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What Is Horchata?

Horchata is a delicious rice (or coconut) based drink that you can find at most Mexican restaurants in the United States and abroad.

The reason it is so popular is that it always adds a refreshing touch to any meal. I have yet to meet someone that has tried it without falling in love and being disappointed when it is gone.

If you go to any Mexican restaurant, you can probably find some version of horchata. Be careful though, because many of those are made from powder and don’t have that authentic taste you are looking for. 

Today, I want to show you how to make a truly authentic version of horchata that I learned growing up in Mexico. It will take some patience and a little bit of preparation, but the results will be worth it. 

What Can You Serve With Horchata?

Horchata goes well with almost any Mexican recipe. Here are some of my favorites. 

• Barbacoa Tacos
• Tacos al Pastor
• Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
• Tostadas
• Chorizo and Potato Tacos
• Charro Beans

One of the great things about a good horchata recipe is that you can add different ingredients to it to change the taste. For example, many people add shredded coconut or almonds. You can also use different varieties of milk such as almond milk.

Like I said above, there are many different versions depending on the country. The recipe that I am sharing today is my favorite way to make horchata, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t switch it up a bit. 

What Does Horchata Taste Like?

Horchata is smooth and rich, with just the right amount of sweetness. 

If you want to get the right flavor, then make sure that you follow these instructions perfectly. 

I have so many memories growing up of going to the local taquerias with my siblings and other family members. Part of those memories consists of ordering street tacos  with a side of delicious authentic Horchata.

Although I don’t live in Mexico anymore, I still am able to keep these memories with me by making these recipes and sharing them with my family here.

I prefer to make homemade horchata, but I will still try just about any version that I can find when I go to Mexican restaurants. Some are better than others, but they all remind me of Mexico. 

How Do You Make Horchata?

Horchata takes some effort, but it is actually pretty easy to make. You probably already have all of the ingredients (listed below) that you will need in your kitchen. 

• Rice
• Sugar
• Almonds
• Cinnamon Stick
• Vanilla Extract
• Evaporated Milk
• Milk
• Water

If you don’t already have them, don’t worry – they are easy to find and are very inexpensive.

It takes a while to soak the rice, cinnamon, and almonds in water for an extended period of time. That is so that you can ensure that all of the flavors are perfect.

The best way to do this is to start soaking the ingredients the night before. That way, you can sleep instead of just standing around waiting for this delicious drink to be ready!

UPDATE: Many of you have asked why I dispose of the water that the the rice, almonds, and cinnamon stick are soaking in. The simple reason why I do it is because that is how my abuelita taught me, and she had the best horchata around! However, another reason is because the point of the water is really just to soften the ingredients for the next step which is when you blend it. The flavor comes from the ingredients when you blend them, strain them, and then mix with the fresh water. Hope that helps!

Once you have soaked the ingredients long enough, the next steps are pretty easy. You will need to strain the water, and then blend the ingredients together with evaporated milk.

It is important to strain the resulting mix using a fine mesh strainer to avoid a gritty texture. It is still delicious, but I personally prefer a smooth taste. 

Horchat may not be something that you make every day. That said, it is perfect for special occasions like Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and New Years.

If you are feeling adventurous and are ready to try this authentic recipe, check it out below. I promise that you won’t regret it!

Products Used In This Horchata Recipe

• Fine Mesh Strainer: This is one of the most important things that you can get when making horchata. You have to strain the rice and almond pieces after you blend it. To avoid a grainy texture, you will want a fine mesh strainer. You can get one of my favorites here if you don’t already have one.
• Blender: You will need a good blender to make sure that you break everything down as much as possible. I use this one, but you can really use any high-quality blender.
• Large Drinking Glasses: Horchata is good no matter what, but it is even better drinking it from a large glass like these ones. I add a straw and lots of ice and it is delicious!
• Large Bowls: You have to soak the rice and other ingredients overnight for this recipe. That is why it is important to have large glass bowls. You can use any glass bowl that you have, but make sure that they are high quality like these.

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Horchata (Authentic Mexican Recipe)

Horchata is a delicious rice (or coconut) based drink that you can find at most Mexican restaurants in the United States and abroad.

Course Drinks

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword beverage, drink, horchata, mexican drink

Prep Time 5 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 hours hours

Servings 7 Cups

Calories 322kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

• 1 cup of white rice
• 1 cup sugar adjust depending on how sweet you want - 2/3 cup of sugar if you want it less sweet.
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1 Can 12 ounces Evaporated milk
• 1.5 cups of milk or almond milk
• 1 Liter of water
• Ice

Instructions

• Start by soaking the rice, cinnamon, and almonds in a bowl of water all night, or at least for 5 hours so that the rice softens slightly.
• Strain the water from the cinnamon, rice, and almond mixture that were soaking, disposing of water.
• Blend the cinnamon, rice, and almond mixture with evaporated milk until a smoother mix is formed and the grains of rice are completely ground.
• Strain the resulting liquid into a pitcher, and add the sugar, vanilla, and milk. Mix well until everything is well combined.Add a liter of water, and serve with ice. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 8oz | Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g

The post Authentic Mexican Horchata That You Can Make At Home appeared first on My Latina Table.

Breakfast is a big deal for us. During the week sometimes we get into the habit of just eating cereal or scrambled eggs, which is why on the weekends we always try to make something special.

