Tex-Mex Migas

WHEN THE WEATHER IS CHILLY, GRAY, AND DAMP, I often want to eat something breakfasty. I started using the word, breakfasty, several years ago when I learned it from a little boy who had spent the night with us. Next morning, I asked him if he would rather have eggs or oatmeal. Nope, he wanted something breakfasty. Fruit? No, something breakfasty. I kept offering more and more options and he declined all of them, repeating that he wanted something breakfasty. Finally, I asked him what he considered breakfasty and he replied, "donuts". Apparently he had already spied the Krispy Kreme box I thought was out of sight on top of the refrigerator.

My idea of breakfasty is more on the savory, even spicy side.  Thus, Migas. My husband is never excited when he comes home and sees me making this dish for our supper. And I admit, it is not a show-stopper appearance wise. But he eats it with enthusiasm and growing appreciation and even goes back for seconds.

Migas is scrambled eggs with onions, peppers, leftover tortillas, and cheese. The recipe is very flexible, any kind of peppers can be used, crushed tortilla chips from a bag work fine, any cheese works. Everything is to taste. I like to use corn tortillas, skillet fried until crisp, poblano peppers, and Monterrey jack cheese.

Tex-Mex Migas
1/4 cup mild cooking oil
5 corn tortillas, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 small onion, chopped
2 - 3 poblano peppers, diced
1 tomato, peeled and chopped
8 eggs
2 Tbsp. milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss the tortilla pieces in the hot oil, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, until crispy. Remove to paper towels and set aside while you saute the onions and peppers, in the same skillet, for a couple of minutes. Stir in the tomatoes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Add to the onion mixture along with the tortilla pieces. Gently lift the vegetables and tortillas to let the eggs get evenly distributed.

When the eggs look nearly done, turn off the heat, sprinkle on the cheese and put a lid on it.

When the cheese is melted, serve with salsa, sour cream, avocado slices or guacamole.

Spinach Enchiladas

WE LOVE TEX-MEX,  but it seems that most of our local Mexican Restaurants have moved to more of a California style of Mexican cooking. I suppose it is more on-trend and I understand why. Cal-Mex seems to be lighter with more of a focus on seafood and fresh vegetables, whole beans rather than refried, and lots of cilantro which is an herb I don't enjoy.

The tortillas are another thing. Tex-Mex tacos and enchiladas are made with corn tortillas, whereas the Cal-Mex style uses flour tortillas, another thing I do not enjoy.

We recently went to one of our (formerly) favorite Mexican Restaurants. I ordered spinach enchiladas, which I had enjoyed in this restaurant many times over the years. Imagine my disappointment when the plate presented to me (with the standard warning of: hot!) contained a couple of "spinach roll-ups" with flour tortillas, no sauce, no melted gooey cheese. That was not an enchilada, rather more like a burrito.

We haven't been to that restaurant again--sigh--and I decided to make Spinach Enchiladas at home.

Spinach Enchiladas
1 Tbsp. butter
1 bunch sliced scallions
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz. fresh curly spinach, steamed until barely tender, then squeezed dry
1 cup queso blanco (may substitute ricotta or cottage cheese)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded Montrey Jack cheese
10 (6-inch) corn tortillas
18 oz. enchilada sauce

Melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and scallions and cook for a few minutes until fragrant, but not brown. Stir in spinach and cook a few minutes longer. Remove from heat and mix in the queso blanco, sour cream, and 1 cup of the Monterrey Jack.

Warm the tortillas, a few at a time, wrapped in damp paper towels, for about 30 seconds in the microwave. Spoon about 1/4 cup of spinach mixture onto the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place, seam side down, in a 13x9 inch baking dish. Pour the enchilada sauce over the top, and top with the remaining 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Stacked Tortilla Pie

THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS WORKING OUT yesterday, I was thinking about food. Not that I was hungry; I'd had a good protein packed smoothie before I went to the gym. But I knew I would stop by the grocery store on my way home and I needed to decide what to make for dinner. I wanted something simple and healthful. As I was working on my gluteus maximus, this tortilla pie came to mind.

I have seen variations of this and Rosie Hawthorne's has always appealed to me most. I like that she doesn't cook or saute her vegetables before assembly. Now is the time of year I crave a little crunch in my life after all those winter soups and stews.

 I have always thought Rosie's use of butter and her baking directions sounded just right.

Rosie adds corn to her pie but I don't because Pritchard Parker doesn't want to eat it. Instead, I used two different types of beans--black beans and refried beans.

