MEXICAN CHICKEN SALAD

This is the perfect time of year to be dining outside here in Fayetteville - beautifully flavorful and fresh, this Mexican Chicken Salad is the perfect accompaniment to your al-fresco experience.

MEXICAN CHICKEN SALAD

1 cup corn kernels
1 lettuce
2 hot, cooked chicken breasts, sliced
4 to 5 radishes, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (I used a mixture of red and yellow tomatoes)
1/2 cucumber, cut into 2 cm chunks
handful of cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons buritto or taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice

Cook the corn in a saucepan of boiling, lightly salted water for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. Tear the lettuce into bite sized pieces and arrange on a serving platter. Add the chicken, radishes, tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro leaves and corn.
Lightly whisk the burrito seasoning mix, brown sugar, olive oil and lime juice together in a small jar. Taste and add a little salt if needed.
Drizzle dressing over salad and serve.
Enjoy!

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

After taking time in the morning to exercise, shower, and meet a friend for lunch, I had 20 minutes until an appointment. I ran home, threw a load of laundry in the washing machine and mixed the filling for the Chicken Enchiladas. Later, while enjoying a glass of wine and a chatting with a friend who had stopped by for a quick visit, I rolled the filling into the tortillas and popped the dish in the oven - just in time to put dinner on the table for my husband and kids, before I ran out to a committee meeting.
Perfect dinner for a busy, busy day!

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cans green chilies
1 to 2 pounds of cooked chicken breast, diced
20 flour tortillas
1 can enchilada verde sauce
2 cups fiesta blend shredded cheese

Heat oven to 350F.
Mix cream cheese, cream of chicken soup and green chilies with diced chicken in a large bowl. Divide mixture among the tortillas and roll. Place rolled tortillas in a baking dish.
Pour the enchilada verde sauce over the rolled tortillas. Sprinkle the cheese over the top.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the centers of the enchiladas are hot.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Arkansas Living, May 2012
www.aecc.com/arkansas-living-magazine/recipes/‎

SPICY HUMMUS WITH CHILI DUSTED TORTILLA CHIPS and SLOW COOKER BEEF TACOS and BLACK BEANS AND YELLOW RICE and MEXICAN COLESLAW and MEXICAN BROWNIES

A friend had Lasik surgery, which she was thrilled with, and I was thrilled to help out in some small way, and take her and her family dinner - even though it gave her respite from cooking for only one night.

I settled on a Mexican theme, and hoped it was a fiesta feast they would enjoy!

SPICY HUMMUS WITH CHILI DUSTED TORTILLA CHIPS

1 garlic clove, minced
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup tahini
juice and grated peel of 2 lemons
1 packet (1.25 ounces) taco seasoning mix, divided
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles
6 flour soft tortillas or corn chips, for serving

Pulse garlic, beans, tahini, lemon juice, lemon peel, and all except 1 tablespoon of seasoning mix. Pulse several times until well combined. Pour into a bowl, fold in chiles.
Heat oven to 350F. Cut tortillas into 6 to 8 wedges, spread evenly on cookie sheet, spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon seasoning mix.
Bake 4 minutes. Remove from oven, turn wedges over and bake 4 minutes more or until toasted and crispy. Serve with hummus.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Homemade Mexican Favorites, 2012

www.ortega.com/

SLOW COOKER BEEF TACOS

2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into cubes

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

2 cups beef broth

1 onion

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1/2 green bell pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon pepper

flour tortillas, warmed

toppings: sour cream, shredded cheese

Sprinkle beef evenly with salt.

Cook beef, in batches, in hot oil in a skillet over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes or until browned on all sides. Place beef in slow cooker, add chili powder, tomato paste, beef broth, onion, tomato sauce, green bell pepper, ground cumin, and pepper. Stir to combine, cook on high 4 hours or low for 6 hours, or until beef is tender.

Serve with tortillas and desired toppings.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living

www.southernliving.com/food/

BLACK BEANS AND YELLOW RICE

1 package yellow rice mix

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can mexican style stewed tomatoes

1 can chopped green chiles

1 cup shredded cheese

Prepare rice mix according to package directions. Heat beans, tomatoes, and chiles in a large skillet over medium heat. Add rice and cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living 

www.southernliving.com/food/

MEXICAN COLESLAW

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 (10 ounce) package finely shredded cabbage

1/2 pound jicama, shredded

1 carrot, shredded

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Whisk together olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper, in a large bowl. Add shredded cabbage, jicama, carrot, jalapeño pepper and cilantro, and toss to coat.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living

www.southernliving.com/

MEXICAN BROWNIES

FOR BROWNIES
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips
FOR THE BROWN SUGAR TOPPING
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cream
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds

MAKE BROWNIES
Heat oven to 325F. Line an 8 inch pan with foil, extending foil over sides. Stir semi-sweet chocolate and butter in large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Cool 5 minutes. Whisk in sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Continue to whisk until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add flour and whisk just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing surface. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack.
MAKE TOPPING
Whisk sugar, cream and butter in small saucepan over low heat until mixture is smooth and comes to a boil. Remove from heat, mix in vanilla. Cool 10 minutes. Whisk until thick enough to spread. Spread over brownie. Sprinkle with almonds. Let stand until topping sets, about 1 hour.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, August 1996
www.bonappetit.com/magazine/toc

ORANGE MIMOSA and COCONUT FLAN

This was the beginning and the end of our Easter feast.
With not having family in town, it was wonderful to have dear friends close with which to share the holiday. It was a joy to host a celebration for the entire clan - dogs included - although they didn't eat nearly as well as we did.

ORANGE MIMOSA

Place a sugar cube in the bottom of each glass, drizzle with a few drops of orange bitters. Top with
1 1/2 ounces of cognac, then sparkling wine.
Enjoy!

COCONUT FLAN

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 eggs
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk

Heat oven to 350F.
Combine sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Continue cooking 3 minutes or until golden, stirring constantly (it took me a lot longer to get the golden color). Immediately pour into 8 custard cups coated with cooking spray, tipping quickly until caramelized sugar coats bottom of cups. Cool completely.
Combine rum, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, eggs, condensed milk and coconut milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Divide the egg mixture evenly among prepared custard cups  (about 1/2 cup each).
Place cups in a 13 by 9 inch baking pan, add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake for 30 minutes or until center barely moves when custard cup is touched. Cool completely in the water bath. Remove cups from pan, cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
Loosen edges of custards with a knife, place a plate upside down on top of each cup, and invert onto plates. Drizzle any of the remaining caramelized syrup over custards.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, May 2003
www.cookinglight.com/food/recipe-finder/