Taco Lasagne

 

Ingredients

• 12 flour or corn tortillas 8 inch ones
• 1 can (15 ounces) black or pinto beans rinsed and drained
• 2 cans (16 ounces) refried beans refried beans
• 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

Beef Layer:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 small onion finely diced
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1 green bell pepper finely diced
• 1 can (7 ounces) diced green chiles
• 3 cups salsa
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cornstarch Slurry:

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons water

Topping:

• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place a baking rack in the middle of the oven.
• Lightly grease a 9×13-inch deep casserole dish with cooking spray and set it aside.

Beef Layer:

• Place a large skillet or cast iron pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add two tablespoons of oil to it.
• Next, add the beef to the skillet and cook unmoved for 1 minute so it gets a nice sear. After that, use a wooden spoon to break the meat. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain the grease from the pan, leaving only about two tablespoons.
• Add diced onion, diced bell pepper, minced garlic, diced green chiles, 3 cups of salsa, and taco seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about two minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Cornstarch Slurry:

• Mix cornstarch with water until dissolved, then add to the beef mixture. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens. Make sure you stir to avoid the beef from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.

Assembling the lasagna:

• Add two tortillas to the prepared pan. Cut one tortilla into quarters and add each quarter to the corners of the pan to cover any empty spaces there. Cut one tortilla in half and add each half to each side of the pan, with the straight side touching the pan and covering the empty space.
• Add half of the refried beans and carefully spread them on top of the tortillas, trying to avoid moving them.
• Add half of the beef mixture and spread it evenly.
• Add half of the black or pinto beans on top of the beef mixture.
• Top with 1 1/2 cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese.
• Repeat with another layer of tortillas, the remaining refried beans, the remaining beef mixture, the remaining black or pinto beans, and 1 1/2 cups of cheese.
• Top with another layer of tortillas, spread 1 cup of salsa, and sprinkle 1 cup of shredded Mexican blend cheese.

Bake:

• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
• Remove the lasagna from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Let it cool for 30-40 minutes before slicing and serving.
• Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Burritos

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, cubed, & roasted
• 1/2 cup uncooked short grain brown rice (yields: 1.5 cups cooked)
• 1-2 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped sweet onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 2 tsp ground cumin, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• One 15-oz can black beans (about 1.5-2 cups cooked), drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup Daiya cheese
• 4 tortilla wraps (large or x-large)

Toppings (Optional):

• avocado
• salsa
• vegan sour cream
• spinach/lettuce
• cilantro

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a large glass dish with tinfoil. Drizzle olive oil on squash and give a shake of salt and pepper. Coat with hands. Roast chopped butternut squash for 45 mins. or until tender.
2. Cook brown rice
3. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add oil, onion, and minced garlic. Sautee for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Now add in salt and seasonings and stir well.
4. Add chopped red pepper, black beans, and cooked rice and sauté for another 10 mins. on low.
5. When butternut squash is tender remove from oven and cool slightly. Add 1.5 cups of the cooked butternut squash to the skillet and stir well. You can mash the squash with a fork if some pieces are too large. Add Daiya cheese and heat another couple minutes.
6. Add bean filling to tortilla along with desired toppings. Wrap and serve. Leftover filling can be reheated the next day for lunch in a wrap or as a salad topper.

Picture and recipe from Oh She Glows!!

Floating Taco Bowls with Creamy Lime Dressing

 Ingredients

Tacos:

• 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 can (6-ounces) tomato paste
• 1 can (15-ounces) tomato sauce
• 3 cups chicken broth, I use low-sodium
• ½ cup long grain, basmati, or jasmine white or brown rice
• 1 can (15-ounces) black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon chili powder (see note)
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon paprika, smoked or sweet
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Creamy Lime Dressing:

• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 4 ounces cream cheese, light or regular, softened to room temperature
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, more or less to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of black pepper

Toppings:

• Corn chips, lightly crushed
• Shredded cheese
• Chopped lettuce
• Chopped tomatoes
• Sliced olives
• Sliced or chopped avocados

