When I think of something crunchy, I think of American style tacos with the crunchy shell.  The closest thing we have to those kind of tacos are Tacos Dorados and Flautas (aka Taquitos), which are these delicious tacos, filled with just about everything you can imagine, that have been deep-fried until golden and extra crispy.  I love them!  My favorite Tacos Dorados are the the kind that are filled with roasted poblano pepper strips and requeson (what I like to call Mexican ricotta cheese).

Usually I have no problem eating crispy fried tacos, but this week we've been eating out way too much, thanks to the fair being in town.  I was really craving my favorite tacos, but I wanted something a little lighter and homemade.  So instead of frying them up in oil, I baked them.  I also switched from corn tortillas for flour.  The results were delicious and I was still able to enjoy a crisp, crunchy taco.

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Crispy Flautas de Rajas con Requeson w/ Avocado Salsa Verde

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Ingredients:
  • 6 poblano peppers
  • 2 cups requeson or ricotta cheese
  • 12 to 16 flour tortillas 
  • Mexican crema or sour cream (optional)

For the salsa:
  • 1 1b. tomatillos
  • 2 serrano chilies
  • 2 avocados

Directions:
Roast the poblano peppers on a griddle or comal over high heat, turning occasionally, until the flesh is completely charred.  Transfer roasted poblano peppers to a plastic or paper bag and let sit for 15 minutes.  (This allows the peppers to sweat, making it much easier to peel.)  Remove the charred skin, stems, and seeds from the peppers.  Slice the poblano peppers into thin strips.

While the poblano peppers are sweating it out on the counter, start on the Avocado Salsa Verde.  Bring the tomatillos and serrano chilies to a boil in a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water until the the tomatillos are completely cooked; let cool slightly.  Puree the tomatillos and the chilies in a blender with 1 cup of the water they were cooked in.  Add the avocadoes and continue to puree for about 30 seconds just until the salsa is smooth and creamy.  Pour salsa into a serving bowl and season with salt. 

To make the flautas, preheat the oven to 350F.  Heat the flour tortillas on a comal or griddle over medium-low heat just until soft and pliable.  Spoon a couple tablespoons of requeson down the center of each tortilla.  Top with a handful of roasted poblano pepper strips.  Roll up the tortillas tightly like a burrito.  Place the flautas seam-side down on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake for about 15 minutes until the flautas are golden and crisp.  

Serve with Avocado Salsa Verde and/or Mexican crema.  Enjoy!

lacocinadeleslie.com

For more crunchy goodness, take a look at what my #SundaySupper friends have cooked up for you this week.

Crispy Appetizers:


Bitterballen from The Urban Mrs.
Caprese Wontons from Jane’s Adventure in Dinner
Crispy Broccoli Cheddar Bites from Curious Cuisiniere
Waldorf Salad from Noshing With The Nolands
Crunchy Entrees and Sides:
Crunchy Baked Chicken with Homemade Shake and Bake from Growing Up Gabel
Crunchy Crusted Chicken Strips with Chipotle Honey Mustard from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventure
Flautas de Rajas con Queso (Cheesy Poblano Pepper Taquitos) from La Cocina de Leslie
Penny’s Taco Salad from Webicurean
Popcorn Chowder from The ROXX Box
Rosemary Garlic Croutons on layered Savoy Cabbage Soup from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
Strawberry and Mozzarella Flatbread from Family Foodie