Stacked Tortilla Pie
(adapted from Kitchens are Monkey Business)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can refried beans
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup sliced pimiento stuffed olives
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded Monteray Jack cheese
2 Tbsp. melted butter
Extra large whole wheat tortillas
Ground cumin and cayenne pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and butter a sheet pan.

Mix together the black beans, onion, bell pepper, tomato, and olives.

Spread refried beans on one tortilla and place on prepared sheet pan. Spread some of the vegetable mixture over the beans and then sprinkle on some of each cheese. Repeat, leaving a bit of vegetables and cheese for the top.

Brush melted butter on the edges of the tortillas and all over the top one. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper and cumin to taste. Add the remaining vegetable mixture and cheese to the top.

Bake 20 - 30 minutes until golden and the cheese is melted. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.

Serve with choice of salsa, sour cream, guacamole, crumbled caso blanco.

Tempeh Taco Salad

Tempeh is made from soybeans but the similarity to tofu stops there. Tofu is made from soy milk, has a curd-like texture, and is very mild in flavor. Tempeh is made from whole soybeans which have been pressed into a cake and lightly fermented. It has an assertive nutty flavor and a meaty texture. You can buy both tempeh and tofu right in the produce department of your regular grocery store.

I have cooked with both products for more years than I care to admit. We don't eat a lot of meat in this family and look for other ways to enjoy protein.  Do let me know when you are coming for dinner, however, and if you are opposed to eating tempeh and/or tofu, I'll not put them on the menu. ( Or if you want to try them, I will put them on the menu for you). 

At serving time, set out all the fixings for tacos and let everyone assemble their own. I like to combine fritos, cubed cheese, lettuce and catalina dressing (homemade, of course) then add the rest of the ingredients. Pritchard Parker thinks catalina dressing is creepy and uses salsa. Some people use both.

Come to think of it, I could probably combine fritos with cheese and catalina dressing and call that a salad. It is not one of my loftier ideas but I have seen people do worse with ranch dressing.

Tempeh for Taco Salad
1 8-ounce package tempeh
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. minced chipotle chili with adobo sauce
1 small onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Crumble tempeh into a large mixing bowl.  Add and combine well, the tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, lime juice, oregano, chipotle chili, onion and bell pepper.

Heat olive oil, in a heavy skillet over medium heat and when hot, add the contents of the mixing bowl. Fry and stir the tempeh mixture, until the tempeh is becoming crispy on the edges and the vegetables are tender.  Taste and adjust seasonings, including adding salt and pepper if needed.

For serving:
Lettuce
Chopped tomato
Chopped peppers
Radish slices
Scallions
Jalapeno slices
Cheese
Tortilla chips
Olives
Guacamole
Lime wedges
Salad dressing
Salsa
Sour cream

Fish Tacos with Pineapple Mango Salsa

Because I love to cook so much (plus I may be mildly obsessed with knowing exactly what is in the food we eat, as well as sanitary conditions) we rarely eat out.  But every once in a while, I relax and it is very nice to eat out--to not cook or wash dishes.

There is a Mexican restaurant, right down the street, (with an excellent sanitation rating) we always enjoy. It is not the usual style of Tex-Mex featured in most of the Mexican eateries in our area. I don't really know how to describe it, but it seems fresher and their menu features a lot of fish and seafood.

Pritchard Parker loves their fish tacos and almost always orders them. They dress the tacos with a green sauce he just adores. He always wants me to taste it, and I think it is a chimichurri sauce. Because I had both fresh pineapple and mango on hand, I made a salsa with them. But I do have more talapia in the freezer, so will be experimenting with the green sauce next time.

Fish Tacos
1 pound white fish such as talapia
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup ginger ale
Extra flour for dusting fish
Tortillas
Pineapple Mango Salsa

Cut fish filets into approximately 2 ounce pieces and dry with paper towels.

Make the batter by whisking together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Mix together the egg and ginger ale, then stir into the dry mixture. 

Heat about 1/2 inch oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Preheat the over to 200 degrees. When the oil is hot, briefly fry the tortillas, but don't get them too brown. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in the oven.

Dip the fish pieces into flour then into the batter. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown on each side.

Pineapple Mango Salsa
1/2 of a fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 small red onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 -2 fresh jalapenos, minced
Juice of 2 limes
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. chili powder
Salt to taste
Honey, optional, if your fruit is too tart

Combine the pineapple, mango, onion, bell pepper, and jalapenos. Add the lime juice, olive oil, and chili powder. Stir well to mix together. Taste and add salt and/or honey, to taste.