Recipe Exchange Chain with Sugar Blog

In response to an idea posted on the blog Sugar to begin a recipe exchange, here are a few of my favorite Mexican recipes.

If you have a blog and want to participate in this recipe chain, post a comment telling us where you've posted the recipes so we can keep this chain moving!

Creamy Seafood Enchiladas

1 pound imitation or real crab meat, chopped or shredded
1 pound cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
8 10" soft flour tortillas (soften wrapped in foil in the oven if necessary)
1 small onion, thinly sliced or diced
2 tbsp butter or margarine
2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup light cream or milk
4 ounces cream cheese, cut up
8 flour tortillas

Combine crab, chopped shrimp and 1 cup of the cheese in large bowl. In a saucepan, melt butter and add onion. Cook onion until softened but not browned. Stir in 1 can of the undiluted soup.

Add some of the light cream (about half of it, maybe a bit more). Stir to mix well. Add cream cheese. Simmer on very low heat, stirring to melt cheese. Stir cream cheese sauce into the bowl of seafood. Divide seafood mixture equally among the tortillas.

Roll the tortillas and place, seam-side down, large, deep skillet. Stir together the remaining can of soup and the rest of the cream; heat in a saucepan, stirring to break up soup and blend in cream.

When mixture is hot, cover enchiladas with the sauce. Top with remaining cheese; cover pan and simmer on very low for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese starts to melt and sauce is bubbly.

Remove lid and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Makes 8 Enchiladas


Easy Chicken Mole

Makes 4 to 6 servings

4 cups water
2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
1 small white onion, chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 a green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons chilli powder
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt

In a large saucepan, place the water, chicken, onion,celery, bell pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to aboil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20to 25 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Remove chicken from the broth and let it cool. Reserve the broth and vegetables. Skin, bone and shred the chicken. Set chicken aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Mix the flour into the oil to form a paste. Stir constantly until it turns a light brown color. Add the chilli powder, peanut butter, garlic, cumin and salt.

Mix in the reserved broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cooked chicken and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve in a large bowls.

Enjoy!

Linda
More Mexican Recipes

Cornbread - The Perfect Side Dish for a BBQ Meal

Cornbread is one of my absolute favorite dishes to serve with a big rack of bbq ribs or juicy grilled chicken.

I used to buy those packages of cornbread mix and I thought they were good. But, then when I was looking for really "great" Mexican recipes for the Cook Mexican video, I came across a cornbread recipe so good that it makes every other cornbread I've ever tried seem tasteless by comparison.

Since the long weekend in May is a time when bbq's come out in earnest and the summer season begins (at least here in Canada) I wanted to share this cornbread recipe with you. It makes a lot so be sure to invite friends over to share or be prepared to freeze some - it freezes great.

I know you're going to love it as much as we do!

Long Weekend Cornbread

1 cup butter or margarine melted (you can reduce this to 1/2 cup if you wish)
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 15 ounce can cream style corn
4 oz. can of chopped green chili peppers
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow corn meal
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.

In a large bowl beat together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Blend in cream style corn, chilies, and both cheeses.

In separate bowl mix together flour, corn meal, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to corn mixture and stir until mixed. Pour into prepared pan and bake 1 hour.

Serving this corn bread warm is heavenly. Allow it to cool at least 15 to 20 minutes before cutting into squares and removing from the pan.

Have a great weekend!

Linda
More Mexican Cooking Recipes at Cook Mexican Food

Take Along Chicken Empanadas

Since I've just agreed to take on a short term special project from my old employer, the next few weeks are going to be pretty busy. I'll start working on that project next week, so I still have this weekend free. I'm going to make up a batch of Chicken Empanadas for quick snacks and lunches.

These tasty pies are delicious little pastries of pure pleasure. They are amazing when you serve them hot from the oven with a little sour cream for dipping. Save any leftover empanadas (or make extra) for tasty bagged lunches. Kids love them and adults too!

