Taco Dip

It's that season again . . . the crisp hint of chill in the air, the tips of the leaves are just beginning to turn colors, you feel the need for that last-minute reach for an extra blanket at night.

Yep, it's football season!!! And that means tailgating. Here is a delicious dip that we enjoyed at our own tailgate this past weekend. It was the Georgia Bulldogs' first home game, and it was a great one! Enjoy the recipe and the season.

Taco Dip
from my Aunt Cathie

1 lb. ground beef
1 1.25-ounce package dry taco seasoning mix
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1 cup shredded cheddar jack cheese
1/4 cup sliced black olives
Cilantro or green onion, chopped (optional)
Tortilla chips (I like Frito Scoops for this)

Brown ground beef and drain all grease. Add the taco seasoning mix and set aside.

Beat cream cheese with sour cream. Spread mixture in a pan. Cover with the meat. Top with chopped green pepper, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheddar jack cheese and black olives. Garnish with cilantro or green onions. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.

Tip: Add a layer of refried beans, black beans, and/or guacamole for a delicious seven-layer Mexican dip!

Green Chilaquiles

So, you know me, dear readers. I can't just stop at making salsa out of my tomatillos. I had to incorporate them into a fabulous new dish! I kept reading about green chilaquiles - basically glorified nachos with chicken and tomatillo salsa. I decided to go for it, even though my husband is not a huge fan of chips or nachos.

He ate three bowl-fuls of this stuff!

This dish was delicious! The toasty cheese compliments the tangy salsa perfectly, all atop deliciously moist chicken and crunchy tortilla chips. This one is a keeper!!!

Green Chilaquiles

3-4 big handfuls tortilla chips
1 cup salsa de tomatillo (see recipe above)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cups shredded monterrey jack cheese
Cilantro, for garnish

Preheat your oven to broil, and grease a 9x9-inch baking dish. Lay a generous bed of tortilla chips across the bottom of the prepared dish. Spread an even layer of chicken over the top of the chips. Drizzle the salsa de tomatillo evenly across the chicken and sprinkle with the cheese.

Broil for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.

Salsa de Tomatillo

These happy little tomatillos appeared in our CSA basket this week. I had no idea what to do with them, so I started searching around the internet and immediately came up with a bunch of great recipes for tomatillo salsa.

What a perfect way to get to know these little guys! Their slightly sweet and tangy flavor is perfectly displayed in this fresh and zesty salsa. Perfect as a snack with chips, or get more creative and use it as a sauce for grilled chicken or fish. Or make a meal of it with Green Chicken Chilaquiles!

Salsa de Tomatillo
from AllRecipes.com

10 tomatillos, husked and rinsed with cool water
1 small onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon jalapeno pepper, chopped (seeds removed if you're wimpy like me)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Place tomatillos in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Simmer until tomatillos soften and begin to burst, about 10 minutes.

Drain tomatillos and allow to cool. Place in a food processor or blender with onion, garlic, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, salt and pepper. Blend to desired consistency.

Taco Burgers

The idea for these awesome burgers came from my friend Hayley. She has a fabulous shopping blog - Deals, Steals & Heels - you should check it out!

Taco Burgers

1 packet of dry taco seasoning
1.5 lbs. ground beef (~85% lean)
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 slices cheddar or cheddar jack cheese
4 buns
Red onion, sliced
Guacamole (make your own! it's easy!)

In a medium bowl, combine taco seasoning, ground beef, and egg lightly until completely combined. Divide the meat into four equal patties.

Grill the patties to desired done-ness, topping with sliced cheese during the last 2 minutes of grilling. Grill the buns, too, if desired.

Place a patty on each bun, and top with sliced onion and guacamole. Enjoy!

Grilled Fish Tacos

Here's a tasty little number I came up with: grilled fish tacos. Hubby and I love mexican food, and eating lighter is on our agenda these days with a beach vacation coming up. So here is my lightened-up version of fish tacos. Instead of fried fish, it's grilled. Instead of creamy sauce, use some guacamole. And those fiber-packed tortillas really aren't that bad! Spicy, tangy, creamy, delicious.

