La Cocina de Leslie

Strawberry Oat Smoothie {She Made/Ella Hace}

2013-05-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

This particular blog post has me envisioning a 1990's Calvin Klein-esque commercial shot entirely in black & white, with shots of scantily clad celebrity chefs (Hello, Tyler Florence!) swimming in a pool of milk, whispering the word "Obsession." Because that's exactly what today's recipe is, my latest obsession...Fruity Oat Smoothies. I drink one every. single. day. Sometimes two. And that's why girlichef and I agreed to make smoothies the subject of our latest installment of She Made/Ella Hace.

I've added a handful of oats to my smoothies before and loved them, but I was never obsessed with them like I am now.

This obsession of mine started a couple of months ago when my suegro's (father-in-law) doctor "suggested" that I make him an Oat Smoothie once a day. I started out making a smoothie just for Don Chuy. Then Hubby wanted one. As did Hope (my 15 year old), who some days gets home from school before noon. And well, seeing everyone else drinking a smoothie, I wanted one too.

For this recipe I used strawberries, because that's what's in bloom right now and they're just too pretty to resist. But I switch things up during the week and also make it with papaya, mango, and/or banana. I really can't pick a favorite, because they're all absolutely delicious!

What about you...What's your latest food obsession???

Licuado de Fresa y Avena
(Strawberry Oat Smoothie)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cold milk
6 large strawberries
2 tablespoons dried oats
2 tablespoons sugar or honey
Ground cinnamon

Directions:
Puree the milk, strawberries, oats, sugar, and a dash of ground cinnamon in a blender cup until smooth and creamy. (About 1 minute.) Pour into glass; sprinkle top with more ground cinnamon. Enjoy!!!

Don't forget to visit girlichef's blog to check out her Fruit & Oat Power Smoothie.

Mini Pays de Coco (Coconut Pie)

2013-05-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother's Day! I celebrated a few days earlier because here in Mexico El Dia de las Madres (Mother's Day) is always celebrated on May 10th, no matter what day of the week it falls on.

I spent the better part of the day locked in my bedroom hiding from the dust from the debris the construction workers working on my house were clearing out. While I was in there I painted a few walls, rearranged the furniture, purged our old clothes and shoes, and then painted some of the furniture. I know it doesn't sound like a great way to spend Mother's Day, but believe me it couldn't have been a better day. It was actually one of the best Mother's Day I've ever had.

Of course, Hubby and the kiddies spoiled me rotten! First they serenaded me with Las Mañanitas (a traditional celebration song sung at birthdays and holidays like Mother's Day). Then they gave me breakfast in bed and showered me with hugs, kisses, flowers, handmade gifts, cards, drawings, and even more hugs and kisses. Later in the day my suegro (father-in-law) bought lunch so I didn't have to cook. Then the 7 of us went for a walk at la presa (our town's reservoir). We visited Hubby's grandmother and an aunt who is visiting from the States. And then Hubby and I had a romantic dinner together. I definitely felt the Mother's Day love.

My favorite gift of the day, aside from the bedroom makeover, was a reversible wooden tabletop Hubby made for my food pics. (Sigh!) It's absolutely gorgeous! It's a lovely shade of coral-pink on one side, and natural wood on the other. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect gift. And the fact that Hubby made it for me, without me so much as hinting at it, is just ~~icing on the cake~~ whipped cream on the pie.

So to thank Hubby and the kiddies for giving me such a wonderful Mother's Day, and to try out my new tabletop, I whipped them up a sweet treat...Mini Coconut Pies. Hubby and the kiddies aren't crazy about coconut as a garnish on cakes and pies, or anything else for that matter, but they do love Pay de Coco, because it's soft and creamy and tastes like Cocada (a traditional Mexican coconut candy).

It's a really easy pie to put together. All you need for the filling is 3 ingredients: eggs, sweetened condensed milk, and shredded coconut. If you don't want to bake a bunch of individual mini pies, you can bake it in a regular 9-inch pie plate. I used Galletas Maria's for my cookie crumb pie crust, but you can use graham crackers, or you can use a ready made graham cracker crust.

If you like coconut macaroons, then you are going to LOVE these Mini Pays de Coco!

Pay de Coco
(Coconut Pie)

Ingredients:

1 packet Maria's cookies
1/3 cup melted butter
2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs

Directions:
In a blender or food processor, grind the Maria's Cookies until very fine. Or place the cookies in a large plastic baggie and flatten with a rolling pin until very fine. Combine the cookie crumbs in a bowl with the melted butter; stir until well combined.

Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cookie mixture into each of the mini-pie molds. (You'll get about 4 to 8 mini-pies depending on the size of your mini-pie molds.) Press the cookie crumb mixture along the bottom and sides of the molds. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Puree 1 cup of the coconut with the sweetened condensed milk and the eggs, until smooth and creamy. (About 2 minutes.) Pour the puree into a medium bowl and stir in the remaining cup of shredded coconut. Ladle the coconut mixture into prepared mini-pie molds.

Arrange on the mini-pie molds on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the tops of the pie turn a light golden brown and the pie centers no longer jiggle when lightly shaken. Let cool to room temperature. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream.

Enjoy!!!

Brunch with Mom: A Bilingual Recipe eBook for Mother's Day

2013-05-08T09:30:00.000-05:00

Want to surprise Mom with something special this year for Mother's Day? A few of my very talented food blogging amigas and I have come together to bring you a free, bilingual (English/Spanish) ebook with 11 delicious brunch recipes to share with your mom.

Brunch with Mom includes recipes by Ericka from Nibbles & Feasts, Maura from The Other Side of the Tortilla, Nicole from Presley's Pantry, Uchi of Latin Food Lovers, Vianney from Sweet Life, and yours truly.

My two contributions to Brunch with Mom are this sweet Strawberry-Requeson Stuffed French Toast.

And this flavorful Chile Relleno Quiche.

Did I mention that it was FREE??? Download Brunch with Mom today to surprise mom with a delicious treat this Mother's Day.

Open publication - Free publishing - More brunch recipes

Paletas de Tamarindo #SundaySupper #CincodeMayo

2013-05-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

Before we get started on our Cinco de Mayo celebration, I want to take a moment to explain my absence from the blog recently. I know I haven't been hanging around here as much as we'd all like. A lot of you have written in wondering where I've disappeared to. I sincerely apologize for having disappeared without giving you any type of explanation.

The short and simple truth is that my suegro has been sick. It's nothing deathly serious. He suffers from severe depression and requires constant care. My days have been spent looking after him, cooking for him, and making sure he takes his meds. Little by little, he is getting better, even though he still has his bad days. We've all had to make some adjustments, but I think we've finally settled into a routine.

So here I am ready to get back to doing what I love most...cooking & blogging. And you know I can't resist a good fiesta, especially with my #SundaySupper amigos.

Today I'm sharing Paletas de Tamarindo. They are a sweet, tangy, and super refreshing way to keep your cool at any fiesta.

Paletas de Tamarindo
(Tamarind Ice Pops)

Ingredients:

8 to 10 oz. tamarind pods
6 cups water
1-1/2 to 2 cups granulated sugar

Directions:
Peel the tamarind pods by removing the hard outer shell, the stems, and the strings. If you have a hard time removing all that, don't worry, it'll all come lose once the tamarind has cooked.

In a medium saucepan, simmer the tamarind pods and the 6 cups of water for about 10 to 15 minutes. This will soften the tamarind, making it easier to remove any shell, stems, or strings. Using a potato masher, gently crush the tamarindo to break up the pulp. Scoop out any seeds you see. (I like to leave a few in there.)

Stir in the sugar; let tamarind juice cool to room temperature.

Pour the tamarind juice into plastic popsicle molds or small plastic cups. (If using plastic cups, cover with aluminum foil and insert popsicle sticks in center of each foil-lined cup. The aluminum foil helps to hold the popsicle sticks in place.) Freeze for about 3 hours or until firm. Enjoy!!!

For more festive recipes with a Mexican flair, be sure to check out what my #SundaySupper friends have cooked up!

Cinco de Mayo Appetizers & Sides {Aperitivos}:

Chipotle Roasted Chickpeas from Home Cooking Memories
Cinco de Mayo Tuna Pepper Poppers from Shockingly Delicious
Elote (Mexican Grilled Corn) from Magnolia Days
Esquites or Mexican Corn Salad from Kimchi Mom
Grilled Corn on the Cob with Lime-Cayenne Butter from Healthy. Delicious.
Guacamole Rice from Foxes Love Lemons
Healthy Mexican Ceviche from Mama's Blissful Bites
Loaded Cheesy Nachos from Gotta Get Baked
Lobster Guacamole from I Run For Wine
Roasted Garlic and Bacon Guacamole from Ruffles & Truffles
Slow Cooker Chicken Con Queso from Daily Dish Recipes

Cinco de Mayo Main Dishes {Platos Principales}:

