Chile Verde

 One of my favorite Mexican dishes where all I need is a flour tortilla. This dish is so comforting and the pork becomes perfectly tender. You can serve with beans and rice or simply enjoy it as a stew.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp oil

1 lb pork shoulder, cubed

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1/2 medium onion, diced

4 Anaheim chiles, roasted, de-stemmed & de-seeded**

1 can diced green chiles

1 jalapeno

1/2 bunch cilantro

2 C chicken broth

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 Tbsp chicken bouillon

1/4 C sour cream

1/2 tsp oregano

In a blender, add the Anaheim chiles, green chiles, jalapeno, cilantro and chicken broth. Blend to combine until it is a smooth consistency.

In a pan over medium high heat, add the oil and let heat up. Once hot, add the pork and let sit. Do not stir.

After about 3 minutes, the meat should be nicely browned. Flip over and let the meat sit for another 3 minutes.

Lower the heat to medium and add the garlic, salt and onion. Stir to combine and let cook for 1 minute.

Add the blended green sauce, cumin, pepper and chicken bouillon. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer and let cook for 20 minutes.

If you want more of a sauce, you can add 1/2 C hot water and stir.

Add the sour cream and oregano. Stir to combine, turn off heat and serve.

**Turn your oven broiler on high and make sure the oven rack is at the top. Place your rinsed and dried chiles on a foil lined baking sheet and place in the oven. Keep an eye on the chiles as every oven differs. You want to brown the chiles on all sides, so make sure you flip them over before they burn. This process should take about 5 minutes to get the chiles fully roasted. Remove them from the oven and place them in a baggie for 10 minutes to sweat. Remove the chiles, peel and discard the roasted skin. Be careful as the chiles may still be hot. Remove stem and slice pepper down the middle. This will allow you to easily remove the seeds from the inside. Once the stems and seeds are removed, the chiles are ready for the blender.

Chicken Tacos

Growing up my mom always made these chicken tacos for dinner and I never actually knew how easy they are to make until one day I decided I wanted to make them. This chicken is great to meal prep for the weeks lunches and can be served as tacos, enchiladas, on a salad or just by itself.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp oil

1 lb cooked shredded chicken

1/2 yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tomatoes, diced

1/2 C water

1 Tbsp chicken bouillon

1/2 tsp Mexican oregano

In a pan over medium heat, add the oil and let it heat up.

Add the chicken and onion and cook until translucent. Since the chicken is already cooked, it just needs to be heated through.

Add in the garlic and let cook for another minute.

Add the diced tomatoes, water and chicken bouillon.

Stir to combine, bring to a light simmer, lower heat and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes.

Once most of the liquid is absorbed, add in the oregano, stir and turn off heat.

Serve the chicken on corn tortillas or crunchy shells with lettuce, queso fresco and your favorite salsa.

Flour Tortillas

Their is nothing better than fresh homemade flour tortillas. Growing up I always wanted flour tortillas with my food. I would either spread some butter on them, wrap a hot dog in them, make quesadillas, the possibilities were endless. And still are!

This recipe makes 16 tortillas.

Ingredients

3 C flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 Tbsp vegetable shortening

1 1/4 C warm water

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

Add in the shortening and with your hands, crumble the shortening into the flour. Continue combining until the flour is an almost sand consistency. The purpose of this is to make sure you distribute the shortening into the flour evenly. 

Once you are at the sand like consistency, slowly add in the water. Mix into the flour mixture, making sure to scrape the sides down. 

Continue adding the water and combining until a ball starts to form.

Pour mixture onto a clean work surface and continue to combine/knead the dough until you get a smooth texture. Form into a ball, place into a bowl, cover and let sit for 20 minutes.

Remove the dough from the bowl and divide into 16 balls, or however many tortillas you want to make.

Cover the dough with a damp towel.

Place a pan on the stove over medium heat.

Take 1 ball of dough and on a lightly floured surface, using a rolling pin, begin to roll your dough out.

I like to roll in 1 motion a few times, then rotate the dough and continue rolling in a straight motion. This will help to keep your tortilla in a circle shape.

Continue rolling out your tortilla, flouring the surface when needed to make sure the dough does not stick.

Your tortilla is ready to cook when you can see the shadow of your hand through it. You want them to be thin.

Place your tortilla on the pan and when you see the tortilla begin to bubble, flip it over. This should only take about 20-30 seconds on each side. Lower or higher your stove temperature as needed.

Place your cooked tortillas in a tortilla to keep them warm and continue cooking until complete.

You can store these tortillas in a baggie in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Pork & Zucchini

Another one of my Grandpa's recipes that I can never stop eating. My mom used to make this when I was younger and I despised zucchinis, so this was not my favorite meal to say the least. Now, being a zucchini lover, this is one of my favorite cozy recipes. I like to serve this with a side of steamed rice and refried beans with a fresh flour tortilla.

Ingredients

1 lb pork loin, cubed

1 tsp oil

1/2 C onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small can tomato sauce

Zucchini

1/2 tsp Mexican oregano

1/2 C shredded cheese

In a large pan over medium-high heat, add the oil and begin to fry the meat. 

Once browned on all sides, add the onion and garlic. Continue cooking until the meat is fully cooked.

Add water to cover the meat and bring to a boil. Continue to boil, uncovered, for about an hour or until the meat is tender.

*Within this hour, make sure the meat is always covered with water. You will need to add water a few times.

Slice your desired amount of zucchini 1/4 inch wide.

Once your meat is tender, let the water boil down until there is about 1/2 inch of water left in the pan.

Add the tomato sauce, zucchini & oregano (make sure to crush the oregano up with your fingers before adding). Continue cooking until zucchini are tender.

Sprinkle cheese over the top and serve once melted.

Creamy Mushroom Italian Chicken [Crock-pot]

I came across this recipe on Pinterest Plain Chicken called Angel Chicken and had to try it! This recipe is a comfort food but I lightened it up with a few substitute ingredients. It is delicious over egg noodles and I can only imagine it would be just as good over rice or pasta.

This recipe serves 3-4 heaping cups

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 packet Italian seasoning

2 oz 1/3 less fat Philadelphia cream cheese

1/2 can Healthy Choice Cream of Chicken Soup

1/3 chicken or beef broth

1 C diced mushrooms

Cooked egg noodles, pasta or rice

In a bowl, combine the seasoning, cream cheese, soup, and broth. Stir until everything is combined and smooth.

Pour into crock-pot and place your chicken breasts into sauce.

Add in the mushrooms, stir and cover chicken in sauce.

Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

Shred chicken and stir into sauce.
Serve over your choice of egg noodles, pasta or rice.