mexican Archives - My Latina Table

Authentic Salsa de Cacahuate (Mexican Spicy Peanut Salsa)

Charbel Barker — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 12:55:37 +0000

Inside: This spicy peanut salsa (salsa de cacahuate) is not for the faint of heart with its spicy, but delicious flavor. Learn how to make it today!

Spicy peanut salsa, or salsa de cachuate in Spanish, is one of the many different types of spicy salsas that Mexico is known for, like this salsa macha. Of course there are mild salsas also, and most can be made more mild depending on how many chilies you add. For example, this salsa verde can be made very spicy or quite mild depending on how many and what type of peppers you add.

This one, however, is going to be pretty spicy no matter what because of the addition of arbol chiles, which are at least 6 times hotter than a jalapeno.

If you are a fan of spicy food and spicy salsas, then this is for you and you will love the smoky flavor and creamy texture.

What is Spicy Peanut Salsa (Salsa de Cacahuate)?

Spicy peanut salsa is a spicy, creamy salsa that goes perfectly with your favorite Mexican “antojitos” or street food. For example, this goes great with tostadas, empanadas, flautas, or just as a spicy dipping sauce with freshly cooked tortilla chips.

This sauce gets its spicy and smoky flavor from the chile de arbol, which is a super spicy pepper that measures between 15,000 and 60,000 on the scoville scale! It has a deep, smoky flavor as well which just takes this recipe to the next level.

This traditional salsa also include roasted peanuts which serve to control the heat a little bit of this spicy salsa.

How do you make Mexican spicy peanut sauce?

Spicy peanut salsa is made with a combination of spicy and smoky ingredients, that are roasted in a skillet before being blended together to form a perfectly creamy and spicy salsa. To make it, you will need to gather the following ingredients:

Unsalted peanuts
Chiles de arbol, dried arbol chiles. You can vary how much you use depending on how hot you want it.
Garlic cloves
White onion
Roma tomato
Vegetable oil, olive oil, or another neutral oil
Chicken bouillon
Salt
A cup of water

Start by heating a large skillet over medium heat and add a squirt of oil. Add the peanuts to the hot oil and fry them for about 5 minutes, moving them constantly so they don’t burn. Next, add the chiles de árbol until they start to change color. You will notice that they have a very pungent smell. I recommend doing this step with the windows up and if you have a vent hood, make sure it is turned on high. The smell can be difficult for people who are roasting arbol chilies for the first time, but if you follow my advice, you should be fine.

After a few minutes, remove the peanuts and chiles from the heat and set aside.

In the same pan, add the tomato, that you have cut into 4 pieces, and then add the onion and garlic also. Cook until softened and then add to a blender or food processor with the chiles and peanuts, chicken bouillon, salt, and water and blend until it reaches your desired consistency. If you do not have chicken bouillon, you can replace it and the water with a cup of chicken broth.

Add the resuulting salsa to a bowl and serve immediately. You can also store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about a week if you want to cook it in advance.

This is definitely one of my favorite recipes when I am looking for a spicy salsa. If it has too much heat, go ahead and use less arbol chiles. You can also replace them with a milder chile like the guajillo chile, ancho chiles, or chipotle chiles, but this will change the flavor a little bit.

Check out these other Mexican Salsa recipes

Authentic Spicy Peanut Salsa (Salsa de Cacahuate)

This spicy peanut salsa (salsa de cacahuate) is not for the faint of heart with its spicy, but delicious flavor. Learn how to make it today!

Course Appetizer, salsa, Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword authentic salsa, hot salsa, peanuts, spicy

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings Tablespoons

Calories 34kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Peanuts Unsalted
1 Handful Chile de arbol
2 Garlic Cloves
1/4 White Onion
1 Roma Tomato Large
1 Tbsp Oil
1 Tsp Chicken Bouillon
1 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Water

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil.
Add the peanuts and toast for about 5 minutes, moving them around constantly so they don't burn.
Add the chiles de arbol and continue cooking for a few more minutes until they take on a slightly darker color. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Cut the tomato into four pieces and add to the pan where you cooked the peanuts and chiles with the onion and garlic and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until it reaches your desired consistency. If you want a thinner salsa, you can add additional water.
Serve with your favorite foods or just with tortilla chips.

Nutrition

The post Authentic Salsa de Cacahuate (Mexican Spicy Peanut Salsa) appeared first on My Latina Table.

Authentic Mexican Hot Dogs

Charbel Barker — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 13:02:26 +0000

Inside: These Mexican hot dogs are filled with cheese, wrapped in a strip of bacon, and topped with delicious ingredients like pico de gallo and caramelized onions.

When you think of Mexican food, your mind probably doesn’t go directly to hot dogs. In fact, when people think of hot dogs, they probably think of it more as an American classic or something that you eat in Germany. With that said, hot dogs are very popular in Mexico, and of course, we have our own unique way of making them!

These Mexican style hot dogs are so good and so easy to make. Whenever I make them for my family, they tell me that they are the best hot dogs they have every tried. These not so ordinary hot dogs are sold by street vendors throughout Mexico and have many variations. The good thing though, is that you can make them at home very easily as well for a nice easy meal on a weeknight.

What are Mexican street dogs?