Chicken Empanadas

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs*, cut into small bitesize pieces
2 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup chopped green onion, tops included
2 teaspoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tomatoes, peeled, chopped
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1 potato, cooked, peeled, chopped
Prepared pie crust dough (enough for about 4 pie crusts)
1 egg, beaten

Roll pie crust dough and make into 4" round shapes. You will need about 15 of these. Set them aside and cover with a very slightly damp cloth or plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.
Rub the chicken with ginger and garlic. In large nonstick frypan, place oil and heat to medium temperature.

Add chicken, onion and cilantro. Cook until chicken starts to brown then stir and allow to brown the other side of the chicken.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and olives. Simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the potato and raisins. Remove from heat and set aside for a few minutes to cool slightly.
Working with one pie crust round at a time, brush a tiny bit of water around the edge of the pastry with a pastry brush - just enough to moisten the edges (this will help them to stay sealed).

Place 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture onto one half of a pie crust round and turn over to make a half moon shape. Seal the edge by crimping with fork.

Brush tops with beaten egg and place on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake in 375 degree oven about 20 minutes until brown.

Makes 15 small empanades.

*Note: You can use chicken breasts for this recipe but the white meat just does not have the full flavor or texture of thighs)

Visit Cook Mexican Food Recipes Website for tons more Mexican recipes.

Enjoy!!!

Linda

Substitute for Bitter Oranges and Seville Oranges in Mexican Cooking

What to do when you find a recipe that you want to try but you can't find the ingredients? Like the Seville Oranges called for in this recipe. They are often difficult to find outside Mexico.

Seville Oranges, also called Bitter Oranges, add a tangy citrus flavour that a regular orange just won't duplicate. By combining various citrus fruits, in the right proportions, you can come pretty close to the flavour of a tart Seville Orange.

This combination makes an excellent substitute for Seville Orange Juice. You get a little sweetness from the orange, a bit of tartness from the lemon and lime, and a little bitterness from the grapefruit.

Juice of 1 Orange
Juice of 1 Grapefruit
Juice of 1 Lemon
Juice of 1 Lime

Seville Pork Chops

6 thin lean pork chops
1/2 cup onion chopped
1/2 cup Seville orange juice
1 envelope or tsp. instant chicken broth
1 tsp. leaf marjoram, crumbled
1/4 tsp. lemon pepper
Salt to taste

Trim fat from chops. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and brown chops on each side.

Remove chops from skillet and set aside. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon pan drippings.

Saute onion until soft in same skillet; add Seville orange juice, instant chicken broth, marjoram, lemon pepper and salt to taste. Stir the sauce until smooth. Return chops to skillet and cover with a lid or aluminum foil.

Simmer for 30 minutes or until chops are tender.

Enjoy!

More Mexican Recipes at Cook Mexican Food Website

Mexican Cinnamon Crunch Desserts

One of the things I love about Mexican food is the crispy textures. I love tortilla chips; fried tortillas on top of tortilla soup; crispy tacos and the crunchy edges of a quesadilla.

I also love fresh fruit and whipped cream. So what could be better than a dessert recipe that combines that great crunch with fresh sweet fruit and cream? I'm thinking - not much!

I recently came across this recipe that combines crunch with sweet fruit - and here it is:

Mexican Cinnamon Crunch Desserts

2 Large Flour Tortillas
1 Tablespoon Water
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Sugar1 tsp. Cinnamon ground
2 cups Whipped Cream
1 cup fresh strawberries
3 fresh or canned Apricots sliced
1 Kiwi peeled, quartered and sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine water and vanilla. Combine sugar and cinnamon.

Cut each tortilla into 8 triangles. Lightly coat both sides of tortilla with cooking spray. Lightly brush each side with water mixture and sprinkle each side with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Place on a wire rack and set rack onto a sheet pan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Just before serving, top each with a dollop of whipped cream and arrange the strawberries, apricots and kiwi.

Enjoy!

More Mexican Food Recipes.