Sunday Dinner

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Tex-Mex Layer Dip (lightened up)

Green Chile Pork Posole

White Rice

Cinnamon Churros with Mexican Chocolate Sauce

I am sure many of you are familiar with the infamous Mexican Seven Layer Dip. Let me introduce you to my version of that spread, lightened up with fresh flavors and layers of goodness.  The bonus is that it is easier on the waistline and no cooking is required!

Let's talk about the layers...

Layer 1: Black beans, lime juice, chili powder and garlic

Layer 2: Creamy avocado and lime juice

Layer 3: Tangy light sour cream and chipotle chiles

Layer 4: Fresh tomatoes, jalapeños, scallions, cilantro and lime juice 

Layer 5: Scallion greens 

That's only five layers. To keep it light in calories, I forgo the other two layers of shredded cheese and black olives. I find that the cheese gets lost and the black olives overpower the other flavors. 

Try this updated version of a Tex-Mex classic. I am sure that it will not disappoint. Happy Sunday!

Papaya Pomegranate Guacamole

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Have you ever heard a cook say, "One can never have too many _______ recipes"? Well, I think guacamole would fill in that blank rather well. That green goodness of the fruit world can be simply made  a very traditional way with just onion, garlic and lime, but it can also be married with a multitude of other fruits and vegetables to be transformed from an ordinary to extraordinary guacamole. How about Guacamole with Pico de Gallo or Mango Guacamole or Tomatillo and Poblano Guacamole? I have even shared Avocado Dressed Shrimp a la Mexicana which is pretty much guacamole with shrimp?And those are just the ones that I have shared thus far!

This particular guacamole is especially nice this time of year when tomatoes are not at their peak, but citrus and tropical fruits are looking good.  Papaya are wonderfully sweet and tender fruits that pair nicely with the richness of avocado. I like to use the smaller Hawaiian variety instead of the Mexican kind (it is just my preference). As for the pomegranate seeds or arils, you can seed a pomegranate yourself using my kitchen tip HERE or most stores this time of year carry arils already packaged. I think some type of chile is a must in guacamole because it balances the richness of the avocado and sweetness from other fruits and veggies.  I do indicate that you can use serrano or jalapeño peppers.  Serranos are typical hotter than jalapeños, but to be honest, you really never know what the heat level from either will be until you take a taste test.

Sunday Dinner

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Papaya Pomegranate Guacamole

Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork)

Mexican Red Rice

Refried Pinto Beans

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Pico de Gallo

Rumchata Cheesecake

My reason for tonight's Sunday dinner menu would be that I wanted some good eats that would transport my mind to somewhere South of the border because it has been cold! And not just cold, but also days of icy conditions on the roads and sidewalks.  Walking two dogs in such weather is not good.  But what is good, is this meal! Four pounds of pork butt simmered in a flavorful broth and then "pulled",  glazed and then broiled until crisped and caramelized. These carnitas or "little meats" are great for taco and burrito fillings, but they are wonderful when served on a dinner plate with all of these other good eats.  I am starting to feel better all ready. Happy Sunday!

Sunday Dinner eight years ago

Sunday Dinner nine years ago

Sunday Dinner ten years ago

Sunday Dinner eleven years ago

Tomatillo Salad

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Since this past Saturday, I have used tomatillos in three different recipes. If you follow me on FB, you'll know that we enjoyed Ceviche Verde for a light dinner on a beautiful summer evening.  On Sunday, I used them in theTomatillo and Guajillo Salsa and in this lovely and easy salad. So, let's briefly talk about tomatillos.  

They are a type of tomato, right? Wrong. Even though they are referred to as the Mexican husk tomato, they are actually a close relative to a gooseberry. They are high in pectin and perfect for making jams and salsas. They can be used in recipes roasted or fresh. The only hard part is peeling off their husk and giving them a good rinse because their skins are rather sticky.  Sometimes you get lucky and the husk is bigger than the fruit and comes of easily, but other times it's like trying to remove wall paper. 

This simple raw salad and adds such a nice tart, lemony, almost green apple like flavor to balance out a rich Mexican-inspired meal. 

My other recipes using tomatillos-

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Tomatillo and Roasted Poblano Guacamole

Sunday Dinner

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Jalapeño-Peach Poppers

Grilled Flank Steak 

Tomatillo and Guajillo Salsa

Brown Rice

Tomatillo Salad

Chocolate Dulce de Leche Bars

When you have tomatillos, jalapeños, and peaches (did you see my FB post?) in your garden, this is what your Sunday dinner menu might look like.  My inspiration for this menu comes from an old Gourmet special edition magazine.  It featured the meat, salsa, and salad all together on one page, but seeing how this is my little space in the world, I wanted to feature each component on it's own.

