If enjoying eating at Mexican restaurants chances are you have tried or heard of Carnitas. I have wanted to try carnitas for awhile and this recipe looked like the best choice. The cooking process is very simple; the pork is simmered in an orange juice/chicken broth mixture until tender and then shredded. I did have a slight problem with getting the pork crisp in the pan. I was afraid to overcook it and it would become dry. I do prefer my taco meat to be a little on the juicy side. One method that I could recommend if you are having problems with the tradition pan method is to lay the pork out on a metal sheet pan and place it into the broiler until the outside of the pork becomes crispy.  This recipe can also be done in the slow cooker. If you do not use alcohol in cooking for certain reasons, it can be left out. Serve with guacamole, and/or Pico de Gallo.

Ingredients:
4 lbs boneless country style pork ribs
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 ½ cups fresh orange juice
6 garlic cloves (peeled)
1 medium onion (quartered)
2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon orange peel (grated)
¼ cup brandy
Flour or corn tortillas
Optional Condiments:
Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Lettuce
Guacamole
Pico de Gallo

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Cut the boneless pork ribs crosswise into thirds. Cut off any big chunks of fat from the pork and reserve (you will still want the small pieces of fat attached to the pork). In a deep skillet combine pork, reserved fat, 2 cups chicken broth, orange juice, garlic, onion, sea salt and orange peel. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until pork is tender (about 1 hour and 45 minutes), stir occasionally. Add more chicken broth if necessary during this time period to keep the pork partially submerged.
Step 2:  Once pork is tender uncover and bring to a boil. Boil pork mixture until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir in brandy. Boil while stirring often until the liquid evaporates and the meat browns and begins to crisp.  Remove from heat.
Step 3: Discard any lose pieces of fat and tear meat into thin strips. Serve on warm tortillas with optional condiments.
(Makes 8 Servings)

Black bean quesadillas are great for those who do not eat meat, and are looking for a delicious Mexican treat. These quesadillas are a little bit spicy and a bit sweet for a perfect combination. They include ingredients such as black beans and corn, along with salsa and brown sugar. I added a pinch of red pepper flakes just to add a little more heat to the mixture. If you require meat in your quesadillas, feel free to add chicken or beef.  These are very easy and can be prepared within 30 minutes. They are great as a main course or even as an appetizer. Top with extra canned salsa or fresh Pico de Gallo. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons onion (finely chopped)
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 (10 ounce) can whole kernel corn (drained)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ cup salsa
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons butter (divided)
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 ½ cups shredded Monterey jack cheese (or more)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a large saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened (about 2 minutes). Stir in beans and corn. Add sugar, salsa, and red pepper flakes. Mix well. Cook until heated through.
Step 2: Heat large skillet to medium heat. Melt 2 teaspoons of butter. Place a tortilla flat into the skillet. Spread cheese all over the top. Place some of the bean mixture over the cheese. Place another tortilla on top of the bean mixture. Cook until the bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side until golden brown.
Step 3: Repeat until all tortillas and bean mixture are gone, adding butter as needed.
(Makes 4 Servings)

Last week I posted a recipe for shredded beef for tacos, here is another great taco filling recipe, this time for shredded chicken. This recipe combines flavors such as tomato sauce, salsa, cumin, garlic, chili powder and taco seasoning to create some delicious shredded chicken for tacos. If you don’t want to simmer the chicken in a pan, you can do this whole recipe in the slow cooker as well. This makes some great Mexican shredded chicken for your tacos or burritos. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 (4 ounce) can tomato sauce
¼ cup salsa
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 teaspoon chili powder
hot sauce (to taste)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a medium sauce pan add chicken breasts and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil; add salsa, taco seasoning, cumin, garlic and chili powder. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Start pulling chicken apart with 2 forks into strings. Cover and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Add hot sauce. At this point you can add water if needed as well, if the sauce becomes too thick. Cook until chicken is fully cooked.
(Makes 4 Servings)

I thought I would try a different type of chili this week, turkey chili. This chili uses ground turkey for a slightly different flavor from your average chili with beef. The result was one of the best chili recipes I have ever tried. There are so many vegetables packed into this recipe such as zucchini, onions, green onions, green pepper, tomatoes and beans. Don’t let the lengthy ingredient list discourage you from making this because it’s well worth it. What’s great about this recipe is if you don’t want to do much work, it can be cooked in the slow cooker. I love this chili topped with sour cream, green onions and cheddar cheese. Corn chips also go fantastic with this recipe. Give this a try for Cinco de Mayo, or any party or event. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons oil (divided)
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoons chili pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 (7 ounce) jar salsa
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15.5 ounce) can kidney beans (drained)
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans (drained)
1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
1 green pepper (diced)
3 medium zucchini (halved lengthwise and sliced)
1 bunch green onions (chopped)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a large stock pot heat oil over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey to the stock pot and break it up with a spatula or spoon. Season with taco seasoning, coriander, oregano, chili flakes, and tomato paste. Mix until the meat is coated with the seasonings. Continue cooking until the turkey is browned.
Step 2: Pour in beef broth, bring to a boil, and reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until the broth has slightly reduced. Add salsa, tomatoes, and green chilies. Add kidney beans and black beans. Continue cooking at medium heat for 10 minutes.
Step 3: While chili is cooking heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Stir fry onion and green pepper until onion is translucent. Add onion and bell pepper to chili and mix well. In the same pan used to fry the onion and pepper, add the last bit of oil and add the sliced zucchini. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini to the chili.
Step 4: Continue cooking for 15 minutes or more. Add water is chili becomes too thick. To serve- top chili with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and green onions. Serve with corn chips if desired.
(Makes 6 Servings)

