Taco Lasagna
2 pounds ground turkey or beef
1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup hot water
20 to 24 corn tortillas
1 (24 ounce) jar salsa
16 ounces sour cream (mixed with 1 tablespoon chili powder)
3 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded, and divided
3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
1 1/2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded and divided (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In large saucepan, cook turkey or beef until brown. (If using beef, drain well.) Add taco seasoning mix, garlic, cayenne pepper and hot water. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until water evaporates. Set aside.
Place 6 tortillas in bottom of lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan, overlapping and extending up edges slightly.
Layer in the following order: 1 cup salsa (spread evenly over tortillas), 1/2 meat mixture (about 2 cups), 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup Monterey jack cheese, 1 cup Cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, lightly scattered.
Repeat layers starting again with 4-6 tortillas, salsa, meat, sour cream and 2 1/2 cups cheese. Place 4-6 tortillas and remaining salsa on top.
Bake for 40 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Enchilada Stack
1 1/2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 or 6 flour tortillas
8 ounces sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (7 ounce) jar salsa
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
Cook beef or turkey and onion until crumbly and done through. Pour off fat. Add salt and salsa; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Alternate layers of tortillas, meat mixture, sour cream , green chiles and cheese in a round baking dish. Bake covered for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Uncover the last 5 minutes.
Spicy Meatball Burritos
2 pounds ground beef
1 large green bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, diced
1/4 tablespoon salt
4 tablespoons chili powder
2 eggs
1 tablespoon parsley
1 cup brown rice (pre-cooked for 15 minutes)
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 teaspoon chili powder
6 to 8 (10- to 12-inch) flour tortillas
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bell pepper, garlic, onion, salt, chili powder, eggs, parsley and brown rice. Mix well. Roll into balls the size of a large walnut. Set aside.
In a large skillet, add tomato sauce, water and chili powder. Bring to a simmer, then add meatballs and continue simmering for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When done, fill tortillas and serve with your favorite salsa. You may wish to garnish with lettuce and tomato.
Makes 5 to 6 servings.
Smothered Burros
1 pound ground beef
2 ( 7 ounce) cans green chile salsa
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
12 (10 to 12-inch) flour tortillas
1/2 pound jack cheese, grated
1 bunch scallions, diced, or 1 cup onion, chopped
In a large skillet, saute ground beef. While beef is browning, combine green chile salsa and chicken soup in a medium size saucepan. Heat beans.
Meanwhile, soften flour tortillas. Fill tortillas with 1 tablespoon each of meat, salsa mixture and beans. Add onions as desired and top with cheeses. Roll into flute-like shapes and place in casserole dish. Top with remaining salsa mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 15 to 20 minutes until bubbly.
Serves 6 to 8.
Guaymas Green Chile Burros
Wonderful restaurants line the sidewalks in Guaymas, Mexico. These burros bring the taste of Mexico to your kitchen.
1 (3 pound) chuck roast
1 (3 pound) pork roast
Salt, to taste
4 cloves garlic
2 large cans green chiles, diced
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes
6 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons flour
10 to 12 (10 to 12-inch) flour tortillas
In a large soup kettle, add 1 gallon of water, chuck roast, pork, salt and garlic. Cook (covered) until meat is tender and pulls away from bone. Remove meat from broth and allow to cool. Let broth stand until fat congeals on top.
Remove fat and reserve broth. Next, combine chiles, garlic and tomatoes in broth. Let stand while cutting meat into small cubes (about 3/4 inch).
In a large skillet, heat oil. Stir in flour. Continue stirring and slowly add chile-tomato mixture. Add meat and simmer for approximately 15 minutes. For burros, fill tortillas and fold. Serve on plates garnished with shredded lettuce. You may choose to serve this as green chile stew with beans and tortillas on the side.
Serves 6 to 8.
Ground Beef Enchiladas
1 tablespoon shortening
1 pound ground beef
3 tablespoons flour
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
Water
2 tablespoon chili powder
Salt, to taste
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
12 corn tortillas
1 pound longhorn cheese, coarsely grated
1 large onion, finely chopped
Melt shortening in heavy skillet. Add the ground meat and brown. Sprinkle meat with flour; mix in skillet. Add tomato sauce and 1 cup water. Mix 1/2 cup water with the chili powder to form a smooth paste; add to the meat mixture. Add salt to taste and garlic powder. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, until it is of gravy consistency. Cover and simmer over very low heat. Add more water if the chili gravy becomes too thick.
Dip tortillas one at a time in the hot chili gravy with a wide metal spatula. The tortillas will become pliable almost immediately, which will make rolling the enchiladas easier. Soaking too long will cause the tortillas to fall apart.
Place a good sprinkling of grated cheese and minced onion and about a tablespoon of the meat mixture to one side of the center of the tortilla. Roll tortilla tightly around the filling and place loose side down in a glass casserole baking dish. For best results place the enchiladas in a row with sides touching.
When all enchiladas have been formed, pour the remaining hot chili gravy over all, and sprinkle generously with grated cheese, and top with chopped onion. Bake at 350 degrees F until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
Tamale Pie
1 onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 bell pepper, diced
Dash of pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
Saute onion, ground beef and bell pepper until beef loses red color and onion is clear. Drain well and add the corn and tomato sauce. Simmer until thick. Pour into an 11 x 7-inch or 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
Masa Topping
1 cup Masa Harina
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup milk
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir just until blended. Spoon topping in large dollops over the filling. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until filling is bubbly in the center and topping is well browned.
During the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking, you can sprinkle lots of shredded cheese (Monterey jack or Cheddar) over the top and let the cheese melt as the Tamale Pie finishes baking.
Stuffed Meatballs (Albondigas en Salsa de Chipotle)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
9 (3/4-inch) cubes queso fresco
9 whole pimento-stuffed green olives
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (1 pound) can whole peeled tomatoes,
undrained, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup beef stock or broth
2 to 4 canned chipotle chiles in
adobo sauce, finely chopped
Sliced pimento-stuffed olives
Beat eggs with salt in large bowl. Stir in breadcrumbs; let stand 5 minutes. Add beef, pork and cilantro; mix lightly but thoroughly. Divide meat mixture into 18 even portions. Shape 1 portion into flat patty; top with 1 cheese cube. Press meat firmly around cheese to enclose completely and form ball. Repeat procedure, stuffing 1/2 of meat portions with cheese and 1/2 with whole olives.
Heat lard or oil in deep 10-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Fry 1/2 of meatballs at a time, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes; remove to plate. Remove and discard all but 3 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add onion and garlic; saute over medium heat until soft, about 4 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, stock and chiles; heat to boiling. Return meatballs to skillet; reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, until meatballs are cooked through, about 45 minutes. Remove meatballs to serving dish with slotted spoon; keep warm.
Transfer tomato mixture to blender container; process until smooth. Return mixture to skillet; heat over high heat to boiling. Pour sauce over and around meatballs.
Serve with sliced olives.