Mexican Chicken

Did you grow up with a weird dish that none of your friends ever heard of? This is that dish from my childhood that no one else ever had or heard of. It's really simple, but delicious. The original recipe calls for Fritos to cover the top before you bake it. However, if you have any leftovers, they get soggy. So I leave them off and just add them to my plate.

Mexican Chicken
2 cans refried beans
1 large chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 1/2 cups cheese (cheddar, jack, etc)
1 small can red enchilada sauce
Fritos or Tortilla chips

Other possible toppings:
sour cream
guacamole or avocado
lettuce
salsa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In an 8x8 or 9x9 oven-safe dish, spread beans on the bottom. Top with chicken, then cheese. Pour enchilada sauce over. Cover and bake for 35 minutes. Top with Fritos or Tortilla chips.

Tacos

Tacos are my favorite food. It's a very rare occasion that I'll turn down a taco, especially homemade ones. These certainly hit the spot.

Carne Asada Tacos
1 lb carne asada (skirt or flank steak will also work)
1/4 cup oil, olive or vegetable
juice of 2-3 limes
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1 cloves garlic, minced
dash of cayenne
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
8 corn tortillas
any toppings you like (cheese, lettuce, salsa, hot sauce, sour cream, avocado, etc)

Mix the oil, lime juice, cumin, oregano, garlic, cayenne, salt and pepper together. Add meat and marinate for at least an hour. Grill or cook on high heat on the stove. Carne asada is sliced very thin, so it takes no time at all to cook. Let the meat rest for 10-15 minutes. Cut into small pieces.

Grill the tortillas. I did this by just laying them over the gas flame of our stove for a few seconds. You can do this on your BBQ. Fill each tortilla with meat and the toppings of your choice. If you like more heat to your meat, add some finely chopped chiles to your marinade, such as jalepano or serrano.

Enjoy!

Fruit Dip

This is a wonderful addition to any fruit platter. It's also my secret to fresh fruit pies. A layer of this on the bottom of a fresh strawberry pie really sets it apart. The best part is that it takes hardly any effort at all.

Fruit Dip
1 8oz package of cream cheese, room temperature
1 7oz jar of marshmallow creme
1 Tbs orange zest
A dash of ground ginger

Beat all the ingredients together. Best served chilled.


Nothing to it, but it adds so much.

Whole Wheat Pancakes and Buttermilk Syrup.

This is an adaptation from a recipe my aunt gave my mom years ago. The pancakes are really light and the buttermilk syrup is good on anything. Sometimes I find myself wishing I could just sit down with the pot and a spoon for breakfast.

Whole Wheat Pancakes
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup white flour
1 Tbs baking powder
3 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups buttermilk (you can use regular milk)
2 eggs
3 Tbs butter, melted and cooled

Blend all ingredients together with a whisk until just incorporated. Heat a griddle on medium-low heat or an electric griddle to 350 degrees. I use an ice cream scoop to portion out the batter so the pancakes are fairly even.

I let the batter sit while I make the syrup and this just give it a quick stir before cooking. I find a slightly better texture when I do this.


Buttermilk Syrup
2 c sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tbs corn syrup (see note below)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda

In a large dutch oven (note: it is important to use a very large pot to avoid spilling over!) melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the sugar, buttermilk and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, stirring to avoid burning. Take off the heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla. It will foam up, which is why it is important to use a large dutch oven or pot to ensure it doesn't boil over and get your stove all sticky! Pour over the whole wheat pancakes and try not to just eat it with a spoon.

Note on corn syrup: Do not leave the corn syrup out or try to substitute it! It is vital to keeping all of the ingredients bound together. I didn't have corn syrup, so I substituted a tablespoon of brown sugar and about 2/3 of a teaspoon of water (A 4 to 1 ratio of brown sugar to water is a substitute for corn syrup) However, the syrup totally separated and left a gloopy mess sitting in an oily pool. Needless to say, we didn't eat that batch.

Popovers

Popovers are one of those breakfast items I distinctly remember from my childhood. We didn't have them often because they take a little while to bake, but it was always a treat when my mom made them. This morning, I really wanted them, so I made them. Growing up, my mom used old ceramic mugs. If you have one of those fancy popover pans, by all means, use it. But I find a muffin tin works just fine.
Popovers
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. Heavily grease each well of your pan (I used cooking spray to do this). Divide batter evenly between each well. If you are using a muffin tin, they will be about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 15-20 minutes more or until the popovers are browned.

I find them perfect adorned with just a little butter, but they're also delicious with jam or preserves. My husband's aunt makes a wonderful pomegranate jelly that is great. No matter what you put on them, they're best right out of the oven so the butter melts into all the airy pockets. In a word: scrumptrulescent.