I call this salsa, but it is easily used as a dip or sauce for pretty much any meat, veggie and/or carbohydrate.  Again, love those multi-purpose recipes!  The guajillos add a nice smokiness and the tomatillos add a fresh and zesty lemon essence. The recipe calls for dried guajillo chiles, but pasilla chiles can be substituted.

One can never have too many salsa recipes.  Happy Sunday!

Kale Salad with Creamy Poblano Dressing

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Growing up in a Southern household, we certainly enjoyed our fair share of greens, but they were most certainly not served up like this recipe.  Our greens were simmered, almost until surrender, in a pot of broth and a smoked ham hock.  Delicious as they were (and still are), they were completely depleted of texture and essential nutrients. I still enjoy a pot of greens and its likker, but I also like to enjoy the taste, texture and nutrient value of fresh kale. 

This beautiful bowl of health came to me via Chicago Magazine a while back.  The developer was chef John Manion of La Sirena Clandestina.  The restaurant has since closed, so am I ever glad I have this recipe to share with you.  Chef Manion developed this dressing as a nod to green goddess dressing with a Latin spin and boy did he ever nail it!

The base of the dressing is made with blackened poblano peppers, avocado, and garlic. Yum! They are blended together with egg yolk, Dijon, buttermilk, and oil for an incredibly creamy dressing.  I like to thin the dressing with a little bit of water, but you can make it as is of to your own desired consistency.  The one thing that I did change was to dial back on the oil, so it doesn't emulsify into a green mayonnaise.  This bold dressing holds up very well to the somewhat tough kale leaves.  Having said that, one trick I like to use when working with fresh kale, is to massage the dressing into the kale with your hands.  This helps break down the leaf fibers making them more tender.  Toss in some sliced jalapeños, radishes, pepitas, cilantro and a sprinkle of grated Cotija and this will become your new favorite kale salad with just one bite.  Ok, you'll probably be "bowled" over by the taste of the dressing before you even get to the kale.)  There will be some leftover dressing, but be thankful.  It is delicious as a dip, as a sandwich or burger spread, or even as a dressing over potatoes.

Serve as a light lunch, as side salad, or add in some protein like shrimp or chicken to make it a loaded meal.  Enjoy!

Cinco de Mayo Eats

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I apologize for the last minute round-up of Cinco de Mayo fare, but I think it is safe to say that many of you might need some last minute ideas, will be celebrating through out the weekend, or need some recipe inspirations to use up the leftovers.  All those good eats can be found below!

To Start Your Day (or the next morning😉)

Pineapple-Mango Smoothie

To Start Your Evening

Blackberry Margaritas

A Few Snacks and Condiments

Ceviche Verde

Chile con Queso

Fire-Roasted Tomato Salsa

Pickled Jalapeño Salsa

Pico de Gallo

Traditional Guacamole

Tomatillo and Poblano Guacamole

Shrimp with Chipotle Dipping Sauce

Sweet Potato Chips with Lime Salt

Soups and Salad

Albóndigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup with Black Bean Salsa

Southwest Grilled Chicken Tortilla Salad

The Main Event

Chicken Chilaques

Chicken Flautas in a Roasted Tomatillo Broth

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

(I can't find the picture so, just click on the link above to see the post)

Chicken and Spinach Tortilla Pie

Easy Chicken Tacos

Fiesta Chicken and Rice

Grilled Steak Fajitas

Grilled Steak Fajita Sheet Pan Pizza

Complimentary Sides
Homemade Flour Tortillas

Mexican Red Rice

Refried Pinto Beans

Grilled Steak Fajita Sheet Pan Pizza

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When you're working for the day and all you have is take-out pizza on the brain for dinner, but you're kind of craving Mexican food and you still have a leftover grilled strip steak in the refrigerator that you don't want to go to waste...what do you do?  You come home on break, do a quick search on one of your favorite cooking sites and then become inspired to make Grilled Steak Fajita Sheet Pan Pizza, of course! Doesn't everyone think like that??

The original recipe technique required pulling out the grill and grilling the steak, vegetables and the pizza.  But my steak was already cooked and I have several mouths that I need to feed, so I broke out my Sheet Pan Pizza recipe and got down to business.  While the dough was rising, I made the sauce. Oh my, the sauce is so good!  It's a South of the border adaptation to my traditional pizza sauce.  Just make sure you use chipotle chili powder and not regular chili powder for a nice smokey flavor. Instead of vinegar to brighten the sauce, I used pickled jalapeño juice that comes from a jar of jalapeño nacho slices. 

