salsa

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.

Tomatillo Tilapia

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Tomatillo Tilapia! Shortcuts are my saving grace. Take, for instance, charred tomatillo salsa. Sure, I could go through the process of boiling, grilling, or roasting fresh tomatillos with garlic and spices to transform them into a smoky, spicy, and tender salsa. But since I already had a jarred version in the refrigerator, I thought taking the easier route for dinner would be a better idea. You may, too.

TOMATILLO TILAPIA

Ingredients:

2 tilapia fillets

1/2 cup roasted tomatillo salsa

1/4 red onion slices

1 mini sweet red pepper, chopped

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Lay two sheets of aluminum foil on a work surface. Place one tilapia fillet in the center of each piece of foil. Divide the tomatillo sauce between the two foil packs. Place red onion slices over fish. Top with chopped red peppers and cherry tomato halves. Fold foil over top and roll up edges to create a sealed packet. Place on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately.

Pan-Fried Corn Tacos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Pan-Fried Corn Tacos! The aroma of toasted corn tortillas, flash-fried in hot oil, seasoned to perfection, is one you will always remember. The savory beef and cheese fillings are only enhanced by the brown and blistered outer shells. You can still stuff them with your favorite combinations.

PAN-FRIED CORN TACOS

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 yellow onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons taco seasoning mix

2 cups Mexican blend cheese, shredded

3/4 cup salsa

10 corn tortillas

Assorted toppings

Instructions:

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté ground beef and chopped onion. Cook until the beef is completely cooked and onions are soft. Remove and discard the grease from the ground beef. Add garlic powder and taco seasoning mix. Combine and simmer until no liquid remains. Divide the shredded cheese among the tortillas; spoon seasoned beef on top. Fold each corn tortilla in half. Clean the skillet. Warm vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Place one stuffed tortilla into the oil for 10-15 seconds; flip and repeat until the shells are crispy. Allow the oil to drain off. Then transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat until all tacos are pan-fried. Keep warm in a 300° oven until ready to serve. Serve with additional toppings of shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and salsa.

Coctel de Camerones

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Coctel de Camerones! Two of my favorite foodstuff cravings time after time lead me to cocktail shrimp and Mexican cuisine. A friend shared his secret recipe, adding clam juice, to enhance the liveliness this dish creates for the taste buds. For now, I put it on pause to use at a later time. The spicy Bloody Mary concoction is bold beyond measure. It is also all-natural, gluten free, and contains no high fructose corn syrup. Treat yourself to the real thing.

COCTEL DE CAMERONES

Ingredients:

2 cups Spicy Bloody Mary mix

1/3 cup medium chunky salsa

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Everything But Bagel seasoning

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 ripe avocado, chopped after skin and pit discarded

1 large tomato, chopped

1/2 yellow sweet onion, chopped

12 jumbo precooked shrimp, tails removed

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Tortilla chips

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine Spicy Bloody Mary mix, medium chunky salsa, Worcestershire sauce, Everything But Bagel seasoning, kosher salt, dried Italian herbs, lime juice, chopped avocado, chopped tomato, and chopped sweet onion. Mix well. Divide “cocktail sauce” equally between four stemmed glasses. Place three jumbo shrimp in each glass. Top with chopped cilantro. Chill for one hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

Diablo Verde Enchiladas

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Country Casual Cravings: Diablo Verde Enchiladas! If you understand a little Spanish, you’re already familiar with the term “diablo”. Typically it refers to devil. In reference to food, it translates to spicy or sometimes fiery ingredients that crank things up a level. In this case I used jalapeño peppers, but you are certainly welcome to increase the heat by substituting serrano peppers instead. Since I want to keep my husband around a little longer, I played it safe. You choose.

DIABLO VERDE ENCHILADAS

Ingredients:

2 cups precooked turkey, shredded

1/2 teaspoon chili-lime seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

12 ounces queso blanco dip

10 flour tortillas

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, diced

1/4 cup taco sauce

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Salsa verde, to taste

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Green onion snips, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 9”x13” pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine shredded turkey, chili-lime seasoning, dried oregano, garlic powder, and queso blanco dip. Mix well. Divide the mixture between the 10 flour tortillas, spreading the meat across the center of each tortilla. Roll them up, placing each seam-side-down in the prepared baking dish. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm butter. Do not scorch. Whisk in flour; cook one minute to thicken, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth; whisk until smooth. Add Greek yogurt and diced jalapeños. Do not allow mixture to boil. Reduce heat if necessary. Remove sauce from heat. Carefully pour over enchiladas. Spoon taco sauce over all. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven when cheese is slightly browned and bubbly. Garnish with salsa verde, fresh cilantro, and green onion snips to taste. Serve immediately.

