La Cocina de Leslie: Weekday Supper

Showing posts with label Weekday Supper. Show all posts

Ham & Cheese Biscuit Empanadas - lacocinadeleslie.com

Even after having lived in Mexico for 13 years, every once in a while Hubby and I still get cravings for foods we ate when we lived in the US. Whenever that happens, I head into the kitchen and whip up a homemade version made from scratch that not only satisfies our craving, but also tastes a million times better than the original food we were craving. That is how today's recipe came to be. Hubby was craving Hot Pockets, which for those of you unfamiliar with them are savory turnovers sold in the frozen food section of the grocery store.

I first made these shortly after we moved to Mexico. I remember the first time I made them, I used my regular pie dough recipe for the crust. They were okay, but I wanted something flakier like a biscuit. After a couple of tries, I finally got it right. This biscuit empanada dough is buttery, tender and flaky. I make my biscuit dough from scratch, but for a quick and easy weeknight supper you could use refrigerated biscuit dough. (Oh how I miss the "pop" of those tubes.)

08 April 2014

Chipotle Ham, Cheese & Broccoli Biscuit Empanadas #WeekdaySupper

Chicken Pipian Verde - lacocinadeleslie.com

Have you ever said, "I feel like chicken tonight!" only to be greeted with cries of, "No, not chicken again!" from your family? Well it happens to me. Sometimes. And on those rare occasions, I turn to a recipe that I like to call my secret weapon, because my family cannot resist it's charm, nor it's deliciousness.

Pipián Verde is an exquisite traditional Mexican sauce made with roasted poblano peppers, tomatillos, and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) that can be served over chicken or turkey. The pepitas are what give Pipián it's distinctive texture. There's also a Pipián Rojo made with tomatoes and dried ancho chiles, that I promise to share with you very soon. (Look for it next week.)

04 March 2014

Chicken Pipián Verde #WeekdaySupper

Keep warm this winter with this simple and delicious Caldo de Camarón (Mexican Shrimp Soup) with tender pieces of shrimp, carrot, and chayote in a vibrant, flavorful broth made with stewed tomatoes, dried chilies and garlic.

Caldo de Camarón
(Mexican Shrimp Soup)

Ingredients:

3 medium tomatoes, cut in quarters
2 dried ancho chilies
1 dried guajillo chile
6 cups water, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1 clove garlic
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 chayotes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 medium onion, cut into bite-size pieces
1 sprig fresh cilantro
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
Lime wedges
Avocado
Chopped fresh cilantro
Chopped red onion

Directions:
Cook the tomatoes and dried ancho and guajillo chilies in 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until completely cooked. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. Remove stems and seeds from chilies. Puree the cooked tomatoes, chilies, the water they were cooked in, and the clove of garlic; season with salt and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced carrot, chopped chayote, and onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally; season with salt and black pepper. Carefully pour in the tomato puree and the remaining 3 cups of water. Add a sprig of cilantro; cover saucepan and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the shrimp. Cover and reduce heat to low; let simmer for another 10 minutes.

To serve ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped avocado, red onion, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve with tostadas or crackers. Enjoy!

Receta en español

For more easy and delicious dinner ideas check out this week's #WeekdaySupper menu:

Monday - Mess Makes Food - Twice Baked Butternut Squash

Tuesday - Cindy's Recipes and Writings - Cranberry Chicken

Wednesday - La Cocina de Leslie - Caldo de Camarón (Mexican Shrimp Soup)

Thursday - Basic N Delicious - Chicken Fajitas

Friday – Shockingly Delicious – Mac ‘n Cheese Impossible Pie

18 December 2013

Caldo de Camarón (Mexican Shrimp Soup) #WeekdaySupper

'Tis the day before Thanksgiving and we are all very busy cooking and getting ready for the big day tomorrow. But have you thought about what you're going to eat for dinner tonight? If not, I have a quick and easy dinner idea for you today as part of this week's #WeekdaySupper.

Chile Verde Chicken Quesadillas are one of my go-to meals when I need to get lunch (our biggest meal of the day here in Mexico) on the table in a hurry. Whenever I cook chicken breast, I like to cook extra to help me save time later in the week. But I've also made these quesadillas with leftover rotisserie chicken. And for a complete meal, I like to serve these with my Chopped Salad with Garlic Mexican Crema Dressing.

Chile Verde Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients:

12 to 15 tomatillos
2 serrano chiles
2 to 3 cups cooked chicken, cubed or
1/4 cup chopped onion
Cheese (I use queso fresco, but you can use your fave cheese)
Cilantro
Corn tortillas
Mexican crema or sour cream

Directions:
Remove husks from the tomatillos, and rinse the tomatillos well with water. In a medium saucepan over medium heat cook the tomatillos and the serrano chiles in 3 cups of water until fully cooked. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Puree the cooked tomatillos and chiles with 1 cup of the water they were cooked in. Pour into a bowl and season with salt.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a medium skillet. Add the chopped onion and saute for about 1 minute. Add the chicken and half of the salsa verde. Cook until heated through.

To make the quesadillas, heat the corn tortillas on a comal or griddle until soft and pliable. Spread one side of the tortillas with Mexican crema or sour cream. Spoon a couple of heaping tablespoons of the chicken onto one of the tortillas, and top with another tortilla, cream side down. Heat the quesadillas on a comal and griddle over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes per side or until the cheese has completely melted. Serve with remaining salsa verde. Enjoy!