Munch on Snacks:
Crunchy & Chewy Chocolate Hazelnut Granola from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Crunchy Granola Bars (Better than Nature Valley) from Shockingly Delicious
Crunchy Pumpkin Pie Spice Roasted Chickpeas from Daily Dish Recipes
Duck Fat Chex Mix from The Texan New Yorker
Easy Vegan Granola from Killer Bunnies, Inc
Fried Veg Momos with Cheese Recipe from Masala Herb
How to Make Homemade Sweet and Salty Trail Mix from Neighborfood
Orange Spiced Cashews from Hip Foodie Mom
Peanut and Pretzel Popcorn Balls from Peanut Butter and Peppers
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds from Hezzi-D’s Cooks and Books
Slow Cooker Bar-B-Q Party Mix from Hot Mamma’s Kitchen Chaos
Sourdough Grissini from girlichef
Spicy Lentil Crackers from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Sweet and Spicy Roasted Pepitas from Alida’s Kitchen
Sweet Potato Chips from Kudos Kitchen By Renee
Unbaked Healthy Oatmeal Sesame Bars from My Trials In The Kitchen
Vanilla Almonds from That Skinny Chick Can Bake


Crisp Dessert:
Boo Berry Cereal Treats from Pies and Plots
Choco-Caramel Squares from Basic N Delicious
Chocolate Covered Potato Chip Rice Krispie Treats from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Chocolate Pecan Biscotti from The Food Army Wife
Cookie Brittle from Juanita’s Cocina
Double Banana Pie Krispie Treats from What Smells So Good?
Honeycomb Crunch Candy from Food Lust People Love
Momofuku Chocolate Chip Cornflakes Cookies from Ninja Baking
Nutty Wedges with Brown Sugar Whipped Cream from Magnolia Days
Salted Caramel Cashew Cookies from Mess Makes Food


Thank you to The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen for hosting our #SundaySupper Crunchy Goodness party this week.  Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here →Sunday Supper Movement


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Crispy Flautas de Rajas con Requeson w/ Avocado Salsa Verde #SundaySupper

National Taco Day (October 4th) is just around the corner, so this month for She Made/Ella Hace girlichef and I decided to give you something to taco 'bout.

Over the years I've shared many a taco recipe here in my Cocina, including my favorite tacos ever - Tacos de Chorizo.  But for some reason I've never blogged about the taco we eat most in our house...Tacos de Frijoles.  My kiddies love them for breakfast before they leave for school.  Hubby loves to eat them any time of day.  And I love them because they remind me of my childhood.  Gramm always packed a couple Tacos de Frijoles in my lunchbox when I was a kid, so I'd grow healthy and strong.  My friends loved to trade me their bologna sandwiches for my Mexican lunch.

There's really not much to making Tacos de Frijoles.  All you need is some tortillas and refried beans.  If you want to get really fancy, you can add some queso fresco and your favorite salsa.

lacocinadeleslie.com

Tacos de Frijoles con Queso

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Ingredients:

  • Refried Beans
  • Flour or corn tortillas
  • Queso fresco
  • Chile de Molcajete (roasted tomatillo & chile de arbol salsa) or your favorite salsa


Directions:
Heat tortillas on a comal or griddle over low heat until soft and pliable.  Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of refried beans onto each tortilla.  Fold tortillas in half over the refried beans.  Heat the bean tacos on the comal, flipping over occasionally, until heated through.  To serve, top with crumbled queso fresco and Chile de Molcajete.  Enjoy!

lacocinadeleslie.com

Now be sure to head on over to girlichef's blog to check out her Spicy Mushroom-Pasilla Tacos



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Comfort Food Classics: Tacos de Frijoles con Queso {She Made/Ella Hace}

I LOVE fall!  It is by far my favorite season of the year.  And not just because the 1st day of fall sometimes falls on my birthday.  (Like this year.  Happy Birthday to me!)  I love the crisper weather.  Watching the leaves fall from the trees.  Bundling up in my favorite sweater.  And all of the yummy, warm, comforting treats that are synonymous with the season.

Usually around this time of the year, I'm all about apples or pumpkins.  But right now I only have eyes for Sweet Potatoes and/or yams.  I always get the two confused.  But in Spanish I don't have that problem.  In Mexico we call both sweet potatoes and yams, camotes.  And the most popular sweet potato dish has to be Camotes Enmielados (Mexican Candied Sweet Potatoes).  They're these sweet, syrupy sweet potatoes cooked in piloncillo (unrefined sugar cones) and cinnamon that taste just like fall.  As soon as I flipped my calendar to September, I had a pot of Camotes Enmielados simmering away on the stove.  I can't think of a better way to celebrate my favorite season.

