Last week when we got back from our annual Semana Santa camping trip, we came home with a ton of food because we ended up cutting our trip short by a whole day and a half. We brought home enough food that I didn't have to do my grocery shopping until the end of the week. Among the food we brought home that needed to be used up ASAP, were some very ripe mangos. Like too ripe to enjoy with salt, lime, and chile powder. So, we decided to make mango agua fresca.

It was a Sunday, so Hubby had time to lend me a hand in the kitchen. He peeled and cut the mangos, then pureed them in the blender with some water. All I had to do was add the sugar. But...when it came time to taste the agua fresca, I realized that one of the mangos was on the verge of spoiling. The good thing is that none of the mangos had actually spoiled. That would have been disastrous. To lighten that overly ripe mango taste, which can taste a little medicinal, I added a little fresh lime juice. (Lime juice is a great way to lighten strong flavors be it in an agua fresca or soup.) This resulted in a delicious and refreshing agua fresca, perfect for these it's-so-hot-it-feels-like-summer kind of days. My hubby loved this Mango Lime Agua Fresca so much he asked me to make it again for him this weekend, but with mangos that weren't so ripe.

Mango Lime Agua Fresca - lacocinadeleslie.com

Mango Lime Agua Fresca

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We had a ton of food leftover from our annual Semana Santa (Holy Week) camping trip, so this week was all about using up that food before doing our regular grocery shopping. We had so much food leftover, we didn't have to do any shopping, with the exception of milk, until Friday. Here is what we ate this week...


Menu Plan Monday #2

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This month for She Made/Ella Hace, my foodie BFF girlichef and I are whipping up cocktails with limón. Oddly enough, we both chose to make margaritas. That just goes to show that it's true what they say about great minds thinking alike. Girlichef used lemons to make her Raspberry Lemonade Margaritas, and I used limes to make my Margaritas de Cerveza.

I made these Beer Margaritas during our recent camping trip. We had limes, we had beer, and we had lots of tequila. So a margarita de cerveza seemed like the obvious cocktail to make. While I was mixing up this margarita, everyone was looking at me like I was out of my mind, because most of the time we either drink tequila or we drink beer, but they'd never mixed the two together. But they quickly learned what they had been missing out on. Tequila and beer pair together nicely, but it's the lime juice that really makes this margarita spectacular.

Margaritas de Cerveza sound pretty fancy, but you wouldn't believe how incredibly easy they are to make. A little tequila, some fresh lime juice, and an icy cold Mexican beer. That's it. If you like your margaritas on the sweet side, you can always add a splash of simple syrup, but I actually preferred these unsweetened. The choice is up to you. Just be prepared, because as delicious as these Beer Margaritas are, they pack quite a punch.


She Made/Ella Hace: Margaritas de Cerveza (Beer Margarita)

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Last week we went on our annual Semana Santa (Holy Week) camping trip at el rancho with Hubby's siblings and their families. Three days of food, fun, and family. It was a blast! And did I mention the food? Here are a few photos of some of the delicious food we ate on our camping trip...

Camping Food - lacocinadeleslie.com


Wordless Wednesday: Camping Food

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Homemade Tamales de Rajas from scratch - lacocinadeleslie.com

This week's #SundaySupper is Stuffed, Rolled, and Wrapped, hosted by kimchi MOM. Here in Mexico we have plenty of stuffed, rolled, and wrapped foods to choose from like tacos, gorditas, burritos, and enchiladas. The possibilities are endless. But honestly there was really only one thing I had in mind for this week's #SundaySupper theme...tamales! Tamales de Rajas con Requeson to be exact. Rajas are roasted poblano pepper strips, and requeson is like a Mexican ricotta cheese. Together they are a match made in heaven.

I know that the idea of making tamales from scratch can seem intimidating. If that's been the case for you, then this is the tamal recipe for you. Seriously, I don't think recipes for tamales can get any easier. (For easy to follow step-by-step instructions with photos on how to make tamales, see my recipe for Shredded Pork Tamales.) 

Tamales de Rajas con Requeson are a delicious meatless alternative for Lent.

Tamales de Rajas y Requeson (Roasted Poblano Tamales) #SundaySupper

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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.)

Chipotle Ham, Cheese & Broccoli Biscuit Empanadas #WeekdaySupper

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Once a week I sit down with my Hubby and kiddies, and sometimes even my suegro (father-in-law) to plan our menu for the coming week. (Read more about How I Plan My Weekly Menu here.) Those 10 to 15 minutes we take planning our menu each week make my life as a wife & mom so much easier. Not only does it save us money, because we only buy what we're going to need for the week, but it also saves me time since I already have what I need on hand and I don't have to spend any time at all wondering about what I'm going to make. Since menu planning is something I already do on a weekly basis, I thought it would be a great idea to share those menu plans here on the blog in hopes that it'll offer you some inspiration in planning your own weekly menu.