Sometimes that consists of eating some of my favorite traditional Mexican breakfasts, like chilaquiles or huevos rancheros, and other times it consists of more traditional American breakfasts like omelettes, bacon, eggs, and of course French toast.

I personally love French toast, which is why I have two of my favorite French toast recipes on my site: Bananas Foster, and Strawberries and Cream Stuffed.

While these are both delicious, I am always interested in trying out new types of French toast recipes, which is why I bring to you today this list of 51 French toast recipes. Included are savory recipes, sweet recipes, casserole style recipes, stuffed recipes, and more!

I would encourage you to go through these and find the ones that you love so that you can put them on your breakfast menu!

Savory French Toast Recipes

1. Savory Parmesan Crusted  – Apron String Blog
2. Savory  – Luci’s Morsels
3. Savory Parmesan French Toast with Hollandaise Sauce – The Food Charlatan

French Toast Casseroles

1. Brown Sugar Banana Casserole – Celebrating Sweets
2. Stuffed Breakfast Casserole with Strawberry and Cream Topping – Two Healthy Kitchens
3. Orange Casserole With Cream Cheese Frosting – NeighborFood
4. Cream Cheese Casserole – The Food Charlatan
5. Baked Buttermilk Casserole – Gluten Free Yumms
6. Berries Chocolate Cream Cheese Casserole – Treats Affair
7. Baked Multigrain Blackberry  – Life is But a Dish
8. French Toast with Apple Compote and Caramel Syrup – The Redhead Baker
9. Dinner Roll Bake – The Lean Green Bean
10. Overnight Vanilla Chai Bake – Home Cooking Memories
11. Cinnamon Vanilla Bake – Celebrating Sweets
12. Baked Cherry Cheesecake  – Mom On Timeout
13. Overnight Berry Bake – The Creative Bite
14. Baked Strawberry  – Pint Sized Baker
15. Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple  – Dizzy, Busy, and Hungry
16. Overnight  – Noshing with the Nolands
17. Overnight Praline  – The Kitchen Is My Playground
18. Strawberries and Cream Bake – Renee’s Kitchen Adventures

Stuffed French Toast

1. Grilled and Stuffed with Strawberry Basil Cream Cheese – Rachel Cooks
2. Nutella Stuffed  – The Blond Cook
3. Peanut Butter and Chocolate Stuffed  – All She Cooks
4. Goat Cheese Stuffed  – The Hungry Goddess

Traditional

1. Peaches and Cream – Spabettie
2. Double Chocolate – Give Recipe
3. Honey Lemon Vanilla Gluten Free– Cotter Crunch
4. Protein Packed Healthy with Chocolate and Peanut Butter – Food, Faith, Fitness
5. Grilled Orange Cinnamon with Homemade Whipping – We’re Parents
6. Almond Poppy Seed  – The View From Great Island
7. Chocolate Blueberry Bread  – Peas & Peonies
8. Gluten Free with Blackberry Vanilla Sauce – A Girl Worth Saving
9. Pound Cake  – Or So She Says
10. Crunch Pecan Banana  – Julie’s Eats and Treats
11. Brioche with Berries and Caramel Sauce – Foolproof Living
12. Dark Hot Chocolate  – With Salt & Wit
13. Irish Soda Bread  – Nutmeg Nanny
14. Dairy Free Coconut  – Kitchen Treaty
15. Strawberry with Warm Buttermilk Syrup – Cupcake Diaries
16. Gingerbread  – Keep it Sweet Desserts
17. Caramel Apple  – Tried and Tasty
18. Bread Pudding with Mixed Berry Compote – RockRecipes.com

Miscellaneous

1. Filled French Toast Roll-Ups – Belly Full
2. Fried Tofu French Toast Sandwich – Namely Marly
3. French Toast Sticks with Strawberry Yogurt Dipping Sauce – Chocolate Moosey
4. Lemon Cheesecake Roll-Ups – Inside BruCrew Life
5. Lemon Vanilla Waffle – Running to the Kitchen
6. Tropical Fruit French Toast Bites – Eating Richly
7. Bread Pudding – Cooking on the Weekends
8. Vegan French Toast Waffles – Connoisseurus Veg

Which of these amazing recipes are you most excited to try?

The post 51 Delicious French Toast Recipes appeared first on My Latina Table.

Being from Mexico originally, there are a lot of traditional recipes and meals here in the United States that I never tried until I moved here, including Chicken Parmesan. 

At first I was hesitant to try too many of them, but over the years I have grown to really love many different types of foods that are served here in the United States.

Some of my favorites are the American version of Italian favorites like Lasagna and Chicken Parmesan.

The first time I tried Chicken Parmesan was a few years ago when my husband made it for me. He is quite the cook himself, so it was amazing! After trying it, it quickly became a regular at our table.

What Is Chicken Parmesan?

Chicken Parmesan is a perfect homestyle meal that everyone in my family loves. It consists of breaded chicken breast, covered in marinara sauce and cheese and then baked to perfection.

We always serve it with tasty pasta and lots of cheese. That is why this version uses three different cheeses to bring in some great flavors. Chicken Parmesan isn’t complete without having a perfect pasta sauce to accompany it.

You can easily make this with a homemade sauce if that is what you want. However, it is usually easier just to buy a delicious sauce at the store. That is what I usually do and this always turns out great. 

