Cilantro Chile Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 Cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 2 Cloves garlic
• 3-4 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste
• 2 Serrano chiles
• 1/2 Cup olive oil
• 1 Teaspoon cumin
• salt to taste

Frittata Ingredients:

• 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Small red onion, chopped
• 1 Medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 Medium red potatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 Small zucchinis, halved lenght-wise and sliced
• 6 Eggs, beaten
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 Cup queso fresco or cotija

Cilantro Chile Sauce Directions:

In a blender, combine the 7 sauce ingredients, blend until very smooth, and set aside.

Frittata Directions:

Set a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Add the onion and cook about 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and sauté another 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low and layer the potatoes on top of the onion  and bell pepper mixture. Add a few tablespoons of the cilantro chile sauce and season with salt and pepper. Cook  about 5-7 minutes, stirring occacionally. Place the zucchini in a single layer on top of the potatoes and add adittional salt and pepper as desired. continue to cook until the potatoes are tender.

Turn the heat down to low and pour the eggs into the skillet. When the eggs have set up a bit, run a spatula around the edges of the skillet while tilting it so the uncooked egg will run to the underside and cook. Add additional sauce and cover the frittata a few minutes to finish cooking.

Posted by Lindsay

Quesadillas (CC photo by bdebaca courtesy of Flickr)

A classic quesadilla is basically a corn tortilla with some melted cheese inside. But, as you know, you’ll often find quesadillas filled with chicken (pollo), potatoes (papas), chile poblano (rajas), mushrooms (champiñones), squash flower (flor de calabaza), chorizo, and even cecina (beef or pork).

In Mexico, quesadillas are prepared on street corners throughout cities, at small stands under trees along winding streets and rural highways, in flea markets, and in small diners called “fondas”. Quesadillas are very popular, and people leaving work are frequently seen parking their cars at the first quesadilla stand they find and eating at least 2 or 3 deliciously hot quesadillas garnished with cream and salsa. Because they’re very light, they can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon Oil
• 250 grams Oaxaca Cheese (or mozarella or string cheese as a substitute)
• 4 Corn Tortillas

Directions:

Place a skillet over medium-heat and add the oil. Once heated, place a tortilla in the skillet. Shred some cheese, and add the desired amount on top of the tortilla.

Fold the tortilla in half, forming a half moon shape. When you see that the cheese is melting, flip the quesadilla over so the other side gets warm, too. This process should only take a minute or two. As soon as you see that the tortilla is getting crispy, remove it from the skillet and place it on a plate. Keep the quesadilla warm while you repeat the same process with the other tortillas. Add sour cream and salsa if desired.

Remember, you can add whatever filling you want. So, along with the cheese, add mushrooms, rajas, chorizo with diced potatoes, or shredded chicken or beef. Enjoy!

Posted by Lindsay

Chicken Enchiladas (CC photo by slocreedler courtesy of Flickr)

Ingredients:

• 2 Lbs Tomatillos (about 14 medium)
• 2 Serrano chile peppers
• 1 White onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 Cloves garlic
• 1 Cup cilantro
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1 Tablespoon lard or oil
• 1/3 Cup chicken stock
• 1/4 – 1/3 Cup oil
• 12-16 Corn tortillas
• 2 Boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1/2 – 1 Cup sour cream
• 1/2 – 1 Cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija (or farmer cheese)
• 1/2 Red onion, thinly sliced in rings, optional
• 2 Cups shredded heat lettuce, optional

Directions:

Put the tomatillos and serranos in a pot and just cover them with water. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 5 minutes.

Remove the tomatillos and serranos from the pot, and set aside about 1/2 cup of the boiled water, letting everything cool a few minutes.

In a blender, add the tomatillos, serranos, reserved ater, onion, garlic, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth.

Heat the tablespoon of lard or oil in a saucepan set over medium heat. Add the sauce and simmer about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock. Season with salt, if necesary. Simmer until the sauce thickens a bit and yields about 2 cups. Set aside, but keep them warm.

