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Enjoy!

Ramblings...

I was 17 when my Dad died. I wish I could have had the chance to write something like this to him.

At the age of sixty-four, Dad retired. I wanted to buy him something to thank him for all his hard work and sacrifice. As I shopped, I realized there was nothing I could buy that could thank him enough. He had taught me through his own hard work and faith in God that the greatest gifts come from the heart and not the store. That night, I sat down and wrote a list of "Thank You's" to my father for all he had done for me. I left it on the kitchen table for Dad to read before this final day at work.

THANK YOU DAD

For waking up every morning when it was still dark outside and going to work, while we slept in our warm beds.

For wearing that ugly paper tie I made you in first grade.

For teaching me how to pray.

For coming to all my Little League games and for keeping quiet when other fathers wouldn't.

For loving my mother with all your heart.

For teaching me I can never say "please" and "thank you" too often.

For taking me out for ice cream the night I struck out with the tying run on third.

For giving me a hug when I badly needed one.

For building that voice inside me that said "no" when I was tempted to get in a car after I had been drinking.

For giving me life even after you lost a son.

For helping me buy my first car.

For being a wonderful grandfather.

For telling me it's okay to cry.

For being my hero, for being my friend.

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The San Antonio TEX-MEX Cookbook
by Elizabeth Blakeley, Ruth Ann Keil
Eligible for F-R-E-E Super Saver Shipping
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Did You Know?...

Tex-Mex

Agriculture began in Mexico around 7000 B.C. at roughly the same time as the Middle East and, when the Conquistadores arrived in the area in 1519, they discovered many items completely unknown to them from Aztec cuisine, such as avocados, sweet potatoes, pineapple, papaya, chocolate, vanilla, pumpkin, squash, peanuts, cashews, corn, beans, chillies, tomatoes and turkeys. Indeed Montezuma's court offered over 1,000 dishes at a banquet. Tex Mex is a modern version of traditional Mexican cuisine mixed with Texan, based around such staples as the tortilla, enchiladas, tacos and tostados, introducing Chilli con Carne, Burritos, Fajitas and Chimichangas amongst others.

Chili Peppers

Perhaps the chief misconception about chili peppers is their red-hot reputation. Many are fiery hot, but many others are sweet, mild, or richly flavored. Their hotness is concentrated in the interior veins or ribs near the seed heart, not in the seeds as is commonly believed (the seeds taste extra hot because they are in close contact with the hot veins). If, when the pepper is cut open, the veins have a yellowish orange color in that area, it usually indicates the pepper will be a potent one.? 

That the burning sensation that makes chile peppers so appealing to culinary thrill-seekers comes from capsaicin or more accurately a collection of compounds called capsaicinoids. These develop in the placenta or cross-ribs of the fruit, which is why that part of the chili pepper is the hottest. A single dominant gene transmits capsaicinoids. Bell peppers are just like jalapeno peppers and Serrano peppers but bell peppers taste bland instead of pungent because they lack that gene.? 

In 1912, a pharmacist named Scoville came up with a heat index for measuring the ???heat??? in a chili product, or scoring capsaicinoid content. This index was called the Scoville Units and is still used today. A more modern version used by many chile writers is called ???the Official Chile Pepper Heat Scale??? with a rating of zero to ten. Bell peppers rate a zero because they contain no capsaicinoid. At a 5 rating: jalapeno peppers??¦at a 6 rating serrano peppers??¦ at a 8 rating cayenne peppers and tabasco peppers??¦ and at a 9 rating chalet pin peppers and Thai hot peppers.? 

The spelling of the word "chili" is used here as it is used in Mexico. Because American spice companies label their ground chili blends "chili" you will encounter that spelling in recipes using the purchased ground spice.? 

More than 140 varieties of chilies peppers are grown in Mexico alone. Those that follow are most popular in the United States and used in most Mexican cooking recipes.? 

Scoville Units Names? 
0 Bell Sweet Italian? 
100 - 500 Peperoncini Cherry? 
500 - 1,000 New Mexico? 
1,000 - 1,500 Pasilla Poblano Ancho? 
1,500 - 2,500 Rocotillo? 
2,500 - 5,000 Jalapeno Chipotle Guajillo? 
5,000 - 10,000 Yellow Wax? 
10,000 - 23,000 Serrano? 
325,000 and up Habanero? 

