Showing posts with label main dish. Show all posts
Camarones al mojo de ajo is a traditional Mexican dish made with tender pieces of shrimp simmered in a sumptuous butter and garlic sauce.


Mexican Camarones al mojo de ajo - lacocinadeleslie.com

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo 

Cuaresma is upon us and it's time to make all of our meatless and seafood favorites, because many of us living in Mexico refrain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent. I love any and all shrimp dishes, but my all-time absolute favorite is Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Mexican Garlic Shrimp). This is one popular Mexican shrimp dish that you will find on the menu at any Mexican mariscos restaurant.

How to Make Mexican Camarones al Mojo de Ajo

Making Camarones al Mojo de Ajo at home is unbelievably quick and easy. All you need is butter, onion, garlic, shrimp, and parsley or cilantro. That's it... just five ingredients to make this traditional Mexican shrimp dish.

My least favorite part of cooking with shrimp is having to peel and devein them, so sometimes I leave the camarones unpeeled. Because half the fun of eating any Mexican shrimp dish is sucking on all of the delicious sauce. That is why when ordering a shrimp dish at any local mariscos restaurant, they ask if you want your shrimp pelado (peeled) o sin pelar (unpeeled).




Yield: 6 servings

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo

Camarones al mojo de ajo is a tantalizing Mexican dish made with tender pieces of shrimp cooked in a sumptuous butter and garlic sauce.
prep time: 15 MINScook time: 15 MINStotal time: 30 mins

ingredients:


  • 1/2 cup  butter
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced 
  • 1/2 medium white onion 
  • 2-1/4 lbs. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro 

instructions


  1. Melt butter in a large skillet over high heat. Saute garlic and onion for 2 to 3 minutes until onion turns translucent. 
  2. Stir in shrimp; season lightly with salt. Let cook for 3 to 5 minutes until all the shrimp have turned pink. Cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley or cilantro. Stir gently to combine. Remove from heat. Serve with toasted bread slices, Arroz Blanco, and a green salad. Buen provecho! 
http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2009/09/camarones-al-mojo-de-ajo.html
©La Cocina de Leslie
Created using The Recipes Generator


You might also like these delicious Mexican shrimp dishes:
















Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Mexican Garlic Shrimp)

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This hearty Mexican meatball soup with veggies simmered in a clear broth is just what you need when you're in the mood for some good old-fashioned comfort food like your abuelita used to make.


Albondigas en Caldo - lacocinadeleslie.com

Traditional Mexican Albóndigas Soup:

Albóndigas en Caldo is a traditional Mexican meatball soup simmered with carrots, potatoes, and calabacitas (zucchini) in a clear broth. It's a comforting soup for when you're craving a home-cooked meal or something to warm you up on a cold winter's day. And it's also my all-time favorite soup.

The flavor-packed albóndigas made with lean ground beef, onion, tomato, garlic, serrano chile, and oregano add a ton of flavor to the clear broth, which is also seasoned with a little extra oregano and fresh cilantro.

Once the soup is served, don't forget to garnish with chopped cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and a spoonful of your favorite salsa. Two of my favorite salsas include my Chile de Molcajete (roasted tomatillo & árbol chile salsa) and Salsa Macha (an oil-based garlic & árbol chile salsa). And don't forget to have plenty of warm corn tortillas on hand.

Mexican Albondigas Soup - lacocinadeleslie.com

I will forever remember the first time I attempted to make albóndigas on my own. It was one of my biggest kitchen fails ever! I cooked one pound of meatballs in about ten quarts (40 cups) of water. (The recipe I'm sharing today calls for 2-1/4 pounds of meatballs in 16 cups of water.) No amount of salt or beef bouillon was enough to season the insane amount of water I added to my soup. And I also went a little overboard on the oregano. As I was adding a sprinkle of oregano to the broth, the stopper fell out and out poured at least half a bottle of oregano. It was a horrific mess! And to make matters worse, I was expecting company for dinner and had no other food in the house to feed them. Thankfully we ended up ordering pizza, and my friends were no-show's to dinner.

