Fiesta of Flavor: Mexican Food Recipes

Mexican cuisine is off the charts with flavor and color. The best part about making Mexican food is that you can use canned ingredients from your cupboard or fresh produce from the local farmers market to make a tasty and appealing dish.

Below are a few Mexican recipes we compiled that will not only impress customers at your establishment but also your friends and family at home.

Vegetarian Mexican Salad Boats:

1 bunch romaine hearts, rinsed and separated
1 sweet potato, finely diced
1 Tbs. cumin
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10 oz) can sweet corn, drained and rinsed
4 radishes, thinly sliced
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 lime
5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 avocado, diced

Directions: Heat 2 Tbs. of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add the sweet potatoes, cumin, chili powder, a pinch of coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Sauté about 10 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 Tbs. oil, juice from the lime, cilantro and another pinch of salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine the beans, corn, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and radishes. Pour in the dressing and toss to combine. Spoon the mixture into each romaine boat and top with diced avocado and more cilantro, if desired.

Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 poblano chile, cut into matchsticks
2 red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, halved and slivered
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 T heat-safe oil like grape seed or coconut
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups homemade or store bought salsa/pico de gallo
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 big handfuls)
9-10 corn tortillas, halved (try making homemade tortillas!)
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a cheddar-Monterey Jack blend)
sour cream and thinly sliced scallions (green onions) for garnish, if desired

Directions: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan or rimmed cookie sheet.

Place poblanos, red bell peppers, cauliflower, sweet potato, onion, and corn kernels onto cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle the cumin and minced garlic over top. Add a generous pinch or two of salt and black pepper, and then use your hands to mix everything together. After everything is coated well, spread the vegetables evenly in the pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender and begin to brown in spots. Stir or shake the pan every 10 minutes for even roasting. Remove pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Prepare an 8” or 9” square baking pan with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, stir the cilantro into the salsa. Spread 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of the baking pan. Add a layer of tortilla pieces, to completely cover the salsa. Top with 1/3 of the vegetables, a handful of spinach, and 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, salsa, vegetables, spinach, and cheese. Top with a layer of tortillas, salsa, vegetables, and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.

Let it sit for 5 minutes and cut into squares. Serve with sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.

Chicken Tamale Pie

1/3 cup fat free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 1/2 tablespoon taco seasoning, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4 ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5 ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy)
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
1 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
3/4 cup shredded white cheese
Cilantro and crumbled Cotija cheese for topping

Instructions: Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine milk, egg, ½ tsp taco seasoning, ground red pepper, corn, muffin mix and green chilies in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a round pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400°F for 20-30 minutes. While corn is baking, toss the chicken in the remaining 1 tablespoon taco seasoning. When corn is done – it will be just barely set and golden brown – pierce entire surface liberally with a fork (it might stick a little bit to the fork). Pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Top each serving with cilantro and Cotija cheese.