Menu Plan Monday #1

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Last month I participated in my first ever Secret Recipe Club and absolutely loved it. (My kiddies are still talking about how much they loved that Peanut Butter Fun Snack Cake.) For those of you unfamiliar with the Secret Recipe Club it's like a virtual recipe swap with another blogger, except I'm assigned a different blog each month, and the participants have no idea who is cooking something from their blog until reveal day. 

This month the blog I was assigned was Searching for Dessert, which is written by a former pastry chef. There are so many tempting, mouth-watering sweet treats to choose from, like Inside Out Cinnamon Rolls, Orange Creamsicle Rolls, and Banana Brownies w/ Peanut Butter Drizzle. But ultimately I went with a savory appetizer. Ashley's 6th grade graduation plans are underway and I'm trying out and looking for appetizer recipes to serve at the party.

These Manchego Cheese Straws were a huge hit. And you wouldn't believe how easy they are to make. I made some again today for our Sunday lunch with my in-laws and they disappeared within minutes. So clearly we have a keeper on our hands.

Manchego Cheese Straws - lacocinadeleslie.com

Secret Recipe Club: Manchego Cheese Straws

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No recipe today, just sharing a photo to wish you all a happy Peanut Butter & Jelly Day! (I ♥ food holidays!)

Peanut Butter & Jelly Marias Cookies Snack Sandwiches - lacocinadeleslie.com

We love to eat PB&J on Galletas Marias. It's one of my kiddies' favorite afterschool snacks. What's your favorite way to enjoy peanut butter & jelly? And what's your favorite flavor jelly to pair with peanut butter?
















Wordless Wednesday: Peanut Butter & Jelly Day!

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This month for She Made/Ella Hace my partner-in-crime girlichef and I chose Pipian as our theme, which couldn't be more perfect for me as I've had a bit of an obsession with pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) the last couple of weeks. I can't seem to resist stirring them into everything and anything like salads, yogurt, cookies, homemade granola... The list goes on and on. But one of my favorite ways to enjoy pepitas is in Pipián.

Pipián is a traditional Mexican sauce that gets its distinct grainy texture from the pepitas. Pipián can be made in one of two ways: Pipián Verde made with tomatillos and roasted poblano peppers and Pipián Rojo made with tomatoes and dried ancho chiles. Pipián can be served over fish (girlichef made Salmon in Pipián Verde), shrimp, roasted pork, or chicken. Whether you choose to make Pipián Verde or Rojo, you'll love the nutty flavor the pepitas adds to this exquisite sauce.

Pipian Rojo Sauce made w/ Pepitas - lacocinadeleslie.com

She Made/Ella Hace: Chicken Pipián Rojo

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If you were to ask my husband what his favorite food is, he wouldn't be able to answer you because he has no idea whatsoever what his favorite food is. Most of the time he'll just say, "Everything my wife makes," which is sweet and totally true. But I've been married to the man for 19 years and I know exactly what his favorite food really is. It's the one meal he requests week after week when we sit down to plan our weekly menu. Even the kiddies know what he's going to request before he utters a single word: BBQ Ribs with creamed corn and glazed carrots.

Creamed corn is another one of those canned foods that I grew up eating when I lived with my mom. I really loved me some creamed corn. But again, Hubby didn't care much for the canned stuff. So I had to figure out a way to please us both. Luckily I quickly found a way to change Hubby's mind about creamed corn. Now Creamed Corn a la Mexicana is the first side dish, followed by Piloncillo Caramelized Carrots (recipe on Que Rica Vida), Hubby requests when he wants BBQ Ribs.

Creamed Corn a la Mexicana is so much better than that canned stuff I grew up eating. This creamed corn has a little bit of everything: sweet golden corn kernels, spicy serrano chilies, and creamy Mexican crema.

Creamed Corn a la Mexicana - lacocinadeleslie.com

Creamed Corn a la Mexicana

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This week's #SundaySupper theme is Eat Your Greens hosted by Foodie Stuntman! Whenever I think of greens, I immediately think of my favorite green, one I've loved since I was a little, itty, bitty baby...spinach! Spinach was the first baby food I ever tried, and after that no other baby food came close to being as good as my mushed spinach. (I was a cute, but very strange baby!) 

