Lentil Tacos

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 cup dried lentils, rinsed

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2-1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup salsa

12 taco shells

1-1/2 cups shredded lettuce

1 cup chopped fresh tomato

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

6 tablespoons fat-free sour cream

Directions

• In a large nonstick skillet, saute the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the lentils, chili powder, cumin and oregano; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
• Uncover; cook for 6-8 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Mash lentils slightly. Stir in salsa.
• Spoon about 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with lettuce, tomato, cheese and sour cream. Yield: 6 servings.

Homemade Refried Beans

1 tsp olive oil

2 tbsp sweet yellow onion, diced finely

1/4 jalapeno, diced finely (I left this out)

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 cans of pinto beans

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste,

Pinch of dried cumin

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the diced onion and jalapeno. Sauté until tender and golden, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir constantly for 60 seconds. Add one can of beans with liquid and mash with a potato masher or fork until thoroughly mushed. Drain the second can of beans and add to the mushed beans. Mix and mush to your desired consistency. Add salt, pepper and cumin.  Cook on low for 5 minutes. Serve topped with cheese. Enjoy.

Secret Enchiladas

INGREDIENTS:

Nonstick cooking spray
1 Tbl olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed (about 3/4 lb)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup carrot puree OR sweet potato puree
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1 cup shredded, reduced fat (2%) cheddar cheese or part-skim mozarella, divided
6-10 whole wheat flour tortillas
1/2 cup spinach puree (I used fresh spinach...it wilts down in the oven anyway)
1/2 cup mild tomato salsa

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350
Coat 9 by 13 inch pan in nonstick cooking spray
Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
Sprinkle the chicken pieces with garlic powder and pepper
Cook the chicken in the pan 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle
Take the pan off the heat and mix in the carrot OR sweet potato puree, sour cream, and HALF the cheese in the skillet
Fill each tortilla with the chicken mixture and roll up
Place seam side down in baking dish
Dot the tops of each enchilada with the spinach puree (or sprinkle the middle with fresh spinach like I did)
Spoon the salsa over the spinach and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese
Cover with foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the cheese melts and the filling is hot.

***
My friend Natalie gave me this recipe.  To make the carrot puree, steam some carrots until soft, then puree in a blender with some of the steaming water.  These tasted really good!  No need for enchilada sauce, which was great because Cam doesn't like it.  My kids gobbled them up!  The "secret" carrots were never detected!  I want to try the sweet potato next.

Creamy Taco Mac

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
4 TB taco seasoning
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
10 oz dry rotini pasta
Cheddar cheese

Cook pasta according to directions.  Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water before draining.  Set aside.

Cook beef and onion.  When browned, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add tomatoes and taco seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add reserved pasta water, cream cheese, sour cream and cooked pasta.  Simmer until well combined.  Serve with cheddar on top and season with salt and pepper.

***
This tasted so good!  It was better than I thought it would be.  We also added some corn in ours.  Yum!

Enchiladas

2 T oil
2 T flour
1 tsp red chili powder
dash oregano
dash garlic powder

Blend above ingredients well, stir in 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce and 2 cans of water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

Brown 1 lb ground beef with an onion. Add 1 can refried beans and salsa (about 1/2 cup, enough to make it saucy!).

Soften corn tortillas with damp paper towels in microwave. Can put Crisco in between.

Put meat/bean sauce in tortilla, top with shredded cheese, roll it up and put it in a 9x13 pan.

Pour enchilada sauce on top and top with cheese.

Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  If desired, uncover for last 5-minutes for a crispy top. 

Can make ahead of time and put in fridge, and bake for 45 minutes.
***

This is the enchilada recipe our mom made for us when we were growing up. The amounts were never an exact science--this is how she passed it on to me. Enjoy!!

Chimichanga's

2 cups chicken, cooked & shredded (I just cooked some frozen chicken breasts in my crockpot all day with a little bit of water and seasoning)
2/3 cup salsa
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
Shredded Cheddar
Tortillas

Combine chicken, salsa & spices.  Spoon onto tortillas, sprinkle with cheese, and roll up like a burrito, tucking both ends in.  Spread butter on both sides of wrap and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.  Makes 6.

***
My family loved these!  VERY simple, and you could change it up by adding corn, black beans, dipping in sour cream, whatever you have! 

Tortillas

I made the black bean soft tacos last night and used homemade tortillas. Yum!

1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c white flour
1 tsp salt
1/3 c olive oil
1 c warm water

Knead until smooth. Divide dough into 12 balls and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 30 minutes. Roll out dough. Fry tortillas on a dry pan.

I also made guacamole which I thought really added to the black bean mixture. I used 1 avocado, 1/2 T lime juice, minced onion, garlic and 2 heaping T of sour cream.

