ahh mexican. this shall not be easy

Well I have made a Chicken Tortilla Soup II. This is a very creative and intresting chicken Tortilla soup abd its not like those boring, no fun, uncreative chicken tortilla soups. This one is very creative and fun.

Ingredents

1 cup carrot, diced

1 cup celery

1 cup onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 fresh diced garlic clove

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons corn oil

4 (15 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 (15 ounce) can tomatoes, diced (optional)

1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes & chilies, diced

1 (1 1/4-1 1/2 ounce) packet taco seasoning, I use McCormicks

1 (10 count) package corn tortillas (broken or cut into small pieces)

12 ounces chicken meat, poached, diced

1 cup milk

12 ounces monterey jack cheese or 12 ounces Mexican blend cheese, shredded

corn tortilla chips, broken into small pieces

Directions

1. Saute carrots, onions, celery in corn oil, garlic, salt and pepper until tender.

2. Add chicken broth and bring to boil.

3. Add tomatoes, Rotel, taco seasoning, and chicken.

4. Cut Tortillas into small pieces and add to broth mixture.

5. Let boil for 20 minutes or until tortillas are thoroughly incorporated into soup stirring occasionally to keep from sticking.

6. Reduce heat and add 8 oz. cheese. Simmer for additional 10 minutes.

7. Add milk and simmer for additional 10 minutes.

8. If thicker soup is desired, add more diced tortillas and let incorporate into soup.

9. Garnish with shredded cheese and broken tortilla chips.

10. Substitutions: 1 cup Masa Harina (Masa Flour) for 1 10 ct. package of corn tortillas. Gradually add masa flour mixing into broth, mixing thoroughly into broth. If thicker soup is desired, add more masa flour.

11.You can also use grilled chicken fajita meat for poached diced chicken.

Enjoy the soup

Chile Lime Grilled Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients

    1 1/2 pounds frozen, shelled and deveined large shrimp, thawed
    1 (12-ounce) bottle Mexican chile and lime marinade (recommended: Lawry's)
    Cooking oil, for grill
    1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
    1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped
    1 tablespoon adobo sauce
    12 corn tortillas
    1 (6-ounce) bag shredded red cabbage
    1/2 cup frozen chopped onion, thawed
    1 cup prepared guacamole
    1 lime, for garnish

Directions

Marinate the shrimp in the chili and lime marinade for at least 5 minutes but no more than 30 minutes.

Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.

Brush the grill with a paper towel that has been soaked in cooking oil. Remove the shrimp from the marinade and place on the grill. Grill the shrimp until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Mix the sour cream with chipotle and adobe sauce.

Wrap the tortillas in a damp towel. Place on a plate and microwave for 45 seconds.

Build the taco with the shrimp, cabbage, onion and guacamole and top with the chipotle sour cream. Garnish with lime wedges.

I didn't want to make simple, well known Mexican food, so I thought out of the box and made:

Tarragon-Rubbed Salmon with Nectarine Salsa

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon(s) chopped red onion
2 large ripe nectarines, pitted and chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
1  jalapeño chile, finely chopped
2 tablespoon(s) fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon(s) dried tarragon
4 piece(s) (6 ounces each) skinless salmon fillet
1 teaspoon(s) olive oil

Directions:
1. Grease clean grill grate. Prepare outdoor grill for covered, direct grilling on medium.

2.Meanwhile, in cup, place chopped red onion; cover with cold water and let sit 10 minutes. (This will take some of the sharpness out of the raw onion.) In medium bowl, stir together remaining salsa ingredients: chopped nectarines, chopped red pepper, finely chopped jalapeño, lime juice, chopped cilantro, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside.

3. In small bowl, combine tarragon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper. Brush salmon with oil and rub with tarragon mixture to coat both sides.

4. Place salmon on hot grill grate. Cover grill and cook salmon 8 to 10 minutes or until it turns opaque throughout, turning over once with large spatula. Transfer to platter.