Barbacoa Beef from The Urban Mrs.
Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Cream Sauce from Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
Chicken Fajita Feta-ccine from Chocolate Moosey
Chicken Fajita Salad w/Home made Easy Salsa from Momma's Meals
Chicken Mole Potato Skins from Noshing with the Nolands
Corona Beer-Battered Fish Tacos from Pescetarian Journal
Duck Carnitas from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Enchiladas with Red Chili Sauce from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
Fish Tacos with Lime Salsa from Curious Cuisiniere
Japanese Mexican Tacos from Ninja Baking
Lightened Up Taco Salad from Kudos Kitchen
Mexican Pizza with Chipotle Orange Sauce from Family Foodie
Oven Baked Beef, Bean, and Cheese Chimichangas from In The Kitchen With KP
Pork Carnitas from From the Bookshelf
Red Chile Jam + Tequila Chicken Quesadillas from Vintage Kitchen Notes
Roasted Poblano and Corn Lasagna from Juanita's Cocina
Shrimp Soft Tacos with Lime Dressing and Crunchy Vegetables from Crazy Foodie Stunts
Slow Cooked Carne Asadas from Peanut Butter and Peppers
Soft Shell Tacos from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Spicy Shredded Beef Chimichangas from Supper for a Steal
Spicy Steak Fajitas from Cravings of a Lunatic
Stuffed Poblano Peppers from Country Girl in the Village
Tequila Lime Chicken from No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
Tex-Mex Chopped Chicken Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing from The Weekend Gourmet
Tofu Tacos from Hip Foodie Mom
Yucatan Pollo Pibil and Corn Tortillas from MarocMama

Cinco de Mayo Desserts {Postres}:

Dairy-free Flan from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
Dark and Spicy Chocolate Pots de Creme from Happy Baking Days
Fried Ice Cream for a Crowd from Growing Up Gabel
Luxuriously Healthy Chocolate Frosting from What Smells So Good?
Mexican Brownies from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
Paletas de Tamarindo (Tamarind Popsicles) from La Cocina de Leslie
Peanut Mazapanes from Pies and Plots

Cinco de Mayo Drinks {Bebidas}:

Fresh & Fruity Sangria from Webicurean
Fruity Aguas Frescas from The Foodie Patootie
Mango Aqua Fresca With Chia Seeds from Sue's Nutrition Buzz
Margarona from The Messy Baker
Tamarindo Drink (Agua de Tamarindo) from Basic N Delicious

Nutella Yogurt Paletas to Celebrate La Cocina de Leslie's 4th Birthday!

2013-04-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that it's been 4 years since I started this little blog of mine. But it's true...La Cocina de Leslie turned 4 years old yesterday! Time sure does fly by when you're having fun. I have had a blast writing and cooking with all of you, and getting to know you through your blogs, comments, and/or emails. From the bottom of my heart I thank all of you who continue to visit this blog, even though I haven't posted much these last two months. I'll explain all about my absence in a future post, I promise. But right now, it's time to get this birthday party started!

To celebrate this joyous occasion, I've got one heck of a decadent treat for you...Nutella Yogurt Paletas! Spring has sprung here in Mexico, which means it's the hottest time of the year. And well, there's no better way to help keep your cool than a paleta (popsicle). This may be the shortest and easiest recipe I've ever posted, but trust me, you're going to thank me for this recipe. Nutella Yogurt Paletas are creamy, fudgy, slightly tart, and oh-so rich and delicious. They're so good, I bet you can't eat just one!

Nutella Yogurt Paletas

Ingredients:

3 cups plain yogurt
1 cup Nutella

Directions:
In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt and Nutella until well combined.

Spoon (or pour) the Nutella-Yogurt mixture into plastic cups. Insert popsicle sticks into the center of each cup. (The yogurt mixture is thick enough to hold the popsicle sticks in place.)

Chill in freezer for at least 2 to 3 hours. To unmold, run warm water around the plastic cups for about 30 seconds. Enjoy!!!

Poblano Chicken Empanadas {She Made/Ella Hace}

2013-04-08T21:00:00.000-05:00

Today is one of those food holidays that I just couldn't let slip by unnoticed. That's why I suggested to Girlichef that we celebrate this special holiday for She Made/Ella Hace this month. In case you didn't know, today is Empanada Day! Now, isn't that the kind of holiday that you could really get behind. Since Girlichef and I already shared a sweet empanada recipe with all of you a couple of months ago, I also suggested that we make savory empanadas.

And since this month in my cocina is going to be dedicated to Kids' Favorite Recipes (because April is Children's Month in Mexico), I thought I'd start the celebration by sharing my 15 year old daughter's favorite savory empanadas, which also happen to be made with what I believe to be one of the best flavor combinations ever...chicken, corn & roasted poblano peppers. (Swoon!)

The empanada crust is buttery, crisp and flaky. And the filling is creamy and cheesy, with just a hint of spice from the roasted poblano peppers. I like these Poblano Chicken Empanadas as is, but Hope (my daughter) thinks they're best when dipped in Mexican crema!

Poblano Chicken Empanadas

Ingredients:

2 c. flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cold butter
4 tablespoons ice water
2 poblano peppers
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small can golden corn kernels, drained
1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
6 oz. asadero or Oaxaca cheese, cut in 1-inch cubes
1 egg, slightly beaten

Directions:

For the empanada dough: In a large bowl combine the flour and salt. Using a potato masher, cut in the butter until the flour turns a golden yellow color and the butter pieces are no larger than a pea. Stir in enough cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together and forms a ball. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the filling:

Roast the poblano peppers on a comal or over an open flame, until the skin has charred evenly all over. Place in a plastic bag and let set for about 10 minutes. (This allows the chilies to sweat, making them easier to peel.) Peel off the charred skin from the roasted peppers and remove the seeds. Chop the poblano peppers into bite-size pieces.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over high heat. Add the onion and saute until transluscent, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken and saute until the chicken is no longer pink. Stir in the poblano peppers, corn kernels, and Mexican crema. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 15 minutes until the chicken pieces are tender. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Stir in cheese cubes.

Preheat oven to 350F. Roll out the empanada dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a large square cookie cutter or sharp paring knife, cut the dough into 4 to 6-inch squares. (The bigger the squares, the bigger the empanada.) Spoon desired amount of filling into the center of each square of dough. Lightly moisten the edges of the dough with water. Fold the empanada dough diagonally over the filling to form triangles. Press edges to seal. Transfer the empanadas to a generously greased baking sheet. Brush the tops of the empanadas with the beaten egg. Pierce the center of each empanada once with a fork. (This allows the steam to escape and prevents dough from puffing.)

Bake the empanadas at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with Mexican crema. Enjoy!!!

Now head on over to Girlichef's blog to wish her a Happy Empanada Day and to check out her Empanadas de Picadillo.

Spicy Tequila-Lime Shrimp Tacos {She Made/Ella Hace}

2013-03-27T22:00:00.000-06:00

My husband isn't a big seafood eater. He'll eat tilapia, if I make it. Oddly enough, he really likes octopus. But the seafood he loves most of all is shrimp. So he was super excited when I told him that Girlichef and I were going to be talking shrimp for this month's installment of She Made/Ella Hace. Hubby would be a very happy man if I made him Coctel de Camaron (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail) at least once a week. But I get bored eating the same thing week after week, so I try to mix things up. These Spicy Tequila-Lime Shrimp Tacos are Hubby's second favorite shrimp dish. They're full of spice from the ground arbol chilies, but they also have tasty undertones from the tequila and lime that linger on your tongue and the back of your throat.

When reading through the ingredients list, do not be alarmed by the 12 dried arbol chilies. They're not all going into this dish! I promise. That would be just way too much spice. Before I get to the super easy Spicy Tequila-Lime Shrimp recipe, I'm going to teach you how to make your own Homemade Red Pepper Flakes. You can use the Homemade Red Pepper Flakes to season everything from fish to pizza to pasta. When I get back from our annual Semana Santa (Holy Week) camping trip, I'm going to share one of my favorite guacamole recipes with you.

Spicy Tequila-Lime Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients:

12 dried chilies de arbol, stems removed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/4 cup tequila
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Homemade Red Pepper Flakes
Corn tortillas

Garnish:

Shredded cabbage
Pico de Gallo
Lime wedges
Homemade red pepper flakes (optional)

How to make Homemade Red Pepper Flakes:
In a small skillet over low heat, toast the dried chiles de arbol, tossing constantly, just until they start to brown. Remove from heat.

Puree the toasted chilies in a blender cup until you have tiny little flakes. Pour the red pepper flakes into a cute little shaker or an airtight container. Enjoy!!!

And now onto the shrimp...
Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, just until the butter has melted. Add the shrimp and saute until they've all turned a bright orange color.

Add the tequila, lime juice, and the red pepper flakes to the shrimp. Cover and let simmer until all of the liquid has been absorbed.

For each taco, spoon a couple of tablespoons of the Spicy Tequila-Lime Shrimp onto two warm corn tortillas stacked on top of each other. Garnish with shredded cabbage, Pico de Gallo, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Enjoy!!!

Now head on over to Girlichef's blog to check out her amazing Queso Flameado w/ Shrimp & Salsa Ranchera!

Tomato-Mushroom Beef #WeekdaySupper

2013-03-19T00:00:00.000-06:00

Do people still use snail mail? I barely remember it exists, because here in Mexico I rarely ever receive something in the mail. With the exception of my phone/internet bill, most of my bills are hand delivered to my door by the light company and/or bank. Almost all of my family and friends contact me through email or Facebook. I don't even get junk mail. The only time I ever get anything in the mail is if I order a book on Amazon, or a good friend decides to surprise me with a foodie care package.

I didn't mean for this post to be about snail mail at all, but this recipe always reminds me of the good old days when we used to receive snail mail on a regular basis. When we lived in the States, Hubby called his mom and dad about once a month. And about once a week, he'd write a letter back home to send pictures of us and the kiddies. A couple times a month, we'd get a letter back from them.

I remember one letter in particular, because it included a note and a recipe for Tomato-Mushroom Beef from my eldest sister-in-law, whom I had never met in person. In the note, she wrote about how she had just made a super tasty guisado (dish) for everyone that was so good, she was sending me the recipe so I could make it for her little brother. It was because of that recipe I learned that the Spanish word for mushrooms is champiñones. Up until then I had only used (and heard) the word "hongos".

