Tag: mexican

  • 30 Things to Do With Leftover Salsa

    I believe that currenly I have 3-4 opened jars of salsa in my refrigerator.  My A.D.D. often leads me to having multiple jars open at the same time because one would just require way too much focus.  I found this list of things to do with all of this left over salsa, and thought it was just plain genius.  This came from Chili Pepper Magazine.

    1. Mix with mayo or ketchup; use as a dip for french fries.

    2. Combine with softened butter and refrigerate for a salsa compound butter; add thin slices to a grilled steak.

    3. Stir into scrambled eggs or add to omelets and frittatas.

    4. Spoon into cooked grits; add bacon and cheese.

    5. Add to burger meat mixtures or slather on top of burgers (or both!).

    6. Add lime juice and canola oil to a thin, puréed salsa like Rosa Mexicano Chile Pasilla de Oaxaca Salsa and marinate meat.

    7. Replace tomato sauce for a chunky tomato salsa on a homemade pizza.

    8. Make a béchamel sauce, add salsa and toss with pasta.

    9. Stir into cooked rice; add olives and cheddar cheese.

    10. Layer onto a grilled cheese sandwich.

    11. Use a puréed, chile-intense salsa, such as Herdez Salsa Chile de Árbol, as an enchilada sauce.

    12. Add salsa as your secret ingredient to soups, stews or chilis.

    13. Take a fruit salsa, like Santa Barbara Tangy-Apple Salsa, and use as a chutney substitute with roasted pork loin.

    14. Kick up some mac and cheese with a dollop of salsa.

    15. Use in place of cocktail sauce for shrimp.

    16. Add to deviled eggs for a pop of fire.

    17. Combine with cheese for jalapeño popper filling.

    18. Top off tacos, burritos, or huevos rancheros.

    19. Remember Mario Batali’s famous green sauce? Take a shortcut and use a spicy tomatillo salsa, like Vern’s Salsa Verde.

    20. Glaze a sweet, fruit-filled salsa over pound cake or drizzle over ice cream.

    21. Add breadcrumbs and feta cheese to salsa; stuff into eggplant halves.

    22. Use a chunky salsa, like Sassy Senoritas Habanero Salsa, as an easy start to bruschetta.

    23. Mix with goat cheese and use as a dip for veggies or serve with crackers.

    24. For a quick Mediterranean spin, top fish or chicken with an olive-filled salsa, like José Goldstein Roasted Garlic and Olive Salsa, and bake.

    25. Add cucumbers, jalapeños, tomatoes and vegetable stock to salsa. Purée into gazpacho.

    26. Mix equal parts with yogurt or sour cream; slather on a baked potato or combine with mashed potatoes.

    27. Add to meatloaf to give it a Mexican flair.

    28. Stir into chicken salad, tuna salad or potato salad.

    29. Mix with lemon or lime juice and use as a ceviche marinade.

    30. Use a thin salsa, like Sabores Aztecas, as a base for salad dressing.

  • What John Wants To Eat Today

    Huevos Rancheros.

    If you are unfamiliar with huevos rancheros, you are seriously missing out.  Huevos rancheros is a traditional Mexican dish that is usually eaten as breakfast, but can be eaten for any meal.  The basic components of the dish consists of a tortillas, fried eggs, with a tomato-chili sauce on top.  The great thing about this dish is you can add pretty much anything you like.  Here’s my version:

    1. Cook up some chorizo or regular breakfast sausage.  Chorizo is a smokier sausage that typically has red pepper added to it.
    2. Coat the bottom of a large pan LIGHTLY with oil.  Drop a tortilla in flat and let it sit until slightly crisp.  I’m talking SLIGHTLY browned.
    3. Fry two eggs.  I usually cook them over easy, but it’s up to you.
    4. Put tortilla on a plate, add chorizo on top of tortilla, and eggs on top of the chorizo.
    5. Add as much tomato-chili sauce as you want.  Canned enchilada sauce works great for this.
    6. Sprinkle cheese on top of that.
    7. I always put the dish in my toaster oven for a minute or so just to melt the cheese on top.

    There you have it.  You can serve this with beans and rice, or just eat it by itself.

  • What John Wants To Eat Today

    Nachos.

    Here’s how I do my nachos.

    I like to use about 1-2lbs of ground chicken.  Why?  I think I can flavor ground chicken a lot better than ground beef, like that taste better, and I hear it’s good for you as well.  I’m not down with the whole ground turkey thing because I just can’t eat turkey on anything but a sandwich or for a holiday that involves pilgrims.

    Ingredients

    • 1-2lbs of ground chicken, depending on if you want regular or monster nachos.
    • 1 tbsp. chili powder
    • 2 tsp. cumin
    • Salt/Pepper
    • 2 tsp. cayenne pepper — Add more if you like the heat
    • 2 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/2 half onion
    • 1 can Rotel or 1 large diced tomato
    • 1 small can re-fried beans
    • 10-12oz bag tortilla chips
    • Monterey Jack cheese — As much as you like
    • Sour cream

    I like the onions and tomatoes cooked with the chicken but feel free to just add them on top.  Season the chicken and cook until done.   Add it on top of your tortilla chips, followed by the rest of the ingredients.  I like to throw it in the toaster or conventional oven to melt the cheese before serving.