Margarita Pie

You can't have a Mexican Feast to celebrate Cinco de Mayo without a yummy dessert. I saw this recipe for Margarita Pie on my friend Elizabeth's blog and knew it would be a perfect, refreshing ending to our Cinco de Mayo dinner with friends. I love desserts that you can make ahead and this one you can freeze overnight. I definitely tasted the alcohol in this so it is most definitely not a kid friendly dessert, but you could omit the tequila and triple sec! A margarita in pie form - can't go wrong with that!

Margarita Pie
From Elizabeth's Dutch Oven 
Printable Version
Ingredients
For the crust:
8 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup crushed pretzels

For the filling:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
3-4 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons triple sec
1 tub cool whip

Directions
For the crust:
Crush pretzels into bite sized pieces and measure out 1 1/4 cup. Melt butter. Mix sugar and butter then add pretzels and coat. Press into the bottom of an 8X8 square pan coated first with additional melted butter or cooking spray.

For the filling:
Stir together all ingredients in a bowl. Pour over the pretzel crust. Freeze for several hours or overnight before serving. 

Crock Pot Queso Dip

I made this incredibly yummy and gluttonous Queso Dip for a Cinco de Mayo dinner we hosted. My husband loves Queso and could have eaten the entire batch. Thank God we had our friends to share this with because it is not healthy! It was so easy to make because all you do is throw everything in the crock pot and in an hour or so it's ready to be gobbled up. 

Crock Pot Queso Dip
From A Gilt Nutmeg
Printable Version
Ingredients 
1 tub of hot sausage 
2 lbs Velveeta, roughly cubed
1 package (8 ounces) of cream cheese
1 can of Rotel or other brand of diced tomatoes and green chiles 
Tortilla chip for serving

Directions 
Fry up the sausage and crumble it, making the pieces as small as possible. Place on paper towels on a plate to absorb some of the drippings. In the pot of your crock pot place the sausage, cubed Velveeta, cream cheese and can of Rotel. Turn the crock pot on high and in about half an hour stir to combine ingredients. Stir again in another half hour and everything should be melted together. Turn crock pot to warm setting until ready to serve. 

Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

Good Mexican cuisine has been hard find on Okinawa. Since hubby and I both love Mexican and refuse to go two years without it, I have resolved to make it at home. One of my favorite Mexican dishes is Enchiladas Verdes. I love the tanginess of the verdes sauce, the creamy filling with tender chicken and bursts of cilantro, and of course the melted cheese. 

This recipe is wonderfully easy and great for a weeknight meal. With a dollop of sour cream and homemade guacamole on the side, hubby and I happily got our Mexican fix!

Chicken Enchiladas Verdes
From Yummly
Printable Version
Makes 6 enchiladas
Ingredients
2 cups rotisserie cooked chicken, shredded
2 cups verdes (green chile) enchiladas sauce
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used the Mexican blend)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
6 flour tortillas
4 jalapenos, chopped (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread 1/4 cup of the enchiladas verdes sauce in the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish. In a large bowl combine the shredded chicken, 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese, cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, onion, chili powder and chicken stock. Taste and season with salt and pepper. 

Place tortillas on a plate with a moist paper towel over the top and microwave for 45 seconds. Working one tortilla at a time, spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken filling onto the middle of the tortilla and place seam side down in the baking dish. Continue until all of the filling is gone. 

Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce on the top of the tortillas and then cover with the rest of the cheese. 

Bake about 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and garnish with chopped jalapenos. Serve with additional sour cream and guacamole if desired.

Grilled Fish Tacos

I've been wanting to make Fish Tacos for a long time now. When my parents stayed with us last weekend it was the perfect time to make them and highlight the fresh fish we have available to us here in Virginia. Mom and I went to a fish market right around the corner from us and the owner recommended we use rockfish because it's light and flaky.