How to make authentic Mexican albóndigas: 

But, as we say in Spanish, "La practica hace al maestro." (Practice makes perfect.) It took me a couple of attempts, but I finally mastered my albóndiga recipe which borrows elements from both my grandparents' recipes and my suegra's. I add old-fashioned oats to my albóndiga mixture as an added binder, just like my abuelito used to do, I also add chopped onion and tomato like my suegra taught me, and I always add lots of veggies just like my grandma.

How to make albondigas (Mexican meatball soup) - lacocinadeleslie.com


Yield: 8 servings

Albóndigas

This hearty Mexican meatball soup with veggies simmered in a clear broth is just what you need when in the mood for some good old-fashioned comfort food like your abuelita used to make.
prep time: 20 MINScook time: 60 MINStotal time: 80 mins

ingredients

For the meatballs:
  • 2-1/4 lbs. lean ground beef 
  • 1/3 cup long-grain rice, uncooked 
  • 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats 
  • 1/3 cup dried bread crumbs 
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon coarse salt 
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crushed 
  • 2 large eggs 
  • 3 roma tomatoes, finely chopped 
  • 1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped 
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced 
  • 1 chile serrano, finely chopped (optional) 
For the soup:
  • 16 cups water 
  • 6 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped 
  • 6 medium yukon gold potatoes. peeled and roughly chopped 
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons coarse salt 
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crushed
  • 4 medium Mexican calabacitas 
  • Chopped cilantro (for garnish) 
  • Lime wedges (for garnish) 

instructions


  1. Combine the ground beef, rice, oats, and dried bread crumbs in a large mixing bowl; season with salt, black pepper, and crushed Mexican oregano. Stir in the eggs, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and serrano chile until completely combined. Divide and shape meat mixture into 1-1/2-inch meatballs. 
  2. In a Dutch oven or in stock-pot, pour in 16 cups of water. Carefully drop in the albóndigas, one at a time. Resist the urge to stir! (You don't want to break up the albóndigas.) Add a handful of fresh cilantro. Bring meatballs to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the top. Cover and reduce heat to low: let simmer for about 20 minutes. 
  3. Add the carrots and potatoes. Remember not to stir! Season broth with crushed Mexican oregano and coarse salt to taste. Cover and let simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Add in the Mexican calabacitas. Taste broth and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes until the calabacitas are cooked through. 
  4. To serve, ladle into bowls. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, a spoonful of your favorite salsa, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve with plenty of warm corn tortillas. 
http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2010/02/caldo-de-albondigas-tale-of-recipes.html
©La Cocina de Leslie
Created using The Recipes Generator













Comfort Food Classics: Albóndigas en Caldo (Mexican Meatball Soup)

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Mole Dulce is a delicious labor of love made completely from scratch with Mexican chocolate, dried ancho chiles, piloncillo, cinnamon, pumpkin seeds, and more.
Mole Dulce recipe - lacocinadeleslie.com

 Mole is one of those traditional Mexican dishes in which no two recipes are alike. Every family has their own recipe on how to make each kind of mole. Yes, there are several types of mole that range from spicy to sweet, and also vary in color from Mole Amarillo to Mole Negro. One of my favorite moles, and also the first kind of mole I learned to make, is Mole Dulce. It's a sweet, velvety smooth sauce made with Mexican chocolate and a variety of ingredients.

How to make Mole Dulce from scratch - lacocinadeleslie.com

This recipe is a great starting point for those who have never made mole from scratch. Depending on my mood I sometimes add more ingredients like raisins, almonds, peanuts, or coffee, to add even more flavor to my Mole Dulce. I cook the chicken and make the broth from scratch to use in my Mole Dulce, but you can use canned chicken stock and a rotiserrie chicken to save time in la cocina. See tip below for directions on how to cook the chicken and make homemade stock from scratch.

