Mexican

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter J

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Clean Plate Club: Jalapeño Cheesy Cups! Fusion foods are the rage right now. Restaurant and Food Truck menus are the trendsetters that carry over into our home kitchens. Fusion foods blend a couple cultures into a balanced dish with copacetic results. Take this one, for instance. Asian wonton meets Mexican spice. You get the gooey cheese with spicy meat perfectly portable in a crispy cup. Pick one up and walk around. These handheld appetizers don’t last long. Forgot a napkin? No worries. Lick your fingers and meander back to the buffet line to snag another.

JALAPEÑO CHEESY CUPS

Ingredients:

24 wonton wrappers

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, chopped

2 tablespoons bacon bits

2 tablespoons cooked chorizo, crumbled

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Jalapeño slices, garnish

Cilantro, garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Place 2 wonton wrappers in each cup. Bake 4 minutes. Remove muffin tin from oven. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, chopped jalapeños, bacon bits, crumbled chorizo, and green onions. Mix well. Divide cheese mixture into cups. Top with cheddar cheese. Finish with jalapeño slices. Bake 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly. Wontons should appear golden brown and slightly crispy. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve warm.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter H

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Clean Plate Club: Huevos Rancheros! The nice thing about a breakfast like this is it’s basically made from leftovers. Beef roast. Check. Baked potatoes. Check, check. If you need ingredients on short notice, no worries. Substitute cooked chicken instead. Potatoes with the skin on cook very quickly in the microwave before being transformed into tasty hash browns. Just remember to pierce them first. Then cook on High for 5 minutes each. For this morning’s heuvos rancheros, I skipped the tortillas and substituted a couple of corn chips for crunch. It’s all good.

HUEVOS RANCHEROS

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups beef, cooked and shredded

10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies, mild

1/3 cup onion, chopped

3/4 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

2 potatoes, baked and cut into cubes

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons butter

4 eggs

Fresh cilantro

4 tortillas or corn chips

Fresh cilantro

Instructions:

Combine shredded beef, diced tomatoes with green chilies, chopped onion, cumin, oregano, and sea salt in a large saucepan. Simmer 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. This makes the beef moist and tender. Set aside. In a skillet over medium heat, drizzle olive oil. Add cubed potatoes. Sprinkle with seasoned salt. Cook 5 minutes or until golden brown. Do not stir. Turn potatoes for a crispy finish; cook 5 minutes longer. Drizzle in more olive oil, if needed to avoid burning. Remove potatoes from heat when desired texture is reached. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. In another skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Crack 4 eggs into the skillet. Fry eggs sunny side up in butter, 3-4 minutes for runny yolks. To assemble huevos rancheros, layer corn chips or a tortilla on the plate. Next, add spicy meat mixture, then crispy hash brown potatoes. Top with fried egg. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter T

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Tomatillo Salsa Verde! The grower at the Farmers Market literally gave me her version of roasting tomatillos as she handed me her bounty. “Pull out your iron skillet, peel and quarter the tomatillos, throw in some garlic cloves, and roast it together in your oven. Simple.” Imagine my smile later that afternoon as I presented a dish of the freshest aromatic salsa verde to my husband for “Happy Hour”. Served with organic corn chips and a citrus margarita, it created quite a buzz!

TOMATILLO SALSA VERDE

Ingredients:

5-6 medium size tomatillos, peeled and stems removed

3 garlic cloves, peeled

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon cumin powder

3 jalapeño pickled peppers, sliced

Instructions:

Remove the crackly husks covering the fresh tomatillos. Rinse well to remove the sticky residue on the skin. Quarter each tomatillo and place in a seasoned iron skillet. Add garlic and sweet onion. Sprinkle with salt and cumin powder. Place skillet in the oven on highest setting for Broil. Check after 5 minutes, turn the vegetables, and broil another 5 minutes. They should appear soft and slightly charred. There will be juice in the skillet, so handle with care. Transfer vegetables to a food processor. Add jalapeño peppers and purée on pulse setting.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter Q

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Quirky Quesadilla! Have you ever noticed when you announce quesadillas are on the menu for the next meal, everyone begins to feel as though they’ve been invited to a party? It’s probably due to the fact that it opens the door to endless possibilities. Do you prefer seafood, chicken, vegetables, cheese, or all of the above? No problem. Once you offer a buffet of ingredients, everyone can build-their-own. Win! Win!