I surprised Hubby with the Tomato-Mushroom Beef the very next day. It's been a good 15 years since I first made this recipe and it's been an old family favorite ever since. It's one of my go-to dishes that I turn to on those really busy days, when I only have about 30 minutes to get lunch on the table. It's hearty, saucy, and oh-so-easy to put together. And it's got bacon!

Tomato Mushroom Beef

Ingredients:

6 oz. bacon, sliced
2 lbs. thin cut steak, cut in strips
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 small (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

Directions:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer the bacon pieces to a paper towel lined plate; reserve the bacon grease in the skillet.

Season the beef strips with salt and ground black pepper. Add the beef strips to the large skillet with the bacon grease; cover and let and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink.

Add the bacon and mushrooms to the beef and let cook for about 5 minutes.

Stir in the tomato sauce. Reduce heat to low; cover and let simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the beef strips are tender. Serve atop Sopa de Arroz Blanco (White Rice). Enjoy!!!

Cream of Ancho Chile Soup for Souper #SundaySupper

2013-02-24T00:00:00.000-06:00

Dried chilies are a permanent fixture in my cocina. The world famous Chile de arbol my small town is known for, smoky chipotles, and the guajillos that add vibrant color to every dish, are just a few of the chilies I keep in my pantry, along with my faves, ancho chilies.

Ancho chilies are dried poblano peppers. Poblanos are my favorite fresh chile pepper, so it's makes sense that anchos would be my favorite dried chile.

I use ancho chilies to make salsas, moles, and as the base for many a soup where they play a supporting role to an ensemble cast of ingredients. But sometimes I just want the chilies to shine all on their own like in this Cream of Ancho Chile Soup. It's smooth, vibrant, and spicy!

If you like Tortilla Soup, then you're going to love this Cream of Ancho Chile Soup! You get the same flavorful broth without all those extra add-ins to distract you from the flavor of the ancho chilies. Actually this soup makes an excellent base for a spicy tortilla soup. Just add some chicken, cheese, and avocado, and you're all set.

Cream of Ancho Chile Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 dried ancho chilies
2 dried guajillo chilies
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream

Directions:
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the chopped onion for about 1 to 2 minutes, until it turns translucent. Add the dried chilies and minced garlic and saute for another 30 seconds.

Pour in 3 cups of the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes; let cool slightly.

Remove stems and seeds from the chilies. In a blender or food processor, puree the chilies with the onion, garlic, and chicken broth they were cooked in.

Strain the chile puree into the same saucepan they chilies were cooked in, along with the remaining cup of chicken broth. Season with the ground cumin and a little salt. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat.

Reduce heat to low and stir in the Mexican crema. Let simmer for about 5 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with fried tortillas strips or croutons. Enjoy!!!

For more super soup recipes, check out all of these wonderful soup recipes my #SundaySupper friends have cooked up for you this week.

Do The Chicken Dance (chicken {or other poultry} soups)

Chicken Tortellini & White Bean Soup at Flour On My Face
Chicken Gnocchi at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Chicken Cheese Soup by There and Back Again
Chicken Tortellini Soup by Country Girl In The Village
Chicken Soup with Leeks, Onions and Fennel by Shockingly Delicious
Family Style Tablescape featuring Chicken Tortilla Soup by An Appealing Plan
Yucatan Chicken Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima) by The Weekend Gourmet
Chicken Meatball, Spinach and Orzo Soup from Gourmet Drizzles
Ground Turkey Soup at The Messy Baker
Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Sausage Chowder by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
Turkey Meatball Soup by Basic and Delicious
Chick-Fil-A Chicken Noodle Soup by Family Foodie
Chicken Vegetable Noodle Soup at Cupcakes and Pearls

Where’s The Beef (Beef Soups)

Chili with Black Beans by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Vegetable and Beef Soup by Supper For a Steal
Swabian Beef Spaetzle +1 Soup (Gaisburger Marsch) at Galactosemia in PDX
Bacon Cheeseburger Soup by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Beef Pho Soup by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
Frijol con Carne by MarocMama
Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef and Noodle Soup) by Neighborfood

Pass The Pork. Please (Pork or Sausage Soups)

Healthy Bean and Sausage Soup by Momma’s Meals
Smoked Sauage and Wild Rice Soup at Mama, Mommy, Mom
Louisiana Caldo by Catholic Foodie
Sweet potato and spanish chorizo soup at My Cute Bride
Soft Tofu Soup (Soondubu Jjigae) by Hip Foodie Mom

Under The Sea (Seafood Soups)

Shrimp Miso Noodle Soup at Pescetarian Journal
Szechuan Fish Soup by The Urban Mrs.
New England Clam Chowder at Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Hearty Okra Shrimp Gumbo Laced with Coconut Oil by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Bacon and Shrimp Bisque at Big Bear’s Wife
Lobster Bisque for Two by Peanut Butter and Peppers
Chinese Fish Maw Soup by My Trials in The Kitchen
Thai Curry Coconut Mussel Soup by Noshing With The Nolands

Eat Your Veggies (Chock Full o’ Vegetables Soups)

Not-So-Mini-Strone at The Army Foodie Wife
French Onion Soup by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Spicy Sweet Potato and Corn Soup at Magnolia Days
Creamy Cheddar Potato Soup at Daily Dish Recipes
Rather French Onion Soup by What Smells So Good
Broccoli Cheddar Soup by Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
Cream of Ancho Chile Soup from La Cocina de Leslie
Pasta e Fagoli Soup at Cravings of a Lunatic
Miso Soup by Crazy Foodie Stunts
Vegetable Consommé with Semolina Dumplings – Grießknödel at Masala Herb
Vegetable Medley Soup with Broccoli and Leeks at Chattering Kitchen
Yamato Soup at Cooking Underwriter
Smoky Kale and Tomato Soup with Garlic Croutons by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Coconut Corn Chowder at Mangoes and Chutney
Make Your Own (Gluten Free) Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup at The Meltaways
Ital Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup at The Lovely Pantry
Chunky Vegetable and Barley Soup at Curious Cuisiniere
Corn Soup with Crispy Tortilla Strips at Ninja Baking
Jalapeno Beer Cheese Soup by The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
Wild Mushroom Soup at Food Lust People Love
Tomato Basil Soup with Cous Cous at Ruffles and Truffles
Creamy Carrot Soup at Cookistry
Vermicelli Soup by Damn Delicious
Country Split Pea Soup with Bacon and Potatoes at girlichef

Some Don’t Like It Hot (Chilled Soups)

Chilled Strawberry Soup at Juanita’s Cocina
Bread and Tomato Soup – Gazpacho Style at Vintage Kitchen Notes

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter on Sunday, February 24th to share your favorite soup, stew, chowder or bisque recipes with us! We’ll tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our#SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos!

Orange Margaritas con Limon y Chile {She Made/Ella Hace}

2013-02-22T00:00:00.000-06:00

Raise your glasses, my friends! Today Girlichef and I are celebrating a very special holiday for this month's installment of She Made / Ella Hace...

It's National Margarita Day!

And because great minds think alike, Girlichef and I have both made Orange Margaritas, which was totally unplanned.

The inspiration for my margaritas comes from my favorite mid-morning snack: orange wedges with salt and chilito en polvo (lime-chile powder).

And just like my favorite snack, you get sweet, salty, tangy, and spicy in every sip. These margaritas were so good, I almost didn't want to share them with my Hubby. He's lucky he works right next door.

I like my margaritas on the rocks. If you have a cocktail shaker, by all means use it to make these margaritas. But if you're like me and don't have a cocktail shaker, you can whip these up in a 2-cup measuring cup or in a blender.

What's your favorite kind of margarita?

Orange Margaritas con Limón y Chile

Ingredients:

Lime wedges
Lime-chile powder (I use Tajin brand)
1-1/2 cups orange juice
2 oz. tequila (I used reposado)
2 oz. lime juice
2 oz. agave nectar
Salt (optional)

Directions:
Fill a small bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of lime-chile powder. Moisten the rim of two glasses with a lime wedge. Dip moistened rims in the lime-chile powder; set aside.

In a 2-cup measuring cup, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, and agave nectar; set aside. Fill the lime-chile rimmed glasses with ice. Pour 1 oz. of tequila into each glass. Pour half of the orange juice mixture into each glass; season each glass with a pinch of salt and lime-chile powder. Stir gently to combine. Enjoy!!!

*For frozen margaritas: Puree the orange juice, lime juice, agave nectar, and tequila in a blender with 2 to 3 cups of ice.

Now head on over to Girlichef's blog to check out her Orange-Vanilla Margaritas.

Enchiladas de Acelgas (Swiss Chard/Spinach Enchiladas)

2013-02-21T15:30:00.000-06:00

Do you ever go through phases with certain foods? I have been on an acelga kick for quite some time. I can't get enough of them. Acelgas is the Spanish word for Swiss chard, but depending on your produce vendor here in Mexico, you could end up with either Swiss chard or Spinach. Good thing I'm crazy about both, and that the two are completely interchangeable in today's recipe and in this introduction.

If my grandmother was still with us, she'd tell you that I've been in love with spinach since I was a little baby. Gramm LOVED to tell the story of how the only thing I ate for the first couple of months when I started eating solid foods, was pureed spinach. She'd try to feed me other pureed veggies and fruits, but I wanted nothing to do with them. All I wanted was spinach. And lots of it. I was like a mini-Popeye. But way cuter.

So, maybe things haven't changed that much.

