Beef Tostada

February 19, 2016February 26, 20161 Comment

I am always looking to save money. Food is not cheap. So, when I spend $23 on a roast, I like to be sure I get the most bang for my buck and re-heating the same ole dish night after night until the whole thing has been consumed to the point where I don’t want to think about making another roast for 3 months is not my idea of innovative left overs. However, This tostada has transformed my left over pot roast into something completely new and delicious. It has also enabled me to save time and money, both things I really appreciate as a busy mom of two very active toddlers.

I added exactly one ingredient to turn this beef into a Latin delight. I then whipped up some Quick Mexican Black Beans, microwaved some rice in my Pampered Chef rice cooker, fried up some simple tortilla shells and got to work assembling. All this was done in well under 20 minutes. And you can’t tell me that looking at this dish, it doesn’t look a lot more time-consuming than that! It’s almost, dare I say it, fancy looking for our Tuesday night dinner. I put this on a plate in front of my husband and I quote… “Wow, WHAT is this?” was the reaction…. Now, tell me, when was the last time leftovers garnered that kind of reaction in your house? Well, then maybe it’s time to shake things up a bit?

You will want to have a few things on hand of course. For me these things are all pantry staples, a can of beans, rice, Pampered Chef Chili Lime Rub, and tortillas. And from the fridge, some onions, peppers and sour cream.

These are 6″ white corn tortillas.

Start by heating some canola or vegi oil up to about 325°F in a small dutch oven. You want to make sure your pan will be able to accommodate the size of your tortilla and have a good amount of space between the oil and the rim of the pan to prevent over flow.

Once oil has come up to temperature, cook tortillas one at a time until golden brown, flipping half way through the process.

Drain on a paper towel or paper bag lined tray.

Salt while still hot.

I got fancy here at the end and cut a few tortillas up for garnishing chips on the top.

This is my left over pot roast. If you don’t have left over pot roast, you can always use left over steak or chicken or pork.

To serve 4 people, I picked out two good size slices of left overs.

With two forks, I shred the beef into a skillet.

I only add one ingredient to take this pot roast from Sunday dinner to Latin fiesta! My Pampered Chef Chili Lime Rub.

Add the rub in with the shredded beef and saute for a couple of minutes to heat through and bloom the spices.

Now to start building. I start with an 8″ plate. This meal does not require sides because everything is piled right up on top.

Place one shell at the bottom. This is your base.

Now add on about 3/4 cooked rice. I am using plain white rice here, it’s actually Jasmine rice because that is what I have on hand, but any kind of plain rice will do. You don’t really need a flavored rice here because you are adding on some strong flavors already and you wouldn’t want the rice to compete with that.

Now add on about 1/2 cup of Quick Mexican Black Beans.

Now for the next layer of tortilla.

Then piled on top of that is your beef.

I then top that with some sour cream. To this I will garnish with chopped scallions and my little tortilla strips.

Beef Tostada

Yield 4

Ingredients:

8 6″corn tortillas

1-11/2 cups left over roast beef, pot roast or steak

1 Tbs. Chili Lime Rub

3 cups white rice

2 cups Quick Mexican Black Beans

sour cream (optional)

3-4 cups veg. oil

kosher salt

Instructions:

In a small dutch oven bring oil to 330°F-350°F. Fry each tortilla seperately until golden. Drain on paper towels and salt immediately.

In a small skillet shred beef and cook with Chili Lime Rub until heated through.

Build your tostada by placing one shell on plate, then add 3/4 cup rice, then 1/2 cup beans, then add another tortilla, then top with beef and a dollup of sour cream. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Quick Mexican Black Beans

February 15, 2016

I love Portuguese food, after all I am 100% Portuguese born and raised. But, I would have to say a close second to my love of Portuguese food is Mexican. I love the combinations of flavors and their savory smokey aspects. Having Portuguese cooking as a good solid background makes it not so difficult to switch into the kitchens of our neighbors to the south.

This recipe is a bit of a short cut from soaking and boiling beans that is usually a good 24 hour process for me. I don’t always have time for all that when I am looking to put dinner on the table. A well stocked pantry should always contain a few cans of beans and I love to have black beans in there ready to go.

