Chicken and chili flautas are just like baked mini burritos. They remind me of egg rolls with a Latin American twist.

For the Chicken, you may use roasted chicken or stir-fried chicken breast fillets. I also suggest that you use white meat and refrain from adding chicken skin for better texture. If you decide to do so, please make sure that it is finely chopped.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked chicken, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

1 can green chili, chopped

1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped

1 teaspoon tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 pack frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

Guacamole for serving

Salsa for serving

Preheat the oven at 425F and slightly grease a baking sheet.

Combine the chicken, chili, onions and cheese in a large bowl. Mix well and then refrigerate covered for at least 30 minutes.

Take the thawed puff pastry and place it on a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll it out to make a 12×9 inch rectangle. Cut it into nine pieces.

Put 2 tablespoons of chicken filling on each rectangle. Make sure that it is near the edge of the longer side. Roll the pastry to enclose the filling. Wet the edges with water to seal it. Repeat this for the remaining pastry and filling.

Place the flautas seam side down on the greased baking sheet. Bake them for 20-30 minutes or until they are golden brown. Remove from oven and let it stand for 2 minutes. Serve warm with guacamole and salsa.

Photo Courtesy Of:  the.dugger

I love chips with dip especially nachos. I can eat it with salsa or a cheesy sauce, but one thing is for sure. It is definitely delicious when it has loads of toppings. This cheesy taco dip reminds me of just that. It is the perfect party food or you can simply whip it up for lazy weekends when you feel like eating chips while watching television. This sinful treat is best made with fresh tomatoes, but you may also use canned ones if you wish.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium sized green pepper, finely chopped

1 tablespoon oil

1 lb. cheddar or processed cheese, 3/4 cubed and 1/4 grated

16 oz. taco or tomato sauce

1 lb. fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 bottle black olives, drained and sliced

10 oz. canned green chili, drained

4 oz. canned mushroom pieces and stems, drained and chopped

1 cup sour cream

Tortilla chips

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and onions for 2-3 minutes or until they are light brown and the onions are soft. Add the beef and green pepper. Cook it for 8-10 minutes until the beef is browned and crumbled. Pour in the taco sauce and then add the cubed cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, chili and olives.  Let it simmer for 4-6 minutes or until the cheese melts and the sauce is warmed through. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl or baking dish. Pour the sour cream over it and sprinkle it with grated cheese. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Photo Courtesy Of:   Patrick Haney

Quesadilla originated from Mexico. In most regions, it is made up of heated tortillas with different fillings. Unlike its American counterpart, the traditional version is filled with a wide variety of ingredients, from pumpkin flowers, epazote, chorizo and the likes. Some regions even deep fry the quesadillas until the tortilla is hot and crisp.

I am a big fan of tortillas or any type of food that includes it. It is very flexible and it can be used in different ways. There are corn and flour tortillas. I am fonder of the latter, perhaps because it is the most common. Even my preferred flavors re quite simple- chicken and cheese, mushroom and cheese and garlic and cheese, which is why I wanted to add more spunk to my favorites. Roasted vegetable quesadilla is a sure hit and I highly recommend it.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
4  8” flour tortillas

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 large onion, sliced

1 green zucchini, sliced

1 large red bell peppers, sliced

1 green peppers, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 loosely packed cup of fresh thyme

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cup salsa

Olive oil

Guacamole for serving

Preheat the oven at 200C and line a baking dish with baking paper.

Place the onion, zucchini, red bell peppers and green bell peppers on the lined baking dish and sprinkle it with minced garlic and thyme. Drizzle it with olive oil and season it with salt and pepper. Gently toss the vegetables to make sure that they are seasoned and coated in oil. Roast it in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and the edges are slightly browned.

Put a tortilla on a flat surface. Top it with cheese and then spoon some roasted vegetables on it. Next, add a teaspoon or more of salsa. Cover it with another piece of tortilla.

Lightly grease a large frying pan or skillet with olive oil. Set it over medium heat. Heat the quesadilla in the pan for 2-3 minutes per side, until it is light brown and the cheese melts. Repeat this with the remaining ingredients. Cut the quesadilla into quarters and serve immediately with guacamole and salsa.

Photo Courtesy Of: cooking-outdoors

I’ve been indulging in meat these days, so I have decided to prepare meatless dishes for now. This enchilada recipe is simple enough to make but it is definitely delicious. If you do not like black beans you can replace it with refried beans instead.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil

2 sweet potatoes

1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup canned sweet corn kernels

1 cup sliced olives

2 cups Cheddar cheese

8 corn tortillas

Fresh cilantro, chopped

1 cup salsa for serving

1 cup sour cream, for serving

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

4 cups chopped tomatoes

1 cup vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

Peel the sweet potatoes and boil them in a pot of salted water until soft. Drain and discard the liquid. Mash the sweet potatoes and discard any liquids. Set aside.

After, prepare the sauce. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and chili flakes for 3-5 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Stir in the cumin and allow it to cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and pour in the broth. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Let is simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Season it with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.

Place half of the sauce in a food processor or blender. Process it for 30 seconds to 1 minute until it becomes smooth. Do the same for the remaining sauce. Return the pureed sauce in the saucepan and reheat it for another 5 minutes. Add more salt and pepper if desired.

Lightly grease another skillet with vegetable oil. Heat the tortillas individually for 30 seconds per side until it is lightly browned and then lightly grease a large baking dish.

To assemble the enchilada, place some sweet potatoes, beans and corn at the center of a tortilla. Top it with 2 tablespoons of sauce and then 3 tablespoons cheddar cheese. Toll up the tortilla and place it on the baking dish, seam side down. Repeat this for the remaining ingredients.

Pour the remaining sauce over the enchilada and then sprinkle it with the remaining Cheddar cheese. Bake it for 15-20 minutes until the sauce bubbles and the cheese is golden. Once it is cooked, let it stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with the fresh cilantro and serve warm with salsa.

Photo Courtesy Of:  lumachrome

According to Wikipedia, carnitas literally means “little meats”. To prepare this dish, the pork is slow cooked or roasted until soft. The meat is then shredded and placed in a tortilla with other toppings.

There may be many variations for this Mexican pulled pork sandwich, but for me it is best eaten like a regular soft taco. It is great with just the meat and salsa, but it is even better with some grated lettuce, refried beans, guacamole and most especially grated cheese.

If you do not like the meat crisp, just reduce the baking time. You may also reserve some cooking liquid to add in the pan while roasting, to keep the meat juicy and soft.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

4 lbs. pork shoulder, cut into large cubes

1 qt. beef broth

5 cups salsa

1 cup sweet corn kernels

Water

Salt and pepper to taste

20 corn tortillas

Lime wedges for serving

Place the pork, broth and 2 cups of salsa in a heavy pot or Dutch oven. Pour in some water to make sure the meat is covered in liquid. Season it with salt and pepper. Set the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 2-3 hours or until the meat is soft. You may also use a pressure cooker to reduce the cooking time.

Next, preheat the oven at 400F. Drain the meat and discard the cooking liquid. Spread the meat on a roasting pan and make sure that the meat is cut into small chunks. Roast the meat for 15-20 minutes until it becomes golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly.

While waiting for the meat to cool slightly, heat the tortillas on a grill for 2 minutes per side. Small bubbles or air pockets will form on the tortillas when they are ready. You can also use the microwave. Just place the tortillas on high heat for 10-20 seconds. After, wrap them in a clean cloth to keep them warm.

To assemble the carnitas, place 2-3 tablespoons of meat on the tortilla and top it with corn and salsa. Do the same for the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Photo Courtesy Of: thebittenword.com