Mexican hot dogs are different from a classic hot dog, because of the unique way of making and topping them. For example, I always slice them down the middle and fill them with cheese, before wrapping them in bacon and grilling them. This alone gives them something extra even before I add my favorite toppings like pico de gallo, yellow mustard, grilled onions, ketchup, and chiles en vinagre (escabeche). It is important to have a nice soft buns as well to keep it all together.

What kind of toppings do you put on a Mexican-style hot dog?

The sky is the limit with this delicious recipe. Many Mexicans really like spicy food, so it is normal to see different types of peppers like jalapenos, serrano peppers, habanero peppers, and more. With that said, you can omit those if you don’t like it spicy. If you still want some similar, you can add a mild pepper like green, yellow, or red bell peppers. These have a great flavor and give the hot dogs the classic look of Mexican food.

Here are some examples of toppings you can find on these tasty hot dogs:

Pico de gallo
grilled white onions or red onion
cotija cheese
queso fresco
hot sauce
fresh salsa
mexican crema

Those are just some examples, but the important thing that makes a hot dog Mexican is that it has a lot of tasty toppings!

How do you make Mexican hot dogs?

Like many great recipes, these hot dogs are simple to prepare. Start by gathering the following ingredients to cook the hot dogs:

Hot dog buns
Hot dogs (all beef or whatever variety you prefer)
Bacon
Mozzarella, manchego, or gouda cheese sticks
Tomatoes
White Onion
Jalapenos
Worcestershire Sauce
Salt
Vegetable oil

Mexican hot dog ingredients

Now that you have those ingredients, you will dice the tomatoes, and slice the jalapenos and onions, setting them aside. Next, slice the hot dogs down the middle (don’t cut all the way through), and add a slice of cheese in the middle. Then wrap each hot dog in bacon. You can use toothpicks to keep them in place while cooking if desired.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a squirt of oil. Add the hot dogs and cook them for a few minutes on each side until the bacon is cooked. Remove from the skillet and set aside on a plate with a paper towel.

In the same skillet, add the tomatoes, jalepenos, worcestershire sauce and salt and cook until the onions are caramelized. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Now it is time to put the hot dogs together. Grab a soft bun from the bag and heat it if desired, and then add a hot dog to each one. Next, you will top with the caramelized onion, tomato, and jalapeno mixture. At this point, you can add whatever toppings you want. I included a list of options above, but you should decide what you want to add based on your own tastes. It is normal to add ketchup, mayo (or crema) and mustard on the top, but that is up to you!

There you have it – a Mexican hot dog. The first time you try this, I am sure you will fall in love. Let me know in the comments below how it turns out.

Mexican Hot Dogs

These Mexican hot dogs are filled with cheese, wrapped in a strip of bacon, and topped with delicious ingredients like pico de gallo and caramelized onions.

Course Main Course, street food

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword Mexican hot dogs, street food

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 8

Total Time 13

Servings Hot Dogs

Calories 524kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

8 Hot Dog Buns
8 Hot Dogs
8 Slices Bacon
8 Mozzarella Cheese Sticks Mozzarella, manchego, or Gouda
2 Roma Tomatoes
1 Onion
2 Jalapeno Peppers
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Salt To taste

Toppings

1 cup Escabeche
Mayonnaise
Ketchup
Mustard
Onions diced
Hot sauce

Instructions

Dice the tomatoes and slice the jalapenos and onions, set aside
Cut each hot dog down the middle, being careful not to cut all the way through.
Fill each hot dog with a cheese stick and then wrap in bacon, using a toothpick to keep it in place while cooking if needed.
Add the vegetable oil to a large skillet and set at medium heat. Grill each hot dog until the bacon is cooked and then remove and set aside.
In the same skillet, add the tomatoes, jalapenos, and onions and cook until the onions are carmelized. Set aside.
Warm the buns and then prepare the hot dog by adding one to each bun and topping with the caramelized onion mixture from above.
Add your favorite toppings and serve hot.

Nutrition

The post Authentic Mexican Hot Dogs appeared first on My Latina Table.

Arroz Verde Recipe (Mexican Green Rice with Poblano Peppers)

Charbel Barker — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 14:40:29 +0000

Inside: Find out how to make arroz verde, or Mexican green rice, which is an authentic Mexican side dish that you will love.

Rice is an important staple in cuisines all around the world, but especially in Mexican cuisine. There are so many different varieties that you can make, and they are a perfect side dish since it is filling, inexpensive, and delicious. The most well-known Mexican-style rice is probably the Mexican red rice variety, which you can find here.

It is definitely a great option, but today I want to share this arroz verde recipe. It is also known as “arroz a la poblana,” because it is made with poblano peppers and has a vibrant green color.

What is Mexican Arroz Verde?

Mexican arroz verde (or Mexican green rice recipe) is a simple side dish that goes great with your favorite Mexican dishes. It gets its green colors from the combination of poblano chiles and cilantro, which are a couple of the tasty ingredients that you will need to make it.

The poblano pepper is a dark green, medium sized chile that is pretty mild compared to other chiles in Mexico. It gets its name from the city of Puebla in Mexico and is used in so many different recipes.

What you may not know, is that when the poblano pepper is dried, it takes on a dark red color and is known as chile ancho, which is also used in a lot of Mexican food and that you can even buy online here.

What kind of rice should you use for Mexican rice?

