Authentic Pork Carnitas

**Pleas note this is an updated recipe but not an updated after pic.  My husband and kids ate the food so fast last night I did not get a picture of it. However this was by far the most moist, and flavorful carnitas I have made to date.
1 large 2-3 pound pork shoulder/butt
1/2 medium white onion chopped
6 cloves garlic chopped
1.5 tbsp sea salt or kosher
2 tbsp black pepper
2 Bay leaves
1 Tsp cumin
1 Cube chicken bullion

warm flour tortillas (or corn its a preference really)
1/2 white onion fine diced
cilantro fine minced

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 8-9 hours.  Shred with a fork and allow pork to simmer in juice for ten minutes. Serve. Mix diced white onions and cilantro. Place pork on warmed tortilla, top with onions and cilantro and enjoy.

Turkey Chorizo Breakfast Tacos

INGREDIENTS (For 6 tacos)

4-6 Yukon gold potatoes unpeeled cubed into 1/2" x 1/2" pieces 

1 Package Turkey Chorizo (I used Diestel brand from Whole Foods)

1/2 Tsp cumin

6 corn tortillas

Water to boil potatoes

6 eggs

Salt & pepper

2-3 Tbsp oil as needed

1 Tbsp salted butter

 

1 Package Queso Fresco - crumbled

Cilantro - chopped

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to warm.  Bring pot of water and potatoes to a boil.   Boil for about five minutes or until just starting to get tender.  

In a large skillet (cast iron is best) heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium high heat and cook chorizo & cumin 8-10 minutes until cooked through.  With a slotted spoon remove chorizo and set aside.  

Drain potatoes and allow to dry for about two minutes.  Add potatoes and butter to pan in flat layer and cook until starting to crisp on all sides, stirring every few minutes.  If needed add another Tbsp of oil to help crisp up (my chorizo wasn't very fatty so I had to add oil).  Once potatoes are crisp add chorizo back in and combine it all together over low heat for about two minutes.  Using slotted spoon remove the mixture into a bowl and reserve it in a warming oven.  

Using the chorizo bits in the pan add remaining Tbsp oil and one at a time lightly fry tortillas over medium heat until they start to raise and blister, getting coated in the flavors from the pan.  Place tortillas in oven to warm.  

Heat a small non stick skillet over medium low heat and crack in one egg.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.  Using a lid that fits the pan or is slightly bigger then the pan, add 1 Tsp water in pan with egg and cover until Top of egg white is no longer clear and runny, but the yolk is still liquid (this is called basting the egg).  The water will produce steam cooking the top of the egg without flipping it and overcooking it.  While egg is cooking assemble one tortilla, topped with chorizo mixture.  Remove egg from the pan and place on top of chorizo mixture.  Top with crumbled queso fresco and cilantro.  

This recipe is adapted from the book "The Best Cookbook Ever," by Max & Eli Sussman

Garlic chicken flautas with spicy avocado sauce

 

INGREDIENTS

Chicken filling

8-10 Boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts

6 Cloves garlic

2 Tsp ground corriander

1 Lime juiced (reserve lime halves)

Salt & Pepper to taste

For building

 10-14 corn tortillas

Vegetable oil for frying

Toothpics

For topping

 Queso Fresco

Lettuce - shredded

Sour cream

Spicy avocado cream sauce (Recipe here)

Tomatoes

In a crock pot combine all ingredients for the chicken.  Cook on low for 5 hours.  Drain off excess grease and shred with a fork.  

Add about 1/2" of oil to pan and heat up over medium low heat.  

Take one tortilla and fill it with about 2 Tbsp of chicken.  Roll it up like a Taquito and stick a toothpick in the end to keep it together.  Once you have about five rolled you can put them in the hot oil, edge side down.  Flip every few minutes or when shell turns golden brown.  While those are cooking, begin rolling the second batch.

Once you have repeated this and all of your flautas are ready you can serve them on a bed of shredded iceberg.  I filled sandwich bags with sour cream and avocado cream sauces and then shipped off the very very end of it to make the fancy design on my flautas.  Top with crumbled queso fresco and tomatoes.  Enjoy

Spicy avocado cream sauce

 This is the least flattering photo ever, but I promise you it is delicious.

Ingredients

1- Ripe avocado

1/4 cup- White onion, cut into pieces

1/2- Juice of lemon

1/2- Juice of lime

3- Tsbp fresh cilantro

1- Red Fresno pepper, chopped (or a jalapeno)

1- Clove of garlic (this will add spice)

2- Tbsp water if necessary to thin out sauce

Sea salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth. Chill until ready to use.  Goes great over flautas or on a taco salad.

Pasilla Pepper Quesidillas (vegetarian)

4 medium flour tortillas
2 pounds monteray jack cheese shredded
2 medium tomatoes diced
3 Pasilla peppers sliced into 1/2 strips
1/3 white onion halved & sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 can mild diced green chilis
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil

In large pan heat oil over medium heat. Add in onions, peppers & tomatoes. Mix and cook for about 3 minutes. Add in stock, diced chilis & garlic. Increase heat to medium high and boil until most of the liquid is gone & peppers are soft.

