Texas Breakfast Tacos

Found in SL September 2023 here

2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chipotle chile powder
4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 (2 1/2-lb.) beef brisket, fat cap trimmed to 1/4- to 1/2-in. thickness
1 large (about 11 oz.) white onion, cut into about 1/2-in.-thick slices
12 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup (2 oz.) unsalted butter, cut evenly into 4 pieces
2 cups Colby-Jack cheese, shredded (about 8 oz.)
16 (6-in.) flour tortillas
1 cup fresh pico de gallo

Stir together paprika, garlic powder, cumin, chile powder, and 3 teaspoons of the salt in a small bowl. Rub mixture evenly all over brisket. Arrange onion slices in bottom of a slow cooker; place brisket, fat cap side up, on top. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.

Remove brisket from slow cooker; discard onion, or reserve for tacos or another use. Let brisket stand until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Cut brisket across the grain into about 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cover to keep warm.

Whisk together eggs, milk, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until well blended. Pour mixture into a large nonstick skillet; add butter pieces. Cook over medium-low, stirring often with a silicone spatula, until egg curds are set but remain tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese onto each tortilla; top each with a scant 1/4 cup scrambled eggs. Divide brisket evenly among tacos; top evenly with pico de gallo (about 1 tablespoon each), and serve.  

TexMex Skillet Poblano Dip

Found in SL September 2023 issue here

 

5 medium poblano chiles (about 1 lb. total)
2 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup chopped scallions (from 4 medium scallions)
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 large garlic clove, grated (about 1/2 tsp.)
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded and divided (about 2 cups)
Tortilla chips

Preheat oven to broil with oven rack about 7 inches from heat source. Coat a medium (10-inch) cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet with cooking spray; set aside. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Arrange chiles on prepared baking sheet. Broil, turning occasionally, until blackened all over, about 10 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven; reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Wrap foil tightly around chiles, and let stand 10 minutes.

Unwrap chiles. Rub off skins; cut stems from chiles. Slice chiles in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds. (Discard skins, stems, and seeds.) Cut halves lengthwise into thin strips; cut strips into 1-inch pieces.

Stir together cream cheese, scallions, sour cream, cumin, salt, and grated garlic in a bowl. Stir in chiles and 1 1/2 cups of the Monterey Jack. Spread dip into prepared skillet. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Monterey Jack over dip. Bake, uncovered, at 350°F until bubbly, about 25 minutes. Serve warm with tortilla chips. 

Pimiento Cheese Taquitos

Found in SL Jan/Feb 2026 issue here

Southern Living Test Kitchen Tips:
*Choose your tortillas wisely. If you use corn tortillas that are too thick, they’ll break upon rolling. We recommend La Banderita tortillas for a good supermarket brand.
*Microwave tortillas first. Microwaving tortillas in a damp towel before rolling makes them more pliable and less likely to break. You could also heat them over your stovetop.

*Freeze the rolled tortillas. This ensures the cheese filling won’t melt too quickly while crisping in the oven. 

*Brush taquitos with egg before baking. This will help them stay rolled in the oven. 
*Don’t skip the homemade pimiento cheese. While you can use store-bought pimiento cheese, we recommend making your own as store-bought may melt too much, causing it to seep out of the taquitos. 
*Add your own variations. To bulk up these taquitos, try adding pulled pork, or throw in some scallions or cilantro. 
Editor's Note: This recipe was developed by Craig Ruff; the head note was written by Melinda Salchert. 

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese 8 oz
1 7-oz jar diced pimientos, drained
1 4-oz can chopped green chiles, drained
3/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon, 9 slices
3 tbsp mayonnaise
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, divided
16  6" corn tortillas, lightly coated with cooking spray
1 large egg, beaten
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup ranch dressing
Chopped fresh cilantro
Chopped fresh dill

Stir together Cheddar cheese, pimientos, green chiles, cooked bacon, mayonnaise, kosher salt, garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper in a large bowl until combined. Set aside.
 

Stack 8 tortillas (coated with cooking spray); wrap in damp paper towels. Place on a microwavable plate, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH until hot and pliable, about 1 minute, 30 seconds.

Working with 1 hot tortilla at a time, brush egg on 1 half of each tortilla. Spread 2 tablespoons cheese mixture over other half of each hot tortilla.Starting with the cheese-covered half, tightly roll into a log (about 1" thick). Transfer to a plate, seam side down. Repeat microwaving and filling process with remaining 8 tortillas, egg, and cheese mixture. Freeze rolled tortillas 30 minutes. Place a large rimmed baking sheet on bottom rack of oven; preheat to 450°F.