5. Drain onion well. Stir onion into nectarine mixture. Serve nectarine salsa with grilled salmon.

Picture:
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/media/cm/goodhousekeeping/images/tarragon-salmon-nectarine-salsa-de-52569462.jpg

Gold Medal Sizzling Fajitas

Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Dash hot sauce
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds meat (boneless, skinless chicken breast, skirt steak or peeled and deveined shrimp)
1 medium onion, halved and sliced lengthwise
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 lime, juiced, for topping
Sour cream, for topping
Salsa, for topping
Guacamole, for topping
Cheddar cheese, shredded, for topping

Directions:
In a heavy duty resealable plastic bag, combine 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, hot sauce, salt, pepper and your choice of meat. Seal and toss the bag around to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator. *Cook's Note: 15 minutes for shrimp, 20 minutes for chicken and 1 hour for skirt steak.

Preheat your cast iron servers in a preheated 400 degree F oven for at least 20 minutes, to get a good sizzle when you plate the fajitas.

Heat the outside grill or a large indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove the meat from the marinade and place it on the hot grill, discard the marinade. Cook chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side, skirt steak about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare and about 2 minutes for shrimp. Slice the chicken and steak into strips if you are using.

In a large skillet heat up the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and fry the onions and bell peppers until crisp-tender with some salt and pepper.

Wrap the tortillas in foil and warm them in the oven with the servers for 15 minutes.

When you are ready to serve, remove the cast iron servers from the oven and quickly arrange the meat and peppers and onions on it. It will immediately start to sizzle from their fat and moisture. Serve sizzling immediately with the warm tortillas and other accompaniments.

http://thinkoutsidethebarn.com/.a/6a0120a5d0bbef970c0167662228cb970b-800wi

i forgot to mention plz put the title of your dish as well :)

I have decided  to conecntrate on one key mexican ingrediant that is both unique and tasty. The prickly pear cactus, Opuntia, has traditionally been an important part of Mexican culture. The plant itself, called "nopal" by the locals, has been the source of legends, magic, and rituals.

Grilled Chicken with Nopalito and Pineapple Salsa served with Prickly-pear sauce

This makes a delicious light entrée when served as a stuffing for warm flour tortillas. It can also be served with rice and a vegetable.

1 raw, cleaned prickly-pear pad (nopal)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup canned crushed pineapple packed in its own juice
¼ cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
¼ cup green onions, including some tops, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon canned green chiles, chopped
1 serrano chile, finely minced (optional)
½ teaspoon garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cilantro, finely minced (optional)
4 large boneless chicken breasts
8 medium-size flour tortillas
4 cups leaf lettuce, finely shredded

Cut prickly-pear pad in 1½-inch squares. Film heavy frying pan with oil.

Add pad pieces (nopalitos) and cook over low heat, turning occasionally, until pieces have given up much of their juice and are slightly brown. Remove from pan, cool, and chop into pieces as wide as a matchstick and about ¼ inch long.

Transfer to medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients (except for chicken, tortillas, and lettuce), stir to combine, and set aside for flavors to mingle.

Grill chicken breasts until done. Warm tortillas while you slice each chicken breast crosswise into eight pieces. Divide chicken and lettuce evenly among tortillas and top with salsa. Fold tortillas to enclose stuffing.

Nopal (Prickly Pear) Sauce

*16 fresh prickly pears
*1/2 Cup sugar
*1 Tbs. lime juice
*1 Tbs. orange liqueur

Remove rind from prickly pears by cutting off both ends and running a slice down both sides. If ripe, the rind will pull off easily. Chop prickly pear into 1-inch pieces and place in a blender. Blend on medium-high until you have a puree. Strain through a cheesecloth or a food mill, this will remove almost all of the tiny stone like seeds. Reserve both the juice and puree. Put 2 cups of the prickly pear juice in a medium-sized saucepan with the sugar. Cook over medium heat until mixture is reduced by half. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup of pureed prickly pear, the lime juice & orange (or lemon) liqueur. Stir well. Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving. **Once we reduced the sauce by half & it thickened slightely it was put into pint canning jars & processed in a water bath for 15 min.

http://nmmagazine.com/imgs/may09/PricklyPear19.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PbrU_CVjifs/Tkn41mKrLII/AAAAAAAAGNU/VFBODXo60G0/s320/Prickly+Pear+Sauce+canned.jpg

My best friend is Mexican and we have a tasty dish all the time I present enchiladas de Mole Poblano.

