Filed under: Mexican | Tags: cooking, family, Food, nachos, Recipes, refried beans, shredded beef, tortillas chips
These nachos are definitely restaurant quality and they’re homemade! Freshly made tortilla chips with all the fixings. Wonderful authentic Mexican flavors I’m sure you will love and this is a real crowd pleaser. This is a great idea for when you have your friends over to watch the game or for a dinner party.
Nachos with the Works
You can buy some of these ingredients pre-made in your store like the pico de gallo, refried beans, enchilada sauce, chips and guacamole. I had some left over from a nice Mexican dinner that I made the night before. The meat can be substituted for chicken, or taco meat made from hamburger to make it easier.
Ingredients: Nachos
10 6in. corn tortillas
6 oz. shredded beef ( warmed )
6 oz. refried beans ( warmed )
5 oz. cheddar cheese ( shredded )
5 oz. jack cheese ( shredded )
4 oz. red enchilada sauce
4 oz. guacamole
4 oz. crema mexicana or sour cream
4 oz. pico de gallo
3 cups vegetable or canola oil for frying
Method: Nachos
Start by cutting the tortillas into triangles. Just stack them up and cut in half from four different angles. 
Heat the oil in a medium size skillet to 350 degrees and fry your chips. About 10 to 15 at a time, you don’t want to fry too many at once because they won’t cook evenly. You will want to flip them about half way through the cooking process to cook both sides. Each batch will only take 1 to 2 minutes. Remove them to some paper towels ( placed on a piece of foil ) and lightly salt them immediately so the salt will stick. Flip the cooked chips to one side of the paper towels to make room for the next batch. Continue to fry until all of your chips are done. I really recommend making your own chips instead of using store bought, the crispiness and fresh flavor of homemade doesn’t even compare to any store bought chip.
After your chips are cooked arrange them in a pile on an oven safe plate ( please make sure that the plate can handle a 350 degree oven ). I also like to put the plate on a bake sheet or pizza pan to make it easier to remove from the oven. Add small spoonfuls of the warm beans to the top of the chips. You should have small little piles that cover the top ( kind of like putting pepperoni on a pizza where there is some space between). Follow by doing the same thing with the meat. Drizzle the enchilada sauce over the beans and meat. Mix the cheeses together and cover the whole thing. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven. add your pico de gallo, guacamole and crema mexicana or sour cream and dig in! Hot sauce is optional as well as olives or anything else you may want to add.
These are authentic nachos which don’t come with that cheese sauce stuff you find in the fast food restaurants. Those are pretty tasty too but these are awesome!
I hope you will enjoy this recipe and HAPPY COOKING!
David
Check out our online cookware store at www.onestopcook.com
Filed under: Recipes | Tags: cooking, deviled eggs, eggs, family, Food, hard boiled eggs, Recipes
These make wonderful appetizers or hors d’oeuvres. Perfectly cooked eggs that are topped with a wonderful mix of mayonnaise, mustard, celery, onions and more. I’m sure you’ll love them. They are very simple to make and only take about 30 to 40 minutes total, from start to finish.
Awesome Deviled Eggs
Ingredients: Deviled Eggs
8 eggs
4 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. mustard
1 stalk celery ( finely diced )
1/6 onion ( about 2 teas. finely diced )
1/6 green pepper ( about 2 teas. finely diced )
1/6 red pepper ( about 2 teas. finely diced )
1 teas. fresh or dry parsley ( finely chopped )
1 1/2 teas. paprika
1 pinch salt
Method: Deviled Eggs
GENTLY, poke a tiny hole in the wide top of each egg ( a needle works well for this ). This will allow the gases in the egg to escape during cooking that can turn the yoke in the egg green. You should see little bubbles escaping when boiling. Place your eggs into a medium size sauce pan and add just enough cold water to cover. Stir in the pinch of salt which will soften the shells and prevent cracking. Place the pan on medium high heat and bring to a full rolling boil. As soon as it hits the boil, turn the heat off and cover. Only let the eggs stand in the water for 7 to 8 minutes covered and then remove them. Any longer and you can over cook them. If you follow this method you will have perfect hard boiled eggs every time. Refrigerate the eggs until cool.
