Tag Archives: mexican food

Chicken Enchilada Bake Recipe

Tonight I was shopping at our local grocery store when I had a sudden craving for an old recipe that I used to make with much frequency, but for some reason fell out of including it in our family menus. I’m not sure why, since it is a delicious and relatively easy to prepare recipe. The cost of it is very low, too, but since I haven’t made it since 2006 or so, I no longer have the exact calculations on price. You can bet, though, that it will definitely be part of our menu this week. As soon as … Continue reading →

Mexican Menu

Unless you are eating off the value menu at Taco Bell (and sometimes even if you are) a run to the border can really add up, especially if you are trying to feed an entire family of hungry chalupa fans. The next time your clan gets a craving for Mexican food, consider saving some dough and making a spicy feast in your own kitchen. Here are some quick and easy recipes to get you started: SPICY TACO SOUP Ingredients: 2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained 28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice 1 can pinto beans, drained 1 cup … Continue reading →

Doritos for Dinner

When I was kid one of my favorite dishes was my mom’s tuna casserole topped with crushed potato chips. Obviously, the thrill of getting to devour potato chips for dinner was what made the dish so memorable. The crunchy, salty topping also provided incentive to eat the mush that sat under it. So imagine my jubilation when my mom recently handed me a recipe for a dinner entrée that called for Doritos. If you are looking for a way to bring new life to an ordinary chicken dish this is it. The recipe’s star ingredient is a bag of Doritos; … Continue reading →

Low-fat Black Bean Tortilla Casserole

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I used to live next door to a dietitian whose hobby was to take people’s favorite dishes and make them low-fat and healthy. Lucky me, I got to be the lab rat for tasting. This was one of my favorites that she transformed. I don’t even care what the original recipe was, because this one is so delicious, I wouldn’t make it the old way anyhow. Black Bean Tortilla Casserole 2 cups onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups green pepper, chopped 3/4 cup salsa or picante sauce 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained … Continue reading →

My Favorite Salsa Recipes

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You may not expect with the last name of Smith that I would be a salsa aficionado. Still, I pride myself in my Mexican cooking, and I’ve even had Mexicans say that may salsa is “really good for a white girl.” I have tried one salsa recipe after another, searching for my favorites. Lucky for you, you don’t have to search: Here are two awesome salsa recipes for the taking: Salsa for a Crowd This salsa is very tasty. It uses green onions, and you might think it calls for too many of them, but since green onions aren’t as … Continue reading →

Awesome Mexican Wedding Cookies

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Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, these cookies are definitely the best Mexican wedding cookies you will ever eat. They are truly mouth-watering. They are great for a party, and the recipe makes enough to feed a crowd. If you are not planning on hosting a party or giving some away, you’ll probably want to halve the recipe. I found this recipe at foodnetwork.com when I planned a Mexican fiesta a few months ago. The cookies are not too difficult, but they take a little longer to make than regular cookies. The recipe will make about 100 small cookies. … Continue reading →

Cheap Eats—Mexican Night

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Every frugal cook needs a list of cheap meals. Some of my family’s favorites are Mexican dishes. There are a lot of Mexican meals you can make for only a few dollars such as those listed below. Enchilada-Style Burritos Give regular burritos some flavor by cooking them like enchiladas. Fill flour tortillas with whatever you like in a burrito: beans, ground beef, cheese, green chiles, etc. Roll up tightly and place close together in a casserole dish. Cover burritos with enchilada sauce and grated cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-20 minutes, or until filling is hot. Serve topped with … Continue reading →

Tortilla Soup

I’m a big fan of tortilla soup and have made it somewhat of a hobby to try it at as many Mexican restaurants as possible. There was a certain something in the soups that were my favorite, and I finally figured out what it was when I tried a recipe with a chile pepper I’d never used before at home. Bingo! The flavor I’d been seeking. The best soups, in my humble opinion, are made with Ancho chile pepper. It’s a deep reddish brown, with the perfect mild-spicy flavor for tortilla soup. I discovered this was the key when I … Continue reading →

Host a Salsa Competition Party

After going to a local salsa festival last year, my husband and I talked for months about hosting our own salsa competition party. We finally did this a few weeks ago, and it was a lot of fun. A competition-themed party is a great idea to get everyone involved. Another advantage is that it can cut down on your own expenses because your guests are encouraged to bring some of the food. Here are some ideas for hosting a low-cost salsa competition:  Buy inexpensive prizes for the winners that go along with your theme. We bought a mini food … Continue reading →