Easy Mole Dulce with Chicken recipe - lacocinadeleslie.com


Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Mole Dulce

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 75 MINStotal time: 90 mins
Mole Dulce is a delicious labor of love made completely from scratch with Mexican chocolate, dried ancho chiles, piloncillo, cinnamon, pumpkin seeds, and more.

INGREDIENTS:


  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil (for frying) 
  • 1 bolillo roll, cut in 1-inch slices
  • 4 dried ancho chiles
  • 3 roma tomatoes, cut in quarters
  • 6 tomatillos, husks removed
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted pumpkin seeds
  • 1 (3-inch cinnamon stick)
  • 5 peppercorns
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 1 tablet Mexican chocolate (Ibarra or Abuelita brand)
  • 5 cups hot chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup piloncillo, grated
  • 3 lbs. cooked chicken
  • Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:


  1. Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Fry the bolillo slices in the oil until golden brown. Transfer fried bolillo slices to a large heat-proof bowl; set aside.
  2. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to Dutch oven, if necessary. Fry the dried ancho chiles for 1 to 2 minutes, until the chiles start to plump up. Transfer chiles to heat-proof bowl with the bolillo slices.
  3. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the Dutch oven, if necessary. Fry the tomatoes and tomatillos until lightly charred and cooked through. Fry the garlic until light golden brown. Transfer to the heatproof bowl with the bolillo slices and ancho chiles.
  4. Toast the pumpkin seeds, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and whole cloves for about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Transfer to heat-proof bowl with the other ingredients.
  5. Add the Mexican chocolate to the bowl with all of the fried ingredients. Pour in 4 cups of the hot chicken broth. Let soak for at least 10 minutes until the chiles have softened; remove stems from chiles.
  6. Working in batches, puree the bolillo slices, ancho chiles, tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cloves, and Mexican chocolate with the chicken broth they were soaked in until smooth.
  7. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in the Ductch oven over low heat. Strain the puree into the hot oil, stirring with a wire whisk to prevent lumps from forming.
  8. Stir in the the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth and the grated piloncillo. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the piloncillo has completely dissolved. Adjust seasoning, if necessary.
  9. Once mole sauce starts to boil, add the cooked chicken pieces and let simmer over low heat for 5 to 8 minutes until heated through. When serving, garnish mole with toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve with Mexican Rice and warm corn tortillas. Buen provecho!
http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2009/05/mole-dulce.html
La Cocina de Leslie
Created using The Recipes Generator

*To cook the chicken and broth from scratch, bring 3lbs. of bone-in skin-on chicken pieces to a boil with 16 cups of water, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves of garlic, 2 bay leaves, a handful of fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon crushed oregano. Skim off any foam that rises to the top. Cover and reduce heat to low; let simmer for 60 to 90 minutes until chicken is tender.














Mole Dulce

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Carne de Puerco con Chile is a classic Mexican dish, popular in Los Altos de Jalisco (the highlands of Jalisco), made with tender pieces of pork in a vibrant broth flavored with tomato, tomatillo, garlic, and chile de árbol.

Carne de Puerco con Chile recipe - lacocinadeleslie.com

Carne de Puerco con Chile was one of my suegra's (mother-in-law's) signature dishes--along with her Traditional Mexican Pozole Rojo and her Tostadas de Lomo (shredded pork tostadas)--and it was one of the first dishes she taught me how to make as a newlywed. Whenever she made it, my suegro (father-in-law) (who didn't like spicy food) would complain that the salsa/broth was too spicy, to which my suegra would respond that she had only added "un solo chilito!"

Whenever I made this dish during the four years that I was my father-in-law's caregiver, I was always sure to add un solo chilito (just one chile) to give the broth a little flavor without adding too much heat. Remembering that small detail about "un solo chilito" always brought a smile to my suegro's face, just as this dish always brings a smile to my family's face because it reminds them of my suegra.

