Mexican Food

If any of you would like easy recipes and have wanted to learn how to cook Mexican without going to the restaurant or to Mexico itself, here is a link to some tasty-sounding ones. Some, like the sea food looks real good. And for you dieters, there's pico de gallo.
I get hungry and homesick just reading about the food.

Mexico Connect

Here are some example recipes!

Anita's Chilaquiles
Chilaquiles is a good way to use up left over tortillas. Like all great, simple recipes, this one probably came about when something quick and filling was needed but only the most basic ingredients were available. This dish makes a wonderful breakfast or first course before a light entreÃ[emoji]169[/emoji].

Ingredients:

8 corn tortillas (preferably bought the day before and left out to go stale)
1 or 2 serrano peppers (depending on how hot you like it)(optional)
3/4 C. oil
2 tomatoes, cooked (boiled or roasted)
1 pinch oregano
1/2 C. farmer's or Manchego cheese
2 Tbsp.. chopped onion
1/2C cream
salt to taste
Water
Preparation:

Cut the tortillas into 1" x 1" squares and, if possible, let them sit out a day before making this dish so they can get a bit stale.

Grind the tomatoes in a blender with the oregano, peppers, salt and water as needed to loosen the blades (about 1/3 cup) until smooth.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the tortilla chips until crisp and golden (I recommend doing this in batches), then remove and drain on paper toweling.

Drain the oil, reserving 2 Tbsp., and save the remainder for another occasion.

In the same skillet heat the reserved 2 Tbsp. oil and add the tomato sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes, add the tortilla chips and remove from the heat. Add the cheese and allow it to melt.

Serve hot, top with onions and cream and accompany with well-fried beans.


CafÃ[emoji]169[/emoji] de Olla: Sweet Cinnamon Coffee
This is a great early-morning energy booster, as well as a good beverage for those who need to stay awake later in the day. My husband calls it "funeral coffee" because it is always served at the velorios - all-night wakes - with large trays of sweet rolls.

Ingredients:


6 cups water
3 heaping teaspoons medium-grind coffee (not instant)
1 stick cinnamon
4 tablespoons brown sugar or piloncillo, or to taste
Preparation:


Bring the water to a boil. Add the coffee, cinnamon and sugar, and continue boiling for 30 seconds.

Stir and strain into hot mugs.

Serves 6.

Anita's Vanilla Flan (Flan de Vainilla)
Ingredients:


2 C. sugar
1 can of evaported milk
4 cans sweetened condensed milk
18 egg yolks
50 ml. vanilla extract
Preparation:


Pre-heat the oven to 175° C

Place the sugar in a small saucepan with 3 tablespoons of water, cook over a low flame until the sugar melts. Once it becomes caramel colored, empty it into a bundt pan and tilt to cover bottom and all sides.

In a blender, combine the egg yolks, vanilla and half of the evaporated milk. Place the condensed milk and the remaining evaporated milk into a large bowl then add the blended mixture, stirring to combine.

Pour this mixture into the prepared mold and place the mold into a a larger pan and fill it half way up the sides with hot water. Place the pans in the oven and cover the mold with a cookie sheet to prevent it from drying out.

Bake for 2 1/2 hours, adding water to the bottom pan as necessary to maintain the same level.

Remove the mold from the oven, allow to cool to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator at least 5 hours. Unmold onto a serving dish that will hold the custard and the caramel sauce and garnish with cherries, nuts or whipped cream.

Vegetable Salad
(Ensalada de Verduras)
Serves 6
Ingredients:


300 grs. potatoes
200 grs. carrots
200 grs. canned peas
1 C. cream
1 C. mayonnaise
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 C. canned pimento, chopped
1 tsp. mustard
3 Tbsp.. jalapeño juice
Salt to taste
Water
Garnish
6 olives
Preparation:

Wash, peel and cut the carrots and potatoes into small dice, place them in a saucepan, cover with water and cook.

When they are fork tender, remove them from the heat and drain.

In a large bowl combine the carrots and potatoes with the remainder of the ingredients except the olives. Mix well and adjust seasonings.

Serve at room temperature and garnish each serving with an olive.

Zucchini with Corn
(Calabacitas con Elotes)
Serves 6
The corn used in this dish is not like the sweet corn used in other parts of North America, thus the longer cooking time. If you are using sweet corn please remember that it probably won't take as long to cook so you'll need to make adjustments to the cooking times.

Ingredients:
5 tender ears of corn, kernels removed
6 medium zucchini, diced
6 plum tomatoes, ground in a blender with 1/2 C. water and strained
6 slices panela or Manchego cheese
1 poblano pepper, sliced in thin strips
3 Tbsp. oil
Salt to taste
Preparation:


Heat the oil in the base of a pressure cooker and sautÃ[emoji]169[/emoji] the peppers until they begin to soften. Add the tomatoes and sautÃ[emoji]169[/emoji] until they are soft, then add the corn, zucchini and salt.

Cover the pressure cooker and allow the mixture to cook for approximately 12 minutes.

Remove from the heat allow the pressure to come down and remove the cover.

Place the sliced cheese on top of the mixture, place the pan over low heat and allow the cheese to melt.

Serve hot.


And my Favorite! You can also add mango, pineapples, and celery. This is a great one for the summer!

Pico de Gallo
Ingredients:
2 oranges
1 jicama
2 cucumbers
lemon juice
orange juice
rock salt (optional)
red pepper flakes (optional)
How to Prepare:
Peel two oranges, seed and cut them into cubes.

Peel and cube one medium sized jicaima.

Peel, seed and cube two medium sized cucumbers.

Mix the oranges, jicama and cucumbers together, add the juice of 1/2 lemon, a little orange juice to taste, a sprinkling of rock salt.

Chill and then serve in a bowl with toothpicks. It is light, delicious and nicely filling.

Mexicans often sprinkle red pepper flakes over this appetizer for a little mucho gusto and let me tell you, we can all use a little more mucho gusto in our lives every now and then.

They sound yummy. Thanks for the link Alicia.

Mexican food sounds SO good right now! I'm starving. I love mexican food, but I hardly get to eat anything authentic. My sister makes authentic mexican food once in a while with recipes she gets from her fiance's mother.

Those sound yummy! Thanks!