salsa

#SundaySupper: Easy Taco Recipes for Taco Tuesday

~ lk529 ~ 23 Comments

 

Warning! This recipe is insanely addicting. It will make you want to go out and buy all of the chorizo you can find. In fact, I did just that. However, at the time of purchase there were only two packages of chorizo left on the shelf. But still! I don’t think I can go to the store without getting a package. All because of these tacos. Truth be told, we made these twice in one week! They’re that good. We’ve told friends about them and have promised to make them next time they come over. I need to double the amount of chorizo from now on so that we’ll actually have leftovers!

The first time I made these tacos I did everything ahead of time. I made the salsa and crema around 4pm. Because Treat took a nap I jumped at the opportunity and cooked the chorizo, too. Not one to squander my slightly less hectic house, I decided to assemble a couple of tacos and have a photo shoot while the light was still good.

It’s hard not to yell at your toddler for standing on his chair while you’re standing on yours to get that aerial shot. You’ll see he has some of that salsa on his beloved Thomas plate. He was mostly interested in picking out all of the black beans, one of his favorite foods.

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We had to take a break from the photo shoot to bring Treat up from his nap. Both boys ended up eating their dinner before Daddy got home from work! At least they both adored the dish enough to still sit with us at the table nibbling while we scarfed down some tacos.

Firecracker also decided to help me with some food styling by dumping a heaping spoonful of salsa onto one of the tacos. (Good thing I was already done!)

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That helpful toddler ensured that his little brother had enough salsa to eat, too. It’s moments like these that melt my heart. They’re such good brothers to each other. The love that Treat has had for his older brother has been obviously visible in his adoring looks since month 1. Firecracker also took to our family’s new addition within a couple of weeks, trying to say his name long before the rest of his vocabulary emerged. I just hope this brotherly love lasts them a lifetime.

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Can you believe that until these tacos I’d actually never had queso fresco!? Even with my series of Mexican Monday, which has been severely lacking lately. I’ve typically been “too cheap” or simply unable to find it. Now, living in Southern California, I had no trouble finding a large variety of Mexican cheeses at the store. The queso fresco reminded me of a saltier version of string cheese, so if you can’t find it, I’d suggest shredded mozzarella.

I had bought some typical taco toppings, lettuce and tomato, and then completely forgot about them! Honestly, these tacos shine without them and the lime and cilantro crema keeps them feeling light and fresh.

Chorizo Tacos with Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Ingredients for tacos:

  • 1-2 lb ground chorizo, casings removed if using links
  • soft shell taco tortillas, we prefer flour but corn would work well, too
  • queso fresco

Ingredients for salsa:

  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) fire roasted corn, drained
  • 1/4 C diced red onion
  • zest 1 lime
  • juice 1 lime
  • 1-2 tbsp agave, to taste
  • fresh cilantro, torn, to taste

Ingredients for crema:

  • 1/4 C sour cream
  • 1/4 C fresh cilantro, chopped
  • zest 1 lime
  • juice 1 lime

Steps:

  1. Cook ground chorizo in a skillet over medium high heat. Drain and set aside.
  2. Make salsa: Combine all salsa ingredients in a large bowl. Season to taste with S+P. Keep in fridge until ready to serve.
  3. Make crema: Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt. Add water if needed to thin it out.
  4. Assemble tacos with chorizo, salsa, crema, and queso fresco. Option to add other favorite taco toppings: avocado, lettuce, tomato.

*This recipe is modified from Keri at http://fashionablefoods.com/2016/04/25/chorizo-tacos/

Chorizo Tacos with Corn & Black Bean Salsa Sew You Think You Can Cook (1)

Update October 1, 2017: October 4th is National Taco Day and to celebrate the Sunday Supper Movement has collected about two dozen fun and simple taco recipes to celebrate! Be sure to scroll past my recipe to see the mouth watering collection for yourself!

