Classic Ceviche

For this month's Chef Spotlight Dinner where we are highlighting Chef Rick Bayless, my friend Howard prepared this dish. This was an excellent ceviche where he used salmon.... so refreshing with a pretty pink color and perfect for the summer with an ice cold Corona!

Classic Ceviche
recipe from Rick Bayless

1 pound fresh, skinless snapper, bass, halibut, or other ocean fish fillets, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice
1 medium white onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium-large tomatoes (about 1 pound), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
Fresh hot green chiles (2 to 3 serranos or 1 to 2 jalapenos), stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped cilantro, plus a few leaves for garnish
1/3 cup chopped pitted green olives (manzanillos for a typical Mexican flavor)
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
Salt
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice or 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 large or 2 small ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
Tostadas, tortilla chips or saltine crackers, for serving

n a 1 1/2-quart glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the fish, lime juice and onion. Use enough juice to cover the fish and allow it to float freely; too little juice means unevenly "cooked" fish. Cover and refrigerate for about 4 hours, until a cube of fish no longer looks raw when broken open. Drain in a colander.

In a large bowl, mix together the tomatoes, green chiles, cilantro, olives and optional olive oil. Stir in the fish and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. Add the orange juice or sugar. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately. Just before serving, gently stir in the diced avocado.

Make Ahead:
Working ahead: The fish may be marinated a day in advance; after about 4 hours, when the fish is "cooked," drain it so that it won’t become too tangy. For the freshest flavor, add the flavorings to the fish no more than a couple of hours before serving.

Read more »

Tangy Green Guacamole

For this month's Chef Spotlight Dinner where we are highlighting Chef Rick Bayless, my friend Nicole prepared this dish. It's much more refreshing and flavorful than the traditional guacamole and it was the first thing that got eaten up at our dinner!

Tangy Green Guacamole
recipe from Rick Bayless makes 3 generous cups

3 large ripe avocados, preferably the pebbly-skin Hass variety
1 cup Frontera Tomatillo Salsa
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few leaves for garnish
Salt, about 1/2 teaspoon

Remove the little nub of stem that is still usually lodged at the top of each avocado. Cut each avocado in half by slicing straight down through that spot where the stem was attached, until you reach the pit, then rotating the knife all the way around the pit. Twist the two halves apart, then scoop out the pits. With a spoon, scoop out the soft flesh from the skins, collecting it in a large bowl as you go. Coarsely mash with the spoon (or you can use an old-fashioned potato masher or large fork).

Gently stir the salsa into the avocado mixture, along with the cilantro. Taste and season with salt. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. (Not only will the guacamole improve if made half an hour or so before serving, but also it will maintain its fresh look longer if served cold.) Scoop into a decorative bowl, garnish with cilantro sprigs and you’re ready to set it out for your guests to enjoy.

Recipe from Salsas That Cook by Rick Bayless with JeanMarie Brownson and Deann Groen Bayless.

Read more »

Enchiladas Verde

For this month's Chef Spotlight Dinner where we are highlighting Chef Rick Bayless, my friend Damian prepared this dish.This was a wonderful Enchilada Verde using Rick Bayless's recipe for Green Tomatillo Salsa. The salsa is delicious and can be used with pork, chicken and even seafood.

Enchiladas Verde
Salsa recipe courtesy Rick Bayless

12 Corn tortillas
prepared salsa verde below
1 lb. chicken breast, sliced
2 tbsp. instant minced onion or 1/2 cup chopped fresh onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups shredded Mexican/Taco Cheese blend
oil for brief frying

In a medium saucepan heat salsa to warm and set aside.

In a large fry pan, saute chicken, garlic and onion; season to taste and set aside.

Heat a shallow pan with oil. When hot, dip each tortilla into the hot oil briefly to soften - not to crisp! Place on a plate and stack, covering with plastic wrap to allow the tortillas to steam slightly.