This Week's #WeekdaySupper menu:

Monday - Ham & Cheese Calzones from The Foodie Army Wife
Tuesday - Spaghetti Ubriachi from Crazy Foodie Stunts
Wednesday - Chicken Chile Verde Quesadillas from La Cocina de Leslie
Thursday - Roast Beef Rice Noodle Salad from Magnolia Days
Friday - Slow Cooker Teriyaki Turkey from Foxes Love Lemons

27 November 2013

Chile Verde Chicken Quesadillas #WeekdaySupper

Do people still use snail mail? I barely remember it exists, because here in Mexico I rarely ever receive something in the mail. With the exception of my phone/internet bill, most of my bills are hand delivered to my door by the light company and/or bank. Almost all of my family and friends contact me through email or Facebook. I don't even get junk mail. The only time I ever get anything in the mail is if I order a book on Amazon, or a good friend decides to surprise me with a foodie care package.

I didn't mean for this post to be about snail mail at all, but this recipe always reminds me of the good old days when we used to receive snail mail on a regular basis. When we lived in the States, Hubby called his mom and dad about once a month. And about once a week, he'd write a letter back home to send pictures of us and the kiddies. A couple times a month, we'd get a letter back from them.

I remember one letter in particular, because it included a note and a recipe for Tomato-Mushroom Beef from my eldest sister-in-law, whom I had never met in person. In the note, she wrote about how she had just made a super tasty guisado (dish) for everyone that was so good, she was sending me the recipe so I could make it for her little brother. It was because of that recipe I learned that the Spanish word for mushrooms is champiñones. Up until then I had only used (and heard) the word "hongos".

I surprised Hubby with the Tomato-Mushroom Beef the very next day. It's been a good 15 years since I first made this recipe and it's been an old family favorite ever since. It's one of my go-to dishes that I turn to on those really busy days, when I only have about 30 minutes to get lunch on the table. It's hearty, saucy, and oh-so-easy to put together. And it's got bacon!

Tomato Mushroom Beef

Ingredients:

6 oz. bacon, sliced
2 lbs. thin cut steak, cut in strips
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 small (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

Directions:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer the bacon pieces to a paper towel lined plate; reserve the bacon grease in the skillet.

Season the beef strips with salt and ground black pepper. Add the beef strips to the large skillet with the bacon grease; cover and let and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink.

Add the bacon and mushrooms to the beef and let cook for about 5 minutes.

Stir in the tomato sauce. Reduce heat to low; cover and let simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the beef strips are tender. Serve atop Sopa de Arroz Blanco (White Rice). Enjoy!!!

19 March 2013

Tomato-Mushroom Beef #WeekdaySupper

When coming up with a list of all the soups I wanted to make for January's Food of the Month Club, on the top of my list was something thick, hearty and spicy...Chili! The fact that it's a Chili Borracho (Drunken Chili) made with a bottle of beer in the mix makes it even better. 3-Bean Chili Borracho is a great meatless alternative to beef or pork chili.

I really love the rich and robust sauce for this chili. With the combination of the dried chilies, cinnamon and unsweetened cocoa powder it reminds me a little of Mole Dulce. And the beer just kicks it up a notch because it enhances all of the earthy flavors in this chili.

I'll be cooking up a big batch of this for our Super Bowl party to serve over hot dogs and french fries to make chili dogs and chili cheese fries.

I cooked my own beans, but for those of you looking for something quick and easy for a #weekdaysupper, you can use canned beans.

3-Bean Chili Borracho
(Recipe slightly adapted from Herbivoracious by Michael Natkin)

Ingredients:

1 cup dried black beans, picked over and rinsed (or 2 cups canned black beans)
1 cup dried pinto beans, picked over and rinsed (or 2 cups canned pinto beans)
1 cup dried red beans, picked over and rinsed (or 2 cups canned red beans)
2 dried ancho chilies
2 dried guajillo chilies
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano chile, finely chopped (optional)
3 roma tomatoes, chopped (or 1-14oz. can diced tomatoes)
1 (12 oz.) bottle beer (light or dark)
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Garnishes:

Mexican crema or sour cream
Shredded Manchego or cheddar cheese
Chopped onion
Chopped cilantro

Directions:
Bring 8 to 10 cups of water to a boil over high heat in a 4-quart (or larger) stockpot. Add the dried black, pinto, and red beans. Cover and let cook over high heat for about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 2 hours, adding more water if necessary, until the beans are tender; season with salt.

Toast the dried ancho and guajillo chilies in a medium skillet over medium-high heat for about 30 seconds on each side. Cover the chilies with 2 cups of water and let simmer until the chilies are soft. Remove the stems and seeds from the chilies. Puree the chilies and the cooking water in a blender until smooth; set aside.

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes.

Add the serrano chile, chopped tomatoes, beer, cocoa powder, cumin, and cinnamon, along with the pureed chilies and the cooked beans and about 2 cups of the water they were cooked in. Stir gently to combine; season with salt. (*If using canned beans, you will need 2 cups of each bean.)

Cover and simmer over medium heat for about 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a potato masher, gently mash some of the beans to thicken the chili. Finally, stir in the cilantro and the juice of 1 lime. Remove from heat.