Nate and I are usually on very different meal schedules but last night the stars aligned and we decided to make dinner together. This recipe is something we both like and I posted it because it requires little preparation and was just really fun and low-stress to make together. I fried the tortillas and browned the meat while Nate put together his “specialty,” guacamole (aka the only recipe he knows). I will list what we did but you can use any variation of the these or add your own ingredients.

Tortillas = corn and fried on medium-high until crisp in oil, the base of your tostada

Guac = we just mashed up two ripe avocados with lime juice, salt, chopped cilantro, and minced red onion

Shredded lettuce = you can buy a head of lettuce and shred it yourself but we were hungry so bought it in a bag

Taco cheese = a mix of shredded cheeses with “taco seasoning.” Nate wanted cheddar but somehow I thought this would be better

Pineapple Mango Chipotle Salsa = you can use any kind but this was damn good

Refried beans = you can do this yourself but again, we were hungry, so we went for the canned variety

Ground beef = brown it over medium or medium-low heat in a skillet

Assemble everything on top of the tortilla in your preferred quantities.

I have started to think of this blog as a record of the recipes I like since I haven’t been very proactive about getting people to read it. I definitely want to remember this recipe. It was spicy, complex in flavor, and filling. Grace (my cake-receiving friend) and I ate it about two weeks ago. I can’t believe I forgot to post it! Eat this!

Tortilla Soup

1 onion, chopped

1 anaheim pepper, chopped, deveined and seeds removed

1 red bell pepper, chopped, deveined and seeds removed

garlic, minced

1 1/2 tbl ground cumin

canned chipotle peppers, chopped, to taste

4 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (I used dried but canned are okay)

about 3/4 cup corn kernels (frozen from my CSA)

1 15 oz can diced tomatoes

1 avocado, chopped

grated cheddar cheese

tortilla chips or fried pieces of corn tortilla

olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Saute the onion, anaheim pepper, and bell pepper until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin. Mix in tomatoes and chipotle peppers. Pour in broth, season, bring to a boil, bring heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the black beans and corn and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve in bowls with tortilla chips, avocado, and cheese. Serves 6.

Yesterday I wanted to make a dish that would last me for meals the next couple of days and to use up some of the vegetables from my CSA share before I get another one on Tuesday. I had taken home some extra corn tortillas from the community meal (a weekly free meal run by the college’s Social Justice Action Group that I co-coordinated over the summer) and had a summer squash and some tomatoes. Perfect for enchiladas!

They were pretty tasty… the sauce is particularly good, but I’m not sure I would reccomend using kidney beans (I had them on hand… use black beans) or cheap vegan soy cheese slices (there are higher quality soy cheeses available, including a “Mexican-style” queso fresco). Use seasonal vegetables. I used summer squash and a purple onion this time. Potatoes and a variety of other greens would be good substitutes. If you’re lucky enough to be able to eat them locally, try avocado.

Salsa Roja

1/4 tsp crushed red peppers

2 tbl oil

2 cloves garlic

1 onion

2 cups tomatoes

1tsp sugar

1 1/2 tbl chopped cilantro

½ tbl lime juice

1.                   Add oil to stock pot and place on medium-high heat.  When hot, add the crushed red pepper, onions, garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions soften, about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, sugar, some salt, and a liberal amount of pepper.

2.                   Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and comes together, about 20 minutes.

3.                   Stir in the cilantro and lime juice.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Puree with immersion blender.

Enchiladas

1 recipe Salsa Roja

½ cup oil

vegetables!

½  tsp dried oregano

2 cloves garlic

12 oz. beans, drained (black beans reccomended)

about 8 corn tortillas

8 slices Pepper Jack flavor soy cheese

1.        Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.        Heat oil in a skillet

3.        Cook the onion about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic, vegetables and oregano and cook 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are golden brown and tender.  Set aside.

4.        Coat the bottom of a casserole dish with Salsa Roja.

5.        Place a layer of tortillas on top of the salsa, followed by a layer of the vegetables, beans, “cheese,” and final layer of tortillas.  Add the rest of the sauce. If you want, slap some more cheese on top.

6.        Put in the oven and cook for 5 minutes, or until the cheese melts.