Brush rolled tortillas with oil; place seam side down on hot baking sheet. Bake until crispy, 10 to 14 minutes, turning after 6 minutes of baking.

Stir together ranch dressing and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper in a bowl. Transfer taquitos to a platter; garnish with cilantro. Top ranch mixture with dill before serving. 

 

Slow Cooker Green Chile Pork

Recipe found in Slow Cooker Favorites magazine.

 

2 tbsp vegetable oil

3-4# boneless pork shoulder roast, trimmed and cut into 2" pieces

2 fresh poblano chile peppers, seeded and chopped

1c chopped onion

1c salsa verde

4oz diced green chile peppers

1 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp dried oregano, crushed

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper 

rice or tortillas 

 

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add meat, 1/3 at a time and cook until browned. Transfer meat to a 5-6 qt slow cooker.

Add poblano peppers and onion to cooker. In a small bowl combine remaining ingredients, pour over mixture in cooker. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer meat to mixture to a serving bowl. Shred meat using 2 forks. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Stir enough of the cooking liquid into meat mixture to moisten. 

Serve over rice or in tortillas. 

Chuy’s Green Chile Chicken Taquitos

Recipe found here.

1 Roasted Chicken, cooled, skin discarded and meat pulled and shredded or 6 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts cooked and shredded

1 tablespoon Garlic Salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
1 cup Chipotle Sauce store bought or homemade
1/2 cup Sour Cream
3 cups Green Chiles fresh roasted, diced
24 5-inch Flour Tortillas

Place shredded chicken in a bowl.
Season chicken with garlic salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
In another bowl, add chipotle sauce, sour cream and green chiles. Mix well.
Fold chipotle sauce mixture into chicken. Toss and mix well.
Spread about 2 tablespoons chicken mixture in a line horizontally across a tortilla, just below the center line of the tortilla.
Roll, leaving ends untucked. Place a toothpick or two in the center of the taquito to keep from opening.
Repeat until all tortillas are filled and rolled.
Pour oil into a large pot, a Dutch oven or deep fryer to a depth that will allow the taquitos to deep fry.
Heat oil to 350°F.
Place taquitos in hot oil, a few at a time, and fry for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Remove from oil and place on a paper towel-covered plate to drain.
Serve taquitos with rice and refried beans, topped with jalapeño sauce and pico de gallo.

Jani's Salsa

6 fresh big tomatoes
1/8 of a large onion
1 cup fresh cilantro
1/8 c jalapeno
squeeze of lemon juice
salt/pepper
Blend until you like the consistency.

Homemade "Rotel"

Caught with no Rotel in your pantry? We were and queso for our taco salad just wasn't going to be the same. Enter the quest for how to make it.
28oz can of diced tomatoes (fresh if you have it!)
1/6 cup (2T + 2tsp) apple cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/8 c jalapeno
3 slices of bell pepper
2oz green chiles

Put it all in your blender or food processor and blend until you like the consistency.

Enchiladas Verdes

While on vacation in Dec 2016, we had dinner with our friends and Leslie made these delicious enchiladas for us. I've never had green sauce before; it was just something I preferred to pretend didn't exist. But man have I been missing out!!!

For the sauce:
2# green tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 serrano chiles
1 cup cilantro leaves
¼ cup white onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp safflower or corn oil

For the enchiladas:
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
Oil for frying the tortillas
12 corn tortillas
½ cup Mexican style cream can substitute for heavy cream
½ cup crumbled queso fresco, farmers cheese, cotija or mild feta
1/3 cup white onion, chopped for garnish

Place the tomatillos and garlic cloves in a pot and cover with water. Place over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until tomatillos change their color from bright to pale green, are cooked through, and are soft but not coming apart.

Place the tomatillos, garlic and 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid in the blender and puree. Add the chiles serranos, cilantro leaves, onion, and salt; puree again until smooth. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, but not smoking, pour in the sauce and bring to a simmer. Let it simmer over medium heat for about 6 minutes, until it thickens and deepens in color. Taste for salt and add more if need be.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, add enough oil to have about 1/2" depth. Let it heat about 3 minutes. Gently "pass each tortilla through the oil," one by one, for about 15 seconds on each side, they will soften and become resilient. You should be able to fold them without breaking them. Transfer them to a paper towel covered plate.

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Place about 2-3 tablespoons chicken inside of each tortilla and roll them up. Place them, seam side down on a baking dish. Cover, generously, with the green sauce. Place them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven, sprinkle with the crumbled cheese, the cream, and the chopped onion. They are very satisfying with a side of rice and/or beans, as well as with a light green salad.
Eat the enchiladas while they are hot!

