Red Enchiladas

Tortilla in red sauceGetAttachment-1.aspxEnchiladaGetAttachment-3.aspxRed Enchilads

Red Enchiladas

2 pounds of chicken

1 can of red enchilada sauce

1 can of Jalapeño

1 can of black olives

1 bag of shredded cheese

1 sprig of cilantro, chopped

2 spoons of olive oil

Heat a large skillet until hot. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the chicken in the jalapeños until done. Shred the chicken when cooled and set aside. In a small skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/4 cup of red enchilada sauce. Add tortilla and cook on each side until it starts to bubble. Transfer the tortilla to the baking pan and the chicken, black olives and cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.

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Spicy Tamales

Tamalescorn huskSpicy Porkweigh down huskMasa dough

 

Spicy Tamales Ingredients

2 pounds of pork

4 pounds of chicken

1 bag of instant corn Masa flour

2 cups of water (divided)

1 onion (chopped)

4 cloves of garlic (diced)

2 habanero peppers (diced)

2 jalapeño peppers (diced)

1 table spoon of paprika

1 tablespoon of garlic powder

1 tablespoon of spice mix

1 can of Embasa Chipotle peppers

1 bag of corn husks

2 tablespoons of salt

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare the masa according to the bag, mixing the flour with 1/4 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of salt. Form the dough into balls. Soak the corn husks in water for 30 minutes, use a bowl as a weight to submerge them underwater. I cooked the meat in my crockpot for 6 hours so it was nice and tender and shredded easy. Add the garlic, onion, peppers and spices to the meat for flavoring. Strain the juice from the meat and set aside. Pour the cooled juice into the masa and mix together. Spread the masa onto the husk then add the meat and roll together. Steam the tamales for 20 minutes until the masa is firm. These are best within five days of making or freeze for up to 3 months.

 

corn masa and huskspicy chickenshredded chickensteam tamaleSpicy Tamalesmixing-bowl077

 

 

 

 

 

Chilli Mango

Select ripe mango. Peel and slice the mango. Sprinkle Chilli powder on top. Cover and refrigerate for a half hour. Eat and enjoy! mixing-bowl077

Chicken Mushroom Enchiladas

From the Kitchen of: Jessica Brainard

Jessica’s The Best in the West Chicken Mushroom Enchiladas

Corn tortillas (12 count)

La Victoria Enchilada Sauce 2 cans (Red or Green)

Chicken breast Skinless/boneless 3 pieces

Green onion scallions 1 bunch diced (save the green ends as a garnish)

Green chilli 1 can

Whole Black olives 1 can

2 jalapeno  peppers diced

1 Habanero pepper diced

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/2  pack of mexican cheese

1 pound of Tillamook Pepper Jack Cheese

a dash of cayenne pepper or chipotle chile pepper

a scoop of butter

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 avocados, sliced

1 dollop of sour cream

Prep the ingredients: Drain the cans, rinse off and chop the veggies. CHOP: Cut food into coarse or fine irregular shaped pieces, using a knife, food chopper, blender or food processor. Cut both ends of the scallions dice the bottom half for the chicken mixture and save the top half of the scallions for the garnish put them in a bowl cover and refrigerate.  Shred the cheese. SHRED: Cut into long, thin pieces using the round, smooth holes of a shredder, a knife or food processor. Rinse off the chicken. Brown the chicken in a skillet lined with 2 tablespoons of hot olive oil.  BROWN: Cook quickly over high heat, causing the surface of the food to turn brown. Season the chicken with chipotle chile pepper , salt, pepper, a little pico limon. Drain the fat, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice chicken then return it to the skillet. Add  a splash of olive oil, scoop of butter and the scallions, onions, mushrooms, green chillies and hot peppers. Mix well, squeeze some lime juice on it and add a splash of beer. Bring to a simmer. SIMMER: Cook in a liquid on the stove top just below the boiling pint while bubbles rise slowly and break just below the surface. Simmering is usually done after reducing heat from a boil.

Putting the Enchiladas Together

In a separate skillet heat an inch of olive oil on a high and wait until you see it bubbling. Pour a splash of enchilada sauce into the oil to cook the flavor into the tortilla and fry tortilla in the pan on both sides for 1 minute each. Pour a splash of olive oil and 1/4  cup of enchilada sauce into the baking pan. Take the tortilla out of the frying pan let the excess oil drip off of it before you transfer to the baking pan. Place the fried tortilla in the baking pan. Scoop  the chicken mixture onto the tortilla. Place 1 whole black olive in the center of the chicken mixture and top with the pepper jack cheese roll up and continue to place  the tortillas in rows onto the baking pan until it is full. Pour the rest of the sauce on top of the assembled enchiladas. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil sprinkle a layer of mexican cheese on top. Put it back in the oven for five minutes to melt the cheese. For the kids I just make plain cheese enchiladas, put them on the side of the pan so you can find them after it cooks.

Garnish with sliced avocado, sour cream, green onion, guacamole, and of course salsa. Serve with corona, lime, spanish rice and refried beans on the side.