The key to tender pieces of pork meat in your Carne de Puerco con Chile is to cook the pork meat first, then fry until golden brown before adding the homemade tomato and tomatillo salsa. For a more authentic Mexican flavor, like the kind you probably remember your abuelita (grandma) or tías  (aunts) making is to fry the pork in a little manteca de cerdo (lard), but you can also use vegetable oil. And finally, I add 8 dried árbol chiles which yields just the perfect amount of spice, but you can add as many or as few chiles as you'd like to fit your personal preference. Be sure to serve your homemade Carne de Puerco con Chile with plenty of Refried Beans, Ensalada de Nopales, and warm corn tortillas.

How to make Carne de Puerco con Chile - lacocinadeleslie.com


Yield: 8 servings

Carne de Puerco con Chile

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 1 hour and 45 MINStotal time: 1 hours and 60 mins
Carne de Puerco con Chile is a classic Mexican dish, popular in Los Altos de Jalisco (the highlands of Jalisco), made with tender pieces of pork in a vibrant broth flavored with tomato, tomatillo, garlic, and chile de árbol.

INGREDIENTS:


  • 2 lbs. pork stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 medium white onion
  • 4 garlic cloves, divided
  • 6 sprigs fresh cilantro
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 16 cups water, divided
  • 6 roma tomatoes
  • 12 tomatillos, husks removed
  • 8 dried árbol chiles
  • 2 tablespoons manteca (lard) or vegetable oil
  • Refried Beans
  • Ensalada de Nopales

INSTRUCTIONS:


  1. Bring the pork stew meat, onion, 2 cloves of garlic, cilantro, salt, black pepper, and 10 cups of the water to a boil in a Dutch oven over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the top. Cover and reduce heat to low; let simmer for about 90 minutes until the pork meat is tender.
  2. While the meat is cooking, prepare the salsa by bringing the tomatoes and tomatillos to a boil over high heat in a large saucepan with the remaining 6 cups of water; add the dried árbol chiles. Cover and reduce heat to low; let simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked through. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  3. Remove the cooked tomatoes, tomatillos, and árbol chiles with a slotted spoon and transfer to a blender cup; puree until smooth. Set aside.
  4. Remove the onion, garlic, and cilantro from the pork meat. Strain and reserve the pork broth. Return the pork meat to the Dutch oven over high heat and fry in the manteca or vegetable oil until golden brown. Stir in the tomato salsa and 2 cups of the reserved pork broth. Bring to a boil; season with salt to taste. Cover and reduce heat to low; let simmer for 20 minutes.
  5. To serve, ladle Carne de Puerco con Chile into bowls. Serve with a side of Refried Beans, Ensalada de Nopales, and warm corn tortillas. Enjoy!
http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2009/10/not-your-average-chili-con-carne.html
La Cocina de Leslie
Created using The Recipes Generator














Comfort Food Classics: Carne de Puerco con Chile

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Popular throughout the state of Jalisco, Carne en su jugo is a traditional Mexican soup made with thin-cut slices of steak, bacon, potatoes, and Hungarian wax peppers in a clear, but flavorful broth. It may seem like a very simple soup, but once you add all of the garnishes, this soup is transformed into a bowl of warm comfort. Like a big bear hug in a bowl.

There is no wrong way to make Carne en su Jugo. Some cooks might prefer to cook the soup with the Spicy Serrano Chile Salsa Verde and Frijoles de la Olla (cooked beans) already mixed in, but I prefer to make this soup the traditional way and serve the salsa and beans on the side along with the other garnishes.

Carne en su jugo recipe - lacocinadeleslie.com

Carne en su Jugo will forever me a soup that is near and dear to my heart. It was the first meal I ate when we arrived in Small Town, Mexico oh-so-many years ago. (It'll be 17 years next month.) After a day of traveling to a new country with two small children, I was nervous, anxious, tired and very hungry. Almost as soon as we walked into my in-laws' home, my sister-in-law Susi escorted us to the kitchen where she served us all a big bowl of soup.

