Great Beef Enchiladas

½ lb ground beef
½ C chopped green peppers
½ C chopped red peppers
2 C thick and chunky salsa, divided
1 C shredded sharp cheese, divided
2 Tbsp Light Zesty Italian dressing
8 small corn tortillas
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook meat and pepper in a large nonstick skillet . Add 1 C of the salsa; simmer 3 to 4 minutes or until peppers are tender. Remove from heat; stir in ½ C cheese.

Spread ¼ C of the salsa onto the bottom of a 9 by 13 pan. Brush dressing lightly over both sides of the tortillas. Stack 4 of the tortillas and microwave on high 20 or 30 seconds until warm. Repeat. Spoon meat mixture down the center of each tortilla and roll up, placing in pan seam side down. Spoon remaining ¾ C salsa evenly over filled tortillas; cover with foil.

Bake 20 minutes or until heated through. Uncover; top with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and top with cilantro.

from Sarah E. Bybee

Mexican Pizzas

½ -1 lb ground beef
½ C chopped onions
2 Tbsp taco seasoning
¾ C water
2-3 tomatoes, diced
1 can refried beans
Pace mild red taco sauce
Tortillas
½ C shredded cheese

Brown beef in skillet. Add taco seasoning and water; bring to a boil and then let simmer down until all the water is gone, stirring occasionally.

Put one tortilla on a microwave safe plate. Top with some of the refried beans, taco seasoning, and a little taco sauce.

Place another tortilla on top. Top with onions, tomatoes, and shredded cheese and taco sauce.

Microwave for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and serve with lettuce and sour cream.

from Sarah E. Bybee

Mexican Lasagna

1 lb ground beef
1 green pepper, about a cup, chopped
1 28oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 ½ C Pace Picante sauce
10-12 corn tortillas
2 C shredded cheese
1 can chopped olives
¼ C chopped onions

Brown beef, onion, and pepper. Add spaghetti sauce and 1 C picante sauce. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a 9x13 pan, spread remaining picante sauce. Arrange half of tortillas in pan, covering the bottom in a double layer. Top with ½ the beef mixture, half the cheese, and half the olives. Repeat layers.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

from Sarah E. Bybee

Taco Salad

½ - 1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 ½ heads lettuce, green leaf or romaine
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 can kidney or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
½ C shredded sharp cheese
Tortilla chips
Olives, optional
Avocados, optional
Pace Taco Sauce
Ranch dressing

Brown beef and mix with taco seasoning according to directions.

Layer lettuce, meat, beans, corn, olives, avocados, tortilla chips and cheese.

For dressing, mix equal parts taco sauce and ranch dressing.

from Sarah E. Bybee

Beef Enchiladas

1 pkg Lawry’s enchilada mix
1 small can re-fried beans
(6 oz can tomato paste)
1 can chopped olives
1 lb hamburger
½ - 1 onion, chopped
1 pkg wheat flour tortillas
grated cheddar cheese

Brown hamburger and onion. Mix meat and beans; season with salt and pepper. Mix enchilada mix. Mix half of sauce, meat, beans, cheese, and olives together. Put a few tablespoons in each tortilla and roll. Put smooth side up in 9x13 pan. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and add more grated cheese if desired.

Cook at 350 for 20 minutes. Serve on top of lettuce. Top with tomatoes and sour cream.

I also use canned mild enchilada sauce instead of the packet.

from Sarah E. Bybee

Chili Casserole

1 lb ground beef
½ C minced onion
¾-1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp oregano
1 can re-fried beans
1 ½ C shredded cheddar cheese
1 16 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 ½ C broken tortillas or tortilla chips

Brown beef and onion in a skillet. Add chili powder, salt, and oregano. Stir in beans and tomatoes. In a 2-quart casserole dish, alternate layers of beef mixture, 1 C cheese, and tortilla chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. Bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and mixture is bubbly.

from Sarah E. Bybee

Beef, Rice, and Chili Casserole

½ lb ground beef
½ C chopped onion
1 C chopped celery
½ green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 C cooked rice
1 can (15 oz) chili con carne with beans
2/3 C mayo
few drops hot pepper sauce
½ tsp salt
1 can Mexican Style stewed tomatoes
1 to 2 C grated cheddar cheese
4 C corn chips

In a skillet, cook ground beef, celery, onion, green pepper, and garlic until meat is browned and vegetables are tender; drain. Stir in rice, chili, mayo, hot pepper sauce, salt, and tomatoes. Pour mixture into a 2 ½ qt casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until heated through. Top with cheese and corn chips. Return to oven for 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese is melted

from Sarah E. Bybee

Southwest Taco Pie

Crust:

¼ C cornmeal
¾ C flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
1/3 C milk

Roll out and press into pie pan that has been greased and sprinkled with 1 tbsp cornmeal.

