crushed garlic
1-2 Tbsp. finely chopped jalapeno pepper (add one Tbsp. at a time so as not to make it too hot)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
Salt to taste – start with ½ tsp. you may need more
1 Tbsp. lemon or lime juice
1 cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix (1/4 cup)
2 cans (10½ oz.) Frito Bean Dip, one regular and one hot
1 cup chopped green onions
3-4 chopped tomatoes
2 cans (3.8oz.each) sliced black olives
8 oz. grated Mexican Cheese
Tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS
In a bowl mix the 2 cans of Frito bean dip together and set aside.

Place avocados, garlic, jalapeno, onion, salt, and lemon juice together in another bowl and then gently mash with a fork and then set aside (do not puree or mash too fine).

In a separate bowl combine sour cream, mayonnaise, and taco seasoning and set aside.

Layer on a large platter in the following order:
Bean dip
Avocado mixture
Sour cream mixture
Green onions
Tomatoes
Olives
Cheese

Cover and refrigerate or serve immediately with your favorite corn chips.

–Melanie

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

I think these are the best taquitos I have every had!  Normally taquitos are fried but these aren't so they aren't heavy and oily.  It has great flavor and the chicken is moist and creamy.  The dipping sauce it great too!

INGREDIENTS

3 oz cream cheese
1/4 c green salsa
juice from 1 lime
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onions powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 c chopped cilantro
1 green onion, sliced
8 chicken tenders, cooked and shredded
1 c grated colby jack cheese
small corn or flour tortillas (flour work better)


DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Soften cream cheese in microwave for 20-30 seconds. Add green salsa, lime juice, and spices. Mix well and add cilantro, green onions, chicken, and cheese.  Mix until combined.

Microwave tortillas a few at a time wrapped in a moist paper towel for about 15-20 seconds.  This will prevent cracking when rolling them.

Place about 3 Tbsp of the mixture off center on a tortilla and spread in a line leaving 1/2 inch from the edge.  Roll up tight starting on the side of the chicken.  Place on baking sheet with the seam side down.  Repeat with the rest of the chicken mixture and tortillas and place all on the baking sheet but be sure they do not touch each other.

Spray tops with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and lightly brown on the edges.

Serve as an appetizer or for dinner with cilantro lime dressing.
–Melanie

Cilantro Lime Dressing

This tastes just like the salad dressing at Cafe Rio!  I can't wait to make the Cafe Rio Sweet Pork and make a salad with it and this dressing!  It makes my mouth water!  I was looking for a dipping sauce for taquitos and found this deliciousness on ourbestbites and altered it a bit.  I used low fat mayonnaise instead of regular and I used garlic powder instead of fresh garlic.  While watching Master Chef one of the contestants got in trouble for serving a food with raw garlic so I have made it a point to not use raw garlic if the dish will not be cooked. Delicious and so simple!

INGREDIENTS

1 pkg ranch dressing mix
1 c light mayonnaise
1/2 c milk
juice from 1 lime
3/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 c cilantro
1/4 c green salsa
hot sauce (optional)


DIRECTIONS

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Add hot sauce to taste. Refrigerate or serve. (Making this a few hours before serving will allow it time to thicken as it sits in the fridge.)

–Melanie

Crock-pot Mexican Chicken Burritos

My mother-in-law gave me a crock-pot cookbook the other week and I finally got around to using it.  Nick and I work from 9-6 on Saturdays and want to eat right when we get home but we can't wait an hour or more for me to cook something up and we are trying to be more frugal (med school applications are pricey).  Nick comes home for his break to eat lunch so I just had him take the removable stoneware (that had all the ingredients in it) from the fridge, put it in the base, turn it on low, and set it for 4 hours.  When we got home we were able to eat right away and then head off to go laser tagging for our friend b-day (so fun!...even in our twenties).

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 c frozen corn
6 frozen boneless, skinless chicken tenders
2 Tbsp taco seasoning
1 (14-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies (medium or hot)
Chopped fresh cilantro (~1/3 cup)
Tortillas
Cooked rice
Sour cream

DIRECTIONS

Spray bottom of crock pot with nonstick cooking spray and add frozen corn to cover the bottom.  Place chicken tenders on top of corn and sprinkle with taco seasoning.  Top with black beans and tomatoes.  Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  When done break apart chicken as you stir so chicken is shredded.  Add chopped cilantro.

For burritos place rice on tortilla and spoon chicken mixture on top with a slotted spoon (it is pretty juicy and you don't want a soggy burrito).  Top with sour cream, fold, and EAT!
–Melanie

Fajitas

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Nick is actually the creator of these fast and tasty fajitas.  When we were dating he made these for himself probably twice a week.  We now have them once every two months.  I like variety and he will pretty much eat anything I make. :)  I also served this with Mexican Sweet Corn Cake from ourbestbites (but altered a bit).