While the eggs are cooking, add all other ingredients to a bowl ( except the paprika ) and mix well and refrigerate until eggs are cool. After the eggs have cooled, peel them by gently cracking the entire shell and peeling. There is a thin membrane just inside the shell that separates the egg from the shell. By cracking the entire shell it will be easier to peel. Another little trick is to run it under cold water while peeling.
Slice the peeled eggs lengthwise and remove the yolks to a small bowl and mash. Add the mashed yolks to the filling that was refrigerated and mix well. Spoon mixture into the cooked egg whites and sprinkle with paprika. Makes 16 deviled eggs.
Some other toppings for this can be little slices of smoked salmon, bacon, ham or anything else you can think of to put on top. This is a wonderful basic recipe that I hope you will try.
Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY COOKING!
David
Check out our online cookware store at www.onestopcook.com
Filed under: Country, Recipes | Tags: cooking, family, Food, Recipes, turkey
Here are some helpful hints to keep in mind when its time to make that fabulous Thanksgiving turkey. I will have a recipe for a great bird but unfortunately It won’t be out until after Thanksgiving… darn! Well, I won’t be cooking it until that special day. Anyway, here are some things to keep in mind.
It all starts when you go to the store to buy your bird. You will probably see a lot of different types such as organic, free range, fresh and frozen to name a few. Lets look at these a little closer to figure out what kind to get.
A free range turkey is one that is allowed to roam around and eat whatever it can find. They are let out of their cage hence making it a “free range” bird. They have food in their cage to begin with as required by law and will normally stay close to that. Since there can be predators out on the open range, they really don’t travel too far away from the safety of their cage and why should they, easy access to food is right there so the flavor of this bird is similar to any other and these can come either fresh or frozen.
An organic bird is one that is not injected with steroids or antibiotics and eats organic ( pesticide and chemical free ) feed. These can tend to be a little more pricey and are a little smaller. These can also come fresh or frozen. The flavor will be a little different, slightly more gamy.
A fresh turkey is one that has not been frozen. It goes directly from the farm to the store. The thing is, they can and usually are thrown around which can cause bruising which is not good for the meat. Another thing is that even though it is classed as fresh, you really don’t know how fresh unless you look at the date in which it was packaged which hopefully was done right after slaughter.
The way I go is with a frozen bird. This type is usually flash frozen right on the farm to ensure maximum freshness. It can also be thrown around safely without any bruising because it is frozen. It is usually cheaper than the others but just as tasty.
If you do buy a frozen turkey there are two safe ways to thaw it out. DO NOT leave it on the counter! By the time the middle of it thaws the outside will have more than enough time to grow bacteria because it will be in what is called the “danger zone”. The danger zone is the temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees. This is ideal temperature for germs and bacteria to grow… we don’t want that. The safest way to thaw your bird is in the refrigerator, it’ll take roughly two to four days to thaw depending on the size but this will ensure that no bacteria can grow. The other safe way is to place the bird ( still in the wrapper ) in a clean sink or bucket and run cold water ( just a trickle will do ) over it. You want to continuously run the water though. Just filling the bucket or sink up and turning it off will allow bacteria to form in the water so keep it running. This will take a few hours or more, also depending on the size of your bird.
Cooking your bird? There are different ways to cook the bird, deep fried is really good but you have to know what you are doing. You can easily start a fire if you are not careful which will ruin your whole day. Lets just stick to the traditional way, roasting.
The first thing you might want to do after thoroughly washing it is to season your bird. I like to use a brine which is basically to submerge it in a solution of salt, some type of sugar and water. You can add anything you like after this so have fun. Another way is to season the outside of the bird or under the skin. I like the brine because the flavors penetrate deep into the meat and add moisture making for a juicier turkey. Typically with a brine you will want to soak the bird for at least 8 hours and up to a day. A lot of people like to rub the skin with butter which is fine as long as you keep basting it otherwise you can end up with spots. This is because of the solids in the butter which tend to cling to part of the skin but doesn’t coat evenly. Rubbing it with oil will allow for a more even browning of the skin. Another technique to get that golden brown skin is to start cooking the bird on high heat, around 500 degrees for about 1/2 hour then reduce the heat to about 350 degrees. This will kind of separate the skin from the meat so it can crisp up easier.