In this recipe, you will need a couple of fresh ingredients, but mostly you will be looking to your pantry! It’s a great last-minute side or it can even be made into a great main dish, just double the recipe and add in some steak, shredded chicken or pork and serve over rice!

Chop 1/2 an onion.

These are sweet peppers, the come in a big bag at my grocery store. If you can’t find these, you can always use a red, orange or yellow bell pepper.

Treat them just like any other pepper, start with chopping off the top and removing the seeds.

Then dice.

Use two garlic cloves.

With my Pampered Chef garlic press, I don’t even have to peel them.

Just pop it in and squeeze!

Now you will need a can of black beans, do not drain! I know, it sounds odd, but you need all that liquid.

Use one cap full of apple cider vinegar.

Saute the onions in a small sauce pan.

Add in the peppers.

Once onions and peppers have started to soften, you can add in garlic. You don’t want to do this too soon to avoid burning the garlic.

Use about a half a teaspoon of oregano

And about 1/8 teaspoon of Portuguese Allspice… if you don’t have this, use a good sweet paprika.

Add in water.

Stir in everything, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until peppers are cooked through.

Your liquid should be reduced a bit at this point.

Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Quick Mexican Black Beans

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, undrained

1/2 medium onion, chopped

5-6 small sweet peppers, seeded and chopped (or half a bell pepper)

1/2 cup water

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

2 garlic cloves, run through a press

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/8 tsp Portuguese allspice

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil to saute vegetables

chopped scallions (optional)

Instructions:

Saute onions and peppers in a small sauce pan in olive oil over medium heat. When tender, add in garlic, saute another minute and add in oregano and allspice. Saute another minute to bloom the spices. Add in beans, water and vinegar. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes until peppers are cooked through and some of the liquid has dissipated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice and garnish with fresh chopped scallions if desired. Enjoy!

*This recipe is gluten-free.

Beef Burrito Casserole with Pico de Gallo

August 17, 2015August 17, 2015

I love a good burrito, but I must confess, I don’t always have the time to make each one out separately. Sometimes, it’s just easier to throw it all together and make what is essentially one giant burrito… A Beef Burrito Casserole!

Filled with fresh veggies, lean ground beef, protein packed beans, cheese, brown rice and whole wheat flour tortilla, you’ve got everything thing you need to make a balanced meal in one 9×13″ casserole dish! And all in under 30 minutes from start to finish!

Top this plate off with a dollop of sour cream and a nice fresh Pico de Gallo. I like to start with the Pico de Gallo so the flavors have time to hang out together a bit while I prepare the rest.

This meal is perfect for hungry families, company and pot lucks! Once you make it once, it is sure to become a family favorite that you will find yourself making time and time again!

I start by dicing half a large red onion.

Then I like to soak it in water to take the bite out of the onion.

While your onions are soaking, gather up about a dozen grape tomatoes… if you only have cherry that’s fine too…

Chop them up to a medium dice… I like grape tomatoes because aside from them being super sweet, they are also low in liquid.

Drain water from the tomatoes and start building your Pico de Gallo.

Add the tomatoes in with your onions.

Chop up a good handful of cilantro.

Chop up a good handful of cilantro

Add in with onions and tomatoes.

Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Now my little surprise add in is some pickled hot peppers.

Chop them up and add them in to your mixture.

To finish it off grab a lime.

Add the juice of half a lime.

And here you have it, fresh Pico de Gallo. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit until it’s time to top your plate.

Now we can start building our spice mix:

You can make a spice mix big enough for this one casserole or multiply the amounts in the recipe below and keep your burrito spice mix in a mason jar. It can then be used for burritos, tacos and any manner of Tex-mex and Mexican dishes. And, if you can’t have time or all of the necessary spices, you can always pick up a burrito seasoning packet from the supermarket (I won’t tell anybody).

Mix it all up and it’s ready to add in to your casserole.

Now start prepping your ingredients for your filling:

Start off by dicing one medium onion.

Grab a red bell pepper. Halve and seed it.