How Do You Make Chicken Parmesan?

Chicken Parmesan is really not difficult to make. It does require a little bit of work to make sure that you bread the chicken correctly and include all of the right ingredients. However, if you follow the recipe below, you are sure to end up with a great home style meal tonight for you and your family.

We usually serve Chicken Parmesan with a simple pasta such as fettuccine, tossed with butter, garlic, and Italian herbs and spices. We then serve the chicken on top and sometimes will add some more sauce to complete the meal.

One thing is for certain – once you try this, it will become a regular on your menu!

Don’t forget to come back and tell me how it turned out or if there is anything that you would change. Let me know in the comments below.

Other Recipes You May Enjoy

• Three Cheese Lasagna
• Spaghetti and Meatballs
• Breadsticks
• Coconut Chicken Curry
• Sheet pan Flank Steak
• Sheet Pan Garlic and Lemon Chicken

Helpful Products for this Recipe

Measuring Spoons/Cups: You are going to need to measure all of the different ingredients that you use to make this Chicken Parmesan. I don’t know about you, but my measuring cups always seem to get separated and sometimes I can’t find the one I need. I recommend this set, because it has the spoons and cups all together, is stainless steel, and has a solid ring to keep them together.

Kitchen Prep Bowls: Since you have to use multiple bowls in this recipe for the the bread crumb mixture and the egg wash, it is important to have some good kitchen prep bowls. I like these ones because they can be used to prep and they are good for serving as well.

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Three Cheese Chicken Parmesan Recipe

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword baked chicken, dinner, parmesan

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Pieces

Calories 403kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken Breasts
• 1-2 Cups of Breadcrumbs
• 1 Cup of shaved Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Egg
• 1 Cup of Milk
• 1 Jar Pasta Sauce 24 oz
• Salt Pepper, Paprika, Cumin, Italian Seasoning
• 8 Provolone Cheese Slices
• 1-2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese grated
• Pasta

Instructions

• Create an egg wash station by filling a bowl with the milk and combining it with the egg and some salt and pepper.
• Cut the shaved Parmesan Cheese into tiny pieces and add to a separate bowl with the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika.
• Submerge the chicken breasts in the egg wash and then coat in the breadcrumb mixture.
• After breading the chicken, sear each piece of chicken on both sides in a hot frying pan with a small amount of oil until browned
• Add a small amount of pasta sauce to the baking dish and then add the pieces of chicken on top.
• Top each piece of chicken with more sauce.
• Top each piece of chicken with the provolone, then the mozzarella, and finally with the remaining Parmesan cheese shavings.
• Top with Italian seasonings.
• Bake at 375 for 20 minutes and serve with pasta that is tossed with butter, garlic, and Italian seasoning.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Piece | Calories: 403kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 877mg | Potassium: 566mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 570IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 492mg | Iron: 1.6mg

The post Three Cheese Chicken Parmesan Recipe appeared first on My Latina Table.

Para Leer en Español, Haz Click Aqui

by: Daniel Barker

Between 2005 and 2007 I was a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Bolivia. I lived there for two years, changing from one part of the country to another every few months. I met a ton of wonderful people who changed my life and whom I will always cherish. That said, I wasn’t always a huge fan of all of the food. 

At the time I wasn’t a big fan of rice, and rice is one of the main staples of Bolivian cuisine. It wasn’t just a little bit of rice on a plate either – it was a huge plateful of rice, usually accompanied by some type of meat and lots and lots of potatoes. 

I definitely won’t say that all the food was bad. There were were some things that I really loved. For example, they have a delicious, empanada-like food called a Bolivian Salteña. 

What is a Bolivian Salteña

I tried my first  Salteña probably a couple of weeks after arriving in Bolivia. I wasn’t sure what it was, but the other missionaries said that I had to try it and that they were so delicious – and delicious they were!

The bread has a delicious, slightly sweet taste, and the filling is so savory and delicious. They come in different varieties and can be made with chicken, shredded beef, ground beef, and more. Traditionally, Salteñas have a slice of hard boiled egg on the inside along with an olive and sometimes even raisins.

I omitted both the olive and raisins from this version because I am not a big fan, but you can easily add them back. 

One thing about Bolivian Salteñas is that they are very juicy. They have been known to ruin a shirt or two because of the juice that drips out if you aren’t expecting it.

Where did this recipe come from?

In one of the little towns where I lived, Arani, which is close to Cochabamba, the majority of the people spoke quechua. Quechua is a native language that is pretty cool, but it is pretty hard to speak and/or understand.

A lot of the people spoke both Spanish and Quechua, but some only spoke Quechua. While I was there, one of the members of the Church that cooked for us sometimes shared her recipe for Bolivia Salteñas with me. I wrote it down so that I could make them when I got home.

Like most of the paperwork and letters that I brought home from Bolivia, that recipe was buried in a notebook, in a box in my garage. When I was going through my things, I found the recipe on a piece of paper that I had written on all those years ago. I decided that I really wanted to try to make it.

So, I gathered up the ingredients, checked out a few other versions online to compare and make sure that I had the process down, and set out to make them. This post is the result and I have to say – they turned out very good!

I invite you to give these a try. Let me know in the comments below how it turned out!

Check out these other tasty recipes!