Heat a few tablespoons of the oil in a small skillet set over medium-low heat and fry the tortillas separately, about 1 minute on the first side, then flip it and fry another 30 seconds. be sure not to fry them too long – they’re done before they turn golden or become crispy. Add more oil as needed while you fry the tortillas. stack them on a plate lined with paper towels.

Submerge one of the fried tortillas in the warm green sauce. Fill with a little chicken and sour cream and roll the tortilla, placing it seam-side down on a plate. Repeat process with the rest of the fried tortillas. Top off with crumbled cheese, a little more cream if you’de like, a couple red onion rings  and a bit of shredded lettuce, if desired.

Serve hot with red rice and beans.

Posted by Lindsay

If there is something that Mexicans look for to eat at the time for breakfast or dinner is a delicious piece of sweet bread. In Mexico, bread come right after tortillas as the second most eaten food in the country. Now, we are not talking about bread that is sold in plastic bags at the supermarkets, we are talking about traditional and authentic Mexican bread. The list of styles, forms, flavors and names is quite long, but some of the most recognized names are: conchas, bigotes, chilindrinas, elotitos, limas, ojo de buey, polvoron, pata de mula, tostada, picon, mantecado and many many more.

They are baked on places called “Panaderias” bakeries where you go, take a bread platter and tongs and pick your favorite breads. The prices may vary from one place to another, but generally for a piece of bread you would pay around 30 to 60 cents (USD) a piece.

Families have the custom to get bread in the morning, when many of the bakeries make early morning fresh and warm bread, and they keep it for the day, maybe to have a dessert after lunch or dinner along with a cup of hot chocolate, champurrado or just plain milk.

Bread is also featured as part of special festivities and in some cases, flavors and shapes are unique of certain towns. There is one called Rosca de Reyes that is baked throughtout the country only around January 6, as part of the tradition of the arrival of the Three Wise Men, but we’ll talk about it later.

Posted by Magdiel

Tamales (CC photo by Suzanne Barbezat)

Tamales are definitely considered a classic Mexican Dish, handed down from generations of long ago and still an important part of the daily diet of many Mexican families.  The name tamal comes from the word in Nahuatl “tamalli,” which means “wrapped.” It is not surprising to find a guy selling tamales from his big tricycle in every colonia (neighborhood), or to see sellers stationed outside offices, factories or at bus stops, where people are easily lured into getting one or two tamales. Others like to order a tamal inside a telera roll and accompany their “tamal torta” with an atole or champurrado.

Tamalero (CC photo by eldefe)

Preparing tamales is not an easy task and part of the success in making really good tamales is the quality of the fresh corn dough (masa). If the masa is not prepared well, the consistency of the tamales will not be right. The list of flavor options can be long, depending on the area were you get them, but generally you find Verde (pork in a green chile sauce), Rojo (red chile sauce with cheese), Mole (mole sauce), Rajas con Queso (chile Poblano with cheese), and some sweet flavors, like with raisins or pineapple, which are identyfied by the pink color of the masa.

Tamales (CC photo by michellescafebaltimore)

You can find also different versions of them, like for example Tamal Oaxaqueño, Tamal Yucateco, Tamal Hidalguense, Tamal Regio and Tamal Sonorense. I like Tamal Oaxaqueño so we’ll talk about it later.

Posted by Magdiel

Huevos a la Mexicana, or Mexican scrambled eggs, is a hearty traditional Mexican Breakfast Food that’s sure to hit the spot. You can’t go wrong with this delectable dish made with fresh ingredients. It’s so simple to make and exquisite to the palate!

Ingredients

• 6 Eggs
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 3 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/2 Onion, chopped
• 2 Jalapeño or Serrano Chile peppers, minced
• 2 Tablespoons oil
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese, optional
• Salt to taste

Directions

Add the milk and salt to taste to the eggs and beat well. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté the tomatoes, onion, and peppers in the oil until tender. It should have the consistency of a chunky style salsa. Add the eggs and stir to combine. Stir occasionally to cook the eggs evenly and to the desired doneness. Top with the shredded cheese of your choice if desired.

Serve with refried beans (frijoles), pico de gallo, fresh sliced avocado, and warm corn tortillas.

Serve 2

Posted by Lindsay