Tag: Mexican

Dinners

Recipe—Chile Verde Stuffed Poblano Chiles

Diva di Cucina

Trying to squeeze in another Mexican dish before Cinco de Mayo this Sunday. This recipe has got to be one of the best Mexican dishes I have ever made! Mind blowing good! The roasted poblanos have a mild roasted flavor that goes great with the green chile sauce and salty pork. Veggies stuffed with meat of any kind are great if you are watching your carbs or restricted to a gluten free diet. My only regret with making these was that there weren’t more! They were a little bit more work then most of my recipes but completely worth it. Take a break from the ordinary Mexican dish and try this extraordinary one.

Note: My recipe calls for Del Real brand chile verde but you can use any shredded meat. I have been using Del Real products for several years because it is so quick, convenient, and affordable. 

INGREDIENTS
4 poblano (pasilla)chiles
16 oz package of Del Real Chile Verde
1 1/2 c pepper jack cheese, shredded
sour cream
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp red onion, diced
1 tbsp jalapeño, diced

STEPS
Note: If you have never before roasted peppers see this previous post on how to roast peppers for some additional guidance.

  • Prepare the chile verde per package instructions.
  • While the pork is cooking place the poblano chiles on a baking sheet.
  • Broil in the oven and turn every 5–7 minutes until all sides begin to blacken.
  • Remove from the oven and transfer the roasted peppers to a large bowl.
  • Cover the bowl with saran wrap and set aside for 10 minutes.
  • Set the oven to 350º.
  • While the peppers are sitting use a slotted spoon to remove the pork from the green chile sauce and transfer the meat to a cutting board.
  • Use a fork to shred the pork and place it back in the sauce and let it sit.
  • Gently peel the skin off the peppers.
  • Using a sharp knife make a slice down one side and carefully remove the majority of the seeds.
  • Holding the pepper in your hand place a handful of the pork inside the pepper and top off with a handful of the shredded cheese and fold the pepper around the filling.
  • Place the stuffed pepper in a large baking dish open side up and secure with a toothpick or two to help hold it closed.
  • Continue stuffing the remaining peppers.
  • Drizzle the peppers with half of the green chile sauce that the meat was in.
  • Bake the stuffed peppers in the oven for 15–20 minutes or until all the cheese is melted.
  • Place the peppers on a plate and garnish with the sour cream, cilantro, onion, and jalapeño.
Uncategorized

Cinco de Mayo Menu Ideas

Diva di Cucina

CincoDeMayo

Time to bust out your sombrero, and crank up the mariachi music, Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner! If you are looking to throw a fiesta, or even just cook a festive dinner for the fam, I have some awesome Cinco de Mayo menu ideas for you.  I hope you take the day to kick back, relax, enjoy a margarita (or three), and celebrate this Mexican holiday. ¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Refreshing Adult Beverages

Blended Mango Margarita

Grapefruit Margarita on the Rocks

Let’s Get this Fiesta Started!

Shrimp Taco Cups With Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce

Mango Salsa

Queso Fundido

Chubby Chicken Taquitos

Main Courses

Shrimp Tacos

Cheesy Mexican Chicken

Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Burger With Guacamole

Crock-Pot Shredded Beef Tacos

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Sweet Potato Burritos

Shrimp Enchiladas with Jalapeño Cream Sauce

Tasty Extras

Mexican Red Rice (Arroz Rojo)

Crock-Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Mexican Corn on the Cob

Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Bread Muffins

Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Bread Muffins

For the Sweet Tooth

Piña Colada Pie With Drunken Rum Sauce

Side Dishes

Recipe—Mexican Grilled Corn on the Cob

Diva di Cucina

When planning out dinner menus I find it challenging to come up with Mexican side dishes beyond the typical beans and rice. And besides, when I am watching my carbs beans and rice just don’t work for me. I stumbled upon a recipe for Mexican grilled corn on Pinterest a few months back and have been meaning to try it. Boy am I happy I did! It was delicious! And by delicious I mean, the best corn on the cob I have ever eaten. While I normally just cover my ear of corn with butter and salt this was a welcomed change. The sour cream gave the corn a nice creaminess and the flavors of the smoky chili powder and zest of lime really fired up my taste buds. Sour cream has less than a third of the calories that butter does, so this corn not only tasted awesome, but it is also way healthy! Low calorie, low carb, and tastes amazing! Win, win, and win!

