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Southwestern Recipes
Nachos, fajitas and more from FamilyFun
RIO GRANDE NACHOS
It's hard to imagine that this kid-favorite appetizer was dreamed up in the Rio Grande region only 50 years ago. It was a hit then and still is today because it's easy to prepare. Just set out bowls of toppings (beans, grated cheese and veggies), and invite the kids to pile up the ingredients on a bed of tortilla chips before popping the nachos into the oven.1 16-oz. bag tortilla chips
1 1/2 cups refried beans (canned or homemade; see recipe for Refried Frijoles)
1 tomato, chopped (optional)
1 onion, chopped (optional)
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
Salsa (store-bought or see recipe for Pico de Gallo)
Creamy Guacamole (recipe below)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread out the tortilla chips on a baking tray. Spoon the refried beans onto the chips. Add the vegetables, if desired. (Be sure not to rub your eyes after you've minced the jalapeños.). Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the chips and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Serve with salsa and guacamole. Serves 4 to 6.
COOKING TIP:
If you have leftover beans and salsa from your cookout, use them to make nachos for your child's after-school snack the next day.
KIDS' SANGRÍA
This version of sangría calls for cranberry juice cocktail in place of red wine.1/2 gallon cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup orange juice
1 orange
1 lemon
1 lime
Pour the cranberry juice cocktail and orange juice into a large pitcher and stir well. Slice the orange, lemon and lime into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Add the slices to the juice, reserving one round from each piece of fruit for the citrus ice cubes (see tip below). Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours. Serves 8.
COOKING TIP:
To add even more color to the sangría, make citrus ice cubes. Cut a slice of orange, lemon and lime into quarters or eighths (depending on the size of the round). Place a few pieces of citrus in each section of an ice cube tray. Fill the tray with hot water and freeze, then add the ice cubes to the sangría.
BEEF FAJITAS
The fajita was born when Mexican cowboys, the vaqueros, figured out how to cook a cut of meat called arracheras, or skirt steak, which their bosses had rejected because it was too tough. The cowboys grilled this cast-off meat over a very hot wood fire, bringing out its robust flavor. The citrus marinade, which tenderizes the meat, is adapted from TEXAS HOME COOKING, one of five excellent books on Southwestern cooking by Cheryl and Bill Jamison (The Harvard Common Press).MARINADE
1 orange2 lemons
1/3 cup pineapple juice (or pineapple-orange juice)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper
2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 crushed garlic clove
MEAT
1 1/2 to 2 lbs. skirt or flank steak or chicken breastTOPPINGS
2 green peppers2 onions
Vegetable oil
8 to 10 flour tortillas (store-bought or from recipe for Homemade Flour Tortillas)
Salsa (store-bought or from recipe for Pico de Gallo)
Creamy Guacamole (see below)
Grated cheese (optional)
1. To prepare the marinade, grate 1 teaspoon of zest from the orange and 2 teaspoons of zest from the lemons and transfer to a small bowl. Next, squeeze the juice from the orange and lemons and add to the zest. Add the remaining ingredients and stir the marinade until well combined; set aside.
2. To prepare the meat, trim the fat and membranes from the skirt steak or remove the skin from the chicken breast; lay the meat in a shallow baking dish. Pour the marinade over the meat, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
3. While the meat marinates, start your grill. Slice the peppers and onions into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick rounds. After the meat has marinated for at least 1 hour (but not more than 2), drain the marinade and cook the skirt steak or chicken on the grill, 3 inches from the hot flame, for about 5 minutes on each side.
4. Brush the peppers and onions with vegetable oil and place them on the edges of the grill. Cook until tender.
5. When the meat is cooked to your liking, remove it from the grill and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Then thinly slice the beef diagonally across the grain.
6. Set out the meat, grilled onions and peppers, tortillas, salsa, guacamole and cheese on your table, and let your family members choose their own fillings and wrap up their tortillas. Makes about 8 to 10 fajitas, enough for 4 people.
COOKING TIP:
Picky eaters might just want to wrap the meat in a tortilla and leave it at that, while the more adventuresome can stuff their tortillas with all the fixings.
HOMEMADE FLOUR TORTILLAS
The flour tortilla is a creation of northern Mexico and southern Texas, where wheat is more plentiful than corn. Even though you can buy flour tortillas in the supermarket, homemade tortillas are worth the extra effort. They taste better, and they're easy enough for kids to make and shape on their own. But an adult should supervise the cooking, since it's important to use a hot skillet to cook the tortillas quickly.3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the water and oil. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and has no lumps. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl and divide the ball into 10 pieces. Leave the pieces on the counter and cover again with a damp cloth for about 10 minutes.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough into an 8-inch round. To cook the tortillas, heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Place the round in the skillet and cook for 30 seconds on each side, or until light brown spots appear and the tortilla begins to puff slightly. Makes 10.
COOKING TIP:
These tortillas come out thicker than the store-bought variety. Just add more water and roll them out thinner to make them more like store-bought ones.
