{ fiesta }

Aidan's class has been studying Mexico. As a unit-ending celebration, their having a "fiesta" at school tomorrow.

We're sending in chips, queso and homemade salsa, but I couldn't let the opportunity pass without taking advantage of one of my favorite cookie themes -- FIESTA!

{ dulce de leche }

One of my favorite sweets in the world is leche quemada (burned milk) candy, available at the checkout counter at most mom & pop Tex Mex restaurants where I grew up. It's made from dulce de leche, or "candy of milk." It has such a sweet, distinctly creamy taste that so much reminds me of Friday nights in the summertime and being a bit tipsy on margaritas.

Dulce de leche couldn't be easier to make, especially when made in the crockpot (yes, the crockpot). The most difficult part of the entire process was finding which aisle stocked the mason jars at my local grocery store.

Countless recipes call for dulce de leche, and each is likely worth the time. So having a jar or two on hand is a great plan. An even better plan is sticking a spoon into the dulce de leche jar at 11:30 p.m. when you can't fall asleep ... and are craving something sweet.

Just sayin'.

Dulce de Leche
Ingredients

• 3 14-oz cans sweetened condensed milk.

(yep! that's it!)

Process
Open cans of condensed milk and pour each into a pint-sized glass mason jar.

Secure the lid of each jar and place in the crockpot.

Fill the crockpot with water to just above the point at the jars where the cream is topped. Place the lid on the crockpot.

Heat milk jars on low for 8-10 hours (the longer the cooking process, the more solid the dulce de leche) -- I actually cooked mine overnight.


Once process is complete, the consistency will be thick. In order to thin the dulce de leche to use as a dip or sauce, spoon into a dish and add milk or cream. Slowly heat (the microwave works just fine) and whisk until desired consistency is reached.

{ shrimp enchiladas }

My stunningly beautiful [identical] twin sister provided me with this recipe. She claims it's one of the best enchilada recipes she's ever made. And I whole-heartedly agree with her -- it's delicious.

A definite keeper with an endless amount of potential variety (lobster?).

Shrimp Enchiladas
adapted from melskitchencafe

Ingredients
Cheese Sauce:
½ cup sweet red pepper, finely-chopped
½ cup yellow onion, minced
½ cup green pepper, finely-chopped
1/4 cup butter
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon coursely-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup light whipping cream
1 ½ cups Monterrey Jack/Cheddar cheese mix (Mexican blend)
½ cup light sour cream

Shrimp Mixture:
2 tablespoons butter
1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled, deveined and sliced down the middle, so shrimp pieces retain their "shrimp" shape (I thawed some frozen shrimp)
½ cup yellow onion, chopped
2 cups ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 ½ cups Monterrey Jack/Cheddar cheese mix (Mexican blend)
8 (9-inch) flour tortillas

Process
Preheat the oven to 350°.

Lightly coat a 9 x 13" casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute red pepper, onion and green pepper in 1/4 cup butter until crisp-tender.

Add oregano, salt, garlic powder, pepper, cayenne pepper, and flour. Blend well and cook, stirring constantly for about a minute.

Whisk in the cream and continue cooking for 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Add 1½ cups cheese and stir until melted. Add sour cream, stir to blend. Set aside.

In another skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Saute shrimp and ½ cup onion until shrimp are pink, or, if using thawed-out frozen shrimp, cook until heated through (don’t overcook or the shrimp will be tough).

Add chopped tomatoes and ½ of the cheese sauce.

Spoon 1/3 cup shrimp mixture into each tortilla. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese on top of shrimp mixture. Roll the enchiladas up tightly. Arrange seam side down in baking dish. Spoon remaining cheese sauce over tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake until cheese is completely melted and bubbly, about 30-35 minutes.

I served the enchiladas with cilantro-lime rice and fresh pico de gallo.

{ queso blanco & margaritas }

I've mentioned before the plight of my southern tastebuds ... a Texan attempting to find decent comida in New England. After resolving myself to the fact that I just wasn't going to magically stumble across any chile con queso up here in the Northeast, I set out to find a version that I'd be able to make at home.

important sidebar: anyone who, at this point, even attempts to utter the words, "Have you tried Velveeta and Rotel?" needs some serious culinary intervention ....

Pinterest to the rescue.

We found and tried a "restaurant style" queso blanco recipe a few months ago, made it, and fell in love with the results. You honestly can't tell the difference between it, and a great queso blanco that you'd order from a place like Escalante's in Houston.

So, in honor of National Margarita Day, queso blanco, simple cheese and jalapeno nachos (a household family favorite), and frozen margaritas was the entirety of tonight's menu.

Queso Blanco
(adapted from penniesonaplatter)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pound block White American Cheese (found at the deli counter; Land O' Lakes brand preferred), cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup diced green chiles
• 2 pickled jalapenos, chopped
• 1/8 cup pickled jalapeno juice
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup water
• pinch of ground cumin

Process
Combine ingredients in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for five minutes, stirring every few minutes or so. Continue to heat in 2-minute intervals, as needed, stirring until cheese is completely melted.

