Last night I didn't get home from my parents' house until after 7:00, Sean wasn't home from school yet & I wanted to cook a quick dinner. I decided on the way home to make some Mexican food. About a year ago when I learned about the evils of hydrogenated oil, I went on a mission to find a whole wheat/grain tortilla without any hydrogenated oil. What I found was Tam-X-icos; they are in the refrigerated section at the grocery along with the dairy products. I know, I know, I should just make my own, my mother-in-law does, but that takes more planning ahead than I normally do.
Typically when we have Mexican food, I make Spanish brown rice, refried beans, and then the entire array of fillings: lettuce-finely shredded, diced tomatoes, sliced black olives, sauteed onions & peppers (if I have a pepper on hand--not something I keep stocked), sometimes lentils, homemade salsa & guacamole. This is all quite time consuming & then a lot of clean-up because everything has to go in it's own bowl & then to the table for assembly. Last week I didn't have a lot of ingredients or time, so I decided to make quesadillas. That's when I discovered that my George Foreman grill is a great tool for making quesadillas.
I use the beans like cheese, to hold it all together. I spread refried beans on the entire tortilla & then on one side I add spinach, chopped cilantro, tomatoes & sauteed onions & fold it (for Sean's I actually make him a whole one using 2 tortillas). Into the Foreman grill it goes, no worrying about it burning or sticking; while they cook, I can clean up. Sorry this is not my best picture, but is the best picture I had of last night's meal...we were hungry!
Last night I served plain brown rice with our quesadillas; I topped mine with salsa & guacamole. I used 3 cans of tomatoes in the salsa & it was completely gone by the end of dinner--Sean was hungry when he got home from school! I only had one avocado, so the guacamole was...not enough!
We have recently started getting together once a month with 2 other couples & we rotate houses; everyone just brings appetizers & beverages. Now, they request my salsa. But I have a confession, it's not my recipe, it's Sean's. When I make it, it's my salsa, but I have to give credit where credit is due & that goes to my sweet thang, who happens to be an incredible cook. This is one of those recipes that has no exact measurements, you just taste & go. I'll call it Dietrich Salsa since I have added my own touches to it; 2 additions I made last night & man, it was great salsa!
Dietrich Salsa
1 can rotel tomatoes (I use mild, but I don't like things too spicy)
2 cans diced tomatoes (or if tomatoes are plentiful, tasty & cheap, use fresh)
3/4 bunch of cilantro (that is of a large bunch, add more or less to taste)
1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeded
1/2 medium onion
lime juice
salt
cumin
Using a blender (or a food processor, if like me, you don't currently own a blender--mine broke--so sad), puree the can of rotel tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno, onion, lime juice (start with about 1/4 c. & add according to your taste), a couple dashes of cumin (you really should not be able to taste the cumin) & a generous amount of salt. Puree until smooth. Add the 2 cans of diced tomatoes or fresh tomatoes, and pulse until they are mixed in well, but not smooth, you want it to be chunky.
This is delicious & is my most requested party food; people ask for it all the time. Now for the guacamole...again, it's not really about measurements, just the right ingredients & your taste preference.
Jamie's Great Guacamole
(Not too clever, huh? It's a rainy day, what can I say, I am not too sharp this afternoon!
avocados
homemade salsa (see above, 2-3 T. per avocado)
grated onion (I use a small grater, 1/2-1 T. per avocado)
lime juice (I have no idea, I measure using the cap on the bottle, about 1/2-1 capful per avocado)
cumin (just a dash, again, not so you can taste it)
salt (be generous)
In a bowl, mash the avocado with a fork, just a little. Add all other ingredients & mash until well incorporated, but not completely smooth. Taste & adjust seasonings accordingly. The onion is the most important part of this recipe, without it or without enough, it just doesn't do the guacamole justice.
A nicer chain/franchise Mexican restaurant opened just near my house a couple of years back. Everyone was raving about how great the food was, especially the guacamole; they make it table-side. Well, Sean & I went to try it out. We paid the ridiculous $9.00 for our table-side made guacamole & I have to honestly say, this recipe is better! I am usually pretty humble about my cooking, but mine is better than theirs. Okay, I am done being arrogant! I hope you give my (our) salsa & (my) guacamole a try--if you do, let me know how you like it! Enjoy!
