For more green bean and carrots recipes, click here.

• 2 garlic cloves peeled
• 2 cups cilantro
• 1 cup Italian parsley
• 6 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp. hot paprika
• ½ tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 lbs. tender green beans, trimmed
• 1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced into 4-inch long sticks
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a small sauce pan to medium heat. Add cumin seeds and toast turning constantly.  Remove seeds and cool.  With a mortar and pestle, ground cumin seeds.  Set aside.

Chop the garlic in a food processor.  Add the cilantro and parsley and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Add the olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, ground cumin, and salt to taste.  Pulse until the sauce has the consistency of pesto.  Season with salt to taste.  Let sauce rest covered in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.  Best if made a day ahead.

In a large pot with a steamer insert, add water up to 2-inches and bring to a boil over high heat.  Steam the green beans, covered, until just tender, 4 to 7 minutes.  Shake excess water off green beans and set aside in a serving bowl.  Cover to keep warm.  Add the carrots to the basket and steam, covered, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.  Transfer carrots to the serving bowl with the green beans.

Toss the vegetables with about three-quarters of the charmoula sauce.  Pour remaining sauce over and salt and pepper to taste.

Serves: 8 to 10

Total Time: 1 hour

Related posts:

1. Stir Fry Pork Tenderloin with Carrots and Green Beans
2. Chicken, Green-Chile and Cheese Enchiladas
3. Chicken Tostadas With Refried Beans and Grilled Fennel

For more tamale pie recipes, click here.

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 8oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 small can sliced olives
• 1 pkg. chili seasoning mix
• 1 small can corn, drained
• 1/2 small can chilis, hot or mild
• 1 box Jiffy corn bread mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop onion. In a large non-stick pan over medium heat, add your beef and onion. Saute and stir to break up beef. Continue cooking until beef is cooked through and onion is translucent. To your pan add the rest of the ingredients stirring to combine completey. Simmer on low while you prepare your corn bread mix according to package directions.

Pour your beef mixture into a small casserole dish (8×8). Pour corn bread mix evenly over your tamale pie. Cook in oven uncovered, until corn bread is cooked through and nicely browned, about 45 minutes.

Serves: 4

Total time: 1.5 hour

Related posts:

1. Quick and Easy Stroganoff

He especially liked the beans which was why I was looking forward to making this recipe, I have never made refried beans.  These refried beans are fresh, low fat, and very spicy.  So if you don’t care for the heat, you might want to cut the chipotle chiles in half to 1 teaspoon or less.  The grilled fennel and grilled chicken breast were a perfect compliment to these spicy beans.  The chicken breast, that I pounded to tenderize, is flavored with ground coriander, which has a slight citrus flavor.  Did you know that Coriander is the dried seed of cilantro?  The avocado mixture was not part of the original recipe, I added it because we LOVE avocado on just about anything….please enjoy! 

My source for this recipe was my monthly bon appetit.  Check out this link here for many different tostada recipes.

 Beans:

• 2 15-oz. cans pinto beans (liquid drained and reserved)
• ½ cup white onion
• 2 tbsp. dried oregano (I used Mexican oregano)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tsp. minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt to taste

Fennel and Chicken:

• 1 large fresh fennel bulb, trimmed, cut into 1/3-inch thick slices
• 6 tbsp. safflower oil (I used olive oil)
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/3 cup coriander seeds, coarsely crushed in plastic bag (I used ground coriander)

And:

• 6 corn tostada shells
• 3 cups romaine lettuce
• 6 radishes, thinly sliced
• Cilantro sprigs for garnish
• Lime wedges

1 avocado mixed with:

•  2 tbsp. salsa, 1/3 cup chopped cilantro, 1 tbsp. lime juice, ½ tsp. red pepper flakes (the avocado mixture was not part of the original recipe, this was my addition)

Beans:

Place beans and next 5 ingredients in processor, blend to chunky puree.  Heat oil over medium heat in large saucepan.  Add bean mixture and ½ cup reserved bean liquid, reduce heat to low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, adding more bean liquid if necessary.  Season with salt and pepper.

Fennel and chicken:

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat.  Brush fennel slices with 1-1/2 tbsp. olive oil, add fennel slices to pan and cook until slightly browned and crisp tender, a few minutes each side.  Set aside and cut into strips.  Pound each chicken breast to ¼-inch thickness.  Rub each side with ground coriander, salt and pepper.