Serve immediately as a dip with tortilla chips.

{ shredded beef tacos }

We're Texans and we enjoy Tex Mex food ... a whole lot. But up here in New England, the opportunity to just pop into any ol' restaurant for a decent fix of the good stuff is, so far, an impossibility. We basically have to make do with whatever we can whip up ourselves.

Tacos are an obvious (and predictable) member of the Tex Mex culinary family. But eventually, ground meat tacos begin to lose their appeal. So when I stumbled across a recipe for shredded beef tacos, I jumped on it.


For a weekday meal, it fits my number one criteria: ease in making. And a total added bonus is that, since it sits in the crockpot all day, it makes the whole house smell amazingly delicious.

It's such a nice taco change in the midst of a Tex Mex nowhere land (or anywhere else, for that matter).

Shredded Beef Tacos
(adapted from CookingClassy)

Ingredients

• 1 (2 1/2 lb) chuck roast
• 1 (14 oz) can beef broth
• 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp cumin
• 1/2 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• Juice of 1 lime

Process

In a small bowl whisk together chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Place roast in a slow cooker, pour beef broth over roast then squeeze with fresh lime juice. Sprinkle roast with spice mixture. Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on low heat for approximately 8 hours, or until the meat falls apart when poked with a fork.

Remove roast from slow cooker and place on cutting board. Remove fat, and shred beef with a fork. Return shredded beef to slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook additional 30 minutes.

Remove beef from slow cooker with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving bowl or platter.

Serve with tortillas and desired toppings.

{ breakfast at home }

I can't even count how many times I've woken up over the past year up in New Hampshire craving breakfast tacos from an authentic Texas taqueria. And trying to replicate them in my own kitchen, while filling a temporary void, just doesn't come close to adequately cutting it.

So my morning taste buds have been in Heaven while I've been home on a 2-week visit, while I get my fill on breakfast tacos (and more breakfast tacos ... and more breakfast tacos ....).

This morning's offering -- bean and cheese on flour tortillas with pico de gallo and sour cream, and beef fajita with onion, cilantro and lime  -- all from Casa de Leon on Long Point in west Houston.

¡Que Delicioso!

cheesy jalapeño breakfast casserole

I stumbled upon this recipe on one of my favorite blogs, the Homesick Texan, and decided to give it a whirl when my mom and sister were visiting last week. I tweaked it some, and can absolutely see it becoming a breakfast-time staple in our house. Everyone loved it!

My only complaint is that I actually wish I'd doubled the recipe -- I could've eaten on it for days and days.

It's a perfect (fast & easy) dish for entertaining out-of-town guests, and would be an absolutely super addition to any brunch.

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (4 ounces)
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
• 1 Roma/plum tomato, seeded and cubed
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 jalapeños, stems and seeds removed, diced
• sour cream, tomatoes, avocado (topped with lime juice), and fresh cilantro, for serving

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using non-stick cooking spray, lightly grease an 8x8 casserole dish.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in flour, dry mustard, baking powder and salt.
• Add the cottage cheese, Monterrey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, butter, jalapeños, tomatoes, and cilantro; mix.
• Pour the eggs into the casserole dish, and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the center is firm.
  
• Serve warm topped with a dollop of sour cream, chopped tomatoes, cubed avocado with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.
  

Yields 4-6 servings

creamy lobster and shrimp enchiladas

Let me just start out by saying upfront that this is one of the yummiest enchilada recipes I've ever eaten. And believe me -- this Texas girl has had a lot of enchiladas!

The lobster is pricey, but very much worth the extra sacrifice, although crab meat would make an easy substitution (but go for the lobster!). It's a meal that's outstanding for a casual lunch with friends, or dressed up for dinner with company. And the recipe is so simple, you'll want to make again and again ... I promise. Delicious!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1/2 cup salsa verde (I prefer the added kick of jalapeño to tomatillo for this recipe)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (8 ounces) ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 pounds small shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined; cut vertically, so as to retain shrimp shape, but in bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup cooked lobster meat, cubed into bite-size pieces
• 2 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
• 1 lime, juiced
  
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  
• 12 flour tortillas (7 inches)
• extra sour cream, cilantro and lime, for garnish (optional)
  

Preparation

• In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in broth and soup until blended. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in sour cream, salsa, cayenne pepper and salt; set aside.
• Place ricotta cheese in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Add lime juice and transfer to a bowl; add the [vertically-cut] shrimp, lobster, 1 1/2 cups of the Monterrey Jack cheese, chilies and cilantro; mix with large spoon.
• Spread 3/4 cup sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Place about 1/3 cup seafood mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down over sauce. Top with the remaining sauce and cheese.
  
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until heated through.
  
• Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro, and a wedge of lime. Perfect with cilantro rice.
  