To assemble, place your lightly fried & steamed tortillas in a baking dish. Spoon about 2 tablespoons meat mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese down the center of each tortilla. Roll into thirds and place seam side down in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.

When all the tortillas are assembled, pour the salsa verde sauce over the top. Sprinkle with olives cheese.

Cover with foil; bake in a 350 F oven for 20 minutes until heated through and the cheese is melted.

For the salsa:

8 ounces (5 to 6 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
Fresh hot green chiles, to taste (roughly 2 serranos or 1 jalapeno), stemmed
5 or 6 sprigs fresh cilantro (thick stems removed), roughly chopped
Scant 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
Salt

Whether you choose the verdant, slushy, herby freshness of the all-raw tomatillo salsa or the oil-colored, voluptuous, sweet-sour richness of the roasted version, tomatillos are about brightening tang. The buzz of the fresh hot green chile adds thrill, all of which adds up to a condiment most of us simply don't want to live without.

For the All-Raw version: Roughly chop the tomatillos and the chiles. In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatillos, chiles, cilantro and 1/4 cup water. Process to a coarse puree, then scrape into a serving dish. Rinse the onion under cold water, then shake to remove excess moisture. Stir into the salsa and season with salt, usually a generous 1/4 teaspoon.

For the Roasted version:

Preheat a broiler.

Roast the tomatillos and chiles on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until darkly roasted, even blackened in spots, about 5 minutes. Flip them over and roast the other side, 4 to 5 minutes more will give you splotchy-black and blistered tomatillos and chiles. In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatillos and chiles, including all the delicious juice that has run onto the baking sheet. Add the cilantro and 1/4 cup water, blend to a coarse puree, and scrape into a serving dish. Rinse the onion under cold water, then shake to remove the excess moisture. Stir into the salsa and season with salt, usually a generous 1/4 teaspoon.

Read more »

Mexican Red Tomato Rice with Roasted Chicken

For this month's Chef Spotlight Dinner where we are highlighting Chef Rick Bayless, I prepared this dish. It's a great side dish that includes grilled tomatoes for a nice hint of smoky flavor. I also added some roasted chicken as well!

Mexican Red Tomato Rice with Roasted Chicken
recipe from Rick Bayless

1 (15-oz.) can whole tomatoes, drained
1/2 small white onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, halved
1-3/4 cups chicken broth or water
Salt
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 whole tomatoes, unpeeled
1-1/2 cups rice (medium-grain)
2 carrots, scraped, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
3 serrano chilies or 2 jalapenos, slit lengthwise nearly end to end
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 of a 10-oz. box frozen peas
Cooked roasted chicken

In blender or food processor, combine canned tomatoes with onion and garlic. You may add tomato juices to the measure of chicken broth or water. Blend tomatoes smooth to equal a generous 1 cup. Heat broth or water until steaming; season with salt. Lightly oil tomatoes. Grill the tomatoes to char their skins. When cool, remove most of the peel and roughly chop; set aside.

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add raw rice to hot oil and stir regularly during a cooking period of 5 minutes. If some rice kernels start to brown, that's fine. Add tomato mixture and carrots. Stir a couple times, then let cook until reduced and somewhat dry-looking, 3 minutes.

Add the warm broth or water, the chilies and parsley; stir thoroughly and scrape down any rice kernels clinging to the side of the pan. Cover pan with lid and place on a range burner, or if pan is appropriate, place on cooking grate of charcoal or gas grill (indirect, medium heat).

Cook for 15 minutes or until almost all liquid is absorbed. Add peas and grilled tomatoes, stirring with a fork. Cover pan and cook 5 additional minutes.

Gently fluff the rice with a fork when done. Remove the chilies or pull out and use to decorate the top of the rice, and serve.

Read more »

Acapulco-Style Shrimp Cocktail

For this month's Chef Spotlight Dinner where we are highlighting Chef Rick Bayless, my friend Yumi prepared this dish. It's a great starter that's refreshing and perfect for the spring and summer months!

