Zesty Mexican-Style Salad Dressing

This is a delicious dressing with all of the flavors of Mexico in every taste. This recipe uses dried spices that you may already have in your kitchen.

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup reduced-fat milk
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground chile or chile powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• salt to taste

Preparation:

Whisk together the milk and mayonnaise. Add in the spices and whisk until blended. Let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour before use to enhance the flavors. Tip Mayonnaise can be difficult to measure but if you also have a liquid in the recipe, there is a trick to measuring the mayonnaise. In a large glass measuring cup (a 4-cup measuring container works well) measure out the milk first to 1/2 cup. Then add the mayonnaise by the spoonful until the mixture reaches the 1 1/4 cup line which means you have added 3/4 cup mayonnaise to the 1/2 cup milk. Now you can use the mixture as directed.

Beef Recipe- Pot Roast Chipotle Beef

This recipe features beef that is slow-roasted until it literally falls apart. Chipotles add a smokey flavor and a medium heat. Chipotle Beef can be served as a main dish or used as a filling for tacos or burritos.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs of beef round
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 can beef broth
• 1 chipotle chile canned in adobo sauce
• 1 can of diced green chiles
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup of onion, peeled and chopped

Preparation:

Rinse the beef and pat it dry. Place it in a slow-cooker. Pour the broth and tomatoes over the top. Chop up the chipotle and add it with remaining ingredients so they are all on top of the beef. Cook for 12 hours on low heat or 8 hours on high heat.  

Lima Sopa- Lime Soup

Delicious and tangy, this simple Lima Sopa, or "Lime Soup" will warm you up from head to toe.

Ingredients:

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 2 quarts of water
• 1/2 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons preferred oil
• 4 quarts chicken broth
• 2 Roma tomatoes , seeded and diced
• 1 jalapeno chile, seeded and diced
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 lime, quartered
• 1 lime quartered (for garnish)
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Bring the water to a boil and place the chicken in the water. Continue to boil until the chicken is done and no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken from the water, let it cool to the touch, then shred it, removing the meat from the bones and skin. Discard any bones, skin or gristle. Heat the oil in the bottom of a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Carefully pour in the chicken stock and add in the chicken, tomatoes, jalapeno and oregano. Squeeze the lime juice into the soup and then put the rind into the soup. Simmer together for 30 minutes. Remove the lime rinds and serve steaming hot. Serve the remaining lime wedges with the soup. Serve the soup with soft and chewy home made flour tortillas

Virgin Piña Colada

The tropical flavors of pineapple and coconut are perfect together blended with ice.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 cup crushed pineapple
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (canned or fresh)
• juice from one lime
• ice to top of blender

Preparation:

Blend ingredients until ice is slushy. Pour into frosted glasses and enjoy immediately.

Seasoned Ground Beef

This seasoning recipe can be doubled or tripled and stored to use as necessary. This recipe will season 1lb of ground beef.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons oregano
• 1 tablespoon chile powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb ground beef

Preparation:

Shake or mix all ingredients together. To season ground beef- Brown ground beef until well done. Add 1/2 cup of water and seasonings and let simmer until liquid is absorbed. Add additional salt if necessary.

Light and Airy- Tres Leches Cake

This version of Pastel de Tres Leches or "Three Milk's Cake" (known in the U.S. as "Tres Leches Cake") is not quite as rich and dense as traditional Pastel de Tres Leches is. This fluffy cake is soaked in three types of milks in the typical style, and topped with decadent fresh whipped cream.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder- aluminum free
• 6 large eggs- carefully separated into yolks and whites
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cream Syrup for Soaking (see recipe below)
• Whipped Topping (see recipe below)

Preparation:

Sift (or mix thoroughly) the flour and baking powder together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks until they become frothy. Whisk the sugar, milk and vanilla into the yolks.
In a chilled mixing bowl, begin to whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. While the whites are whipping, mix the yolk mixture into the flour mixture by folding it in with a large wooden spoon.
Then, use a large spatula to begin to fold the yolk mixture into the egg white mixture a little at a time. Do this carefully as to leave the batter as fluffy as possible. Immediately pour into a greased and floured 9x13 baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes at 325 degrees. If you insert a toothpick into the center, it should come out clean. Let the cake cool until it feels room temperature, at least one hour, if not longer. Pierce the cake with a fork 20-30 times.
Cream Syrup

• evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon rum or brandy (optional)

Whisk together the three milks and the rum or brandy if you are using it. While the cake is in the pan, slowly pour the liquid over the cooled cake. Refrigerate for three hours, or overnight if possible.
Whipped Topping

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla
• 2 tablespoons sugar

In a chilled mixing bowl add heavy cream, vanilla and sugar. Beat on high speed until peaks form. Spread a thin layer over the cake.
Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon or garnish with fresh berries.

Crockpot Mexican Shredded Beef

This slow cooked roast is cooked until it is literally falling apart making a moist and juicy shredded beef that is perfect by itself or used as a filling for tacos, burritos, tamales or enchiladas.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
• 4 lbs chuck roast
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon annatto paste (optional)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons chile powder (ground chiles)
• 2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon annatto paste (optional)
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 oz can chopped green chiles*
• 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 2 cups water or beef broth

Preparation:

Heat a large saucepan or pot over medium high heat and add in the cooking oil. Swirl it around to coat the bottom of the pan or pot. Sprinkle the flour over the roast and rub it in evenly over the surface. Carefully place the chuck roast into the hot pan and let it sizzle for 2-3 minutes or until it's browned nicely. The idea is not to cook it, but to sear the outside to seal in the juices. Turn the roast over and sear the other side. If the roast is thick enough, you can also brown the sides as well. Place the roast into a slow cooker. Use a spoon to smear the annatto paste over the top. One at a time, sprinkle on the ground cumin, chile powder, oregano, garlic, cocoa and salt. Add a can of chopped green chiles, and the can of tomatoes. You can pour them right on top of the roast. Peel the onion, and chop it into 1/4 pieces or smaller. Add those in as well. Pour the water or beef broth into the bottom of the crockpot, it should come up at least an inch or two up the sides of the roast. You don't want the liquid to come up too high, or it will be soupy.
Cook on low for 7-8 hours. After the time is up, the beef should be fork tender and fall apart easily. There should be barely any liquid in the bottom of the pan and what is left should be of a gravy consistency. Use two forks or a slotted spoon to remove any large chunks of fat from the roast. Shred the remaining beef by pulling it apart into chunks or strands. Mix the liquids and beef together until it is well combined. Serve it with a stack of hot tortillas and toppings such as chopped onion, chopped cilantro leaves and hot chile sauce.


*Green Chiles- You can use fresh green chiles if you like. Roast a large green chile (or two small/medium ones) over an open flame or under a broiler until the skin is blackened. Let it cool and peel the skin off. Cut the stem off and open the chile and scrape out and discard the seeds and white strings. For more details on how to roast chiles. Dice the remaining chile and use in the recipe as a substitution for the can of green chiles.