Enchilada Sauce

INGREDIENTS 3 Tablespoons chili powder hot or mild 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaf scant 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon cumin 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil 2 Tablespoons gluten-free flour see notes 1/4 cup tomato paste 2 cups chicken stock or broth INSTRUCTIONS To a small bowl, add the spices – chili powder through cumin – then stir to combine and set aside. Heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat then add the flour and cook while whisking constantly for 1 minute. Add the seasonings then whisk until they’re toasted and very fragrant, 30 seconds. Switch to a spatula then add the tomato paste and mash it in with the seasonings to create a thick paste. Switch back to a whisk then slowly stream in the chicken stock or broth while whisking to create a smooth sauce. Turn the heat up to medium-high then bring the sauce to a simmer while stirring slowly and constantly with a spatula. Once simmering, turn the heat back down to medium then simmer for an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened (sauce will continue to thicken as it cools). Cool slightly before using.

April 29, 2025 · Travis

Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas

INGREDIENTS 1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies, drained 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese, softened 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded 12 corn tortillas 2 cans red enchilada sauce 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9×13 baking dish with Pam. Add Rotel and cream cheese to a large skillet over medium heat and stir until very well combined and cheese is melted. Stir in chicken. Dip both sides of tortilla and then spoon 2-3 tablespoons of chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas and place seam side down in a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese and the remainder of the enchilada sauce. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 min. Take off foil and cook for another 15 mins, or until top is golden brown.

September 21, 2023 · Travis

Cheese Enchiladas

INGREDIENTS 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce 10-12 corn tortillas 2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese, divided 8 ounces Oaxaca cheese, crumbled 1 (15 ounces) can black beans, drained and rinsed (optional) 1 small white onion, finely diced 1/4 cup sour cream 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin fresh cilantro, for garnish INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread about 1/3 of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Set aside. Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20–30 seconds until soft and pliable. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix 2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese, Oaxaca cheese, black beans (if using), diced onion, sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin. Stir until well combined. Fill the tortillas with a few tablespoons of the cheese filling. Roll them up and nestle them in the baking dish. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese over the sauce. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly. Let the dish cool for 10 minutes before serving with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

September 13, 2022 · Travis

Steak Nachos

INGREDIENTS Paste 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon pure chile powder 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin The Rest 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, ½ to 4 inch thick, trimmed of excess surface fat, cut with the grain into 12-inch long pieces 1 bag (12 ounces) tortilla chips 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces) 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounces) Green onions Pickled jalapenos Tomato-Avocado Salsa INSTRUCTIONS In a small bowl mix together the paste ingredients. Brush the paste on both sides of the steak pieces. Let the steak stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat (450° to 550°F). Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the steak pieces over direct high heat, with the lid closed, until cooked to your desired doneness, 4 to 6 minutes for medium rare, turning once. Remove from the grill and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Cut the steak across the grain into bite-sized pieces. Layer half of the tortilla chips, steak, black beans, green onions, jalapenos, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses on a large sheet pan. Place the pan over direct high heat, close the lid, and cook until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and serve immediately with the salsa. Repeat with the remaining ingredients on a second large sheet pan. Serves 12 to 15 ...

July 13, 2021 · Travis

Taco Seasoning

INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon black pepper INSTRUCTIONS In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container. NOTES Brown ground beef, drained the fat, use 3 Tbsp of the seasoning per pound of meat with 1/2 Tbsp flour and mixed into the meat. Add 2/3 cup of water, mixed it up with the ground beef and let it simmer down. ...

May 5, 2020 · Travis

Refried Beans

INGREDIENTS 1 pound dry pinto beans — 2 cups 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 small yellow onion — chopped into 1/4-inch dice 1 jalapeno — cored, seeded, and finely chopped 3 cloves garlic — minced (about 1 tablespoon) 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock — divided 3 cups water 2 bay leaves 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper — optional For serving: queso fresco or shredded Monterey jack cheese — diced tomatoes, diced red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, avocado (optional) INSTRUCTIONS Place the pinto beans in a large colander. Thoroughly rinse them. Pick the beans over, removing any damaged or clearly misshapen beans and discarding them. Set the rinsed beans aside. Turn a 6-quart (or larger) Instant Pot to SAUTE. Add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and jalapeno. Sauté for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and let cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add a few splashes of chicken stock and scrape along the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck-on bits of food (this will prevent a BURN warning). Add the remaining stock, water, bay leaves, salt, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and the rinsed and drained beans. Lightly stir to combine. Seal the Instant Pot. Cook on HIGH (manual) for 45 minutes. When the 45 minutes of pressure cooking has finished, let the pressure release naturally for 25 minutes. Vent to release any remaining pressure. Carefully open the lid. The beans will be very liquidy. Discard the bay leaves. Reserve 2 cups of the bean cooking liquid in a bowl or measuring cup, then drain the remainder. Return to the beans to the pot. With an immersion blender (or by hand with a potato masher), puree the beans until they reach your desired consistency, adding some of the reserved liquid as needed. (You can also scoop the beans into a blender in batches and puree them that way—be sure to let the beans cool somewhat first so that they do not splatter). Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Sprinkle with any desired toppings, serve, and enjoy! YIELD: 6 cups ...

May 4, 2020 · Travis

Red Chile Sauce

INGREDIENTS 1/2 pound ground beef, preferably coarse ground 3/4 CUP ground dried New Mexican red chile preferably Chimayo 2 tablespoons minced onion 1 teaspoon garlic salt, or more to taste 4 CUPS water 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in an additional 2 tablespoons of water INSTRUCTIONS Brown the meat over medium heat in a high-sided skillet until all pink color is gone. Add the chile, onion, and garlic and stir to combine. Pour the water slowly into the skillet while continuing to stir. Break up any lumps of chile. Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in the cornstarch mixture and continue to cook for about 5 minutes more. The completed sauce should be reduced by about one-quarter, coat a spoon thickly, and no longer taste of raw cornstarch. If it becomes too thick to spoon easily, add more water. Serve the sauce warm with enchiladas, burritos, or other dishes. NOTES Red chile sauce keeps in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days. It freezes well. When reheating, add a little extra water if needed. ...

February 25, 2020 · Travis

Mexican Casserole

INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3/4 pound cubed skinless, boneless chicken breast meat 1/2 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 (8.75 ounce) can sweet corn, drained 1/4 cup salsa water as needed 1 cup shredded Mexican-style cheese 1 1/2 cups crushed plain tortilla chips INSTRUCTIONS In a large skillet over medium high heat, sauté chicken in oil until cooked through and no longer pink inside. Add taco seasoning, beans, corn, salsa and a little water to prevent drying out. Cover skillet and simmer over medium low heat for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Transfer chicken mixture to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with 1/2 cup of the cheese and crushed tortilla chips. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly. YIELD 4 to 6 servings ...

February 18, 2020 · Travis

Chipotle Guacamole

INGREDIENTS 2 ripe Hass avocados 2 tsp lime juice 2 tbsp cilantro (chopped) 1/4 cup red onion (finely chopped) 1/2 jalapeño, including seeds (finely chopped) 1/4 tsp kosher salt INSTRUCTIONS Choose the right avocado. It should feel squishy yet firm (like the palm of your hand), and be a nice dark green color on the inside. Cut the avocado in half and the remove the pit (carefully!) Scoop the avocados and place in a medium bowl. Toss and coat with lime juice. Add the salt and using a fork or potato masher, mash until a smooth consistency is achieved. Fold in the remaining ingredients and mix well. Taste the guacamole (over and over) and adjust seasoning if necessary.

February 4, 2020 · Travis