The taco recipe I’m sharing with you today is in fact an oldie but goodie. These Chorizo Tacos with Black Bean & Corn Salsa were first enjoyed about a year ago (8/21/16 to be exact) and shared here on Sew You Think You Can Cook. I kid you not when I say these have made a very regular appearance on our dinner table since then!

Because chorizo is already seasoned with incredible Mexican flavors, all you need to do is cook it up and drain the fat! The salsa is simply mixing a few ingredients and is a favorite of my kids. The crema is another 3 ingredients. Done!

Breakfast, Dessert, and Alternative Tacos

Lunch and Dinner Tacos

 

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Spicy Tomatillo Salsa

~ lk529 ~ 3 Comments

Without fail, if I send my husband to the grocery store, he will come home with items that weren’t on the list. Occasionally it’s a package of refrigerated cookie dough but more often than not it’s something “crazy” from the produce section. I’m constantly amazed by his exploratory nature when it comes to the culinary world, actually for all worlds really. I am definitely not as adventurous.

While tomatillos aren’t exactly crazy we’d never worked with them in our own kitchen before. I went that “safe” route and decided to utilize them in a salsa for Mexican Monday.

This salsa is spicy!! Way too spicy for my taste, but my husband loved it!

Spicy Tomatillo Salsa

Ingredients:

  • 4 tomatillos, husks removed, washed, and chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, deseeded and chopped
  • 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • handful fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 sweet onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • agave, to taste

Steps:

  1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a desired consistency is reached. Adjust salt and agave to taste.

*This recipe is adapted from Amanda at http://www.thechunkychef.com/abuelos-copycat-tomatillo-lime-salsa/*

Spicy Tomatillo Salsa Sew You Think You Can Cook

#FreshTastyValentines: Apple Salsa

~ lk529 ~ 4 Comments

LogoIt’s the final day of #FreshTastyValentines, a blogging event headed up by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla, and it’s also Mexican Monday!

I enjoy making salsas with fruit and have done so using strawberries and pineapple, so when Envy Apples signed up to be a #FreshTastyValentines sponsor I knew exactly how I’d want to highlight their produce; with a little heat and a little sweet.

We love trying new apples. Whenever there’s a variety at the grocery store we’ve not heard of we always pick up a couple to try. In my opinion, the perfect apple is all about texture as sweet vs tart simply depends on my mood. An apple must be both firm and crisp, and the Envy apples are just that; a perfect texture with the bonus of having a flesh resistant to browning, which would make these apples an excellent choice for kids’ lunchboxes or a party cheese plate.

12512546_10103496705705601_8103054962216754607_nWhen I opened up my beautiful box of Envy apples I was pleasantly surprised to be hit with an incredible aroma of fresh apple scent. The intoxicating smell let me know that these apple would have a strong, sweet flavor. I was not disappointed! (P.S. – I had chili on the stove bubbling away making my kitchen smell amazing in itself when I caught a whiff of the sweet apple aroma.) One apple was immediately “sacrificed” when my toddler grabbed it and took a bite, one apple was turned into salsa, and the last happily enjoyed alongside a bacon grilled cheese for lunch.

I pulled together the salsa in about ten minutes, but I probably spent twenty trying to get decent photographs. And then it was time to rush to Pure Barre, but not before first trying a bite of the salsa on a homemade cinnamon sugar tortilla chip. When I returned home from class there was only a bite and a half of the salsa left! My husband had completely devoured it. This recipe is one that I will make again, and I’ll be on constant alert for Envy apples.

Apple Salsa

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 Envy apple, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp lime juice

Steps:

  1. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and jalapenos and saute until tender. Add the cinnamon and cook another 30 seconds. Stir in the honey and lime juice and cook until honey is reduced slightly, about 2 minutes.
  2. Serve with cinnamon sugar tortilla chips (brush whole wheat tortillas with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake at 375degF for 10min).