What's your favorite fall food?

lacocinadeleslie.com

Camotes Enmieladitos
(Candied Sweet Potatoes)

Ingredients:
  • 2 lbs. sweet potatoes, cut in 2-inch slices
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
  • 2 cones dulce macho (piloncillo) 

Directions:
Place the sweet potato slices in a dutch oven or large pot with the water and cinnamon sticks.  Arrange the piloncillo cones (whole) directly on top of the sweet potato slices.  Cover the pot and let simmer over low heat for about an hour until the camotes are completely cooked and the syrup has thickened slightly.  Let cool slightly.  Serve warm with milk or drizzle a little sweetened condensed milk on top.  Enjoy!

lacocinadeleslie.com

Be sure to check out these delicious Autumn inspired recipes from my #SundaySupper friends that I'm sure to you'll "fall" in love with. (See what I did there?)


Amazing Breakfasts, Brunches, and Breads

Outstanding Soups, Starters and Sides:

Comforting Main Dishes:

Decadent Desserts:

Tasty Drinks:

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here →Sunday Supper Movement


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Camotes Enmielados (Mexican Candied Sweet Potatoes) #SundaySupper

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Football season is upon us once again, which means it's time for our 2nd Annual #SundaySupper Tailgating Party.  No matter what team you're rooting for, be it the New England Patriots (my fave team) or some other team, it's practically impossible (not to mention unthinkable) to watch a game without something delicious to eat.  

These Tortilla Wrapped Hot Dogs, which are a very popular street food here in Mexico, also make for a delicious snack to eat while watching your favorite team battle it out on the football field.   If you've never had a hot dog wrapped in a crisp golden fried tortilla, you have been missing out.  They are highly addictive and finger lickin' good.

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Tortilla-wrapped Hot Dogs
lacocinadeleslie.com

Ingredients:
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 12 hot dog sausages (beef, pork, or turkey) 
  • Vegetable oil (for frying) 
  • Ketchup 
  • Mustard
  • Salsa 

Directions: 
Heat corn tortillas on a comal or griddle until soft and pliable.  Wrap tortillas around hot dog sausages, securing with a toothpick. You can leave the hot dog sausages whole, or slice them into quarters for a bite-size snack.  (Secure each piece with a toothpick.)

Heat about 1 cup of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or saucepan.  Carefully drop Tortilla Wrapped Hot Dogs into the oil and fry until the tortilla is crisp and golden.  Remove hot dogs to a paper towel lined plate to drain off any excess oil.  Serve Tortilla Wrapped Hot Dogs with your favorite condiments: ketchup, mustard, or a spicy salsa.  Enjoy! 

For more Tailgating recipes & ideas, be sure to check out the line-up of tasty tailgating goodies my #SundaySupper friends cooked up for you this week. 


Sunday Supper Movement



Warm Ups (Appetizers):

Game Time (Main Dishes and Sides):

Overtime (Drinks and Desserts):

Thank you to Supper for a Steal for hosting our 2nd Annual #SundaySupper Tailgating Party.  Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement.




















Tortilla-Wrapped Hot Dogs #SundaySupper

This week for #SundaySupper we are celebrating Labor Day, which for those of you outside the US is celebrated on the first Monday of September.  I don't get to celebrate US Labor Day anymore, because here in Mexico it's just another Monday.  In Mexico we celebrate Labor Day (Dia del Trabajo) on May 1st.  