Black Bean Soft Tacos

1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 (6 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1 large ripe avocado, peeled and sliced


Directions

In a nonstick skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Spoon about 1/2 cup off center on each tortilla; sprinkle with cheese. Fold one side of tortilla over filling. Garnish with avocado.

Wow, these are excellent!  We used sour cream too, and I warmed the tortillas.  My kids both loved them!

Beef Taquitos

3 C cooked, shredded beef roast*
4oz green chilies, undrained
1/4-1/2 t minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce**
3 t adobo sauce from the canned chipotle peppers**
1 t garlic powder
1 t coriander
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
zest from one lime
1 T fresh lime juice
1 package Queso Fresco (about 12 oz)
20 white corn tortillas
olive oil or cooking spray
kosher salt

*I created this recipe to use up left over roast from things like pot roast and french dip sandwiches. If you're cooking a roast strictly for use in these taquitos, then just mildly season it with things like salt, pepper, onion, and garlic before cooking.

**If you don't want to work with the chipotle peppers, or can't find them, try adding some Chipotle Chili Powder. You can find it by the other spices in the grocery store. It will still give you a smoky spice, so start with a little and increase to taste.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Slice any larger pieces of roast across the grain so the beef is shredded into 1/2-1 inch pieces. Combine chilies, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, garlic, coriander, cumin, chili powder and lime zest and juice in a bowl. After stirring to combine, gently toss together with shredded beef.

Wrap a pile of about 10 tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute to soften. (after those are used, do the next 10)

Working with one tortilla at a time, crumble about 1T queso fresco in a line across the center of the tortilla. Top with 1-2 T shredded beef mixture. Tightly roll and place seam-side down on a lightly sprayed baking sheet. Continue to roll until all of the tortillas are filled.

Use cooking spray, olive oil spray, or lightly brush olive oil on the top of each taquito. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 20-25minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

Serve warm with sour cream and guacamole. Makes about 20 taquitos.

***

These were yummy and a perfect way to use left over pot roast. I chickened out using the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. So I'm not sure what the difference would have been. For directions on how to work with chipotle peppers go here.

Enchilada Meatballs

2 cups crumbled cornbread
1 can enchilada sauce, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 lb ground beef
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
Cheese

Combine cornbread with 1/2 cup enchilada sauce and salt.  Combine.  Mix in meat.  Form 1-inch balls and place on a 15x10x1 greased baking sheet.  (I used a small ice cream scoop, worked perfectly!).  Bake at 350 for 24 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through, not pink inside.  Combine tomato sauce with remaining enchilada sauce and heat through.  When meatballs are done, place them in a serving bowl and cover with heated sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

***
Wow, these are GOOD!!  Both my kids ate these like crazy!  We ate ours plain, but they would be good served over white rice.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro (I did not use cilantro)
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas (or flour)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

This is again from Our Best Bites. I thought they were yummy. I used the leftover chicken from the Lime Chicken Soft Tacos.

Huevo Rancheros

2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (19 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
8 (7 inch) corn tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 eggs
Salsa

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Place 1 teaspoon canola oil in a skillet, and heat over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook 1 minute until light brown. Mix in the black beans, chicken broth, and chiles; simmer until beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat, and keep warm.

Place four tortillas on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the tortillas. Top with the remaining four tortillas. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Bake tortillas in preheated oven until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

Place the remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil in a skillet, and heat over medium heat. Crack eggs into skillet, and cook to desired firmness.

To assemble huevos rancheros, place filled tortillas on four serving plates. Top each tortilla with black bean mixture, a layer of salsa, and an egg. Serve immediately.
 
***
I make these slightly different....just the lazy version!  I don't use the chiles or the chicken broth.  And I just scramble the eggs.  I also throw the tortillas in the microwave instead of using the oven.  We love these...and the leftovers make great breakfast burritos!

Rice & Bean Tostadas

1-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking brown rice
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 15-ounce can chili beans with chili gravy
1 8-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
8 purchased tostada shells
3 cups shredded lettuce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large saucepan, bring water to boiling. Stir in rice and onion. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir undrained chili beans and the corn into rice mixture. Heat through.

Meanwhile, place tostada shells on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until heated through.

To assemble, place 2 tostada shells on each dinner plate. Top tostadas with shredded lettuce and the rice-bean mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and top with tomatoes. Makes 4 servings.

***
Other than the fact that they were sort of messy to eat, these were really good!  It was really fast and easy to make too.  And I love the healthy ingredients.  Definitely going to one of our summer meals because after a long day of playing outside, it's easy to throw these together.

Mexican Haystacks

Into the crockpot goes:

4 chicken breasts (I always use frozen)
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 c corn (I used frozen sweet corn)
1 small can diced green chilis (optional)
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 warm water

Cook on low all day.  Shred chicken.  Serve over long-grain white rice and top with shredded cheddar.
***
This is a great recipe because I almost always have the ingredients on hand.  Freezes well too.