Basic Taco Seasoning

 My take on the taco seasoning that you get in little pouches to mix with ground beef only, you know, not horrible.  I don't call for onion or garlic, because sauteing actual onion and garlic gives a much better result; you can add onion and garlic powder if you want to skip that.  I also don't specify the amount of salt, both because it should be done to taste, and because I usually add some soy or fish sauce to up the flavor.

2 T cumin, ground
2 t dried oregano
2 t coriander, ground
1 t smoked paprika or ground dried chipotle
2 ancho chiles, ground
1 guajillo chile, ground
1 t pepper, ground

Beef and Corn Tacos

A lighter version of taco filling, with culantro and lime instead of dried chiles.  Culantro is very similar to cilantro, but stronger, so it gets added in during the cooking instead of at the end.

1 lb ground beef
1 can corn, drained
2 small onions, minced
4+2 cloves garlic, minced
Jalapenos or serranos to taste, minced
oil or bacon grease to cook, approximately 2 T
1 t ground cumin
2 t oregano
2 t ground coriander
1/2 t paprika
handful oil packed sun dried tomatoes, chopped (optional)
10-12 leaves culantro, chiffonade (or cilantro, but add cilantro at the end of cooking)
lime juice to taste (approximately 3 T)
1 bay leaf
cayenne to taste
2 t corn starch
1-2 T chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onions, jalapenos, and 4 cloves garlic in the oil until starting to brown.  Add in the beef and cook until starting to brown.  Add in the culantro, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, cayenne, paprika, and coriander, as well as the sun dried tomatoes if using.  Cook, stirring, for several minutes than add in the corn and the the lime juice.  Add in the two extra cloves of garlic, cook for several minutes then season to taste.

Queso Dip, or Another Mac and Cheese Variant

This is a take on my typical cheese sauce, but simpler, and damned if it isn't good on just about everything (including just a spoon).  I made it first for burritos, but it makes good nachos, and it's neutral enough to work with non-tex-mex foods.  It's garlic heavy, but if you're using it for a sauce that shouldn't be a problem.

1 C heavy cream
1 1/2 C milk
22 g sodium citrate*
 2 small onions, chopped
 6 cloves garlic, chopped
 2 T butter or bacon grease
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of cumin
8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz pepper jack cheese, grated
Cayenne to taste

Saute the onion and garlic in the butter/grease until translucent.  Add the milk and sodium and bring to a simmer.  Add the cheese, a handful at a time along with a pinch of cumin, allowing it to melt in while stirring frequently.  Blend the cheese sauce either in a blender or with an immersion blender.  Add the cayenne, salt, and pepper.  Adjust seasoning as necessary.

*Note: a lot of the cheese you'll find out there is actually labeled as "cheese product".  Check the label; if it contains sodium phosphate you probably don't need the sodium citrate, or only half as much (they both emulsify the sauce and keep the fats and liquids from separating).

Tomatillo Red Chile Sauce

A simple sauce of roasted tomatillos and chile de arbol that is excellent on burritos and similar things.  This doesn't have to be spicy, but it's at its best when quite spicy.

10 large ripe tomatillos, outer skin removed and quartered
Chile de arbol to taste, ground (4-5 makes for moderate heat)
1 1/2 t cumin
2-3 cloves dry roasted garlic *see note
salt to taste
ground black pepper
50/50 mix of lime juice and cider or white vinegar to taste

Broil the tomatillos until they start to develop black spots, then transfer to a blender along with any juices they gave off.  Add in the chile de arbol, the cumin, and the garlic.  Blend together (you may have to add a little stock or water to get the right consistency).  Add the salt, pepper, and vinegar mix; taste and adjust as necessary.

Note: dry roasting garlic involves heating it, skin on, in a cast iron skillet over medium until dark spots have formed on the skin on all sides.  Remove from the skillet, remove the skin, and use as normal.