Heat remaining olive oil in non-stick pan to medium heat.  Sauté chicken breasts until nicely browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes each side.  Set aside and tent your chicken with foil for a few minutes to cool before you slice into 1/3-inch wide strips.

Assembly:

Top each tostada shell with beans, lettuce, radishes, fennel, and chicken.  Scoop avocado mixture over top of chicken.  Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges

Serves: 4

Total time: 90 minutes

Related posts:

1. Fennel and Chicken Sausage Risotto with Fresh Herbs
2. Orange Marinated Chicken-Fennel over Fettucini, with Orange Cream Sauce
3. Lupita’s Grilled Chicken Breasts with White Sauce Poblano

I used Poblano peppers, a large dark green chili with thick walls, perfect for stuffing.  The time consuming element of this recipe was preparing the chilis for stuffing, they need to be evenly blackened and blistered.  You then place the chilis in a sealed bag for about 20 minutes to steam.  This allows the skin to peel off very easily.  My stuffing consisted of tender yukon golds that were mixed with cheese.  Please enjoy!

For more chili rellenos recipes, click here.

• 6 Poblano Chiles
• 2 medium size Yukon gold potatoes
• 1 cup cream cheese
• 2 cups “Sargento”, shredded montery jack, cheddar, queso quesadilla, and asadero cheese
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour, mixed with ¼ tsp. each, salt and pepper
• Corn oil

With a sharp knife, make a slit down one side of each Chile.  Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, add Chiles to pan, cooking long enough for your skins to blister (turning frequently).  Place the Chiles in a strong airtight bag and allow to steam for about 20 minutes.  Remove Chiles from bag and peel off the skins.  Carefully remove the seeds through the slits with a small spoon.  Set aside.

Cut your potatoes into 1-inch pieces.  Boil potatoes on a low simmer until barely tender, drain immediately, cooling for about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile in a medium bowl mix together your cheeses, add your potatoes, salt, and pepper, and combine thoroughly being careful not to mash your potatoes.  Fill each Chile with potato/cheese mixture and set aside on a plate.  Cover with saran wrap and place in refrigerator for at least one hour.

Separate your yolks and whites into separate bowls.  Beat your whites to firm peaks.  Beat your yolks for about 1 minute, fold in your whites.  Pour egg mixture into a plate large enough for dipping.  On another large plate place your seasoned flour.  Remove your Chiles from the refrigerator, remove your saran wrap and let sit for about 15 minutes, bringing your Chiles to room temperature.  Heat a non-stick pan with enough oil to coat pan generously.  Bring heat to medium-high to high heat, your temperature should be about 375 degrees.  Coat your Chile in flour, then into your egg mixture.  Fry Chiles on each side for about 2 minutes until golden brown.  Serve immediately.      

Serves: 6

Total time: 2 hours

Related posts:

1. Award Winning Chili

For more recipes with pablano peppers, click here. 

• 1 large Poblano pepper
• 2 chicken breasts
• ¼ tsp. onion salt
• ¼ tsp. cumin
• Freshly ground pepper
• 4 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
• 1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 cup half and half
• 2 shallots finely chopped
• 2 large portabellas, chopped
• 2 slices jalapeno pepper cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place your poblano pepper on a skewer.  Char entire Pablano over an open flame on your gas stove.  Set aside to cool.  Meanwhile, pound chicken breasts to ½ inch thickness, sprinkle with onion salt, and cumin, set aside.  Roughly chop portabellas, and shallots, set aside.  Peel cooled poblano to remove all of the charred skin, remove stem, seeds, and roughly chop.  To a blender add the poblano pepper, cilantro, and half and half.  Blend completely, and set aside.  

In a large oven proof non-stick pan heat 2 tbsp. of the vegetable oil to medium heat, and brown portabellas and shallots.  Set aside.  To your pan add the remaining oil, heat to medium, saute chicken breasts to a nice golden brown, about 4 minutes each side.  Turn the heat on your pan down to low and add the portabellas, shallots, and pablano white sauce.  Lightly stir to combine.  Once your pablano white sauce is heated through, place the jalapeno cheese on each chicken breasts.  Place in oven until jalapeno cheese has just melted.  Serve immediately with cilantro rice, spooning your pablano white sauce over both the chicken and rice, YUM!