Acapulco-Style Shrimp Cocktail
recipe from Rick Bayless

1 pound cooked shrimp
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup ketchup
1 to 2 tablespoons hot sauce (Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce is delicious here)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 small white onion, finely diced
1/2 cup (loosely packed) chopped cilantro, plus a few springs for garnish
1 ripe avocado


Place the shrimp in a large bowl and add the lime juice. Measure in the ketchup, hot sauce, Worcestershire, onion and cilantro. Mix well.

Cut the avocado in half, running a knife around the pit from stem to blossom end and back again. Twist the two sides apart and scoop out the pit. Scoop each half out onto your cutting board, cut gently into small cubes, then scoop the avocado on top of the shrimp mixture. Carefully fold in the avocado, then divide the mixture between 4 to 6 serving dishes (martini glasses make a dressy presentation). Garnish with sprigs of cilantro and prepare for a taste of beach-side dining.

Read more »

Beef & Chorizo Mexican Lasagna

By the time this week is over with, I'm pretty sure I'll be sick of Mexican inspired dishes! In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I felt compelled to make a dish despite the other Mexican inspired dishes I made yesterday for the pre-celebration and the other Mexican inspired dishes planned for Saturday for a dinner event I'm hosting. But alas, here is a pretty simple Mexican lasagna of sorts.

I love lasagnas for the simple fact that they are nothing but a layered casserole where anything goes! With a starch, cheese, a sauce and some protein all nicely layered and baked up until bubbly, lasagnas are quite a comfort food. Tonight, it's done with some Mexican flair...

Beef & Chorizo Mexican Lasagna
original Joelen recipe

12 corn tortillas
1/2 lb ground beef (85/15)
1/2 soft Mexican chorizo
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups refried pinto beans
1 tub ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 cup Mexican cheese blend
2 cups diced tomatoes, pico de gallo or your preferred salsa
sliced green onions (for garnish)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a saute pan over medium high heat, crumble in your ground beef and chorizo; brown. Add the minced garlic and diced onion. Stir and cook until softened. Add the taco seasoning, and salt & pepper to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and egg until incorporated. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.

In a 9x13 inch baking pan, lightly butter the bottom of the pan. Place 6 corn tortillas on the bottom of the pan, overlapping as needed.

Top the corn tortillas with 1/2 of the refried beans.
Top the beans with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture.
Top the ricotta layer with 1/2 of the beef and chorizo mixture.
Top the beef and chorizo layer with 1/2 of the shredded Mexican cheese.
Top the shredded cheese layer with 1/2 of the diced tomatoes, pico de gallo or your preferred salsa.


Repeat the process again with the corn tortillas, adding a little more cheese on top for good measure; bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until cheese is melted.

Garnish with sliced green onions and serve up with sour cream and guacamole.

Read more »

Foodie Films: Tortilla Soup

Happy Cinco de Mayo! It's a time to celebrate Mexican culture and cuisine and we're doing just that today! To celebrate, I'm watching the movie, Tortilla soup. It's a wonderful movie that reflect delicious Mexican cuisine and family oriented culture...

Retired Mexican-American chef Martin Naranjo shares an L.A. home with his three gorgeous, but single, adult daughters. Though he long ago lost his ability to taste, Martin still lives to cook incredibly lavish dinners for his loved ones and to serve them in a family-style ritual at traditional sit-down meals. Although the women humor their father's old-fashioned ways, each of them is searching for fulfillment outside the family circle. College student Maribel is growing increasingly frustrated with the singles scene and wants a steady man; gorgeous career woman Carmen is fed up with her boyfriend and his wandering eye; meanwhile, eldest daughter Letitia, who has suppressed her own romantic longings, senses something missing in her life. Things take a turn for the romantic when Dad, a widower, meets a vivacious divorcee on the lookout for a mate and each of his daughters, in turn, finds someone. But they'll all discover that the recipe for happiness may call for some unexpected ingredients. -- IMDB

To join me in celebrating Cinco de Mayo are fellow foodies who have brought some Mexican inspired dishes to share at my Foodie Films event! Please check out the following blogs for their delicious recipes and drool-worthy pics. There won't be any trouble finding any Mexican fare to celebrate with for this Cinco de Mayo!