I love to eat acelgas in a soups, salads, quesadillas, and even on pizza. But I think my favorite way to eat acelgas has to be in enchiladas verdes. Enchiladas de Acelgas (Swiss Chard Enchiladas) are creamy and cheesy, and just a little bit spicy. They are a delicious meat-free enchilada, perfect for Cuaresma (Lent).

Enchiladas de Acelgas
(Swiss Chard/Spinach Enchiladas) (Recipe adapted from Herbivoracious by Michael Natkin)

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed
2 serrano chilies
1/2 medium onion
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup Mexican crema
2 bunches acelgas (Swiss chard or spinach)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
Queso Fresco, crumbled
12 corn tortillas

Garnish:

Mexican crema
1/2 medium onion (red or white), sliced
Cilantro (for garnish)

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, cook the tomatillos and serrano chilies with 2 to 3 cups of water, over medium-high heat, until the tomatillos are fully cooked. Puree the cooked tomatillos and serrano chilies with 1 cup of the water they were cooked in, along with 1/2 medium onion and the clove of garlic. Pour the salsa verde into a saucepan. Stir in the 1/4 cup of Mexican crema, and season with salt; set aside.

Remove the stems from the acelgas, then roughly chop the leaves. Rinse the acelgas thoroughly with cold water. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the chopped onion for about 30 seconds. Stir in the acelgas; season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover and let cook until the acelgas have wilted, and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in 1/4 cup of the salsa verde.

I didn't remember to snap a photo of my cooked acelgas until I was almost done assembling my enchiladas.

Once you are ready to assemble the enchiladas, make sure you have all of the ingredients assemled together. Warm up the salsa verde and the acelgas. Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a medium skillet, over medium-high heat. Fry the corn tortillas one at a time, in the oil for about 30 seconds on each side, just until the tortillas are soft and pliable. Dip the tortillas in the salsa verde, one at a time, until evenly coated. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooked acelgas onto each tortilla, and top with 2 tablespoons of queso fresco. Carefully roll up the enchiladas and place seam side down on a serving dish.

Once all of the enchiladas have been assembled, top with more of the heated salsa verde. Garnish enchiladas with Mexican crema, crumbled queso fresco, onion slices, and cilantro. Serve with Sopa de Arroz (Mexican Rice) and Refried Beans. Enjoy!!!

*This recipe is part of the Lenten Blog Hop hosted by Mama Latina Tips.

Cocina Tips: Remedy for Salty Beans

2013-02-18T12:00:00.000-06:00

Have you ever added too much salt to your Frijoles de la Olla (cooked beans)? If so, freaketh not! In this first installment of Leslie's Cocina Tips, a new feature here in my Cocina, I'm going to share a few simple ways to salvage those salty beans.

One option is to drain the beans into a large strainer and rinse with cold water. Then return the beans to the pot and bring to a boil with enough water to cover the beans. Rinse and repeat the process, as necessary, if the beans are still too salty.

My grandpa would add a patita de puerco (pig's foot) to his salty beans and would let them simmer for another hour or so. The patita de puerco absorbed some of the salt, while also adding extra flavor to the beans.

But my favorite remedy is super simple and highly effective...

Potatoes!

Just add 2 or 3 potatoes, peeled and quartered/sliced/chopped, to the pot of frijoles and let simmer for about 15 minutes. (Add 1 to 2 cups of water to the beans, if necessary.) The potatoes will absorb some of the salt, and salvage your pot of frijoles. You can remove the potatoes and use them in some other dish. When my kiddies were little, they loved to eat those chopped cooked potatoes in a bowl of caldo de frijoles (bean broth).

Do you have any tips for how to salvage salty beans? Share your tips below in the comments!

Agua de Cuaresma

2013-02-15T14:00:00.000-06:00

Cuaresma (Lent) is upon us! That means Meat-Free Fridays will be making a comeback to my Cocina during the next 40+ days. Some of the recipes I'll be sharing this year for Lent are...Tortitas de Camaron and Capirotada (Traditional Mexican Bread Pudding). But for this first Friday of Cuaresma, I'm going to share a traditional Agua Fresca recipe that is near and dear not only to my Hubby's heart, but also to the hearts of generations past of this fair pueblito we call home.

I first heard of Agua de Cuaresma a few years ago at a special town meeting, held in the heart of our town - El Jardin (the plaza/townsquare) - that discussed the customs and traditions of generations past. I really enjoyed that town meeting, because it gave me a sense of what Yahualica was like all those years before I moved here, and how holidays (and religious observances) like Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead), Christmas and Cuaresma were celebrated. The memories shared painted such beautiful and vivid images of years past, that it saddened me to think that some of those customs and traditions were being lost and forgotten.

That's one of the main reasons I celebrate Lent with my family. I want my kiddies to experience the same customs and traditions that were celebrated and cherished by Hubby and the generations before him.

Agua de Cuaresma was one of the lost traditions most mentioned during that town meeting. I had never heard of Agua de Cuaresma until then, but I was curious to find out more, so I asked my suegra (mother-in-law) all about it when we got home. She explained that it was a very refreshing Agua Fresca made with oranges, bananas, and lettuce leaves. We planned to make it someday in the not-so-distant future for Lent, but sadly we never got around to making it.

My Hubby doesn't remember that town meeting, but he does remember drinking Agua de Cuaresma every year during Lent when he was growing up. So today, I decided to surprise him by making it to enjoy with lunch. All I had to go on recipe-wise was how my suegra explained it to me oh-so-many years ago. I'm pretty sure I got it right, because Hubby paid me one of the nicest compliments by saying that my Agua de Cuaresma tasted just like the one his mom used to make.

Agua de Cuaresma

Ingredients:

6 oranges, peeled and quartered
8 cups of water
1 cup granulated sugar
6 lettuce leaves, torn into large pieces
2 to 3 oranges, sliced
2 large bananas, sliced
Ice (optional)

Directions:
In a blender cup, puree the peeled oranges with 3 to 4 cups of water. Strain into a 4-quart pitcher. Pour in the remaining 4 to 5 cups of water; sweeten with sugar. Add the torn lettuce leaves, the sliced oranges and bananas; stir gently. Fill pitcher with 2 to 3 cups of ice. Enjoy!!!

*In other parts of Mexico, Agua de Cuaresma is also made with beet juice, and is sometimes called Agua Santa (Holy Water).

For more delicious Cuaresma recipes, check out these recipes that are part of the Lenten Recipe Blog Hop hosted by Mama Latina Tips.

Mexican Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding #SundaySupper

2013-02-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

Love is in the air and I am in the mood for...chocolate! Lots and lots of chocolate. And since chocolate makes the heart grow fonder, I whipped up a little something special for the people I love most. A rich, Chocolate Bread Pudding made with my favorite kind of chocolate...Mexican chocolate.

This Mexican Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding is so sweet and delicious, it's like tearing off pieces of a fresh baked bolillo roll and dipping them into a cup of Mexican hot chocolate. But it's like 10 times better, because the chocolate doesn't completely dissolve and disappear into the milk. The Mexican chocolate melts into these super soft morsels that have a slightly grainy texture from the cinnamon and sugar the Mexican chocolate is flavored with.

I made this bread pudding as a dessert, but it would also make for a sweet breakfast to surprise your loved ones with, say on Valentine's Day morning.

Mexican Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding

(recipe from Herbivoracious by Michael Natkin)

Ingredients:

4 bolillo rolls, cut into bite-size pieces
4 eggs
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 disks Mexican chocolate (Abuelita or Ibarra brands), roughly chopped
Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Generously butter a large baking dish. Arrange the bread pieces in the baking dish and let sit uncovered for about an hour to allow the bread to dry out a little.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until light and fluffy. Slowly, whisk in the milk until well combined; stir in the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Pour the the milk mixture over the bread, tossing lightly to make sure every piece is evenly coated.

Top with the chocolate; stir ever so lightly to make sure you get a little bit of chocolate in every bite.

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let set for about 10 minutes. To serve, top with a dollop of whipped cream and a dash of ground cinnamon. Enjoy!!!

For more delicious treats to share with the ones you love, check out what my #SundaySupper friends are serving up this week.

#SundaySupper Valentine’s Day Breakfasts, Apps & Main Dishes:

Asparagus, Clam & Bay Shrimp Pasta from Galactopdx
Bacon Double Cheese Burger Bites from In the Kitchen with KP
Cheese Stuffed Cannelloni from Curious Cuisiniere
Garlic Shrimp Bruschetta from MarocMama
Green Olive, Goat Cheese & Basil Crostini from Hip Foodie Mom
Indian Shrimp Pulao from Soni’s Food
Individual Beef “Phyll-ingtons” from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Ranch, Bacon and Cheese Crisps from Daily Dish Recipes
Red Velvet Pancakes with Cream Cheese Frosting from Peanut Butter and Peppers
Rissóis de Camarão | Portuguese Shrimp Dumplings from Family Foodie
Spicy Red Cabbage Quiche | Veggie Quiche Recipe from Masala Herb

#SundaySupper Valentine’s Day Sweet Eats:

Banana Bourbon Blondies from The Messy Baker
Banana Cream Napoleon from Food Lust People Love
Brown Butter M&M Cookies from Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
Brown Butter Rolo Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies from Damn Delicious
Chocolate Baumkuchen from Webicurean
Chocolate Bread Pudding from La Cocina de Leslie
Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Banana Cream from The Lovely Pantry
Chocolate Covered Bacon from I Run For Wine
Chocolate Covered Stuffed Strawberries from Country Girl in the Village
Chocolate Mousse from Mom, What’s For Dinner?
Chocolate Roll filled with Nutella Cream from Basic N Delicious
Chocolate Velvet Ice Cream with Cherry Sauce from Vintage Kitchen Notes
Cinnamon Sugar Tortillas with Chocolate Sauce from The Roxx Box
Coconut Sweetheart Cookies from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Coeur a la Creme from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Cream Cheese Mints from Simply Gourmet
Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Mousse with Coconut Cream from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Torte from Kelly Bakes
#GlutenFree Chocolate Almond Cloudless Cake from Cooking Underwriter
Heart Shaped White Chocolate Cakes with Raspberry Cream from Noshing with the Nolands
Homemade Cherry Mash Candies from Juanita’s Cocina
Maple-Date Bars from Diabetic Foodie
Meyer Lemon Marmalade from Shockingly Delicious
Mini Samoa Bundt Cakes from Ruffles & Truffles
Molten Chocolate Lava Cake from Gotta Get Baked
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes from The Meltaways
Pistachio and Chocolate Souffle from Small Wallet Big Appetite
Raspberry Custard Tart from Kudos Kitchen
Raw Fudge Love from Mama’s Blissful Bites
Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Red Velvet French Macarons with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Filling from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Red Velvet Ice Cream Sandwiches from Cravings of a Lunatic
Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies from Magnolia Days
Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars from Chocolate Moosey
Red Wine Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting from The Urban Mrs.
Strawberry Shortcake! from The Foodie Army Wife
Strawberry Valentine Cake Hearts from Ninja Baking
Tres Leches Tea Cakes with Honey Riesling Soaked Fruit from Neighborfood
Valentine’s Bakewell Tarts from Happy Baking Days
Valentines Chocolate Apples from Big Bear’s Wife

#SundaySupper Valentine’s Day Drinks:

Blood Orange Vodka Martinis from The Catholic Foodie
Bloody Raspberry Cocktail from My Cute Bride
Strawberry Gin Fizz from girlichef

#SundaySupper Valentine’s Day Tablescape: A Romantic Table For Two Please from An Appealing Plan

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter on Sunday, February 10th to talk all about Valentine’s eats and treats! We’ll tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our#SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos!

Chopped Salad w/ Garlic-Mexican Crema Dressing

2013-02-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

When coming up with this month's theme for The Food of the Month Club, I started to think about the salads I grew up eating. I was one of those weird little kids who loved her veggies, with the exception of onions, and I especially loved salads. When I went to live with my parents in Amarillo, I remember taking regular walks to the fast food restaurant that was down the street, to order a small salad instead of the burger & fries kid's meal that most 8 year olds would have ordered.

Once I was back in California with my grandparents, I still loved salads. Gramm would occasionally make egg or potato salad, but those were reserved mostly for church functions or potlucks. But the salad I remember the most was Gramm's BLT salad, which consisted of bacon, iceberg lettuce, and chopped tomato mixed together with mayonnaise. It was my absolute favorite.

Years later, when Pappy retired and took over most of the cooking, he'd start out making Gramm's BLT salad, but would then add an ingredient here or there, like red onion and golden corn kernels, because according to him, "algo le faltaba." (Something was missing.) But it still wasn't quite what he wanted. After a couple more tries, and the addition of avocado and ham, Pappy was pleased enough that he said, "Ya no le falta nada!" (It's not missing a thing!)

Now that I'm all grown up with kiddies of my own, I still make Pappy's salad, with the same ingredients. The only thing I've changed is the dressing. There's still mayonnaise in the mix, but I've also added Mexican crema, garlic, and lots of black pepper. The dressing alone is so good, every time I make it, I have to resist the urge to drink it.

What salads did you grow up eating?

Chopped Salad w/ Garlic-Mexican Crema Dressing

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon
1/2 cup Mexican crema
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground black pepper (depending on how much you like pepper)
2 to 4 tablespoons milk
6 cups chopped lettuce (iceberg or romaine), rinsed and dried
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1 small can yellow corn kernels, drained
4 slices ham, chopped
1 avocado, peeled and chopped

Directions:

In a medium non-stick skillet, cook the bacon until crisp and fully cooked. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess bacon fat; set aside

For the salad dressing: Whisk together the Mexican crema, mayonnaise, minced garlic, salt, and ground black pepper in a small bowl. Stir in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.

In a large bowl or serving platter, layer the lettuce, tomato, onion, corn kernels, ham, avocado, and bacon.

Drizzle the Garlic-Mexican Crema dressing on top. You can serve the salad as is, or lightly toss it all together until every piece of lettuce is coated with dressing.

Enjoy!!!

Ensalada de Lomo de Cerdo {Pork & Veggie Salad}

2013-02-06T06:00:00.000-06:00

In case you missed this week's Food of the Month Club announcement, it's Salad Month here in La Cocina. To kick things off, I'm sharing Hubby's all-time favorite salad: Ensalada de Lomo, a shredded pork & veggie salad. Yes, shredded pork! I know shredded pork isn't your typical salad meat, but believe me when I say that it's absolutely delicious. I make it at least once a month, and every year for Hubby's birthday. I love that it's so easy to put together, you can make it a day or two ahead of time, and it feeds a crowd. But if you're still not convinced about using shredded pork in a salad, you can also make this salad with shredded chicken breast.

Ensalada de Lomo (de Cerdo)
(Pork & Veggie Salad)

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork tenderloin (lomo), cut in large chunks
1/2 medium onion
1 garlic clove
Cilantro
4 large carrots
2 cups chopped fresh green beans
4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium can corn kernels, drained
1 cup frozen peas*
1 cup Mexican Crema
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons diced canned jalapeño peppers (optional)
2 tablespoons jalapeño vinagre (the liquid the jalapeños are packed in)
Tostada Shells

Directions:
Cook the meat in a large pot with 8 cups of water, 1/2 medium onion, a couple sprigs of cilantro, and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, over medium heat for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. (This can be done a day ahead.)

Peel and chop the carrots. Set in a medium saucepan with the chopped green beans. Fill the saucepan with about 4 cups of water, or enough to cover the veggies. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover saucepan and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and chop the potatoes. Add the potatoes to the carrots and green beans, let cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from heat.

Strain the veggies and rinse with cold water. Add the corn kernels and frozen peas to the veggie mix. Season with salt; set aside. (*You can use canned peas if you want, but for those of you here in Mexico...the frozen peas are so much better than the canned.)

Shred or finely chop the cooked pork meat.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded pork meat and cooked veggies. Stir in the Mexican crema, mayonnaise, chopped jalapeño peppers and the jalapeño vinagre; season with salt and pepper. Stir gently until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with tostadas, crackers, and/or sandwich bread. Enjoy!!!

*Sharing this Salad Recipe with The Food of the Month Club.

February Food of the Month Club: Salad {w/ Linky}

2013-02-04T20:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to another edition of the new & improved Food of the Month Club. In case you missed last month's announcement, there have been a few changes. Instead of emailing your entries to me for the round-up at the end of the month, you now just add your links to the Linky tool located at the bottom of each announcement post. That way we have the announcement and all of the entries in one place and we no longer have two Food of the Month Club posts confusing everyone.

This month's theme is Salads. Again, we have a wide selection from which to choose: leafy green salads, creamy pasta salads, whole grain salads, sweet fruity salads, cold salads, warm salads... And let's not forget those good old-fashioned stand-by's like potato salad, egg salad, and tuna salad.

What's your favorite kind of salad?

How to Participate:

1.) Head to the kitchen and whip up your favorite Salad recipe.

2.) Post the Salad recipe(s) on your blog. You can submit more than one recipe, but no more than 3. All posts must be current and must link back to this announcement post!)

3.) Come back to this announcement post and add the link(s) to your Salad recipe to the Linky Tool widget located at the bottom of this post. Then leave a comment so we don't miss out on your dish.

4.) Show some love to the other entries by visiting and commenting on their posts and maybe make a new foodie friend in the process.

5.) Have fun! And share about The Food of the Month Club with your friends.

*The Linky Tool will be open until 11:59PM (CST) on February 28th
.

3-Bean Chili Borracho #WeekdaySupper

2013-01-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

When coming up with a list of all the soups I wanted to make for January's Food of the Month Club, on the top of my list was something thick, hearty and spicy...Chili! The fact that it's a Chili Borracho (Drunken Chili) made with a bottle of beer in the mix makes it even better. 3-Bean Chili Borracho is a great meatless alternative to beef or pork chili.

I really love the rich and robust sauce for this chili. With the combination of the dried chilies, cinnamon and unsweetened cocoa powder it reminds me a little of Mole Dulce. And the beer just kicks it up a notch because it enhances all of the earthy flavors in this chili.

I'll be cooking up a big batch of this for our Super Bowl party to serve over hot dogs and french fries to make chili dogs and chili cheese fries.

I cooked my own beans, but for those of you looking for something quick and easy for a #weekdaysupper, you can use canned beans.

3-Bean Chili Borracho
(Recipe slightly adapted from Herbivoracious by Michael Natkin)

Ingredients:

1 cup dried black beans, picked over and rinsed (or 2 cups canned black beans)
1 cup dried pinto beans, picked over and rinsed (or 2 cups canned pinto beans)
1 cup dried red beans, picked over and rinsed (or 2 cups canned red beans)
2 dried ancho chilies
2 dried guajillo chilies
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano chile, finely chopped (optional)
3 roma tomatoes, chopped (or 1-14oz. can diced tomatoes)
1 (12 oz.) bottle beer (light or dark)
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Garnishes:

Mexican crema or sour cream
Shredded Manchego or cheddar cheese
Chopped onion
Chopped cilantro

Directions:
Bring 8 to 10 cups of water to a boil over high heat in a 4-quart (or larger) stockpot. Add the dried black, pinto, and red beans. Cover and let cook over high heat for about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 2 hours, adding more water if necessary, until the beans are tender; season with salt.