Filling:
1 pound cooked ground beef
1 C salsa
1 C grated cheese ( mix in or sprinkle on top)
Bake at 450 for 12-15 minutes

from Sarah E. Bybee

Fabulous Beef Fajitas

½ C Italian Salad Dressing, divided
½ tsp chili powder
1 lb boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into ¼ inch strips
1 medium sweet red pepper, sliced
1 medium green pepper, sliced
6 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
sour cream to dip

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine ¼ C salad dressing and chili powder; add steak. Seal and turn to coat, refrigerate 30 minutes. In a skillet, sauté peppers and onion in remaining salad dressing until crisp tender. Remove and keep warm. Drain steak discarding marinade. Sauté steak 6-8 minutes until no longer pink. Return vegetables to pan and heat through. Spoon mixture into tortillas and serve with sour cream. [Ellie and Kenzie love these too!]

From Sarah E. Bybee

Taco Mac Salad

1 box (8oz.) Tri-color spiral macaroni
1 lb. Taco Seasoned Ground Beef
½ C. Green Peppers, chopped
½ C. Onions, chopped
1 C. Cheese- cheddar, shredded
1 Carton Cherry Tomatoes
½ Head Lettuce, shredded
Salt
Pepper
½ C. French Dressing
1 pkg. Nacho Doritos (optional),or Fritos are GF

Cook macaroni as directed. Drain. Rinse with cold water. Drain again. In a large bowl mix macaroni, green pepper, onion, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce & seasonings. Chill. Just before serving, stir in warm seasoned ground beef, French dressing, and chips. Toss lightly.

From Sarah E. Bybee

Black Bean and Pineapple Salsa

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pineapple tidbits, or crushed pineapple, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, drained or 2 C chopped tomatoes
1 C freshly diced peaches
1/4 C cilantro
1/3 C Italian dressing
Corn chips

Mix all ingredients together except for corn chips.

Serve salsa with corn chips.

From Sarah E. Bybee

7 layer dip

Layer this way in a 9 by 13 pan or on a platter…

1 can refried beans, heat first to make them easier to spread if desired

Guacamole- Mix 3 avocados with one package of McCormick guacamole seasoning

1 C sour cream mixed with 2 tsp taco seasoning

Shredded cheese

Diced Tomatoes

Green or purple onions

1 small can sliced olives

Serve with tortilla chips

From Sarah E. Bybee

Sister Nance’s Canned Salsa

7 quarts Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 cups lemon juice
3 cups green peppers, chopped
½ cup jalapeno, chopped
5 cups onion, chopped
2 Tbsp cilantro
2 Tbsp cumin
3 Tbsp oregano
2 Tbsp salt
4 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp crushed red pepper
2 Tbsp garlic

Mix, simmer together for at least 20 minutes. Process 55 minutes in pint jars.

from Helen Macfarlane and her friend Michelle Laraway

Costa Rican-style Snapper with Pineapple, Black Beans, and Rice

3/4 c uncooked long grain brown rice
4 Tbsp orange juice
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pinch (about 1/16 tsp) sugar
4 snapper filets (I sometimes use talapia)
1 3/4 c medium salsa
1 can (14.5 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 c chopped pineapple

1. Preheat oven to 4ooF and cook rice according to package instructions.

2. In a large shallow bowl, combine orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, 2 tbsp cilantro, garlic, and sugar, plus salt and pepper to taste. Add snapper fillets and marinate for 15-20 minutes.

3. In a 3-quart baking dish, combine rice, salsa, beans, and 1 tbsp cilantro. Place snapper over mixture, overlapping fillets if necessary. Spoon remaining marinade over fish.

4. Bake uncovered until fish is cooked through and opaque, about 25-30 minutes.

Sprinkle remaining cilantro on top and serve.