• Yield: 6 servings

cilantro chicken sour cream enchiladas with cilantro lime rice

... con El Pato!

That's right! Mi amigo, El Pato, has returned. But this time, he's wearing a green can, as opposed to red. I feel like I've discovered a whole new world. I love the spicy kick these salsas add to so many different recipes.

Today's offering: Cilantro Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 cup sour cream (I used 1/2 a cup of low-fat and 1/2 a cup of fat-free)
  
• 2 (7 ounce) cans jalapeno salsa (El Pato!)
  
• 2 (7 ounce) cans prepared green chile salsa
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cooked (poached) and shredded
  
• 1 small yellow onion
• 12 (6 inch) flour tortillas
• 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (I use a 2% milk, Mexican mix)
  
• sour cream, to garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. Sour Cream Mixture: In a blender or food processor, puree cilantro, sour cream, jalapeno salsa and green chile salsa. Set aside.
2. Chicken Mixture: In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, onion, 1 cup of cheese, and 1-2 cups of the sour cream mixture. Mix well.
3. Preheat oven to 350° F.
4. Heat tortillas in conventional or microwave oven until soft. Pour enough of the sour cream mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish to coat the bottom. Place 2 heaping tablespoonfuls of the chicken mixture in each tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. Pour remaining sour cream mixture over all and top with remaining shredded cheese.
5. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes, or until dish is heated through and bubbling.

Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream, a sprig of cilantro and a side of cilantro lime rice.

Cilantro lime rice

Ingredients

• 3 cups of cooked, hot basmati/long-grain rice (I use Texmati)
  
• 1 large lime
  
• zest of 1 lime
• 1/2 cup of chopped, fresh cilantro
  
• 1-2 teaspoons of salt, to taste

  

Preparation

1. Fluff cooked rice with a fork
   
2. Add lime juice, zest, cilantro, and salt.
3. Stir well.
   

light cream cheese chicken enchiladas ... with a kick

El Pato returns!

I had an extra can of El Pato salsa de chile fresco left over from a previous recipe (black bean and chicken chilaquiles), and I've been looking for an opportunity to use it.

I'd never heard of El Pato before making the chilaquiles a few weeks ago, so I was pleasantly surprised by its unique and spicy taste. I also thought it would make a perfect enchilada sauce. And it did!

Ingredients
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced/cubed (I poached the chicken breast)
2 cups (8 oz) shredded, reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1 cup tomato-based picante sauce (I used a medium-heat, fire-roasted tomato)
4 oz low-fat cream cheese
1 teaspoon ground cumin
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1/2 can El Pato Salsa de Chile Fresco
fat-free sour cream, to garnish (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350° F.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat until hot. Add onion, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, picante sauce, cream cheese, and cumin. Cook 3 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring constantly.

Place about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla and roll up. Place in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon the El Pato evenly over top of tortillas; sprinkle remaining cup of cheddar cheese on top.

Cover and bake at 350° F for 15 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Serve topped with a generous dollop of sour cream.

black bean and chicken chilaquiles

It’s no secret that up here in the land of lobster and chowder, I miss Tex-Mex food. A lot.

I’m perpetually on the look-out for opportunities to indulge in some spicy goodness, whether it be out at a restaurant, or home in La Cocina de Farrell.

Tonight I made chilaquiles that fall into the Tex-Mex slot, and are definitely worth a repeat performance. Traditionally a Mexican breakfast favorite, chilaquiles is a sauté of day-old tortilla strips, fresh tomato sauce, cream, and cheese. My version however, was dinner. And I lightened things up in the calorie and fat department.

The recipe, as is, is a great base, but needs some added freshness to suit my taste. Next time, I’m tweaking things a bit. A squeeze of some fresh lime juice on top would be perfect. Topping individual servings with wedges of avocado and chopped tomato would definitely be another tasty, fresh (and bright) addition. And cilantro is a must – throughout the actual dish, as well as for garnish on top.

One more tip: make sure to use the El Pato salsa de fresco. If you can’t find it at one grocery store, keep looking. It makes the recipe.

But for a first-time try, this was a winner. And the fact that it’s a tremendously light dish makes it that much more delicioso. At under 300 calories per serving, you can't beat it ... for breakfast or dinner!

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (I poached mine in chicken broth, then shredded with a fork then seasoned with chile powder, cumin, and garlic powder)
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 7 3/4-ounce can salsa de chile fresco (such as El Pato)
• 15 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
• 2 cups shredded queso blanco (about 4 ounces); substitute Monterrey Jack, if needed
• fat-free or light sour cream (for garnish)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add chicken; cook 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl; stir in beans. Add broth and salsa to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Place half of tortilla strips in bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer half of chicken mixture and half of cheese over tortillas; top with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture. Pour broth mixture evenly over chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until tortillas are lightly browned and cheese is melted.

Serve with a generous dollop of [fat-free or light] sour cream.