Even though I've come along way from those days, I still love me some spinach. Just not in a jar. My favorite way to eat spinach is in what I call Espinacas con Crema, which is just another way of saying Creamed Spinach. What I love most about my Espinacas con Crema, aside from it's incredible flavor, is that I can make it with either fresh or frozen spinach. Another awesome thing about this recipe, is that it has changed just about every one I know into spinach lovers, including my suegro (father-in-law), who used to cringe at the mere mention of spinach. Now he asks for it a couple of times a month. And that in my book makes this recipe a winner.

Espinacas con Crema (Creamed Spinach) - lacocinadeleslie.com

Espinacas con Crema (Creamed Spinach) #SundaySupper

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One of my favorite things about the world of food blogging are the various groups I've joined over the years. There is always much fun to be had discovering new blogs, trying new recipes, and making new friends. Some of my closest friends are friends I've made through bloggging. Well, I've gone and joined another group called The Secret Recipe Club (SRC). It's like a virtual recipe swap with another blogger, except I'll be assigned a different food blog each month, and the participants have no idea who is cooking something from their blog until reveal day. Sounds fun, right? I think so. The blog I was given this month was Things I Make (for Dinner) written by Sarah.

After reading through Sarah's blog about the recipes she prepares for herself and her hubby, I had a list of recipes I wanted to try: Shirley Temple Cupcakes, Pineapple Sangria, Peanut Butter Crunch Cake, Pecan Pie Muffins, Monkey Muffins, Pork Fried Rice, and Chicken Gyros. I was leaning heavily towards the Chicken Gyros because I haven't had one in like 15+ years, but I decided to ask Hubby and kiddies for their opinions as to what I should make. As soon as I said the words "peanut butter" they were sold. So, Peanut Butter Crunch Cake it was! But those Chicken Gyros are high on my list of things to make.

Oh, where do I start with this cake? I've always loved peanut butter, but it's been way too long since I've made (and eaten) a peanut butter dessert. I had forgotten how much I love peanut butter desserts. This snack cake reminded me of one of my favorite cookies, Nutter Butters, that I haven't had since I moved to Mexico 13 years ago. I couldn't stop tasting the cake batter, it was that good.

I did have to make one change to this cake. The original recipe calls for chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, but since I don't have access to those I decided to substitute plain m&m candies. The result was a major hit with my family. Jack, my youngest, has already requested I make this cake again for El Día del Niño (Children's Day) in April, and Hope and Nick, my teenagers, have both requested this cake for their birthdays. Thank you, Sarah, for sharing this recipe!

Peanut Butter Fun Snack Cake - lacocinadeleslie.com

Secret Recipe Club: Peanut Butter Fun Snack Cake

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Meatless Mushroom Poblano Tacos - lacocinadeleslie.com

For this week's #SundaySupper theme, hosted by Tammi of Momma's Meals, we are going meatless. Personally, I couldn't be any happier because I'm always looking for new meatless recipes to serve during Lent for our meat-free Fridays.

The recipe I'm sharing today is one I make often, even when we're not observing Cuaresma (Lent). My favorite thing about these tacos, aside from their spicy and earthy flavor, is how incredibly easy they are to put together. All it takes is 3 ingredients: onion, mushrooms, and roasted poblano peppers. Recipes don't get much easier than that.

Mushroom Poblano Tacos #SundaySupper

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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.)

Chicken Pipián Verde #WeekdaySupper

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When I think of Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday my mind immediately wanders to all the rich, decadent foods I want to enjoy before the seriousness of Cuaresma (Lent) starts the very next day. Here in Mexico we take Cuaresma very seriously. Most people, myself included, give up eating meat on Miercoles de Ceniza (Ash Wednesday) and every Friday until Easter Sunday. Martes de Carnaval (Fat Tuesday) is my last day to indulge in the rich and sinfully delicious foods I might be giving up for the 40+ day Lenten period. Not that I've decided to give anything up this year, but in years past I've given up Mexican Coca-Cola (which I no longer drink) and coffee (which I promised to never give up again).

Aside from coffee, my one guilty pleasure that I could never give up is chocolate, Mexican Chocolate to be exact. It can be used for so much more than just Mexican Hot Chocolate and Mole Dulce. One of my new favorite ways to enjoy sweet, cinnamon scented Mexican chocolate is in this Mexican Chocolate Coffee Cake. The cake is tender, and melt-in-your-mouth buttery delicious.

Mexican Chocolate Coffee Cake - lacocinadeleslie.com

Mexican Chocolate Coffee Cake #SundaySupper

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