• Authentic Mexican Picadillo Recipe
• The Best Authentic Mexican Conchas Recipe
• Authentic Mexican Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad)
• Mexican Street Corn Recipe (Elotes Mexicanos)
• Authentic Mexican Birria Recipe (3 Methods)

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Bolivian Salteñas

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

For The Filling

• 1 pound ground beef 95% lean meat (or 2 chicken breasts)
• 1 Packet of unflavored gelatin
• 4 cups beef broth
• 3/4 stick butter
• 2 tablespoons turmeric or Achiote - ground or in paste form - you can find this in the Hispanic aisle at most grocery stores -
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 3 Large potatoes Diced
• 1 cup peas
• 1/2 cup parsley finely chopped
• 1/2 cup granulated white Sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• **Optional - 3 Hard Boiled Eggs Olives, Raisins

For the Dough

• 4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1 Stick of Butter melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups of boiling hot water
• 1-2 teaspoons of yellow food coloring.

Instructions

For the Filling

• Cook the diced potatoes in boiling water until cooked, but still firm.
• Melt the Butter together with the Achiote or ground turmeric until well combined and incorporated.
• Add the Onions and the Diced Potatoes and Season everything with the Cumin, Salt, Pepper, and Oregano.
• Add the Peas and the chopped Parsley and mix well.
• Add the Sugar and continue cooking for a couple of minutes.
• Add the already cooked and seasoned ground beef and stir well.
• Add the Beef Broth and Bring to a boil.
• Add the packet of unflavored gelatin, stir well, and remove from heat.
• Transfer to a large bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best, but not necessary).

For the Dough

• Combine the Flour, Sugar, and Salt together in a large mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add the yellow food coloring (this is to get the traditional color of the Salteña, which is actually obtained by adding a natural colorant that is only found in Bolivia).
• Add the Eggs Mixture to the Flour Mixture and mix until well combined.
• Add the hot (almost boiling) water to the mix and knead until a large, yellowish ball of dough is formed (it should not be too sticky, so add more flour if necessary).
• Let sit for about 10-20 minutes and then separate into smaller, more workable pieces.
• Roll out each piece on a flour surface and cut into large circles (about 6 inches in diameter and about 1/8 of an inch thick)

How to Make the Salteñas

• Preheat your oven to 500 degrees
• After you have rolled out a piece of dough to the indicated size, add a slice of hard boiled egg to the middle (an olive and raisins if desired) and about 1/4 cup of the filling (more if you are not adding the other filling ingredients).
• Wet the edges of the dough, and fold over the top, pinching the edges together.
• In order to ensure that the Salteñas do not open during the cooking process, pinch and twist the edges to form a "braided look." (This was the hardest part for me, so they don't look perfect, but just do it enough so that you create a strong seal).
• You can also beat an egg and brush the Salteñas with it right before baking to get a shinier look.
• Place on an aluminum foil lined baking pan, right side up, and bake for 15 minutes or until browned.
• Let sit for at least 10 minutes and then enjoy.

The post Bolivian Salteñas Recipe appeared first on My Latina Table.

Para Leer Esta Receta para Chilaquiles En Español, Haz Click Aqui

Chilaquiles come in an endless variety of flavors – red, green, and  guajillo salsa, to name a few. The name roughly mean to “be smothered in chilies”, which is in reference to the fried tortillas that are smothered in the salsa that is made from various dried chiles popular throughout Mexico. For me, red chilaquiles are basically breakfast nachos, and I love them!

To make some authentic red chilaquiles, you need to fry your own homemade tortilla chips. That said, in practice, many people use store bought chips and that works too!

Without a doubt, red chilaquiles with chicken is one of the meals that reminds me the most of growing up in Mexico. My mama would always cut the tortillas into little triangles and fry them and then on queue, my big brother and I would sneak in, grab a couple of them, and hide while we ate them.

This always seemed to annoy my mama and she would tell us to “stop eating all of the tortillas or the chilaquiles will never been ready to eat!” That usually was enough to convince us to return tortilla chips back, because of course we wanted the delicious chilaquiles, not just the chips!

To make the delicious red sauce for these chilaquiles, you need to combine the tomatoes, along with the dried chiles that have been de-veined, and boiled in water like in my Barbacoa Tacos recipe. Next, blend them in a blender before adding some additional seasonings and cooking over medium heat. Once cooked through, you submerge the tortilla chips in the salsa until they are completed covered.

You want to make sure that the red sauce is a little bit thick so that the chips don’t get too soggy. Of course that is up to you, as there are some people that like them that way. This chilaquiles recipe is an ideal breakfast for days when you have leftover chicken to use – and they are especially tasty when freshly cooked.

Knowing that everyone that I have made red chilaquiles for has loved it, I am happy to share my mama’s recipe so that you can enjoy it as much as I do! Let me know in the comments if you like it!

Products you may need for this chilaquiles recipe:

1. Blender. You will need a good blender for one of the steps. I recommend this one by BlendTec – it is awesome and gets everything to the perfect consistency.
2. Fryer. You can fry the tortillas in a pan with oil, but since you have to do a lot of them, it may be easier to use a fryer like this one.
3.  Guajillo Chiles. You can find these in many stores, or you can just make it easy and buy them here.