Should I stuff my turkey? I don’t recommend stuffing your bird. This is where you can have some problems. In order for the bird to be cooked thoroughly it must reach at least 165 degrees internal temperature. This is normally checked by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. When you stuff a bird you change where you need to insert the thermometer. It now needs to be inserted into the middle of the stuffing and by the time the stuffing reaches 165 degrees your bird will be overcooked and dry, not good. Some of you might be wondering why the stuffing has to reach 165 degrees and the answer is that all of the uncooked juices of the turkey will be absorbed by your stuffing. Those juices need to reach 165 degrees. You can stuff your bird, but with things you will discard after cooking like onions, garlic cloves, citrus fruit and fresh herbs. You will also want to pull your turkey out of the oven at around 150 to 155 degrees and cover it. This is called carry over cooking meaning that as the juices redistribute back into the meat the temperature will rise so you will end up with an internal temperature of 165 degrees. If you like the presentation of the stuffing inside your bird I recommend stuffing your bird with a cooked stuffing after your turkey has been cooked. This will eliminate any question of harmful bacteria.
How do I carve my turkey? I know most of you will probably slice the meat right off the bird starting usually with the breast meat. If you notice which way the grains of the meat go you’ll see this isn’t the best choice. You always want to slice against the grain. The best way to slice a turkey really is to cut the whole breasts off and then slice it into pieces. The same goes for the legs and wings.
I hope this will help some of you when turkey day arrives and that your Thanksgiving will be full of joy and happiness. Take care and HAPPY COOKING!
David
Filed under: Country | Tags: cooking, family, Food, gravy, green beans, mashed potatoes, pork, pork chops, Recipes, yams
Tender seasoned pork chops smothered in a wonderful apple juice and pearl onion pan gravy with delicious mashed yams and steamed green beans. This is a great Fall meal that is simple to make with flavors that will pop in your mouth. Serve it with a nice garden salad and dinner roll and your family and friends will love you forever. The recipe takes less than an hour to prepare.
Pork Chops and Mashed Yams with Apple Juice Gravy and Green Beans
Ingredients: Pork Chops
1 1/2 lbs. boneless pork loin chops ( 3 to 5 chops )
3 oz. pearl or petite onions ( about 1/2 cup )
1 teas. salt
1/2 teas. cracked pepper
3/4 teas. onion powder
1/2 teas. garlic powder
1 teas. dry parsley flakes
1 teas. dry rubbed sage
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
Method: Pork Chops
Add salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley and sage to a small bowl and mix to blend seasonings. Sprinkle on both sides of your pork chops. Heat a medium to large size skillet to medium high heat and add the olive oil. Place your pork chops in the pan and lightly fry them until golden brown on both sides, about 3 to 5 minutes a side or when the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. Add the pearl onions to the pan when you flip the pork chops. Remove the chops from the pan to a small plate and cover for 10 minutes. This will finish the cooking so that the pork chops will reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. This is what is called ” carry over cooking “. Leave the pearl onions in the pan. They will be needed to make the gravy.
Ingredients: Gravy
pan drippings
3 oz. pearl onions
1/3 cube butter or margarine
1 1/2 teas. flour
1/2 cup apple juice
1 clove fresh garlic ( minced or crushed )
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
Method: Gravy
After removing the pork chops from the pan, immediately add the butter in with the onions and let it melt, this will only take a minute, add the garlic. Stir with a wood spoon to release the bits left from the pork and to cook the garlic, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir to make a roux, another minute or two. Add the apple juice, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until it has thickened slightly. This whole process should only take about 8 to 10 minutes which is the amount of time it takes for the pork chops to finish. Your pork chops and gravy are now ready to serve.
Ingredients: Mashed Yams
1 1/2- 2 lbs. yams or sweet potatoes ( peeled and cubed to 1 1/2 inches )
1 1/2 teas. salt
1/4 teas. pepper
water to cover yams
1 cube butter or margarine
1 1/2 teas. brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
Method: Mashed Yams
Add yams to a 3-5 qt. sauce pan and add enough water just to cover the yams, add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water. Bring it to a boil on medium high heat and boil for about 20 to 25 minutes, until yams are soft, just like making mashed potatoes. Drain the water and add the butter, apple juice, brown sugar, salt and pepper and mash with a potato masher until you get your desired consistency. These tasty taters are now ready, mmmm.
For the green beans, simply steam about 2 to 3 cups in a steamer for about 8 to 10 minutes. Or add about 3 cups of water to a 3 qt. sauce pan, bring to a boil and place a metal colander with your green beans on top and cover, they’ll take about the same amount of time.