Descriptions? 

Bell peppers Probably the most familiar pepper in the United States, the green and red bell peppers are squarish and fist-size. Green peppers turn red in the fall, becoming sweeter and milder, yet retaining their crisp, firm texture.
Ancho peppers This chili looks and tastes very much like ordinary bell pepper but can be considerably more peppery at times. Tapered rather than square, it is firmer, less crisp, more waxy-looking. It turns a bright red and sweetens up in the fall. When dry, it assumes a flat, round shape and wrinkles up like a prune.? 
California green chilies (Anaheim) Fresh, these peppers are 5 to 8 inches long, 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide, tapering to a point, usually a bright, shiny green. The flavor ranges from mild and sweet to moderate hot. To use fresh peppers, peel the skin from the chilies. When using fresh or canned, taste for hotness - they can vary greatly from pepper to pepper.
Chilaca Chiles Look and taste much like the guajillo and guayon chiles.? 
Chile de Arbol Also known as the "Cola de Rata". Often dried, toasted, used to decorate Mexican dishes.? 
Chipotle Chiles Made from jalapenos that have been dried and smoked. Sold both dried and canned in adobo, or a rich smoky dark reddids-brown sauce.? 
Fresno chili peppers Bright green, changing to orange and red when fully matured. Fresno chilies have a conical shape - about 2 inches long and 1 inch in diameter at the stem end. They are often just labeled "hot chili peppers" when canned or bottled.? 
Guajillo Chiles Smooth-skinne, brick or cranberry red chiles, a bit spicier than anchos and not as sweet. Because of their tangy brightness, they are often powdered over fruit or vegetables or added to stews and soups.? 
Jalapeno chili peppers These peppers have thicker flesh, darker green color, and more cylindrical shape than Fresno chilies; however, the heat level of the two varieties is about the same - HOT! Canned and bottled peppers are sometimes labeled "hot peppers" with jalapeno as a subtitle. They are always available in sauce form as salsa jalapena, and pickled.? 
Mulato Chiles Deep brown, longer and more tapered than the ancho, more pungent also. Often replaces the ancho in recipes.? 
Pasilla peppers The true pasilla pepper is a long, thin pepper 7 to 12 inches long by 1 inch in diameter. Pasillas turn from dark green to dark brown as they mature.? 
Pequin Chiles Tiny, dried red bullets of fiery heat, adding a unique flavor to many dishes. Crumble the dried pod and add.? 
Pimentos These heart-shaped chilies are purchased canned in the United States. The flesh is softer and a little sweeter than the common red bell pepper.? 
Poblano Chiles Dark green, about the size of a bell pepper but tapered at one end, can be mild or hot. Often used in "Chile Rellenos"? 
Serrano Chiles A small 1 ????? fresh HOT pepper. The smaller they are, the more kick they have. Most often used in Pico de Gallo. Dynamite -hot is an understatement for these tiny 1-inch peppers. When new on the vine, they are rich, waxy green, changing to orange and red as they mature. They also sold canned, pickled, or packed in oil. A great source of vitamin C.? 
Small, whole, red dried hot chilie peppers. Labeled this way on the supermarket spice shelves, many small, tapered chilies about 1 to 2 inches long are sold dried, but there is no one varietal name that applies to all of them.? 
Yellow Chile peppers. Many short conical-shaped yellow peppers with a waxy sheen go by this name-Santa Fe grande, caribe, banana pepper, Hungarian, Armenian way, floral gem, and gold spike. Probably most familiar are the canned pickled wax peppers. Their flavor ranges from medium-hot to hot.? 
Habanero peppers To date these are the Hottest chili peppers know to man, HOT - HOT - HOT. Use extreme caution when using. Marble-shaped chili peppers, ranges in color from unripe green to full ripe red.? 

DID YOU KNOW.....? 

CAPSAICIN (Zostrix), a topical nonprescription cream, made from the seeds of hot chili peppers, is used to treat skin hypersensitivity resulting from "shingles" (Herpes Zoster). It is the only medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia.? 
(Article originally published in the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, Nov. 1997)

Eating spicy food and/or chile peppers can become addictive. There are many people who don't enjoy tortilla chips unless they have salsa to eat with them, there are others that can never find a salsa HOT enough for their taste. Studies have shown that, yes, eating spicy food is addicting. What happens after eating something hot, is your body nerves feel pain. These pain signals are immediately transmitted to your brain. Your brain interprets this signal and automatically releases endorphins (the body's natural pain killer). The endorphins kick in and act as a pain killer and create this temporary feeling of euphoria. Hot and spicy food lovers soon begin to crave this feeling and are hooked!