Slice it up.

Dice it.

Now bring a large skillet to a medium/high heat.

Brown up some ground beef.

To the meat, add in about half the seasoning mix.

Once browned, move the meat to one side of the pan… You can always remove from the pan, but to me this is easier than getting another bowl dirty.

Add the onions and peppers into the other half of the pan and start to saute.

Open up a can of pickled jalapeno. These are not only easier to use than dealing with chopping up fresh jalapeno, but I like the brine that comes along with it.

Add in a big spoon full of the jalapenos, reserving the rest with the liquid in the can.

Stir it all in together.

Rinse off some canned or frozen black beans.

Add in the black beans.

Rinse off some pinto beans.

Add them in.

I would normally use corn on the cob, but I didn’t have any on hand, so I opened up a can of corn to add in.

Add in about half a bottle of beer. This is a light Mexican beer.

Open up the tomato sauce. Add it into your mixture.

Add in about 2 cups of cooked brown rice. (any rice will do)

Mix everything together and let simmer for about 10 minutes to cook out the alcohol and allow the flavors to mingle a bit.

Once the filling is all set, it’s time to build your casserole:

Grab some medium whole wheat tortillas. I normally really like plain flour tortillas, but I find that these hold up well in this dish and you really can’t taste the flavor difference, so why not go with the healthier option?

Pour about 1/4 cup of olive oil into your casserole dish. Be sure to coat the bottom and sides of your dish.

Now line your pan, bottom and sides with the tortillas.

Pour in your filling.

Add on a layer of shredded cheddar cheese.

Now gently start folding in the edges of the tortillas all the way around.

Add a layer of tortillas to the top being sure to cover all the mixture.

What you essentially have now is a giant burritos in your casserole dish.

You should find that coming up around the edges is some pools of olive oil, use that to brush right on top of your burritos.

Once that is all set, you will need to make a quick sauce and top it:

Take what is remaining of your tomato sauce and add it into a bowl.

Then add in the remainder of the peppers in with that.

To that add in a pinch of kosher salt.

Then some fresh cracked black pepper and that’s it! Just stir together and top your casserole.

Spread the sauce all over the top.

Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes.

When it’s time to serve, top with some sour cream and your freshly made Pico de Gallo! Enjoy!

Recipe for Beef Burrito Casserole:

(serves 6-8)

1 1/4 ground beef, browned

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 can pinto beans, rinsed

1 can corn, drained

1 onion, diced (small dice)

1 red bell pepper, diced (small dice)

2 cups brown rice, cooked

1 can chiles, divided

1 can tomato sauce, divided

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

9-10 medium tortilla wraps (whole wheat or plain flour)

Taco spice mix (recipe to follow)

For sauce topping:

1/2 can of tomato sauce

1/2 can of jalapeno

pinch of salt

fresh cracked black pepper

For Taco spice mix:

1 Tbs. cumin

1 Tbs. paprika

1 Tbs. kosher salt

1 Tbs. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. Hungarian paprika

For Pico de Gallo:

1/2 red onion, diced and soaked

12 grape tomatoes, diced

handful of cilantro, chopped

3 Tbs. hot pepper rings, chopped finely

Juice of half a lime

kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare Pico de Gallo: Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix together. Cover and set aside.

Prepare spice mix: Add all spices into a bowl, stir and set aside.

Prepare filling: Saute ground beef and brown. Add in half the spice mix and stir. Once browned and seasoned, push to one side of the pan. On the other side of the pan, add a little olive oil and saute the onions and peppers until tender. Add in one spoon full of canned jalapeno. Combine with the meat.

Add in beans, corn and rice. Then add in half a can of tomato sauce and half a bottle of beer. Add in the remaining spice mix. Once the filling is prepared, set aside and prepare the casserole dish.

In a 9″x13″ casserole dish, add in about 1/4 cup of olive oil. Line the dish with tortillas being sure to go up the sides of the pan. Add in filling and top with cheese. Fold the tortilla sides in and cover the top with tortillas. Brush with olive oil.

