Mexican

Panchovillas

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Panchovillas!  Olé!  Who Doesn’t Love Mexican Food?  I’ve collected the best recipes from my friends’ kitchens where family secrets are passed down from generation to generation; where added spices become second nature.  And measurements are made by instinct and taste preference.  Proving that point, here’s a tasty meal thrown together from leftover pork roast.

PANCHOVILLAS

Ingredients:

1 pound pork roast, shredded

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 teaspoon chili powder 

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

1 garlic clove

1/4 cup chopped jalapeños 

1/4 cup diced tomatoes 

2 cups tomato sauce 

2 cups refried beans

2 tablespoons butter, melted 

6-8 flour tortillas 

2 cups cheddar cheese 

Directions:

Simmer first ten ingredients, smashing a portion of the beans to keep the consistency thick.  Add more tomato sauce if necessary.  Brush the tortillas lightly with melted butter. Fill with pork and bean mixture. At this point I fold them into a burrito-style portion, seam side down.   Place in a 9×13 casserole dish. Cover tortillas with extra topping and cheddar cheese. Bake at 350° until the cheese is melted, usually about 30 minutes.  Top with sour cream and black olives to garnish.  Serve with mixed greens salad, guacamole, and crispy chips.  Add salsa for more spice.  And don’t forget the Classic Margarita!

Mexican Spiced Brownies

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Mexican Spiced Brownies!  Olé!  If you’re as crazy about adding a “kick” to your palate, look no further. (And if you’re not, the recipe can be modified.)  The wild ride adrenaline rush you get from chili peppers can be addictive.  I like the fact that your immune system can get a boost. The color of red chili peppers signals its high content of beta-carotene or pro-vitamin A. Combine the chili with dark chocolate and there you have it…..permission to eat brownies!

MEXICAN SPICED BROWNIES

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or a smidgen of cayenne pepper)

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Preheat oven to 350°. Melt the butter and add to the sugar.  Stir until blended.  Add the eggs, vanilla, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon powder to the sugar mixture. Mix well. Slowly add the flour and cocoa powder.  Stir until smooth.  Pour into a greased 9 x 9 pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

***For regular brownies, omit crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon. 

Chocolate Icing:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract

2 tablespoons warm milk

Gently mix butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder until smooth.  Stir in vanilla extract and milk until frosting is of spreading consistency. Spread evenly on cooled brownies. Sprinkle top with semi-sweet mini chocolate morsels.

Sheet Pan Pork Taquitos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Sheet Pan Pork Taquitos! To season or not to season. Everyone has a basic slow cooker recipe for preparing roast pork. I like to keep mine fairly simple so, when finished, I have several options for the recipes I have in mind later on. If you’re thinking these taquitos sound too bland for your palate, simply add spices like chili powder, garlic, cumin, onion, and kosher salt during the cooking process. (Some of my friends use a prepackaged taco seasoning mix, for convenience.) You’re the chef, so you’re in charge. Make sense? Then carry on. 

SHEET PAN PORK TAQUITOS

Ingredients: 

12 corn tortillas 

3 cups pulled pork, precooked 

1 cup Mexican blend cheeses,  finely shredded

3-4 tablespoons butter, melted

Ranch dressing, for drizzling

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a sheet pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a bowl, combine pulled pork and Mexican blend cheeses. Mix well. Warm corn tortilla shells in the microwave until malleable. Place one tortilla down on a flat surface. Fill it with pork and cheese mixture just below the center of the tortilla. Roll up the tortilla tightly and transfer it, seam side down, to the sheet pan. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Using a silicone brush, lightly oil the tops of the tortillas with melted butter. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until tortillas are crispy. Drizzle with ranch dressing. Serve with shredded lettuce, red onion, salsa, cilantro, and lime. 

Sheet Pan Cilantro Nachos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Sheet Pan Cilantro Nachos! We like crispy nachos at my house. To my family, there’s nothing worse that a soggy tortilla chip, even if it is covered in melted cheese. I experimented by spraying the top and bottom of the chips with nonstick oil and then sprinkling them with sea salt. The method below works very well. It really made a difference. In my defense, I typically buy an off-brand of tortilla chips, which can have more of the natural corn flavor and a sturdiness to support extra toppings. As always, check the ingredient list to make sure you’re getting what you want. I prefer no preservatives. 