Note: If you want to try this recipe but don’t feel like firing up the grill, you can boil the corn. To boil corn, place the shucked corncobs in a large pot of boiling water and cover it. Cook for 4–6 minutes. Remove the corn from the water with tongs and continue seasoning by following the last 3 steps.

INGREDIENTS
4 ears of corn
1/2 c sour cream
chili powder
salt
pepper
4 lime wedges

STEPS

  • Cut of both ends of the corn so that the cob is exposed on one end and most of the stalk cut gone from the other, leaving the husk on.
  • Fill your sink or a large pot with water.
  • Soak the corn in the water for 15 minutes. (This allows some water to get inside so that the corn steams while on the hot grill, and also makes the husks wet so that they don’t catch fire.)
  • While the corn is soaking, preheat the grille to 350º.
  • Remove the corn from the water and shake off most of the moisture.
  • Cook the corn over direct heat for 15–20 minutes, making sure to turn every 5 minutes.
  • Remove the corn from the grille.
  • Carefully shuck the corn, remove all of the husks and corn silk. (I use an oven mitt to grasp one end to keep from burning my hands.)
  • Using your fingers or a butter knife spread a thin layer of sour cream all over the entire cob.
  • Sprinkle the corncob with the chili powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Spritz with fresh squeezed limejuice.
  • Devour!

Recipe adapted from Ezra Pound Cake.

Beverages

Recipe—Blended Mango Margaritas

Diva di Cucina

It may technically be spring, but this diva is ready for summer (and Cinco de Mayo)! With the warmer months quickly approaching, there is no better way to beat the heat than with a homemade margarita. Until recently, I was a margarita purist. I rarely deviated from the traditional lime margarita, on the rocks, no salt. This week I had a couple of overly ripe mangoes that we never got around to eating. I decided to be adventurous and make my first ever mango margaritas. Oh. My. God. I am officially hooked on mango margaritas! These were the BEST margaritas I have ever had in my life! They were the perfect treat after we got home from a hot hike in the sun. My husband is a beer guy and he happily drank two of these fabulous concoctions. They were the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, intoxicating and perfectly drinkable. The texture from the mangoes makes these super smooth and almost creamy. So go dust off your blender, and give these fabulous mango margaritas a try! Add some island music, giant sunglasses, perhaps a cabana boy, and a batch of these margaritas and you are ready to ring in summer!

Note: Makes four margaritas.

INGREDIENTS
2 c fresh mangoes, chopped (Frozen mangoes may be substituted. See note below.)
1/2 c lime juice
1 c silver tequila
1/2 c orange liquor (I prefer Grand Marnier or Cointreau)
2 tsp sugar
2 c ice

Note: You can substitute frozen mangoes for fresh. However, if you decide to do so, be sure to start with one cup of ice and add more as needed while blending.

GARNISH
4 lime slices (for garnish)
2 tbsp sugar (to put on the rim of the glass)

STEPS

  • In a large blender combine the mango, lime juice, tequila, triple sec, sugar, and ice.
  • Blend until smooth. Add additional ice if needed to reach desired consistency.
  • Use one of the limes to wet the edge of the glasses.
  • Place the 2 tablespoons of sugar on a small plate and dip the rim of the glass into the sugar to coat all the way around.
  • Pour the margaritas into the glasses and store any extra in the freezer until ready to drink.

Looking for more creative margarita recipes? Maybe you will love these!

Grapefruit Margaritas on the Rocks

Dinners, Sandwiches

Recipe—Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Burger with Guacamole

Diva di Cucina

This chicken burger is the love child of Mexican and American cuisine. It is delicious. Or should I say was delicious, because my husband and I each devoured ours. The entire thing. This had to be the most flavor packed chicken burger I have ever had. Usually when I think of turkey or chicken burgers I think of dry flavorless patties. Not the case with these bad boys! These jalapeño cheddar chicken burgers were incredibly moist and definitely not short on flavor. If you are looking for a way to spruce up the average burger, or even to cut some calories give these burgers a try. They are definitely unique and unlike any chicken burger you have probably ever had before, the perfect burger to enjoy with a refreshing Corona on a warm summer day. Ahhhhhh yeaaahhhhh. That’s what I’m talking about.

