Cowboy Caviar

This salsa is fresh and flavorful!  The veggies combined with the beans and corn make for a hearty and healthy side dish, or snack.  The dressing adds a nice tang! You're going to love it!  I love to use my food chopper so the tomatoes and peppers are diced perfectly.

3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

2 - 3 avocados, diced

1 bell pepper (orange, yellow, red or green - or any combination of them)

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced into very small pieces

1/3 bunch cilantro

1/3 cup red onion, diced

15 oz black beans, rinsed and drained

15 oz black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn (toss in frozen, they usually thaw by the time we're ready to enjoy)

Dressing:

1/3 cup avocado oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all salsa ingredients into a large bowl, and toss together until well combined.

In a separate bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients.  Pour dressing on salsa and mix until the dressing coats the salsa.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Street Tacos

These street tacos are not only delicious, but are so fun to eat!  It's a perfect recipe for a busy schedule because you can get the meat marinating earlier in the day, and it's quick to cook up when you're ready.  I like to serve them with Mexican Rice, and tortilla chips & guacamole.  Some of my kids put the rice and the guacamole in the taco too!  Also super yummy!  When I make this for my family I do one recipe of steak, and one of chicken.  We need 3 lbs of meat to serve about 8-9 people. 

2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce or tamari sauce
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon avocado oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano

1 1/2 pounds steak or chicken, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 tablespoon avocado oil

12 mini corn tortillas
red onion, diced
1/2 bunch of cilantro, diced
1 lime, cut into wedges

In a large ziploc bag, combine soy sauce, lime juice, 1 tablespoon avocado oil, garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano.  Mix together.

Add steak or chicken and marinade in the fridge for 1 to 4 hours.  Turn the bag occasionally.

Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  At steak or chicken and cook until meat is done.

Serve in a warm corn tortilla topped with red onion, cilantro and lime juice if desired.  Enjoy!

Mexican Rice

One of my favorite things about Mexican restaurants is the yummy mexican rice! This recipe is so perfect. It's great as a side for street tacos, burritos... anything Mexican!

1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 onion, quartered
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/3 cup canola oil
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 jalapeno, or serrano pepper, seeded and minced
4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
Optional: 1/4 cup cilantro chopped

Place tomatoes and onion in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. 

Transfer 2 cups of the tomato mixture to a saucepan. (Use the rest of the tomato mixture for another use.)  Add chicken broth, salt, and cumin, and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan heat oil on medium high. When hot, add the rice and saute for about 5 minutes until it's lightly toasted. Lower the heat and add jalapeno. Cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds.

Pour boiling tomato/broth mixture into pan with the rice. CAUTION: Be careful because it can spatter all over! Stir to combine. 

Cook for 20-25 minutes until rice is soft. Fluff rice. If desired, add cilantro and fluff again.

Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce

This is my family's new favorite enchilada recipe!  Thanks to my neighbor Emily Flynn!  The flavor of the meat, combined with the cheese's and sour cream is delicious!  The Pepper Jack cheese adds a little touch of heat, but isn't too spicy at all.  We're going to double the batch for our family next time because we have a house full of teenage boys, who love it!  Don't be afraid of the amount of ingredients.  It's really quick to put together.

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil                                                

1 lb ground beef                                                                                          

1 medium onion, minced                                                                                           

3 cloves garlic, pressed                                                                             

1 green pepper, finely chopped                                                          

1 tablespoon chili powder                                                                     

2-3 teaspoons cumin                                                                                  

½ teaspoon coriander                                                                               

½ teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon pepper

¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream, plus more for garnish if desired

Juice of 1 lime – a small squirt

1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese (or any cheese)

2 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro, plus more for garnish

1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

10-12 small gluten free tortillas or corn tortillas

1 – 2 (10 ounce) cans of your favorite red enchilada sauce  (I like Old El Paso)

2 cups shredded cheddar or Colby Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350º.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add ground beef, onion, garlic, green pepper, chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, black pepper, and salt and cook until onion is translucent and the meat is fully cooked.  Removed from heat.

Stir in sour cream, lime juice, Pepper Jack cheese, parsley or cilantro, and tomato sauce.  Place ¼ cup filling on each tortilla, roll up, and place in pan.  Top with enchilada sauce and then cheddar or Colby Jack cheese.  Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream and chopped parsley or cilantro, if desired. 

Mexican Layer Dip

I love this dip!  I served it on Halloween, hence the spiders, but it's great all year long!  The recipe is a little vague, but with this dip you really just throw it together however you like it best.  My kids don't like tomatoes, so I didn't add them for our Halloween dinner.

1 16 ounce Green Chili & Lime refried beans
Sour Cream
McCormick taco seasoning
Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Guacamole
Olives
Tomatoes

The amounts you use of each ingredient is totally up to you!  Make it the way you like it!

