If you love Mexican food, then you should find something tasty in today's post. Will you try the Smoky Black Bean and Corn Empanadas first? Maybe the Mexican Vegetable Soup with Salsa Verde? Whatever you decide to try, remember one thing: Enjoy!
MEXICAN PIZZA
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten email.
Ingredients
2 prepared 12-inch Pizza Crusts
16-oz. can Refried Beans
1 package Taco Seasoning Mix
1/4 cup Sour Cream
1 large Green Onion, thinly sliced
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sliced Ripe Olives, drained
4-oz. can diced Green Chilies
1 cup prepared Salsa
2 Tbs. fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup fresh Tomato, chopped
Lettuce, chopped
Salsa
Red onions, chopped
Cheddar cheese, grated
Sliced Jalapenos, optional garnish
Sour cream, optional garnish
Directions
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the refried beans with the taco seasoning mix, sour cream, and green onion slices. Spread half of the bean mixture over each pizza crust to within about an inch from the edge. Top with a half-cup of the cheddar cheese and a half-cup of the Monterey Jack cheese on each pizza. Sprinkle one-quarter cup of ripe olive slices and one-quarter cup of the green chilies on each pizza.
Bake as directed on the pizza crust manufacturer' s package or until the crust is crisp and the cheese is melted.
Top each pizza with several tablespoons of the salsa, then add a sprinkling of cilantro, chopped tomatoes, chopped lettuce, salsa, chopped red onions, grated Cheddar cheese, and jalapenos and sour cream, if desired. Slice to serve.
MEXICAN VEGETABLE SOUP WITH SALSA VERDE
This is from Weight Watchers, and begins, "Zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes come together with cumin and chili powder in this delicious, chicken broth-based soup. Fresh cilantro and salsa verde add a pop of bright flavor just before serving, and a dollop of fat-free Greek yogurt lends luscious creaminess to each serving. And in more nice news, this soup comes together in about 20 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes on the stove. It's also great with shredded, cooked chicken, and a little roasted, diced sweet potato or cooked brown rice, if you're looking to turn it into a main course. And if you'd like a little extra heat, add a dash or two of hot sauce."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Serves: 8; Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
4 sprays Cooking spray
4 cups Reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups Uncooked onions, chopped, diced
1 medium orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium yellow pepper, seeded and diced, 1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 small uncooked zucchini, diced
15 oz. Canned diced tomatoes, fire roasted-variety
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup salsa verde
1/2 cup plain fat free Greek yogurt (optional)
Instructions
Coat a large soup pot with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers and salt; cook, stirring often, until crisp-tender, 7-8 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, chili powder and black pepper; cook, stirring a few times, 1 minute.
Add zucchini, tomatoes and broth; increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to heat to medium low; simmer, covered until zucchini is tender, 5-8 minutes. When ready to serve, stir in cilantro; garnish with salsa verde and yogurt.
Serving size: 1 c soup, 1 Tbsp salsa, 1 Tbsp yogurt
CORNY GREEN ENCHILADAS
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Serves: 4; Preparation time: 25-30 minutes
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
12 corn tortillas
1 can of fiesta corn (drained)
1 can of black beans (drained)
1 can of green enchilada sauce
2 cups of vegan cheese
2 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
Directions:
This is a layered casserole. You can vary the layers to your liking.
Mix the spices with your enchilada sauce and stir until well incorporated. Taste the enchilada sauce to see if it needs salt. Normally the canned sauce is seasoned very well.
Using a casserole dish, layer the ingredients, starting with 1/4 of sauce on the bottom. Layer sauce, tortillas (torn or whole), corn, beans and vegan cheese. Continue layering and end with a layer of tortillas and then sauce.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of vegan cheese over the top and cover loosely with aluminum foil.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until it starts to bubble. Remove the foil the last 5-10 minutes to let the vegan cheese brown.
Serve with a salad, salsa and smoothie! Good eats!
TEX-MEX QUINOA BREAKFAST BAKE
This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Put a superfood spin on weekend brunch! We’ve skipped the bread and replaced it with quinoa for a hearty, filling upgrade to a standard strata. This new take on breakfast bake packs protein and complex carbs to help you power through your day."
Prep Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Makes 12 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/tex-mex-quinoa-breakfast-bake.
Note: This originally had chicken broth as one of the ingredients. I've changed that to vegetable broth.
Ingredients
2 cups Progresso™ reduced sodium vegetable broth (from 32-oz carton)
1 cup uncooked white quinoa, rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz)
1 lb bulk chorizo sausage
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup milk
1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles
8 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Sour cream, as desired
Lime wedges, as desired
Preparation
Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. In 2-quart saucepan, mix broth, quinoa and 1 tablespoon of the taco seasoning mix; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 14 to 16 minutes or until broth is absorbed and quinoa is soft and translucent. Remove from heat; stir in 1 cup of the Mexican cheese blend. Spread evenly in baking dish.
Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage, bell pepper and onions 8 to 10 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and begin to brown and sausage is no longer pink; drain. Return to skillet; stir in milk, green chiles and remaining 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened. Pour mixture over quinoa mixture in baking dish.
In large bowl, beat eggs with whisk. Stir in remaining 1 cup Mexican cheese blend. Pour evenly over sausage mixture in baking dish.
Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with queso fresco cheese and cilantro. Serve with sour cream and lime wedges.
Expert Tips
Can’t find raw chorizo? Bulk breakfast sausage makes a fine substitute.
Cilantro stems are tender and taste just like the leaves. To save time, chop the tops straight from the bunch of cilantro instead of picking off the leaves first.