PICO DE GALLO (FRESH SALSA)
Don't be intimidated by making your own salsa--it takes less than 20 minutes to prepare, and the results taste much fresher than any variety you'd find on the supermarket shelves. This recipe is mild, with kids' palates in mind, but you can add heat by increasing the number of jalapeños.3 to 4 medium-size ripe tomatoes, chopped (approximately 2 cups)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 crushed garlic clove
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
Juice of 1/2 lime
In a small mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to mix. This salsa is best served fresh, though it keeps for 2 to 3 days covered in the refrigerator. Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups.
COOKING TIP:
Be sure to take care while chopping the jalapeños since the peppers can burn your skin--make it a parent's job and don't rub your eyes.
CREAMY GUACAMOLE
The soft texture and bland flavor of guacamole make this all-purpose accompaniment a hit even with young children.3 ripe avocados
Juice of 1 lime
1 small onion, chopped
1 crushed garlic clove
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup salsa (optional; store-bought or fresh Pico de Gallo, above)
1. Peel and chop the avocados and place the pieces in a small mixing bowl. (Reserve one of the avocado pits.) Using a fork, mash the avocados until you have a creamy mixture. Stir in the fresh lime juice. Add the onion, garlic, pepper and salt, and mix well.
2. If you'd like your guacamole to be mild, omit the salsa. Otherwise, add homemade or store-bought salsa to the avocado mixture to give the guacamole a bite. This is best served within an hour or so of making it, since it browns quickly. Put the avocado pit in the guacamole to slow this process. Makes approximately 2 cups.
COOKING TIP:
Once you've done the peeling and chopping, turn the preparation over to your kids--they'll take pleasure in mashing up the ripe avocados.
REFRIED FRIJOLES
Refried beans aren't actually fried twice. First, they are boiled in a pot of water, then fried in a skillet. True Tex-Mex cooks will tell you to fry the beans in lard to achieve a rich flavor, but you can use vegetable oil instead. To save time, you can boil the beans the day before, then fry them just before serving.1 16-oz. bag dried pinto beans
2 1/2 qts. water
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil, lard or bacon drippings
1 medium onion, chopped
4 crushed garlic cloves
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Chopped parsley or cilantro (optional)
1. Pick through the beans and remove any bad ones; rinse the remaining beans. In a large pot, bring the beans and the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, then simmer for 1 1/2 hours. (Add salt after 45 to 60 minutes.) Cook until the beans are soft, adding extra water if necessary.
2. Use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to mash the beans in their cooking liquid.
3. In a frying pan, heat the oil (or melt the lard) over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Stir in the remaining spices, then add the mashed beans. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and being careful not to overcook the beans. (If they dry out, add more water.) Garnish with sprigs of parsley or cilantro. Serves 6 to 8.
COOKING TIP: Although freshly cooked dried beans taste best and have less sodium, you can substitute 2 15-ounce cans of pinto beans if you're pressed for time. Drain the liquid from the cans, rinse the beans well and transfer to a bowl. Add 1/2 cup hot water before mashing and proceed with the directions.
MEAN MEXICAN RICE
THIS RECIPE, ADAPTED FROM THE JAMISONS' COOKBOOK TEXAS HOME COOKING, HAS A STRAIGHTFORWARD, SLIGHTLY SPICY FLAVOR. IF YOU LIKE, YOU CAN COOK THE DISH AHEAD OF TIME AND SERVE IT AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.2 TBSP. VEGETABLE OIL
1 MEDIUM ONION, FINELY CHOPPED
1 CRUSHED GARLIC CLOVE
1 CUP UNCOOKED WHITE RICE
1 MEDIUM TOMATO, CHOPPED (OPTIONAL)
2 TSP. CHILI POWDER
1/2 TSP. OREGANO
1/2 TSP. SALT
2 CUPS CHICKEN STOCK (OR 1 13-OZ. CAN CHICKEN BROTH)
IN A MEDIUM-SIZE SAUCEPAN, HEAT THE OIL AND ADD THE ONION AND GARLIC. SAUTÉ UNTIL THE ONION IS TRANSLUCENT. STIR IN THE RICE, THE OPTIONAL TOMATO AND SPICES. ADD THE CHICKEN STOCK AND BRING TO A BOIL. THEN REDUCE THE HEAT TO LOW, COVER, AND SIMMER FOR 20 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE LIQUID HAS BEEN ABSORBED AND THE RICE IS TENDER. SERVES 4.
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups whole milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar for caramel topping
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a medium-size bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs and egg yolks. Add the 1 cup of sugar and beat for another minute or so. Add both kinds of milk and the vanilla extract and beat until frothy; set aside.
2. To make the caramel topping, pour the 1/2 cup of sugar into a small saucepan and place over a medium flame. Cook until the sugar dissolves and begins to turn light brown. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and quickly pour the caramel into a 9-inch round pan. Swirl the caramel around until the bottom of the pan is coated.
3. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the caramel-coated pan and place the pan in a large baking dish. The flan is baked in a dish that sits in hot water, called a water bath. Pour water into the baking dish, halfway up the side of the flan pan. Place in the preheated oven. Bake for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until a knife inserted in the center of the flan comes out clean.
4. Remove the flan from the oven and take the pan out of the baking dish. Cool, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. To serve, run a knife along the edges of the pan and invert the flan onto a plate. (The caramel topping, which has turned into a syrup, will surround the flan.) Serves 8.
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