Tag Archives: mexican food

Layered Crispy Chicken Taco Bake

While up visiting my parents, this was one of the amazing meals we got to enjoy with everyone. My mom is a great cook and she is where I learned everything I know. She adds passion and love to her cooking, giving everything a wonderful taste filled with delight.

This meal was wonderful and we served it with our delicious Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cake for dessert.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic salt
  • 1 tbsp smoked tabasco
  • 1 tsp seasoning salt
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • Green onions
  • 3 cups shredded cheese
  • 1 lb chicken, cooked and shredded
  • 6 large tortillas

In a small bowl, mix sour cream and all seasonings together. Set aside.

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Meanwhile, in a skillet, fry tortillas in vegetable oil or EVOO until lightly toasted.

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Lay to rest on a paper towel.

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Cook chicken until thoroughly cooked and season to your preference.  While cooking chop green onions.

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Allow chicken to cool and chop into small pieces.

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In a greased springform pan, layer tortilla, sour cream mixture, chicken,  green onions and cheese. Repeat with tortilla and continue same pattern with ingredients ending with cheese.

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Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted.

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Top with sour cream and additional green onions. 
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This meal was served with homemade chips and salad.

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You will not only be full from dinner but when served with Strawberry Cookie Cake for dessert, you will want to take a nap almost immediately.

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Fondido Burrito

I am one of those people who tend to get migraines. My mom gets them as well but even worse than I. Unfortunately, I inherited these terrible things. I can’t even begin to explain the intensity of a migraine if you have never had one previously. All you need to know is you never want to experience it. They cause sensitivity to light, to the point I need to lay in bed or I could throw up from the pain. If it doesn’t subside, I would head to ER and get a shot to help alleviate the pain.

On the other hand, I have been migraine free since I became pregnant almost three years ago. I was so ecstatic that my headaches had dissipated with the pregnancy hormones. Well….three years later, I wake up at 4 am from the pain. Writhing in bed, I finally took some medicine which at that point, was already too late. Finally, after falling back asleep for a little bit, I woke up and had to immediately put my sunglasses  on to help mask even the dim lighting first thing in the morning. My head was ragging with a splitting headache directly between my eyes. Unfortunately this was typical for me three years ago.

This day in particular, was the day we celebrated our Father’s Day dinner. My husband was very specific on his request for dinner; a Fondido Burrito wet style. We have a favorite burrito place we frequent for massively cheap burritos that you cannot pass up. My husband was very specific on how he wanted this meal to look. Having my father-in-law over for dinner, was just another reason I had to make this meal succeed regardless of my migraine.

I headed for the store to purchase the items I needed for dinner, hoping and praying that my migraine would subside. As the day progressed, it wobbled back and forth but never really depleted in intensity. As the evening approached, I felt a little bit better but still not so hot. Luckily dinner was a success but definitely took time to prepare as I was lollygagging around trying to keep my thoughts focused on the task at hand.

Ingredients:

Burrito Assembly:

  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • Spanish Rice
  • 1 ½ cups black beans (16oz can works as well)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 4 large burrito tortillas
  • Green or Red Enchilada sauce
  • 1 ½ lbs stew meat
  • Tomatoes
  • Sour Cream
  • Cilantro
  • Hot Sauce

Marinade:

  • 2 tbsp garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp parsley
  • 1 tsp itallian seasoning
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • ¼ cup Teriyaki Marinade (Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki)
  • ¼ tsp Paprika

Put together the marinade along with stew meat in a large zip lock bag. Marinate over night or at least for 5 hours prior to cooking.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large pan, saute onions and garlic until tender.

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Once onions and garlic begin to cook add in meat and cook over medium-low heat. Cook until no longer pink.

Note: The higher the temperature, the more tough your meat will become.

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Allow the juices to soak in and continue marinating while cooking over med-low heat.

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Meanwhile, cook Spanish rice and prepare black beans. Once meat is thoroughly cooked, on a large tortilla assemble a large spoonful of meat, rice and beans. Add cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, tomatoes and cilantro and fold up edges. On a large foil lined broiler pan, place burritos and cook for 10 minutes at 425 degrees.

After ten minutes take burritos out and top with cheese and enchilada sauce. Turn oven to broil and cook until cheese is melted and burrito begins to crisp up.

(Sorry for the lack of pictures during assembly, I was completely distracted by conversation with my father-in-law and my migraine.)

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Serve with homemade chips and a fresh salad.

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Luckily, even with my migraine, my husband was completely satisfied with his dinner of choice and it exceeded his expectations. :)

Creamy Enchiladas

While I was baking this afternoon I decided to make ahead my enchiladas as they are a great freezer meal or make-ahead-meal. Since we will be headed out to my mother-in-laws tomorrow I wanted to get it done and ready to go.

These enchiladas are simple and very tasty! Although I prefer green sauce I wanted to switch it up as my husband prefers red sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 lb spicy sausage
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 can olives, chopped
  • 1 large can diced chilies
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 tsp Garlic salt
  • 1 tbsp prasley
  • 1 large can red enchilada sauce
  • 6 cups shredded cheese
  • Tortillas

In a large saucepan cook the meat and onions until full cooked.

Add olives, tomatoes, chilies, cream cheese, garlic, and parsley. Mix well.
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Add 1/2 can of enchilada sauce with 2 cups cheese.
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Place mixture into tortillas.
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Top with remaining sauce and remaining cheese.
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Freeze, refrigerate or cook immediately.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Serve with homemade chips and salsa!

 

 

Juice Detox…

The juice detox began and ended. I had mentioned a couple of days ago about our date night cheating episode. I must say Michael did okay but I killed the detox, I placed a knife directly in the middle of it and said “forget this!” :)

We went to Mexican food and I order a wet chimichanga. There is absolutely no positive health factor in this dish. (basically a wet chimichanga is a deep fried burrito but with delicious cream sauce lathered on top) I stuffed myself on chips and salsa as I always do because I am starved by the time I reach the restaurant that it’s almost pointless to order a meal. Michael on the other hand ordered fajitas but ate it without the tortillas. Pretty much no carbohydrates in this meal but he joined me pretty heavily on the chips and salsa.
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By the end of the meal Michael thought he was going to throw up. I say this not to gross you out but because he realized how the 20 minutes of pleasure leads to 24 hours of pain. The exciting reality of going out to eat is all roses until after the meal when your tummy begins to hurt. The fruit and vegetables has been a huge eye opener for us. He honestly looks healthier and hasn’t craved the sweets he used to crave; the fruit fulfills that craving. He also mentioned that his energy has sustained him throughout the day instead of hitting the afternoon slump.

We decided we would stick pretty much to fruits, vegetables and healthy eating throughout the week and then come the weekend we will eat in moderation what we desire. :)

Moment of Truth: If you do a detox do NOT go out to eat when you decide to cheat. Ease yourself into the garbage you are craving. :)