To make this all come out at the same time I recommend starting with the yams since they will take longer than anything else, then the pork chops and green beans.
Thanks for stopping in and taking a look and I hope you will try this. It’s a fabulous recipe!
Hope to see you soon and HAPPY COOKING!
David
Check out our online cookware store at www.onestopcook.com
Filed under: Mexican | Tags: chicken tacos, cooking, family, Food, mexican food, mexican rice, Recipes, refried beans, rolled tacos, shredded chicken tacos, tacos, taquitos
If you like Mexican food your gonna love this. Beautifully seasoned shredded chicken wrapped in crunchy corn tortillas smothered in guacamole, shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese and tomatoes. Homemade restaurant quality refried beans that are creamy and delicious and a wonderful Mexican style fried rice. Simply awesome!
Chicken Taquitos with Rice and Refried beans
Ingredients: Shredded Chicken
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 teas. seasoned salt
1 teas. pepper
3/4 teas. garlic powder
2 teas. onion powder
2 teas. chili powder
3/4 teas. cumin powder
1/2 teas. oregano
2 dry bay leaves
enough water to cover chicken ( about 2-3 cups )
Ingredients: Taquitos
shredded chicken
15 to 20 6in. corn tortillas
toothpicks
3 to 4 cups vegetable or canola oil for frying
Method: Shredded Chicken Taquitos
Wash chicken thoroughly and place in a medium sized skillet and add just enough water to cover the chicken. Add all ingredients and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes or until the chicken can be shredded using a wood spatula. If there is any liquid left simply turn up the heat and allow the liquid to evaporate. Let the shredded chicken cool enough to work with.
While the chicken is cooking, add the oil to another medium sized skillet. Only use enough oil to go half way up the side of the pan so when you start frying the oil won’t spill over. Heat oil to 350 degrees and lightly fry the tortillas, on both sides, using a pair of tongs, for about 5 to 10 seconds total. All you are doing here is making them pliable enough to roll, you don’t want them crispy yet, that will come later. Stack the cooked tortillas on a plate and when all of the tortillas are done, flip the whole stack over. this will allow the oil on the tortillas to drip evenly over all of them. Turn off the heat on the oil while you are rolling the taquitos. Take about 2 spoonfuls ( about 2 ounces ) of the chicken and place it in a line across the center of a tortilla and roll it up. Use a toothpick to keep it closed by inserting it at the edge of the tortilla and running it through the center. Continue this process until all of the chicken has been used, you should get somewhere between 15 and 20 taquitos. I like to place them on a piece of foil after rolling them because I don’t have to wash it later but a plate will work fine. After they are all rolled up you can start to fry them in the 350 degree oil ( turn the heat back on when there are only a few taquitos left to roll ). Fry a few at a time on both sides until golden brown, they will take about 2 minutes a side. Remove to a plate and remove the toothpick. Top with quacamole, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese and tomatoes and a little bit of hot sauce. Toppings are always optional, you can really put anything on them you want, this is just what I put on them. Here is a pretty picture for you.
Ingredients: Refried Beans
1 lb. dry pinto beans ( about 2 cups )
water ( 8 cups for soaking and 7 cups for cooking )
1 tbsp. salt
3/4 teas. fresh cracked pepper
3/4 tbsp. chili powder
3/4 teas. cumin powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 1/4 teas. garlic powder
4 slices thick cut bacon
Method: Refried Beans
Sort through the dry beans and remove any stones or rocks and soak the beans for 24 hours or overnight by putting the dry beans in a 3 to 5 qt. sauce pan or stock pot, adding 8 cups of water and cover. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, 24 hours is better. Of course you will want to do this the day before. After the beans have soaked, drain the soak water and rinse off the beans in a strainer. Rinse out the pan and fill it with 7 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add beans, bacon strips and seasoning to the water and reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Keep the lid ajar to allow for evaporation of the liquid. 
After 3 hours most of the liquid should have evaporated to the point that the beans should be seen through the liquid. You don’t want all of the liquid to evaporate or your beans will be dry. Remove the bacon strips and mash the beans with a potato masher until you get your desired consistency. For a creamier texture you can whisk the beans after mashing them.