Layer refried beans on a large platter.  Spoon about 2 cups sour cream into a small bowl.  Mix with taco seasoning to taste.  Spread sour cream on beans.  Layer on guacamole, cheese, sliced olives and tomatoes.  Serve with tortilla chips.

If you're making a spider web, reserve some of the sour cream.  Put it in a ziploc bag, and clip the corner to use a piping bag.  Pipe the sour cream on the guacamole.  Make spiders with the olives and place on the web.

Fire Tacos

This summer I was blessed to be able to attend our church's girls camp for young women!  It was an awesome experience and one I will never forget!  One night one of the wards served us Fire Tacos.  These tacos are famous!  It is tradition to have these every year at girls camp.  Now I know why!  They are so amazing!

I was a little concerned about whether I would be able to eat them not knowing if they were gluten free or not.  One of the girls in the ward was also gluten free so they took all the precautions!  It was there that I was introduced to Mission's Gluten Free Tortillas!  What a find!  It's so nice to have a tortilla that isn't corn!  You've got to try them!

So this recipe is kind of like a taco bar.  I'm not going to include specific ingredients, just how it's put together.  Use your favorite recipes for beans and meat.

At girls camp we cooked them in the fire, but at home you can also cook them on a BBQ.  I think they'd work fine in the oven too.

Here's what you need:

tinfoil

Mission Gluten Free Tortilla's

taco shells

beans

cheese

taco meat (ground beef or chicken)

lettuce

tomatos

guacamole

sour cream

1.  Get a large piece of tinfoil and place your "flour" tortilla on it.

2.  Spread beans on the tortilla and sprinkle with cheese.  

3.  Get a taco shell and put your meat inside and sprinkle with more cheese.

4.  Wrap up the whole taco in the tin foil.  Add a second piece of tinfoil and wrap again.

5.  Place in the fire or on the BBQ for a few minutes, to melt the cheese.  (You want to have your meat and beans already warm.)

6.  Open up your taco and add lettuce, tomato, sour cream and guacamole.  Enjoy!

Guacamole

This is our favorite guacamole!  It's also listed with the Cafe Rio meal, but I wanted to give it it's own post because it deserves it!  It's great with anything, or just as an appetizer!

3 avocados
2 tablespoons red onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
1 large ripe garden tomato or 2 smaller tomatoes, diced
juice of 1 lime
salt

Pit avocados and mash in a bowl.  Stir in remaining ingredients until mixed.  Add salt to taste.

•  If you like it spicy you can add 1 jalapeno finely chopped and 4-5 shakes green Tabasco sauce
•  If your avocados are small, you may want to use 1/2 the lime for lime juice.

Sweet Pulled Pork

Who doesn't love Cafe Rio, right?  Well this is a great gluten free sweet pulled pork recipe that those of us with Celiac Disease can safely eat!  Yea!  I love doing the homemade Cafe Rio buffet for my family!  Here's the link where you can find the rest of the recipes.  I have learned that if you're going to shred pork you need to use a pork butt roast because it shreds easily.   

6 - 7 lb pork butt roast
3 cans caffeine free Coke (NOT diet)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup water
1 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, separated
1 10 oz can Old El Paso red enchilada sauce (mild or medium)
1 can diced green chili's


Put the roast in a large bowl.  Pour in 2 cans Coke.  Sprinkle 3/4 cup brown sugar on top.  Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight or for several hours.

Drain marinade and place pork in a crock pot.  Pour in a 1/2 can of Coke and 1/4 cup water.  Sprinkle with garlic salt.  Cook on high for 8 hours.  Remove pork from crock pot, drain liquid and shred the pork.  Put the shredded pork back into the crock pot.

In a blender, combine the following ingredients:  the other 1/2 can of Coke, green chili's, enchilada sauce and 1 cup brown sugar.  Blend well and pour over the shredded pork.  Stir together and cook on low for about 1 hour, or until it's heated through and the flavor of the sauce is infused into the pork.

Crockpot Soft Tacos

One of my quick go-to-recipes is Taco's.  I wanted something quick, but that could make ahead and cook in the crockpot for a few hours, so I came up with this recipe.  It's great!  I made it at 4 pm, stuck it in the crockpot, ran to my son's basketball game and it was ready to eat when we got home!

I was going to use refried beans but I didn't have any in my pantry, so I just used kidney beans and mashed them up.  Use whatever you've got!  It's a little bit spicy, but wasn't too spicy for most of my kids (2 year old was the exception.)  If you want to make it really mild, just substitute a can of diced tomatoes for the can of diced tomatoes and green chilis.

I've found that corn tortillas are delicious if they are heated in a pan on the stove.  I'm not a fan of cold or microwaved corn tortillas - yuck!  Anyway, heat up the tortilla's and assemble your taco with your favorite toppings!  We love it topped with our favorite Guacamole recipe!

