Chicken Tacos

I love tacos...mainly soft tacos from Chipotle.  My neighbor and I take the kids there every other week - sometimes more than that.  We don't even have to ask where the other wants to go to lunch...it is always the same because we both like it and the kids, 5 between us, can get something they like and I can get out of there for about $9 on a good day.  Also, they play the music loud enough that no one looks at us twice even with our entourage.
I always get the soft taco and I always make mine the same...rice, beans, carnitas, extra corn salsa, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream.  So when we have tacos at home I always try to recreate my favorite combination.  I've made many tacos at home...but this rendition is right at the top of the list and the closest one to my usual.

Chicken Tacos - serves 4
3 chicken breasts
4 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped or 1 can diced tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
2 heaping teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
In a medium pot heat a tablespoon olive oil and cook chicken until lightly browned on both sides.   Remove from pan and add onions and garlic.  Cook until softened and translucent.  Add tomatoes and cook an additional 3-5 minutes.  Add all remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove chicken breasts, shred, and return to pan.
* I have also used leftover cooked chicken or meat from a rotisserie chicken...it works beautifully...just add it in after the tomatoes have softened.

Rice
1 cup jasmine rice
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon butter
juice of 1 lime
salt
Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.  Add a handful of chopped cilantro or parsley for a nice hit of fresh herb flavor.

Pinto beans
I love pinto beans on my taco.  For an easy fix use a can of pinto beans and heat with a teaspoon of cumin and a little extra salt and pepper mixed in.

Mexican Fiesta Night

Tonight we tried out a couple of new recipes and both were big successes. The main course tonight was this layered black bean pie. It is pretty rare for us to have a vegetarian entree for dinner, but to tell the truth I didn't even miss the meat in this tasty pie. Everyone really seemed to enjoy it and I liked the quick and easy prep. I assembled this a few hours before dinner and then baked it at the end of the day.

After we cleaned up the dinner dishes and put the baby to sleep, I found this recipe for churros in the latest edition of bon appetit. They are super delicious and Gabe couldn't seem to stop eating them. I actually stopped frying the dough because I didn't want to have tons leftover, otherwise he would eat them for breakfast in the morning

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie
adapted from Everyday Food Great Food Fast

4 flour tortillas
1 Tablespoon oil
1 large onion, diced
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper
1 bottle beer
2 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed
1 15 oz can corn, drained
3 large scallions, sliced
6-8 oz. colby jack or cheddar cheese

Heat oil in medium saute pan. Add onion, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Saute until onion is soft. Add the beans and beer, bring to a boil. Simmer until beer has nearly evaporated. Stir in corn and scallions and remove from heat. Place one tortilla in the bottom of a springform pan or cake pan lined with parchment paper. Spread 1/4 bean mixture on top and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat three more layers and finish with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Remove and garnish with additional scallions.

Cinnamon-Dusted Mini Churros
recipe from bon appetit May 2009

2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
6 Tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon-divided
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
vegetable oil

Whisk together eggs, 6 T sugar, juice, peel, vanilla, and 1/2 t cinnamon. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in flour. Place dough in pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Heat 1 inch oil to 355 degrees. Pipe 3-4 inch long strands of dough into hot oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Roll churros in a mixture of 1 cup sugar and 2 1/4 t cinnamon.

My Naked Burrito

My version of the Qdoba naked burrito.  Very tasty and quite easy to prepare.  Make extra corn salsa and serve it with chips.





















Naked Burritos

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
2 Tbsp mole sauce
1 cup rice - cooked
1 cup black beans
1 cup frozen corn
1/4 green pepper - finely diced
1/4 red onion - finely diced
Parsley or cilantro
1 lemon
salt and pepper

Combine chicken and mole sauce in a bowl. (You might even want to marinate it for a bit...I didn't have the time today.) Grill until cooked through.
While that is cooking make the corn salsa. Combine green pepper, onion, corn, juice of 1 lemon, and cilantro to taste.
Warm black beans in a small saucepan.
When everything is ready, assemble. Rice on the bottom, followed by black beans, chicken, corn salsa, cheese and sour cream if desired. Enjoy!