Mexican

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Taco Lasagna

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We ranch in Utah, so as you might imagine, we’re all about the beef. I’m always looking for creative ways to put ground beef to use. And let’s face it – for any of us, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut when it comes to dinner ideas. This twist on a classic is the perfect remedy. Huge hit at our table full of boys! ~Kathy

Ingredients: 

1 lb. hamburger

½ c. onion, chopped fine 

1 pkg. taco seasoning

8 oz. tomato sauce

¼ tsp. cumin

¼ tsp. garlic powder

4 oz. diced green chilies (I use mild)

1 can (15 oz.) refried beans

1 c. your favorite salsa

1/3 c. Mexican table cream (or substitute heavy cream)

2 c. Colby jack cheese, shredded

12 oz. lasagna noodles

Non-stick cooking spray 

Instructions: 

In a large skillet, cook together hamburger and chopped onion. Drain grease. Return to skillet.

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions and set aside. Spray 9×13” deep pan with non-stick spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350˚F. 

Sprinkle taco seasoning over ground beef, add tomato sauce, cumin, garlic powder, green chilies and refried beans over medium low heat.  Stir together to combine and heat through.

Start assembling lasagna by adding about 1/3 c. of ground beef mixture into bottom of pan. Add 3 or 4 noodles to begin first layer.  Divide meat mixture into thirds, using part for each layer.   Add meat mixture on top of noodles, spreading into an even layer. Top with 1/3 of salsa, table cream and shredded cheese, drizzling evenly over the layer. Continue with two additional layers, ending with salsa, table cream and shredded cheese. 

Cover with foil (sprayed with non-stick spray if it’s touching cheese layer).  Bake for 25 – 30 minutes covered, then an additional 10 – 15 minutes uncovered, until bubbly and heated through.

Jalapeno Cilantro Hummus

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People seem to either love hummus or hate it.  Personally, I’m not a fan of plain hummus, but I LOVE the flavored ones.  I make my own at home a lot.  My favorite variation, up to now, has been my Roasted Garlic Hummus.  A while back, I created this new flavor for a Cinco de Mayo cookout, and have made it several times since.  It’s been a hit every time… even with my husband who doesn’t usually love hummus.  It’s a totally different flavor variation from my Roasted Garlic Hummus, and just as good.  I paired it with homemade, air-fried tortilla chips, but store-bought would be just as good.  Let us know if you try it!  ~Erin

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas

2 T. chopped cilantro

1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced

½ a fresh jalapeno, seeded, veins removed, & finely chopped

Juice of 1 lime (about 2 Tablespoons)

½ tsp. salt

1 T. water

2 T. avocado oil

Tortilla chips or veggies, for serving

Drain, rinse and remove the skins from the chickpeas.  Removing the skins will make finished hummus smooth and creamy.  The best way to remove them is to pinch each one between your fingers, and they will pop right out.  

Add all ingredients, except the water and avocado oil to  a food processor; blend until smooth. Finally, add the olive oil and water (stream in while the food processor is running, if possible) and blend until smooth.

Serve with tortilla chips or veggies.  

Mexican Chicken Cornbread Bake

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I saw a meme the other day that compared cooking during this time of “social distancing” to an episode of Chopped.  That could not be more accurate.  When I schedule and pick up my grocery order, only half of what I ordered is actually in stock, so my pantry is a random assortment of ingredients.  I stand there and stare, trying to figure out what I can put together to make an actual meal.  If you are doing the same, I have a good, pantry-and-freezer-friendly Mexican dish for you.  I know you’re all missing Mexican food right now, so here ya go.  If you lucked out and got chips in your grocery order, that would be great with this too… a real Mexican feast!  ~Erin

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 4 large breasts or 5 medium):  I sprinkle the breasts with 1 tsp. each of chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and garlic powder; then bake or grill until fully cooked, let the meat rest/cool a few minutes and then chop.  Store in the fridge if made in advance.

1 (10 oz.) can Old El Paso red enchilada sauce, mild

1 (10 oz.) can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and green chilies, mild

1 ½ c. yellow corn kernels

8 oz. (2 small cans) Hatch chopped green chiles

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. ground cumin

1 (8.5 oz) package dry Jiffy corn muffin mix (or other cornbread mix – I prefer a sweet cornbread mix)

1 egg

½ c. reduced-fat Mexican shredded cheese, divided

½ c. unsweetened cashew or almond milk (skim milk will work too)

2 T. chopped pickled jalapenos

Chips and salsa, optional – for serving

 

Cook and chop seasoned chicken (see notes on first ingredient); set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Spray a deep casserole dish (slightly smaller than a 9X13) with nonstick spray; set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together:  enchilada sauce, Ro-Tel, corn, green chiles, 1 tsp. chili powder, and ½ tsp. cumin.  Add 4 cups chopped chicken and stir to coat.  Spread evenly into casserole dish.