Use Caution In Handling And Storing Chile Peppers? 

When using fresh or dried chili peppers, wear gloves to protect your hands because the oils, capsaicin*, in the peppers can cause severe burns. Don't touch your face or eyes. If chilies do come in contact with your bare hands, wash thoroughly with soapy water. If burning persists, soak hands in a bowl of milk. When grinding dried chilies, beware of the chili dust in the air, which will irritate eyes and throats.

* Remedies for eating a pepper that is too hot for you:? 
Drink milk, rinsing the mouth with it while swallowing, ice cream or yogurt. Eat rice or bread which will absorb the capsaicin. Drink tomato juice or eat a fresh lime or lemon (the acid will counter act the alkalinity of the capsaicin). Do not drink water- capsaicin which is an oil, will not mix with water but instead, will distribute to more parts of the mouth.

*Capsaicin is the heat factor in chilies that is used medically to produce deep-heating rubs for treating sports injuries and arthritic therapies.? 

To Dry Your Own Chile peppers? 

Tie the stems onto a sturdy piece of twine, placing chilies close together and making the strand as long as you wish. Hang in dry area with the air circulating freely around the strand. In several weeks, chilies lose their brilliant hue, changing to a deep, glistening red; they will feel smooth and dry.

Discussion Forum

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Next Monthly Theme...

Pastabilities!

Here's the scoop on the current theme:

I love pasta recipes. My kids enjoy eating and preparing them. Since most folks enjoy pasta, I thought it would be great to share some of those recipes right here as a theme topic. How about it, folks? Is there a recipe using pasta that makes your family swoon when you prepare it? Even simple pasta dishes are great for sharing. The sky's the limit!

Please use this link: Pastabilities!

A to Z Recipes continues with its popular Theme Issues. We will share theme recipes and post them on the first Sunday of each month. Send your recipes no later than the last Friday of each month to have them posted in the next monthly theme issue. You may send in your favorite theme recipes in ONE email. If the number of recipes exceeds those needed in the issue, the publisher will post as many from every submitter as possible and save the remaining recipes for the following Sundays of that month. The rules for recipe submissions for the monthly theme issues are the same as ALL recipes submitted for posting.
The rules are as follows:

As a service to your fellow readers, please send only recipes that are in a form that others could easily copy and save for their own use. Recipes that would require a lot of editing or cleaning up or use non-standard measurements should not be submitted. Recipes without a name and location of sender may NOT be posted or posted without any credit given. There will be NO recipes posted that are from other recipe-zines. A to Z Recipes protects the privacy of its readers and does NOT publish email addresses. There will be no exceptions.

Crazy Corner...

"It was on my fifth birthday that Papa put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'Remember, my son, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm." - Sam Levenson? 


"I wish there was a knob on the TV so you could turn up the intelligence. They got one marked 'brightness' but it doesn't work." - Gallagher? 


Everybody keeps saying that women are smarter than men, but did you ever see a man wearing a shirt that buttons down the back?? 


The paving of a main dirt road had finally been completed. Only days later an elderly man pulled out of a side street into the path of an oncoming truck traveling on the newly paved road. No one was hurt, but the vehicles were damaged beyond repair. A witness to the accident asked the elderly man why he had pulled out in front of the truck. "Didn't you see it coming?" "I slowed down and looked both ways," he explained, "but I didn't see any dust."? 


One of the happiest shoppers is the vegetarian seeing the prices in the meat department of the supermarket.? 


I enjoyed my trip to Ireland except for the gray-black, narrow, relentlessly winding roads. I steered the little rented car around one blind turn after another, between seemingly endless tunnels of stone fences and tight-to-the-road hedges. At one point I stopped to pick up a hitchhiker and complained, "I don't see how anyone can drive to a party at night, have even one drink and get home again safely on these roads."

"Ah, well, you see," he replied, "they don't usually come home till daylight."? 


