Authentic Mexican Flan

Flan is a traditional Mexican custard dessert, it has a delicate and creamy texture and is very sweet, feel free to add fresh orange zest to the custard to give a different flavor and I always finish mine with fresh berries for tartness.
















Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar

5 large eggs

1-12oz can evaporated milk

1-14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract
sliced fresh fruit (optonal)

Boiling hot water, enough to come 1/2 way up the dish in the roasting pan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a 9 inch circular glass baking dish into a roasting pan and place in the middle rack in the oven to heat up.

1. Heat sugar in a medium-sized sauce pan to medium heat, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula to melt all the sugar. This typically takes 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile..

2. While the sugar is melting; add eggs, both milks and vanilla into a blender and blend for a few seconds to ensure a smooth mixture.

3. Once the sugar has melted into a smooth, golden syrup. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, pour sugar syrup into the circular dish and turn the dish around with hot mitts to swirl the syrup across and along the sides. Let sit for a minute and pour egg and milk mixture into the syrup dish and return to the roasting pan. 

4. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan to make a hot bath for the flan.

 Return to oven and bake for 60 minutes.

5. Once flan is removed from the oven, let cool and then transfer to your refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

6. After refrigeration, run a knife around the edges of the dish, then place the bottom of the dish onto a shallow baking pan and pour boiling water around it, not in the flan, the hot water will help melt the caramel that will be the topping once inverted. Next, place the plate or serving platter on top of the flan and quickly flip to invert the flan, tap the bottom of the flan dish to help release it.

You can garnish the flan with some whipped cream or some fresh fruit for a contrast in texture and flavor.

Oven Baked Taquitos

Taquitos are such a great potluck item just cut them in half with kitchen scissors and serve with you're favorite dips. Kids love these and they can easily be frozen and reheated in the microwave or oven at 375F for 8-12 minutes. 

Makes 15-20 Taquitos

Ingredients:

2/3 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

1/2 cup prepared salsa

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

1/2 tsp taco seasoning

Salt and Pepper to taste

15-20 Corn tortillas, white or yellow

Non-stick spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Mix cheese with chicken and add sprinkle, salt and taco seasoning and mix well.

Wrap 10 tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute then start making the taquitos by spraying each tortilla on both sides with non-stick spray then put a small portion of the chicken mixture in a line in the middle and tightly roll up; repeat and place seem side down on the lined baking. Bake for 14-16 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Cool for 6-10 minutes and serve with warm queso, guacamole or salsa and enjoy. :-)

 

Salsa Chicken Breast

This recipe is what I use for tacos, enchiladas, taquitos, soups etc and can be used for just about any recipe that calls for cooked chicken in place of a rotisserie chicken, you can play with the seasonings to adjust to you're liking.

Ingredients:
5 skinless boneless chicken breast
1/4 teaspoon each: chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of cayenne if desired
1/2 cup prepared salsa

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

1. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish or pan and mix seasonings in a bowl or zip-lock bag and sprinkle all over chicken and turn over to get both sides.

2. Spoon salsa on chicken breasts and bake 20 minute until juices run clear.

Enjoy! :)

Chicken Flautas

What a simple yet so delicious dish this is. Everyone enjoys flautas, doesn't matter the age or background. Have a potluck and everyone can help shred the chicken and roll them up. There are plenty of options for dips but they don't really even need anything else, these can also be frozen* and reheated in just a few minutes for a quick snack.

Ingredients:

For chicken:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (can also use a store bought rotisserie chicken, I prefer my own seasoning)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon spice blend

kosher salt and black pepper to taste

For frying:

36 taco size yellow corn tortillas

peanut oil for frying (enough to fill a pot about 2 1/2 - 3 inches deep)

tooth picks

Directions: preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.

1. Place chicken breasts in the roasting pan and brush chicken generously with olive oil, coating both sides. 

2. Next season with salt, pepper, and spice blend. Bake for 30 minutes, until juices run clear. Loosely cover chicken breasts with aluminum foil to keep the meat juicy, let it rest for 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a 5qt dutch oven until a thermometer registers to 350 degrees F.