Katie of Katie's Kitchen
Chicken Fajita Salad with Poblano Buttermilk Dressing

Amy of Just2Good
Enchilada Casserole

Kathleen of Cassie's Ruminations
Fish Tacos & Roasted Tomato Salsa

Melissa of Mrs. Sac's Purple Kitchen
South of the Border Stuffed Peppers

Melissa of Delicious Melicious
Enchilada Dip Rollups

Erin of It's All Happening
Mexican Lasagna

Janet of Cooking in Cucamonga
Yummy Enchilada Casserole

Shayne of One Bite at a Time
South of the Border Shrimp Wrap

Erin of Erin's Food Files
Baked Flautas with Roasted Corn Salad

Chris of Mele Cotte
Meatless Taquitos

Mylinda of Sweet Tea in Texas
Paula Deen's Taco Soup

Branny of Branny Boils Over
Vegetarian Mole Sauce

Nicole of Things That Make You Go Mmmmmm
Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations
Spicy Taco Soup

Read more »

Mojo Chicken quesadillas

I prepared the following for a pre-Cinco de Mayo event with friends and they were a great addition to my Mexican inspired menu. Quesadillas are a popular appetizer and this one involves a roasted whole chicken rubbed with a mojo seasoning, which was used as a filling.

*Special thanks to my friend, Eli, for his pic since I was without a camera yesterday!

Mojo Chicken Quesadillas
original Joelen recipe

1 whole chicken fryer
1/4 - 1/2 cup mojo seasoning (recipe follows)
large flour tortillas
queso quesadilla cheese
assorted quesadilla fillings of your choice
(green onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, avocadoes, cilantro, beans, etc)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Prep your whole chicken by patting it dry and placing it in a roasting pan.

Rub the mojo seasoning liberally all over the chicken and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the juices run clear.

Allow the chicken to cool and then debone, reserving the bones/carcass for homemade chicken stock later. Shred the chicken and use to make your quesadillas.

Heat a large frying pan to medium high heat. Spray some cooking spray on the bottom of the frying pan.

Take one large flour tortilla and place it in the pan. Flip the tortilla over a few times, 10 seconds between flips. Air pockets should begin to form within the tortilla.

When pockets of air begin to form, take a handful of the quesadilla cheese, sprinkle over the top of the tortilla, making sure that the cheese does not land on the pan itself. Add some shredded chicken and whatever additional ingredients you choose. Try to go light on the ingredients so that they can cook evenly and the quesadilla can be flipped without too much of a mess!

Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan to help all the cheese to melt. When the cheese is mostly melted, use a spatula to lift up one side of the quesadilla and flip over the other side, just as you would if you were making an omelette. Remove from pan, cut into wedges and serve with your choice of condiments (sour cream, salsa, guacamole, etc).

Mojo Seasoning
recipe adapted from Bella Online

3 large heads garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
3/4 cup fresh or bottled lime juice
1 cup minced onion
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, minced

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to make a paste. Use this paste to coat the chicken before baking.

Read more »

Beef & Chorizo Sopes

I prepared the following for a pre-Cinco de Mayo event with friends and they were a hit! These little masa boats are topped with a seasoned beef & chorizo mixture and garnished with fresh lettuce, tomato, guacamole, salsa and queso fresco...

*Special thanks to my friend, Eli, for his pic since I was without a camera yesterday!

Traditional Mexican Sopes
recipe from About.com

3 cups masa harina
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon salt
Oil for frying

Mix together masa, 2 cups of water and salt until a soft dough forms. Add in additional water by the tablespoonful if dough seems too dry. Knead on a lightly floured surface until all ingredients are well combined and dough is softened, about 5 minutes.