It was at that very moment that I realized that it wasn't a dream and that we had actually moved to Mexico. A million thoughts and doubts raced through my mind as Susi topped our bowls with bits of chopped onion, serrano chiles, and cilantro. I had no idea what I was about to eat, but eating seemed like the perfect distraction to keep me from thinking about what we had just done.

As the first sip of this soul-warming soup made it's way down my throat, I felt comforted by the familiar flavors of the beef, bacon, salsa verde, beans, and cilantro. I knew at that moment that everything would be okay and that even though I was miles away from "home", Mexico wasn't all that foreign to me. Mexico had always been a part of my life: its culture, its traditions, and its amazing food.    


Carne en Su Jugo may have been new to me that fateful day almost 17 years ago, but now it's an old friend. And I will always remember and be thankful for the comfort it provided when I needed it most.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Carne en Su Jugo - Estilo Jalisco

prep time: 10 MINScook time: 45 MINStotal time: 55 mins
Popular in the state of Jalisco, carne en su jugo is a traditional Mexican soup made with thin-cut steak, bacon, potatoes, and Hungarian wax peppers in a clear, but flavorful broth.

INGREDIENTS:


  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 8 oz. bacon, roughly chopped
  • 2 Hungarian wax peppers, thinly sliced
  • 2 lbs. thin-cut round steak, roughly chopped
  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 handful fresh cilantro
Garnishes:

INSTRUCTIONS:


  1. Fry bacon in vegetable oil over high heat in a Dutch oven or a 4 to 6-quart pot until golden and crisp. Add the Hungarian wax peppers and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until the chiles start to soften. Stir in the thin-cut steak; let cook for 5 to 7 minutes until meat is no longer pink. Season with salt. Immediately cover and reduce heat to low; let simmer for 5 minutes until the meat releases it's juices.
  2. Stir in the potatoes, water, and cilantro. Cover, turn heat back up to high and let soup come to a boil; season with more salt, if necessary. Reduce heat to low; let simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
  3. To serve, ladle carne en su jugo into bowls. Garnish with chopped onion, cilantro, and serrano chiles. Stir in desired amount of salsa verde and cooked beans. Top with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, if desired. Serve with plenty of warm corn tortillas. Enjoy!
http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2009/05/quick-and-easy-soup.html
La Cocina de Leslie
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 *This recipe was originally posted in May 2009, but I felt it deserved to be re-posted for this special occasion. 


Carne en su Jugo (Estilo Jalisco) #ThrowbackThursday

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These crunchy Mexican tostadas topped with refried beans, queso fresco, and shredded chicken in a spicy homemade salsa verde topped with lettuce, pickled onions, and sliced radishes make for a simple and delicious dinner any night of the week.


Spicy Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas recipe - lacocinadeleslie.com

This week our town is celebrating las fiestas patronales in honor of St. Michael's feast day (September 29th). It's one of the busiest and most important celebrations of the year for our small town. Because I don't want to miss out on the day to day festivities of las entradas, I am relying on the quickest and easiest recipes in my repetoire to feed my family, so we can avoid ordering out which can be rather costly for a family of six. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I post daily "cook with me" videos in my Insta-stories showing the step-by-step process of the meals I prepare for my family. Today, I made these simple and delicious Spicy Salsa Verde Shredded Chicken Tostadas.


Easy shredded chicken tostada recipe with salsa verde - lacocinadeleslie.com

These Spicy Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas are so easy to make! In the time that it takes the chicken breast to cook, you have more than enough time to prepare the rest of you ingredients, including making the Spicy Serrano Chile Salsa Verde from scratch. (Recipe will be posted tomorrow.) And if you really want to save time in the kitchen, you can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken in place of cooking the chicken on the stovetop. See what I mean? Súper fácil! (Super easy!)

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas

These crunchy Mexican tostadas topped with refried beans, queso fresco, and shredded chicken in a spicy homemade salsa verde topped with lettuce, pickled onions, and sliced radishes make for a simple and delicious dinner any night of the week.