The best kind of rice to use for Mexican rice (arroz verde or rojo) is the kind that you have available! That said, it is most common to use white rice for this recipe. It is usually pretty easy to find and it absorbs the flavors of this recipe quite well to make sure that you have a good result.

With that said, if you don’t have it available, you can use one of the many varieties of rice that are available at most stores like basmati rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, or something else.

How do you make Arroz Verde?

To make arroz verde, you simply fry the rice in oil or butter and then add green purée that I will show you how to make below and let it continue to cook over low heat until it is fluffy. There are a few other steps and ingredients as well, but that is the basic process.

The ingredients that you will need are the following:

White long grain rice
Butter
Corn
Poblano peppers
Fresh cilantro
Onion
Garlic Cloves
Chicken broth or chicken stock
Chicken bouillon

Start by washing the rice well with hot water until the water starts coming out clear. This is important to make sure that you get rid of any debris from the cultivation process.

For the poblano puree, wash the poblano peppers and cut one of them into thin strips and set them aside for later. Next, take the other poblanos and cut them into larger pieces and add to a blender or food processor with the cilantro, onion, one clove of garlic, bouillon, and chicken broth. Strain this mixture and then set it aside.

To make the rice, melt the butter in a large saucepan or a large pot and add the poblano pepper strips that you set aside earlier, and the other garlic clove and cook for about 2 minutes. Next, add the rice and fry for about 3-4 minutes, moving constantly. Next add the corn and let cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the poblano mixture from above and cooking over medium high heat until it comes to a boil.

Once it starts to boil, lower the heat and let it cook for 20 minutes uncovered or until all of the liquid has evaporated. At this point, you should have a nice fluffy rice that you can serve with your next Mexican meal.

What do you serve with Arroz Verde?

Arroz verde can be serve in many different ways, but my favorite way is as a side dish for a main meal that has a tasty sauce. That way, the rice can help absorb some of the sauce and it just tastes great. Some great options are barbacoa, birria, and Mexican meatballs.

You can also use this recipe in a burrito bowls, or alongside your favorite tacos. Some people will just eat it on its own as a main dish, which is a great option as well.

However you decide to serve it, it is sure to be a hit. Let me know in the comments below how it turns out.

Arroz Verde (Mexican Green Rice Recipe)

This authentic Mexican arroz verde is a perfect side dish for any occasion.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Arroz verde, Mexican Rice, rice

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings 1/4 cup servings

Calories 208kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups White Rice
1 Stick Butter
1 Can Corn
3 Poblano Peppers
1/2 Bunch Cilantro
2 Garlic Cloves
1/4 White Onion
2 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Tbsp Chicken Bouillon
Salt to taste

Instructions

Start by washing the rice well with hot water until the water starts coming out clear. This is important to make sure that you get rid of any debris from the cultivation process.
Wash the poblano peppers and cut one of them into thin strips and set them aside for later. Next, take the other poblanos and cut them into larger pieces and add to a blender or food processor with the cilantro, onion, one clove of garlic, bouillon, and chicken broth. Strain this mixture and then set it aside.
To make the rice, melt the butter in a large saucepan or a large pot and add the poblano pepper strips that you set aside earlier, and the other garlic clove and cook for about 2 minutes.
Next, add the rice and fry for about 3-4 minutes, moving constantly. Next add the corn and let cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the poblano mixture from above and cooking over medium high heat until it comes to a boil.
Once it starts to boil, lower the heat and let it cook for 20 minutes uncovered or until all of the liquid has evaporated. At this point, you should have a nice fluffy rice that you can serve with your next Mexican meal.

Nutrition

The post Arroz Verde Recipe (Mexican Green Rice with Poblano Peppers) appeared first on My Latina Table.

Rosca de Reyes Recipe (Kings Day Bread)

Charbel Barker — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 15:32:21 +0000

Inside: Learn all of the steps for making a traditional Rosca de Reyes (Kings Day Bread) that everyone will enjoy for years to come.

Para Leer en Espanol, Haz Click Aqui

What is Rosca de Reyes?

The Rosca de Reyes, or Kings Day Bread, is a traditional, orange-flavored bread that is adorned with dried fruit and that is primarily consumed around January 5th and 6th during the Kings Day celebrations.

The main flavor profile is orange, which is infused into the bread by adding orange zest to the dough. That said, the flavor can vary and some people even fill it with sweetened cream cheese, jelly, caramel, chocolate or dried fruit.

You will find Rosca de Reyes in every bakery throughout Mexico as Kings Day (or Dia de Los Reyes) approaches in January. They come in many different sizes and varieties as well.

The great thing is that people can add their own style and tastes to the decorations. For example, some people add figs, cherries, quince, citron, and even nuts! The only limit is your own imagination.

Cutting and Sharing the Rosca de Reyes

One of the best parts about making a Rosca de Reyes is participating in the traditions that go with it. Inside of each Rosca de Reyes, the baker adds little white figurines, which represents the baby Jesus. *It is hard to find the traditional small white ones here in the US, but you can find some options here.*

According to the tradition, whoever finds one of the figurines in the piece of Rosca that they cut, is obligated to make Tamales for everyone else to celebrate “Dia de la Candelaria”, which is another Mexican holiday celebrated on February 2nd.