Prepare the sauce: To a small bowl add in the remainder of the tomato sauce, the remainder of the jalapenos, a pinch of salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Stir.

Top the casserole with the sauce. Bake for 45 minutes.

Serve with sour cream and Pico de Gallo.

Enjoy!

Simple Chicken Quesadillas

May 5, 2015May 5, 2015

Happy Cinco de Mayo! The day when Mexican-American’s and those who love them celebrate Mexico’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 during the Franco-Mexican War. I say Mexican-Americans because, although also recognized in Mexico, it is a holiday far more upheld for those of Mexican decent living here in the U.S. as more of a celebration of culture and heritage. I happen to love such holidays as they give us cause to look into the beautiful cultures surrounding us and allow us to partake in all they have to offer culturally. For me, that usually means following a traditional recipe or working my own spin on a dish widely identified with said culture.

In today’s case Chicken Quesadillas are on the menu. My husband and I are starting to eat low-carb, so you will see salad is there where rice and beans would normally be and I am using a low-carb whole wheat tortilla. But, the essence of this famed Mexican dish is still here. It is essentially my nod to the Mexican culture and their rich culinary contribution to the American diet.

Thank-you Mexico for such a delicious part of our weekly cooking, as we definitely have quesadillas as a staple in this home. Let me share one of my favorite preparations with you today.

Start with a plain, boneless, skinless chicken breast.

For this recipe, I don’t like to overwhelm the chicken with too much spice… So, as you can see here, I sprinkle on the spices to just one side of the chicken before I slice it in preparation for cooking. Here, I have sprinkled on a couple of shakes of Hungarian Paprika.

Continue by sprinkling on a couple shakes of garlic powder and cumin.

Lastly, I sprinkle on some salt. More salt will be added once the chicken is in the skillet.

Thinly slice the chicken.

Chicken is ready for the pan. Now you can prepare the non-stick skillet over medium heat with about a teaspoon of veggie oil.

Give the chicken a few minutes in the pan. Don’t fuss with it, you are trying to achieve a gentle browning. At this point, sprinkle the chicken with some more kosher salt.

After a few minutes, turn the chicken and do the same to the other side.

Now you will want to work with your cheese. I chose to use two types of cheese today because it’s a special day. Sometimes I just use one and sometimes I use whatever I have in my fridge that melts nicely. My first choice is a hunk of Colby Jack Cheese.

My next choice is a hunk of Pepper Jack.

Shred both.

Place a whole wheat tortilla (in my case one that is high in fiber) on a heated non-stick skillet (med/high) . Then spread half the cheese on one side.

Now, add the cooked chicken on top of the cheese. Add the Pepper Jack on top of that as sort of a delicious glue.

Fold tortilla over the cheese and chicken and cook on high/med heat. After a few minutes, don’t forget about it, this happens fairly quickly, flip and do the same to the other side.

Slice quesadilla into four pieces like so. Serve with salsa and a dollup of sour cream.

Recipe for Simple Chicken Quesadillas:

(serves 2)

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 whole wheat tortillas (shown here are a low carb kind. with only 6 net carbs per wrap)

4 oz Colby Jack

4 oz Pepper Jack

1 Tbs. Canola oil

sprinkle of Hungarian Paprika

sprinkle of cumin

sprinkle of garlic powder

Directions:

Prepare chicken by seasoning with a sprinkle of each of the spices. Slice chicken and cook with canola oil on medium heat to finished. Sprinkle with another pinch of kosher salt once in pan. Set chicken aside.

In a non-stick skillet or cast iron one, heat some Canola Oil on med/high heat. Add in tortilla. Then cover half with 1/2 Colby Jack, then chicken, then Pepper Jack. Fold tortilla in half over the contents. Cook about 2 minutes on both sides until golden brown on the outside.

Cut into 4 wedges and serve with salsa and sour cream.

Enjoy!

the portuguese american mom

stay awhile… have a cup of tea, let's get creative!

Tag: mexican

Beef Tostada

Beef Tostada

Quick Mexican Black Beans

Quick Mexican Black Beans

Beef Burrito Casserole with Pico de Gallo

Simple Chicken Quesadillas