3. Once the chicken has rested shred it using two forks, one stuck in the meat to keep it in place and the other pulling away to tear into strips, do this to all the chicken.

4. To the hot oil add a corn tortilla let it cook for only 5-10 seconds and turn quickly for another 5 seconds, (this makes the tortilla pliable) transfer to paper towels to drain for about a minute. Then, sprinkle some chicken shreds in the center of the tortilla and roll the chicken up tightly inside the tortilla, use a toothpick to pierce and secure the flauta to ensure filling stays inside. Return the filled tortilla to the oil and turn to cook all sides, once the tortilla has a golden crunchy shell, remove from oil and transfer to paper towels to drain again. Repeat with the rest of the filling. 

 Serve with queso, bean dip, guacamole or alongside beans and rice.

BE CAREFUL IT WILL BE HOT, LET THEM COOL FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE EATING.

To reheat, bake in a 400 degrees F oven for about 7 minutes.

**Freezing instructions: after the flautas are cooked, place on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes, then transfer to a ziplock freezer bag. To reheat flautas place on a baking sheet and bake in a 450 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden and crispy**  

Enchilada Meatballs

These meatballs are seriously addicting! Full of enchilada flavor all in a meatball, both kids and adults love these and you can also make extra for freezing.**

 Makes 44 1 inch meatballs

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef or turkey

1/2 of one medium sized onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup of cheddar cheese, divided

3 cups enchilada sauce, set 2 cups to the side

1/2 teaspoon 8 spice blend

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Corn bread ingredients:

1 package of Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

2 teaspoons taco seasoning

Corn bread directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

1. Mix together all corn bread ingredients until well combined (there will be some little lumps.)

2. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Crumble and set aside.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.

2.Mix all meatball ingredients including crumbled corn bread, half of the cheese, and 1 cup of enchilada sauce, mash together using you're hands works best.

2. Shape meat into 44 1-inch sized meatballs and place 1/2 an inch apart on the foil lined sheet. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until the center of the meatballs is no longer pink.

3. Reheat the remaining 2 cups of enchilada sauce and top the meatballs with remaining cheese. 

Serve with toothpicks along side enchilada sauce.

** Freezing and reheating instructions**

Freeze meatballs on a baking sheet and after 1 hour place them into a freezer ziplock bag and they will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat them just put them in your crockpot with more enchilada sauce and put on low for 2-3 hours or on high for about 1 hour.

Before baking.

EASY Tuna Ceviche

Ceviche is typically made with raw seafood and is refrigerated in lime or lemon juice to "cook" the fish with the acidity, but my version of ceviche I use canned tuna and I adding celery to give it that extra crunch! Eat your ceviche with tortilla chips or plantain chips.

Ingredients:

2 cans of solid white tuna, drained and chopped

2 medium sized tomatoes, diced

1/2 of a medium sized onion, diced

1/2 a stalk of celery, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, finely chopped and seeded

1 garlic clove, minced

juice from 2 lemons

a small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. To a blender add in tomatoes, onion, and jalapeno, blend to desired consistency.**

2. Mix all ingredients together, cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. (This really brings out all of the flavors.)

Serve with tortilla chips or plantain chips

** If you want a chunky ceviche skip the blending step and mix all the ingredients together**

Flour Tortillas

Making you're own tortillas at home is not as complicated as you may think. Now when I say "very warm water" I mean as warm as your hands can handle safely without burning yourself. Using bacon grease will give your tortillas a better flavor then using just shortening or just lard etc. still tasty is a website that shows different foods shelf life. I use it for everything because I like to make extra food for leftovers and for last minute meals from the freezer.

Makes about 28 5in tortillas

Ingredients:

5 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon bacon grease

1 tablespoon lard or shortening

1 1/2 cups very warm water

Directions:

1. Stir flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in grease and lard once it is completely combined add in water a little at a time, mixing with your hands, once dough is combined knead on a floured surface until dough is elastic. Spray the same bowl with a nonstick spray and spray the top of the dough, place a clean towel on top and rest for 15 minutes.