Instructions 

• Stovetop Directions: In a deep 12-inch skillet, electric skillet, or saucepan set over medium heat, cook the ground beef or turkey, onion, and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper. Break the meat into small pieces as it cooks; continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink. Drain excess grease and return to the heat.
• Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, chicken broth, rice, beans, chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika, oregano and pepper. Stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30-35 minutes until the rice is tender. Stir often and moderate heat to prevent sticking.
• Slow Cooker Directions: brown the ground beef or turkey, onion and garlic the same as in step #1 above. Transfer the mixture to a 5-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, chicken broth, rice, beans, chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika, oregano and pepper. Stir well to combine.
• Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
• For the dressing: combine all the ingredients together in a blender and process until smooth.
• Serve the taco meat over crushed corn chips. Top with shredded cheese, lettuce, dressing, and any additional toppings your heart desires (like, tomatoes, olives, avocados, etc).
   
  Mel's Kitchen Cafe
  

Skillet Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burrito Bowls

 

Ingredients

Creamy Lime Dressing:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• Zest of 1 lime
• Juice of 1 lime (about a tablespoon)
• Pinch salt

Burrito Mixture:

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 medium sweet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and small diced
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans (4 ounces each) green chiles, drained
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 2 cups chicken broth (I use low-sodium)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika, smoked or regular

Rice/Toppings:

• Hot, cooked rice
• Diced avocados
• Shredded cheese
• Chopped tomatoes
• Lime wedges
• Chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. For the dressing, stir together all the dressing ingredients. Refrigerate until needed (this can be made several days ahead of time).
2. For the burrito mixture, in a large 12-inch or deep skillet, add the ground beef, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks. When the meat is no longer pink, drain any excess grease.
3. Add the sweet potatoes, black beans, green chiles, tomato paste, chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and paprika. Stir to combine evenly. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Adjust the heat, if needed. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
4. Serve the burrito mixture over hot, cooked rice and top with dressing and any additional toppings!

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/skillet-sweet-potato-burrito-bowls/

Creamy Enchiladas with Chicken, Tomatillo and Poblano

• 3pounds (18 to 24 medium)tomatillos, husked and rinsed
  
• 1largefresh poblano chile
• 1 1/2tablespoons vegetable oil or rich-tasting pork lard, plus a little oil for spraying the tortillas
• 1medium white onion, chopped
• 2cups chicken broth, plus a little extra if needed
• Salt
• 1/2cupMexican crema , crème fraiche or heavy (whipping) cream
• About 2cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken, preferably grilled, roasted or rotisserie chicken
• 2/3cup shredded Jack cheese or Chihuahua cheese
• 12 corn tortillas
• A few sliced rounds of white onion, separated into rings, for garnish
• Fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish
• 1/4cupfreshly grated Mexican queso añejo for garnish

Instructions

The sauce. Roast the tomatillos and chile on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, until they’re darkly roasted (they’ll be blackened in spots), about 6 minutes. Flip everything over and roast the other side—5 or 6 minutes more will give you splotchy-black and blistered tomatillos and poblanos that are cooked through. Cool.  When the chile is cool enough to handle, rub off the blackened skin of the chile, then pull out the stems and seed pod. Tear the chile open and rinse briefly to remove any stray seeds and bits of skin, then rougly chop.  Transfer the chiles and tomatillos with their juice to a blender or food processor and blend to a smooth puree.
In a medium-size (4- or 5-quart) pot (preferably a Dutch oven or Mexican cazuela), heat the oil or lard over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until golden, about 7 minutes.  Raise the heat to medium-high, and, when the pot is noticeably hotter, stir in the tomatillo puree.  Cook, stirring, until darker in color and gets thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, 10 to 15 minutes.  Stir in the broth, partially cover and simmer 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt, usually about ½ teaspoon. The sauce should be a slightly soupy consistency—not as thick as spaghetti sauce.  If it is too thick, stir in a little additional broth. Keep warm over low heat.
Other preliminaries. Stir the crema (or one of its stand-ins) into the sauce. Put the chicken in a bowl and stir ½ cup of the hot sauce mixture into it. Taste and season with additional salt if you think it needs it. Have the cheese at the ready.
Finishing the enchiladas. Heat the tortillas by spraying with the oil, then sliding them into a microwaveable plastic bag.   Fold the top over but don't seal it.  Microwave on high for 1 minute to create a steamy environment around the tortillas and then let them stand 2 to 3 minutes before using.  Smear about ¼ cup of the warm sauce over the bottom of 4 to 6 nine-inch individual ovenproof baking/serving dishes or smear about 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish.     Working quickly so the tortillas stay hot and pliable, roll a portion of the chicken into each tortilla, douse evenly with the remaining sauce, then sprinkle on the shredded melting cheese and bake at 400 degrees until the enchiladas are hot through (the cheese will have begun to brown), about 15 minutes.
Garnish with añejo cheese, onion rings and cilantro sprigs and serve immediately.
Recipe and picture from Rick Bayless