My son-in-law's brother and wife's two young children were silent while preparations for one of the cows to give birth were taking place on their farm. Their mother wondered what the kids were thinking and said, "You know, this is how you were born." They looked at her, eyes wide in wonder. "Did it hurt much," asked one, "when they tied your head to the post?"

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CHICKEN, BLACK BEAN, AND TORTILLA CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbs (15 ml) vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper (capsicum), cored, seeded, and chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped - use the minced from Wal-Mart, in US
1 can (15 oz, 225 g) canned chopped tomatoes with their liquid
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin
1/2 tsp (2 ml) dried oregano
Cayenne pepper or hot sauce to taste - Tabasco is good
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cans (15 oz, 225 g each) black beans, rinsed and drained
8 corn tortillas - I prefer flour
1 lb (450 g) grated Monterey Jack cheese, or other mild, smooth melting cheese
Optional garnishes: sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped scallions, chopped black olives, salsa

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oil in a skillet over moderate heat and saut?© the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Puree the tomatoes with their liquid in an electric blender or food processor until it is fairly smooth but still contains some chunks. Stir the tomatoes and seasonings into the skillet and bring to a boil. Stir in the black beans and chicken, return to a boil, and remove from the heat. Layer 1/3 of the mixture into a lightly greased baking dish. Top with 4 tortillas and 1/4 (about 1 cup, 250 ml) of the cheese. Repeat, finishing with a layer of the bean mixture. You should have about half the cheese remaining. Bake covered in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake uncovered until bubbly, about 10 minutes. Garnish as desired.

Serves 6 to 8.



AMOROUS TORTILLA CASSEROLE

Source: Midwest Living

Makes 4 to 6 main-dish servings
Start to Finish: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 medium white onion, sliced? 
1 tablespoon cooking oil? 
2 medium zucchini or other summer squash (10 ounces total), thinly sliced? 
2 cups salsa? 
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth? 
4 cups torn, stemmed spinach leaves (about 5 ounces)? 
8 ounces tortilla chips (about 8 cups, loosely packed)? 
1/2 cup finely grated Mexican queso anejo, Parmesan or Romano cheese (2 ounces)? 

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, cook the onion in oil until tender, but not brown. Add zucchini. Cook and stir until the vegetables begin to brown.

2. Add salsa, broth and spinach. Bring to boiling. Add the tortilla chips and stir to coat. Remove from heat. Cover and let mixture stand for 5 minutes.

3. Very carefully stir the mixture to check that the chips have softened nicely. (Rick prefers them to have a few chewy edges. If there's still too much crunch remaining, the chef dribbles in a little extra broth and returns the mixture in saucepan to heat for a few minutes.)

4. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve from the pan. Or you can spoon mixture onto warm plates or into shallow bowls in the kitchen before sprinkling with cheese.

Makes 4 to 6 main-dish servings.? 

Nutritional Information? 
Nutritional facts per serving
calories: 280, total fat: 16g, cholesterol: 10mg, sodium: 850mg, carbohydrate: 30g, fiber: 6g



BLACK BEAN LASAGNA

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Makes 8 servings
Prep: 45 minutes
Bake: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

9 lasagna noodles (8 ounces)? 
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained? 
Nonstick cooking spray? 
1/2 cup chopped onion? 
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper? 
2 cloves garlic, minced? 
2 15-ounce cans low-sodium tomato sauce or tomato sauce with seasonings? 
1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro? 
1 12-ounce container low-fat cottage cheese? 
1 8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)? 
1/4 cup light dairy sour cream? 
Tomato slices (optional)? 
Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)? 

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Mash one can of the beans; set aside.

2. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray; add onion, green sweet pepper, and garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat until tender but not brown. Add mashed beans, unmashed beans, tomato sauce, and snipped cilantro; heat through.

3. In a large bowl combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream; set aside. Spray a 3-quart rectangular baking dish with nonstick coating. Arrange three of the noodles in the dish. Top with one-third of the bean mixture. Spread with one-third of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice, ending with bean mixture. Reserve the remaining cheese mixture.

4. Bake, covered, in a 350 degree F oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through. Dollop with reserved cheese mixture. Let stand for 10 minutes. Garnish with tomato slices and cilantro, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Make-Ahead Tip: Refrigerate unbaked casserole, covered, up to 1 day, and bake as directed. Or, freeze up to 1 month; thaw frozen casserole in refrigerator overnight, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through.

