Street Tacos

The taco.  For me, the best variation of a sandwich ever created.  You have your tortilla stuffed with some form of protein, if you're a carnivore like myself, then topped with various Mexican condiments.  A traditional "Street Taco" though, is modest at best; it normally consists of a corn tortilla, grilled meat, with a garnishing of cilantro y cebolla (shout out to Mrs. Greppi, my Spanish I teacher), that's it that's all.  Since Mexican is always my go to meal, whether homemade or ordered out, I decided to prepare this quick and easy meal for tonight's dinner.  I pan seared chicken thighs and breasts that had marinated in Adobo y Sazon, granulated  Garlic, Lime Juice, and Olive Oil until a nice crust developed on each side, and set them aside while I cut the cilantro and onion.  Once all of the condiments were prepped I diced the chicken into cubes and put it back into the pan in order to create a more uniform crusting while adding Cumin as a finishing touch.  As you will see in the picture, I also used Crema, or Mexican Sour Cream; sour cream is a condiment that I cannot do without, we go through so much in my household so it's only natural that it made a cameo tonight.  The best thing about this dish is it only topped out at 520 calories for 3 tacos!  Enjoy!

 

Queso Fundido

Last week my girlfriend Rachel had a company "Souper" Bowl party at work and was asked to bring a dish.  While we all know Queso isn't necessarily a soup, she was told she could bring anything as long as it was in a crock pot.  When she first asked me to prepare something I immediately thought of this yummy Queso Fundido recipe from my Cook This Not That book, and since she loves queso I decided it would make the perfect contribution.  Many of you would assume that I'm the designated cook in our household, and well, your assumption would be right on target but this time I decided to let Rachel take the reigns and step into my sanctuary.  She accepted the task, with some hesitance, but was ready to go full force.  After sauteing the veggies for her, I prepped the remaining ingredients the night before and gave her a quick consultation and sent her on her way. The morning of the event she finished preparing the queso dip and it turned out to be some of the yummiest stuff  I ever did taste!  She also mentioned it being a huge hit at the event, and it being totally devoured.  It's not often at all that I relinquish control and let her enter the kitchen, but I have to say, she did a fantastic job...I'm proud of my little grasshopper!

Queso Fundido


Ingredients

• 6 corn Tortillas cut into triangles (we also recommend Baked Tostitos)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Canola Oil
• 1 small Onion, minced
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 cups Mushrooms, diced
• 1 cup diced Tomato
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 can (4oz) Green Chiles
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Toss the tortillas with 1 tablespoon of the oil and arrange on a large baking sheet.  Bake until lightly brown and crispy, about 10 minutes.
2. Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large cast-iron skillet or saute' pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until translucent.  Add the mushrooms and tomato and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened.  Season with salt and pepper.  Turn the heat down to low and add the chiles and cheese, stirring constantly so the cheese melt uniformly.  When the cheese has fully melted and starts to bubble, immediately remove from heat and serve, using the tortilla chips to scoop directly from the pan.

*Makes 4 servings

*340 cals, 21g fat (10g saturated), 470mg sodium

*Cost per serving: $1.46

*Compare to: Chili's Skillet Queso w/ Chips, 920 cals, 73g fat (30g saturated), 4,040mg sodium, $4.99

Recipe Remix: Pork a la "Al Pastor"

Earlier this week I prepared a Jerk Pork Loin which was great, but since I'm not much of a "leftover" person, I started to think about ways in which I could turn the left over pork into another tasty dish.  Being a huge fan of Mexican cuisine I decided to make my version of a Pork Al Pastor.  The basis of  Pork Al Pastor is the technique of grilled pork on a vertical "spit", like Gyro meat.  Now, I don't have a spit just hanging out in my home so I improvised.  Being that my pork loin had previously been grilled, I simply cut the remainder into cubes and then sauteed the pork in a skillet with a blend of Mexican spices and a half a can of Green Chilies, and voila, Pork a la Al Pastor was born!  Sauteing the pork in olive oil gave it the right amount of browning and the pork tasted delicious, far from the Jerk Pork it once was.  I decided to make a naked burrito using the pork and my dinner for that night totaled a mere 380 calories.  This is definitely a dish that can be created using leftover chicken or beef/steak.  Go ahead give it a try, you won't be disappointed!

Margarita Chicken

Right here right now, I'm going to proclaim that this is not only the best dish I've made from Cook This Not That  but it is the best dish I have EVER cooked!  When I took my first bite the flavors began to do the Cuban Shuffle all around my mouth, can you tell I've taken Zumba, lol?.  Mexican/Hispanic cuisine has been a long time favorite of mine but never have I tasted anything like this where the flavors just came alive.  Being that I'm a "spice snob" when it comes to recipes I tend to add a little something extra.  First, I seasoned the chicken with granulated garlic, sea salt, and a Latino spice blend of Adobo y Sazon and let it marinate in a little bit of lime juice and olive oil; this has got to be the reason the chicken ended up perfectly tender.  Oh, and did I mention how easy this dish is to prepare?  I can see myself cooking Margarita Chicken at least 3 times a month!  What are some of your favorite foods?

Margarita Chicken


Ingredients

• 1/2 can (14-16oz) Black Beans drained
• 1/4 tsp Cumin
• Juice of 1 Lime
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1/2 Tbsp Canola/Olive Oil
• 4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts (6oz each)
• 1 cup prepared salsa, preferably Salsa Verde
• 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese
• Chopped fresh Cilantro

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  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 heat, but warm before serving.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken all over 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 salsa over meat, top with the 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 4 plates, top with chicken, and garnish with cilantro.

*Makes 4 servings

*330 cals, 12g fat (4.5 saturated), 480mg sodium

*Cost per serving: $2.49

Compare to: TGIFriday's Sizzling Chicken & Cheese, 1,200 cals, $11.49

"This is what Mexican food should taste like"-Rachel