Queso Chicken Flautas

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Elevated Edibles: Queso Chicken Flautas! Are you as torn between corn tortillas and flour tortillas as I am? There are days, and certain dishes, where nothing but corn will do: tamales, taquitos, enchiladas, tacos, and chips. Corn tortillas, generally, are much smaller and easier to hold. When they are soaked in sauce, they are more pliable and suitable for baking. If you like the taste of toasted corn as well as the chewy texture, corn tortillas are for you. The same applies to flour tortillas: quesadillas, flautas, fajitas, chimichangas, and burritos. Flour tortillas are bigger, not to mention softer for folding. You already know this if you’ve ever eaten a monster burrito or ginormous chimichanga. One is baked, the latter is fried. Today’s recipe features the sturdiness of a flour tortilla to hold the juicy chicken and melted cheese filling without turning soggy or falling apart. What a delicious dilemma.

QUESO CHICKEN FLAUTAS

Ingredients for Herbed Sour Cream:

8 ounces sour cream

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons green onions, chopped

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked chicken, shredded

1 cup Mexican cheese blend, shredded

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

4.5 ounce can green chiles, drained and diced

1 envelope taco seasoning mix, less 1 tablespoon for remaining recipe

12-count flour tortillas

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

15-ounce jar queso cheese dip, warmed

Instructions:

To make the herbed sour cream, combine sour cream, honey, lime juice, and sea salt in a bowl. Stir until smooth. Gently fold in chopped cilantro leaves and green onions. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. In a medium bowl, combine shredded chicken, Mexican cheese blend, cream cheese, and diced green chilies. Sprinkle with taco seasoning mix (less 1 tablespoon of mix). Stir thoroughly. Set aside. In a small dish, whisk vegetable oil with reserved taco seasoning mix. Set aside. Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. To assemble flautas, place 1/4 cup chicken mixture on bottom third of each flour tortilla. Roll up tightly, leaving ends open. Place seam-side down on prepared baking sheet. Brush filled chicken flautas with seasoned oil mixture. Repeat until all tortillas are filled. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until flautas are crispy. Serve with warmed queso cheese dip, herbed sour cream, and chunky salsa.

Xnipec Habanero Salsa

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Xnipec Habanero Salsa! Anyone who craves the jolt of hot tropical salsa can read on. Others who don’t….No judgement, we’ll catch you tomorrow. For those who are up to the challenge, let me give you a little background before you dive in. The word “Xnipec” translates in Mayan to “dog’s nose”, which implies you may sweat droplets like a dog’s wet nose the more bites you take. If so, wipe your forehead and walk away. You’re done. I’ve been known to ask for the “muy caliente” salsa in a Mexican restaurant. At which time, the server brings me my own special bowl usually reserved for the kitchen staff. The hubs typically laughs and tells them I can practically drink it with a straw. What can I say? I’m hopelessly addicted to habaneros.

XNIPEC HABANERO SALSA

Ingredients:

3 habanero peppers

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 red onion, finely diced

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons orange juice

Pinch of sea salt

Instructions:

Using disposable gloves, halve habaneros. Remove stem, pith, and seeds. Dice peppers; place in a bowl. Add chopped tomatoes, finely diced red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and orange juice. Add a pinch of sea salt. Toss well. Refrigerate one hour before serving.

Jumbo Shrimp Over Avocado

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Jumbo Shrimp Over Avocado! Grill marks on food are like a person’s signature tattoo. I don’t know about you, but when I see that food is slightly charred, visions of smoky goodness can cause me to drool. The creaminess of the warmed avocado filled with spicy salsa takes me down a country road to memorable experiences of Mexican favorites. The grilled shrimp is enhanced by the savory herbs, adding tangy flavors seductive to the tongue. Not only is this a quick meal or tempting appetizer, it transforms every cook into a gourmet chef. You should try it.

JUMBO SHRIMP OVER AVOCADO

Ingredients:

1 large ripe avocado, halved with pit removed

Fresh lime juice

6 frozen precooked jumbo shrimp, tail on and thawed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup prepared salsa

Dill sprig, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat grill to 400°. In a small dish, combine olive oil, Italian seasoning blend, sea salt, and garlic powder. Mix well; set aside. Squeeze lime juice onto both halves of avocado. Brush each avocado, as well as both sides of the shrimp, with the seasoned olive oil. Place directly onto the grill grates. Close lid. Cook the avocados for 4 minutes, or until slightly charred. Cook the jumbo shrimp for 2 minutes. Then flip the shrimp, close the lid, and cook 2 minutes longer. Transfer all to a platter. Spoon the salsa into the avocados. Arrange 3 jumbo shrimp over each portion. Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill. Serve immediately.

Island Pineapple Salsa

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Island Pineapple Salsa! For healthy taste with a breath of an island paradise mixed in, treat yourself to this virtuous condiment that goes well with practically anything. Grilled meats, charred veggies, fresh fish, and exotic seafood are great dinner companions as well. For an excellent appetizer, serve the pineapple salsa with lightly seasoned tortilla chips. Goes well with tiki-themed cocktails showcasing dark rum floaters. Can you hear me now?

ISLAND PINEAPPLE SALSA

Ingredients:

2 cups pineapple, tidbits

1/4 cup red pepper, diced

1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced

2 green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions:

Combine pineapple tidbits, red pepper, red onion, green onions, chopped ginger, and soy sauce in a bowl. Stir well. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.