cumin powder
Mexican Independence Day Fajitas
Today is Mexican Independence Day, the fiesta-filled holiday when Mexico celebrates its independence from Spain in 1810. This is a day of national pride, mariachi music and lots of great food. You can bet that Fajitas will be a favorite on the menu at restaurants and at home celebrations. Fajitas refer to grilled meat or chicken served with tortillas alongside grilled peppers and onions. Fajitas are so simple to make at home. A delicious fajita starts with a great marinade. For this recipe, I’ve chosen a simple combination of ingredients, but if you prefer more heat, you can always add some red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne. For the chicken, I prefer skinless boneless chicken thighs, but chicken breasts work well too. For the meat, you’ll want something with a little bit of fat like a skirt or flank steak. With colorful peppers always available, a combination of green, red, yellow and orange bell peppers make a beautiful presentation along with a large, sweet yellow onion. To give the fajitas a real authentic flavor, you can toss your flour tortilla into a hot dry skillet or griddle for just a few seconds to give it the char marks and delicious flavor. Of course, you’ll want to top off your fajitas with all of your favorite fixings’ like avocado, pico de gallo, cilantro, shredded cheese and sour cream. Plan ahead so the protein can marinate for several hours, then fire up the skillet or grill and get cookin’ south of the border style for your Mexican Independence Day feast!
Watch my How To Video for Fajitas here!
Tacos!
Oh, the irony! My mom was born in Venice, Italy and was the chef/owner of her own gourmet Italian restaurants. What do you suppose was my number one dish of hers? Tacos. Go figure! Today, I thought I’d share a childhood favorite!
Easy Chicken or Beef Tacos
Chicken Enchiladas
The Story
We eat them rolled. We eat them stacked. They’re filled with stuff and that’s a fact.
No, that isn’t Dr. Seuss talking. That’s just me describing one of our very favorite Southwestern treasures, the enchilada. In 1949, a magazine called American Food and Drink described enchiladas as a Mexican dish prepared more for tourists than for locals. Sorry folks, that was then and this is now. Today, enchiladas are enjoyed both north and south of the border, and in many different ways. They’re often filled with pork, chicken, beef, cheese, shrimp, crab, or even vegetables. The traditional sauces are made with either a spicy red chile sauce, a tomatillo sauce, or the Tex-Mex brown gravy chili sauce combination. Then just garnish for greatness! If you want to take your enchilada casserole to the next yummy level, give these homemade corn tortillas a try!