SHEET PAN CILANTRO NACHOS

Ingredients:

Layer of Corn Tortilla Chips

Nonstick oil

Sea Salt, to taste 

8 ounces Mexican Cheese Blend, shredded

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

2 green onions, chopped 

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Fresh cilantro, for topping

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. Sprinkle with sea salt. Arrange a single layer of corn tortilla chips on the sheet pan. Repeat with a coating of nonstick oil and sea salt. Evenly distribute the Mexican Cheese Blend over the tortilla chips. Add chopped tomatoes and green onions. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Bake 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and gooey. Remove nachos from the oven and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. Serve immediately. 

Pork Tenderloin Chimichanga

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Pork Tenderloin Chimichanga! If you want to step up your game from an ordinary burrito, but really prefer the flavor of crispy fried foods, there are healthier ways to accomplish it without a deep fryer. Anyone who owns an air fryer will attest to that. I haven’t purchased this countertop convection yet, although my new kitchen does have the option on the built-in wall unit. The one time I tested it produced a charred burn mark on the wooden cutting board afterwards. The jury is still out if I’ll make another attempt at it. These chimichangas are baked in the oven and deliver golden brown crunchy results. Tried-and-True techniques go a long way in my book.

PORK TENDERLOIN CHIMICHANGA

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups pork tenderloin, cooked and shredded

2/3 cup medium picante sauce, prepared

1/3 cup green onions

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

8 flour tortillas

1/4 cup melted butter

1 cup Mexican blend cheeses, shredded

Lettuce, tomatoes, onions

Ranch dressing, prepared

Fresh lime wedges, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a 9”x13” baking dish with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a large skillet, combine shredded pork tenderloin, picante sauce, green onion, ground cumin, dried oregano, and sea salt. Simmer 5 minutes to heat through and allow most of the liquid to evaporate. Remove from heat. Brush both sides of a flour tortilla with melted butter. Spoon 1/3 cup meat mixture into the center; top with 2 tablespoons Mexican blend cheese. Fold 2 sides over filling; fold ends down. Place seam side down in prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Bake 15 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Serve lettuce fixings drizzled with ranch dressing. Garnish with lime wedges.

Esquites Mexican Corn Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Bright Ideas: Esquites Mexican Corn Salad! Living so many years in the Corn Belt of the United States, is it any wonder I get nostalgic thinking about cornfields? Once asked, while I was dating, “Where would you like to retire?” My quick response was “On an acre of land overlooking cornfields at sunset.” Imagine the puzzled look I got as the guy shrugged his shoulders and walked away. Obviously he had no idea what I was talking about. It’s the rich smell of corn, its tingle of sweetness mixed with the earthy muskiness that saturates the senses. I don’t even mind shucking sweet corn. Gently pull back the luscious leaves. Inside are golden rows of plump kernels, dewy and sweet, with a crown of blond silky tendrils. Funny how the journey changes. Now I live in Florida, where cornfields have been replaced by orange groves. Sounds like it’s time to meander down the road to the citrus farm. Perhaps I can inhale the fresh tangy aroma of orange groves at sunset.

ESQUITES MEXICAN CORN SALAD

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 ears fresh corn, shucked, kernels removed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup scallions, chopped

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and stemmed, chopped

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions:

Warm vegetable oil over high heat until shimmering in an iron skillet. Add corn kernels. Season with kosher salt and garlic powder. Allow kernels to cook until charred on one side, approximately 2 minutes. Toss corn, stir, and repeat until charred on second side, approximately 2 minutes longer. Transfer charred corn kernels to a mixing bowl. Add crumbled Cotija cheese, chopped scallions, fresh cilantro, jalapeño pieces, mayonnaise, lime juice, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Eggplant Tacos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Time To Eat: Eggplant Tacos! Nowadays, everyone’s ears perk up when they hear the word “tacos”. Yet many of us are still looking for low-carb alternatives to the regular corn or flour shells. It’s time to think eggplant. When sliced, eggplant is thick enough to hold toppings and sturdy enough to support a bed of melted cheese. Do you see what I’m laying down for you to pick up? Tacos just got healthier while creating another way to enjoy all those family favorites and textures.