Enchilada Sauce - Red, Heather

http://sprittibee.com/2006/09/home-made-cheese-enchiladas.html

Enchilada Sauce - Red

While waiting on Spritti Bee to share her recipe, we went on a hunt for an enchilada sauce. After looking at a few recipes we chose this one of Emeril's. Like most of the recipes we find, we did our own tweaking to it and utilized items we had on hand. For us, the recipe was a bit too spicy. Not that we don't like spicy but we found we couldn't taste anything else because the chili powder was so heavy. Next time we're thinking of cutting the chili powder in half. Below is what we made; we tripled his recipe and made 20 enchiladas. We did have sauce leftover but not enough to make 20 again.

1 stick butter
3 tablespoon flour
3/4 cup chili powder (use less next time for less spice)
6 cups chicken stock
28oz pureed tomato
3 teaspoon dried oregano
3 teaspoon ground cumin
1½ teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan melt butter, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minute.
Add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds.
Add stock, tomato puree, oregano, and cumin. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken and smooth out. Adjust the seasonings.

Mexican Layer Dip

refried beans
sour cream
jalapeno
guacamole
tomatoes/pico de gallo
green onions
cheese

Fajita Seasoning

1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp crushed chicken bouillon cube

½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp cumin

Combine and store in an airtight container.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

You can find the original recipe here, but as usual we've tripled the recipe to feed our crew of 9. Enjoy!

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onion, diced
2 small green or red bell pepper, diced
9 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 11oz cans of Ro-tel diced tomatoes & green chiles OR 1 28oz can of petite diced tomatoes & 12oz diced green chiles
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3# boneless chicken breasts
6 cups corn
3 can black bean 3 tbsp chile powder
3 tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp oregano (preferably Mexican), crushed between fingertips
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese or monterey jack, plus more for serving
3 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
tortilla chips, for serving
sliced avocado, for serving

In a medium skillet heat the oil over medium heat OR put your crock pot on high and heat the oil. Add the onions, peppers and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, stirring often, about 10 minutes.

In your crock pot add the Ro-tel (tomatoes and chiles), chicken broth, chicken, corn, black beans, chile powder, cumin, oregano. Mix in the cooked onions, peppers and garlic.

Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 5-6 hours. Remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board. Stir the cheese and sour cream into the soup. Shred the chicken or cut into bite-sized pieces and add back to the pot. Taste and season as needed. Cook 1 more hour on low heat.

Serve garnished with more cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips and avocado.

Hatch Chicken Tamales

We made these tonight, I've checked and rechecked the ingredients and instructions. 5 hours later they are just coming out of the pot, though some of them still need to cook a bit more. I need to do more research and figure this out. But they taste amazing!!!! I found this recipe in the My HEB Texas Life magazine that you can get for free at the store.

2 bags corn husks
3# boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 16oz jar Central Market Hatch Green Chili/Salsa Verde
4# H-E-B corn masa for tamales
6 tbsp H-E-B canola oil
2 tsp baking powder
salt and pepper
2 cups mozzarella, shredded

Soak corn husks in hot water until soft, about 30 minutes.
Cook chicken in 8 cups boiling water until tender. Remove chicken. Strain broth and set aside. Shred chicken and combine with Hatch green chili; set aside.
Using a large bowl and electric mixer on medium speed, blend masa, canola oil, baking powder and 4 cups strained chicken broth. Beat until masa feels like mashed potatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
Tamale Assembly: Place 3 tablespoons masa on smooth side of a softened corn husk. Spread across the center, 1/4 inch from the flat end of the husk. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons chicken mixture down center of masa. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of mozzarella. Fold both sides in tightly to overlap and fold the pointed end up to meet the flat end.
Steaming Tamales: Add 2 inches water to a steamer pot. Place tamales open end facing up in the steamer basket. Cover, bring water to a boil, reduce heat to Low and cook 3 hours or until husk pulls away from the masa.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 280, Total Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Sodium: 420mg, Carbohydrates: 52g, Dietary Fiber: 1g, Protein: 16g
Source: My H-E-B Texas Life Magazine, December 2012

Cindy's MIL's Tortillas

4 cups of flour
¾-1 cup of water
1½ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup of shortening/lard

Mix dry ingredients with hands. Add in shortening and mix with hands more. Add in water ¼ cup at a time until a ball forms. Put on the counter and cover with the mixing bowl (invert it). Let it sit for 1 hour. Knead periodically. When it forms white spots in the dough it's ready to go.

Pull off bits and roll into balls. Make them bigger than you think because these shrank to about ½ their size. Roll flat and cook on a hot skillet until brown spots appear on one side. Flip and repeat. Remove and keep covered.

