mexican food — Giving Up on Perfect

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

June 3, 2012 By Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect 5 Comments

I love chocolate. But I’m not really into fancy chocolate. And by “I’m not really into fancy chocolate,” I mean that I only started accepting dark chocolate as an acceptable sweet in the past few years. And half the time a recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips, I buy the milk chocolate ones anyway.

So when I came across this recipe from Heather’s Dish for chocolate cookies and realized they had cinnamon, coffee and chili powder in them? Well, I just wasn’t sure about this.

Have I mentioned that I don’t like coffee?

Right. But I found this recipe when I was looking for a Mexican dessert, and apparently all that spice makes regular chocolate cookies Mexican. I don’t know.

What I do know is that I decided to give these strange, spicy cookies a try this weekend – and I’m glad I did! [And so are my friends, who helped me eat them after our Sunday night taco dinner!] As a matter of fact, when I ate one (to make sure it tasted okay before taking it to my friends’ house), I immediately wanted another one. And, um, another. I think it has something to do with having so many flavors in one cookie. My mouth needed lots of bites to truly comprehend and appreciate all of them!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

1 stick butter, melted
3/4 cups brown sugar
1/4 cups [white] sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground coffee
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugars. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix together remaining ingredients (except the chocolate chips), then add to the wet ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips. Put spoonfuls of batter onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Yields three dozen small cookies.

Notes: I didn’t add the cayenne pepper. It just made me too nervous. You’re probably way more adventurous and brave than me. Also, 10 minutes in my oven was a tad too long. Next time I’ll pull them out after nine. Or I’ll make bigger cookies.

Do you like fancy – or spicy – chocolate?

This post will be linked to Mouthwatering Monday, Made by You Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, 33 Shades of Green, Works for Me Wednesday, What I Whipped Up Wednesday, I’m Lovin’ It, Sweet Tooth Friday, Foodie Friday and Show and Tell Saturday.

Filed Under: Recipes & Food Tagged With: cookies, cooking, food, mexican food, monday morning mmmm, recipe

Monday Morning Mmmm: Tortilla Chicken

May 21, 2012 By Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect 7 Comments

If I had it a little more together, I would have made this dish a month ago and then posted it before Cinco de Mayo. Alas, having it together is not really what I’m known for – and that goes doubly for the past two months. (Remember January? Oh, I do. I was so together for those few weeks!)

Oh well. As I like to say when it comes to sending birthday cards and posting holiday-themed recipes, better late than never. Right?

It’s no secret that I love Mexican food. I always laugh when, while choosing a restaurant for a night out, a friend says, “Are you up for Mexican?” Please. I am always up for Mexican. I may have eaten tacos for lunch and have plans to make enchiladas for tomorrow’s dinner, but believe me, I am up for Mexican.

Until recently, I would have said that nothing could come between me and my love for the Mexican food. My attempts at a low-carb diet, though, have kind of changed my tune. That’s because the way I eat Mexican food has, in the past, involved a lot of tortillas. Burritos – wrapped in tortillas. Tacos – served in crispy tortilla shells. Nachos – piled on tortilla chips. Tortilla chips – served with a side of tortilla chips.

[I love tortilla chips.]

So when it came time for Cinco de Mayo and I wanted to try a new recipe for a festive Mexican dish, I was stuck. What could I eat that wasn’t heavy on the carbs and my beloved tortillas?

Thanks to the world of Pinterest and Tasty Kitchen, I actually found several options. And a chicken recipe from A Pinch of Yum was the winner.

The chicken is breaded in panko and tortilla chips, but other than that, it’s a great low-carb option. (“Low-carb” as I define it, that is, which is “eating less carbs than I used to.” No, it turns out I’m neither your doctor nor a diet expert.)

I served the chicken with a sweet corn cake (that is not low-carb, but is gluten-free [I think] and therefore will make a great dish to have one night when Smitty is over for dinner) and a tossed salad. It was a great fresh, festive Cinco de Mayo dinner.

Tortilla Chicken with Salsa Verde

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg
1/2 cup tortilla chips, crushed
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup salsa verde
1/4 cup pico de gallo
4 slices or 8 tbsp shredded white cheese

For cilantro sauce:
Bunch of cilantro
2 tbsp oil
Ripe avocado, chopped
1/4 cup salsa verde

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine panko and chips. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then coat with egg. Dip chicken into panko mixture until well-coated. Fry the chicken in a couple tablespoons of oil over medium heat (just a couple minutes on each side, until browned). After chicken is fried, place in baking dish and bake for 15-25 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on chicken and bake for a few more minutes until it melts.

While chicken is baking, combine cilantro, oil, avocado and salsa. Mix with food processor (or, sadly, with electric beaters if you are currently without a food processor. I do not recommend this, as it may result in avocado being sprayed all over your kitchen. Beware.).

Pour a couple tablespoons of salsa verde onto each plate, and place chicken on top. Spoon cilantro sauce and pico de gallo over the top, and enjoy!

A few notes: The original recipe was for just two pieces of chicken, but I found that I had plenty of ingredients for four. Also, the original recipe suggests Mexican cheese or provolone; I used monterey jack because it’s my favorite. Finally, I don’t love avocado and might forgo the cilantro sauce next time. But all the flavors mixed together really was delicious!

(Not that my family would know, since they both turned up their noses at the thought of green salsa, avocado anything or fresh pico de gallo. I loved it, though. And Mark and Annalyn both thought the crispy chicken with cheese on top was good!)

What is your favorite holiday-themed food?

Filed Under: Recipes & Food Tagged With: cooking, food, mexican food, monday morning mmmm, recipe

Monday Morning Mmmm: Taco Seasoning

May 14, 2012 By Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect 6 Comments

A lot of my friends are extremely healthy eaters. I’m not sure the technical term, but I call them “whole foodies.” Or, sometimes, “weirdos.”