Serves: 2

Total time: 45 minutes

Related posts:

1. Garlic and Lemon Marinated Chicken Breasts With Gnocchi and Sage Butter Sauce
2. Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Rosemary Sauce
3. Chicken Tostadas With Refried Beans and Grilled Fennel

For more egg casserole recipes, click here.

• 4 strips bacon
• ¼ cup minced onion
• 2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 tsp. olive oil
• 10 – 12 corn tortillas
• 2½ cups of your favorite salsa
• 2 cups grated Monterey jack cheese
• 8 eggs
• ¼ cup grated cojita cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large nonstick skillet, sauté the bacon until crisp.  Remove and drain on a paper towel.  Pour off fat, leaving 2 tbsp. of the fat.  Sauté the onion in bacon fat for about 5 minutes to soften.  Add the beans, simmer and mash a little.  Add a little water if beans seem dry.  Add a little olive oil (this will give you more flavor).  Crumble your bacon and stir into bean mixture.  Remove from heat.

Turn your oven to broil.  Place your tortillas on a baking sheet, and broil for about 1 minute just to soften, and very lightly brown.

Turn your oven back to 350 degrees.  Pour your 3 tsp. olive oil in a 9×13 casserole dish, using a tortilla to to coat evenly.  Overlap the tortillas along the sides and bottom of casserole dish.  Spread the black bean mixture over the bottom.  Spread 1 cup of salsa, and scatter 1 cup of cheese evenly.  Using a soup spoon make 8 craters big enough to hold each egg.  Crack an egg into a small saucer and pour into crater.  The egg will settle in nicely.  Repeat with remaining 7 eggs.  Spread the remaining 1½ cups salsa over the egg layer, allowing the yolks to peek through.  Spread with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove and cool for 15 minutes allowing the rancheros to set.  If your prefer a firmer yolk, cook for about 40-45 minutes.  Sprinkle with cojita cheese.  Remove with a wide spatula.

Serves: 8

Total time: 60 minutes

Related posts:

1. Panko Crusted Halibut Tacos with a Creamy Avocado Cabbage Slaw
2. Chipotle Beef Taco Salad
3. Enchiladas Santa Maria

For more recipes with halibut, click here. 

For the halibut:

• Corn tortillas, 8 to 10
• 1 lb. halibut fillets
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. whipping cream
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tbsp. olive oil

For the creamy avocado slaw:

• 1 avocado
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• ½  cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. green salsa
• 1 tsp. cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. red pepper chili flakes
• ½ lime, juiced
• 2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced

Prepare you creamy avocado cabbage slaw first.  In a large bowl, mix all ingredients thoroughly, adding your cabbage last, tossing to coat cabbage evenly.  Place in refrigerator while you prepare you tacos.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place your tortillas in foil and warm in oven while you prepare your halibut.  Wash and trim skin off halibut.  Cut into 2- inch pieces.  Place flour in shallow dish.  In a medium size bowl, beat eggs with whipping cream and water.  Place panko bread crumbs in a shallow dish, add salt and pepper to taste.  Dredge halibut pieces one by one in flour, shaking to remove any excess flour, then dip into egg mixture, lastly coat with the panko bread crumbs.  Heat a nonstick skillet with olive oil until barely smoking.  Sauté halibut pieces to a golden brown turning once, about 5 minutes.  Place halibut pieces in an oven proof pan, to finish cooking.  About 8 minutes. 

To serve, place halibut pieces in warmed tortillas, and top with creamy avocado cabbage slaw.

Serves: 6

Total time: 60 minutes

Related posts:

1. Panko Crusted Halibut Tacos with a Creamy Avacado Coleslaw
2. Creamy Cilantro-Lime Slaw
3. Creamy Cucumber-Avocado Salad Dressing

Interested in different types of enchiladas, click here. 