This is one of the best parts about sharing the Rosca de Reyes with your friends and families. It is so fun to watch everyone cut their piece, hoping that they don’t pull out the little white figurine!

If you do happen to pull it out though, we have you covered – click here for our savory tamales recipe and here for our sweet tamales recipe.

Celebrating Dia de Los Reyes

As the tradition goes, on the Dia de Los Reyes (or King Day), we celebrate the arrival of the three wise men, who were guided by a star to receive the baby Jesus together with his mother Maria, and his father Joseph.

The wise men took three gifts, which were carefully selected and which had important meanings. The three gifts were Gold, Frankincense, and Myrhh.

In Mexico, millions of little kids anxiously await the arrival of the three wise men after Christmas has passed, to receive gifts just like baby Jesus did after his birth. Those days are filled with magic and excitement and so many wonderful memories are created as a family.

You will see entire families participating in making the Rosca de Reyes, and then enjoying it together later with hot chocolate or atole. At the same time as this is going on, the little kids get ready for bed in eager anticipation of the gifts that they hope to receive.

Without a doubt, it is one of the most beautiful and special traditions in Mexico. I remember picking grass from my great-grandparents’ yard to put in a shoe box so that the wise men could feed it to their animals after traveling such a long distance!

Of course, it was even more exciting to wake up the next day and see what they had left me inside that same shoe box! I miss those days of innocence, and of course, I am so excited to be able to share these traditions with my own kids and (in the future) grandkids!

I hope you enjoy this recipe and are able to have fun with this tradition that millions of people around the world hold so dear.

Let me know how it turns out in the comments below!

Here are some other great traditional Mexican recipe you can serve on Kings Day

Rosca de Reyes (Kings Day Bread)

Learn all of the steps for making a traditional Rosca de Reyes (Kings Day Bread) that everyone will enjoy for years to come.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword dia de reyes, holidays, rosca

Prep Time 3

Cook Time 30

Total Time 3 30

Servings Pieces

Calories 375kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

For the Dough

4 1/4 Cup Flour
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
5 Large Eggs (At Room Temperature) (One will be used as an egg wash to brush onto the Rosca before baking)
2 Egg Yolks At Room Temperature
1 tbsp Vanilla extract
Orange Zest from 1 1/2 large oranges
1 1/4 Bars Butter At Room Temperature
Leavening Mixture From Below

For the Leavening Mixture

1/2 Cup Milk warm
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 1/2 tbsp Active Dry Yeast

For the Sugar Paste (Used To Decorate the Rosca)

1/2 Cup Butter At Room Temperature
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Egg Yolk At Room Temperature

Decorations

1-5 Baby Jesus Figurines (Use more if you have more people so that they can work together on the tamales)
Red or Green Cherries Optional
Dried Figs Optional
Red or Green Quince Paste Cut Into Long Strips (You can find this in the hispanic aisle at many grocery stores - look for "pasta de membrillo") Optional
Candied Orange Peel Optional
Granulated Sugar Optional
Sugar Paste (Instructions Above)

Instructions

For the Leavening Mixture

Add the sugar and the flour in a large bowl with the warm milk, and mix well until there are no lumps remaining.
Add the Active Dry Yeast and mix well with the other ingredients.
Put the bowl in a warm place and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes until it ferments and has doubled in size. Set aside to use for the dough.

For the Sugar Paste

Add all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well until completely integrated and a paste is formed. Set aside.

For the Dough

Mix the flour, the sugar, and the salt in a large bowl and mix well. Once completely mixed, remove the dough to a flat service and form a volcano shape (See image).
In the middle section of the dough, add 4 of the eggs and both egg yolks and mix together, adding a little bit of surrounding flour. Add the butter, the vanilla, the orange zest, and the leavening mixture from above, and mix well by hand.
The dough will be very sticky at first, but do not add more flour. Knead by hand for about 20 minutes until an even and smooth dough is formed. (The kneading process can be difficult, so if you don't have enough time, you can add the ingredients to a stand mixer after a few minutes and finish it there).
Once the dough is formed and kneaded, gather it into a large ball and place it in a large, pre-greased bowl. Add additional vegetable oil to the top of the ball so that it doesn't dry out. Cover with plastic wrap so that no air enters and let it rise for 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Once the dough has doubled in size, remove it to a flat, floured surface, and knead into a long, even rope (see image above).
On the part of the dough rope that will be placed down on the baking sheet, insert the baby Jesus figurines. Make sure that they do not come out the top, since they need to be hidden when the Rosca is finished.
Once you have added the figurines, place the dough on a pre-greased baking sheet in a large circle or rectangular shape (see images). Let rise for one more hour.
Once the dough has risen for an hour, beat the remaining egg and brush it over the top of all of the dough. This will give the Rosca the shiny look after it has baked and it helps when adding the decorations prior to baking.
Take some of the sugar paste from the instructions above, flatten it and add it to different sections of the Rosca (see image).
Decorate as desired and bake at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) for 25 minutes, or until it is golden brown.
Let cool and enjoy with hot chocolate or atole.

Notes

The Baby Jesus Figurines can be hard to find outside of Mexico. I found them on E-Bay. If you can't find them, you can always just use some other item that is oven-safe. The important part is that there is something inside the bread that you can find.