Ingredients
For Enchiladas

1 cup canola oil
24 corn tortillas
6 cups chicken meat, cooked and shredded
3 cups mole sauce
1 cup sour cream
2 cups queso fresco, shredded
1 red onion, sliced

For Mole Sauce

(Makes 1.5 to 2 quarts)

6 mulato dried chili peppers
4 negro dried chili peppers
2 ancho dried chili peppers
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
vegetable oil or lard for frying (as needed)
¾ lb. roman tomato, cut into halves
¼ lb. tomatillo, husks removed, rinsed, cut into halves
½ ripe plantain, peeled, sliced and fried
2 tbsp. raisin
¼ white onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ cup whole almonds
¼ cup peanuts, unsalted
2 tbsp. hulled raw green pumpkin seeds
¼ cup pecans, halves
1 cinnamon stick, (mexican canela or ceylon variety)
4 whole cloves
½ tsp. whole all-spice
½ tsp. cumin seeds
1 corn tortilla, fried
1 slice french bread or bolillo bread, fried
2 oz. mexican chocolate (abuelita, ibarra or other brand)
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. salt

Instructions
For Mole Sauce

1.Wipe all the dried chili peppers clean with a damp cloth and remove all the stems, veins and seeds
2.In a large skillet, toast the chili peppers, two to three at a time, until slightly blistered and aromatic, toasting each chili for approximately 10 seconds

3.Put the chili peppers in a pan with the broth as they are toasted. Let them slightly boil for about 10 minutes or until soft

4.In the same skillet, heat 1/4 cup of oil or lard and fry the tomatoes and tomatillos, until they are a paste. This paste is later added to the mole sauce when all the ingredients are boiled together.

5.Add chili peppers, plantains and raisins to the broth

6.In another skillet, grill the ¼ onion and garlic until they start to brown in spots.

7.Add to the broth and let it cool

8.Meanwhile, in a medium skillet toast the almonds until they start to color (light brown color) and are aromatic, add the peanuts, pumpkin seeds and pecans, moving the pan frequently, so they do not get burned

9.Add to a bowl and keep aside

10.Toast the cinnamon stick in the same skillet for one minute, add the cloves, all spice and finally the cumin

11.Add to the bowl and let them cool

12.Boil the mixture for 15 minutes

13.Transfer some of the broth, with the boiled ingredients, fried tortilla and fried bread to a blender

14.Mix mixture together with the bowl ingredients and create a purée as smooth as possible, pour in a large bowl

15.Repeat in batches until all are blended, if necessary use more stock or water to help to blend

16.In a large, heavy deep pot, heat 1/4 cup oil or lard. Add the blended mixture from the bowl

17.Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and cook for 30 minutes, stir frequently to prevent sticking. Continue cooking on reduced heat for an additional 20 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.

18.After 30 minutes, add the chocolate and stir, constantly to prevent scorching, until the chocolate melts

19.The sauce should have the consistency of gravy, if too thick, add more broth

20.Add the sugar, salt and let it simmer for 10 more minutes

21.The sauce is ready to use

For Enchiladas

1.Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until it simmers

2.With tongs, dip the tortillas, one at a time, into the hot oil for about 3 seconds, until limp

3.Drain tortillas on a dry paper towel to absorb any excess oil

4.In a skillet, mix the shredded chicken with the mole sauce until warm

5.To assemble the enchilada, put one tortilla on a plate and put about 2 tablespoons of the chicken with mole sauce onto the center of the tortilla

6.Roll the filled tortilla, now an enchilada, into a cylinder. Repeat the process with two more tortillas and place the three prepared enchiladas side by side on the dish

Carnitas Filling Recipe

Ingredients

    1 pound boneless pork shoulder
    1 clove garlic, crushed
    1 onion, cut into 4 wedges
    1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
    1 celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
    1 tomato, chopped
    1 tablespoon chili powder
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon cumin
    1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
    1/4 teaspoon pepper
    1 bay leaf

Directions

1. Place pork, garlic, onion, carrot, celery, and tomato in a saucepan. Season with chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano, pepper, and bay leaf; add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer until pork is tender, about two hours. Cool and shred. Use in tacos or tamales.

1 hour left

TIMES UP!!!!

that was quick lol.

guys i'm going to start posting my thoughts on your dishes so get ready! :)

omg i hope i dont go