If you love these chilaquiles, you will also want to try these other Mexican favorites:

• Horchata
• Barbacoa Tacos
• Tinga Tostadas
• Guacamole
• Tacos al Pastor
• Shrimp Ceviche
• Charro Beans

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Chilaquiles Recipe with Homemade Salsa and Chicken

Chilaquiles made with a base of freshly cooked, homemade tortilla chips that are then submerged in a flavorful tomato and dried chile salsa, resulting in a delicious, smoky flavor.

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

• 10 Tortillas cut into triangles and friend in oil (you can use pre-made tortilla chips as well)
• 4 Fresh red tomatoes.
• 1-2 guajillo chiles de-veined and boiled in water.
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/4 onion
• salt and pepper to taste.

Accompaniments

• Shredded Chicken
• Cheese
• Crema
• Chopped Onions and Cilantro

Instructions

• Blend well the tomatoes, the garlic, the onion, and the chiles and cook over medium heat with a small amount of olive oil.
• Once cooked, add the fried tortilla chips to the skillet and submerge until every chip is well covered.
• Put the chips with the red sauce on a plate and top with chicken, crema, cheese, onion, and cilantro.

The post Chilaquiles Recipe with Homemade Salsa and Chicken appeared first on My Latina Table.

One of the most delicious, unique, and traditional Mexican dishes is without a doubt “el mole” (pronounced “mo-lay”).

When I was growing up I lived with my abuelita and she would always make the most delicious mole. I remember that it took all day, but the end result was more than worth it. I would always sit around in the kitchen and try to help her with whatever I could and she, being the patient, loving woman that she was, would always let me contribute in some way or another. While I have tried many different versions of mole, my abuelita’s will always be my favorite!

If you think it sounds strange, you might be right, but the flavors are so awesome and you can use it to make delicious enchiladas or as a salsa for just about any Mexican food. I think that everyone that enjoys Mexican food should try mole at some point – you may be surprised that you really love it!

This unique dish is made from a base of dry chiles, chocolate, and spices which give it an amazing flavor. There are many different versions and it is often prepared to celebrate birthdays and other special occasions. This dish is definitely full of flavor, but it goes without saying that making it from scratch is very complex and it requires a lot of time!

Fortunately, many food manufacturers have begun to create a pre-made version of the famous mole. Clearly, the flavor of the pre-made versions is definitely not the same as the made from scratch version, so for this recipe, I am going to show you a simple way to improve the flavor of the pre-made version so that you can get a more “made-from-scratch” flavor.

Mole can be served in many ways. Traditionally it is served with chicken, but it is also very delicious as an enchilada sauce, and that is the presentation that I am going to show you today.

This is probably one of my husband’s favorite Mexican foods, and when I made it for my sister-in-law the other day, she said it was one of the best things she has ever tried.

Hopefully that is enough to convince you to give this a shot –  and don’t forget to let me know how it turns out in the comments below.

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Fast and Easy Mexican Mole Enchiladas

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

• 1 box of Mole
• 1 ripe plantains
• 1 slice of white bread
• 1 to rtilla
• 2 to matoes
• 1/4 onion sliced
• 1/4 of one round of abuelita chocolate
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup of toasted almonds
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• 1 T of chicken bouillon
• Sugar amount varies depending on how sweet you want it
• Shredded Chicken Breast or Cooked and seasoned ground beef
• tortillas sliced onions and cheese.

Instructions

• Lightly fry the bread, tortilla, and banana in a frying pan with a small amount of oil.
• Once lightly fried, set aside and in the same pan saute/toast the onion, the chocolate, the almonds, the tomato, and the garlic cloves.
• Add everything to a blender with the chicken stock, the contents of the box of mole, and the chicken bouillon, and blend until everything is in liquid form.
• Add to a large covered pot and bring to a boil before lowering heat and allowing to simmer. Season with the sugar, pepper, and cumin to taste.
• Form the enchiladas by covering the lightly fried corn tortillas in the mole, then add the chicken or beef filling, roll up and top with cheese and onions (sauteed or raw).

The post Fast and Easy Mexican Mole Enchiladas appeared first on My Latina Table.

Para Leer en Español, Haz Click Aqui

A couple of years ago we were assigned to take a dish to a church activity with a potato theme.  We came up with this recipe for a buffalo chicken casserole, adding potatoes and cheese, and it turned out great!

There were a lot of great dishes that people took, but this Buffalo Chicken Casserole was definitely one of the favorites. We knew that was the case, because so many people asked for the recipe. 

The reason for the potato theme was because they were holding a “potato pinewood derby.” Everyone got a large potato and had to carve it and add wheels and other decals and stickers in order to make a potato-car. Then everyone got to race their potato cars down the pinewood derby tracks.

We ended up having one of the fastest cars and we actually were one of the top finalists! We actually made it to the championship race. Unfortunately, we fell a little bit short, coming in second place. In the end that didn’t matter because we had a lot of fun!

We came up with this recipe after some experimentation, and the result was great. We have since made a few changes to it, and I think that it is even better.

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Casserole

This meal is perfect for a nice, fast and easy meal. We love to make it during the holidays, like Christmas and Easter.

The first time we made this, we just used some regular buffalo sauce. It was good, but I always like to mix things up a little bit to see if I can make it even better. For this version of buffalo chicken casserole, we used the same buffalo sauce that we used on our popular homemade Buffalo Wings recipe. That made all the difference, and this is one of our favorites. 