Cilantro Lime Rice

This is a seasoned rice similar to that served at a certain fast food burrito place.  It's also similar to Mexican   If you want to take it more in the Mexican side dish direction add in some chopped parsley, roasted poblano, and peas, and cook with chicken broth instead of water.

1 C basmati rice
water to cook the rice
large handful cilantro leaves, chopped
drizzle of olive oil
salt to taste
lime juice to taste

Combine basmati rice, water, cilantro, and olive oil, and cook until the rice is done (I just use a rice cooker, it'll take more attention if you use a pot).  Toss the rice to fluff it up, then sprinkle with salt and lime juice, then mix to combine.  Taste and adjust as necessary.

Guacamole

This is a pretty variable recipe, so modify it to your personal taste.

2 ripe avocados
4-5 Jalapenos or serranos, minced or to taste
1/4 to 1/3 of a red onion or half a small sweet onion, minced
1/2 C of cilantro leaves minced, or to taste
salt to taste
2 cloves of garlic, minced (optional) *see note
lime juice to taste

Scoop out the avocado into a non-metallic bowl (metal can speed up the redox reaction that browns the avocado) and sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons of lime juice to prevent browning.  Add the rest of the ingredients and coarsely mash with either a fork or a potato masher.  Taste and adjust seasoning (you'll probably need more lime juice), then cover and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.  A layer of plastic wrap applied directly to the surface will help prevent browning of any leftovers.

*Note: Raw garlic can be fairly assertive; so I often will use a Mexican technique of cooking the garlic cloves, unpeeled, in a cast iron skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until the skin browns in spots on all sides.  After that you peel it and mince as usual.

Flan

A lighter dessert custard with caramel sauce.  This can be made either in one larger pan or individual ramekins, though I think it tends to cook more quickly and evenly in individual ramekins.  This is an ideal dessert to make the day before.

Ingredients:
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
6 T sugar
2 1/2 C whole milk
zest of 1/2 orange
1 1/2 t vanilla

Caramel Sauce:
12 T sugar
2 T water

Heat the sugar and water mixture over medium or medium high stirring occasionally until  it reaches a rich caramel color.  Quickly pour out enough to cover the bottom of 6-8 ramekins (depending on size).  Allow to cool and harden.

Preheat the oven to 325.  Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and orange zest until well combined.  Add the rest of the ingredients for the custard and whisk thoroughly before dividing among the ramekins.  Place the ramekins in a large dish and fill halfway up their sides with very hot water.  Place in the oven and bake until the custard is set, but the centers still jiggle slightly (this will probably take 40-55 minutes, depending on the temperature of the water, the size of the ramekins, and the oven).  Remove, cool, and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.

Beef and Black Bean Burritos

A Rich and earthy filling for burritos and soft tacos.  With using a lean, cheap cut of beef and a lot of beans, this recipe ends up being fairly healthy, cheap, and rich in protein.

Ingredients:
2 lb beef (typically round steak or another tough cheap cut), trimmed of fat and cut in to 2" cubes
1-2 medium onions roughly minced
4-5 cloves garlic minced
3-4 t cumin
salt
black pepper
1/2 of an 11oz can of chipotles in adobo (chopped), or to desired heat
2 ground ancho chiles*
2 ground guajillo chiles*
1 ground pasilla chiles*
2 bay leaves
1 t oregano
vegetable oil
1 can diced tomatoes
several healthy dashes liquid smoke (optional)
jalapenos to taste (minced), de-seeded if you want to reduce the heat
2 14 oz cans black beans
1 can of corn (optional, don't use cream style)

Saute the onions and garlic in the oil in a large pan (generally about 4 quarts) until lightly browned.  Add the beef and jalapenos and cook for another few minutes, then add in everything except the black beans, liquid smoke, and corn then simmer, covered, until the beef is tender.  Expect this to take several hours, depending on the cut of beef.

