Mexican Lasagna!!!

I love any type of Mexican cuisine, so this recipe was definitely a winner for me!!!  Surprisingly, my picky eaters also loved it!   This is a good recipe for feeding  a crowd, because it makes a lot and it's also great that you can assemble it all a day ahead of time!!!    This one can also be adapted to the tastes of your family.   I just let everyone garnish their own serving with the toppings they enjoy!!!  

Here is what you will need:

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. ground chuck or ground beef

1 medium sweet onion, diced

1 (1 oz.) pkg. taco seasoning mix

1 cup water

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1  (10 oz.) can Rotel

2  (10 oz.) cans enchilada sauce

9 large burrito size flour tortillas

2 cups frozen corn 

3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Garnishes

sour cream

salsa

sliced ripe olives

sliced green olives

sliced green onions

diced tomatoes

jalapeno pepper rings

chopped cilantro

Brown the ground chuck with the diced onion in a large skillet.  Drain any excess grease.  Add the taco seasoning and water, stir to blend.  Add salt, pepper, Rotel tomatoes, and corn.  Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer.  This doesn't need to cook long, because you will be baking it.

Spray a 9" x 13 " baking dish with nonstick spray.  Spread 1/2 can of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan.  Lay 3 of the flour tortillas over the sauce. They will overlap and that is fine.  Spread  1 cup of each cheese over all and then 1/3 of the meat sauce.

Continue building the layers as you would for lasagna until all of the ingredients are used. 

 On the last layer finish the top with 1 cup each of the cheeses!    Place uncovered in a preheated 375 degree oven.    Bake for 25 -30 minutes.  

The cheese should be browned and bubbly!!!

Cut it in squares and set out the garnishes so everyone can top their own with what they like!!!  This is always a big hit when I serve it!!!  

Hungarian Goulash!

 Growing up, my mother made two very different dishes she called goulash.  One was the classic Southern Goulash which is made with ground beef, tomatoes, and macaroni and the other was this Hungarian Goulash, which has tender chunks of stew meat, green peppers, onion and carrots and is served over egg noodles!   

We had the first one the most, probably because it was less time consuming to make, but when Mama said we were having goulash, I hoped she meant the Hungarian version.  It was always one of my favorite meals.  

I am sure this recipe is not authentically Hungarian, because I don't remember even knowing anyone Hungarian growing up.  However, I do know this is delicious.  This is just sort of a southern spin on Hungarian Goulash.  Here is what you will need:

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. stew meat or to round steak, cubed

1 cup flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. paprika

1/3 cup oil

1 Tbs. bacon drippings

1 large sweet onion, diced

1 large green bell pepper, diced large

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5 oz.) can beef broth

1 (14.5 oz.) can stewed tomatoes

1 (14.5 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. black paper

1 Tbs. paprika

1 bag baby carrots

1 cup sour cream

If you are using precut stew meat, trim all of the fat off of it.  If you are using top round, just cut it in good size cubes.  In a shallow dish, a pie plate works well, combine the flour, 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. black pepper, and 1 tsp. paprika.  Coat the beef cubes on all sides in the seasoned flour. 

Heat the oil and bacon drippings in a heavy Dutch Oven on the stove top. If you don't have bacon drippings, you can leave them out, but they add so much flavor to this. 

 In batches place the floured beef cubes and brown on all sides well.   Don't place them all in at once or they won't brown.  Once they are all browned, add the onion and the green pepper and saute them just a little.  Add the minced garlic after the onion and green pepper starts to get tender and cook it just  minute or so.  Garlic burns easily so don't over cook it. 

 Use can of beef broth to deglaze the pan.  Scrape all of the browned bits up from the bottom.  Those browned bits are full of flavor and if you don't deglaze this will tend to stick which you do not want.

Add the tomato sauce and the stewed tomatoes.  Break the stewed tomatoes up some if they are not already.  Add 1 tsp. seasoned salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, and 1 Tbs. of paprika.  I use a sweet paprika, but if you are using a hot paprika, you might want to cut this amount back come.

Bring everything up to a boil, then turn the heat back to medium low, cover and cook for 1 hour.  Check about half way through and stir to be sure it's not sticking. After one hour add the baby carrots and cover and cook for 1 more hour.  Again check half way through and stir so that this doesn't stick.

After two hours, the meat should be tender and the gravy should be nice and thick.  If at any point, it seems too thick, add some water. 

 Temper the sour cream by adding a little of the hot gravy to it and stirring it in to slowly warm it.  Once the sour cream is warm, add it all to the pan and stir until it is incorporated.  If you don't temper the sour cream and just add it cold all at once, it will break and won't incorporate into the sauce smoothly. 

 Just heat through, don't allow this to boil once the sour cream is added.

Spoon over wide eggs noodles and serve!  You can garnish with a dollop of additional sour cream and a little green onion or chives!  This is one of my favorite meals and smelling it cooking brings back good childhood memories for me! 





Fresh Pico de Gallo!

I love this "Fresh Pico de Gallo" with any type of Mexican food!  I also use it for a dip with tortilla chips!  This is so easy to make and so much better than anything you can buy!  It adds some pretty color to any dish and it's even low fat, which doesn't always happen on my site! Top your tacos with it, add it to your fajitas, top a taco salad, or serve with your enchiladas!   

 Here is what you will need:

3 ripe tomatoes, diced and seeded

1/2 cup sweet onion, diced (I used Vidalia)

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced fine

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine

juice of 1 lime

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Dice and chop all of the ingredients in a fairly small dice.  This needs to be chunkier than salsa, but finer than vegetables for a salad.  Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder.  Squeeze the lime juice over all and lightly toss.  Cover and chill in the fridge for about an hour.  Toss again before serving.  It's good to give this about an hour to sit so the flavor blend and marry. 

Serve with tortilla chips or as a garnish for all of your favorite Mexican dishes!  It's so delicious and fresh tasting, I can eat it by itself!





Black Bean and Corn Salad!

This is one of those salads that is just so fresh and light you feel good about eating it!  It's perfect anytime of the year, but especially in summer when the tomatoes are so good!  It's also a salad you can prepare ahead of time so it's not so hard to get everything out at the same time for dinner.   If you dice this in a fairly small dice, this can also be served as a chunky salsa with tortilla chips!   Here is what you will need for this yummy recipe:

1 (21.5 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained ( the Busch Sweet Mesquite Grillin Beans are best)
1 (10 oz.) bag of frozen corn, thawed
1 medium sweet onion, diced ( I used Vidalia)
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 fresh tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup jalapeno pepper, diced (fresh or pickled works)
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
dash of black pepper (fresh ground is good)
dash of cayenne (optional, according to how spicy you like things)

Place all of the vegetables and cilantro in a salad bowl.  

Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice and seasonings until the seasoning are blended and it is emulsified.

Pour dressing over the salad ingredients and toss to coat.  Cover and let this hang out in the fridge for about 2 hours at least.  This gives the flavors time to blend well. 

Toss lightly right before serving!  This is good with not only various Mexican dishes, but with grilled meats or even fish and chicken!