Easy Chicken for Tacos

2 pounds of boneless chicken breasts
1 can green chiles
1 jar of salsa
1 8 oz block of Cream Cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

Put in crock pot and cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.  Shred and put in tacos, enchiladas or salads.

Burrito Bowl

Ingredients

3 cups cooked white rice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon orange zest

2 cups cooked black beans

1 1/2 to 2 cups Simple Fresh Pico de Gallo, recipe follows

2 cups Pork Carnitas, recipe follows

1 cup shredded Cheddar

1/2 cup sour cream

2 green onions, chopped

Easy Pico de Gallo:

Salt

Pinch of sugar

2 medium tomatoes, seeds removed, and chopped

1/2 medium sweet onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped

1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 lime, juiced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Pork Carnitas:

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (or 2 1/2 pounds bone-in)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, chopped

1 orange, cut in half

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, toss the rice with the cilantro and the orange zest. Divide the rice evenly among 4 individual serving bowls. Top with the black beans and half of the pico de gallo. Add warm carnitas and top with the rest of the pico de gallo. Sprinkle on the cheese, and spoon a dollop of the sour cream on top. Finish with the chopped green onions.

Easy Pico de Gallo:

1. In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon salt with the pinch of sugar. In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes gently with the salt mixture. Add onion and jalapeno and combine. Place the avocado on top of the tomato mixture and squeeze with lime juice to coat the avocado. Sprinkle on the cilantro, and stir to combine. Serve.

Pork Carnitas:

Rinse and dry the pork shoulder. Salt and pepper liberally. Mix the oregano and the cumin with olive oil and rub all over pork. Place the pork in a slow cooker and top with the onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Squeeze over the juice of the orange and add the two halves. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high 4 hours. Once the meat is tender, remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly before pulling apart with a fork. In a large saute pan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Press the carnitas into the oil and fry until crusty on one side.  Serve
REcipe courtesy of Melissa d'Arabian

Cafe Rio’s Cilantro Lime Rice and Black Beans

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the Rice:

• 1 c. rice uncooked, long-grain, white rice
• 1 tsp. butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp. lime juice freshly squeezed
• 1 15 oz. can chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice freshly squeezed
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cilantro fresh chopped

For the Black Beans:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 1/3 c. tomato juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. cilantro fresh chopped

Instructions

For the Rice:

1. In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil.
2. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender.
3. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro.
4. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

For the Black Beans:

1. In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork we use boneless pork rib meat
• 3 cans Coke NOT diet
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• dash garlic salt
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 can diced green chilies
• 3/4 10oz can red enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness but any will work)
• 1 c. brown sugar

Instructions

1. Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.
2. Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.
3. In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.
4. Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

Sour Cream Enchiladas

1 pkg flour tortillas (corn size)
3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 pound yellow cheese grated
2 cans cream of chicken soup - undiluted
1/2 pint sour cream
1 can sliced olives
1 7 oz can diced green chilies

Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.  Mix together green onion, cheese and chicken.  In a different bowl make a sauce of soup, green chilies and sour cream.  Spread small amount of sauce down tortillas, then onion, cheese chicken mixture.  Put seam side down in prepared pan.  Pour remaining sauce over top.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Fractured Tacos

1 1/2 lb Ground Beef 1 large onion chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp Chili powder 1/2 tsp ground Cumin 1 tsp Oregano 1 tsp salt 1 (6 oz) can Tomato paste 1 (8 oz) can Tomato sauce 1 1/2 Cup water 1 Cup cooked rice 1 (10oz) bag corn chips 1/2 head lettuce shredded 2 tomatoes, chopped 1 Avocado diced 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded Sour Cream Cook beef until browned, stirring to crumble. Add onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt. Cook 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, sauce and water. Simmer 25-30 minutes. Add rice to sauce just before serving. To Serve: Arrange corn chips in a layer on a serving platter. Top chips with meat sauce, lettuce, tomatoes and avocado. Top with cheese and sprinkle with hot sauce it desired. Top with sour cream. Serve at once 6 servings.

