Calabacitas (Mexican-flavored vegetable side dish)

This recipe came in a newsletter that I subscribe to World's Healthiest Foods that I would like to try sometime as I like all the ingredients raw - will have to see if I like them as well cooked, or maybe try making it raw with the olive oil, garlic and chicken broth cooked as a dressing.


"Calabacitas

Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced thin
• 4 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups zucchini , diced into ½ -inch cubes
• 2 cups yellow squash, diced in ½-inch cubes
• 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
• 4 oz can of diced green chili
• 1 TBS + 3 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 3 TBS fresh chopped fresh oregano (or 1 TBS dried oregano)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• *Optional: drizzle with olive oil before serving

Directions:

1. Slice onion and chop garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting benefits.
2. Prepare all the vegetables.
3. Heat 1 TBS broth in 11-12 inch stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onions in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.
4. Add zucchini, yellow squash, remaining broth, green chili, and cook for another 3 minutes or so until vegetables are tender, stirring often. Add tomatoes and continue to cook for another couple of minutes.
5. Stir in herbs, salt, and pepper. Serves 4"

MAKING TACO SHELLS AND CUPS W/RECIPE OF SALSA & GUACAMOLE

http://rootsandwingsco.blogspot.com/2009/04/cinqo-de-mayo-dinner.html

The above site has how to make taco bowls. They use flour tortillas and trace the size they need and but the tortillas to fit. After cutting, they put them in a muffin tin for the smaller bowls or a bowl for the larger one. They then prehead the oven to 450 degrees and fill the bottom of the tortilla with dried beans to keep it from puffing up, then bake for 6 mins. Afterwards, they turn they empty out the beans and turn the bowles upside down on a baking sheet, then put a ball of aluminum foil underneath to keep their shape and put them back in oven for 3 mins.

Salsa recipe

• 1 Cup Fresh Diced up Tomatoes
• 1/4 C Onions
• 2 Teaspoons minced Fresh Cilantro
• 1 Large Garlic Clove, minced
• 2 tsp Lime Juice
• A dash of salt and pepper
• Small can of diced green peppers (optional)t

Guacamole:

• 1 Cup Salsa recipe
• 2 ripe Avocados

Mash avocados, add salsa, and stir. Make this very last minute to keep it from changing color.

Chips

Coat a sheet pan in vegetable oil and salt rub both sides of tortilla in the mixture. Cut the tortilla into quarters and lay on baking sheet and bake at 400 for 2 minutes. Then, turn them all over and bake for another minute.

CILANTRO AND LIME RICE ***ACCOMPLISHED***

The following receipe is from Closet Cooking on his blog and it is tweaked copycat/upgraded version of the rice in Chipotle's burritos.

As I use quick rice, I and have dried instead of fresh cilantro, I will be tweaking it further, but I love how this sounds.

http://closetcooking.blogspot.com/2009/03/cilantro-and-lime-rice.html

Cilantro and Lime Rice by Closet Cooking(makes 4+ side dish servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil


• 1/2 onion (chopped)


• 1 clove garlic (chopped)


• 1 cup long grained rice (I like to use brown)


• 2 cups water1 handful cilantro (chopped)


• 1 lime (juice and zest)

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a pan.

2. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.

4. Add the rice and toast in the oil for a few minutes.

5. Add the water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered until tender, about 20 minutes for white rice or 40-50 minutes for brown.

6. Remove from the heat and mix in the cilantro, lime juice and zest.

****************ACCOMPLISHED************************************

Cinco De Mayo Dollar Store Centerpieces

http://entertainexchange.blogspot.com/2009/04/fiesta-style-tablescape-cinco-de-mayo.html

I saw this at the above site and loved it!

I thinks this would make a great festive centerpiece not just for Cinco De Mayo, but anytime someone would serve Mexican food. I will probably just use empty glass jars I have saved and then put a tealight for candle.