Category Archives: Southwestern

The Best Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

March 3, 2021

I LOVE enchiladas but I’m not a big fan of canned enchiladas sauces so I usually opt for a jar of our favorite Trader Joe’s salsa verde instead. But every so often you (and I) want a yummy red sauce and this is the (easy!) solution.

This homemade red enchilada sauce is flavored with chipotle in adobo for a mild smokey kick. You can add hot chili powder if you want to really taste the heat. This recipe makes almost 4 cups of sauce so enough for 2-3 pans of enchiladas. Leftover sauce can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for months. The filling I used in the enchiladas above was from this recipe, and it was good but not something we’re dying to make again. This sauce on the other hand, we loved and will be using regularly! Try it to replace the salsa in this skillet enchilada recipe or here or here.

The Best Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth (I used homemade chicken broth and added an extra pinch of salt)
3 cups canned tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, chopped (can add more to taste)
1 tsp. chili powder (or Mexican hot chili powder for more heat)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
fresh black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and garlic; sauté until golden, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, chipotle chiles, chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 7-10 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Makes about 4 cups enchilada sauce.

(Adapted from Skinnytaste)

Chipotle Guacamole

February 20, 2021

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Chipotle as in the smoked jalapeno pepper, not the restaurant. (Just to be clear.) We eat lots and lots of guacamole. Most often I mash a ripe avocado with some red salsa and voila! guacamole. But this is my new favorite recipe for when I want to put forth more effort. Originally I added an ear of fresh corn but didn’t love it. (More of a personal preference. If you love sweet corn, you might prefer it.) I did love the chipotle flavor so on my second attempt I used a red onion instead for crunch and thought it was perfect.

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Chipotle Guacamole

INGREDIENTS

2 large ripe avocados, halved, pitted and peeled
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 plum tomato, seeded and diced
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
3-4 Tbsp. chopped red onion
1 canned chipotle chile*, finely chopped (I used a medium chipotle for mild spice, feel free to add more)
1 Tbsp. sour cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

optional add-in: 1 ear fresh corn

DIRECTIONS

1. Mash avocados with lime juice in medium bowl. Stir in tomato, garlic, cilantro, and onions. Combine chipotle and sour cream in small bowl; whisk to blend. Stir cream mixture into avocado mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Do ahead: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of guacamole and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

*Chipotle chiles are dried, smoked jalapeños canned in adobo sauce. They are available at some supermarkets, at specialty foods stores, and at Latin markets. Leftovers can be frozen for a long time.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit)

Breakfast Quesadillas

February 10, 2021

Scrambled eggs + bacon (or ham, sausage, veggies, etc!) + lots of melty cheese all stuffed inside a crisp tortilla = the breakfast quesadilla. It’s a quick and easy breakfast/lunch/dinner option that is filling and delicious. I love adding fresh chopped chives (they go so well with eggs) and cilantro and pickled jalapeños to mine. My kids don’t love the “green things” inside but they will request a pile of sliced avocado on the side. Salsa and sour cream are also a must.

Breakfast Quesadillas

INGREDIENTS

large (I used 10-inch) flour tortillas
butter
eggs (I used 2 large eggs per tortilla), whisked
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
bacon, cooked and crumbled (or diced ham/Canadian bacon/sausage or make it vegetarian with sautéed spinach, mushrooms, red pepper or black or pinto beans, etc.)
Mexican cheese blend, shredded (or cheddar, Monterey/Pepper/Colby Jack, etc.)

optional add-ins:
fresh chopped chives
fresh chopped cilantro
pickled jalapeno

for serving:
salsa or pico de gallo or hot sauce
sliced avocado or guacamole
sour cream

DIRECTIONS

  1. To scramble the eggs, melt a bit of butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the eggs and cook, stirring frequently, until the eggs are just set. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  2. Set the eggs aside and wipe the pan clean. Return the pan to medium heat and place a tortilla in the pan. Sprinkle the surface of the tortilla with shredded cheese. Top one half of the tortilla with scrambled eggs and bacon (or ham, etc.) and any other add-ins such as cilantro and chives. Once the cheese has started to melt, fold the other side of the tortilla over the eggs. Continue cooking, flipping the tortilla partway through, until the cheese is melted and the outside of the tortilla is golden and crisp.
  3. Remove the quesadilla from the heat, slice, and serve with salsa, avocado, sour cream, etc.

(Adapted from Tastes Better from Scratch)

Crunchy Folded Taco Wrap

January 22, 2021

This “crunchwrap” recipe is a lot of fun and also really delicious! I can’t speak for the original Taco Bell version as I’ve never had one, but my husband has consumed way too many of them and he was impressed with this homemade attempt as well. (And we all know it’s much healthier!)