EGGPLANT TACOS

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, washed and sliced 1/2- inch thick

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup Mexican cheese blend, shredded

1 ear of corn, kernels removed

1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat a stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Cook on the grill pan for 3 minutes per side. Top each eggplant round with a handful of Mexican cheese blend. Allow the cheese to melt. Cover, if necessary. Meanwhile in a small bowl, combine corn kernels, green pepper, chopped cherry tomatoes, and pinto beans. Toss well. Transfer eggplant tacos to a serving platter; top with a spoonful of tomato, green pepper, corn, bean salsa. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve.

Uff-Da Bread Tacos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Uff-Da Bread Tacos! Did you know there is a difference between naan and pita bread? Pita bread is definitely enhanced by all the ingredients stuffed into it. Naan, on the other hand, is made with egg and yogurt-instead of water-which are typically fermented (or rested) in the dough before baking in a clay oven, which makes it chewy and delicious. The texture is different and more pliable. Have I piqued your curiosity? If so, now it’s time to see for yourself. You’re welcome.

UFF-DA BREAD TACOS

Ingredients:

4 single-serving naan bread slices

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound ground chorizo

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup picante sauce, divided

1 cup romaine lettuce, gently torn

1 cup pinto beans, drained

1 cup Mexican blend cheeses, finely shredded

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup black olives, sliced

1/2 cup sour cream

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook chorizo. Break apart the meat as it cooks. Drain off excess grease. Reduce heat to low; sprinkle in the chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, and black pepper. Mix well. Simmer 2 minutes. Keep warm. Warm grill pan, over medium-high heat; brush pan with vegetable oil. Use remaining vegetable oil to lightly coat naan on both sides. Place naan slices on pan for 1 minute; flip and repeat for one minute longer. Naan will be slightly charred, soft, and pliable. Remove pan from heat. Set aside. To assemble bread tacos, spoon picante sauce on each naan. Layer with romaine lettuce leaves, pinto beans, crumbled chorizo, Mexican blend cheeses, red onion slices, and black olives. Top with a dollop of sour cream and the remaining picante sauce. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.

Queso Blanco Shrimp Street Tacos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Queso Blanco Shrimp Street Tacos! Not everyone has the luxury of accessibility to freshly-made corn tortillas. Because corn tortillas contain less fat than flour tortillas, they are more prone to breakage. One way to prevent this from happening is to dip them in warmed vegetable oil. The extra moisture enhances the taste. Another way is to take two corn tortillas to create a double-layered shell. That way if the inside tears or cracks when folded in half, the outer shell will keep all the ingredients from falling into your lap. Make sense?

QUESO BLANCO SHRIMP STREET TACOS

Ingredients:

8 corn street tacos

1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 pound medium shrimp, precooked, peeled, deveined, and tail removed

2 tablespoons bacon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon raspberry chipotle seasoning

1 ripe avocado, peeled, stone removed, and sliced into wedges

1 cup broccoli slaw

2 large leaves romaine lettuce, gently torn

1/2 cup prepared queso blanco with jalapeños

Fresh lime, for garnish

Cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300°. Set aside a baking sheet. Warm vegetable oil over medium-high heat in an iron skillet. One at a time, dip a corn tortilla into the oil for about 15 seconds; flip and repeat. Drain and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining tortilla shells. Stack them two to a pile on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt (optional). Keep warm in the oven. Using the remaining vegetable oil, add bacon olive oil to the skillet. Gently place the shrimp in the warmed oil. Sprinkle with raspberry chipotle seasoning. After one minute, flip. Shrimp should be slightly charred. Cook one minute longer. Remove from heat. In a bowl, combine the broccoli slaw with the gently torn romaine leaves. Toss. Remove tortillas from the oven. On the four stacks of warmed tortilla shells, place avocado wedges. Divide the broccoli slaw blend between the tacos. Top with sautéed shrimp. Warm the jalapeño queso blanco for 20 seconds in the microwave on high setting. Stir. Repeat, if necessary. Drizzle over street tacos. Squeeze fresh lime juice over all. Garnish with fresh cilantro.