After combining the chicken with the buffalo sauce and potatoes, you will top it with cheese, bacon, and green onions before baking. 

The combination of potatoes, cheese, bacon, and buffalo chicken is so yummy! I would love to hear how it turns out when you try it, so leave a comment below!

Check out these other delicious recipes

• Easy and Delicious Shepherds Pie Recipe
• Delicious Queso Fundido Strata Recipe with Chorizo
• Three Cheese Meat Lasagna Recipe
• Three Cheese Chicken Parmesan Recipe
• How To Make Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala
• Creamy Garlic and Basil Chicken Recipe

Products used in this Buffalo Chicken Casserole Recipe

• High-Quality Baking Dishes
• Sharp knives for cutting the chicken and the potatoes.

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Extra Cheesy, Buffalo Chicken, and Potato Casserole

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

• 5 Large Potatoes
• 2-3 Chicken Breasts
• 1/2 Cup of Molasses
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 1/2 bottle of buffalo sauce
• 1-2 cups of shredded cheese
• 1/2 cup of crumbled bacon
• 1-2 green onions
• Paprika Salt, Pepper, Cumin, Garlic Powder

Instructions

• Wash the potatoes and chop into small cubes.
• Season the potatoes with paprika, salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder and toss together.
• Make the buffalo sauce by melting the butter over medium heat and then adding the molasses and buffalo sauce. Let simmer for a couple of minutes.
• Pour 1/2 of the buffalo sauce over the potatoes and mix well.
• Put the potatoes on a baking pan and bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
• Cut the chicken into cubes, season the same was as the potatoes, and then combine with the remaining buffalo sauce, mix well.
• Cook the chicken on a skillet until cooked through.
• Combined the cooked chicken and the cooked potatoes in a large bowl with the shredded cheese and mix well.
• Pour the entire mixture into a glass baking dish and top with remaining cheese, crumbled bacon, and chopped green onion.
• Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

The post Buffalo Chicken Casserole With Potatoes and Extra Cheese appeared first on My Latina Table.

Being from Mexico, I know that fajitas, chicken or beef, are a practical and easy recipe that anyone that needs a great meal in a hurry can make, this recipe will definitely be a hit!

In the southern part of Mexico they are usually made with beef, and are sometimes called arracheras, but now there are many versions including those made with chicken and shrimp! Generally they are served with different types of salsas, like salsa verde, but for this recipe I want to try something different – a delicious, melted queso sauce.

What I love most about fajitas is that, besides being an easy meal to prepare, it is a great way to incorporate fresh and colorful ingredients. Also, this recipe is very versatile, meaning you can substitute the ingredients that you don’t have with others that are already in your refrigerator.

The secret to making these fajitas turn out as good as they do in restaurants is all in the seasoning and prep work. If you are able to marinate the chicken for a few hours, the flavors are even better. For the seasoning, you will need 2 cloves of garlic, 1/4 onion, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, paprika, 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of honey.

Blend all of the above ingredients together, and let the chicken marinate in it for  couple of hours. The next step is to cook the chicken with a little bit of olive oil, and when the chicken doesn’t have any pink left, add the sliced peppers and onion. You will want to watch the vegetables carefully so that they are not overcooked so that they maintain that characteristic “crunch.”

Once everything is cooked, serve over corn or flour tortillas, and top with the queso sauce (recipe below) and homemade guacamole.

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Chicken Fajitas with Creamy Cheese Sauce

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

For the Fajitas

• 3 Chicken Breasts cut into strips
• 1 Red Pepper sliced
• 1 Yellow Pepper sliced
• 1 Green Pepper sliced
• 1/2 onion sliced
• 1/4 onion chopped
• 1 T of each of the following: pepper cumin, paprika, oregano
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 T of white wine vinegar
• 2 T of honey
• salt to taste

For the Queso Sauce

• 1 Cup of whipping cream
• 2 T of butter
• 1/4 package of cream cheese
• 1 Cup of mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup of real Parmesan cheese
• Garlic powder and salt to taste.

Instructions

For the Fajitas

• Blend the spices, the honey, the white wine vinegar the garlic, and the chopped onion in a blender.
• Marinate the chicken in the above mixture in a plastic bag or a bowl for at least two hours.
• Cook the chicken with a small amount of olive oil until no pink is remaining.
• Add the vegetables and cook over medium heat until fully cooked.

For the Queso Sauce

• Melt the butter over medium heat and then add the whipping cream.
• Add the cream cheese, and stir until fully incorporated with the butter and whipping cream.
• Add the cheeses and season with garlic powder and salt.
• Let cook for a few minutes until the cheese is all completely melted and the desired consistency is reached.
• Serve with Corn or Flour Tortillas and top with the queso and homemade guacamole.

The post Chicken Fajitas with Creamy Queso appeared first on My Latina Table.

Inside: Calling all tacos lovers! This delicious recipe for authentic Mexican barbacoa tacos will quickly become one of your favorite Mexican recipes.

If you are looking for a truly authentic mexican dish, look no further. This traditional barbacoa recipe is one of the most delicious recipes you will find and it is always a hit whenever I make it. You can make it in a slow cookers, which is the method I will show you today, but you can also make it in an instant pot or another pressure cooker to make it more quickly.