The traditional way of making refried beans would be to follow all the steps above but without using the bacon during the cooking process. You would then add bacon grease or manteca ( lard ) to a skillet ( medium low heat ) and mash the beans into the fat. This is where the name ” refried beans ” comes from but adding the bacon at the beginning just saves you an extra step. For vegetarian style refried beans simply eliminate the fat ( bacon or lard ).
Ingredients: Mexican Rice
2 cups rice ( uncooked )
4 cups water
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion ( small dice )
3 cloves garlic ( minced )
2 tbsp. powdered chicken bullion
1/2 teas. salt
1 teas. pepper
1 teas. dark chili powder
1 teas. light chili powder
6oz. red enchilada sauce ( mild )
Method: Mexican Rice
Preheat a 3-5 quart sauce pan on medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the rice and saute for 8 to 10 minutes to slightly brown the rice, stir often or it will burn. Carefully add the water as it will steam when it hits the pan and can burn you. Add all other ingredients and give it a good stir to blend. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about 20 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat and fluff it up with a fork. It’s ready to serve.
You are now ready to assemble your plates and enjoy the fruits of all your hard work so dig in and enjoy!
Thanks for stopping by and I hope this has helped you and as always, HAPPY COOKING!
David
Check out our online cookware store at www.onestopcook.com
Filed under: Country | Tags: beef, broccoli, cooking, family, Food, gravy, mashed potatoes, mushrooms, Recipes, salisbury steak, steak
This is a wonderful recipe that is very easy to make! Perfectly seasoned Salisbury steaks that melt in your mouth, covered in a delicious beef and mushroom gravy with creamy mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. Serve it with a nice dinner roll and garden salad and you’ll be in heaven.
Salisbury Steak with Mashed Potatoes and Steamed Broccoli
Ingredients: Salisbury Steak
1 1/2lbs. ground beef ( 15% )
1 big stalk celery ( minced )
1/2 green pepper ( minced )
1/2 onion ( minced )
1 small shallot ( minced )
3-4 cloves garlic ( about 1 1/2 tbsp. minced )
1 tbsp. salt
9/4 tbsp. pepper
1 tbsp. dry oregano
2 teas. dry parsley
4 tbsp. plain breadcrumbs
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
Method: Salisbury Steak
Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly using your hands. Divide mixture into 6 equal parts and form into patties about 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick and place on a non-stick bake sheet. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour to set up. Note: An easy way to do the vegetables is to put the onions, green pepper, shallot, celery and garlic ( pulse this for a few seconds first to break it up ) into a food processor and pulse it until ( for lack of better terms ) it looks like a chunky mush. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 30 to 40 minutes, flipping them half way through baking. Remove from oven and serve. These can also be cooked on a char broiler or barbecue grill at about 5 minutes a side for that grilled flavor or even pan fried on medium heat at about 5 to 7 minutes a side, although I really prefer to bake them in the oven. I like the flavor you get from baking them but the grilled way is also very good as well.
Ingredients: Beef and Mushroom Gravy
3/4 cube butter or margarine
3 heaping tbsp. flour
1 1/2 qt. beef broth plus 2 beef bullion cubes
1 teas. dry rosemary
1/4 teas. dry thyme
2 teas. Kitchen Bouquet ( a liquid browning agent )
6 oz. crimini mushrooms ( sliced )
Method: Beef and Mushroom Gravy
Add butter to a 3qt. sauce pan and melt over low heat then stir in flour and cook for about 5 minutes to make a roux. Add the beef broth a little at a time to avoid lumping then turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Add all other ingredients and continue to boil for about 30 minutes to reduce liquid by about 1/4th. This will intensify the flavor. The more your reduce it, the stronger the flavor. Reduce the heat to low and cover to keep warm for serving. Also, any leftover gravy can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months, just be sure to label and date it.
Ingredients: Mashed Potatoes
2 lbs. russet potatoes ( peeled and cubed to 1in. )
cold water to cover by 1 in.
2 1/2 tbsp. salt ( for boiling )
1 1/2 cubes margarine or butter
1/2 cup milk
Method: Mashed Potatoes
Add potatoes, cold water and salt to a 3-5qt. sauce pan and heat on medium high heat to bring to a boil. The reason for starting with cold water is to ensure that the potatoes will heat through evenly. By putting the potatoes in boiling water first you will cook the outside of the potatoes to quickly leaving the inside raw. Boil the potatoes for about 20 to 25 minutes or until a fork slides into the center of a cube easily. Drain the water and add the butter and milk and mash. For a creamier texture, after mashing them, use a whisk and vigorously whisk to make a whipped potato.