Nutritional Information
Nutritional facts per serving
calories: 340, total fat: 8g, saturated fat: 5g, cholesterol: 25mg, sodium: 589mg, carbohydrate: 49g, fiber: 8g, protein: 21g, vitamin A: 21%, vitamin C: 31%, iron: 21%? 



MEXICAN STYLE CORNBREAD

Yield: 1 - 8x8 inch pan.? 

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs? 
1/4 cup corn oil? 
1 cup buttermilk? 
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese? 
1 (8 ounce) can cream-style corn? 
1 large onion, chopped? 
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced? 
1 cup cornmeal? 
1/2 cup all-purpose flour? 
2 teaspoons baking powder? 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda? 
1/2 teaspoon salt? 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square baking dish or a cast iron skillet.

In a small bowl, beat eggs. Mix in corn oil and buttermilk. Stir in 1 cup shredded cheese, creamed corn, onion, and jalapenos.

In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix well. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until center is set and top is golden brown.



CHILE VERDE

This will make plenty for great leftovers. Try burritos tonight, chimichangas another night, and breakfast tacos for the weekend.

INGREDIENTS

3-4 lb. boneless pork roast (Boston butt)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 med. onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. canned tomatoes (or 1 sm. can tomato sauce)
1/4 tsp. oregano
Salt and pepper
1 sm. can green chilies (or 1/2 jalapeno pepper--I add BOTH!))
2 tbsp. shortening

DIRECTIONS

Cube pork roast in 1/2-inch cubes. Brown meat in shortening; do not drain. Add remaining ingredients and 1-2 cups water. Cook on low for 1 hour until meat is very tender.

Make thickening paste with 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup water. Push meat to one side and pour thickening into broth. Stir until desired consistency is reached. Stir meat into thickened broth and continue cooking a few minutes. Pour into floured tortilla and roll to make a chile verde burrito.

If deep fried at this point, this becomes a chimichanga.



MEXICAN RICE

2 tbsp. oil
1/4 c. rice
16 oz. tomato sauce
16 oz. water
1 chicken bouillon cube
3 oz. diced green chiles

Heat 2 tablespoons oil, add rice - stir until rice is turning brown. Add tomato sauce, water (use tomato sauce can for measurement). Add bouillon cube and chiles. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir for consistency.



MEXICAN BLACK BEANS

INGREDIENTS

2 cups dried black beans
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt
12 cups cold water

DIRECTIONS

Sort and wash beans, soak overnight in cold water that is just covering the beans--place in the refrigerator while soaking. Cover the bowl lightly with plastic wrap. The next morning, drain the beans, discarding the water, and rinsing. Place in a soup pot with 12 cups fresh water. Peel the whole garlic cloves and coarsely chop the cilantro. Add salt, garlic, oregano and cilantro to the beans and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 3-4 hours. (You can do this in the crockpot too on high for 6-8 hours.) Remove the garlic cloves. Drain and serve as a side dish---use as refried beans in recipes too.

Makes about 6 cups.



SPICY TACO SALAD

Spice up your taco salad with this special recipe that has a pasta twist.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound lean ground beef? 
3 2/3 cups hot water? 
1 package Hamburger Helper?® chili macaroni? 
3 teaspoons chili powder? 
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves? 
1/4 teaspoon red pepper sauce? 
1 large garlic clove, crushed? 
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, if desired? 
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne), if desired? 
6 cups shredded lettuce? 
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (1 1/2 cups)? 
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)? 
1/3 cup sliced green onions? 
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives? 
1 can (4.5 ounces) Old El Paso?® chopped green chiles, drained? 

INGREDIENTS

1. Cook beef in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain.

2. Stir in hot water, uncooked Pasta, Sauce Mix, chili powder, oregano, pepper sauce, garlic, cumin and red pepper. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.

3. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook 5 minutes longer. Cool 5 minutes.

4. Mix remaining ingredients in large bowl. Add beef mixture; toss. Serve immediately or, if desired, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours until chilled.? 



SOUTHWEST BEAN AND CORN SALAD

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 15 min
Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup KRAFT FREE Thousand Island Fat Free Dressing? 
1/4 tsp. black pepper? 
4 cups torn mixed salad greens? 
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed, drained? 
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen whole kernel corn, thawed, drained? 
1/2 cup julienne-cut red pepper? 
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion (optional)? 
MIX dressing and black pepper.