The first time my husband (then my boyfriend) visited me in Mexico, this Mexican barbacoa recipe was one of his favorites. They say a way to man’s heart is through his stomach, and that was definitely the case for us! Now, many years later, the whole family loves barbacoa and we make it often.

The marinade for this recipe is what makes for truly tender beef which is perfect for taco night.

What is Barbacoa?

Authentic barbacoa is a very traditional Mexican meal consisting of shredded meat, and a tasty marinade made from a base of dried chiles. Barbacoa meat almost always makes an appearance at birthdays, baptisms, weddings, sports events, and more.

To be honest, it’s pretty easy to come up with a “reason” to make it. Although it may seem complicated, it really is a pretty easy recipe to make if you follow the instructions closely (see the recipe card below).

Even though there are many different ways to serve this easy barbacoa recipe, my favorite is with tacos. Letting the meat marinate for a longer time gives it extra flavor, which is why I recommend marinating it over night if you can, so plan accordingly.

So what makes barbacoa so delicious? It’s simple – the combination of dried chilies and spices makes for very flavorul meat and is one of my favorite things to make.

What do you serve with authentic Barbacoa?

Like I said, above, my favorite way to serve this authentic barbacoa beef recipe is in a tortilla as a taco, but you can also serve it as a standalone dish with some tasty Mexican side dishes. I almost always serve it with a creamy poblano pasta, homemade salsa, and freshly made tortillas.

If you are making it with tacos, all you need to do is get some corn tortillas, warm them up, and add the barbacoa meat, fresh cilantro, salsa, fresh lime juice and diced onions. You will not believe how delicious this is, so next time you want to make tacos, this homemade barbacoa should be high on your list.

This meat is very versatile, so you can also serve it in a burrito bowl with black beans, sour cream, cilantro lime rice and a flour tortilla on the side. I have also seen people use this delicious barbacoa beef in taco salads. The important thing is to make the meat right, and then you can really use your imagination for how to serve it!

How to Prepare The Dried Chilies For Barbacoa

On the internet, you can find tons of different barbacoa recipes, and you will also find that lots of people will complain that it is not the original way that it is supposed to be made. While I do believe that it is fine to make it in different ways, all authentic Mexican barbacoa recipes have to have dried chilies.

Have you ever asked yourself what those dried chilies that you see at the grocery store are used for? If so, I have the answer for you. Dried chiles are an important part of Mexican cuisine and form the base for many salsa and marinades. I am going to show you below how to prepare them so that you will be prepared to make this recipe and more!

I know that using these chilies in a recipe may seem intimidating at first. Don’t worry though. After reading this post, you will be an expert at preparing chiles for this recipe and more. To soften the dried chilies, first you need to take out the seeds and the stem.

Once removed, add them to a pot or pan with 1 cup of water, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 tomato, and 1/4 of a large onion. Then let boil for 5-7 minutes before draining the excess water. At this point, the chiles are ready to be used in your recipe. See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?

How do you make this recipe?

As I said above, you can make this recipe in an instant pot, slow cooker, over the stove, in the oven, in a dutch oven, or even over an open fire. The cooking process is basically the same regardless of the method, so keep reading to find out how to make it.

You will use about two pound of beef. I like to use beef brisket, but you can also use beef chuck roast, or another cut of beef like beef cheeks.

Then, you will need to make the marinade, which is the key to having flavorful meat and which consists of the following ingredients:

• Juice from 3 Oranges and 2 Limes
• 1l4 large onion (a red onion or white is fine).
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp of black pepper
• 2 tbsp of oregano
• Dried thyme
• 1 tbsp of cumin
• 1/3 cup of white vinegar

Combine all of the above ingredients, mix well and pour over the meat in a large bowl. Cover and marinade over night if you can, but at least for an hour or two.

When ready to cook, you will add the meat to the slow cooker and cook on high heat for about 3 hours or until fork tender. After that, it is time to make the barbacoa sauce for the final part of the process. The sauce includes these ingredients:

• 2-3 bay leaves
• Fresh thyme
• Avocado leaves (optional)
• 3 clove of garlic
• salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano to taste
• 10 guajillo chiles
• 1/4 onion
• 1 tomato
• juice from 1 orange and 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons of white vinegar
• beef stock or water

Prepare the chiles as shown above, cooking them with the tomatoes, garlic, and onion in a cup of water. Next, add the mixture to a blender and add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, salt, black pepper to taste, and 1/4 cup of beef stock or water and the rest of the ingredients shown above.

Once everything has been blended together, pour the entire mixture through a strainer directly onto the shredded beef (cooked separately – see recipe below) and let it cook for at least two additional hours).

That wasn’t so hard now was it? Believe me, the sauce makes all the difference between a sub-par barbacoa and an authentic barbacoa recipe. Also, don’t worry – the dried chilies aren’t very spicy at all, so this is not a spicy recipe.

If you like it spicy though, be sure to accompany it with a delicious salsa verde.

Let me know in the comments below how this turns out for you!