Toast the dried ancho and guajillo chilies in a medium skillet over medium-high heat for about 30 seconds on each side. Cover the chilies with 2 cups of water and let simmer until the chilies are soft. Remove the stems and seeds from the chilies. Puree the chilies and the cooking water in a blender until smooth; set aside.

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes.

Add the serrano chile, chopped tomatoes, beer, cocoa powder, cumin, and cinnamon, along with the pureed chilies and the cooked beans and about 2 cups of the water they were cooked in. Stir gently to combine; season with salt. (*If using canned beans, you will need 2 cups of each bean.)

Cover and simmer over medium heat for about 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a potato masher, gently mash some of the beans to thicken the chili. Finally, stir in the cilantro and the juice of 1 lime. Remove from heat.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with Mexican crema, shredded cheese, chopped onion and cilantro. Serve with corn bread or tortilla chips. Enjoy!!!

Homemade Tomato Soup {She Made/Ella Hace}

2013-01-22T09:00:00.000-06:00

Cold weather and I do not get along well. I'm a sunshine loving California girl who's not used to cold weather at all. So, once the temperatures drop anywhere below 75°F, I am F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G! Like all-I-want-to-do-is-hide-under-a-big-pile-of-warm-fuzzy-blankets-all-day-because-it's-too-cold-to-do-anything-else kind of freezing cold.

Thank goodness for heartwarming beverages, like Mexican hot chocolate and coffee, and comforting soups that help take the chill off. When I was a little kid, there was nothing more comforting on a cold, gloomy winter's day than a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Of course, when I lived with my grandparents I got the tasty Mexican version, Sopa de Fideo and Quesadillas, that were just as comforting. But when I lived with my mom, I’d get the ruby red soup from that iconic can of Campbell’s.

To this day, Tomato Soup continues to be one my favorites, and that's exactly what Heather (girlichef) and I are cooking up for this month’s installment of She Made/Ella Hace.

This recipe is very simple and uncomplicated, with only a handful of ingredients. But this Homemade Tomato Soup is full of flavor. The natural sweetness of the carrots minimizes the acidity of the tomatoes and accentuates their rich flavor. Just make sure you have plenty of bread and cheese on hand, because you can't have Tomato Soup without a grilled cheese sandwich. (I like my grilled cheese with bacon & avocado.)

Homemade Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
12 roma tomatoes, cut in half
3 cups chicken broth
Mexican crema (for garnish)

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped carrot and onion; saute for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes and chicken broth to the saucepan; season with salt and black pepper. Once the tomatoes come to a boil, cover the saucepan and reduce the heat to medium low and let simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are fully cooked. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. (About 15 minutes.)

Carefully transfer half of the tomato soup mixture to a blender cup. Puree until smooth. Pour the puree into another large saucepan. (Or if you’re like me and you happen to have 2 blender cups, use the same saucepan you cooked the tomatoes in.) (You could also use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables.)

Heat the tomato soup over medium heat until heated through. (If you like a thinner soup, stir in an additional cup of chicken broth.) Garnish with Mexican crema. Serve with a chunk of crusty bread, croutons, crackers, or a grilled cheese sandwich. Enjoy!!!

Now go check out Girlichef's Tomato & Roasted Poblano Pepper Soup!

Peachy Keen Tutti Frutti Jello Salad #SundaySupper

2013-01-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

I really love this week's #SundaySupper theme! Today we are celebrating all things retro in the kitchen.

If you ask my kiddies what period in time they consider to be retro, they'll say it's the 1980's and 90's. But they're kids, what do they know?! When I think of the word "retro", I think of the 50's, 60's, and 70's. The good ol' days. There was a time, before I got married and had 4 kiddies, that I dreamed of being a 1950's style housewife. They were so glamorous on TV, with their beautiful dresses, perfectly coiffed hair, and pearl necklaces. No matter what they were doing, whether it was cooking or cleaning, they always looked impeccable and made everything look easy.

But the closest I get to even remotely resembling that 1950's housewife is when I listen to Michael Bublé while I'm cleaning house. I feel like I should be all dressed up in heels and pearls, with my broom in one hand, and a martini in the other.

Anyway....when I sat down to think about what I should make for this week's #SundaySupper theme, only one food came to mind....Jello! Jiggly, wobbly jello. After having lived in Mexico for 12 years, I know a thing or two about jello. Did you know that in Mexico it's customary to serve cake & jello at birthday parties instead of cake & ice cream?

This Peachy Keen Tutti-Frutti Jello Salad is the first jello my suegra (mother-in-law) taught me how to make.

What foods do you consider to be retro?

Peachy Keen Tutti-Frutti Jello Salad

Ingredients:

2 (6 oz.) boxes peach flavored Jello
4 cups water
1 large can fruit cocktail
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:
Bring the 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan; remove from heat. Dissolve the 2 boxes of peach flavored jello in the boiling water. Set aside to let cool slightly.

Drain the can of fruit cocktail, reserving the syrup. You will need 1 cup of the syrup. If you don't have enough syrup, add enough water to the syrup to measure one cup.

In a large bowl, combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and the reserved syrup from the fruit cocktail.

Pour the milk mixture into the jello mixture and stir with a wire whisk until well combined.

Gently stir in the fruit cocktail. Pour the jello into a 10-cup ring pan or plastic jello mold. (To insure the jello won't stick to the pan, lightly coat it with vegetable spray.) Refrigerate for about 3 hours or overnight, until the jello is firm.

Enjoy! :)

For more fun Retro themed recipes, check out what the rest of my #SundaySupper friends made this week.

Sunday Supper Retro Appetizers:

Irish Cheddar-Whiskey Fondue by girlichef

She Devils: Beet Pickled Deviled Eggs by Ruffles & Truffles

Sunday Supper Retro Salads:

Coca-Cola Salad by Magnolia Days

Salmon Salad | Retro Tuna Salad by Family Foodie

Ambrosia Salad by Simply Gourmet

Romaine “Wedge” Salad with Hot Maple Bacon Dressing by Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Carrot & Raisin Salad by The Roxx Box

Sweet & Smoky Broccoli Salad by In The Kitchen with KP

Sunday Supper Retro Breads and Sandwiches:

Italian Style Bread by The Meltaways

Creamed Chipped Salmon Jerky on Toast by Pescetarian Journal

Grown-Up Tuna Melts by Home Cooking Memories

English Muffin Pizzas by Comfy Cuisine

Patty Melt, Hand Cut Fries, & a Shake by Mooshu Jenne

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese With Tomato Soup by Catholic Foodie

Toast Topper #16: Grandma’s Mock Apricot Jam by What Smells So Good?

SundaySupper Main Dishes:

Chicken Pot Pie Topped With Bacon Cheddar Biscuits by Chocolate Moosey

Tuna Noodle Casserole by Country Girl in the Village

Nana’s Marinated Beef Roast by Supper for a Steal

Chorizo Scotch Eggs by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen

Chicken Maryland by Vintage Kitchen Notes

Mushroom Stroganoff by Small Wallet Big Appetite

Dairyfree Toast Hawaii by Galactosemia in PDX

Porcupine Meatballs by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Chicken Kiev by The Urban Mrs.

Salmon Quiche with Preserved Lemon by Shockingly Delicious

Steak Diane by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends

Fried Chicken only in the Oven by In the Kitchen with Audrey

Hambak Steak a.k.a. Salisbury Steak by Kimchi Mom

Retro-Redo: Homemade TV Dinner by The Little Ferraro Kitchen

Kicked Up Meatloaf by Curious Cuisiniere

Shrimp Scampi (a lighter version) by Kudos Kitchen

Old-Fashioned Pork Chops by My Trials in the Kitchen

Jägerschnitzel by Sustainable Dad

Healthier Hamburger-Corn Noodle Casserole by The Weekend Gourmet

Inspired by Tuna Noodle Casserole by Cookistry

Chicken-N-Biscuits Pot Pie Casserole by The Messy Baker Blog

Souper Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes by Mama.Mommy.Mom

Meatloaf that will make you swoon and Datz the truth by Midlife Roadtrip

Spaghetti with Currywurst Sauce by Masala Herb

Tator Tot Casserole by NeighborFood

Sunday Supper Retro Sides and Veggies:

Smokey Braised Red Cabbage by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Classic Corn Casserole by The Foodie Army Wife

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Balsamic by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

Classic Green Bean Casserole Redux by The Wimpy Vegetarian

Mem’s Broccoli Casserole by Momma’s Meals

Sunday Supper Retro Desserts and Cocktails:

Peachy Keen Tutti-Frutti Jello by La Cocina de Leslie

Old School Boozy Rum Cake by Webicurean

Individual Baked Alaskas by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Rainbow Jello by Cravings of a Lunatic

Pineapple Upside Down Cake by Noshing with the Nolands

Pineapple Bars by Peanut Butter and Peppers

Creamy Dairy Free Fresh Orange Julius With Coconut Milk by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Refrigerator Strawberry Cheesecake by There and Back Again

Frozen Pineapple Upside-Down Cake by Juanita’s Cocina

Boston Cream Pie by Gotta Get Baked

Coca-Cola Cupcakes by Daily Dish Recipes

Jello Poke Cake by Flour On My Face

Devil’s Food Cake by Maroc Mama

Bread Pudding with Pecans by Basic and Delicious

Victoria Sponge Cake by The Lovely Pantry

A Chocolate Twist on the Classic Japanese Strawberry Shortcake by Ninja Baking

Post War Apple Pudding by My Cute Bride

Layered Mini Chocolate Banana Cakes by Big Bears Wife

Raspberry Jam Cakes by Pippis in the Kitchen Again

Cocktail: Moscow Mule by Crazy by Crazy Foodie Stunts

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement.