While the dough was still rising, I decided to broil the peppers and onion instead of dragging out the grill for a nice charred flavor.  Then I had my daughter, Mabelle, grate a mixture of Cheddar, Chihuahua, and Monterey Jack cheese for me before she went to soccer practice ⚽️ (she's such a good helper in the kitchen).  The only thing left was to chop some cilantro, stick my head in the oven 😉 and throw it all together!  

OMG y'all--this was mind blowing! It was like, stuff-your-face good! Or like, I can't-wait-to-have-leftover-steak-to-make-this-again good.  So, if you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo this week...make this pizza!! It has all Mexican-American flavors covered.

Sunday Dinner

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Avocado-Dressed Shrimp a la Mexicana

Pork Carnitas

Mexican Red Rice

Refried Pinto Beans

Piña Colada Cake

How many of you actually celebrate the independence of Mexico from French forces on May 5th? Yeah, I don't either.  But I find it a very good reason to celebrate the Mexican-American culture through food and festivities (emphasis on the food).  Since Cinco de Mayo is only days away (how is it almost May already?!?), this Sunday dinner menu was easily inspired.

Like many recent recipes that I have shared, I have lost count how many times I have had this on a Sunday dinner menu.  So, it is time that the Avocado-Dressed Shrimp a la Mexican makes a solo debut.

If you like pico de gallo, guacamole, and sweet shrimp, you are gonna love this! The original recipe used this mixture as a topping for tostadas, but I adapted it so it is a more scoopable appetizer/dish/salsa to begin our meals or have as a light snack.  I added a bit of garlic for more flavor and also added an extra diced avocado for a nice balance of textures and because I love avocados.  The recipe can be made a few hours in advance (bonus when you are a food blogger taking pictures on a Sunday before a big meal).  Just make sure you press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture to avoid oxidation of the avocados. Bring to room temperature before serving, then grab some tortilla chips and dig in. 

Easy Chicken Tacos

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If I could take a bite out of the screen right now...easy there, Nicole. Good heavens these are some tasty tacos!  And as the recipe title indicates, they are pretty easy to make too.  Instead of slices of cooked chicken breast that can come out somewhat dry and rubbery, this recipe uses the poaching method that results in tender white meat that can be pulled into bite-size pieces.  Once the meat is pulled, it is returned to the skillet and tossed with the reduced sauce.  This gives each piece of meat a flavor injection.  And that flavor comes from chipotle chiles, orange juice (freshly squeezed, please), and two very surprising ingredients-- Worcestershire sauce and good ole American yellow mustard.  I know...weird, right? But they are actually two very common ingredients in Latin cooking.  The smokey heat from the chiles helps balance the sweetness of the orange juice, the Worcestershire gives the breast meat a deep, almost dark meat-like flavor, and the tangy mustard adds a little zing.  I also add some dried oregano (preferably the Mexican variety) for a little more herbal flavor to marry with all those robust flavors.

When it comes time to assemble these bad boys, use flour tortillas. (Don't forget the homemade ones.)  Normally I prefer corn tortillas over flour, but the flour ones are the perfect vehicle to deliver the goods in this recipe.  I also like to warm them on both sides over my gas stove until slightly charred for a little smokey flavor.  For the accroutrements-- first, I schmear on a good spoonful of a homemade avocado spread (recipe is below) because I think it is tastier than just diced avocado.  Then I add some shredded lettuce (gotta go iceberg here), a little pico de gallo, the yummy chicken, and then a nice drizzle of some Mexican crema.  Yes, you can use sour cream or even better, crème fraîche, but most markets these days do carry crema.  It is thinner than regular sour cream and it has a much richer taste.  (Quick kitchen tip-- sometimes I'll have some sour cream in the refrigerator that needs to be used up, so to mimick the texture and taste of crema, I thin the sour cream with a little heavy cream. Violà--mock crema.)  Finish the taco with some freshly squeezed lime juice and you have a south of the border feast for the eyes (that is until it becomes a feast for the body☺).  And for a fully loaded menu, serve the tacos with some Mexican Red Rice and those Refried Pinto Beans.

Refried Pinto Beans

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Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner and for me that means one thing--a darn good excuse to enjoy some good Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine.  One of the staples of these cuisines is refried beans.  A common misconception is that the beans are cooked twice, referring to the English definition of re-- preceding the fried.  But in Spanish, the re-- is from the word "refrito", meaning "well-fried".  However one interprets the meaning, it certainly does not impact the wonderful flavor and comforting texture.