SLOW COOKER VEGETARIAN TACO SOUP (WITH VEGAN OPTION)
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "This Mexican-inspired vegetarian taco soup recipe with kidney beans, pinto beans, and black beans is easy, deliciously satisfying, and quick to prepare (you really just dump everything in the crock pot). It's a set-it-and-forget-it kind of recipe packed with fiber, protein, and low-glycemic carbohydrates that is nearly fat-free and perfect for busy lifestyles. Plus, it's a great vegetarian and vegan option for families on a budget. Keep it vegan by omitting the optional cheese and sour cream toppings or use dairy-free and vegan substitutes.
"This is a terrific tailgating or party food especially when you're uncertain of your guests' eating preferences and dietary restrictions—it's always nice to offer something for everyone. Try one of the tofu, seafood, and meat variations below."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Slow Cook Time: 8 hours; Total Time: 8 hours 5 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this on line, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegetarian-taco-soup-in-the-crockpot-3377877.
Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) can corn, drained
1 (14-ounce) can kidney beans, or navy beans, drained
1 (14-ounce) can pinto beans, drained
1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (7-ounce) can green chiles
1 (14-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 (1-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1/4 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups tortilla chips or corn chips
1/4 cup grated cheese
1-2 medium green onions, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Place the drained corn, kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, optional green chilies, and undrained stewed tomatoes in your crock pot and give it a quick stir.
Next, add the taco seasoning mix, cumin, onion powder, salt, and garlic powder and quickly stir again.
Cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Alternatively, if you're in a hurry, you can set this on high for 3 hours.
Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add vegetable broth to thin it out. If it is too thin, cook it a little longer with the cover off.
To serve, set out bowls of optional garnishes—tortilla chips, grated cheese, chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, sour cream—and let your family or guests top their soup to their liking.
Tofu Variation
For even more protein, add tofu, seitan, or textured vegetable protein (TVP). If using tofu or seitan, follow these instructions. If using TVP, see the note after the directions. The yield will be increased from 6 servings to 8 servings in all three cases.
Drain 12 ounces of firm or extra-firm tofu and cut it into 8 slices.
Place the tofu slices on a thick layer of paper towels. Top with another thick layer of paper towels and place a heavy (cast-iron) skillet on top to press out the excess water. If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, make a weight by placing a heavy can of vegetables in a bowl on top of the tofu. Let the tofu press for 10 minutes.
Sparingly brush the drained and pressed slices of tofu on all sides with olive oil or a neutral oil like canola, grapeseed, or sunflower oil. If desired, sprinkle with some of the packaged taco seasoning mix.
Over medium-high heat, cook the tofu in a heated nonstick skillet until it begins to brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Flip the slices and cook for 2 minutes more.
Remove from the pan and let cool. Cut into strips or chunks and add to the soup at the end of cooking to rewarm it. Don't let it boil because it can make the tofu unpleasantly tough.
Add to soup and enjoy.
Tips
If you're cooking for kids, you might want to omit the optional green chiles.
Mexican-style stewed tomatoes are best if you can find them.
If the soup is too thick, thin it out with vegetable broth, if too thin, cook it longer with the cover off until it reaches the thickness you'd like.
Recipe Variations
If you are a vegetarian who eats fish and shellfish, you can use this same cooking technique by adding up to 12 ounces (pre-cooked weight) of seafood like shrimp, crab, cod, mahi-mahi, or any other firm-fleshed finfish. Remember, when you mix the cooked seafood with the cooked soup to just warm it through or it will become rubbery, dry, and tough.
For the carnivores in your group, you can set out bowls of cooked and drained room-temperature chorizo sausage or grilled chicken along with the other garnishes for guests to add to their bowls at their discretion. The heat of the soup will rewarm the meat.
SMOKY BLACK BEAN AND CORN EMPANADAS
This came from Betty Crocker in a recent email. (Yes, you can sign up for their emails; definitely worthwhile.) This recipe begins, "These hearty black bean empanadas are a satisfying meal full of smoky, spicy, chipotle chile-laced black beans and Monterey Jack cheese. Smoky Black Bean and Corn Empanadas are made by sautéing onions and garlic in a skillet before adding black beans, corn and chipotles. Spoon the mixture onto your crust, and add shredded Monterey Jack cheese before closing and baking until the crust is golden brown. Serve up, and enjoy!"
Prep Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 55 minutes; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce (from 7-oz can)
1 can (15 oz) Progresso™ Black Beans, drained, rinsed
1/2 cup Cascadian Farm™ Organic Frozen Corn, thawed
1 box (14.1 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Pie Crusts (2 Count), softened as directed on box
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)
Directions
Heat oven to 400°F. Line large cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.
In nonstick 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 4 to 6 minutes or until softened. Add chili powder, salt and chipotle chile; cook and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in black beans and corn.
On lightly floured surface, unroll 1 pie crust. Roll to 14-inch circle. Cut out four 6-inch circles. Repeat with remaining pie crust. Spoon about 1/4 cup black bean mixture and 2 tablespoons cheese over half of each round to within 1/2 inch of edge.
Brush edges with water. Fold dough over filling; press edges firmly with fork to seal. Place on cookie sheet. Cut 3 small slits on top of each empanada.
Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until golden brown and filling is hot. Serve warm.
Expert Tips
Try serving these black bean empanadas with your favorite salsa on the side.
While two of these savory empanadas make a hearty meal, these could also be served individually, as an appetizer.
Chipotles in adobo are smoked and dried jalapeños rehydrated and canned in a sweet and tangy purée of tomato, vinegar, garlic and other spices. Look for them in the global aisle of the grocery store when you're planning on making black bean empanadas.