INGREDIENTS:

For the shredded chicken filling:
  • 2 lbs. bone-in skin-on chicken breasts
  • 1/2 medium white onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 6 to 8 sprigs fresh cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/4 medium white onion, diced
  • 1 cup Spicy Serrano Chile Salsa Verde
For the tostadas:
  • Tostada shells
  • 3 cups Refried Beans
  • 1-1/2 cups crumbled queso fresco
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Cebollas Encurtidas (pickled red onions)
  • Thinly sliced radishes
  • Spicy Serrano Chile Salsa Verde 
  • 1 cup queso cotija

INSTRUCTIONS:


  1. In a 4 to 6-quart Dutch oven or saucepan, bring the chicken, onion, garlic, salt, and black pepper to a boil with 8 to 10 cups of water over high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low; let simmer for 45 to 60 minutes until chicken is tender. Remove from heat; let cool slightly.
  2. Remove skin and bones from cooked chicken. Shred or roughly chop the chicken.
  3. Cook the refried beans in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
  4. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the diced onion for 2 to 3 minutes until the onion is translucent. Stir in the shredded or roughly chopped chicken and the salsa verde. Let simmer until heated through.
  5. To assemble the tostadas, spread 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of refried beans on each tostada shell. Top with 2 tablespoons of crumbled queso fresco and 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of the salsa verde shredded chicken. Garnish with shredded lettuce, pickled red onions, sliced radish, Spicy Serrano Chile Salsa, and queso cotija. Enjoy!
http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2017/09/spicy-salsa-verde-shredded-chicken.html
La Cocina de Leslie
Created using The Recipes Generator














Spicy Salsa Verde Shredded Chicken Tostadas

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Discadas are a type of Mexican stir-fry that is traditionally prepared in a large disco (plow disc)--also known as a cowboy wok--over an open flame.


How to Make Mexican Discada - lacocinadeleslie.com

Continuing with my A to Z Recipe Challenge, today's recipe is brought to you by the letter D and this Discada Norteña. Discadas are a meat lover's dream made with a little bit of everything from bacon to spicy Mexican chorizo to steak, pork chops, ham, and hot dogs. There are also a few veggies like onion, bell pepper, serrano chiles, tomato, and garlic added to the mix. And to finish it all off we add Mexican beer and Clamato, with a splash of Worcestershire sauce and Jugo Maggi (a seasoning sauce also used to make Micheladas).

Discada #AtoZrecipechallenge

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This flavorful pizza topped with a rich mole sauce, shredded chicken, and Oaxaca cheese is sure to score a touchdown with friends and family when watching the big game.


Chicken Mole Pizza - lacocinadeleslie.com

I don't know if you've heard or not, but there's a big football game coming up in the next couple of weeks, and last night my favorite team secured their place in the main event. Woo-hoo! Go Patriots!!! To celebrate my team's big win, I'm sharing one of my game day favorites, because as much as I love watching football and rooting for my team, the thing I look forward to most is the food. My ideal game day menu includes nachos, chicken wings, tacos, guacamole, beer, and lots and lots of pizza. Like this Pizza de Mole (Chicken Mole Pizza), topped with a store-bought mole sauce, shredded chicken, Oaxaca cheese, red onion, and chopped cilantro. No matter who you're rooting for, this pizza will be the real winner!

Homemade Pizza de Mole (Chicken Mole Pizza)

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Caprichos de Carne Asada - lacocinadeleslie.com

What do you get when you cross a taco with a quesadilla? Some might call them tacodillas or quesatacos, but here in our small town we know them as Caprichos. Caprichos have all the fillings of a traditional Mexican street taco like carne asada, beans, chopped onion, and cilantro AND each capricho is stuffed with lots of ooey, gooey melted cheese.

Carne Asada Caprichos #ThrowbackThursday

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Celebrate #MeatlessMonday with these flavorful Squash Blossom Tacos a la Mexicana with chopped onion, tomato, and serrano chiles.