Heat a non stick pan over medium low heat. I prefer to spray the outside of my tortilla with a little bit of vegetable spray it crisps up better. Add cheese to one half, place 1/4 of the mixture on the cheese, top with more cheese and then fold. Cook until brown and flip. Make sure the liquid is mostly cooked out so you don't get soggy quesidillas.

Chicken would be a nice addition to this for meat eaters. We ate it just like that, no sour cream or anything needed. I prefer Monteray Jack cheese to mozzarella for quesidillas it adds another layer of flavor. Also if you are using chicken you could sub in chicken stock.

Jumbo Mexi Shells

INGREDIENTS
15 jumbo pasta shells
1 1/4 cup ground turkey
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces cream cheese
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 tomato, diced
1 small can red enchilada sauce
sour cream (optional)
green onions, chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add shells and cook 8 minutes or until al dente.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Add in turkey and season with salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin. Cook until no longer pink about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in pinto beans, cream cheese and a cup of pepper jack cheese.
5. Fill shells with meat mixture. Arrange shells filled side up in a baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over the top, then sprinkle with remaining pepper jack cheese and tomatoes.
6. Bake for 25 minutes. Garnish with sour cream and onions.

Steak tacos with avocado tomato salad

First I want to apologize for the quality of the above photo. I was using my husbands point and shoot and it WAS NOT cooperating.

I got this recipe from Rachel Ray. As with most of her recipes after tasting the ingredients as I went along (you better always taste while you cook) I realized it needed some major editing. The results were pretty fucking amazing. Last night we ate it as shown, as tacos, but today my husband just took the salad part and tossed the remaining meat on and called it a steak salad for lunch. Good shit. I will italic my edits.

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp teaspoons chili powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp steak seasoning (I used McCormicks Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning, a must in our house)
  
• 1/2 tbsp Adobo seasoning (if you don't have you can omit this just add extra salt, then go buy some)
  
• (2) 1 pound skirt steaks, halved crosswise
• Salt and pepper
• 2 jalapeño chiles, finely chopped (I used red fresno, sweeter with better spice)
  
• Grated peel and juice of 2 limes
• 1 head butter lettuce, shredded (my head was massive I only used half)
  
• 2 avocados—halved, pitted and cut into small cubes
• 2 tomatoes diced
• 1.5 tbsp sugar
  
• 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
• 12 taco shells

Directions:

1. Preheat a grill pan (I grilled outside) over medium-high heat. Whisk together 1 tablespoon olive oil and the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, adobo seasoning, and steak seasoning, then rub all over the steak; season with salt and pepper. Marinate for one hour (if you are pressed for time don't worry it will still be good) Add to the grill and cook, turning once, until grill marks appear, about 5 minutes for medium-rare (they lie, four minutes was almost too much). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before thinly slicing across the grain. If your meat gets cold while resting place it on a metal baking dish (think cookie sheet and throw it back on the grill. It will heat it with out making it cook through more then necessary).
   

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the jalapeños, lime peel, lime juice, tomatoes, sugar, and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt (1 tsp) and pepper. Add the lettuce, avocados and onion and toss; season with salt and pepper.

3. Divide half of the avocado salad among the taco shells, then top with the meat and the remaining avocado salad.
   

I also added a little sour cream. We ate it with corn on the cob but later I realized the corn would have been excellent in it.

Mexican Lasagna

I stumbled upon this recipe on Eat Better America. I didn't have everything they listed so I made up my own version. Mine is as follows.

1 pound boneless skinless chicken cut in pieces
1 large white onion chopped
3 Cloves garlic chopped
2 cups sour cream
3 tbsp green chili sauce
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
3 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp Tapatio (or other favorite hot sauce)
salt
2 cups salsa
8 crunchy tostada shells
2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Heat skillet over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Add chicken and stir until no longer pink (about 5 minutes). Add chicken to a medium bowl. Wipe skillet and spray with cooking spray. Add in onions and cook until the color begins to fade. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Add onions and garlic into bowl with chicken.

In small bowl combine sour cream chili sauce, hot sauce and seasonings. Stir to combine, taste for flavor, add more of something if you prefer a stronger flavor.

In bottom of baking dish spread about 1/4 cup salsa. Place tostada shell on top, then add 1/4 sour cream mixture followed by 1/4 chicken mixture. Top with cheese. Add a second tostada shell and repeat the process. When you reach the top place your final shell, with remaining sour cream mixture and cheese on top. Place dish in oven and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. If cheese browns too quickly cover with foil. Allow dish to cool, cut and then serve.

**In a pinch you can sub tortilla shells for the tostata shells. You could also use any variety of shredded cheese that you prefer.**

(Please note, the sour cream will separate some in cooking, this is normal. Do not panic. It should look that way. I promise!)