Make small balls out of the dough. 1-inch for small (think large marble,) 2-inch for regular size (think walnut,) 3-inch for large sopes (think golf ball.)

Press each ball by hand to about 1/2 inch thick. Or sandwich a ball between two pieces of parchment paper and press with a plate. Or you can roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thick and cut out with cookie or biscuit cutters.

Find a glass, or an object with a smaller diameter than the dough patties. The idea is to press the object into the sopes dough to flatten the center more while creating a raised edge. Do this through the parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Fry in a 1/4 inch of hot oil on both sides until lighlty golden brown and cooked through.

Top and serve immediately.

Beef & Chorizo Filling
original Joelen recipe

1 tablespoon olive oil or canola oil
1 lb ground beef (85/15), crumbled
1 lb Mexican (soft) chorizo
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon taco seasoning (I used Pilsen seasoning)
freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a saute pan over medium high heat, place oil, minced garlic and diced onions. Saute until softened.

Add crumbled ground beef and chorizo; stir and allow to brown.

Add taco seasoning; stir and season with pepper to taste.

Use mixture to top sopes and garnish as you wish with shredded lettuce, beans, tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, queso fresco, etc.

Read more »

Southwest Chicken Roll Up

Stuffed chicken is always an elegant dish to serve... but rolling flavors in is just as fun and elegant! This was so super easy and not to mention, healthy!

Southwest Chicken Roll Up
recipe from Cooking Light/MyRecipes

6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 tablespoons (about 3 ounces) low-fat cream cheese
6 tablespoons picante sauce
6 cilantro sprigs
6 tablespoons Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Top each breast half with 1 tablespoon cheese, 1 tablespoon picante sauce, and 1 cilantro sprig. Roll up jelly-roll fashion, beginning at narrow end.

Dredge chicken rolls in breadcrumbs. Place rolls, seam sides down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; lightly coat rolls with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until chicken is done.

Read more »

Mexican Calzones

Tonight's dinner was super easy as these days we're trying to use up what I have in the freezer and pantry. Calzones are a great way to use up random ingredients and way better (and healthier!) than any pre-packaged, frozen pocket meal.

I came across this recipe when I had a craving for pizza and stumbled on the website, Pizza the Pie. It's a great site with quite a few pizza, calzones and dough recipes. I decided on this recipe because I wanted some southwest flavor without resorting to the usual taco or enchilada meal. This was great and you could even freeze them unbaked and bake them later.

Mexican Calzones
from Pizza the Pie

1 ball pizza dough
1 chicken breast
1 dash oregano
1 dash cumin
1 can black beans (I omitted)
1 C Mexican Blend or spicy jack
2 TBSP Jalapenos
1 Roma tomato
1 handful of Cilantro
¼ C Salsa
2 TBSP light sour cream
Avocado or Guacamole for garnish
Salt Pepper to taste

Sprinkle chicken with oregano, cumin, salt and pepper and cook the chicken. Use your favorite method, but I prefer using the oven. Shred the cooked chicken and mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Cut dough in ½ and roll out two circles. They should be about 8-10 inches in diameter. Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix until thoroughly mixed.

Place half of mixture on one half of each round. Fold the dough over the mixture and pinch ends together to seal in the mixture. Brush the tops of the calzones with olive oil.

Cook in a preheated oven, on a pizza stone, for 15 minutes at 415°F degrees. Once your calzone is golden brown, remove it and let it sit for 2-5 minutes. Enjoy!

Read more »

Smashed Black Bean Quesadillas

This was another recipe from Heidi's book, Cook 1.0: a Fresh Approach to the Vegetarian Kitchen. It was written by Heidi Swanson who has the fabulous site/blog, 101 Cookbooks. In this cookbook, she provides 4 different quesadilla recipe ideas, including the following one for smashed black beans. To make this quesadilla, I made her homemade tortillas recipe using whole wheat flour, omitted the corn kernels and added more colorful bell peppers.