Check Out These Other Authentic Mexican Recipes

• Authentic Mexican Entomatadas Recipe with Chicken
• Authentic Mexican Chiles En Nogada Recipe
• Authentic Mexican Salsa Ranchera Recipe
• Authentic Mexican Meatballs Recipe (Albondigas Mexicanas)
• How to Make Authentic Mexican Tamales
• Authentic Mexican Carne Asada
• Authentic Mexican Birria Recipe (3 Methods)

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Barbacoa Tacos

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

For the Marinade

• 2 Pounds of Beef I usually use brisket, but it is common to use other meats such as cheekmeat as well
• Juice from 3 oranges and 2 Limes
• 1/4 large onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 Tbsp of black pepper
• 2 Tbsp of Oregano
• Dried Thyme
• 1 Tbsp of Cumin
• 1/3 Cup of White Vinegar

To Cook the Meat

• 2-3 bay leaves
• Fresh Thyme
• Avocado leaves optional - you can find them in the Hispanic section of your local supermarket
• 3 cloves of garlic
• Salt Pepper, Cumin, and Oregano to taste
• 10 Guajillo chiles or California chilies as you will find them in the US.
• 1/4 Onion
• 1 Tomato
• Juice from 1 orange
• Juice from 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons of white vinegar
• 1/4 Cup beef stock or water

For the Tacos

• Tortillas
• Lime
• Finely chopped onions
• Finely chopped cilantro
• Salsa Verde

Instructions

• Combine all of the marinade ingredients and pour over the meat. Put in the refrigerator over night.
• Place the meat in a slow cooker, and dispose of the marinade.
• Add juice from 1 orange, mixed with the juice from 1 lime and a small amount of white vinegar. Then add the salt, pepper, cumin and oregano, and finally the bay leaves, the thyme, and the avocado leaves .
• Cook on the high setting of your slow cooker for 3 hours or until fork tender.
• Shred the meat, and return to the slow cooker
• In a small pot, cook the chilies, the tomatoes, the garlic, and the onion in one cup of water (as shown in the post), blend together and pour through a strainer directly onto the shredded beef. It helps to use a wooden spoon to push down on the mixture so that as much liquid as possible comes out of the strainer. You can use some additional water if the mixture is too thick to strain. 
• Cook on the low setting for 1-2 more hours.

The post Barbacoa Tacos appeared first on My Latina Table.

One of my favorite parts of starting each new year, is having the opportunity to start fresh. I love being able to sit back and reflect on everything that happened the year before and to set goals for the year to come.

 Last year my husband and I were determined to improve our overall health by eating better and exercising more. We both were able to make great progress, but there is always room for even more improvement. This year, we really want to make an effort to live a more fresh and new life – one aspect of this is to be more relaxed and to look for the positive in our lives.

 One thing that really helps me to relax and to focus is when the house smells great. I have posted in the past about Glade® Wax Melts and how they are perfect for spreading a great scent throughout the house. During the holidays we always used these products to keep the house smelling great when we had family and friends over.

Now that it is a new year, and we are focusing on a fresh start, I have been using a new scent – these Glade® Clean Linen® scented Wax Melts are perfect! They fill the home with freshness and helps me remember my goals. Each cube provides up to 16 hours of fragrance, so it is great to put on in the morning to have a fresh smelling home all day. Click here for a coupon and make sure to follow Glade® on Twitter for the latest products updates and more.

Another focus that we have is to eat food with more fresh ingredients. We started doing this last year, but sometimes it was really hard. The key for us was to remember that you don’t have to come up with completely new recipes. Instead, you can replace ingredients in those recipes with fresher ingredients. Today I want to share a simple example of taking a traditionally not-so-healthy recipe and giving it a fresh twist.

 One of our favorite foods to have for dinner are tostadas. I grew up eating this in Mexico, so naturally I continued making them with my own family. I will always remember the time we were in Mexico and my husband ate about 6 or 7 of them! My mama didn’t listen to me when I told her not to give him any more – she said something to the effect of “let the man eat!” While we eat these a couple of times per month, we definitely realize that they aren’t the healthiest food around. Traditionally they are made on fried tortillas, with media crema, mozzarella or panela queso, refried beans, and more.

The fresh version of tostadas, or “tostadas frescas” are made with the following ingredients:

1. Baked tortillas instead of fried;
2. Freshly chopped lettuce;
3. Homemade pico de gallo;
4. Homemade salsa roja;
5. Leftover, shredded turkey;
6. Feta cheese instead of panela;
7. Plain, low fat yogurt instead of media crema; and
8. Freshly cut avocado slices; and
9. No Beans!

Baking the tortillas is great because it removes a lot of the fat and grease from the finished tostada. They taste just as good, but are much better for you. Just bake them at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes, flipping once halfway through.

For the pico de gallo, simply combine finely chopped tomatoes, onions, and cilantro with a pinch of salt and lime.

Using yogurt instead of the media crema is just another option for making this taste even more fresh.

 They key to this recipe is to use as many fresh ingredients as possible – that means that you should avoid pre-packaged, processed foods. For example, if you do decide to use beans, you should make homemade beans instead of canned.

Of course the final tostada is simple to make – start with the baked tortillas, add the shredded turkey, and then layer on the rest of the fresh ingredients before enjoying!

This great recipe is simple, easy and uses fresh ingredients to help kickoff the New Year right. Between these tostadas and the wonderful scent of Glade® Clean Linen® scented Wax Melts I know I will feel invigorated in 2016. Are you trying to live a more fresh and new life this year with the help of Glade®? Let me know what you are trying in the comments.

The post Tostadas Frescas appeared first on My Latina Table.