In a small bowl, stir together:  dry cornbread mix, milk, egg, chopped jalapenos, and half of the cheese (about ¼ c.).  Pour mixture evenly over the chicken mixture.

Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.

WW Info:  This recipe makes 8 servings.  Green plan – 9 points per serving; Blue plan – 6 points per serving; Purple plan – 6 points per serving

Mexican Street Corn Salad

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Mexican street corn (elote) is all the rage.   It’s basically been the epitome of summer cuisine this year. Everywhere I turn, it’s offered. Restaurants, farmers markets, food trucks — you name it. For those of you that have not been introduced to it yet, you have been missing out.  It combines a wild variety of Tex-Mex flavors to transport you to another not-so-far-away land…hopefully one that includes a beach. ☺

Anything that is this popular and all the buzz must be sticking around.  This salad (off the cob) version is equally spectacular. I scribbled down this recipe one day on my lunch break and knew I had to make it soon.  When I mixed this together, even I was surprised how good it was. It has all the flavor you want in traditional street corn plus some tasty twists of my own.  Try it while corn season is HOT!!  ~Kathy

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Salad Ingredients:

  • 6 ears of corn, husks and silks removed; cooked and cut off the cob (about 4.5 cups of corn depending on size of ears)
  • 2 T. cilantro, chopped
  • 1 to 2 T. jalapeno, finely chopped (seeds and ribs removed)
  • 1/4 c. red onion, finely chopped
  • ¾ c. queso fresco, crumbled fine

Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1/3 c. light miracle whip
  • 1/4 c. plain non-fat Greek yogurt*
  • 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 T. lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 tsp. lime zest
  • salt & pepper to taste

Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl.  Mix well and set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine salad ingredients, except cheese.  Stir in sauce ingredients.  Add cheese, fold together and serve.

WW Info.:  Makes 6 one-cup servings at just 2 points each.

*May use low fat sour cream instead of non-fat Greek yogurt; it’s 3 points per cup with this substitution.

Mexican Pulled Pork with Beans

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There aren’t too many people that I know (in fact there is no one) that love to spend time planning meals. But imagine this… What if there was one thing that you could make and use for a variety of meals? Almost endless possibilities. How fantastic could that be?! This Mexican pulled pork is as close to perfect as you can imagine.  It’s that versatile.  Chalupa? Nailed it.  Maybe a tostada?  Done! You say you want a taco, you got it!  How about a burrito or a taco salad? Yep!  Oh wait, don’t forget about enchiladas! This meat can fill all of these, and probably some I haven’t thought of yet.  Listen, ladies and gentlemen, it is that good! ~Kathy

  • 4 lbs. boneless pork roast
  • 2 c. clean, dry pinto beans
  • 3 T. chili powder
  • 1 ½ T. ground cumin
  • 1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 ½ T. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. black pepper
  • 2 (7 oz.) cans mild diced green chilies
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed or minced
  • Half of a large onion, trimmed and cut into wedges

Soak beans in water overnight; drain the next morning.

Combine dry seasonings in a small bowl.   

Trim fat from roast and cut into about 6 large pieces.   Rub about one tablespoon of the spice mix into the meat. Set aside. 

In a 6-quart slow cooker, place the onion and garlic cloves.  Position the pieces of pork over the onion. 

Add in the drained beans and remaining spice mixture; then add green chilies (undrained).

Add enough water to just cover the beans and meat.  Turn the slow cooker on low and cook for at least 8 hours, until beans are soft and pork will easily shred. 

To serve:   Remove pork and the beans to a large, deep bowl with a slotted spoon.  Shred pork and serve with your favorite toppings.   Reserve some cooking liquid for use if desired. 

 

Avocado Chicken Salad

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Don’t you love it when two of your favorite things come together in perfect harmony?  Things like your favorite song on the radio and being in the car alone, hitting all of the green lights when you’re in a hurry, or the perfect concoction of chicken and avocado?  I know, I know…these things rarely happen, and I’m sorry to say that I can’t help you with the traffic lights.  I can, however, hook you up with the perfect summer combination in this Avocado Chicken Salad!  It’s become one of my favorite summery dinners – especially if I can make it with at least a few of the ingredients right out of my own garden (though I haven’t yet figured out how to grow avocados in the Oklahoma climate).  Everyone in my family goes back for seconds on this dish, and sometimes, when they aren’t looking, I might indulge in a third helping! ~ Tracy

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Ingredients

  • 350 grams of avocado, usually 3 medium avocados
  • ½ c. finely chopped yellow or white onion
  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ c. grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
  • ½ c. cilantro, chopped
  • 2 cups chopped grilled chicken breast
  • Juice of one lime
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Remove the avocado from the rind.  Discard rind and pit.