1 lb hamburger
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomatoes with green chili's
1/4 cup or 1 package taco seasoning  (I prefer McCormick)

Corn tortillas
lettuce
cheese
guacamole
tomatoes
slice olives

Brown hamburger and season with salt and pepper.  While cooking the meat, drain and rinse kidney beans and put in crockpot.  Smash kidney beans with a potato masher.  Add the following ingredients to the beans in the crockpot:  cooked hamburger, drained & rinsed black beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with green chili's and taco seasoning.  Stir together.  Cook on low for 2 - 3 hours.  Serve with your favorite taco toppings!

Cafe Rio Grilled Chicken Salad

We LOVE Cafe Rio and Costa Vida!  I've experimented with and adjusted some knock-off recipes, and I think you're going to love it!  Enjoy!

These are the ingredients for the salad.  Just start with the warmed corn tortillas on the bottom and build your salad from there!

Corn tortillas  - Heated with a little shredded Colby Jack cheese melted on it.
Black Beans
Lime Rice
Grilled Chicken
Green Leaf Lettuce
Pico de Gallo
Guacamole
Tortilla Strips
Tomatillo Dressing
Cotija Cheese
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Grilled Chicken
5 lbs chicken breast, boneless skinless
8 oz bottle Zesty Italian dressing
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
salt & pepper

Mix all ingredients together.  Marinate for a few hours.  When you're getting ready to cook them, sprinkle with some salt and pepper.  Grill or bake.  I like to use chicken tenders, because I like the size and easiness of it.  I bake them at 400º for about 20 minutes.  Slice the chicken into thin strips.  Keep warm.


Black Beans
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 cup tomato juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it.  Add beans, tomato juice, and salt.  Cook for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Just before serving stir in the cilantro.


Cilantro Lime Rice
2 cups uncooked rice
2 teaspoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
4 cups water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
4 teaspoons sugar
6 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 2 teaspoons lime juice, water and bouillon cubes.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and cook on low for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender.  Remove from heat.  In a small bowl combine the last 3 ingredients; 2 tablespoons lime juice, sugar and cilantro.  Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.


Pico de Gallo
4 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Combine ingredients together in a medium bowl.


Guacamole
This has become our favorite guacamole!

3 avocados
2 tablespoons red onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
1 large ripe garden tomato or 2 smaller tomatoes, diced
juice of 1 lime
salt
pepper

Pit avocados and mash in a bowl.  Stir in remaining ingredients until mixed.  (If you like it spicy you can add 1 jalapeno finely chopped and 4-5 shakes green Tabasco sauce)


Tomatillo Dressing
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tomatillos, cored
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro
juice of 1 lime
1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed

Blend ingredients together in a blender.  Add additional mayonnaise if dressing is too thin.  Keep refrigerated.  If it's not spicy enough, add more jalapeno.


Tortilla Strips
6 - 8 corn tortillas
oil for frying
salt

Cut tortillas into strips using a pizza cutter.  Heat oil in a large frying pan.  Place strips into hot oil and fry until they become crispy.  When nice and crispy, removed from oil and place on a paper towel.  Sprinkle with salt after each batch.  These can be made ahead of time and stored in a Ziploc baggie when cooled.
•  You can also bake these in a 400º oven for about 8 minutes!

Chicken Enchiladas

This is a quick and easy main dish that can be made ahead of time and placed in the refrigerator until ready to cook.  It's a mild enchilada that your family will love.

 2 tablespoons butter
1/2 of an onion, diced
2 tablespoons featherlight flour
2 cups milk
1 4-ounce can green chili's
3 cubes chicken bouillon
2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
8 ounces sour cream
10 corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 350º.  Spray 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Make chicken gravy first.  Saute the onions in the butter.  Add the flour and heat.  Stir in the milk.  Whisk until thickened.  Add green chili's and chicken bouillon.  Cook until the bouillon is dissolved, and remove from heat.  Put cooked chicken into a bowl.  Add salt, pepper, grated cheese, and sour cream.  Mix together.  Spoon chicken mixture on tortillas, one at a time.  Add a tablespoon of chicken gravy.  Roll and place in a casserole dish.  Pour remaining chicken gravy over the top of the tortillas.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.  Remove from oven, and top with grated cheddar cheese.  Serve.

Chicken Cabbage Tacos

This is a refreshingly different taco!  The crunch from the cabbage and the combination of flavors is delicious!

10 chicken tenders, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 - 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Corn tortillas
Cabbage, shredded
Cucumber, peeled, Julienne cut
Tomato, diced
Green chili taco sauce, or your favorite hot sauce
Ranch dressing

Saute chicken in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Add lime juice, cumin, chili powder.  Cook until chicken is cooked through.  Add cilantro, and cook for another 1 - 2 minutes.

Assemble the tacos with chicken, cabbage, cucumber, tomatoes, taco sauce and Ranch dressing.  Roll up and serve.