Note: These can definitely be cooked on the barbeque. I used my skillet because ground chicken tends to stick easily due to the low fat content.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 c yellow onion, finely chopped
1/4 c fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp jalapeño, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 c shredded cheddar
kosher salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2–4 buns

FABULOUS TOPPINGS
guacamole
slices of cheddar cheese
lettuce
sliced tomatoes
sliced red onion

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 350º.
  • Combine ground chicken, onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, paprika, cheddar, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
  • Using your hands mix everything together.
  • Form the mixture into 2–4 patties depending on the size you want.
  • In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add the patties and cook for 5–7 minutes per side or until cooked through.
  • While the patties are cooking toast the buns in the oven or 4–5 minutes.
  • Place each patty on a bun and garnish with whatever your heart desires. (I would use all the garnishes I recommended if I were you.)
Dinners

Recipe—Cheesy Mexican Chicken

Diva di Cucina

Saucy and cheesy, I love almost any dish with those qualities. This recipe has both of those and is also delicious and low-carb. And best of all there are only 5 ingredients! Win, win, win! A working mom’s dream come true! My saucy chicken is great all on it’s own, served over rice, with some warmed tortillas, or even as burrito filler. I love how quick and easy it is to put together, perfect for a week night. While I love red sauce my husband is a big fan of green. Next time I may try this with green enchilada sauce and pepper jack cheese just for something different.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pack taco seasoning or a batch of my homemade taco seasoning
10 oz can red enchilada sauce, mild (I love Las Palmas!)
1 c cheddar cheese, shredded
3 green onions, chopped

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 350º.
  • Cut the chicken into cubes and sprinkle with the taco seasoning.
  • Sauté the chicken in a skillet over medium high heat stirring occasionally until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
  • Place the cooked chicken pieces in a greased 8” x 8” baking dish.
  • Drizzle the enchilada sauce over the top of the chicken and toss to coat.
  • Sprinkle the cheese over the chicken.
  • Bake for 15–20 minutes or until it is bubbling.
  • Remove from oven and sprinkle with the green onions.
Dinners, Sauces

Recipe—Taco Seasoning

Diva di Cucina

We have all probably bought an envelope of premade taco seasoning at the store one time or another. I used to get it almost weekly being that tacos are a regular dinner item in our house. One night I was out of the conveniently prepackaged mix and went into panic mode. Then I realized I probably already have all those same ingredients in my pantry. It took some finagling but this recipe is what I came up with. It turned out great! It probably has less sodium and fewer preservatives than what I was buying at the store. Best of all, it is cheaper to make your own. And who doesn’t like saving money these days?

Note:  This seasoning is great for chicken or beef. This proportion is for 1 lb worth of meat. Feel free to make a quadruple batch or more so that you have it ready to go in the future. If you make a large batch, use 3 heaping tablespoons of the premade seasoning per one pound of meat.

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp dried minced onion
2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or 1 tsp table salt)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, add if you like it on the spicy side)

STEPS

  • Put all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to mix.
  • Cook one pound of meat in a large skillet until almost completely cooked.
  • Add in 1/4 cup of water and the mixed seasoning.
  • Continue to cook until meat is done and the liquid is cooked off.
Appetizers

Recipe—Chubby Chicken Taquitos

Diva di Cucina

This is one of the snacks I whipped up for my Super Bowl get together a couple weeks back and they turned out AMAZING! I find many of the store bought taquitos are too much tortilla, not enough meat. That is not the case with these, hence the name chubby chicken taquitos. These things are stuffed with all sorts of delicious flavors. In fact they were so filling I think they would even make an awesome meal. These aren’t spicy in the least so they are great for the whole family. Keep these in mind for a fun dinner or even your next fiesta!

Note: The recipe is written for baked taquitos but I fried half and baked half just to compare. They were equally good but the fried ones had a nice light crisp to them that was wonderful. Feel free to use your preferred cooking method.