*This recipe is adapted from https://www.kelloggsfamilyrewards.com/en_US/recipes/sweet-and-spicy-apple-salsa-recipe.html*

apple salsa for #FoodieExtravaganza from Sew You Think You Can Cook

It’s the last day to enter our giveaway and be sure to check out the other bloggers who posted more Valentine’s recipes today:

Thank you to #FreshTastyValentines sponsors for providing bloggers with samples and products to use for #FreshTastyValentines recipe development without additional compensation. All opinions stated are those of the bloggers.

 

Chipotle Lime Shrimp with Strawberry Salsa

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

They say you eat with your eyes first.

That must be true because viewing the stunning food photography by Jessica of How Sweet it is caused me to try this intriguing flavor combination: chipotle, strawberry, and black beans.

I admit, I added the black beans – the addition that really had my husband scratching his head. Instead of eating this Mexican Monday meal as tacos, we had tostadas. And tostadas call for refried beans to act as the “glue” that holds the meat and toppings in place. I didn’t think traditional refried beans would really be the way to go with shrimp so I opted for refried black beans. I’m very relieved to inform you that it worked!

I cut some serious heat from the original recipe and I still found it to pack on the spice. Because I freeze my chipotle in adobo in ice cube trays I never know until the cube thaws if I have just sauce, just pepper, or a combination of both. Jessica’s recipe calls for the sauce to be in the marinade – instead I had a pepper which I cut in half and tossed in the bag. This method is a great alternative if you don’t want too much heat but still want that smokey spice from the chipotle peppers. Additionally, I only used half of one (large) jalapeno instead of two whole jalapenos in the strawberry salsa – by all means, if you like it spicy add as much jalapeno as you like!

Chipotle Lime Shrimp

Ingredients:

  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, halved
  • 2 limes (zest and juice)
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp

Steps:

  1. Place all ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
  2. Cook shrimp 2 minutes on each side. I did this on a lightly greased grill pan. If you cook the shrimp in a skillet, add 1 tbsp of olive oil.
  3. Serve shrimp with strawberry salsa (recipe below) in a taco with lettuce and cheese or as a tostada with refried black beans and cheese.

Strawberry Salsa

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz fresh strawberries, diced
  • 1/2 red onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
  • 1/4 C fresh cilantro (I used Gourmet Garden lightly dried cilantro)
  • juice of 1 lime

Steps:

  1. Combine all ingredients and season to taste with salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

*These recipes are adapted from Jessica at http://www.howsweeteats.com/2014/04/chipotle-lime-shrimp-tacos-with-strawberry-salsa-you-can-totally-preorder-my-book/*

Chipotle Lime Shrimp with Strawberry Salsa | Sew You Think You Can Cook

A Fiesta Potluck

~ lk529 ~ 5 Comments

I know it’s a little “late” to be sharing a slew of Mexican recipes but rarely does anyone ever eat Mexican food ONLY on Cinco de Mayo! Besides, it’s Mexican Monday!

On May 5th my friends and I had a Cinco de Mayo potluck. As can be expected, our fiesta theme brought everyone out of the wood-works and we had a great turnout and more importantly amazing food!

The day before the party my friend came over to help me make these Papel Picado Banners to put on the bar below the food. I think it really added some holiday flair to the place. And it was fun to be crafting something. Thankfully both of our babies napped at the same time and we were able to tackle this project quickly.

Fiesta Potluck

Here are most of the recipes from the night:

IMG_4821I brought my baby baked beef burritos to the party, which ended up being a perfect potluck food. I doubled the recipe, accidentally quadrupling the amount of black beans, to yield 33 burritos. (I left 3 of them for Stuart) I was able to make the beef mixture while the little man was taking a nap and while he was playing happily at my feet with the tupperware cabinet I rolled up the burritos. I then baked them in two batches (because my oven is small) right before leaving the house. I put foil between each layer of burritos to keep them warm. (I felt like a caterer!) IMG_4822Stuart had to stay at work late that night so I brought my son to the party until he could be picked up. I let him try all of the food off my plate and he ended up eating the filling of three burritos! (I took 8 of them home with me when the party was over and we both enjoyed them for lunch the next day, too.)