If they get hard, microwave them about 1 minute and they will be soft and bendable and ready to be rolled.

Cindy's Mexican Rice

This was the most delicious, flavorful rice I think I've had. I've tried mixes and various recipes but they just didn't taste good. You have got to give this recipe a go.

2 tbsp of coconut oil
4 cups of rice
4 tbsp tomato bouillon crumbles
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp black pepper
4 tbsp minced jarred garlic
big handful of cilantro
6 cups of chicken stock or water & add 4 tbsp chicken crumbles

Melt the oil in your pot. Add the rice and lightly brown it. We cooked this on med-high heat.
Add the chicken stock, bouillon, cumin, black pepper, garlic, cilantro. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and let it cook until the water has evaporated. I can't remember how long this took, maybe 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Check the rice for tenderness and if you need to add more stock.
We ate this with shredded cheese and sour cream and refried beans and salsa all mixed together on a tortilla or with tortilla chips. It was awesome!

Cindy's Refried Beans

On a hunch I asked my sweet friend Cindy Montoya if she knew how to make good Mexican rice and refried beans. With a name like Montoya I figured my chances were good. And I was right! She told me that Roberto told her she had to learn to make tortillas like his mother before he would marry her. What a great story, right. So when I asked her if she could give me her recipe, she did me one better...she offered to come over and show me! Not being dumb, I accepted and we proceeded to make one rocking pot of beans and the some of the best flavored rice I've ever had. However she did warn me that the tortillas were a process to make and she wasn't kidding. I think I'll still have to get the bag of 20 at Walmart for $1.18 for now.

6 cups of dry pinto beans
2 heaping tablespoons of garlic (I used the garlic in the jar already minced)
1 tablespoon of sea salt
2 serrano peppers or 1 large one, leave whole to get a little bit of heat
1 medium onion, chopped

Sort the stones out of your beans, rinse them 2 times (you'll be amazed at the dirt that comes off), then cover with water and let them soak for a few hours.
Drain the soak water and refill covering them about with about twice as much water. Cook on med-high heat, covered, stirring occasionally for about 3 hours. Be sure to add water as necessary while checking a bean for doneness. The time could vary depending on the burner temperature, your pot, the weather, etc.
Once the beans are done, drain them keeping all the ingredients. Add in a chopped tomato and a handful of cilantro. Fresh cilantro is the best.
I decided to cut the serrano in half lengthwise, scraping out the seeds. I then scooped everything into the food processor and processed it smooth. It took about 3 batches to get them all processed. You will want to stir them all up once they are done so that you don't have a hot spot in the part you chopped the serrano in.

Thanks Cindy...I'll be making these forever!

Beefy Mexican Lasagna

We had this one Sunday at church and I couldn't believe how great it was. My kids scarfed it down and wanted more. Sadly, others thought it was great too and it was gone. The lady that made it was kind enough to share the recipe with me so that I can make it for the kids. I think I need to double it though.<

1 lb ground beef
1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can (2.8 oz) Durkee French Fried Onions
1 12 oz cottage cheese (small curd)
1½ cups (6 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
12 (6") round flour tortillas
1 tomato, chopped
shredded lettuce

Brown ground beef, drain it. Add canned tomatoes and taco seasoning; simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir in ½ can Durkee fried onions. In a bowl combine cottage cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese, and eggs. Cover the bottom and sides of your greased 8x12 baking dish with tortillas. Spoon meat mixture on top of the tortillas. Cover meat mixture with tortillas. Put cottage cheese and cheddar mixture on top of that.

Bake covered at 350° for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese and fried french onions. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes longer.

Before serving, arrange the tomatoes and lettuce around the edge of the casserole.
serves 6

Taco Pasta

I found this recipe when I got an email from Lynn that contained her weekly menu. I was not sure if the family would like this, and of course I made some changes, but I had high hopes. Here is the link to her original recipe. Here is how I made it and remember I made enough to feed our family of 8.

2# ground beef
2 recipes of taco seasoning  (6 tbsp)
30oz of tomato sauce (I had only spaghetti sauce)
32oz package macaroni, cooked and drained
2 4oz can chopped green chilies
1 28oz of petite diced tomatoes
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese or colby jack

Cook the macaroni in a big pot. Brown ground beef and add taco seasoning. Put the macaroni in a 3 9x13 pan, add the other ingredients and stir it. Top with cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Taco Seasoning Mix

1 tbsp chili powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
¼ tsp oregano flakes
½ tsp paprika
1½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.This makes enough for 1# of ground meat. If you make more of the recipe, store in an airtight container.
3 tbsp equals 1 packet of taco seasoning!