1 jalapeno=mild   1 Habenero=HOT  2 Habenero=Mauwe Caleante


This recipe is great when I am craving spicy food because I live in Oregon and the mexican food at the restaurants here is bland or tastes microwaved.  I use corn tortillas because the flour tortillas get soggy where as the corn stay firm. You can also substitute the chicken for shredded pork or beef. These taste even better the next day. You can freeze these into individual tupperware dishes and take to work for a spicy lunch. My mom makes a different version of enchiladas. They are the more authentic Mexican version she says because instead of the can of sauce she uses the dried chilies and makes her own sauce. I tried this recipe it was a lot more work and they had little more tardy of a taste they aren’t as good as mine but they are good too. It did taste a lot better than her spam tacos that she made me eat once a week as a kid. I did apply some of her techniques to my  recipe so that’s why I think it is so good. You can try both and vote on the one you like best.

This is her recipe in her words:

Mom’s Authentic Enchilada Recipe

Go to Food 4 Less for the ingredients.

1 bag of New Mexico chilies (hot or mild) by the potatoes and onions.

1 package of Guerrerro tortillas (right next to the chilies)

1 package of Asadero cheese (or any kind of mexican white cheese)

1 package of Long Horn cheese

1/2 teaspoon of cumin

1/2 teaspoon of oregano

salt

1 large can of chicken broth (its about 10 inches tall)

Place chilies in a skillet on high. Flip them over often, they burn fast. Take them out when they get soft, takes maybe a minute or two. If they start to smoke try not to breath in the smoke, it will take your breath away! Place them in a pan with boiling water in it. I had a pan next to the skillet and when they are done on the skillet I put them right in the pan. Put a plate or something heavy (I used 2 plates) to weigh them down in the water and let them set for about a half hour. Scoop them out of the pan and in to a bowl to cool till you can touch them. Save the water. When you can touch them pull the stems off and rinse out the seeds. Put them in a blender or a food processor (you might have to do 2 batches-just depends on how many chilies you can fit into it.) Add about 1/2 cup of the chili water, enough to get your blender going good. Run your blender for a while (about 3 minutes). Put a strainer over a bowl (tea strainer works great) Work the chilies thru the strainer with a spatula. Throw away the bits of chili left in the strainer. You seen me do this. In a saucepan put in about 2 teaspoons of olive oil or regular oil, just enough to coast the bottom of your pan. Turn it on a medium heat. When it is warm , add the strained chilies, can of chicken broth, oregano, cumin, and about a tablespoon of salt. Taste it. If it is bitter add a teaspoon of sugar and keep tasting it till the bitter does away. You might need salt. The salt and sugar amount just depends on the batch of chilies you have. Remember to add a little at a time and taste till you like it. You might even let it simmer for a little bit in between the spoons of sugar just to let the flavors blend. Let it cook on the stove for about 30 minutes.

Putting The Enchiladas Together:

Put plates in the oven at 200

Add about a 1/4 cup of oil to a skillet and have it on medium heat. Dip the tortillas in the sauce and fry them for about 30 seconds a side. If they fall apart when you try to flip them you need to cook them just a little longer. Stuff them with the cheeses, shredded chicken, or whatever. Put them on a hot plate and serve right away. You could also try rolling them and putting them in a cake pan. (So you could all sit and eat at once) Just bake them in the oven for about 15 minutes on 350 degrese. You don’t want to bake them too long or they dry out. Have any questions call!!!

Dips For Chips

From the Kitchen of: Jessica Brainard

Try to buy ingredients from your local farmer’s market. It will be fresh and the planet will love you for it.

Fresh Habanero Salsa 

1-Lime squeezed

1-shallot onion

2- cloves garlic

1-Habanero

1- jalapeno

1- bunch fresh cilantro also called Chinese parsley

5- tomatoes

1- avocado

2 table spoons of salt

1 tablespoon of raw sugar

Combine ingredients in the food processor. Mix and add to a serving bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Use as a topping for your mexican food or eat with tortilla chips.

 

 

Guacamole Dip

3-Ripe avocados pitted peeled and mashed

2- garlic cloves

2-Jalapeno chilies, seeded and finely chopped

2-medium tomatoes finely chopped

1- lime squeezed

1-dash of pepper

2-diced green onion

Peel and slice avocados, chop tomato remove seeds, combine with the other ingredients in a medium size bowl. for extra hot add a diced habanero pepper. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour to blend flavors. Use as a garnish on your favorite Mexican food dish serve with chips. Makes 3 cups dip

.

Mexican Cheese Dip

1 cube of butter

Red onion chopped

1 pound Mexican Velveeta Cheese

Microwave until melted

Add a chopped tomato and spinach

Serve with chips

 

 

taco069

Crowd Pleasing Bean Dip

1-30 oz. can of Rosarita Refined Beans

1-cup of salsa

8-oz of Velveeta Cheese cut into small cubes

6-slices of cooked and crumbled bacon

1-4 oz can of green chilies

Cube and place the cheese in the crock pot. Heat on a medium. Cook the bacon on the stovetop and place on a paper-towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon and stir into cheese, add the chilies, beans and salsa. Heat on medium high until the cheese is melted. Mix well and serve with chips.