Just because I don't get to celebrate US Labor Day anymore, doesn't mean I don't think about it.  Remember what I always say...You can take the girl out of the US, but you can't take away her love of American holidays.  To me Labor Day has always been the "unofficial" end of summer.   And every first Monday of September, I long for that one last cookout with family and friends to bid farewell to summer.   We actually had our farewell cookout of the summer last weekend, where I whipped up these Margaritas de Flor de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower Margaritas) to toast the unoffical end of summer.  

lacocinadeleslie.com

Margaritas de Jamaica 
(Hibiscus Flower Margaritas) 

Ingredients:
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers
  • Limes
  • Tequila
  • Salt or granulated sugar

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the water and granulated sugar.  Add the dried hibiscus flowers and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool completely.  Strain the Hibiscus Flower Syrup into a decorative glass pitcher/caraffe or an airtight container and keep refrigerated until ready to use.    

To make the margaritas: Dip the rims of chilled glasses in lemon juice.  Then dip the moistened rims in salt or sugar, depending on whether you prefer your margaritas sweet or salty.  (I like to add a little grated lime zest to my salt and/or sugar for extra flavor.)  Fill glasses with ice.  Squeeze the juice of 1 lime in each glass.  Pour in 2 oz. of tequila, then fill glass with Hibiscus Flower Syrup.   Stir gently to combine.  Enjoy!!! 

lacocinadeleslie.com

For more Labor Day menu ideas, be sure to check out what my #SundaySupper friends have cooked up for you this week.

Refreshing Drinks

Amazing Appetizers and Sides

Enviously Good Entreés

Delicious Desserts

Thank you to Crazy Food Stunts for hosting this week's #SundaySupper Labor Day celebration.  And as always, don't forget to join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement.



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Margaritas de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower Margaritas) #SundaySupper

Somebody please cue the Kool & the Gang music because there is a party going on right here. Today the awesome & incredible girlichef and I are celebrating the 2nd anniversary of our She Made/Ella Hace series.  Ya-hoo!  It's a celebration...

For those of you that might be new to my Cocina and/or the She Made/Ella Hace series, Heather (girlichef) came up with the idea for SM/EH because we are both fabulous American women married to hunky Mexican men.  We both love to cook, and we actually cook a lot of the same dishes.  The only difference is that Heather lives in the US, and I live in Mexico.  Every month we get "together" to cook our version of the same dish or we choose to cook with a certain ingredient.  The real fun is seeing what we come up with and seeing how different, or similar, our dishes/recipes are.



This month we decided to do things a little differently.  Instead of choosing a dish, theme, or ingredient to cook with, we decided to make something from each other's blogs.  I cooked up something from Heather's blog, and she cooked something from mine (Ejotes con Huevo).

Heather has a ton of delicious recipes on her blog to choose from.  I have a list that is a couple of pages long with just recipes from her blog that I want to try.  Everything from Soft Pretzels w/ Spicy Beer Cheese Sauce to Golden Garlic Soup w/ Fideo to White Hot Chocolate w/ Orange to Sangrita Paletas (with tequila) to Shrunken Heads in Spiced Cider (which is already on my Halloween menu for this year).  Like I said, she has a ton of fabulous recipes to choose from.

One of Heather's recipes that has been at the top of my list is her Mandarin Orange Jam.  I dream of one day spreading some of that jam on a buttery slice of toast while I enjoy my morning cup of coffee.  And since I'm not as nervous about canning anymore I am definitely going to cook up a batch just as soon as mandarin season rolls around.  Also at the top of my list is her Coconut Tres Leches Cake, but I'm saving that for my birthday next month.  I ended up making her Tortas con Chile Colorado, because I love sandwiches, I love Chile Colorado, and because Hubby started drooling over my shoulder while I tried to decide which of Heather's recipes to make.

These Tortas de Chile Colorado were so easy to make, and my family absolutely loved them!  These sandwiches will be regular guests at our table from now on.