Tacos de Flor de Calabaza - lacocinadeleslie.com

Homemade Mexican food doesn't have to be complicated. Some of the easiest Mexican recipes I know are made a la Mexicana, with chopped onion, tomato, and green chiles. These dishes are called a la mexicana because the red, white, and green ingredients represent the colors of the Mexican flag. Earlier this month I shared my Quesadillas de Flor de Calabaza, stating that cooking with flores de calabaza (which are currently in season here in Mexico) doesn't have to be complicated either. Combining the simplicity of a la mexicana with freshly cut squash blossoms we get these flavorsome Tacos de Flor de Calabaza a la Mexicana that are super quick and easy to make. Enjoy these Squash Blossom Tacos on their own for a light lunch, or serve them with Mexican Rice and Refried Beans for a complete meal.

Tacos de Flor de Calabaza (Squash Blossom Tacos)

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Buttery flour tortillas stuffed with fresh squash blossoms and lots of ooey, gooey melted cheese.




It's fall, ya'll! And with fall comes an abundance of freshly cut flores de calabaza (squash blossoms). Cooking with squash blossoms might seem intimidating, but trust me when I say that there is nothing easier than cooking with this beautiful and vibrant flower. One of the easiest squash blossom recipes I know is Quesadillas de Flor de Calabaza. All you need are three ingredients; squash blossoms, cheese, and flour tortillas. It's that simple. Of course, I like to add a little butter to mine to give the quesadillas their golden hue. Squash Blossom Quesadillas make for a light and delicious meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Dress them up with your favorite salsa, guacamole, or sour cream.

Squash Blossom Quesadillas (de Flor de Calabaza) #ThrowbackThursday

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Classic BBQ Chicken Sandwiches filled with tender pieces of shredded chicken in a tangy vinegar-based North Carolina style barbecue sauce.


Happy Labor Day to my friends (and family) in the US! But that's not the only thing we're celebrating today. The first Monday of a the month means it's also time for another installment of The Secret Recipe Club. Every month I'm assigned a new food blog from which I choose a recipe or two to cook and share here in my cocina on reveal day. This month my assignment is Cupcake Muffin, written by Sara who has been blogging for 8 years. One thing that really stood out to me about Sara's well-written blog is a list of menus that she's currently cooking her way through. The list of menus was recently given to her by her mom, but they were originally written by her great-grandmother, and has been passed down from generation to generation. Isn't that incredible?!

Secret Recipe Club: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

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Crispy corn tortilla flautas stuffed with refried black beans seasoned with caramelized onion and ground cumin.


Black Bean Flautas - lacocinadeleslie.com

Because sometimes you get a craving for something crispy and fried. Black bean flautas are a meat-free alternative perfect for any night of the week. The kiddies love them because they can eat them with their hands, and Hubby loves the rich flavor the caramelized onions add to the beans. Serve these flautas with Mexican Rice and a simple green salad for a complete meal. Cut the flautas in half to make mini-flautas to serve as appetizers at your next family get-together.

Black Bean Flautas

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This recipe for Chile de Huevo (en Chile Colorado) might look familiar to longtime readers of La Cocina de Leslie. It was one of the first recipes I ever posted on this blog. That was six years ago and it's one of those recipes that kind of got lost in the shuffle and hasn't really gotten the love I think it deserves. Because it's Throwback Thursday, and  because Chile de Huevo was one of my favorite breakfasts growing up, I thought it would be fun to share this recipe again.

Chile de Huevo en Salsa de Chile Colorado - lacocinadeleslie.com

Chile de Huevo (eggs in chile sauce) was a dish that both Gramm and Pappy (my grandparents) often made for breakfast. It was one of those easy, no-fuss meals that didn't require anything more than scrambled eggs and leftover enchilada sauce. Pappy liked to add nopales (cooked cactus paddles) to his Chile de Huevo, but back then I was not a big fan of nopales at all. Thank goodness times have changed because now I can't imagine having this dish without the nopales. They really do help to bring this dish together.

Chile de Huevo en Chile Colorado (Chile Colorado w/ Eggs) #ThrowbackThursday

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