2. Divide the dough into halves and then into 28 golf size balls, pat down and keep them on a floured surface with a damp towel to keep the dough from drying out while rolling out the dough. Roll the dough balls with a rolling pin to desired thickness and size, I like mine about 5 inches in diameter.

3. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat and cook tortillas until bubbles start to form, then flip the tortilla and cook, pressing down on the bubbles. They are done when brown spots are on both sides, wrap them in a clean towel to keep them warm.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer for longer shelf life.

Beef Enchiladas

Here's a great dish the whole family can definitely enjoy. Make sure to try out my recipes for Mashed Pinto Beans and Salsa Mexican Rice.

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef

1 tablespoon oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can chopped green chiles

1 can diced tomatoes and chilis (rotel)

Rebecca's 8 Spice Blend to taste

salt to taste
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
2 1/2 cups colby-jack cheese, grated
prepared Enchilada Sauce 
20 small corn tortillas

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

1. Heat oil to medium high in a large skillet and add in onions, cook for 1 minute then add in beef break it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon.

2. Once the beef is completely cooked lower heat to medium-low, add in garlic, green chiles, tomatoes and season with salt and spice blend until it reaches desired taste.

3. In a lasagna sized casserole dish ladle enough sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Lay down enough corn tortillas to cover the bottom, layer beef then corn, cheese, tortillas, and lastly sauce. Repeat and top with cheese.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cheese and sauce is bubbly.
 Serve hot with Mashed Pinto Beans and Salsa Mexican Rice.

Mashed Pinto beans

Need a side for your Mexican food nights? This is a great and super easy recipe for mashed pinto beans and it is so much better than the canned refried beans, no extra oil! Pair with Salsa Mexican Rice.

Ingredients:

3 cups dried pinto beans

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 small can of green chiles

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 large onion, peeled and halved

3 1/2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 chicken bouillon cubes

7 cups of water

Directions:

1. Toss everything into a large slow cooker stir to combine. Cover and turn on high for 7-9 hours. Check back every few hours to make sure there is enough water, add more if needed.

2. Pick out onions and strain beans, save the liquid return beans to slow cooker and mash them with a potato masher adding small additions of liquid until the beans are your desired consistency.

Serve hot with Salsa Mexican Rice

Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients:
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles (Rotel)
1 small can green chiles
1 small can of tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 15oz cans tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

salt to taste

Directions:

1. In a large sauce pan sautee onion in oil, once onion is translucent add in tomato paste, green chiles,tomatoes and chiles, then garlic and all other sauce ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Simmer for 30 minutes, add more or less chicken broth to desired consistency.

Use this sauce for any variety of enchiladas.

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
For meat:

5 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons Rebecca's 8 spice blend
2 1/2 cups shredded colby-jack cheddar cheese
20 small corn tortillas

For Sauce:
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles (Rotel)
1 small can green chiles
1 small can of tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 15oz cans tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

1. Season chicken breasts evenly on both sides with salt and spice.

2. Bake chicken breasts for 25-30 minutes, until juices run clear. Shred and set aside.

3. In a large sauce pan sautee onion in oil, once onion is translucent add in tomato paste, green chiles,tomatoes and chiles, then garlic and all other sauce ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Simmer for 30 minutes, add more or less chicken broth to desired consistency.

4. In a lasagna sized casserole dish ladle enough sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Lay down enough corn tortillas to cover the bottom, layer chicken then cheese, tortillas, then sauce. Repeat and top with cheese.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Pork Tamales

Tamales are addicting! Moist and full of flavor though these tamales are not spicy, if you want them to be hotter, go with a hotter chili pepper. I always make the meat and sauce the day before and then the next day I assemble and cook them.
 

This recipe makes a large stock pot full of tamales. I make mine bigger than most tamales.