QUIRKY QUESADILLA

Ingredients:

12-ounces shrimp; peeled, deveined, tail off

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon dill

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 chicken breasts; boneless, skinless, cubed

1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons red onion, chopped

4-6 flour tortillas

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup Queso Fresco cheese

1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 green onion

Instructions:

Sauté shrimp in 1 tablespoon olive oil, Old Bay seasoning, red pepper flakes, and dill on medium heat. Cook until pink and opaque, turning often, usually 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a dish and set aside. Using the same skillet, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the chicken and onion together with seasonings. Turn heat to low. Add the shrimp. Mix gently. Sprinkle in the Queso Fresco cheese and cover. It will melt into the quesadilla filling to bond everything together. Watch carefully so the cheese does not burn. In another skillet over low heat, butter one side of a flour tortilla. Place buttered side down. Sprinkle in cheddar cheese. Add two spoonfuls of filling. Spread to within 1/2-inch of the edge. Top with another buttered tortilla. Put lid on skillet to melt cheeses. Cook until lightly brown, about two minutes. Turn the tortilla over and cook the other side until the tortilla is lightly brown and the cheese is gooey. Place on a platter to cool slightly before cutting. Repeat with remaining tortillas until no ingredients remain. Serve with salsa, yogurt, and guacamole.

*Hint: if you’re serving a crowd, it’s easy to prepare several at the same time. Place the filled quesadillas on a cookie sheet and bake them in a 375° oven for 10 minutes.

Dining Outside the Home: Mariachi’s Mexican Restaurant in Lihue, Kauai

Dining Outside the Home: Mariachi’s Mexican Restaurant in Lihue, Kauai. Across a footbridge over a cool mountain stream, the dusty road becomes a well trodden path where the festive flavors of Mexico blend into a warm, inviting atmosphere. Hola, amigos. Please have a seat for open-air dining. The family-owned and family-run restaurant originated years ago in San Diego. Now on the island of Kauai since 1992, Mariachi’s not only offers a free ocean view, but the menu options come highly recommended as well. Think about what to order while sipping on a classic lime margarita, salted rim optional. Take things slow and easy. In time, you may come to see why the family chose a new life in paradise serving authentic Mexican food.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter F

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: First-Class Fajitas! Grilling is always in season and what better way to prepare a smorgasbord of flavor. I prefer shrimp, my husband prefers steak, and we both like chicken. So we blend it all together and make this fabulous main course. Throw in the sides, salsa, and cheese, and everyone is happy!

FIRST-CLASS FAJITAS

Ingredients:

1-pound of shrimp

2 chicken breasts, boneless

1 pound of sirloin steak

Marinate each meat/shrimp in the following: (x3)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 cup tequila

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Sea salt to taste

1 Vidalia onion

1 green pepper

4 romaine leaves, gently torn

1 tomato, chopped

2 green onions, snipped

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup sliced jalapeños

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro

4 flour tortillas

Instructions:

In three shallow dishes, place steak, chicken and shrimp in their own marinade. Let stand for one hour. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Drain marinade and discard. Place meats and shrimp on grill.* Cook through until done. (Chicken will take about 7 minutes per side.)

(Steak will take 4 minutes per side for medium-rare.)

(Shrimp will take 2 minutes per side.)

(Grill the vegetables until tender, about 10 minutes total.)

Meanwhile toss romaine leaves, tomatoes, and green onions to blend in a bowl. Fill tortillas with your favorite meats, veggies, and toppings. Serve with chips, salsa, and sour cream. Olé!

*For easy cooking on the grill, use one grill pan for the shrimp as well as one for the vegetables.

Dining Outside the Home: Chayo Mexican Kitchen in Las Vegas, Nevada

Dining Outside the Home: Chayo Mexican Kitchen in Las Vegas, Nevada! Just because they have a mechanical bull doesn’t mean you have to ride it. Unless you want to. For those who dare for more excitement than a tequila bar, innovative Mexican fare, and diverse dance music…check it out. Chayo Mexican Kitchen, located on The LINQ Promenade, is like an oasis in the desert. Surrounded by lush palm trees, the outdoor patio offers downtime shade from the Nevada sun. Kick back for a breather. Hear the sizzle of grilled shrimp fajitas. Appreciate the freshness of authentic street corn. Sling back a Don Julio tequila flight. It’s all about the journey.

Dining Outside the Home: China Poblano in Las Vegas, Nevada

Dining Outside the Home: China Poblano in Las Vegas, Nevada! For a mid afternoon break, rest your feet at the Cosmopolitan and people-watch awhile. China Poblano is a place where the menu features a magnificent blend of Mexican and Asian cuisine. Honestly, it works. One starring attraction is chef José Andrés’ created cocktail known as the “Salt Air Margarita”. Basically, the salty rim is eliminated and replaced with a thick layer of sea salt foam over fresh lime, agave, and tequila. It’s almost like taking a plunge into the ocean on a tropical island. Remarkable, refreshing, and invigorating. Well done.

Dining Outside the Home: El Nopal Mexican Restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky

Dining Outside the Home: El Nopal Mexican Restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky! Be bold. Slide into a booth as the staff quickly appears with a basket of salty, warm tortilla chips and a couple carafes of Mexican salsa. This is how to get the evening started at El Nopal. In a matter of minutes, two lime margaritas are delivered to the table. One sip reveals a burst of freshness followed by a citrusy finish. Why do we like Mexican food so much? Perhaps it’s the family atmosphere, the kick of spice, or the sizzling fajitas. More than likely, it’s the queso cheese! Am I right? Between the fresh veggies, the guacamole, and the refried beans, it all comes together for the perfect combination.