For the steamed broccoli you will need 1 to 2 crowns of broccoli and about a quart of water. If you don’t have a steamer you can place a colander over a pot of boiling water and steam it that way for about 13 to 15 minutes, covered or about 20 to 25 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally from bottom to top. I really don’t recommend boiling it as you will lose a lot of the nutrients into the water and end up dumping the vitamins down the sink. Steaming is really the way to go.
With the exception of the set up time in the refrigerator this whole meal can be made in about 45 minutes to an hour if you plan it right and cook everything at the same time and believe me, it’ll be well worth it so give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.
Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY COOKING!
David
Please check out our online cookware store at www.onestopcook.com we have everything you need to cook.
Filed under: Mexican | Tags: cooking, family, Food, lasagna, mexican food, Recipes, shredded beef
This is a wonderful twist to the classic Italian style lasagna. Authentic Mexican flavors built into a lasagna! Mexican style shredded beef with refried beans and Mexican rice. Corn tortillas instead of lasagna noodles, Monterey jack cheese all smothered in a creamy red sauce and garnished with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole and olives. Simply delicious!
Mexican Lasagna
Ingredients: Shredded Beef
2lbs. chuck roast, 2in. cubes and trim off fat ( you can also use top or bottom round )
1 1/2 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. pepper
1 tbsp. cumin
1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder ( light or dark )
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
4 bay leaves
1 onion ( small dice )
Method: Shredded Beef
Add meat, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and bay leaves to a 3 to 5qt. pot. Add water to cover, about 1/2in. over the top of the meat and boil covered for 2 hours stirring occasionally.
Add diced onion and boil for 1 more hour covered stirring occasionally. At this point the meat should start to break down. Remove bay leaves and continue to break it down using a wooden spoon or spatula ( I like the spatula ). Continue to boil uncovered until the liquid has evaporated and continue to shred the meat with the wooden spoon or spatula.The meat should be completely shredded after about 4 hours. Set aside and let cool to warm or room temperature.
Ingredients: Mexican Rice
2 cups rice ( uncooked )
4 cups water
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion ( small dice )
3 cloves garlic ( minced )
2 tbsp. powdered chicken bullion
1/2 teas. salt
1 teas. pepper
1 teas. dark chili powder
1 teas. light chili powder
6oz. red enchilada sauce ( mild )
Method: Mexican Rice
Preheat a 3-5 quart sauce pan on medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the rice and saute for 8 to 10 minutes to slightly brown the rice, stir often or it will burn. Carefully add the water as it will steam when it hits the pan and can burn you. Add all other ingredients and give it a good stir to blend. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about 20 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat.
Ingredients: Mexican lasagna ( for 1 lasagna )
15 oz. shredded beef
12 oz. refried beans
12 oz. mexican rice
12 oz. monterey jack cheese
15 oz. red enchilada sauce ( I used La Victoria )
1 heaping tbsp. crema mexicana or sour cream
16 6in. corn tortillas
Method: Mexican Lasagna
Add red sauce to a medium size bowl and stir in a tablespoon of crema mexicana or sour cream. Cut tortillas in half and in half again to make long strips, these will be the “noodles”. Spoon about 4 ounces of the sauce into the bottom of a medium size casserole dish and spread to cover the bottom. Place a double layer of the tortilla strips on top of the sauce followed by a layer of refried beans ( 1/3rd or 4oz. ), then shredded beef ( 1/3rd or 5oz. ), then rice ( 1/3rd or 4 oz. ) then cheese ( 1/4th or 3oz. ). Repeat until you have 3 layers ending with tortillas. Add another ladle of sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Here is a picture of the first layer.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with shredded lettuce, gaucamole, pico de gallo and olives.
This recipe will make about 3 lasagnas and to adjust the amounts to make 3 just multiply the ingredient list for Mexican Lasagna by 3. If you would like an alternative to use some of the leftovers, check out my shredded beef taco recipe, it’s perfect for this. To find out how to make guacamole and pico de gallo go here.
This can be a very versatile recipe simply by changing the type of meat. It is great with chicken, hamburger, steak or pork. Check out some of my other mexican recipes for ideas, I’m sure you will not be disappointed.
Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY COOKING!
David
Check out our online Cookware store at www.onestopcook.com
