Fish Tacos

We have been on a Mexican food kick lately.  Not sure why.  Cilantro, lime, REALLY good tortillas....yummmmmmm.  I made up some fish tacos tonight, and OH.MY.LANTA they were good.  It's probably a good thing that I didn't make too much because I honestly think we might have hurt ourselves.  It might seem like I am using a lot of chipolte peppers, but trust me, it makes the tacos so flavorful.  It's really not that spicy.  This recipe will feed 4 people.

Fish Tacos

Ingredients:

Fish:
1 lb. tilapia
3 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt

Sauce:
6 oz. greek style plain yogurt
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
3 Tbs. pureed chipolte peppers in adobo sauce
1 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Fillings:
Fajita style tortillas
Monterey Jack cheese
Avacado
Shredded Cabbage
Chopped Fresh Cilantro
Lime Wedges

Directions:
1. Combine ingredients for sauce in a bowl and stir well until combined.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
2. Combine fish, oil, lemon juice, and salt in a ziploc bag and allow to marinade for 20-30 minutes, turning frequently.
3. Grill fish for 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through.  Set aside.  Grill tortillas for a few seconds to heat through. 
4. Flake the fish with a fork.  Place on a tortilla and add the sauce and choice of toppings.

Pureed Black Beans

We love tacos at our house.  But sometimes I get sick of refried beans.  In fact, whenever we eat out "Mexican," I get black beans instead of refried.  Speaking of great Mexican food, can I just say that Viva Zapatas here in Vegas is some of the best Mexican food I've ever laid my mouth on?  Just saying...  Anyway, so I occasionally make mashed black beans to go with our tacos.  It's very simple, although I'm sure you could make it more complicated if you wanted to cook the beans yourself in the crock pot.

Pureed Black Beans

Ingredients:
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder

Directions:
1. Pour beans into a food processor and process slightly until beans are just broken up.  Add  lime juice, garlic and onion powders and process for just a few seconds to mix. (You can puree to your desired consistency, more or less)
2. Pour mixture into microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I tried this recipe for the first time today. Our church block runs from 1-4, so I'm always looking for meals I can prepare in the crock pot so that I don't have to cook when I get home. Why is it that no matter what time church is or how much you eat before you go, you're always STARVING when you get home? Gets me every time. Anyway, this was great, and very simple. I prepared the chicken last night and just put it in the fridge for this morning. Jocey was able to help me add all the other ingredients, and had so much fun making her first soup. When you taste this right out of the crock pot, it may seem a little spicy, but the sour cream and cheese are added it really cools it down. SO YUMMY!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can chopped green chilies
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup water
2 cans chicken broth
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 package frozen corn
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
For Garnish:
Tortilla Strips
Grated Cheese
Sour Cream

Directions:
1. In crock pot, combine shredded chicken, whole tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chilies and garlic. Add water, chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro.
2. Cover and cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH 3 to 4 hours.
3. Remove and discard bay leaf.
4. Sprinkle tortilla strips, cheese, and sour cream over soup. Serve immediately.

Southwest Egg Rolls

This is one of our favorite dishes at Chile's. I've done my own version, using egg roll wrapers rather than tortillas. This recipe makes a ton (a whole package of wrappers to be exact), so I portion them off into five groups of 4 egg rolls and freeze them for later (just make sure you defrost them before you fry them up). When you make these, also make sure you have plenty of time for preparation as it can take a while to chop up the vegetables (or if you have a food processor, I highly recommend using it!).

Southwest Egg Rolls

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 bunch green onions, diced
1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 package (10 oz.) frozen spinach
1 can (4.5 oz.) green chilies
2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 dash cayenne pepper
3 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 package (20 count) egg roll wrappers

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler or grill to high heat. Rub chicken breasts with vegetable oil, then cook, salting each side, until done. Put chicken aside and allow to cool. Dice chicken into small cubes or shred.
2. Preheat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add red pepper and onion. Sauté until tender. Add the chicken and cook until warm.
3. Add the corn, black beans, spinach, green chilies, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes or until warmed through. Stir well so that the spinach separates and is incorporated into the mixture. Remove pan from heat and add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.
4. Put a large spoonful of mixture into the center of each egg roll wrapper. Fold in ends, burrito style. Arrange the egg rolls on a cookie sheet, lined with wax paper. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours.
5. While egg rolls freeze, prepare dipping sauce by adding all ingredients in a food processor and puree.
6. In a large skillet, preheat 1 cup of vegetable oil to 375 degrees and fry the egg rolls until a deep golden brown.
7. Cool on a plate lined with paper towels to drain the oil. Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:
1 avocado
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
2 Tbs. buttermilk
3 tsp. white vinegar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. fresh parsley
¼ tsp. onion powder
1 dash dill weed
1 dash garlic powder
1 dash pepper

Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in food processor and mix until combined and smooth. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
2. Spoon onto plate to avoid thinning out sauce. Refrigerate leftovers.