Nutrition

The post Rosca de Reyes Recipe (Kings Day Bread) appeared first on My Latina Table.

The Best Authentic Mexican Guacamole Recipe

Charbel Barker — Tue, 01 May 2018 13:00:31 +0000

Inside: Learn how to make this delicious, homemade, and authentic Guacamole recipe with simple ingredients that my Abuela taught me how to make when I was growing up in Mexico. Also, Bonus tips for how to keep guacamole from turning brown.

Para Español, Haz Click Aquí.

Guacamole is a staple of Mexican cuisine. Although it is pretty simple to make, it can be tough to get the perfect flavor. With this authentic Mexican recipe, though, you will be an expert in no time.

Some of my favorite memories from my youth are when I would spend time cooking with my abuelita (grandma). She didn’t have any daughters of her own (she had 10 boys though), and that is why she always loved spending time with her granddaughters. My sister and I had the privilege of growing up in close proximity to her. That gave us the opportunity to learn so much from her.

Every day at dinner time it was like a party – lots of people, lots of food, and lots of smiles. One of the most requested appetizers was always this homemade guacamole. My Abuela had an avocado tree in her yard that grew some of the biggest avocados that I have ever seen. That, combined with this delicious recipe, made for some amazing guac.

I saw her make this recipe more times than I can remember. That’s why I already had the recipe memorized by the time I was about 7 years old. I always looked forward to gathering the avocados from the tree each day, and I was always thrilled when she asked me to make the guacamole.

What Ingredients Do You Need to Make Guacamole?

This guacamole recipe is also great because it only contains fresh, nutritious ingredients, and it only takes about 10 minutes or less to make! All you need for this particular recipe is the following:

Avocado
Cilantro
Onion
Jalapeno (optional)
Lime Juice
Salt
Tomato

This will be perfect to take to that next get-together where you are supposed to bring something. Your guests will love it!

I can’t think of any time when I have made this recipe where people didn’t ask for the recipe. It must be the combination of authentic flavors, choosing quality avocados, and making it with lots of love.

How Do You Choose The Perfect Avocado For a Perfect Guac?

Speaking of using fresh avocados, it is super important to choose an avocado that is not too firm, but also not too soft. Make sure you give it a quick (gentle) squeeze at the store before buying it. There should be a little bit of give to it, but it shouldn’t feel too soft. If it doesn’t have any give at all, then it is probably too firm. If you aren’t planning on making the guacamole for a day or two, then the firmer avocado will do, but just make sure that you plan ahead.

How Do You Keep Guacamole From Turning Brown?

One of the most common questions that people ask me about guacamole, is how to keep it from turning brown? You know the feeling – you worked so hard making guacamole, only to have it turn brown right when it is time to eat.

There are a couple of different ways that I have found that really seem to work.

Add the pit of the avocado to the guacamole dish.
Add an extra teaspoon of lime juice.
Cover in plastic wrap.

I would recommend doing all three if you can, but remember, as much as you try, the guacamole is going to turn brown if you don’t eat it relatively soon after making it, so plan ahead!

I am so glad that you made it to my site and are getting ready to try this guacamole recipe. It really is easy, but if you have any questions or run into any issues, please feel free to leave me a comment below! If you love this recipe, please rate it with 5 stars at the end of your comment!

Try These Other Authentic Mexican Recipes:

Products Used For This Recipe

Molcajete. This is a small stone bowl that is used all the time in Mexico for making fresh salsas and guacamole. It makes it really easy to mash the avocados and is a great serving bowl as well! You can get one here to try out for yourself.
Food Chopper: You will need to chop up some veggies for this recipe, so it is helpful to have a food chopper like this one on hand. It makes everything so much easier!

Homemade Mexican Guacamole Recipe

Guacamole recipe - homemade, authentic Mexican version with simple ingredients that my abuela taught me how to make.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword appetizer, guacamole, mexican food

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings tablespoons

Calories 79kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados
1/4 onion finely chopped
1 jalapeno finely chopped (optional)
1/4 cup Cilantro finely chopped
1-2 teaspoons of lime juice
salt to taste
1-2 tomato finely chopped

Instructions

Peel the avocado and remove the core.
Mash the avocado in a molcajete until it reaches your desired consistency
Add the onion, jalapeno, cilantro and tomato and mix well.
Add lime juice and salt to taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tbsp | Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g

The post The Best Authentic Mexican Guacamole Recipe appeared first on My Latina Table.

Jicama and Cucumber Slaw with Sweet and Spicy Dressing

Charbel Barker — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 03:33:55 +0000

This Jicama and Cucumber Slaw is a perfect side dish for all of your summer favorites – it is fresh, crunchy, and delicious.

Para Leer en Espanol, Haz Click Aqui.

Cinco de Mayo festivities are almost here! In celebration of that, I want to share a recipe with you today that uses a very Mexican ingredient – Jicama.

This recipe is perfect for the sunny days that are on their way – it is fresh, crunchy, healthy, and delicious. You can use it as a side dish for pretty much any dish, as a standalone meal, or as a topping for these delicious fish tacos.

Jicama looks somewhat like an onion, but it is much larger and the taste is much different as well. It is juicy, crunchy, and sweet. In Mexico, we tend to eat it raw with lime, salt, and chili powder.