Smashed Black Bean Quesadillas
recipe adapted from Heidi Swanson's Cook 1.0

1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 red mini sweet bell pepper, diced
1 orange mini sweet bell pepper, diced
1 yellow mini sweet bell pepper, diced
1 avocado, cut into small cubes
1 cup crumbled queso fresco
a squeeze of lime juice
cooking spray
homemade (or store bought) tortillas

In a medium bowl, add the beans and smash them a bit against the side of the bowl. Then add the diced bell peppers, avocado, queso fresco and lime juice. Gently toss together to combine.


Place a skillet over medium-low heat. Spray the bottom of the pan with cooking spray. Place one tortilla in the pan and add enough of the bean and cheese mixture to create a thin layer across the bottom of the tortilla. Place another tortilla on top, forming a sandwich.

Cook the quesadilla until the bottom is golden brown. Flip, and cook the other side until browned - the second side always cooks faster. Use the remaining filling to make more quesadillas.

I'm also submitting this recipe to Rachana's Healthy Bite Blogging Event, featuring healthy appetizer recipes! Be sure to check out the blog, The Gourmet Launchpad at the end of the month for the healthy & delicious round up!

Read more »

Homemade Tortillas

I recently got a new cookbook which I totally love! The book is Cook 1.0: a Fresh Approach to the Vegetarian Kitchen. It was written by Heidi Swanson who has the fabulous site/blog, 101 Cookbooks.


What I like the most about the cookbook is that she has a basic recipe and several different variations to switch things up... all of which are vegetarian and the recipes are versatile enough to add protein if you aren't vegetarian.

This book is a great source of inspiration as I've been eating more vegetarian/pescetarian meals... and with so many variations that are flavorful and colorful, I don't miss eating meat during the week!

The following recipe for homemade tortilla comes from Heidi's book. Who knew that tortillas were simple enough to make from scratch?! I had some leftover whole wheat flour so I used it to make whole wheat tortillas as an adaption to Heidi's original recipe. These tortillas went on to make Smashed Black Bean Quesadillas. Aside from quesadillas, you can use them for soft tacos, chips, Mexican inspired lasagnas, mini pizzas, etc!

Homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas
recipe adapted from Heidi Swanson's Cook 1.0

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3/4 cup warm water


In a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and shortening. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer to a large bowl.


Stir in the warm water a bit at a time until a stiff dough forms - not sticky and not dry. Cut the dough into 8 to 12 pieces (depending on whether you are making small or large tortillas), and form each into a ball. Let the dough rest, covered with plastic wrap or cloth, for at least 15 minutes.

Roll or flatten each piece of dough into a thin circle at least 6 inches across. Cook on an ungreased skillet or griddle over medium high heat until barely golden, about 45 seconds on each side.

Read more »

Fiesta Chicken Tacos

We like Mexican food but sometimes it can be hard to jazz it up. While looking through various cookbooks and websites for ideas, I decided to give this recipe a try and serve it along side of corn tortillas. You could serve this as is with rice or even pasta, but I liked that we used this dish and filled our tortillas with something warm and cheesy.

Fiesta Chicken Tacos
recipe adapted from Pace Foods

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Cream of Chicken Soup
(I made this homemade cream of chicken soup to use instead of canned)
1 cup Pace® Chunky Salsa OR Picante Sauce
1/2 cup water
1 cup whole kernel corn
1 can drained and rinsed, black beans
4 boneless chicken breast halves, sliced
Paprika
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
corn tortillas, warmed


MIX soup, salsa, water, corn and beans in 2-qt. shallow baking dish. Top with chicken and sprinkle with paprika. Cover.

BAKE at 350°F. for 45 min. or until done. Sprinkle with cheese.

SERVE by slicing chicken and stuffing in warmed corn tortillas.