DIRECTIONS

ARRANGE greens on serving plate. Top with beans, corn, red pepper and onion. Serve with dressing mixture.? 



SOUTHWEST CHICKEN QUESADILLAS

These quesadillas are perfect for dinnertime, lunchtime - even party time!
Makes 4 servings.? 
Source: Allrecipes? 

INGREDIENTS

CRISCO?® No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 cup cooked chicken, finely shredded
1/2 cup tomato salsa, plus additional for serving
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons chili powder
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups Jalapeno Jack or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
8 sprigs fresh cilantro, minced (optional)
Sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1 Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Spray with CRISCO?® No-Stick Cooking Spray.

2 In a medium mixing bowl, combine chicken, salsa, salt, pepper, mayonnaise, chili powder and minced cilantro.

3 Arrange 4 tortillas on baking sheet. Top with chicken mixture. Top with remaining 4 tortillas; press closed gently.

4 Bake 5 minutes. Remove baking sheets from oven. Carefully turn quesadillas with spatula.

5 Return to oven; bake 5 minutes more, or until browned. Let stand 2 minutes. Cut each in quarters.

6 Serve immediately, with additional salsa and sour cream if desired.

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Heart Healthy...

SOPA SECA (DRY SOUP)

Source: Better Homes and Gardens? 
Makes 6 cups (8 side-dish or 4 main-dish servings)
Start to Finish: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup long-grain rice? 
1 tablespoon cooking oil? 
1 cup chopped tomato (1 large)? 
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)? 
1/2 teaspoon chili powder? 
2 cloves garlic, minced? 
2-1/2 cups chicken broth? 
3 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro or parsley? 
1-1/2 cups shredded and cooked chicken, beef, or pork? 
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed? 

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet cook and stir the long-grain rice constantly in hot oil over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until rice is lightly browned. Stir in tomato, onion, chili powder, and garlic. Cook and stir for 1 minute more.

2. Carefully stir in chicken broth and cilantro or parsley. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

3. Stir in shredded chicken, beef, or pork and peas. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Makes 6 cups (8 side-dish or 4 main-dish servings).

Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare the recipe as directed. Cover and chill up to 24 hours. To serve, place a covered saucepan with 2 tablespoons water. Heat over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.? 

Nutritional Information? 
Nutritional facts per serving
calories: 194, total fat: 6g, saturated fat: 1g, cholesterol: 22mg, sodium: 278mg, carbohydrate: 23g, fiber: 1g, protein: 12g

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For Two...

HUEVOS RANCHEROS

A classic Tex-Mex dish.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

2 Mission?® Corn Tortillas? 
Oil for frying
1/3 cup Refried Beans heated
2 Eggs? 
Mission?® Salsa, sour cream and Guacamole for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Fry tortillas until crisp and lightly brown. Place on serving plate. Divide refried beans and top evenly across each tortilla.

In same skillet, cook eggs, sunny side up. With large spatula, place one egg on top of the refried beans on each tortilla. Top with 1 tablespoon each, salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

Serve with warm corn tortillas on the side.? 

Source: Mission Foods

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Ass't to the Ass't Publisher's Choice...

TORTILLA DUMPLING SOUP

Serves 12
Source: Mission Foods

INGREDIENTS

6 Mission?® 98% Fat Free Fajita Size Flour Tortillas? 
1 (3-4) lb. Chicken cut into pieces (remove skin and excess fat)
1 Onion chopped
2 cups Celery sliced
1-1/2 tsp. Salt? 
1/4 tsp. Pepper? 
1/4 tsp. Thyme leaves
1 cup Carrots sliced? 

INSTRUCTIONS

Place chicken, onions, half the celery, salt, pepper and thyme in a large pot. Immerse completely with water bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer (covered) for 1 hour.

Take the chicken out of the pot and remove the meat from the bones (set aside). Place bones back in pot and continue cooking for 1 hour longer.

Strain broth and return to pot with remaining celery and carrots. Cook 20-30 minutes longer.

Stir in cooked chicken and top with tortilla pieces. Simmer for 5 minutes longer. Serve soup with remaining tortillas.

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