 I modified the recipe from Patio Daddio BBQ and served the tacos with homemade flour tortillas and Patio Daddio's killer southwest slaw (recipe to follow). I had already made avocado sauce for a previous recipe, so we topped our tacos with that and a little shredded cheese. My parents and hubby raved about these tacos. They were so fresh, flavorful, and light. Perfect for spring and summer served alongside a chilled Corona! 

Grilled Fish Tacos 

Adapted From Patio Daddio

Printable Version

Ingredients

6 fillets of fresh fish (Tilapia, Halibut, Mahi Mahi, Cod, Red Snapper, or Rockfish)

Juice of 2 limes

2 tablespoons hot sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/3 cup olive oil

12 corn tortillas

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 

Directions

Combine lime juice, hot sauce, garlic salt and olive oil in a small bowl and whisk together. 

Put the fish in a gallon zip-top bag and add marinade. Slosh the fish and the marinade gently in the bag to ensure that all of the fish is coated. Seal the bag (removing excess air) and set aside to marinade for 30 minutes. 

Start your grill and prepare for direct cooking over a hot fire (450-500 degrees). Remove the fish from the marinade and drain well. Pat each filet dry with a paper towel. Oil the grill and put the fish of the grill. Cook for three minutes on each side. 

Move the fish to a serving bowl or platter and flake fish with a fork to make smaller chunks.

Drizzle with lime juice, and garnish with cilantro.  Serve family style with tortillas and slaw so each person can build their own taco!

Vegetarian Black Bean Burritos

In keeping with the vegetarian theme this month I decided to make vegetarian burritos and black beans seemed to be the most filling option. I searched online for recipes and decided on this one from All Recipes.com because it incorporates red peppers, onions, and cilantro, all flavors that hubby and I really like. 


These burritos were really creamy and had great southwestern flavor. They were even good leftover the next day at lunch. If you are trying to to eat less meat or like black beans then you should definitely give these burritos a try.


Vegetarian Black Bean Burritos
Adapted from All Recipes.com
Makes 6 servings
Printable Version

Ingredients
6 (1o inch) tortillas
Olive oil
2 small onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
3 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon jalapeno peppers, minced
8 ounces cream cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Directions
Heat olive oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Place onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapenos in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour beans into the skillet and cook for 3 minutes, stirring.

Cut the cream cheese into cubes and add to skillet with salt. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir cilantro into mixture.

Spoon mixture evenly down center of warmed tortilla and garnish as desired. We used salsa verde, avocado, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Serve immediately.

Tomatillo Avocado Salsa and another CSN Giveaway!

YAY! CSN Stores contacted me to host another $35 giveaway. I love CSN stores and you will too! Go to their site to check out all the wonderful things CSN stores have to offer from dining sets to bakeware to wall art. If you'd like to enter the giveaway, just leave a comment telling me what you would put the $35 towards. If you'd like a second chance to enter you can become a follower (if you aren't already) or post about my giveaway on your blog or Facebook. Please make sure to leave a SECOND comment for your second chance to win. Entry deadline is Sunday, October 24th at midnight and I will announce the winner on Monday, October 25th. Good luck!!

Onto the recipe! I have always wanted to try making my own salsa verde, so when saw this recipe on Tasty Kitchen I couldn't wait to make it. It was really fun using tomatillos, a small green tomato covered in a papery like husk. This salsa is tangy, fresh, and easy. I loved the chunks of avocado and hubby loved the cilantro taste. We enjoyed it with tortilla chips and as a topping on tacos. 

Tomatillo Avocado Salsa
From Laura @ Sweet Savory Planet
Printable Version

Ingredients
1/2 pound Tomatillos (about 4 medium Tomatillos)
1/2 cup Cilantro, loosely packed
2 whole Serrano, roughly chopped (Note: jalapeno can be substituted, which is what I used because my store didn't have Serranos)
1/4 cup water
1 Avocado, diced 
1/2 medium sized white onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Directions
Place tomatillos, cilantro, Serrano pepper, and water in a food processor and pulse until you have a slightly chunky puree.