Next month we’ll celebrate summer with a BBQ themed potluck!

Black Bean Dip

~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

Let me tell you about my new favorite snack. Well, healthy snack. I’m still a sucker for Sour Cream and Onion potato chips. Which is why I tend to not buy them. Unless I have a good excuse. Like people coming over for a grill out and game night. Such as happened over the weekend. And why I’m now sitting here munching on processed food deliciousness.

Salty and crunchy foods are always my mid-afternoon craving, so I try to keep a smarter option on hand. A bean dip is a great snack – full of protein and fiber – and I can enjoy it with a slightly guilty pita or tortilla chip along with carrots and celery. I think the biggest challenge with eating healthy is satisfying those unhealthy cravings, so it’s important to “cheat” in a smart way. By combating salty chips with a filling and healthy dip you end up feeling satisfied.

This black bean dip is a huge hit! I’ve made it three times now. If it’s still on the table when my husband gets home I find I don’t have any left the next day. My son even enjoys it – he’ll eat it with his hands, off a spoon, or even gnaw it from a piece of celery.

Black Bean Dip

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 C salsa
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro

Steps:

  1. Place beans in food process and pulse until they’re broken up. Add salsa, garlic, cumin, chili powder, olive oil, and lime juice. Puree until smooth.
  2. Season to taste with S+P and add in the cilantro. Pulse until combined.
  3. Serve with multi-grain tortilla chips, pita chips, pita bread, or veggies.

*This recipe is adapted from Bobbi at http://www.bobbiskozykitchen.com/2015/02/chipotle-black-bean-dip-sundaysupper.html#.VSrAH_nF_0e*

Black Bean Dip | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Sweet Potato Enchiladas

~ lk529 ~ 5 Comments

Mexican Monday has taken a serious hit this year. The league that I bowl on happens on Monday nights and while I don’t bowl every week it’s often enough that our traditional dinner gets switched around or even skipped.

The enchiladas I’m sharing with you today are a meatless variety – perfect for a Friday during this Lenten period. Which is when I made them. If you want to add some meat to these be my guest; cooked shredded pork or chicken would be great. The meat isn’t missed though.

There are some changes I would make though. The sweet potato is cubed instead of mashed, which provides body and meatiness to the filling, but I struggled with the texture. Next time, I’ll mash the sweet potato and add some Mexican rice to the filling to add some more substance.

Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Ingredients:

  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 1/2 C corn & black bean salsa (I used Kroger brand)
  • 2 C shreded Mexican blend cheese, divided use
  • 2 C red enchilada sauce
  • 8 flour tortillas

Steps:

  1. Microwave potato for 10 minutes. Allow to cool and remove the skin. Cube or mash as desired.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Mix sweet potato with salsa and 1 1/2 C of cheese.
  4. Pour half of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish.
  5. Assemble enchiladas: Place about 1/3 C of the sweet potato filling into each tortilla, roll, and place seam side down in the prepared casserole dish.
  6. Top enchiladas with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake 20 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.

*This recipe is adapted from Averie at http://www.averiecooks.com/2014/06/sweet-potato-corn-and-black-bean-enchiladas.html*

Sweet Potato Enchiladas | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Blender Salsa

~ lk529 ~ 7 Comments

For Cinco de Mayo, which conveniently falls on a Monday, I wanted to do something traditional. If you’re a returning reader to Sew You Think You Can Cook you know that almost every Monday I feature a Mexican-inspired recipe for Mexican Mondays. How authentic my recipes are is very debatable, and I don’t pretend that they are. Most of what I make spins from the American version of Mexican cuisine. But for Cinco de Mayo I thought I’d pay tribute to the holiday.

Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day like most Americans believe. (Fun fact: Mexico’s Independence Day is September 16th) Cinco de Mayo is not a national Mexican holiday or even celebrated throughout the country. Oddly enough, the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration occurs in Los Angeles!

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla when the Mexican army defeated the French in 1862. Puebla is considered the melting pot of Mexico – Spanish, French, and the Oriental flavors were given to native Aztec and Mayan foods. While Puebla is known for it’s Mole Poblano I planned to prepare Chiles en Nogada (stuffed chiles in a walnut cream sauce), even it it’s not typically served until the fall when walnuts and pomegranates are in season.

Note I said planned to prepare?

Life got in the way. Weekends were spent out of town and Stuart was on travel (I wasn’t about to spend so much time and effort on a dish just for me). So my Plan B was to create a sweet traditionally found in Puebla – Jamoncillo Pinion.  The [translated] recipe looked simple enough. And then I was placed on bed rest. My mom generously offered to give it a shot. Somewhere along the way we failed at candy making. Whether something was lost in the translation or we were simply too impatient I’m not sure. But the candy never set – even after putting it in the freezer overnight. (Before I get in trouble, I am in no way blaming her! I’d be posting the same story if I were the one standing at the stove.)

So now what? I can’t NOT have a post on Cinco de Mayo!

With Cinco de Mayo being widely popular in the states and salsa being the number one condiment in America, why not a simple salsa?

Spicy Blender Salsa

Ingredients:

  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes and green chiles
  • 1/4 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled
  • 1 small jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1/4 C fresh cilantro
  • juice of 1 lime

Steps:

  1. Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until combined. Taste and adjust any seasonings if needed.

*This recipe is adapted from Kelley at http://www.mountainmamacooks.com/2012/01/quick-and-easy-blender-salsa/*

Spicy Blender Salsa

Stuart has now put a ban on all grocery store salsas and demands this be made every time instead.

Corn Pepper Salsa Chicken Quesadilla

~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

It amuses me to say that the best quesadilla I ever had was in Hawaii, and it’s even stranger to tell you that that quesadilla was had in the Honolulu airport (at Stinger Ray’s)!

For Mexican Monday I decided to attempt a recreation of this quesadilla. What I loved most about it was a back note of lime and the inclusion of corn in the filling. I didn’t succeed in a perfect copy cat recipe with my first attempt, but it was fun to do more with a quesadilla than stuff it with leftovers!

I marinated the chicken with chipotle and lime, sliced it and cooked it fajita style for extra flavor. I then sauteed the corn, onion, and pepper salsa with chili powder in the same skillet. For a kiss of heat I sliced open a serrano pepper (which Stuart purposefully ate!).

I actually prepared extra chicken and made rice to take to lunch the next day.

Saute Chicken 1Saute Chicken 2Saute Chicken 3Saute Salsa 1Saute Salsa 2Saute Salsa 3Assemble Quesadilla 1Assemble Quesadilla 2Assemble Quesadilla 3

An Original Recipe

Corn Pepper Salsa Chicken Quesadilla

Ingredients:

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • zest of 1 lime
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/4 tsp corriander
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tbsp minced chipotle pepper in adobo
  • 1/3 C olive oil
  • 1 C frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 small red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 C diced onion
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 serrano pepper, halved
  • 4 flour tortillas
  • 2 C shredded Mexican cheese

Steps:

  1. Combine lime, corriander, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, chipotle, S+P, and olive oil. Marinate chicken at least 4 hours.
  2. Slice chicken. Saute chicken over medium-high heat in a large skillet in olive oil until cooked through.
  3. In the same skillet, cook the remaining ingredients. Deglaze the pan with a splash of chicken stock if desired.
  4. In a separate non-stick skillet, place tortilla and cover entire surface with cheese. On one half top with chicken and salsa. Fold the cheese-only half over the chicken. Flip until both sides are lightly golden and crispy. Serve with your favorite salsa and sour cream.

Corn Pepper Salsa Chicken Quesadilla