Shredded beef tacos are some of the best; I prefer this method of cooking over using ground beef in a fry pan. This is the type of taco meat you would find in your more high quality tacos and burritos. This recipe uses a frozen rump roast, but don’t worry about using a frozen one, it will turn out fine. If you would prefer to use a fresh one, that will work as well but the cooking time will probably be less. What’s really great about this recipe is that the slower cooker pretty much does all the work. I will only include how to make the actual meat in the recipe because everything else is pretty basic. Used whichever type of taco shells you prefer, and optional condiments such as shredded cheese, lettuce, and tomato. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 (4 pound) rump roast (frozen or fresh)
1 cup white wine
2 (7.75 ounce) cans Mexican style hot tomato sauce
3 tablespoons garlic (crushed)
salt and black pepper (to taste)
1 bunch green onions (chopped)
1 cup cilantro (chopped)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Place the roast into the slow cooker. Pour the wine and Mexican tomato sauce over the top of the roast. Season with garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2: Cover and cook in the slow cooker on low for 9 hours (or less if using a fresh roast). When done the roast should shred easily.
Step 3: Shred the roast with 2 forks into the juices. Stir in green onions and cilantro.
(Makes 14 Servings)

It’s no secret I enjoy Mexican food, and with Cinco de Mayo coming up early next month, I will be posting a lot of Mexican recipes. This is a great recipe for anyone looking to make their own homemade enchilada sauce. This is specifically the red enchilada sauce. I personally prefer this over the green. This sauce beats anything you will find in the store, is easy to make and is extremely delicious. This goes perfect with any type of enchiladas… beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, ect. If you are looking for a solid enchilada sauce recipe, be sure to try this one. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 teaspoon onion (minced)
½ teaspoon oregano
2 ½ teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried parsley
¼ cup salsa
1 (6 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 ½ cups water

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Add garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add onion, oregano, basil, chili powder, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, parsley, salsa, and tomato sauce. Mix well. Stir in the water.
Step 2: Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 3: Pour over pre-made enchiladas for baking.

Sloppy Joes are an American classic and favorite. The great taste of that sweet tomato sauce with the hamburger and vegetables is just too good to pass up. Sloppy Joes make a quick and easy meal if you are in a rush. Many of you may have made your own before, or used a canned sauce. This is so much better than a canned sauce. This recipe might be a little different because of the addition of mushrooms. If you do not want mushrooms in your Sloppy Joes, feel free to leave them out. I also topped mine with sliced provolone, which is totally optional as well. These are great for parties or game day. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1lb ground beef         
2 stalks celery (finely chopped)
1 small onion (chopped)
8 ounces fresh mushrooms (sliced)
1 green bell pepper (seeded and chopped)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup barbeque sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
Sliced provolone cheese
Hamburger buns

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a large skillet over medium high heat brown ground beef, celery, green pepper, mushrooms, and onion. Drain any excess fat. Stir in tomato sauce, ketchup, barbeque sauce, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar.
Step 2: Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally. If after 20 minutes the mixture still seems to watery, simmer for a little longer until the mixture has thickened.
Step 3: Serve on a bun and top with a slice of provolone cheese.

It’s been awhile, I think it’s time for another pizza recipe.  This particular pizza I am presenting today is none other than chicken bacon ranch! I first tried this pizza at Dominos not too long ago and just loved it. I quickly decided I had to attempt to make my own, and it was a success. This is not really a recipe but more like a guideline for making the pizza. Of course, you can add additional toppings or spice up the crust to your liking. I decided to put minced fresh garlic into my ranch dressing for a little garlic flavor. If fresh garlic does not appeal to you, feel free to leave it out. The chicken and the bacon should be fully cooked for this pizza. If you are a chicken bacon ranch lover, or want to try it for the first time, I highly recommend this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 large pizza crust (homemade, pre-made or box mix)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
½ cup ranch dressing
2  boneless skinless chicken breast halves (cooked, and sliced into small pieces)
1-2 roma tomatoes (seeded and diced)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ lb bacon (cooked until crispy and crumbled)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley (minced)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Lay out the pizza crust onto a pizza pan. Place into the oven and pre-bake the crust for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Step 2: Spread ranch dressing in an even layer over the crust. Top with minced garlic. Top with chicken, bacon, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.
Step 3: Return to the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and top with fresh parsley.

This is a classic recipe for German Chocolate Cake. I am sure many of you have tried this before so you already know how dominant and rich it really is. The cake itself is fairly rich and moist; the frosting uses ingredients such as shredded coconut and chopped pecans. As you can see from the ingredient list, this might not be the healthiest recipe for you, but it sure is good! This cake is a triple layer so make sure to take small slices. This recipe makes a perfect dessert, give it a try for Easter.

Ingredients:
1 (4 ounce) package sweet dark chocolate
1/2 cup water
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter (softened)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs (separated)
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting-
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
4 egg yolks (slightly beaten)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (7 ounce) package shredded coconut (about 2-2/3 cups)
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 (9 inch) round baking pans. Over a double boiler melt the chocolate. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat and set aside. In another bowl sift flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time beating well after egg one is added. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture alternately with buttermilk beating well after each addition (so add a little flour, then a little buttermilk, repeat until gone). Beat egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until they form a peak. Fold egg whites into batter. Pour and divide evenly into the 3 baking pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove from the cake pans and finish cooling on wire racks.
Step 3: To make the frosting- In a large sauce pan add milk, sugar, butter, egg yolks and vanilla. Cook on medium heat for 12 minutes while stirring constantly until the mixture has thickened and is golden brown. Remove from heat, stir in coconut and pecans. Cool to room temperature and spreading consistency.
Step 4: Spread the frosting between each of the layers and then over the top and sides of the entire cake.