Below are some Mexican food recipes that we like to think of as Mexican Food  To Go favorites.
We also have some  Low Fat Mexican Food Recipes for those of you who want to live the guiltless life.

*Jalapenos in Vinegar (Jalapenos en Vinagre)
*Vegetarian Chipotle Chili
* Spinach Empanadas
* Refried Beans recipes
* Calabasita recipe (Mexican Squash)
* Hot Flavorful Beans
* Tex-Mex Squash Casserole
 

Jalapenos in Vinegar (Jalapenos en Vinagre)
http://www.texmextogo.com
Ph. 713.995.5502

Ingredients:
1 pound jalapeno peppers
2 cups vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 carrots -- cut in slices
2 medium onions -- cut in slices
1 Tbsp bay leaf
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp thyme
1 Tbps sweet marjoram

Directions:
Cut the chiles in 4 slices, (if you want you can keep some without cutting). Cut the carrots in round slices and cut the onions in slices. Fry the onion, peppers and carrots in the vegetable oil for just a few minutes to make the vegetables soft, then add the vinegar and spices and boil 3 or 4 min. Let cool and then keep in glass jars. Use immediately or keep them in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 weeks.

Variations: You can add cloves of garlic and cauliflower, or add the spices you like. If you add more ingredients need also to add more vinegar and oil. The peppers and vegetables need to be covered with oil and vinegar. If you like you can use less oil and more vinegar.
 

Vegetarian Chipotle Chili
http://www.texmextogo.com
Ph. 713.995.5502

Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ cups onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp black pepper
2 tsp chipotle chili powder (click here for product)
2 tbsp tomato paste
4 large carrots, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes, drained, chopped
2 cups tomato juice
2 15-oz cans kidney beans, drained
1 15-oz can pinto beans, drained
2 tbsp Chipotle Tabasco sauce
salt to taste

Garnish:
16 oz. sour cream
2 tbsp. Chipotle Tabasco sauce
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:
Heat oil in large heavy pot over high heat. Add onions garlic, cumin pepper flakes and black pepper. Sauté until onions are transparent. Stir in chili powder and tomato paste. Sauté for 30 seconds then stir in celery, carrots and peppers. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato juice and beans. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the Chipotle Tabasco sauce and season to taste.

To make garnish:
Stir together the Chipotle Tabasco sauce and sour cream. Top each bowl of chili with a spoonful of the sour cream/Tabasco mixture and then sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.
Award winning recipe - 1st Place
by: Melissa Rice, Winner "Vegetarian Chipotle Chili" Chili Cook-Off, Kankakee, Illinois.

Spinach Empanadas  Back to the top
http://www.texmextogo.com
Ph. 713.995.5502

Ingredients:
2- 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 Tbsp bacon drippings
10oz package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1 egg, beaten

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter till smooth. (Use a stand mixer, since the mixture is heavy.) Gradually add in the flour and salt. Lightly knead the dough by hand. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.

In a medium skillet, cook the onion and garlic in the bacon drippings until the onion is tender but not brown. Mix in the bacon, spinach, cottage cheese, pepper, and nutmeg; let the mixture cool.

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut 6 inch circles in the pastry and place in a floured empanada press (click here), place 2 tsp of the filling in each circle, just to one side of the center. Moisten the edge of the circle with the egg, fold the dough in half over the filling to make a semicircular empanada. Seal the edges with fork tines, and poke the top of each pastry with a fork to make a vent. Put the empanadas on an ungreased cookie sheet, brush their tops with egg, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.
Makes 60 empanadas. If using our press, the yield will be less since our press is large sized.

Refried Beans  Back to the top
http://www.texmextogo.com
Ph. 713.995.5502

Ingredients:
1 slice bacon, diced or bacon grease
16 oz can pinto beans
2 cloves of garlic, crushed or diced
dash ground cumin
dash oregano
dash pepper
1 cup Colby Jack or cheddar cheese, grated
2 diced roasted chili peppers, optional

Directions:
If using bacon add to frying pan with garlic and spices. Fry until bacon is brown, remove bacon if you like. Otherwise, put enough bacon grease in pan to coat bottom. Lightly fry spices and garlic until garlic is browned. Meanwhile mash beans, add grated cheese and chilies; stir. After browning add bean mixture. Fry/cook until bubbly and hot.
Serve covered with grated Colby or cheddar cheese.

** Use the leftover beans from our Borracho bean recipe (no guaranteed leftovers here!) and follow these directions:
Drain leftover Borracho beans in bowl, retaining 1 cup of soup broth. Mash beans in bowl and re-cook beans in fry pan.  Add bean soup to refried beans to make them wet but not soupy (this is a judgment call as to how much soup to add).  You might want to add a little garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add shredded cheese over served beans and serve with eggs in the morning or as a side dish in your midday or evening meal.

** Keep dried refried beans in your pantry! Casa Solana offers dried Mexican refried beans that are delicious and simple to make. Add your own personal flavorful touch to these dried beans. Order product here.
 

Calabasita Mexican Squash   Back to the top
http://www.texmextogo.com
Ph.713.995.5502

Ingredients:
2 lbs. Mexican squash (Tatum) or mixture of yellow squash and zucchini
1/2 jar Authentic Mexican Style Rice Mex (click here to order)
1 jar of water

Directions:
Cut ends of squash and split in half. Then slice pieces 1/4 inch for quick cooking. Pour Tejano Rice Mex plus one jar of water in 9 in. pan with squash. Bring to boil and then cover and let it simmer on low for 20 minutes. If too soupy, let it cook down uncovered until you are satisfied. Add chicken or pork to make a more complete meal. Servings: 6-8

Hot Flavorful Beans Back to the top
http://www.texmextogo.com
Ph.713.995.5502

Ingredients:
1 can refried beans
1 medium-large yellow onion
Yucatan Habanaro pepper sauce (Tabasco sauce as substitute)
1/8 cup Coita Cheese
Cilantro to taste (generally 1 1/2 tsp)
Cumin to taste (generally 3/4 tsp)
Roughly 4 oz. Fat Free sour cream

Directions:
Roughly chop the onions and fry them in the pepper sauce (amount to taste) over medium heat until transparent. Add the beans. Once beans begin to warm, Add the Coita Cheese, Cilantro, and Cumin. Generally, I make a 2-1 ration with the Cilantro and Cumin. If beans start to stick to the pan, reduce the heat. Heat beans until the Coita is starting to melt. It will take longer to heat Coita vs. normal cheese, because of the low fat content. Coita has plenty of salt, therefore additional salt is not needed. After the beans are done, add sour cream immediately. Serve hot, cold or warmed up.



Tex-Mex Squash Casserole
http://www.texmextogo.com
Ph. 713.995.5502

Ingredients:
2 small yellow squash, sliced
2 small zucchini, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons oil
4 ounces green chilies, chopped
2 cups yellow corn
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup Monterey Jack, grated
1 teaspoon Cumin

Directions:
Lightly sauté the squash, zucchini, onion, and garlic until just soft. Toss with the remaining ingredients. Place in a lightly oiled 2-quart casserole dish. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Serve warm with grilled chicken or pork. GREAT!
From: Recipe of the Day @ www.emazing.com