When the beef is tender remove it to a cutting board, leaving as much of the rest in the pot.  While the beef cools off, add the black beans and start to reduce the liquid.

I like to shred the beef using two forks, but you can just chop it some.  Ultimately you just want it in smaller chunks to fit in the burritos.

Add the beef back in to the pot along with the liquid smoke and the corn, and reduce the liquid to a thick sauce like consistency, stirring frequently.  Adjust the seasoning to taste.

Serve wrapped in tortillas with slices of montery jack cheese and either salsa verde or red sauce.  You might also want some crema or use smoked cheddar cheese sauce in place of the jack cheese.

*Note: If you don't have all of these types of chiles, don't worry, you can't use the ones you have including dried New Mexico chiles.  It'll change the flavor, but should still be good.  I wouldn't omit all of them though, and if you have to pick one type go with the ancho.

Chicken Poblano Burritos

A burrito or taco filling of braised chicken and roasted poblano peppers; serve with tortillas and sauces such as Mexican Red Sauce or Salsa Verde.  Crema would also be good.

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cubed
2 small onions, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 poblanos, roasted, peeled, and chopped
6 jalapenos, roasted, peeled, and chopped (or to taste), de-seeded if less heat is desired
2 T ancho chile powder
1 t cumin
1 T oregano
1-2 T lime juice
one can roasted tomatoes or two large tomatoes roasted, peeled, and chopped
Chicken stock to cover
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onions and garlic, then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until the chicken is tender and the flavors are well blended.  You'll likely need to cook down the liquid from a soupy consistency to one suitable for filling burritos, and you'll want to adjust the seasoning in the last 15 minutes of cooking (possibly by a fair amount, as these amounts are approximate).

Crema

A milder Mexican form of sour cream.

1 C heavy cream
a splash of butter milk

Combine the two ingredients and allow to sit somewhere warm for 12-24 hours until thickened and slightly sour, then refrigerate to further set.

Mexican Red Sauce

A smokey, fiery red sauce that is excellent on burritos and tacos, and is great spooned on to tortilla chips with lots of cheese and baked to make nachos.  If you make it with the larger can of chipotles this can get quite hot.

Ingredients:
Large can crushed tomatoes
2 medium or 1 large onion, finely chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Can of chipotles (7 oz for mild, 14 oz for hotter), chopped, with sauce reserved to add in with everything else
~1 t liquid smoke (optional)
4 t cumin
salt
pepper
small handful sugar
splash of olive oil
cayenne if greater heat is desired

Saute the onion and garlic with the olive oil, then add everything else with sufficient water to cover. 
Simmer for 30 minutes or so, stirring occasionally and adding water if it starts to get to thick. 
Puree with the sauce either in a blender or with an immersion for a smoother sauce if desired.
Cook to desired consistency, adjusting seasoning to taste.

Salsa Verde

A green tomatillo salsa that goes well on burritos and tacos, especially lighter flavored ones.  All amounts in this recipe are approximate, just taste it as you go and adjust to your heat tolerance.

Ingredients:
1.5-2 lbs of tomatillos, peeled, cleaned, and chopped
1-2 medium onions, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
jalapenos to desired heat, finely chopped
2-3 t oregano
1/3 C white vinegar
1/2 C lime juice
half bunch of cilantro, cleaned, stems removed, and chopped finely
Splash of olive oil
small handful of sugar
Salt
1 bayleaf (optional)

Saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until translucent; add the jalapenos and cook for another few minutes.
Add all ingredients except cilantro, with enough water to cover.  Simmer slowly for an hour or so, adding water if it starts to dry out.
Remove the bayleaf and puree (either with a stick blender or a food processor).
Cook to desired consistency, and during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking add the cilantro and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Beef Fajitas

Caramelized meat, mounds of caramelized and cooked down onions with a bunch of cooked down peppers... This is just rich salty deliciousness of beef with veggies that are cooked until falling apart.  Heaven when wrapped in a warm tortilla and served with some pico de gallo.