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp oil
McCormick garlic pepper seasoning
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 large white onion
1 lb ground beef (or steak, chicken...)
tortillas
sour cream
cheese
salsa

DIRECTIONS
Vegetables
Julienne cut peppers and onion.  Heat oil in a large skillet and add vegetables and season with garlic pepper seasoning.  Cook on high. Do NOT cover.  Toss vegetables often and cook until tender but firm.

Ground Beef
Cook ground beef seasoned with the garlic pepper seasoning until brown.

Assemble fajitas by placing beef, vegetables, cheese, salsa, and sour cream on tortillas.  Enjoy!raw vegetables

cooked vegetables

–Melanie

Mexican Sweet Corn Cake

This is like corn bread but no extra butter or honey is needed on top because it is built in making it so moist and sweet.  Nick and I loved it!  I found this recipe on ourbestbites.com but I ran out of butter so I substituted half with sour cream.  It also called for masa harina (a Mexican flour) but I didn't have that on hand so I just used regular white flour.  It is still very moist and is lower in fat!  Here is my altered recipe:

INGREDIENTS

1/4 c butter (1/2 stick), softened

1/4 c sour cream
1/4 c water

1/3 c flour

1/4 c corn meal

1/3 c sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 Tbsp milk

1 1/2 c frozen corn

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Place corn in food processor or blender and pulse until roughly broken up.  In a medium bowl mix butter, flour, and water with a hand mixer until creamy.  Mix in corn meal, sugar, salt, and baking soda.  Add broken corn and milk and gently mix with wooden spoon or spatula.  Place mixture in a 8x8 or 9x9 ungreased pan.  Cover with foil and place it in a 9x13 pan.  Pour water in the 9x13 pan until it come up about an inch.  Place in oven and cook for 55 minutes.  Remove from oven, uncover, and let sit for 10-15 minutes.  Scoop on to plate using a spoon.

pan of corn bread nesting in pan filled with water

–Melanie

Dorito Chicken Cheese Casserole

I found this recipe www.plainchicken.com. Brett loves Doritos and I thought this would be tasty. I was right and Brett loved it as well! It was really easy and quick to throw together and most of the ingredients are on hand usually.

4 breasts cooked chicken, chopped
8 oz sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I used low fat for soup mixes)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups salsa or 1 can Rotel
1 can of corn, drained
2 cups Mexican cheese, shredded
1 bag of nacho cheese Doritos

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Crush the entire bag of Doritos and cover the bottom of the dish. Reserve one cup of cheese. Mix together remaining ingredients in a large bow. Pour chicken mixture over the Doritos. Bake for 20 min. Top casserole with the remaining cheese and bake 5 additional minutes or until melted.

Heather

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

This delicious recipe is from www.melskitchencafe.com.  Nick loved it and asked if I can make it often.  One of our new favorites!

INGREDIENTS


1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken

1 can black beans, rinsed and drianed

1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)

1/2 red or green pepper, diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lime

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of monterey jack and sharp cheddar)

Sour cream (optional)
Flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: on some of the wraps, I dotted the cheese with about 1-2 tablespoons of reduced fat sour cream before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center - it made the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.

–Melanie

Cafe Rio's Sweet Pork

Cafe Rio is a popular Mexican chain restaurant in the west because it is amazing! They are most known for their sweet pork burrito and salad. This tastes pretty darn close!

INGREDIENTS

2lb pork
2.5 cans (3 3/4 c.) Coke (not diet)
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
dash of garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 (10oz) can red enchilada sauce


DIRECTIONS

Place pork, 1 1/2 can (2 1/4 c.) coke, and 1/4 c. brown sugar in a bag. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade. Sprinkle pork with garlic salt and place pork in a crock pot. Add 1/2 can (3/4 c.) coke and water. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Remove pork and drain liquid. Shred pork.

Blend 1/2 can (3/4 c.) coke, chilies, enchilada sauce, and 1c. brown sugar in food processor to make sauce.

Place shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on ow for 2 hours.

Make it into a burrito or taco salad!

–Melanie

Honey and Lime Enchiladas

I got this recipe from thesisterscafe.com. It is so good and pretty easy to make. The original recipe calls for flour tortillas but I use corn because they don't get as soggy. You can also make this into a casserole by alternating layers of tortillas, meat, and cheese.

INGREDIENTS

1.5 lbs pork or chicken, cooked and shredded

1/3 c honey

1/4 c lime juice

1 Tb chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 (10 oz) cans green enchilada sauce

equal parts mixed together of: shredded mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese

corn tortillas

Mix together honey, juice, chili powder and garlic powder. Add to shredded pork or chicken. Let the sauce soak into the meat for about 30 minutes.

Lightly spray 2 pans with non-stick baking spray. (one 9×13 and one 9×9) Pour green enchilada sauce into pans to coat the entire bottom. Fill tortillas with shredded meat and desired amount of cheese. Roll and place in dish.

Pour remainder of sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle more cheese on top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then turn on broiler and place enchiladas nearer the top of oven. Let it broil until cheese is slightly brown and crispy. Serve with rice

–Melanie