Grilled Fish Tacos

4-6 soft taco tortillas (the high-fiber ones are actually good)
1/2 lb. tilapia filets
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon fajita seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (if your seasoning blends contain no salt)
Salsa
Guacamole
Fat free sour cream
Shredded cheese (recommended: cheddar jack)
Cilantro

Heat your outdoor grill, george foreman, or stovetop grill pan to medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray or olive oil.

Meanwhile, cut your tilapia filets into 2" by 1" chunks. In a small bowl, combine the cajun seasoning, fajita seasoning, pepper, and salt. Sprinkle half of the seasoning mixiture over the fish chunks.

When the grill is heated, use tongs to place the fish on the heat, seasoned-side-down. Apply the other half of the seasoning to the tops of the fish. Grill for 4-5 minutes on each side. You will know that the fish is ready to turn over when the fish releasesz easily from the grill, and you see nice golden brown grill marks on it.

Serve the fish with the tortillas and your favorite toppings. Makes about 2 servings.

Tex-Mex Sundaes

When brainstorming for a great dessert to compliment our Cinco de Mayo feast, I was reminded of a recipe I'd seen Paula Deen make on the Food Network a few years ago. Here is my version!

Tex-Mex Sundaes
Adapted from Paula Deen's recipe

Vegetable oil
8-10 flour tortillas
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Turtle Tracks ice cream
Chocolate Syrup
Caramel Syrup

In a heavy skillet, pour vegetable oil until about 1/2 inch deep. Turn on medium heat.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Using tongs, add tortillas one at a time, frying for about 45 seconds per side until puffed and golden brown. Remove the tortilla to paper towels to drain, and sprinkle on both sides, while still hot, with the cinnamon sugar. Repeat until all tortillas are done.

For each sundae, place one tortilla in a shallow bowl or on a plate. Top with ice cream. Then drizzle with chocolate and/or caramel syrup. Serve immediately.

Seven-Layer Mexican Lasagna

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

Yep, when you like food (and cocktails),
then you pretty much make every holiday YOUR holiday.

Well, this was all that was left of dinner by the time I got the camera out.
I guess that means it was good!

Here's the casserole I served to my friends at our casual little get together tonight. I sort of made it up on the fly based on many recipes I had seen floating around.

Seven Layer Mexican Lasagna
8 large flour tortillas
1.25ish lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup enchilada sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
1/2 of a green bell pepper, diced
1/2 of a red bell pepper, diced
1/2 of a yellow bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fajita seasoning
1 package of frozen corn kernels
2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar, monterey jack, whatever you like)
About 12-15 tortilla chips, crushed

Preheat your oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Line the bottom with 4 of the tortillas, cutting the edges if necessary.

Next, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, seasoning it with the cumin. Add the enchilada sauce and heat through. Set aside.

In another large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, peppers, red onion, and garlic. Sprinkle with the fajita seasoning. Cook, stirring until fragrant and softened, about 4 minutes. Add the frozen corn and heat through. Remove from heat.

Next spoon the meat mixture over the tortillas in the baking dish. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Then place the remaining 4 tortillas on top of the cheese. Spoon the corn and veggie mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the veggies. Finally, top with the crushed tortilla chips.

Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with cilantro and serve with guacamole and sour cream toppings.

No leftovers - sadness!

Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

¡Hola, Readers!

It's Mexican night here at Vintage Victuals!
So, what's on the menu, you ask?

Chips and Guacamole
Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Mexicorn
Black Beans
Fizzy Margaritas

This is one of our favorite meals - it's a fabulous fiesta! These enchiladas are so easy, but full of flavor. The perfect balance of spices and cheese, they are perfect for a weeknight meal or for a festive cinco de mayo party.

Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (roasted chicken is the best, but boiled breast meat works, too)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Mexican cheese dip (see photo below)
1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 3.5 ounce can green chilies
1 1/2 teaspoons fajita seasoning
Half a pinch of red pepper flake
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 shakes Tabasco hot sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
8 soft-taco-sized tortillas (I like flour, but corn tortillas are more *authentic*)
1/2 cup enchilada sauce ((recommended: Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup more shredded Mexican cheese blend

Grease a 9x13 -inch baking dish, and preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, sour cream, cheese dip, shredded cheese, green chilies, fajita seasoning, red pepper flake, pepper, Tabasco, and cilantro - until thoroughly mixed. Take tortillas, one at a time, and fill with about 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture. Roll the tortilla up, and place the enchilada, seam-side-down, in the prepared baking dish. Pour the enchilada sauce over the top, like so . . .