Makes 4 servings (about 466 calories, 10 g fat per serving)

from Ginny Winters

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 large limes)
2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 large cloves of garlic, finely minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts), cooked and shredded
12 corn tortillas
2 cups of Mexican cheese blend, shredded (1 small bag usually is 2 cups)
1 14-oz can of green enchilada sauce (mild or medium, to your taste)
1/2 to 3/4 cup of heavy cream
nonstick cooking spray
1 Tablespoon of chopped cilantro, to garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cooked and shredded chicken in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, place the honey, lime juice, chili powder and minced garlic or garlic powder. Whisk together thoroughly to combine. Pour this mixture over the chicken and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to marinate while you prepare the tortillas, 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, in the refrigerator.

Heat a large griddle till a drop of water skitters across (about 350 degrees F). Spray the surface with non-stick cooking spray or a oil it with a little bit of canola oil in between each round of tortillas. Heat tortillas about 20 seconds on each side till warm and flexible and some golden brown spots have appeared. Remove the tortillas from the griddle and keep them between a couple of paper towels until ready to use.

In a medium bowl combine the enchilada sauce and the heavy cream. Spread about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the bottom of the oiled baking dish. Add a large spoonful (about 2 tablespoons) of the chicken mixture to the center of each tortilla in a line. Cover the chicken with a large tablespoon (or big pinch) of cheese, then roll the tortilla up from one side to make a rolled enchilada - it will be more of an over lap on the seam side that rolled tightly. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish starting at one end with the long edge parallel to the longest side of the pan so that you end up with two columns of six enchiladas each.

Repeat with the remaining chicken, cheese and tortillas. You will use about 1 1/2 cups of the cheese for the filling and set the remainder aside for topping the enchiladas in the pan. Add the remaining marinade mixture to the enchilada sauce and cream mixture, if desired. Pour this mixture over the top of all the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

from Ginny Winters via Good Things Utah and www.phemomenon.blogspot.com

Pork and Rice Quesadillas With Orange Salsa

Cooking Spray
6 burrito size tortillas

Filling:

1 cup rice, cooked (can use minute rice)

2 cups diced or shredded roasted pork loin

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed

1 cup chopped arugula leaves (i leave out)

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

1/2 diced sun-dried tomatoes (i use fresh)

Orange Salsa:

1 11 oz can Mandarin Oranges, drained and chopped

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

2 Tbsp freshly chopped scallions

2 Tbsp freshly chopped cilantro

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp ground cumin

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and toss to combine

(This salsa is so good I usually double it)

For the quesadilla:

Coat a griddle with cooking spray and set on medium high heat. Combine rice, pork, beans, arugula, cheese and tomatoes, mix well. Arrange tortillas on a flat surface. Top one side with pork mixture. Fold the other side over to cover filling. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Serve with Orange Salsa, of course!!


from Ginny Winters, courtesy foodnetwork.com

Ground Beef Tacos

I almost feel silly posting this one. But I added it to my own family favorites recipes for two reasons. One, it really is a family favorite. And two, my kids need easy recipes when it's their turn to cook.

Brown one pound of hamburger. Add taco seasoning package, water and a can of beans if desired. Fill tortilla shells with meat, Mexican blend cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, guacamole.

from Helen Macfarlane

Café Rio Style Pork

It seems there are two different recipes out there claiming to be the originals from Cafe Rio. They are both really good! This one, used at a RS dinner, is a little easier than the other.

3 to 4 lbs. Country Style boneless pork ribs
1 cup pace picante sauce
1 cup brown sugar

Place pork in crock pot. Pour picante sauce and brown sugar over pork. Cook on high for approximately five hours until pork can be shredded with a fork.

Serve in tacos, on taco salad or use for other Mexican dishes.

Chicken alternative:
Cook chicken with a jar of salsa and a little taco seasoning.

From Louanne Tillman

Lime and Cilantro Rice

2 cups rice
4 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp lime juice
½ bunch chopped cilantro
2 tsp sugar
salt to taste

Cook in rice cooker or on stove as you would regular rice.

from Helen Macfarlane (I think I got this from Louanne Tillman)

Baja Fish Tacos

½ cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 pound cod or other white fish fillets, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice

taco shells

Toppings:
shredded cabbage, chopped tomato, lime juice, taco sauce

Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro and 2 Tbsp seasoning mix in a small bowl.

Combine fish, vegetable oil, lemon juice and remaining seasoning mix in medium bowl; pour into large skillet. Cook, stirring constantly over medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with fork.

Fill taco shells with fish mixture. Top with cabbage, tomato and sour cream mixture, lime juice and taco sauce.

from Helen Macfarlane