• 1 1/4 lb. tri-tip
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, cut in half and sliced thin
• 1 tbsp. fresh oregano
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1-4 oz. can diced green chiles
• ½ cup reduced sodium beef broth
• 1 tsp. corn starch
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 cups shredded cheddar and jack cheese
• 8 small corn tortillas
• 1-10 oz. can Las Palmas enchilada sauce
• 2 choppped green onions
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Rub your tri-tip all over with the Pappy’s seasoning rub.  Cover and marinate atleast 2 hours, or overnite (for best results).  Preheat your oven to 300 degree’s.  Place tri-tip in a large casserole dish, coat with a little olive oil and cover with foil.  Bake for 2 hours.  Remove tri-tip and cool.  When tri-tip is cooled, chop into small pieces.  Set aside.  Reserve casserole dish for your enchiladas. 

If your tortillas are not soft, dampen with water, wrap in foil, and warm in over on low until hot.

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat, add onion, cumin, and oregano.  Cook until onion is soft and kind of carmelized.  Mix cornstarch with broth and add to onion mixture with chiles.  Bring to a boil, stirring often, reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Add chopped tri-tip and tomato, remove from heat and stir in 1 cup cheese.  Spread enough enchilada sauce to lighlty coat casserole dish.  Spoon enough mixture into each tortilla so you can wrap tortilla thoroughly and place seam side down in your casserole dish.  Pour remaining enchilada sauce to cover enchiladas, and cover with remaining cheese.  Bake covered in your 425 degree oven until heated through, about 20 minutes.  Sprinkle with cilantro and green onions, and serve immediately.

Serves: 4

Total time: 60 minutes

Related posts:

1. Chicken, Green-Chile and Cheese Enchiladas
2. Beef and Spinach Casserole
3. Joy’s Eggplant with Pasta and Marinara Sauce

For more enchilada recipes, check out this link to  the “Tex-Mex Cafe”, Thatsmyhome.com.

• 2 Chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, cut in half and sliced thin
• 1 tbsp. fresh oregano
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1-4 oz. can diced green chiles
• ½ cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp. corn starch
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 cups shredded cheddar and jack cheese
• 8 small corn tortillas

If your tortillas are not soft, dampen with water, wrap in foil, and warm in oven on low until hot.

Wash and pat dry your chicken breasts, pound with a mallet to tenderize lightly.  Place in a large casserole dish that has been lightly coated with olive oil.  Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and cumin.  Bake in oven (425 degrees), until cooked through, about 40 minutes.  (Turn breasts after 20 minutes to cook evenly).  Remove chicken breasts when cooled, and chop into small pieces.  Set aside.  Reserve casserole dish for your enchiladas.

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat, add onion, cumin, and oregano.  Cook until onion is soft.  Mix cornstarch with broth and add to onion mixture with chiles.  Bring to a boil, stirring often, reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Add chopped chicken and tomato, remove from heat and stir in 1 cup cheese.  Spoon enough mixture into each tortilla so you can wrap tortilla thoroughly and place seam side down in your casserole dish.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese and olives.  Bake uncovered in your 425 degree oven until heated through, about 15 minutes.

Serves: 4

Total time: 60 minutes

Related posts:

1. Enchiladas Santa Maria
2. Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Rosemary Sauce
3. Garlic and Lemon Marinated Chicken Breasts With Gnocchi and Sage Butter Sauce

I also like to add black oilves to this recipe and serve guacamole on the side.  My source for this recipe is the wednesday food section of the San Francisco Chronicle back in 2006.  Please enjoy!

If your a big fan of chipotle peppers and are interested in seeing more recipes click here.

For the chipotle beef

• 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped onion, in a small dice
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely minced, 4 tsp. total
• ½ tsp. oregano leaves
• ½ tsp. cumin
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. garlic salt

For the salad

• 4 cups thick-cut tortilla chips
• 2 hearts of romaine cut into thin ribbons
• 1 cup drained and rinsed canned black beans
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 firm avocado, diced
• 1 cup salsa
• 1/ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Sour cream to serve (low fat is great)

For the chipotle beef

Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet.  Add the onion and sauté until translucent.

Meanwhile, place the beef in a medium bowl and the chipotle, spices and salts over the top.  Using your hands gently combine the meat and spices.  When the onions are ready, add the meat and fry until browned and cooked through about 8 minutes, stirring often. 

For the salad

As the meat browns, place the chips (I like to break them up) in the bottom of a large bowl.  Top with lettuce, beans, tomatoes and salsa, then top it all with the cheese.  When the meat is ready, place it on top of your salad and toss gently.  Serve immediately.

Serves:  4

Total time:  45 minutes

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2. Cornucopia Salad
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