This week were heading south of the border with some yummy Mexican dishes and sides. There are several recipes on this one but some are as a topping or side. Check it out, and if you have a better version on the salsa or chips please pass them my way!!!
Margarita Chicken
1/2 can (14-16 oz) black beans, drained
1/4 tsp cumin
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 tbsp EVOO
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast (6 oz each)
1cup prepared salsa,preferably salsa verde
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
chopped fresh cilantro
Preheat oven to 450. Combine the black beans and cumin in a saucepan and heat all the way through. Squeeze in the lime juice and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, but warm before serving.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sear in the hot pan for 3-4 minutes on the first side, until a nice crust develops, then flip. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, then spoon the salsa over the meat, top with cheese, and place in the oven. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is fully melted and bubbling, no more than 5 minutes. Divide the beans among 4plate, Top with the chicken and garnish with cilantro.
(330 calories)
In back of one of the Eat this not that books
alternative topping for Margarita Chicken
Pico de Gallo
4 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
1 small red onion, diced
1 Jalapeno, minced
1 handful of cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 Lime
Salt and Pepper to taste
Combine the tomato , onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Cheesy Shrimp Tortillas
2Tbsp butter
2- 2lb bags frozen RAW shrimp (31-40 per lb), thawed and tails removed
1Tbsp finely chopped garlic
salt and pepper
1 lemon, halved
3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, plus 1 Tbsp adobo sauce
12- 10" flour tortillas
1lb gouda cheese, shredded (I looked it up and if you can't spring for the gouda, looks like Monterey Jack is a close sub!!)
In large, deep skillet, melt butter over med-high heat. Add shrimp, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper each. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring often, until shrimp are just opaque, about 4 mins. Squeeze lemon halves over shrimp.
In small bowl, mash chipotles with adobo sauce. (Heads up!! If you tried the Smokey Buffalo style Chili in wk 6 you can just use a little of the thawed out puree from that!!) Spread paste in a thin layer on each tortilla. Cover 1/2 of each tortilla with single layer of shrimp. Sprinkle cheese over shrimp; fold tort. in 1/2.
Cook 1 meal now: In lg nonstick skillet, working in 2 batches, cook 2 quesadillas, cheese side down, over med-high heat until golden, about 2 mins on each side. Cut into wedges.
Freeze 2 meals for later: Wrap each quesadilla in foil and stack 4 each into 2 resealable 1 gal freezer bags; seal, label and freeze. THAW quesadillas at room temp for 2 hours. Cook as directed above.
rachaelraymag.com
Here are a few sides/ appetizers to go with the above dishes:
Spicy Queso Dip
1small onion, diced
1Tbsp oil
1garlic clove, minced
1 (16oz) pk pepper jack velveeta (now I'm not a fan of Velveeta, I think I will try a fresh mix of cheddar and pepper jack cheese, this should help with the calorie and salt issues)
1 (10oz) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
2Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Cook onion in hot oil in lg nonstick skillet over med-high heat, 8 mins or until tender. Add garlic, cook 1 min. Remove from heat.
Combine cheese, tomatoes, and onion mixture in lg microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes, stirring every 2.5 mins. Stir in cilantro.
Fresh Salsa
1/4-1/2 med sweet onion, coarsely chopped
1sm garlic clove, quartered
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and quartered
1/4cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
2lb tomatoes
1 lime
1 1/4tsp salt
Pulse first 4 ingredients in food processor until finely chopped.
Cut each tomato into 4 pieces. Cut out core then add tomato pieces to food processor in batches, pulse each batch until well blended. Transfer to large bowl. Squeeze juice from lime over salsa, stir in salt.
(The 2 above recipes were from a Southern Cooking magazine, not sure of the name)
Honey-Baked Tortilla Chips
2Tbsp honey
4 small (8") flour tortillas, cut into 6 wedges each
2tsp sesame seeds (not sure about this part, may leave it out!)
In small bowl, stir 2tsp water into honey to loosen. Place tortilla wedges on baking sheet, brush with honey and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Toast at 350 until golden brown and crisp, 15-18 mins.
Can be served with salsa as well as hummus, bean dip or Greek yogurt
Rachaelraymag.com
Sopaipillas with Chocolate Sauce
FOR SAUCE
1/2cup packed light brown sugar
pinch Koshar salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3Tbsp butter
1/2tsp vanilla extract
FOR SOPAIPILLAS
veg oil, for frying
4 8-10in flour tortillas, cut into wedges or strips
Granulated sugar, for coating
Make sauce: Bring 1/4cup water, brown sugar and salt to a boil in a small sauce pan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Whisk in cocoa powder until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. (Sauce can be refrigerated, covered, up to 3 days; reheat before serving)
Make sopaipillas: Heat 1/2" veg oil in lg deep skillet until deep fry temp regs 350. Working in batches, fry tortillas, turning once, until bubbly and golden on both sides, 1-2 mins per batch. (Return oil to 350 between batches.) Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle both sides with granulated sugar. Drizzle with chocolate sauce. (I think I may try baking some of these to see how the taste is affected)
food network magazine
Oven-Baked Churros with Coconut Sauce
1 (17.3oz)pkg frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
1/4 cup sugar
1tsp ground cinnamon
1/4cup melted butter
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
3/4cup unsweetened coconut milk
For Churros: Preheat oven to 450. Unfold and cut puff pastry sheets in 1/2 length-wise, cut each 1/2 crosswise into 1" wide strips. Place strips on a lightly greased parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake 10 mins or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, combine sugar and cinnamon. Remove pastry strips from oven, dip in butter; roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Let stand on a wire rack 5 mins or until dry.
For Sauce: Cook condensed milk in a med saucepan over med heat, stirring constantly, until it turns a light caramel color and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 10-15 mins. Gradually add coconut milk and whisk until smooth, about 5 mins. (Sauce can be refrigerated, covered up to 2 days; reheat before serving)
Whew... that seems like a lot but most can be done ahead and thrown together when you're in a pinch!!
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