Roughly mash the avocado with large fork or potato masher.

Mix all ingredients together, stirring gently.

Serve in your favorite tortilla or wrap.

Makes 4 cups.  Each ½ cup serving is 2 WW Freestyle Points.

Breakfast Enchiladas

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Confession:  I hardly ever cook breakfast…especially not at breakfast time.  I do, however make breakfast for supper a lot.  Why?  Because I love breakfast food but I do not love mornings.  I am not, nor ever shall I ever be, a morning person.  I’m a night owl by nature…I come by it honestly.  I don’t think my mother has ever been in bed before midnight in her adult life.  She always said when we were kids that it was the only time she could get anything done.  I get that, for sure!  I think all moms do.  Anywho, these are the reasons that, if we have a homemade breakfast-type meal, it’s usually in the P.M. 

If, on the rare occasion, I want to make something special for breakfast, I look for things that can be prepped in advance – like after the kids go to bed the night before.  That led me to these enchiladas.  I loved the idea of Breakfast Enchiladas but I wasn’t crazy about the couple of recipes I tried.  So, I did what I often do, and made up my own version.  It’s superb, if I do say so myself.  Packed with taters, veggies, sausage, and cheese, then covered with a creamy “sauce,” these Breakfast Enchiladas will fill you up, yet leave you wanting more.  Enjoy!  ~Erin

Ingredients

  • 4 c. frozen O’Brien hash browns with onions & peppers (the cubed kind – not shredded)
  • 2 c. cooked turkey sausage (I used Jimmy Dean Fully Cooked Turkey Sausage Crumbles.)
  • 4 oz. (about 1 ½ c.) reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese (I used Kraft 2%), divided
  • 5 green onions, chopped
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1 c. fat free half & half
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 8 whole wheat tortillas (I used La Banderita Carb Counter Whole Wheat Wraps but any 1-point tortilla will do.)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Spray a sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray, and spread the hash browns in an even layer. 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until they just start to brown.  Set aside to cool.  Turn off the oven.  This step can be done in advance and hash browns refrigerated until ready to use.

Once cool, transfer the hash browns to a medium bowl and combine with the turkey sausage, 1 cup of the shredded cheese and most of the green onions (reserve ½ c. cheese and some green onions for topping).

Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Assemble the enchiladas by filling each tortilla with a heaping half cup of the mixture, until all the filling has been evenly distributed among the 8 tortillas.

In the same, now-empty bowl, beat the eggs with the half & half, salt, and pepper.  Pour the mixture over the tortillas evenly and cover with foil. 

At this point, preheat the oven to 350°F while the enchiladas soak up the egg mixture for at least 15 minutes; OR these can be refrigerated overnight and cooked in the morning.  If refrigerated overnight, set the enchiladas out to come to room temp while the oven preheats.

Bake 30-32 minutes, until egg mixture is set; remove the foil and top with remaining cheese and green onions.  Bake 2-3 more minutes, uncovered, until the cheese is melted.

WW Freestyle Info.:  This recipe makes 8 enchiladas.  Each enchilada is 6 SmartPoints.

Creamy Cilantro Sauce

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One thing I have missed since I started eating healthy (most of the time) is sauces.  Sauces – especially creamy ones – are often high in calories/Weight Watcher points.  When you have a tight points budget each day, you don’t want to waste points on things like sauces.  For this reason, I have started creating my own sauces.  I can make them in small batches, instead of having a large bottle sitting around until after its expiration date; I can make them as rich or as low-fat as I choose; and I can avoid all the preservatives and additives that are often present in bottled/jarred sauces.

This Creamy Cilantro Sauce is one of my favorite sauce concoctions.  It can be used a veggie or chip dip, a sauce for Mexican dishes (it’s great on tacos!), or a dip for something like these Chicken Fajita Meatballs (photo below)!  The possibilities are endless!  If you need me, I’ll be in the kitchen dipping everything in this sauce.  Best part is, I can enjoy this with NO guilt.  Check out the stats at the end of this post!  Dip, dip, hooray for zero WW point sauce!  ~Erin

Ingredients: 

  • 1 (8 oz.) pkg. fat-free cream cheese
  • 1 (7 oz.) can salsa verde (I use Herdez brand.)
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. celery salt
  • ½ tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ a bunch of cilantro, stems removed
  • The zest of one lime (optional)
  • 2 T. fresh lime juice – about one squeezed lime

Blend all ingredients in a blender, scraping down the sides occasionally, until smooth.

WW Freestyle Info:  Makes 2 cups of sauce.  Up to 2 Tablespoons is zero points.  3-6 tablespoons is 1 point.  7-10 tablespoons is 2 points.