To Heather, I just want to say thank you for letting me cook alongside you every month.  It is always a joy and a pleasure to cook with you.  Happy Anniversary, amiga!  (((Hugs!)))

http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com

Tortas de Chile Colorado de Res (Chile Colorado Beef Sandwiches)
(Recipe adapted from girlichef and Rick Bayless)

For the chile colorado filling:
  • 3 dried ancho chilies
  • 2 dried guajillo chilies
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 lbs. steak, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 pinch dried oregano

For the sandwiches:
  • Bolillo rolls
  • Mexican crema
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Avocado, thinly sliced
  • Red onion, thinly sliced
  • Fresh cilantro 

Directions:
Bring the dried ancho and guajillo chilies to a boil over medium-high heat in the 2 cups of water, reduce heat and let simmer until the chilies have softened.  Let cool slightly.  Remove stems and seeds from the chilies.  In a blender puree the chilies and the water they were cooked in until smooth; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and saute for 1 minute.  Add the sliced steak and minced garlic; season with salt and black pepper.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink.  Pour the chile puree over the meat.  Season with the ground cumin and dried oregano, adding more salt, if necessary.  Once the chile colorado starts to boil reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes or until most of the liquid has disappeared.

To serve the sandwiches, split open the bolillo rolls in half lengthwise.  Toast lightly on a comal or griddle.  Spread the cut sides of the boillo rolls with Mexican crema.  Serve desired amount of the beef chile colorado inside each bolillo roll.  Top with shredded lettuce, sliced avocado and onion, and fresh cilantro leaves.  Enjoy!!!


Now click on over to girlichef's blog to wish her a Happy 2nd Anniversary and to see her recipe for Ejotes con Huevo (Green Bean Scramble).


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Chile Colorado Beef Sandwiches for She Made/Ella Hace 2nd Anniversary



Where does the time go?  It seems like it was just yesterday that the kiddies were getting out of school for summer vacation.  And then BAM!  It's over.  Has it really been six weeks???  My kiddies go back to school tomorrow, although Hope (my 15 year old) started at her new high school on Wednesday.

As short as our summer vacation was, I'm not too sad because I know we packed in as much fun as we could.  And that's all that really matters.  Not how long or short our vacation was.

My kiddies are all pretty excited to go back to school.  Jack's looking forward to finding out who his new teacher is going to be.  Ashley's looking forward to showing off her new short 'do to all her friends.  Nick's looking forward to being an 8th grader.  And Hope is/was looking forward to making new friends at her new school.

This past week I've been busy getting everything ready for the first day of school.  We've gone school supply shopping, picked up the kiddies' new uniforms, and I have their backpacks all packed and ready to go.  All that's left to do is to pack their lunch.  That is actually the easiest of all my back-to-school preparations.  Every year, for as long as I can remember, my kiddies have requested the same thing for their First Day of School lunch...Pizzadillas.  It looks like a quesadilla on the outside, but it's stuffed with all the same goodies you'd put on a pizza.  A pizza quesadilla!


Pizzadillas

Ingredients:
  • Flour tortillas
  • 1 lb. pepperoni
  • 1-1/2 to 2 cups pizza sauce
  • Shredded mozarella, Oaxaca, or Asadero cheese
  • Sliced black olives (optional)
  • Sliced mushrooms (optional)
  • Thinly sliced red onion (optional)
  • Thinly sliced bell pepper (optional)
  • Sliced jalapeño peppers (canned or homemade) 

Directions:
Spread 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce on a flour tortilla.  Top with shredded cheese, sliced pepperoni, and whatever other toppings you love.  My kiddies love jalapeños and olives on their pizzas, but you could also add some sliced mushrooms and/or bell peppers. 


Top with another flour tortilla.  Cook the pizzadillas on a lightly greased comal or skillet over low heat, until both sides of the quesadilla are lightly golden and the cheese has melted.  Serve with pizza sauce on the side.  Enjoy!


For more lunchbox recipes, check out what my #SundaySupper friends have cooked up for you this week:

Sandwiches, Wraps and Entrees:
Munchies, Salads and Sides:
Sweet Treats:
A big thank you to That Skinny Chick Can Bake for hosting this week's #SundaySupper Lunchbox party. Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement.



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Pizzadillas #SundaySupper