You can find it pretty much anywhere in Mexico, including as part of many kids’ lunches cut into thin strips and combined with mango and cucumber. These are great school snacks!

Because of its high water content, jicama is perfect to enjoy on a sunny day. That would definitely explain why it is consumed so frequently in Mexico, seeing as how there are very few places in Mexico that are not hot most of the time.

Another good thing about it is that it is high in Vitamin C and and it combines perfectly with other healthy ingredients such as carrots, onions, and cilantro. It goes really well as a side dish with all of your grilling favorites.

At the same time, you can just serve it as a salad for lunch and I know you will be satisfied.

Jicama is one of the principal ingredients in this jicama and cucumber slaw. For this recipe, I included a sweet and spicy dressing, with just a bit of spiciness. Of course, you can omit the spicy ingredients if you aren’t into it.

It is also important to note that you can eat jicama cooked or raw, and even grilled along with some delicious nopales – but that will be a recipe for a different day.

For this jicama and cucumber slaw, just cut up the veggies shown in the recipe below, add the dressing, and enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below.

If you love this recipe, you will love these other amazing, fresh meals:

Jicama and Cucumber Slaw with Sweet and Spicy Dressing

Jicama and Cucumber Slaw is an amazing choice for a quick, healthy meal.

Course Appetizer, Salad

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword jicama, mexican, salad, slaw

Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings People

Calories 250kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

1 Jicama peeled and cut into thin strips.
2 Shredded Carrots
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 cucumber peeled, de-seeded, and cut into thin strips.
4 tbsp red onion. finely chopped
1 Jalapeño without seeds and diced (omit if you don't like spicy food)

Sweet and Sour Dressing

4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
Juice from 1 lime
2 tablespoons of honey
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes omit if you don't like spicy food

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients, and then mix in the dressing.
Eat immediately or refrigerate.

Nutrition

The post Jicama and Cucumber Slaw with Sweet and Spicy Dressing appeared first on My Latina Table.

Traditional Mexican Tostadas

Charbel Barker — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 18:22:11 +0000

Inside: Learn how to make these delicious, authentic and traditional Mexican tostadas so that you can impress at your next Fiesta.

Para Leer En Espanol, Haz Click Aqui

Growing up in Mexico, I had tostadas on a regular basis. It is such an easy meal to make, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t look and taste great!

Another good thing about tostadas is that they are very inexpensive to make. Even when families are going through a tough time, if you have beans, ground beef, some vegetables, and tortillas, then you can make tostadas.

The first time my husband went to Mexico (before we were married), he fell in love with the tostadas that my mom made for him. I am not exaggerating when I say that I think he ate 6 or 7 of them in one sitting! They really are that good.

What Ingredients Do You Need To Make Authentic Tostadas

The main components of a tostada are those that I listed above – beans, ground beef (or another type of meat), vegetables (lettuce and tomato), and tortillas.

It is easy to go to the store and get ready to eat tostada shells. That said, I prefer to fry my own. They taste better that way and are so much more authentic. Another healthier option is to bake the tostada shells. I do this sometimes and they are still great!

For the beans, it is important that you can spread them, so refried beans (black or pinto) are the best.

Back in Mexico, we used to cook and mash our own beans, but that can take a long time! Having three little boys, time is something that I don’t have very often. That is why I usually use pre-made, refried beans. No matter what you use, you will definitely want to include beans for this to be an authentic Mexican tostada.

There is another type of tostada called “tostadas de tinga”, which is delicious. Check out the recipe here.

The next step to making delicious tostadas is to have fresh veggies and well-seasoned ground beef.

Once everything is ready, just layer the ingredients, starting with the beans, on top of the recently fried tortillas and serve with cheese, salsa, and Mexican crema if desired.

These are perfect for any occasion and are sure to be a hit. Anytime that someone asks for traditional Mexican food, these tostadas are on the top of my list for recipes to show them.

I hope that you enjoy these as much as we do, and make sure to let me know how it turned out in the comments below!

Check Out These Other Authentic Mexican Recipes

Traditional Mexican Tostadas

This delicious recipe for traditional Mexican tostadas is super easy to make and perfect for your next fiesta!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword mexican recipe, tostadas

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings tostadas

Calories 275kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

10 Corn Tortillas
1 can of Refried Beans
1 lb of ground beef
salt pepper, cumin, paprika, and oregano to season the meat
1/4 onion diced
1 to mato diced
1/2 head of lettuce finely chopped
queso fresco or another cheese
Mexican crema
Salsa Verde
1/2 cup canola oil for frying tortillas

Instructions

Fry the tortillas in oil, or buy store bought tostadas.
Cook the ground beef with the onion, tomato, and seasonings.
Heat the refried beans.
Form the tostadas by spreading refried beans on the fried tortilla, and then add the ground beef, lettuce, cheese, salsa verde, and Mexican crema.

Nutrition

The post Traditional Mexican Tostadas appeared first on My Latina Table.

Pineapple-Glazed Ham Recipe

Charbel Barker — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 01:19:38 +0000

This is part of a sponsored collaboration with PorkBeInspired.Com and DiMe Media. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

Pineapple-Glazed Ham is a perfect addition to your holiday meal plan. It is easy to make and tastes amazing.