Tacos de Pollo a la Mexicana (Shredded Chicken Tacos)

2013-01-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

Living in Mexico definitely has it's advantages. One of my faves is the abundance of tacos. There's a taco stand on almost every street corner. Sometimes more.

Tacos de carne asada.

Tacos de adobada.

Tacos de barbacoa.

Tacos de canasta.

Tacos de carnitas.

Tacos de lengua.

Tacos de pescado.

Tacos de pepena.

Tacos de ubre...

Pretty much every kind of taco imaginable.

No two taquerías (taco stands) are exactly alike. Each taquero (taco vendor) has his own unique style of tacos. For tacos de carne asada, we go to one taquería. For tacos al pastor, we go to another. And so on and on.

My favorite tacos, in no particular order, are: chorizo, carne asada, barbacoa, cachete (cheek), rajas (roasted poblano strips), al pastor, and arrachera.

But the one kind of taco you rarely find at taquerías (at least in my small town) are Tacos de Pollo (chicken tacos). Before I moved to Mexico and became such an adventurous foodie, whenever we went out for tacos, the only kind I ever ordered were tacos de carne asada or tacos de pollo.

The best tacos de pollo I remember eating were at a taco stand in Mexicali. They were a little spicy for my Gringa tastebuds, but with a little squeeze of lime juice on my tacos, they was no stopping me!

My grandmother would sometimes make tacos de pollo at home. Usually the day after Pappy made a big pot of caldo de pollo. He would add so much chicken, that there was always a ton leftover. So Gramm would shred the leftover chicken and fry it up with some onion and tomato, and voila...we had our filling for our chicken tacos. Simple, but absolutely delicious.

Every once and a while I get a craving for tacos de pollo. And since I can't find them at any taco stand here in town, I make my own. My recipe is a combination of my grandmother's tacos and the tacos I remember from Mexicali.

What are your favorite kind of tacos?

Tacos de Pollo a la Mexicana
(Shredded Chicken Tacos)

Ingredients:

2 pounds of chicken breasts
1/2 medium onion
1 sprig cilantro
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon salt
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 or 2 serrano chilies, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup chicken broth*
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, divided
2 avocados, chopped
Lime wedges
Corn tortillas

Directions:

Cook the chicken breasts in 6 cups of water with the onion half, a sprig of cilantro, the garlic, and salt over medium-high heat for about 45 minutes or until fully cooked. Let cool slightly.
Shred or roughly chop the chicken.
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Saute the onion and bell pepper for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the shredded chicken, tomatoes, serrano chile, cumin, chicken broth, and 3 tablespoons of the chopped cilantro. (Note: For the chicken broth, I use the broth the chicken was cooked in.) Stir to combine; season with salt, if necessary.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and let simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
To serve, spoon a couple of tablespoons of filling into the center of warm corn tortillas. Top with a squeeze of lime juice, chopped avocado, the reserved cilantro and your favorite salsa. Enjoy!!!

Baked Cinnamon Apple Chimichangas #SundaySupper

2013-01-13T00:00:00.000-06:00

After an extended break, I am back to posting with my food blogging friends for #SundaySupper. Today is actually a very special day for #SundaySupper, because we are celebrating it's 1st birthday. (Throws a handful of confetti and blows on a noisemaker.)

I first learned about #SundaySupper several months ago, through my good friend Girlichef. #SundaySupper just sounded like something I wanted to be involved in, because I grew up eating dinner every day at the family table with my grandparents, and continue to do so with my hubby and four kiddies every day for lunch. And we really do have Sunday supper every Sunday with my father-in-law, Hubby's siblings and their families.

Anyway...to celebrate #SundaySuppers turning a year old, our theme this week is to cook something that has already been featured on #SundaySupper, by one of our fellow contributors. There have been so many mouth-watering recipes shared in the last 12 months of #SundaySupper, that it could have been a really difficult decision to narrow the choice down to just one. But thankfully that wasn't the case for me.

I fell in love with this recipe as soon as I saw it posted on Juanita's Cocina just a few months ago for the #SundaySupper Autumn Apple Party...Cinnamon Apple Chimichangas. Oh my! As beautiful as they looked, and as delicious as I imagined them to be, what really drew me to this recipe was that it looked like something my grandpa would have made. He loved apple desserts, and passed that love on to me.

When I first made Jen's Cinnamon Apple Chimichangas, I couldn't get over how delicious they were, from the warm, cinnamon spiced apple filling to the golden, crisp flour tortilla. (Sigh!) They reminded me of the fried apple pies you could get at McDonald's way back in the day, except these were SO much better! But Hubby said they reminded him of Toaster Strudels. That got me to thinking that these would make fort a tasty breakfast treat and wondered if they could be baked, kind of like mini-apple strudels. The results were just as delicious and they've been a big hit in our house ever since. I now keep a container of unbaked apple chimichangas in the fridge at all times. I love that they're small enough that I can toss a couple of them into our little toaster oven, while I make my morning cup of coffee.

Happy Birthday, #SundaySupper! And as we say here in Mexico, Que cumplas muchos años mas! (And many more!)

Baked Cinnamon Apple Chimichangas

(recipe adapted from Juanita's Cocina)

Ingredients:

6 gala apples, peeled, cored, & roughly chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon unflavored cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
10 to 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Directions:

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the apples, granulated sugar, and cinnamon to the skillet; mix to combine. Stir in lime juice. Cover and let cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are fully cooked.

In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch. Pour into the apple mixture and let cook for about a minute or until the juice from the apples has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350F. Heat the flour tortillas on a comal or skillet over medium heat until soft and pliable. Spoon two tablespoonfuls of apple filling into center of each tortilla.

Fold in the sides to seal in the filling, and roll up the tortilla like you would a burrito.

Place seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. With the tip of a very sharp knife, carefully cut 2 or 3 diagonal slits on top of each chimichanga. Bake at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the chimichangas are light golden brown and crisp to the touch.

Stir together the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar with the tablespoon of milk, until well combined. If too thick, add a little more milk, until desired consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the chimichangas. Enjoy!!!

To continue the birthday celebration, be sure to check out the rest of the #SundaySupper line-up:

Sunday Supper Appetizers:

Hot Spinach Parmesan Dip by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks inspired by Comfy Cuisine
So Simple Pizza Puffs by The Weekend Gourmet inspired by Hip Foodie Mom
Pepperoni and Mozzarella Pull Apart by Noshing With The Nolands inspired by In the Kitchen with KP

Sunday Supper Soups and Breads:

Lasagna Soup by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen inspired by Cravings of a Lunatic
Easy Italian Wedding Soup by Webicurean inspired by Family Foodie
Roasted Butternut Squash and Sage Soup by Damn Delicious inspired by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
Honey Butter Dinner Rolls by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts inspired by Chocolate Moosey
Chicken Noodle Soup by Big Bears Wife inspired by My Catholic Kitchen
Tomato Florentine Soup by Mama Mommy Mom inspired by The Meltaways
Chicken Soup with Dumplings by Comfy Cuisine inspired by The Messy Baker
Coconut Curry Chicken Soup by My Trials in the Kitchen inspired by Damn Delicious

Sunday Supper Main Dishes:

Portuguese Mussels and Shrimp in Chorizo Sauce by Supper for a Steal inspired by Family Foodie
(GlutenFree) Chicken Bruschetta by The Meltaways inspired by Family Foodie
Feijoada Portuguese Bean Stew by Kimchi Mom inspired by Family Foodie
Lentils and Chorizo Stew by Galactosemia in PDX inspired by Vintage Kitchen
Carnitas Pizza w/ Chipotle-Avocado Crema by girlichef inspired by Damn Delicious
Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas by Country Girl in the Village inspired by Webicurean
Drunken Meatballs by Small Wallet Big Appetite inspired by The Foodie Army Wife
Goat Cheese Rigatoni Alfredo by Magnolia Days inspired by Family Foodie
Dorie’s Chicken-in-the-Pot by Hip Foodie Mom inspired by Gotta Get Baked
Pulled Pickled Pork by Juanita’s Cocina inspired by Daily Dish Recipes
Hoisin Asian Meatballs by Gotta Get Baked inspired by Damn Delicious
Shrimp-Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes by Daily Dish Recipes inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
Soy, Orange Juice and Red Wine Marinade by Peanut Butter and Peppers inspired by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Chicken Burger with Curried Cabbage Slaw by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings inspired by Soni’s Food
Corn and Basil Handpies by Curious Cuisiniere inspired by Vintage Kitchen Notes
Lightened Up Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken by Cupcakes and Kale Chips inspired by The Meltaways
Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili by Food Lust People Love inspired by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Bigos by Maroc Mama inspired by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips with Sweet Chili Sauce by From Fast Food to Fresh Food inspired by Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends
Pork Loin with Port Shallot Sauce by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen inspired by Vintage Kitchen Notes
Sweet & Tender Brisket by Daddy Knows Less inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
Fish Tacos by Cookistry inspired by Little Ferraro Kitchen
Homemade Harissa by Masala Herb inspired by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Spicy Seoulful Pulled Pork Sandwiches by Family Foodie inspired by Kimchi Mom
New Orleans Style White Beans & Rice by Catholic Foodie inspired by The Hand that Rocks the Ladle
Spice Rubbed Chicken Tacos with Tropical Salsa by The Urban Mrs. inspired by Family Foodie
Mac n Cheese Cups with Pork Shoulder Ragu by Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends inspired by Hip Foodie Mom