The Best Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

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Over the years I’ve seen lots of different recipes for Barbacoa.  Some had ingredients that I thought were a little weird, some had sugar, and some had dizzyingly long lists of ingredients.  The version that I’ve created has the perfect amount of spicy flavor, and it cooks to fall apart tender. It’s tasty enough that my oldest, who usually doesn’t care for shredded beef dishes, asked me to make him his own batch to take back to college with him.  He’s also not a fan of leftovers, so here’s hoping that this helps keep him (and his debit card) out of the Chick-Fil-A drive through! But let’s be honest, one of the best things about this dish is that it takes a few minutes to dice two ingredients and the rest is simply tossing stuff into the slow cooker.  My favorite way to eat this is on a soft taco with a little cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and of course, cheese, but it also makes a great base for shredded beef enchiladas. I think it’ll quickly become one of your favorites (and it’s only 3 WW points per serving)! ~Tracy

Ingredients:
  • ~One beef rump roast, approximately 3 lbs., with fat trimmed
  • ~1, 5 oz. can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (I use Embasa brand)
  • ~1, 4 oz. can diced green chiles
  • ~1 cup diced white or yellow onion
  • ~5 large cloves garlic, minced
  • ~juice of one lime, freshly squeezed
  • ~2 T. apple cider vinegar
  • ~3 to 4 bay leaves
  • ~1 ½ tsp. salt
  • ~1 tsp. black pepper
  • ~1 T. ground cumin
  • ~1 ½ tsp. oregano
  • ~1 c. fat free beef broth or prepared beef bouillon
  1. Place rump roast in slow cooker (I highly recommend using slow cooker liner. They make cleanup so much easier!)
  2. Remove the adobo peppers from the can and roughly chop them. Use the entire can if you like things fairly spicy. When cooking for my family, I use the entire can, but if you don’t love things very spicy, or are cooking for others, use half the can.
  3. Add the peppers (including seeds and some of the sauce) to the pot with the roast.
  4. Add all other ingredients.
  5. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.
  6. Remove the roast from the slow cooker using tongs or a large spatula.
  7. Remove the bay leaves from the pot while you have the meat removed.
  8. Shred the meat and return to the slow cooker to let it simmer in the juices for another 15-20 minutes before serving.
  9. Remove the meat from the liquid and serve.

WW Freestyle Info.: This recipe makes 15, 3 oz. servings that are 3 points each.

Black Bean & Beef Green Chile Bake

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Black Bean & Beef Green Chile Bake
from Four Sisters Dish

I created this recipe because I wanted something new, but I also wanted something healthy that did not take any time to cook. Before I come across as too lazy, my kids had called me on the sugar cookies I promised before the school break had ended. Operation sugar cookie was already in full swing as dinner approached.

So on my wee end of the counter, I decided I could throw something Mexican together, and I realized I had never tried anything with beef and green chiles together, which I absolutely love. (I’m pretty sure Santa Fe, NM, might be heaven – at least during Hatch chile season…)

What emerged took only few minutes of prep and about 10 minutes of cooking in the oven. And it tasted like it should have been an old family casserole that had taken FAR more time. When it comes to meal prep, I’m always for fabulous foods making it seem like I worked harder than I did! ~Robin

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb of 97% lean ground beef
  • 1 package of taco seasoning (I use Taco Bell brand)
  • 1 can of black beans, rinsed
  • 2 8-inch tortillas (Tumaro’s 8” White Low-in-Carb Wraps)
  • 2 7-oz cans of chopped green chiles (I use Old El Paso brand)
  • 1 4.5-oz. can of chopped green chiles
  • ½ cup shredded reduced-fat Colby Jack (I like Kraft Natural)
  • 1 jalepeno pepper, sliced (if desired for garnish)
  • ½ c. cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (if desired for garnish)
  • Taco sauce or salsa, if desired, for serving 

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350° F.  In a 9”x 9” pan, take one 8” tortilla and tear it up into 1.5-2” square-ish chunks and spread across the bottom of the pan; set aside.  In a large skillet, cook lean ground beef until browned. Drain any fat that cooks out.   Add taco seasoning and ¾ c. water according to taco seasoning instructions (except I don’t let it cook down for a full 10 minutes – just until most of the water is cooked out).  Add drained green chiles and drained black beans.  Stir gently until mixed well and heated well throughout.  Then turn off heat.  

Into the 9×9 pan, pour ½ of the beef mixture into the pan over the tortilla chunks, spreading evenly.  Then do another layer of torn up tortilla spread evenly across the beef mixture.  Pour the rest of the beef mixture over this and spread evenly.  Sprinkle the top with your ½ c. of cheese.  Bake for about 10 minutes – until bubbly hot and cheese is melted well across the top.

WW Freestyle Info.:  This recipe makes 6 very filling portions at just 4 points each.