For a good authentic flavor, I like to start the dish by rendering the fat from a bit of salt pork.  It really gives the dish a deep flavor without overpowering the bean flavor.  Most markets carry a 12-ounce package of salt pork, but if you can't find it I would recommend using lard instead.  (One tip--my recipe only calls for 3 ounces, so I cut the 12-ounce chunk into four pieces, wrap the remaining three chunks in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze until refried beans are on the menu again.)  Some people might suggest using bacon.  While I have a strong love for bacon, in my opinion it adds too much smokey flavor.  

To flavor the beans further, I sauté onion and garlic and throw in a little ground cumin.  I love the earthiness that the cumin adds.  Once the beans are thoroughly cooked through, I mash them to desired consistency which is usually a chunkier purée.  As the beans set up, they will thicken.  If I am making them as a topping for nachos or as a filling for burritos and tacos, I leave them as they are.  But when I am serving them as a side dish or as a simple chip-and-dip, I thin the beans with some chicken broth, starting with a tablespoon at a time.  Garnishes can be versatile as well.  You can use sliced or diced jalapeño, chopped green onion, or even some crumbled queso fresco.  All are well received.

Pickled Jalapeño Salsa

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Come Sunday, quite a few of us will be exercising our American right to spend the better half of the day consuming good eats and beverages as we pre-game and tailgate at home or at parties for Super Bowl XLVIII.  I really don't have much reason to watch since the Bears and Saints are out of it, but I will be looking forward to watching a certain beverage commercial involving a friendship between an adorable Labrador puppy and a Clydesdale horse. (Trust me, it's the sweetest thang ever!)

Back to the grazing part-- chips and dips.  Seriously, one can never have too many of these in their recipe caché.  They are a real love/hate for me.  I love them because they are darn tasty and hate them because they sit there on the table asking you to come back for more. This recipe is a perfect example of such a relationship. It is an original recipe that I created after a well-liked Mexican restaurant in town closed its doors, bringing its wonderful salsa with it.  Their house salsa and homemade chips were the devil on my shoulder (c'mon-- just one more).

This is hands down the easiest salsa recipe to make.  Most of the flavor/heat work is done for you with the use of pickled jalapeños from a jar. You can use mild, but I highly recommend the hot.  Roughly chopped green onions and cilantro add to the flavor profile, then it is just salt to taste.  It's quite good right off the bat, but give it some time for the ingredients to mingle... and you will have the devil whispering in your ear.

Speaking of game day-- I have listed a round-up from the archives on the day's various grazing components from snacks to sweets.

Game Day Appetizers/Snacks
Game Day Foods
Game Day Treats

Fiesta Chicken and Rice

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The busy weeknight schedules are in full force.  If we can all sit down together at the table before 7:30 in the evening, that's a win.  And with limited time to prepare the meal once I get home, this recipe is also a win.  Like the Skillet Lasagna, this is a one pan meal that can come together in about a half an hour. To make it even easier, I make sure I have all the ingredients prepped ahead of time.  So when I walk in the door, I can get right to cooking without having to peel, chop, or drain.

I swapped out the green bell pepper for Poblano peppers and kicked up the spice and heat with some adobe sauce. (See my tip here for storing chipotle peppers and adobe sauce.)  Serve with lime wedges, sliced avocado, and a few tortillas for a winner-winner-chicken-dinner.

Cinco de Mayo Round-Up

Pin It After sharing with you a meal fit for a Cinco de Mayo celebration, I thought I would share a few more recipes from the archives to round out your fiesta.  From appetizers and snacks like guacamoles and salsas to main events like chicken tortilla soup (a hearty warm bowl for those of you who experienced a snow storm yesterday!?!) and chilaques, I think there is a little something for everyone.  The one thing that you may notice missing from the line-up is something sweet to end the meal.  I'll save that one for tomorrow☺.

Appetizers/Snacks

Chile con Queso

Guacamole with Pico de Gallo

Mango Guacamole

Shrimp and Spanish Chorizo Bites

Shrimp with a Chipotle Dipping Sauce

Sweet Potato Chips with Lime Salt

Tejas (phyllo crackers) with Sunflower Seeds

Tomatillo and Poblano Guacamole

Beverage

Blackberry Margarita

Bread

Flour Tortillas

Salsa

Fire-Roasted Tomato Salsa

Pico de Gallo

Mains

Chicken Chilaquiles

Chicken and Spinach Tortilla Pie

Chicken Flautas in a Roasted Tomatillo Broth

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Ceviche Verde

Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce

Grilled Steak Fajitas

Soups

Albóndigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sides

Sautéed Corn with Manchego and Lime

Rice

Mexican Red Rice

Mexican Rice with Tomatoes and Beans