November 21, 2024

Tex-Mex Shrimp, Tomatoes and Olives

May 5, 2015 by

Tenga un feliz Cinco de Mayo!  (Have a happy 5th of May!)  From what I have read the citizens of Mexico do not really celebrate Cinco de Mayo like we here in the United States do!  (What is that all about?!?)  But nevertheless we do!  According to a number of <seemingly> reputable sources, there are more Mexican/Tex-Mexican restaurants here in the US than any other ethnic-style restaurants.
And we all have our favorites, right? Of course, tacos in all their many variations probably reign supreme. But guacamole, salsa & chips, burritos, _________ (fill in your fav!) are extremely popular also.  Do you and your loved ones plan to indulge in some Mex or Tex-Mex foods today?
Here is a dish that Robert and I enjoyed recently which would be perfect for lunch or supper!  I served it with homemade guacamole (easy-peasy!) along with this black bean salad.  This meal fit so well into our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV—lots of fresh veggies, healthy fats, and protein low in fat and calories. But, best of all, delicioso! ¡Buen provecho! (Enjoy!)

Tex-Mex Shrimp, Tomatoes, and Olives

2015-05-04 19.15.32

ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced into thin half moons
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and very thinly sliced, (optional)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 pound shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 (or more!) cup pitted green olives
1 lime, zested and juiced
lemon-pepper seasoning, to taste
1/2 avocado, cubed
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges (for garnish)

directions:

  • heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat
  • add onion and jalapeños (if using), cook for 7-8 minutes ‘til just beginning to soften
  • lower heat and add garlic; cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute
  • stir in tomato halves, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes’ til tomatoes begin to soften
  • add olives, lime juice, and zest; cook for 5 minutes more to allow flavors to blend
  • season well with lemon-pepper seasoning (or simply salt & pepper)
  • garnish as desired

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Please don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Chicken Enchiladas (Gluten-free)

May 26, 2014 by

Who loves Tex-Mex food?  Raise your hand!  Me, too!  And the crazy thing—my husband, Robert, has said for years now, ’Um, no thanks!’  Somehow he got it in his head that all Mexican, Tex-Mex, Cal-Mex food had to be spicy.  (And Robert does not enjoy SPICY!)  So, recently I have been preparing an occasional dish to try and introduce him to one of my most favorite cuisines…successfully, I might add!  Olé!

Recently, Aldi (Do you shop there?  You should!)  introduced a new line of gluten-free products…really quite good, very good quality!  One of the items is a ‘flour’ tortilla.  They are amazing…just like a really good wheat flour tortilla that I remember (soft, pliable, thin) from before we went gluten free.  So I went back and bought not one, not two, but three packages…oh the options!  These Chicken Enchiladas were my first choice!  I prepared them with a tomatillo salsa (oh, yum!) but certainly they can be made with traditional salsa equally well.   (And, please, make this recipe using traditional ingredients (NOT gluten-free) as well!  Enjoy!

2014-05-22 20.25.09

Chicken Enchiladas

ingredients:
1/2 red pepper, sliced thin
1/2 red pepper, sliced thin
1 medium sweet onion, sliced into halfmoons
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons (divided) chipotle chili powder
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
2+ cups enchilada sauce  **gf recipe below
1 cup frozen corn (defrosted)
1 cup tomatillo salsa (or traditional salsa)
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese

directions:

  • preheat oven to 350
  • lightly oil the bottom of a large (9 x 13) baking pan, and pour in ½ cup of the enchilada sauce
  • saute the veggies with the olive oil for 7 or 8 minutes ‘til softened.  season with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the chipotle chili powder.  set aside
  • in a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, corn, black beans, sour cream, 1 tablespoon chili powder, ½ cup of the enchilada sauce, ½ cup of the salsa, ½ cup of the shredded cheese; mix well
  • pour 1 cup of the enchilada sauce into a shallow saute pan (or a bowl)
  • now, set up a little production line with the baking pan, the chicken mixture, the pan with enchilada sauce, and an empty plate…this gets messy; you’ll thank me for it!  😉
  • take 1 tortilla, run it through the enchilada sauce to coat; place it on the plate.  take 1 good handful (1/3-1/2 cup) of the chicken mixture and spread it down the center of the tortilla; roll the tortilla up; place in baking pan with seam-side down.  repeat ‘til all tortillas are filled. (*tip: you might want to trim the edges of the filled tortillas to fit nicely into the baking pan)
  • pour the sauteed veggies across the top of the filled tortillas
  • (if there is any enchilada sauce left, pour that over the top…don’t want to waste that!)
  • sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the top, too
  • bake for 15-20 minutes ‘til bubbly and cheese is melted
  • serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole

** here are two really good, homemade, gluten-free, chemical and additive-free recipes for enchilada sauce.  also, Nicole from GFOAS has a nice recipe for homemade ‘flour’ tortillas!

http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/enchiladas-saucy-smokin/
http://glutenfreehomemaker.com/enchilada-sauce/


♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

GCH: What’s on Your Plate? – Tex-Mex Casserole

January 4, 2013 by

tex

Tex-Mex is one of my favorite kinds of food. It’s typically easy to throw together, delicious, and is hearty enough to satisfy the Mr. (Who happens to give this two thumbs up!)

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground chuck
  • 1 bag frozen corn
  • 1 bag Southern style hashbrowns (the cubed potatoes)
  • 1/2 lb. Velveeta, cut into large cubes
  • 1 pkg. Taco Bell Taco Seasoning Mix
  • 1/2 c. water
  • 1 bottle Taco Bell Mild Restaurant Sauce

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Cook ground chuck in a large pot. (I use a 6 qt. pot.) Cook until done, but do not allow to overcook. Drain meat.
  3. Add Velveeta, water, and taco seasoning mix to the pot.  Heat on medium, stirring occasionally, and allow cheese to melt a bit. (About 5 minutes.)
  4. Add corn and potatoes to the pot. Mix well. Allow to cook for 3 or 4 minutes.
  5. Add 1/3 c. mild sauce to pot. Mix well.
  6. Remove from heat and transfer to a 9×13 baking dish.
  7. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes.
  8. Remove foil, stir, and return to oven to bake for an additional 15 minutes (until it is heated through.)
  9. Drizzle with mild sauce and serve.

Notes:

  • To make this stretch for another person or for the hubby’s lunch the following day, I add an additional pound of ground chuck to the recipe. It bulks it up a bit without sacrificing the taste or having to double ingredients.

Praise God! Let’s eat!

Shandy

Be sure to visit Shandy’s personal blog Aprons ‘n Pearls for recipes, crafts, homekeeping tips & more!

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,