Bake for 20 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and tortillas begin to turn golden. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the second 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melty and caramelized. Serve with your favorite Mexican sides, and perhaps a margarita! Enjoy!

Fizzy Margaritas

What is better on a warm spring afternoon than a chilly, fizzy margarita???

In the interest of full disclosure, I feel a need to confess, dear readers, that in one of my former lives, I was a bar-tender at a resort in rural Montana. All I can say is that a girl learns how to make a good margarita out there!

Caution: this is not a drink for the faint of heart - these margaritas will ROCK you if you're not careful - but they sure go down easy!

Fizzy Margaritas

1 fresh lime, cut into wedges
Margarita salt or kosher salt
Ice cubes
1 16-ounce bottle of Mexican beer, recommended: Corona
1 12-ounce can frozen lime-aid concentrate
12 fluid ounces of water
12 fluid ounces of tequila
1/4 cup orange liqueur (triple sec, cointreau, or grand marnier)
1/4 cup orange juice

Take one of the lime wedges, cut a slit in it with a sharp knife, and use the slit to rub lime juice around the rims of 4 glasses. Dip the rims of the glasses into the margarita or kosher salt to coat. Fill the glasses with ice cubes.

Place more ice cubes in a large pitcher. Pour the beer, lime-aid, water, and tequila into the pitcher. Tip: you can use the empty lime-aid can to measure the water and the tequila. Then add the orange liqueur and the orange juice. Mix well with a long spoon, and pour into the prepared glasses. Garnish with the remaining lime wedges. Enjoy!!!

Colorful Mexicorn

Over the past few months I've gotten some questions from readers about what "Mexicorn" is. It appears as an ingredient in several of my recipes. It's produced by Green Giant - simply a mixture of corn, bell peppers, onion, and seasoning.

Mexicorn is actually a very handy ingredient that you can find in your local grocery store on the canned vegetable aisle. It looks like this:

But I also love to make Mexicorn as a fresh side dish to go with enchiladas and tacos. The light and crunchy combination of veggies is a refreshing accompaniment to any zesty meal.

Homemade Mexicorn

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups of fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
a pinch of cumin
1 teaspoon lime juice
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add corn, bell peppers, red onion, salt, pepper, cumin, and lime juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until vegetables are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with fresh cilantro.

Hearty Black Bean Soup

I love black beans, and it's still cold enough here in Georgia to justify my cravings for nice, hot, steaming bowls of soup. Heck - we even have snow on the ground, lingering after the storm that dumped 6 inches on our little town over the weekend! This is exciting for those of us who only see a light dusting once a year or so!

So I wanted a hearty, chunky black bean soup to warm us up. Forget all of your wimpy pureed soups - this soup is thick, filling, and delicious! Here is what I came up with!

Hearty Black Bean Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 15-ounce cans black beans
2 15-ounce cans of water
2 shakes of your favorite hot sauce
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 chicken bouillon cube or seasoning packet
Finely minced red onion, for garnish
Sliced avocado, for garnish
Sprigs of cilantro, for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and peppers. Stir and allow the veggies to cook until the onions are translucent and the peppers become slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes. Next, add the beans, the water (use the bean-cans to measure), cumin, oregano, lime juice, salt, pepper, and bouillon. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Allow the soup to simmer for about 1 hour, uncovered, until reduced and thickened. Serve hot with garnishes of your choice.

This recipe can be easily converted to a crock pot. Simply measure all ingredients into the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Note: To make this recipe vegetarian, omit the chicken bouillon cube and the water. Substitute with 2 15-ounce cans of vegetable broth.

Creamy Salsa Dip

Here is an incredibly easy recipe for an incredibly luscious dip. You can adjust the amount of salsa to your taste. It also makes a great topping for burgers, nachos, or fries.

Creamy Salsa Dip

8 ounces of cream cheese

1/2 cup of your favorite salsa

In a microwave-safe dish, combine cream cheese and salsa. Cover and microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until completely melted and incorporated. Garnish with cilantro, if desired, and serve with tortilla chips.