Flat Bread Tacos

1 C sour cream
2 -3 tsps taco seasoning mix
1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning (season to taste)
1 recipe of flatbread (see below)

Optional toppings: sliced ripe olives, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and shredded cheese

In a bowl, mix together the sour cream and taco seasoning to taste. chill until serving.(at least 30 minutes)

In a large frying pan, cook the hamburger over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add in the taco seasong and cook according to the directions on the back of the package.

To serve, spread each flatbread with 2 tablespoons sour cream mixture then top each with meat mixture. Add toppings if desired.

Flatbread

1 tube (16.3 ounces) Pillsbury Grand refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

With your hand or a rolling pin press out each biscuit into a 6-in. circle. You want a nice even thickness. In a nonstick skillet frying pan or griddle over medium heat, cook each biscuit for about 60 seconds per side or until golden brown. This is a "dry fry" Do not use any type of grease, oil, butter etc. You cook them in a completely dry pan.

I got this recipe from yourhomebasedmom. We had it last night and it was very very good. Dad like it.

Crunchy Quesadilla Stack

• 1 Can Ro*Tel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies drained
• 1 PAM Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1 Cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 Small avocado pitted
• 1 Cup shredded cooked chicken (can be a meatless meal also
• 1/4 Cup sliced green onions
  
• 1 Teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 Can Rosarita Traditional Refried Beans (16 oz each)
• 10 Medium flour tortillas (6-inches each)
• 5 fried corn tostada shells (6-inches each)

Directions

1. Spray large skillet with cooking spray; set aside. Combine drained tomatoes, cheese, avocado, green onions and garlic salt in medium bowl; blend well.
2. Spread 1/3 cup refried beans over entire surface of 5 flour tortillas; top each with tostada shell. Spoon tomato mixture over shell; top with remaining flour tortillas to form 5 quesadillas stacks.
3. Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Brown both sides of each quesadilla stack in prepared skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Cut each into 4 wedges to serve.

Tangy Lime Enchiladas

6 TBS honey
5 TBS fresh lime juice (1-2 limes)
1 TBS chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2-3 skinless boneless chicken breasts - cooked and shredded
8-10 flour tortillas
1 lb of a Mexican blend cheese (monterey jack, colby and cheddar) shredded
1 large can of green enchilada sauce

Mix the honey, lime juice, chili powder and garlic powder together with the shredded chicken. Allow to it set for at least 1/2 hour or you could do it hours before and just cover and refrigerate.

Pour 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce into bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Place chicken and cheese into the middle of a tortilla and spoon about 1 TBS of enchilada sauce over it and roll it up. Place seam down in the pan. Reserve about 1-2 cups of the cheese to sprinkle on top of the enchiladas. Pour enchilada sauce over the top of the rolled enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Kent wasn't wild about these - but I thought they were fantastic. Kent said he just wasn't expecting such a tangy tasty for enchiladas. TRY THEM!!!

Lime Cilantro Soft Tacos

Ingredients

¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2½ cups roughly shredded rotisserie chicken
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium red onions, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
Fresh cilantro sprigs

Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Whisk together lime juice and rind, soy sauce, cilantro, and cumin in a large bowl. Add shredded chicken; toss.
3. Wrap stacked tortillas in foil, and place in oven to warm.
4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and peppers; sauté over high heat until browned, about 12 minutes. Add garlic, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes.
5. Spoon chicken mixture and bell pepper mixture down center of each tortilla. Add cilantro sprigs. Serves 4
This was also with the pizza recipe - all of them used rotisserie chicken. I think this is what we are having tomorrow night.