Mexican

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.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter Q

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Chow Down: Quest Fundido Poblano Dip! When my garden harvested a nice crop of poblano peppers, I was already counting the days until I would take these mildly rich green peppers and transform them into an earthy Mexican favorite. Poblanos, you see, are a cross between a jalapeño and a bell pepper. Hot, but not a scorcher, if you know what I mean. You may be more familiar with them in a popular restaurant dish called a chile relleno or another known as chile poblano. Either way, they’re amazing. 
QUEST FUNDIDO POBLANO DIP
Ingredients: 

2-4 chili poblano peppers

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder 

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 

4 ounces feta cheese

Corn tortilla chips
Instructions:

Heat an iron skillet on the stove over medium-high setting. Place poblano peppers into pan. Allow peppers to blister and blacken. Turn with tongs to allow even roasting. When the peppers are charred and soft, transfer them to a covered bowl to steam and cool, about 10-15 minutes. When able to handle, peel skins and discard. Cut poblano peppers into strips or chop into smaller pieces. Layer in the bottom of a casserole dish. Set aside. In a medium skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat. Break into small pieces, turning often until ground beef is browned and crumbled. Drain, if necessary. Add sea salt, cumin powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix well. Layer crumbled ground beef over poblano peppers. Top with shredded Monterey Jack cheese and feta cheese crumbles. Broil until cheeses are melted and golden brown in spots. Serve warm with corn tortilla chips. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter T

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Front-Runner Favs: Taqueria Guacamole! Everyone eats out, that’s a fact. It gives us pleasure. Besides, it takes less energy than planning, shopping, and cooking at the end of the day. But have you ever had a taste for one of the vacay restaurant specials and wish you could make it yourself? Well, I do it all the time. That’s why I recreated a popular cantina menu item that takes guacamole to the next level. 
TAQUERIA GUACAMOLE 
Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados; halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into chunks

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 green tomato, chopped 

1 red tomato, chopped

1 tablespoon red onion, chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, sliced

1 roasted red chili pepper, diced

Cilantro to garnish
Instructions:

In a medium mixing bowl, mash avocado chunks with a fork until thick and smooth. Sprinkle in lime juice, garlic powder, and sea salt. Fold in green tomato chunks and red tomato chunks. Transfer to a serving dish. Top with chopped red onion, jalapeño slices, and diced red chilies. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips. 

Dining Outside the Home: Dos Reales Mexican Restaurant in Champaigne, Illinois 

Dining Outside the Home: Dos Reales Mexican Restaurant in Champaigne, Illinois! Everyone loves a rustic cantina where the salsa is spicy and the margaritas are chilled. Add a platter of sizzling marinated meats and sautéed veggies to stuff into a steamed corn tortilla for combination fajitas. Don’t forget the crispy tortilla bowl of lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, and Pico de Gallo. Now this is authentic Mexican cuisine. Indulge your taste buds with scrumptious offerings from south of the border without the cost of airfare. An outdoor patio is favorable among locals. Try it. As you sit under the shade of an umbrella, enjoy the company you’re in. Well done, Pedro! 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter O

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Front-Runner Favs: Old Mexico Street Poppers! As the garden brings forth a bounty of jalapeños, variety becomes the spice of life. Stuffed with cheese and veggies makes sinking your teeth into this spicy popper feel like eating from a Mexican cobblestone street vendor in Puerto Vallarta. Anything goes! Give your taste buds an “old town” vacation and then go shopping afterwards!
OLD MEXICO STREET POPPERS 
Ingredients:

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, softened 

1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano, snipped

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/8 teaspoon onion salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder 

1/2 cup organic black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup sweet corn, whole kernel 

1/3 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup Mexican cheese blend cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons butter, melted 

1/8 teaspoon taco seasoning 

12 jalapeño peppers, cut lengthwise and seeded

1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet. Spray with nonso like. Set aside. In a bowl, combine Neufchâtel cheese, Mexican oregano, garlic powder, onion salt, cumin powder, black beans, sweet corn, and Monterey Jack cheese. Mix well. Set aside. In another bowl, combine panko bread crumbs, Mexican cheese, melted butter, and taco seasoning. Mix well. Set aside. To prepare jalapeños, wear rubber gloves. Leaving the stem on, slice the upper third portion lengthwise. Discard top. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Divide filling evenly between jalapeños. Place on wire rack. Cover top of jalapeños with crumb topping. Press gently into cream cheese mixture. Bake 30-35 minutes or until tops are golden brown and jalapeños are tender. Garnish with cilantro. Serve warm.