Make-Ahead Mexican Fiesta

I've seen a lot of different versions of recipes for Salsa Chicken in the crockpot floating around and decided to throw my two cents in! Here's my version - it's easy, healthy, and full of flavor. I hope you enjoy it!

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

4 uncooked chicken breasts, cleaned
1 jar of your favorite salsa
1 can of mexicorn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon fajita seasoning
Whole wheat tortillas
Fresh chopped cilantro
Fat free sour cream
Shredded cheese

Place chicken breasts, salsa, mexicorn, beans, lime juice, cumin, and fajita seasoning in your crock pot. Mix ingredients up a little bit, making sure to cover chicken.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-6 hours. Serve as is OR you can shred the chicken up, stir it into the veggies, and serve it with tortillas.

Garnish with cilantro, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

Guacamole with Baked Whole Wheat Chips

So since it's January and a lot of us are struggling to keep our New Year's resolutions up - or just to get ready for bathing suit season - I've been trying to include some healthier items here on VV. My main temptation is snacking - usually something salty and crunchy with a nice creamy or cheesy dip on the side. So here's what I've got to satisfy that craving without quite so much of the guilty aftertaste.

I absolutely love guacamole. It tastes so sinfully rich, but it's actually quite nutritious. Avocados have a good amount of fat in them, but most of the fat in an avocado is mono-unsaturated, which is the "good" kind of fat since it has been shown to lower bad cholesterol levels and raise good cholesterol levels. To boot, they are high in potassium, B vitamins, vitamin E, vitamin K, and even fiber.

Moreover, guacamole tastes so much better when you make it fresh than with that store-bought stuff. It's easy to put together, too!

Instead of going for store-bought corn chips with cheese- or sour cream-based dips, try out some guacamole with baked tortilla chips to keep those resolutions!!!

Basic Guacamole
2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
1/4 cup onion, minced
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Using a fork, mash up the avocados in a medium bowl. Add onion, lime juice, garlic, and cumin - stir to combine. Add salt and pepper until desired seasoning is reached. Spoon into a serving dish and sprinkle cilantro on top!

Note: you may also wish to add minced jalapeño, cumin, fajita seasoning, red onion, green onion, corn, diced tomato, sour cream, or shredded cheese. We like to keep the guac simple and non-spicy in my family!

Baked Whole Wheat Tortilla Chips

5-10 whole wheat flour tortillas
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons fajita seasoning

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stack your tortillas on top of one another. With a serrated knife, slice through all the tortillas to make wedge-shapes, like you're slicing a pizza. Arrange tortilla wedges in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet.

In a small bowl, mix together olive oil and lime juice. Using a pastry brush, brush this mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle with fajita seasoning. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until desired crispiness is reached. Serve warm with guacamole or salsa.

This recipe is also good with Cajun seasoning, Greek seasoning, or any other spice blend that you like!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I was inspired to make chicken tortilla soup one cold and rainy night this week. I had most of the ingredients on hand to make the base for a soup, and just added some of hubby's and my favorite "Mexican" ingredients. It turned out wonderfully.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup diced cellery
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup diced sweet onion

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 (10-ounce) can Mexicorn (corn and bell peppers), drained and rinsed

1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (-ounce) can green chiles, drained

1 tablespoon minced garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or sliced

2 teaspoons fajita seasoning blend

2 tablespoons ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes, see below

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add celery, carrot, and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until veggies begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables, and stir. Flour will form a paste; allow paste to cook for at least 2 minutes. Gradually add chicken broth, whisking. Heat the mixture until it begins to simmer and thicken, approximately 7-8 minutes.

Note: At this point, you have the base for pretty much any chicken soup you want to make!

Add mexicorn, beans, green chiles, and garlic. Mix and return to a simmer. Add cooked chicken and spices, seasoning the soup to taste. Simmer over low heat, covered, for 20-30 minutes.

After flavors have had time to meld, the soup is ready to eat! Serve with your favorite garnishes and enjoy!

Garnish Ideas:
Shredded cheese
Jalapenos
Chopped fresh cilantro
Fat free sour cream
Salsa
Sliced avacado
Corn tortilla chips
Your favorite cornbread