{I’m kidding. I don’t call you weirdos. Really.}

So while I used to think it was bizarre to make your own crackers, salad dressing or bread, now it seems completely normal. I’m not saying I do all these things, but I understand the reasoning behind it and have been taking baby steps over the past couple of years to make more things myself and buy fewer foods that have lots of preservatives, sodium, sugars or other bad-for-you stuff.

I’m not saying I’m milling my own wheat or anything. I’m not even saying that “milling wheat” is a thing. Now that I typed that, it feels wrong and I’m pretty sure I will be soundly mocked after I hit publish. But that’s kind of my point. I’m not an expert on this kind of healthy eating (as opposed to the counting-points variation of healthy eating).

But one thing I have done is start making my own taco seasoning.

I said I’m taking baby steps! (Then again, you know how often I eat Mexican food, so it’s not the tiniest step I could take.)

I asked my whole foodie friends what recipe they used, and I tried a few out. This recipe from Food Renegade was the winner at my house.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder or minced onion
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt

Mix all the ingredients together. Add to one pound of browned hamburger with about a cup of water.

Now, a word of caution: This seasoning is a tad bit spicy. And if you happen to use enough for three pounds of hamburger on only two pounds? Well, you’re going to need some milk. Or water. Depending on your level of mouth-on-fire tolerance.

Do you make anything “from scratch?” Are you a whole foodie?

Filed Under: Recipes & Food Tagged With: cooking, food, mexican food, monday morning mmmm, recipe

Monday Morning Mmmm: White Chicken Enchiladas

January 8, 2012 By Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect 10 Comments

Several months ago I decided to make chicken enchiladas but I fancied them up with lots of veggies and a new recipe. Those enchiladas were pretty good, but for a regular dinner on a regular night, I prefer something a bit simpler.

I have a chicken enchilada recipe that I’ve used several times before, but it does call for cream of something soup. And while I’m not entirely opposed to cream of something soups, I have decided to eat more whole foods this year (and apparently that does not include gloppy soups from a can). So when I found this recipe at Joyful Momma’s Kitchen (via Pinterest), I decided to give it a try (with a few tweaks).

White Chicken Enchiladas

10 flour tortillas
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
Chili powder
Ground cumin
Garlic powder
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken with chili powder, cumin and garlic. Then mix chicken and one cup of cheese together. Spoon into tortillas, roll up and place in greased 9×13 pan.

Melt butter in a sauce pan, then add flour while stirring often. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat until thick and bubbly. Next, stir in sour cream and chilies and let cook on low to medium heat for a few minutes.

Pour the sauce over enchiladas and top with the other half of the cheese. Bake for about 25 minutes. (If you want to be real fancy, the original recipe recommended broiling the pan for the last few minutes until the cheese is browned. I didn’t bother, but I’m sure that step adds a level of tastiness!)

I was afraid that these enchiladas would be too mild or even boring, which is why I was prepared with extra sour cream and jalapenos. But it turns out the seasoning on the chicken and the cheesy sauce was plenty flavorful. And while my husband didn’t love these (he is basically opposed to all dishes that don’t feature beef, bacon or both), my [sometimes picky] four-year-old said over and over, “Thank you, Mommy! I love this! This is delicious! You’re a great cooker!”

You can’t ask for a better recommendation than that!

I really do think this is my favorite recipe of all for chicken enchiladas, and I’ll definitely be making it again.

Do you like chicken, beef or bacon best? And how do you feel about cream of whatever soups?

This post will be linked to Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, 33 Shades of Green and Foodie Friday.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: cooking, food, mexican food, monday morning mmmm, recipes

Monday Morning Mmmm: Chicken Enchilada Casserole

December 12, 2011 By Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect 5 Comments

Nearly every Friday night, Smitty comes over for dinner. And nearly every Friday night, I panic. See, Smitty has been trying to eat mostly gluten-free for several months – and she’s cutting down on dairy, too.

Have you met me? I’ve never met a gluten or a dairy I didn’t like! And I certainly don’t leave home – or cook – without them! But eating taco salad – or eating out – every single night Smitty comes over has gotten old. So it’s time for me to try out some gluten-light recipes.

(And, after all the cakes and breads I’ve been making, it’s probably time to try something a tad bit healthier, too!)

I turned to Pinterest and my tagged recipes in Delicious to find something to try last week. At one point I thought I might have the chance to modify a Paula Deen recipe into something healthy. Maybe next time. But this time, I tried a recipe I found on Musings of a Housewife (that she found on Gluten Free Easily) instead.

[By the way, is there any good way to take a picture of a casserole? I promise, this tasted much better than it looks!]

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped (optional)
3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 jar salsa (16 oz)
10 corn tortillas
2-3 cups shredded cheese
Sour cream, jalapenos and cilantro for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute onion in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir often until onions are softened. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and cilantro. Cook for about five minutes. Add shredded chicken and lime juice to tomato mixture in skillet. Mix well and let cook for a few minutes.

Spread one half of the salsa in a 9×13 dish. Top with five tortillas (torn into pieces to make sure salsa is covered). Top with chicken mixture, then with half the cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, remaining salsa and remaining cheese. Bake about 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted.

After we at this, I told Smitty that I liked the casserole but didn’t love it. She did like it a lot, but asked if maybe I put in too much salsa. I admitted that maybe I did (even though I knew I didn’t). But now that I’m typing the recipe into this post, I realize the problem. I used a can of diced tomatoes (in some sauce) instead of a cup of diced tomatoes!

So, don’t do that.

Do you cook differently for any friends or family members?

This post will be linked to Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, 33 Shades of Green, I’m Lovin’ It and Foodie Friday.