Sunday Supper Veggies:

Carrots au Gratin by Shockingly Delicious inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
Skillet Spinach Corn with Edamame, Cilantro & Bacon Bits by The Lovely Pantry inspired by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Sunday Supper Desserts and Snacks:

Chocolate Brownie Tart by That Skinny Chick Can Bake inspired by Magnolia Days
Mexican Hot Cocoa Sandwich Cookies by Chocolate Moosey inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
Cinnamon Apple Chimichangas by La Cocina de Leslie inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
Apple Pull Apart Bread with Caramel Drizzle by Cravings of a Lunatic inspired by Gotta Get Baked
Cherry Tart by Happy Baking Days inspired by Vintage Kitchen
Orange Rolls by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies inspired by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Caramel Apple Bread by The Foodie Army Wife inspired by Fam Friends Food
Rosettes by Simply Gourmet inspired by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Pumpkin Donut Puffs by Soni’s Food inspired by Daily Dish Recipes
Chocolate Chip Cut-out Cookies by Basic and Delicious inspired by Chocolate Moosey
Nutella Shortbread Bars by Kelly Bakes inspired by Baker Street
Butterscotch Pudding Triple Chip Cookies by Mom’s Test Kitchen inspired by Dinner Dishes and Desserts
Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream by The Messy Baker Blog inspired by Cravings of a Lunatic
Angel Cake Sandwiches by Ninja Baker inspired by That Skinny Girl Can Bake
Soft Pretzels with Spicy Beer Cheese Sauce by Vintage Kitchen inspired by girlichef
Sweet N Spicy Roasted Spiced Nuts by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz inspired by The Foodie Army Wife
Cheesecake with Fresh Berries by An Appealing Plan inspired by The Messy Baker Blog

Sunday Supper Breakfast Faves:

Spiced Pumpkin Ricotta Oat Muffins by In the Kitchen with Audrey inspired by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Budget Friendly Breakfast Freezable Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Sandwiches by In The Kitchen with KP inspired by Big Bear’s Wife
Raspberry Hot Chocolate by My Catholic Kitchen inspired by Momma’s Meals

Sunday Supper Wine Pairings by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement.

How I Plan My Weekly Dinner Menu

2013-01-09T10:00:00.000-06:00

For as long as ~~I can remember~~ I've been married (18 years), I have sat down once a week to plan our weekly menus. Not only does menu planning make my job as a wife and mom easier, it's easier on our budget because I know exactly what I'm going to need from the grocery store, and it takes the guesswork out of the age old question, "What am I going to feed my family today?"

I have two menu planning systems that I use: one for breakfast, and one for lunch/dinner. Today, I'm going to share how I plan my weekly lunch/dinner menu, which will also work for planning breakfast.

When my kiddies were younger, planning our weekly dinner menus was entirely up to me. If I would have let them help in deciding our menus back then, we'd would have ended up eating nothing but spaghetti, pizza, pancakes, and macaroni & cheese every day for like five or six years. (Maybe more!) Hubby wasn't of much help either. His answer was always, "I'll eat whatever you make!"

Back then I had a much more complicated system for planning my menus. I kept a running list of family favorites, dishes I knew how to make, and recipes I wanted to try. (This was way before we had Pinterest!) I had a menu list for each category: beef, chicken, pork, seafood, and vegetarian. I'd pick one main dish from each list, so we'd have a varied menu throughout the week. Sometimes I'd assign a certain cuisine to each day of the week. Monday we'd have Italian, Tuesdays it was Mexican food, Wednesdays were Asian-inspired, Thursdays it was Southern/comfort food, and Fridays were "Anything goes!" As you can see, I took my menu-planning very seriously.

It wasn't always a fun or inspiring process, but like I said, it made my job that much easier.

But now that my kiddies are older, planning our weekly dinner menu is a lot more fun. (And a lot less complicated!)

How I Plan My Weekly Dinner Menus:
Every Sunday morning, right after we've finished clearing away our breakfast dishes, Hubby and the kiddies remain seated around the table, while I pull out my trusty little notebook full of to-do lists and everything else I deem important enough to write down. I divide a sheet of paper into two lists: main dishes and desserts. Then one by one, everyone states their choices for the week. Sometimes they choose something they have a mad craving for, and other times they turn to my collection of cookbooks and food magazines for inspiration.

The reason I divide the main dishes from the desserts, is so that the no one feels left out of a given days meal. Maybe one of my kiddies isn't too crazy about the main dish, or is mad at one of his/her siblings and refuses to eat what that sibling chose to eat for the day. But...if they're excited about the dessert because maybe it's the one they chose or something they're really looking forward to eating, they'll eat just about anything.

Side dishes and aguas frescas are up to me to decide, which is where I sneak in as many veggies and other healthy, good for them foods that I can, unless someone (usually my daughter Hope) is very specific about their entire menu. The reason why we choose the main dish for lunch and not dinner is because here in our small town lunch is the biggest meal of the day (similar to American supper) that we eat at 2pm. But I always cook extra, so that Hubby and the kiddies have something to heat up and eat for dinner, while I'm at work teaching ESL. (I teach nights.)

Once all of the main dish and dessert choices have been made, Hubby randomly calls out a day of the week, while the kiddies take turns drawing two names from my little plastic basket filled with six wooden blocks, one for each member of the family, to find out what meal and dessert we'll be having for that day.

Sometimes I have to make a few changes, especially with our Friday meal, which I like to make sure is something my suegro (father-in-law) will like and fits in with his diet, since it's my day to cook for him. And come next month, during Lent, Fridays will be meatless.

The entire process takes less than 30 minutes. It's fun for the entire family. It gets the kiddies excited about mealtime. And I know exactly what groceries I need to buy and what I'm going to cook for the week. A win-win situation for everybody involved!

Do you plan your family's meals? If so, how do you it?

January: Food of the Month Club 2.0 - Soup

2013-01-03T12:00:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year, my friends! Welcome to an all new year here in my Cocina! We've got a new look (I hope you like it!) and lots of exciting things planned for La Cocina throughout the year.

But first I want to welcome you to what I hope will be a new & improved version of the Food of the Month Club! I've made a few changes in the hopes that it will make things easier for all of us. First change is that we are going back to posting the announcement at the beginning of the month. Having the month go from the 15th to the 15th was just too confusing, and for that I apologize.

The second change is instead of doing a round-up each month and having you email your entry to me, you can just come back to the announcement post and add your links to a Linky tool located at the bottom of each announcement post. That way we have the announcement and all of the entries in one place and we no longer have to wait until the end of the month to find out who participated and what they made.

Again, I apologize for any confusion. And thank you for being so patient while we work out the kinks.

And now on to this month's theme...Soup!

Because the weather outside is absolutely frightful and because there's really nothing quite as delightful as a big bowl of soup on a cold winter day.

Every kind of soup imaginable is welcome!

Hot Soups.
Cold Soups.
Veggie soups.
Creamy soups.
Noodle soups.
Sweet soups.

Broths, chowders, stews & chilis are also welcome!

How to Participate:

1.) Visit La Cocina de Leslie at the beginning of each month to find out the Food of the Month Club theme or ingredient.

2.) Cook up something delicious according to the Food of the Month theme or using the Food of the Month as a main ingredient.

3.) Post the recipe(s) on your blog. You can submit more than one recipe, but no more than 3. All posts must be current. (Your post must link back to this announcement post!)

4.) Come back to this announcement post and add your link(s) to the Linky Tool widget located at the bottom of this post. Then leave a comment so we don't miss out on your dish.

5.) Show some love to the other entries by visiting and commenting on their posts and maybe make a new foodie friend in the process.

6.) Have fun! And share about The Food of the Month Club with your friends.

*The Linky Tool will be open until 11:59PM (EST) on January 31st.

Top 12 Recipes from 2012

2012-12-31T07:00:00.000-06:00

Can you believe today is the last day of 2012? There were times this year that I felt that this year would never come to an end. But for the most part, I can't believe that it's already over. Like every year, 2012 had it's good things and bad things, but through it all we always had the love and support from our friends and family, and something delicious to eat on the table. And for that I am truly grateful!

In keeping with my New Year's Eve tradition here on the blog, today I am counting down the top 12 recipes from my Cocina.

Top 12 Recipes from 2012:

12. Polvorones (Mexican Shortbread Cookies w/ Rainbow Sprinkles}

11. Pollo a la Crema

10. Sopa de Fideo Seco

9. Atole de Camote (Sweet Potato Atole)

8. Pollo Adobado con Papas (Adobo Chicken w/ Potatoes)

7. Agua de Ciruela Amarilla (Yellow Plum Agua Fresca)

6. Sopa Azteca (Tortilla Soup)

5. Horchata de Coco (Coconut Horchata)

4. Lime-Cilantro Vinagreta

3. Breakfast Enchiladas

2. Frijoles Charros/Rancheros (Cowboy Beans)

1. My grandmother's Tamales de Puerco en Chile Colorado (Shredded Pork Tamales)

Did your favorite make the list? What was your favorite recipe from 2012? And what recipes would you like to see in my Cocina in 2013?

Thank you to all who continue to visit La Cocina de Leslie. May the coming year be filled with love, laughter and lots of delicious food!

XOXO!