Ingredients:

Sauce:
4 dried ancho chiles
8 dried new mexico chiles

5 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
salt to taste
1 1/2 cups chicken broth 

hot water for soaking chiles

Meat:
9lb bone-in pork shoulder roast
3 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoon cumin
1 cup salsa

Masa dough:
4 sticks of shortening or 20oz of lard
7 cups masa harina
3 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 package dried corn husks
5 cups hot meat broth and some extra as needed

Red Chile Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Remove stems and seeds from chiles, place on baking sheet and take them out when fragrant (it only takes a couple of minutes as soon as you smell them take them out immediately!)

2. lay chiles in a casserole dish and add enough hot water to cover chiles (you may have to put something on top to keep the chiles immersed.) let them steep for 30 minutes. Save the liquid.

3. In a blender or food processor puree chiles, garlic, cumin, and salt. Add enough chile water to the blender to make it about the consistency of apple sauce.

4. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a medium sized pot and add broth, let simmer for 20 minutes on low heat. 

Set aside for meat.

Meat Preparation:

1. Mix all dry ingredients and coat and massage into the pork, place into slow cooker fat side up and top with salsa, turn on low for 8-9hrs. 

2. Shred meat and coat with the chile sauce prepared earlier (make sure all the meat is completely mixed). REFRIGERATE MEAT OVER NIGHT IN A AIR TIGHT CONTAINER.

3. Strain broth from crock-pot and add enough water to make 5 cups save for masa dough.

Masa Dough Preparation:

1.  In a large bowl, combine shortening/lard, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, cumin powder with a hand mixer.

2. In a separate large bowl combine hot broth from the pork and masa harina.

3.  Add masa and broth mixture 1 cup at a time, beating after each cup.

4. Beat with mixer for 1 minute on medium-low speed. (The dough should be the consistency of a soft peanut butter, add more broth if its too thick to spread.)

Assembling Tamales:

1. Soak corn husks in a wide bowl and cover them with hot water, place a heavy pot on top to keep the husks immersed. Soak for about 30-45 minutes, until pliable.

2. Scoop about 1/4 cup of masa dough into the middle of the husk. (The husk should be curled upward on the edges.)Spread dough with a butter knife to make a rectangle, evenly distribute 2-4 tablespoons of meat tamale filling to the center of tamale dough

3. Lift the two long sides of the husk and gently bring them together tucking one end under the other, then fold the long skinny end against the tamal. Lay seam side down against the side of your steamer. (Lay the steamer pot on it's side to stack the tamales.) 

4. Pack tamales tightly into the steamer. Fill the bottom of the steamer with water, do not let it touch the bottoms of the tamales.

(continued below)

Scoop.

Spread.

Fold.

Gavin wanted to help :-)

Stack.

Stack.

Ready to cook!

Cooking Directions:

1. Place lid onto steamer heat to medium-high making a steady steam, check the water every so often if it boils away add more. When the masa pulls away from the husk the tamales are done. Remove them gently from the pot with tongs, be careful of the steam. Let them cool for 15 minutes on a flat surface, as they cool they will become firmer. 

**Depending on the size you make your tamales they can take anywhere from 2-5 hours to cook, mine usually take 3-4 hours.**

Freezing Instructions:

Let the tamales completely cool and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze in a ziplock freezer bag. They will keep for about 3 months in the freezer. To reheat them, unwrap the plastic wrap but keep the husk on, wrap the tamal in a damp paper towel and microwave for 2 minutes and 15 seconds per tamal.

Yes these take a lot of time and hard work but every minute put into it is worth the reward!!

Salsa Mexican Rice

Mexican rice is so flavorful and delicious it could be a meal all on its own but I usually pair it with beans or with any Mexican dish. This is a great chance to hide veggies from picky eaters.

Ingredients:

2 cups white rice

3 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons salsa

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder

Salt to taste

1 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup frozen peas and chopped carrots, thawed (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oil to medium high heat in a medium sauce pan, add rice and cook for 3 minutes.

2. Add onion and garlic cook until onion is tender then add the salsa, salt, and broth, and frozen veggies, bring to a boil.

3. Cover reduce heat to simmer cook for 20 minutes. Fluff with fork serve hot.