Taco Soup

I received a recipe book a long time ago from a friend of mine that had this recipe in it. It is easy, filling, and fun to eat! It's a nice twist on Mexican food. I like making it with 1 can regular diced tomatoes, and 1 can chili ready diced tomatoes. Then you get your seasoning all in one step. Serve it with tortilla chips (instead of eating it with a spoon), sour cream, and shredded cheese.

Taco Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. hamburger
1 can tomato soup
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can corn

Directions:
1. DO NOT drain tomatoes or beans.
2. Brown hamburger and drain excess fat.
3. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes.

Cat's Crock Pot Enchiladas

Okay, so I tried my own version of enchiladas in the crock pot, and I think they were even better than cooking them in the oven. These are DEFINITELY NOT fat free. But they are super yummy.

Cat's Crock Pot Enchiladas

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
12 corn tortillas
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can green chiles
1 package cream cheese, cut up into 12 cubes
2 cups taco blend shredded cheese
1/2 tsp. chile powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can enchilada sauce
Sour Cream
Avacado

Directions:
1. Cook chicken breasts by filling large saucepan halfway with cold water. Place chicken in saucepan. Add 1 Tbs. season salt to water. Cook over medium-high heat for 1/2 hour or until chicken is cooked all the way through. When done, turn off heat but leave pan on stove top and cover with lid. Allow to sit for 20 minutes, then remove chicken from water - doing this will keep chicken from drying out. Allow to cool and then shred using forks or food processor.
2. Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Place 4 tortillas in the pot, overlapping to cover bottom. Spread 1/2 of chicken over the top of tortillas. Spoon 1/2 of the soup onto the chicken. Evenly place 1/2 of the cream cheese cubes over the layer. Add the corn, 1/2 of green chiles, 2/3 cup of the taco cheese, and 1/2 of the seasonings. Pour about 1/3 of enchilada sauce over top and cover with 4 more tortillas.
3. Repeat with second layer, using black beans instead of corn. Place remaining 4 tortillas on the top and sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup of cheese and enchilada sauce over the top. Cover crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours. Serve with sour cream and guacamole or salsa.

Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas

During the Fall and Winter, I play for the Northwest Children's Choir in the afternoons. Because I am gone half the day, I have to do crock pot meals for dinner. Here's a great recipe I found and tried last week. WINNER! It makes quite a bit, so it's best served for 5-6 people. Also, I'm going to be trying my own version this week, so I'll be posting it next week.

Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
9, 6-inch, corn tortillas
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
2-3 cups diced cooked chicken
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chili peppers
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
2 cans (10 oz. each) enchilada sauce
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
Guacamole and sour cream for topping

Directions:
1. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place 3 tortillas in the bottom of slow cooker. Top tortillas with the corn, half the chicken, half the chile peppers, and half the seasonings. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over chicken and pour 3/4 cup enchilada sauce over the top.
2. Lay 3 more tortillas over the first layer and top with black beans, remaining chicken, chiles and seasonings. Sprinkle another 1/3 of the cheese over top and pour another 3/4 cup over cheese.
3. Lay 3 more tortillas over the second layer, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top. Cover and cook on low setting for 5-6 hours.

Taco Salad

Tonight we had one of our favorite salads - taco salad in a tortilla shell. You can pick and choose what you like on your salads, but here's what we usually have:

Taco Salad

Ingredients:
1 can refried beans
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 lb. ground beef, browned (I like to season mine with chili powder and season salt)
Lettuce, chopped
1 tomato, seeded and diced
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Salsa
Tortillas

Directions:
1. To make tortilla shells, fill medium saucepan 1/2 full with cooking oil and heat over medium high heat.
2. Remove both ends of the pinto bean can, remove label, wash and dry well.
3. Once the oil is heated, place one tortilla on the top of the saucepan and press the can (using tongs) into the center, pressing the tortilla down into the oil. Allow the tortilla to cook for a few minutes with the can still in the center, then remove can. Continute to turn the tortilla in the hot oil until it holds its form. Remove from the oil and place upside down on paper towels. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve warm.