Note:  I really like La Victoria Green Taco Sauce

Chicken Nacho's

My husband and I used to make this all the time!  It's one of those "remember when" meals that we attach to early in our marriage, before we had any children!  It's a favorite!  I serve it with guacamole and salsa.  It serves 8 to 10 people.

Chicken:
Saute about 2 1/2 cups boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes or 12 chicken tenders cut up, in 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Cook and stir until no longer pink, 3 - 5 minutes.  Stir in McCormick Chicken Taco seasoning packet and 1/2 cup water.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 - 6 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.

On a cookie sheet layer:
     Tortilla chips
     Cheddar Cheese
     Chicken

Broil in the oven until cheese is melted.  Watch it carefully so the cheese isn't too done - only a few minutes.

Top with:
     6 - 7 green onions, sliced
     1 6 ounce can olives, sliced
     3 Roma tomatoes, diced

Serve immediately!

Southwestern Chicken Soup

This soup is so flavorful and delicious!  The yogurt and fresh cilantro add a nice touch!  A big thanks to my friend Katie for sharing it with me!  There was only a small amount left over that I served over rice for my lunch the next day, which was also a delicious way to eat it!  Next time I'll double the recipe!

1/2 lb chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T olive oil
1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
plain yogurt
fresh cilantro, minced

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken, onion and garlic in olive oil until chicken is no longer pink.  Stir in the corn, beans, broth, tomatoes, cumin, salt, and chili powder.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 - 15 minutes.  Garnish with yogurt and cilantro.

Notes:
  •  I added twice as much onion
  •  I made the broth with 2 cups water and 2 chicken bouillon cubes
  •  I used 1 1/2 cups frozen corn instead of canned corn

Black Bean Corn Salsa

This is a fresh tasting dip served with tortilla chips!  It's a standby appetizer for parties, football games, and get-together's in our home!  It's also a tasty way to add more beans into your diet!

1 15 oz can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 11 oz can White Shoepeg corn, drained
2 - 3 diced Roma tomatoes
Cilantro, chopped  (about 1/4 bunch or to taste)
1 - 2 Avocados, cubed
Juice from 1 Lime
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix and serve with tortilla chips

Mexican Casserole

This is a quick easy meal that my kids love!




1 lb hamburger
medium onion, diced
1 quart whole tomatoes
4 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 4 oz can diced green chili's
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 15 oz can black beans, drained & rinsed
crushed tortilla chips
cheddar cheese, grated

Brown hamburger and onion.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add tomatoes, taco seasoning, green chili's, corn and black beans.  Simmer 4 - 5 minutes.  Spray a 9 x 13 inch casserole pan with cooking spray.  Put layer of crushed tortilla chips in the bottom, then half the meat mixture.  Add a layer of cheese then repeat - chips, meat, cheese.  Bake at 350º for 15 minutes.

Salsa

This salsa recipe is great because it uses bottled tomatoes, but it still tastes fresh because of the cilantro.  It's a thin salsa which works great because my kids won't eat tomatoes, but they eat this right up!

1 onion, quartered
1/3 bunch cilantro
1 inch jalapeno, seeded
2 quarts whole tomatoes (drain most of the juice out)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place ingredients in a blender in the order they are listed.  Turn it on high.  As soon as all the ingredients are blending, count to 5 then turn off the blender.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Note:  When I bottle tomatoes, I don't add salt.  If your tomatoes have salt, you may want to use a little less.  Also, if you want it hotter, add more jalapeno!

Tostadas

1 lb ground beef, browned
2 cans refried beans
1 package taco seasoning
8 ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water

Combine in crockpot.  Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.  Stir occasionally.

Serve on tostada shell with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, guacamole and sour cream.

Note:  My favorite refried beans are Rosarita Green Chili and Lime

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

I adapted this recipe from a Taste of Home Magazine.  I took it to a Halloween party and the pot was licked clean!  This recipe fills a crockpot.  You could half the recipe easily if that's too much.  Enjoy!

12 chicken tenders or 3 chicken breasts

1 cup diced onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp butter
4 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups hot water
2 tsp ground cumin
1 qt half and half cream
4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 cans (16 oz) cream-style corn
2 cans (4 oz) chopped green chilies, undrained
2 dashes hot pepper sauce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces.  Brown chicken (seasoning it with a little salt and pepper), onion and garlic in butter until chicken is no longer pink.  Dissolve the bouillon in hot water.  Add to pan along with cumin; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add cream, cheese, corn, chilies and hot pepper sauce.  Cook and stir over low heat until the cheese is melted and soup is heated through.  Stir in tomato and cilantro.  Serve immediately.

Note:  You can keep the soup warm in a crockpot for a few hours if you'd like.  Just wait and add the tomato and cilantro until you're ready to serve.