Typically when we have Mexican food, I make Spanish brown rice, refried beans, and then the entire array of fillings: lettuce-finely shredded, diced tomatoes, sliced black olives, sauteed onions & peppers (if I have a pepper on hand--not something I keep stocked), sometimes lentils, homemade salsa & guacamole. This is all quite time consuming & then a lot of clean-up because everything has to go in it's own bowl & then to the table for assembly. Last week I didn't have a lot of ingredients or time, so I decided to make quesadillas. That's when I discovered that my George Foreman grill is a great tool for making quesadillas.
I use the beans like cheese, to hold it all together. I spread refried beans on the entire tortilla & then on one side I add spinach, chopped cilantro, tomatoes & sauteed onions & fold it (for Sean's I actually make him a whole one using 2 tortillas). Into the Foreman grill it goes, no worrying about it burning or sticking; while they cook, I can clean up. Sorry this is not my best picture, but is the best picture I had of last night's meal...we were hungry!
Last night I served plain brown rice with our quesadillas; I topped mine with salsa & guacamole. I used 3 cans of tomatoes in the salsa & it was completely gone by the end of dinner--Sean was hungry when he got home from school! I only had one avocado, so the guacamole was...not enough!
We have recently started getting together once a month with 2 other couples & we rotate houses; everyone just brings appetizers & beverages. Now, they request my salsa. But I have a confession, it's not my recipe, it's Sean's. When I make it, it's my salsa, but I have to give credit where credit is due & that goes to my sweet thang, who happens to be an incredible cook. This is one of those recipes that has no exact measurements, you just taste & go. I'll call it Dietrich Salsa since I have added my own touches to it; 2 additions I made last night & man, it was great salsa!
Dietrich Salsa
1 can rotel tomatoes (I use mild, but I don't like things too spicy)
2 cans diced tomatoes (or if tomatoes are plentiful, tasty & cheap, use fresh)
3/4 bunch of cilantro (that is of a large bunch, add more or less to taste)
1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeded
1/2 medium onion
lime juice
salt
cumin
Using a blender (or a food processor, if like me, you don't currently own a blender--mine broke--so sad), puree the can of rotel tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno, onion, lime juice (start with about 1/4 c. & add according to your taste), a couple dashes of cumin (you really should not be able to taste the cumin) & a generous amount of salt. Puree until smooth. Add the 2 cans of diced tomatoes or fresh tomatoes, and pulse until they are mixed in well, but not smooth, you want it to be chunky.
This is delicious & is my most requested party food; people ask for it all the time. Now for the guacamole...again, it's not really about measurements, just the right ingredients & your taste preference.
Jamie's Great Guacamole
(Not too clever, huh? It's a rainy day, what can I say, I am not too sharp this afternoon!
avocados
homemade salsa (see above, 2-3 T. per avocado)
grated onion (I use a small grater, 1/2-1 T. per avocado)
lime juice (I have no idea, I measure using the cap on the bottle, about 1/2-1 capful per avocado)
cumin (just a dash, again, not so you can taste it)
salt (be generous)
In a bowl, mash the avocado with a fork, just a little. Add all other ingredients & mash until well incorporated, but not completely smooth. Taste & adjust seasonings accordingly. The onion is the most important part of this recipe, without it or without enough, it just doesn't do the guacamole justice.
A nicer chain/franchise Mexican restaurant opened just near my house a couple of years back. Everyone was raving about how great the food was, especially the guacamole; they make it table-side. Well, Sean & I went to try it out. We paid the ridiculous $9.00 for our table-side made guacamole & I have to honestly say, this recipe is better! I am usually pretty humble about my cooking, but mine is better than theirs. Okay, I am done being arrogant! I hope you give my (our) salsa & (my) guacamole a try--if you do, let me know how you like it! Enjoy!
Labels: George Foreman, guacamole, Mexican, quesadillas, salsa, Tam-X-icos