Pork + Pineapple may not be a flavor combination that everyone thinks of all the time, but it should be! Growing up in Mexico, one of my favorite dishes were the delicious Tacos Al Pastor, which consist of marinated pork, cooked with fresh pineapples and then topped with additional pineapple and salsa.

Today’s recipe is similar, in that it includes both pork, and pineapple. This pineapple-glazed ham is not what you would normally think of when you think of Mexican food, but I can assure you that it is popular there. It is something that most people don’t make often, but it shows up around the holidays every year.

I really think that pork is an underappreciated meat. It is so versatile, so delicious, and healthy too! I, for one, always look for great pork options when I go to restaurants. You can find many different recipes like this one by going to PorkBeInspired.com. You can also find local stores that have great cuts of pork at affordable prices.

Whether you are making a simple dinner using pork or a succulent pineapple-glazed ham for a holiday celebration, your family is going to be impressed. This particular recipe is very easy to make. You will create a homemade glaze using brown sugar, white wine, and pineapple juice (along with a few other ingredients). To give it even more flavor, you will add slices of sweet pineapple along the outside so that all of those delicious juices will be incorporated into the ham as it cooks.

I really hope that you give this recipe a shot this holiday season. You will not regret it and your family will be happy too! Check out the recipe below and let me know how it turns out.

Pineapple-Glazed Ham

Pineapple-Glazed Ham is a perfect addition to your holiday meal plan. It is easy to make and tastes amazing.

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

1 Ten Pound fully cooked spiral sliced ham
1 Stick of butter melted
1/2 Cup of White Cooking Wine
1/4 Cup of Pineapple Juice
1 1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar
1 Can of Pineapple slices
1 Jar of Maraschino Cherries
10 Cloves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
Place the ham in a large, deep baking pan
Stick the Pineapple Slices and Cherries along the outside of the ham using toothpicks, until completely covered.
Stick the cloves into the ham in the areas that are not covered by the pineapple and the cherries.
Combine the brown sugar, the melted butter, the white wine, and the pineapple juice and mix until completely incorporated.
Pour the above mixture over the ham.
Top with aluminum paper and bake for 35 minutes.

The post Pineapple-Glazed Ham Recipe appeared first on My Latina Table.

Polaca Style Shredded Chicken

Charbel Barker — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 14:00:33 +0000

aThis shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LiveForFlavor #VivaLaMorena #AddFlavor #CollectiveBias

Christmas may be over, but the celebration continues with this Polaca Style Shredded Chicken. These are very popular in Mexico when celebrating Los Tres Reyes Magos day in January (Three Kings Day). They go great on tostadas and everyone will be coming back for more. Keep reading to find out how to make this great recipe.

If you have been reading my blog for a while, then you know that I love to talk about my Mexican heritage. A big part of that is the many celebrations and “fiestas” that the Mexican people participate in and hold dear. We just finished having an amazing time here for Christmas with my husband’s family here in the United States, and it was great to spend time with family. The holidays are quite a bit different here, but just as fun.

In Mexico, after Christmas and the New Year have passed, the people celebrate another holiday on January 6th – Los Tres Reyes Magos, or Three Kings Day. This was always one of my favorite holidays growing up. The celebration starts the night before with delicious food that everyone can enjoy along with traditional drinks and of course the breaking of a piñata. The best part of the night though is sharing a delicious Pan de Rosca. Pan de Rosca is large, sweet bread in a large circular shape. Inside there are small plastic figurines. During this celebration, everyone takes a turn cutting a piece from the bread and then they check to see if they got one of the figurines in their slice. If they do, then they have the honor of making tamales for everyone else at a celebration the following month!

The next day, the kids wake up to see what Los Reyes Magos brought them. It is usually a fun toy and some chocolate and since they don’t usually get the day off at school, they love taking their present to school to show it to the rest of the kids. It is such a fun tradition and I will always remember how much effort my abuela and my parents put into it so that my siblings and I could have a great day.

In order for Los Tres Magos to be a success, you have to have delicious food that makes a lot so that everyone gets enough. Usually my abuela would make lots of smaller “antojitos”, like tostadas, empanadas, quesadillas, and picaditas. These are very popular in Mexico, and they are great to feed a large group.

One of my favorite meals that she would make was this Polaca Style Shredded Chicken. It is filled with so much flavor and it is seriously addicting. It has the perfect amount of sweet and spice to make it a great choice. It is good alone, on a sandwich, or most traditionally, as a topper for tostadas! It is important to use high quality ingredients though as well so that you can get just the right flavor.

Two of the principal ingredients that make this so delicious are Knorr® Tomato with Chicken Granulated Bouillon and La Morena® Chipotle Peppers in Adobo. Both the Knorr® and the La Morena® names are well known in Mexico and are used in so many different recipes including Polaca Style Shredded Chicken. These products are high quality and trusted names that you can depend on when making great Mexican recipes and to bring your family together for the holidays. It can be hard to find the same ingredients that I grew up using in Mexico here in the United States, so I am so glad that I can just drive a couple of minutes to Walmart and find both of these products in the Hispanic Aisle when I need to use them. If you LIVE FOR FLAVOR® and want to learn to make delicious and authentic Mexican food, then you need to have these products on hand!