1.5 lbs beef (something like top round), trimmed of fat and cut in to 1/8th inch strips across the grain
pico de gallo
2-3 small onions, thinly sliced
2-3 mild green chiles (anaheim work well), thinly sliced
5-6 jalapenos, thinly sliced
flour tortillas
1 T vegetable oil

Marinade
6 T vegetable oil
6 T soy sauce
2 T dried oregano
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 T cayenne, or to taste
1 capful liquid smoke

Mix the marinade ingredients, and marinate the beef for a day.

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet or wok (not non-stick) on high heat until almost smoking, then drain the marinade and add the beef (you may need to do this in two or three batches to keep the oil hot enough). Stir it around continuously for a minute or two until well browned, but not over cooked. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

The finished beef

Drop the heat down to medium, add the chiles and onions, and set your oven to 350. Cook the onions and chiles until soft, and toward the end of this throw your tortillas in the oven to warm up.

Chiles and onions cooking

 When the chiles and onions are done kill the heat and return the beef to the pan and mix it all together. Serve on the tortillas with some pico de gallo or salsa.

Ready for the tortillas

Salsa

A basic salsa recipe; I like cilantro and love spicy food, so this recipe reflects that. The amount of cilantro could be reduced, and something less spicy than habaneros could be substituted (serranos or jalapenos).

Three good sized ripe tomatoes, roughly 4 cups
3/4 C onion
2 jalapenos
2 anaheim or similar mild green pepper
1/2 C cilantro
4 cloves garlic
salt to taste
3-4 T vinegar, cider or a mix of cider and white
habaneros to desired heat

Roast the tomatoes, jalapenos, and anaheims under a broiler until the skin browns and splits. Allow to cool, then remove stems and tomato cores. Process everything in a food processor, adjust flavor as necessary, and allow to sit so the flavor blend.

Pork with Sage and Apples

2 lbs pork chops or tenderloin
1 1/2 C apple juice or cider
2 T dark rum
1 T oil
1 T prepared brown mustard
2 t sage
1 t ground dried chipotle
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
2 cloves chopped garlic
3 granny smith apples, pealed and chopped into fairly thin slices
2 T butter

Marinate the pork in the apple juice, vinegar, cognac, oil, and mustard for 2 hours. Drain the marinade (reserving it), rub the pork with the spices, reserving about a teaspoon, then cook in an oven or (better) grill. Reduce the marinade to about half, adding in the apple slices, spices and butter and cooking until apples are tender. Pour the sauce and apples over the pork and serve.

Chili

A smokey chili with a hint of sweetness and plenty of fire. As always, amounts are approximate.

1.5 lb ground beef
2 14 oz cans of black beans
1 14 oz can of red kidney beans (rinsed)
1 t liquid smoke (optional)
chicken or beef stock

1 large or 2 small onions, chopped
5-6+3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Olive oil (or bacon grease)
2 T cumin
2 t oregano
1/2 t smoked paprika (optional)
2-3 ancho chiles, seeded and ground
1-2 guajillo chiles, seeded and ground
small can of tomato paste
2 bay leaves
7 oz can of chipotles, chopped (this will make it fairly spicy, use less if you don't like heat)
jalapenos to desired heat (serranos for a real kick), chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Brown the ground beef well in a cast iron skillet over medium high. Set aside.

Saute the onion and the first 5-6 cloves of garlic (reserve the other 3) in a large pot with a little olive oil or better yet, bacon grease. When translucent add the jalapenos, and cook for another couple of minutes before adding the ground beef and all the liquid that cooked out.

Add all the other ingredients except the tomato paste and the last 3 cloves of garlic with enough stock to cover. Simmer for at least an hour to blend the flavors and achieve the desired amount of liquid. Add the tomato paste and cook for 30 minutes until the paste is dissolved and the chili has thickened.  Add in the 3 cloves of reserved garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.