 Toss the avocado into the processor and pulse for a second or two. Make sure to keep the avocado in good sized chunks. 

Place the diced onion in a colander and give it a good rinse in cold water to rid the onion of sulfur flavor. Add it to the salsa and stir. Season with salt and stir again. Taste to see if more salt is needed.

Black Beans and Rice

When I made Creamy Chicken Enchiladas this week, I cooked up Elizabeth's Black Beans & Rice to go with them as a side dish. This yummy side dish is so easy and quick! I will definitely be making it again to accompany Mexican dishes.

Black Beans & Rice

Modified from Dutch Oven

Ingredients

2 cups of rice, cooked to desired tenderness

1 can of black beans

1 clove of garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Directions

In a medium sauce pan heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the black beans with their juices. Heat through. Stir in rice. Serve.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

My husband and I just got back from Mexico and the best vacation we have ever had! We did not want to leave the beautiful resort, unlimited drinks, and yummy Mexican fare. Alas, reality called and here we are back at home doing the daily grind. In a vain attempt to keep the vacation feeling going, I made these extremely delicious Creamy Chicken Enchiladas that I found on my blogging friend Elizabeth's cooking site. The shredded chicken, cream cheese, and green chilies shine through in every bite of these rich, soft enchiladas. 

A confession: In the past I "made" tacos, burritos, or enchiladas from a box. This recipe showed me how easy it is to create your own yummy Mexican cuisine. The boxed stuff doesn't even hold a candle to these enchiladas.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas 

From Elizabeth at Dutch Oven

Ingredients

Enchilada filling:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon onion powder (I used minced onion since I didn't have onion powder)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken (I used three chicken breasts that I baked in the oven with salt and pepper for about 15 minutes but Elizabeth says you can also used store bought rotisserie chicken)

10 tortillas (Somehow I only had enough filling for 7 and used whole wheat tortillas)

Topping:

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 can chopped green chilies

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (Oops, I used a whole package of Mexican shredded cheese since we are HUGE cheese lovers)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl beat the cream cheese, water, onion, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth. Stir in chicken. Place 1/4 cup of the mixture on the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam down in a 9X13 greased backing pan. In a bowl combine the soup, sour cream, milk, and chilies. Then pour over enchiladas. Bake uncovered for 30 - 40 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake 5 more minutes until cheese is melted. Serve with salsa and sour cream. 

30 Things to Make Before I Turn 30: Salsa Two Ways

Homemade salsa is the first item I get to cross of my list of 30 Things to Make Before I Turn 30. I decided to make two different types of salsa for Superbowl Sunday. The first recipe is from my Dearest Auntie Chris, who is a phenomenal cook. This salsa recipe is super easy and only requires throwing a bunch of things together, so it really isn't a true testimony to the excellent cook my Aunt Chris is. Regardless, this salsa is always a hit at our family get togethers. People chow down on it and the people in my Mom's family love to eat!! I love how the fresh chopped cilantro really shines through in this salsa and the crunch of the onion is a great balance to the corn and black beans.

Aunt Chris's Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Ingredients

1 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 small purple onion, chopped

Chopped garlic to taste (I used three cloves because we are big garlic fans)

1/2 bunch chopped cilantro

1 jar of salsa

Directions

Mix all ingredients together. Chopped avocado may be added too, but the salsa will not last as long. 

The second salsa that I made was an adaptation of a salsa recipe that the mom of a former student, Jody, sent me. It's a bunch of fresh ingredients that make the salsa super delicious.  Another great thing about this salsa is that it keeps for up to 8 days.

Mexican Salsa

Ingredients

32 ounces of canned tomatoes

3 jalapeno peppers (I took the seeds out, but if you like heat, keep them in)

1/4 teaspoon of salt

3 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 diced onion
1/2 tablespoon fresh oregano 

1/2 bunch cilantro

Directions

Blend all ingredients but the cilantro together in blender or food processor. Add in cilantro last.