This folded wrap “hack” has been all over Tik-tok and Instagram lately and it takes a few minutes to get the hang of, but then you’ll want to make it on repeat! I didn’t photograph or film a step-by-step of the folding process so head on over to I am a Food Blog for detailed photo/video if you’re confused. It does matter what ingredients you place in each quadrant of the wrap and which direction you fold (clock-wise, please) so that the cheese layers end up on the outside and get melted when grilled. The sour cream/lettuce/tomato layer stays safe inside so we don’t end up with soggy lettuce.

I used my go-to homemade ground beef taco seasoning. It’s fast and easy and packed with flavor. Any shredded Mexican cheese will work here- just use lots of it for a nice cheesy layer. You can get creative and add diced onion and cilantro to the salad layer. Even throw in some avocado. If you’re not a big fan of tortilla chips, replace them with a crunchy veggie like raw onion, radish, or bell pepper. I served our crunch wraps with salsa and guacamole on the side.

Crunchy Folded Taco Wrap

INGREDIENTS

Taco Meat:
1 lb. ground beef (I use 85% lean)
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika (or smoked paprika)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. dried Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or 1/8 tsp. cayenne)
1 tsp. sea salt (use less if using table salt)
1/2 tsp. black pepper

~6 large (10 inch) flour tortillas
sour cream
shredded lettuce (iceberg or romaine)
diced tomato
tortilla chips
shredded cheese (Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Mexican Cheese blend, etc.)
salsa and/or guacamole, for serving

DIRECTIONS

  1. To make the taco meat, combine the seasonings in a small bowl. Set aside. Preheat large skillet over medium heat and cook beef until browned. Drain the fat. Stir in the seasoning mix to coat. Pour in the water, bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook several minutes until thickened and most of the water has evaporated.
  2. To make the wraps, lay the tortilla down on a cutting board. Take a knife and cut a line from the center of the tortilla to the bottom edge.
  3. Spread a thin layer of sour cream over the left half of the tortilla. Sprinkle grated cheese over the right half of the tortilla. To the bottom left quarter, add shredded lettuce and tomato. On the top left quarter, top with tortilla chips. On the top right quarter, add some ground beef.
  4. Starting with the bottom left corner, fold it up over the top left. Then fold it over to the top right. Finally, fold it down to the bottom right. (See detailed photos/video here.)
  5. Grill in a pan over medium heat (I sprayed it with a bit of oil cooking spray) until the tortilla is crispy and the cheese melts, flipping once, about 3-4 minutes per side.

Makes ~6 crunchy wraps.

(wrap adapted from I Am a Food Blog, taco meat from this post)

Chicken Enchilada Skillet

December 16, 2020

I’m always on the hunt for great Mexican food and enchiladas are my favorite of all. I’ve tried a lot of enchilada recipes (many of which never make it to the blog, some I’m loyal to and make on repeat) but this is the first time I’ve made enchiladas in a skillet and they were EASY and delicious! Shredded rotisserie chicken gets tossed with torn corn torillas, black beans (or pinto), salsa (red or green- Trader Joe’s salsa verde is our favorite- mild, medium or hot- your choice!), sour cream, and a quick saute of garlic + onion + cumin. It all goes back into the skillet, topped with a generous amount of cheese (of course!), and baked for ONLY 5!! minutes and dinner is served. Add some pickled jalapeno, cilantro, and avocado… um yum.

Chicken Enchilada Skillet

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 (16-oz.) jar salsa (or mild, medium, or hot, salsa verde is so delicious, or this favorite red enchilada sauce)
1/2 cup sour cream
4 corn tortillas, torn into quarters (I used our favorite Tortillaland uncooked corn tortillas and cooked them on the griddle first)
4 cups shredded cooked chicken (from 1 rotisserie chicken)
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans (or pinto beans), drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (or cheddar, Colby Jack, pepper Jack, etc.)

optional for serving:
pickled jalapeños
fresh chopped cilantro
sliced green onion or chives
sour cream
sliced avocado

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 500°F. Heat oil in a 10″ heatproof (oven-safe) skillet over medium. Add onion, garlic, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Transfer onion mixture to a large bowl; reserve hot skillet. Add salsa, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 1/4 cup water (I omitted the water- didn’t think it was necessary) to onion mixture and stir to combine. Fold in tortillas, chicken, and beans until thoroughly coated. Return mixture to reserved skillet and cook over medium heat until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over.
  3. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Top with sour cream, jalapeños, cilantro, green onion/chives, and sliced avocado if desired.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Epicurious)