INGREDIENTS
3 chicken breasts
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 c green salsa
juice from 1/2 a lime
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tbsp sliced green onions
1 1/2 c jack cheese
10–12 soft taco sized flour tortillas
cooking spray
kosher salt

DIPPING SAUCES
salsa
sour Cream
guacamole

STEPS

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add chicken breasts.
  • Boil chicken breast for 20–25 minutes.
  • While the chicken is boiling, combine the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic in a large mixing bowl.
  • Stir in the cilantro, green onions, and cheese.
  • Set the filling mixture aside.
  • Remove chicken from pot and place on a large cutting board to cool.
  • Using a large fork shred the chicken breasts to pieces.
  • Preheat oven to 400º.
  • Heat 3–4 tortillas for 30 seconds in the microwave (This makes them soft and easier to work with.)
  • Spoon some of the chicken filling down the center of the tortilla and roll tightly.
  • Place the finished taquitos seam side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet making sure they don’t touch.
  • Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling until gone.
  • Spray the tops of the taquitos with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.
  • Bake for 15–20 minutes or until crisp and golden.
  • Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Dinners, Soups

Recipe—Creamy White Chicken Chili

Diva di Cucina

Chili is one of my favorite comfort foods and I love that this is a fun twist on the classic bean based dish, and the fact that it is super easy is a huge plus too. I took several different recipes I found online and mixed them all together and came up with this one for creamy white chicken chili. I think it turned out pretty darn fabulous! I used green chilies keeping it really mild so that everyone in the family would eat it but you can substitute jalapeños to give it a good kick. The mild heat is really balanced out nicely with the creaminess of the cheese and the sweetness of the corn. I served it up with some cut up tortillas on the side but a quesadilla would be great too. If you have any chili cook offs coming up give this recipe a shot. You may just get some extra points for thinking outside the box.

Note: To simplify this recipe and shave off some time, pick up a rotisserie chicken at the store and skip the first four steps. You can chop it up while the veggies are cooking.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2-4 oz cans diced green chilies (use jalapeños if you like it hot)
15.5 oz can cannellini beans
1 1/2 c chicken broth
8.5 oz can corn
8 oz cream cheese, cut into a few pieces
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped

STEPS

  • Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and season with salt and pepper.
  • Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pot or saucepan.
  • Add the chicken and cook through stirring occasionally.
  • Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil.
  • Heat the oil in the same pot and add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, and oregano.
  • Season the veggies with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes stirring ever minute or so.
  • Add the green chilies and cook for another 3 minutes.
  • Add the can of beans and all the juices, the broth, corn, and cooked chicken.
  • Simmer for 25 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and add in the cream cheese.
  • Stir the chili until the cream cheese is completely melted and smooth.
  • Allow the chili to simmer on low for 5 minutes.
  • Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the cilantro.
  • Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Beverages

Recipe—Grapefruit Margarita on the Rocks

Diva di Cucina

Happy Friday folks! What better day to share a margarita recipe than on a Friday. Now that my organic produce deliveries are shifting more towards winter crops I have been seeing lots of great citrus. While I certainly love to eat my fruit, it is fun coming up with fabulous drinkable concoctions too. Last weekend I used fresh squeezed orange juice to make mimosas. They were superb! This week I had some extra grapefruit and limes on hand so I came up with this grapefruit margarita recipe. It was the perfect refreshing beverage after my long day at work. If you like the tartness of fresh grapefruit give this a try. I loved that this margarita was nothing like the syrupy, too sweet, premade margarita mixes you get at the store. These ones are actually good for you! Grapefruits are low in calories and are a great source of inositol, which helps the body to maintain a healthy metabolism. They are also a member of the vitamin B complex and are an excellent source of vitamin C, which everyone needs more of during the cold and flu season. So next time you are craving a refreshing adult beverage give these a try. Cheers!

Note: If you don’t have fresh grapefruit on hand you can substitute the hand squeezed grapefruit juice for some store bought. Just be sure to leave out the added sugar.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 c fresh squeezed grapefruit juice (I used 3 medium Ruby Red grapefruits)
juice from half a lime
5 oz silver tequila
1 oz triple sec
1 tsp sugar (optional)
margarita salt
grapefruit slice or lime wedge for garnish

STEPS

  • Pour your margarita salt onto a small plate.
  • Moisten the rim of a margarita glass with a lime wedge and dip the glass into the salt until it coats the rim.
  • Fill the glass with ice.
  • In a large cocktail shaker combine the grapefruit juice, juice from lime, tequila, triple sec, and sugar.
  • Fill up the rest of the shaker with ice.
  • Holding the lid firmly in place, shake the margarita until the outside of the shaker has condensation.
  • Strain the margarita into the glass and garnish with a slice of grapefruit or a lime.