This recipe is really simple to make. You should start by boiling a couple chicken breasts and then shredding it and setting it aside. You will also need to thinly slice a head of cabbage and a large white onion. Once you have done that add the cabbage and the onion to a frying pan with a tablespoon of butter and a small amount of olive oil over medium heat and cooking through until softened. Season with salt and pepper.

The next step is to add the chicken and continue cooking for a few minutes.

Then, in a separate bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon of Knorr® Tomato with Chicken Granulated Bouillon into 3/4 cup of water and add to the pan and let cook for 2-3 minutes.

The last step is to blend 3/4 cup of ketchup with 1-2 La Morena® Chipotle Peppers in Adobo and then adding to the pan, stirring well. Finally, let it cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated.

You can definitely add less chipotle if you don’t like it too spicy.

When it is done, you can serve it with freshly cooked tostadas, on a sandwich or by itself. No matter how you choose to eat it, you can be certain that it will be a hit!

I hope that you will try this recipe for your Tres Reyes Magos celebration this year!

Polaca Style Shredded Chicken

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts cooked and shredded.
1/2 head of cabbage cut into thin slices
1 large white onion cut into thin slices
1 Teaspoon of Knorr® Tomato with Chicken Granulated Bouillon - 2.2 lbs
1-2 La Morena® Chipotle Peppers in Adobo
3/4 Cup of Water
3/4 Cup of Ketchup
Salt and Pepper
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons of Butter

Instructions

Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
Add the cabbage and the onion and cook through.
Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper.
Dissolve the Knorr® Tomato with Chicken Bouillon into the water and add to the frying pan. Let cook for two minutes.
Blend the La Morena® Chipotle Peppers in Adobo with the ketchup and add the frying pan.
Let cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Serve immediately with freshly cooked tostadas.

The post Polaca Style Shredded Chicken appeared first on My Latina Table.

The Best Huevos Rancheros – An Authentic Mexican Breakfast Recipe

Charbel Barker — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 01:49:35 +0000

Inside: Huevos Rancheros may be simple, but the flavors are complex and delicious. This is about as authentic of a Mexican breakfast recipe as you will find.

My favorite meal of the day is definitely breakfast. That probably is the result of growing up in Mexico where breakfast is the largest, most important meal of the day. There are many different Mexican breakfast recipes, so people rarely get bored. Today I am going to share one of the best breakfast recipes in Mexico – huevos rancheros.

Huevos Rancheros is a classic Mexican breakfast that everyone should try at least once. I say at least once, but I am sure that you will try it many more times after you make it the first time.

This classic breakfast recipe is delicious and easy to make. I always used to help my mom and my abuelita make these when I was a little girl, and they made a regular appearance on our table for breakfast.

What Are Huevos Rancheros?

So now I bet you are wondering how we make this famous Mexican breakfast, right?

The basic recipe consists of some simple ingredients – eggs, fresh vegetables, tortillas, beans, and cheese. This is a very filling, and hearty breakfast option that will help you start the day with a good amount of protein.

The great thing about huevos rancheros is that you can always modify it to meet your needs and cravings. It is a very versatile dish, and one that I recommend you try making as soon as possible!

One way I like to make huevos rancheros even better is by sauteing some potatoes, onions, and big pieces of ham. That is exactly how I like to make them!

How Do You Make Huevos Rancheros?

Just like my mom and abuelita taught me to make this recipe, I also have enjoyed teaching it to my kids. It is great for kids who want to learn to cook, because there are very few steps.

Step 1: To start, you will want to saute the potatoes, onions, and pieces of ham in a little bit of olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 2: Next, lightly fry a tortilla and heat up the refried beans. Once that is done, spread a thin layer of the beans over the tortilla.

Step 3: When that is done, fry the egg to your preference. I usually do not like runny eggs, but with Huevos Rancheros I often make it like this. Obviously, you can cook the yolk through if that is what you (or your kids) prefer.

Step 4: After the egg is done, put it on top of the tortilla and beans before topping with delicious salsa and queso fresco. I prefer to make this with my own salsa roja or salsa verde recipe, but you can also use store-bought if you are pressed for time.

Step 5: Finish off the dish by serving with the potato, onion, and ham mix – all of the flavors, when combined make for an unforgettable breakfast!

I hope you enjoy these huevos rancheros. Let me know in the comments below how it turned out.

Check out these other delicious Mexican breakfast options.

The Best Huevos Rancheros – An Easy Authentic Mexican Recipe

This Huevos Rancheros recipe is as authentic as it gets, and is the recipe I learned growing up in Mexico. Keep reading to find out how to make it.

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

2 Large Eggs
2 Corn Tortillas
1/4 Onion chopped
Refried beans homemade or store bought
2 potatoes
Thick cut ham cut into cubes
Salsa - homemade or store bought.
Salt Pepper to taste
Queso Fresco and Cilantro to garnish.

Instructions

Saute the potatoes, onion, and ham in a small amount of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Lightly fry the tortillas, and pat dry. Put on a plate
Warm up the refried beans, and spread onto the tortillas.
Fry an egg to your preferred level of doneness, and put on top of the tortilla and beans.
Top with salsa, queso fresco, and fresh cilantro.
Serve with the potato, onion, and ham mix.

The post The Best Huevos Rancheros – An Authentic Mexican Breakfast Recipe appeared first on My Latina Table.