Read more »

Chicken & Mango Salsa Tortilla Stack

Not sure how the weather is in your corner of the world but today is horrible here in Chicago. I'm so thankful I did all my grocery shopping and errands yesterday before the big 'blizzard' hit!

To make some room in my freezer, I roasted a large chicken last night which I coated with a cinnamon chipotle rub and stuffed with 2 chopped limes. Delicious! We enjoyed some of the chicken for dinner yesterday with leftover Arroz con Gandules. I actually roast meats quite a bit for a few reasons...

1. Often times, large cuts of meat (pork, beef, chicken) cost less per pound than others.
2. Roasting a large cut of meat allows me to be creative and make other dishes using leftovers... stretching the cost a bit more!
   

So with leftovers of this Cinnamon Chipotle Lime Chicken on hand, I took a peek in my fridge to see what I could come up with. The Pièce de résistance? ... Chicken & Mango Salsa Tortilla Stack! It's a common dish layering tortillas, salsa, cheese and meat which is then baked. Very similar to a lasagna only kept stacked.

Chicken & Mango Salsa Tortilla Stack
original Joelen recipe

1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
1-2 cups Mango Salsa (or whatever salsa you have on hand)
1 cooked roast chicken breast (or use rotisserie chicken)
5-6 corn tortillas (6 inch size)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a round baking dish, spread about 1-2 tablespoons of salsa.
Place one tortilla over the salsa coated dish.
Top with 1/4 cup of shredded cheese.
Top with another tortilla.
Top tortilla with slices of chicken until covered.
Spread a few tablespoons of salsa over chicken.
Top with another tortilla.
Continue layering and stacking in whatever way you'd like until all ingredients are used.
The top layer should end with a tortilla and enough salsa to cover the top.
Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 30-45 minutes.
Serve with sour cream, a sprinkling of shredded cheese and a dollop of guacamole.

Before...
....After!

Read more »

Shrimp Ceviche

I made the following recipe for our annual Holiday Party where our menu highlighted Floribbean cuisine. Seafood is definitely evident in Floribbean foods and shrimp needed to be included in my menu. I love how easy ceviche is to make and how refreshing it is to eat without being heavy. This was a great recipe that helps me forget about the harsh Chicago winters!

Shrimp Ceviche

served with tortilla chips
recipe adapted from SimplyRecipes.com

1 pound medium-small raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Tbsp salt
3/4 cup lime juice (juice from 4-6 limes)
3/4 cup lemon juice (juice from 2-3 lemons)
1 cup finely chopped red onion
1-2 jalapenoes, ribs and seeds removed, minced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cucumber, peeled finely diced
2-3 roma tomatoes, finely diced

1-2 avocadoes, finely diced

In a large pot, bring to a boil 4 quarts of water, salted with 2 Tbsp salt. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute to 2 minutes max, depending on size of shrimp. (Over-cooking the shrimp will turn it rubbery.) Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

Drain the shrimp. Cut each piece of shrimp in half, or into inch-long pieces. Place shrimp in a glass or ceramic bowl. Mix in the lime and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for a half hour.

Mix in the chopped red onion, jalapenoes & tomatoes. Refrigerate an additional half hour.

Right before serving, add the cilantro, cucumber & avocado. Toss to combine and serve as is, with chips or on top of tostadas.

Read more »

Layered Jalapeno Dip

I love snack food and this is an easy one to prepare especially for parties. I served this up for my annual Holiday Cookie Swap this year...

Layered Jalapeno Dip
original Joelen recipe

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
2 ounces canned diced jalapeno peppers, drained & chopped
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 cup prepared guacamole
1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1/4 cup sliced black olives (optional)
1 tomato finely diced
sliced green onions for garnish
tortilla chips

Combine the first 5 ingredients above and mix thoroughly.
Spread this mixture at the bottom of a pie plate.
Top with a layer of guacamole.
Sprinkle with a layer of remaining Mexican cheese blend.
Sprinkle sliced black olives, chopped tomatoes and sliced green onions.
Serve with tortilla chips.

Read more »