re: Please remove sticky - replacement post below

Aparently filedropper went under. I'll find somethinng else.

ETA: It's fixed now.

Mexican Lasagna

I made one for the first time. Turned out pretty good, but then it's all the basic Tex Mex ingredients, just assembled a little differently.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 pounds ground beef
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon coriander
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
4 oz can diced green chiles
14 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
4 oz can of black olives
14 oz can corn, drained
14 oz can chili beans
10 oz can red enchilada sauce
8-12 tortillas, 8-inch size
16 oz shredded cheese

Steps

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a spatula, for 4-5 minutes. Add salt and pepper as needed.

Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and coriander until the meat is thoroughly coated.

Remove the beef from pan. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the green chiles, diced tomatoes, beans, and corn and stir to mix together. Simmer for five to 10 minutes.

Coat a deep, 9"x13" baking dish with cooking spray.

Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.

Cut the tortillas in half, and layer tortilla halves to fit in the dish.

Layer enchilada sauce, cheese, veggie mixture, and meat mixture.

Repeat the layers, ending with layers of tortillas, enchilada sauce, and the remaining cheese.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cover and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.

Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with cilantro. Add any desired toppings, then serve.

Notes

If you make ahead of time and refrigerate, add 15 minutes to the cooking time.
You can cook everything (except the tortillas) ahead of time, then assemble the next day.
A teaspoon of chipotles in the ground beef, veggie mix or both, doesn't hurt.
You can use corn or flour tortillas. Fry the tortillas first, if possible, to keep them a little crispy.
Serve with crema or sour cream, avocado, pico de gallo, and salsa.

Posted originally by SpotCheckBilly

Red Bean Gumbo

8 Quart Pot:
1 cup oil
1 cup flour (all purpose)
3 large onions
2 bell peppers
3 sticks celery
14 oz Rotel with Chilies
1 Stick Andouille
6 links smoked sausage
1 lb. ham seasoning
1 lb smoked turkey necks (optional)
1 bunch shallots
1/2 bunch parsley
3 tbsp. Lea & Perrins
hot sauce to taste
2 tbsp. Liquid Smoke of no turkey necks)
water for consistency
48 oz Blue Runner Red Beans, (or 3/4 dry red beans)

Puree red beans a little. Make roux with oil and flour (dark brown). Add onions & stir until transparent. Add celery. Simmer a while, approximately 20 minutes. Add Rotel and simmer for 15 minutes (rinse cans and add to pot). Add bell peppers and some of the shallot whites and stir for 10 minutes or so.

Add all of the meat and mix well. Cook for a short time, then add red beans, garlic puree, Lea & Perrins and hot sauce. Bring to a boil and cook on low heat at small roll for 1/2 hour. Toward the end of 1/2 hour add rest of shallot whites, shallot greens and parsley.

Tips
If turkey necks are used, it is best to pre-boil and de-bone, keeping the stock for your water to add for consistency. This will also add to the smoke flavor and salt taste.

For 60 Quart Pot:

3 qt. vegetable oil
5 lb. flour
18 lb. onions
10 bell peppers
2 stalks celery
4 cans Rotel with Chilies
5 lb. Andouille
5 lb. ham seasoning
5 lb. smoked turkey necks (optional)
3 bunches shallots
1 bunch parsley
1/4 bottle Lea & Perrins
1 bottle hot sauce
1/4 bottle Liquid Smoke (if no turkey necks)
Water for consistency
3 gallons Blue Runner Red Beans (or 6 lb. dry beans)

Source: Festival Of The Bonfires Cookbook

Tried cooking another Mexican dish yesterday. In the cooking challenge, to do well, your dish must look really good. Might be even more important than taste.

This one has a really nice flavor and satisfaction level. Just doesn't do it for me in the photogenic category. However, if you like one dish meals and "Mexican flavor" this one is a tasty you might like to make for the family.

MD's Mexican Ground Beef, Calabacita Squash and Poblano Casserole

Mexican Calabacita Squash can be hard to find. They taste differently than zucchini and the texture is different.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
4 ounces Chorizo sausage
3 mexican calabacita squash, julienned with mandolin slicer
2 poblano peppers, roasted, skin removed and rough diced
1/2 small onion, diced
2 Tablespoons Jalapeño pepper, dicedle
2 Tablespoons green bell pepper, diced
2 Tablespoons red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup mild tomato salsa (I used chunky Pace Picante sauce)
2 cups mexican blend mixed cheese
1/2 cup oxaca cheese shredded
1/4 cup monterrey jack cheese, shredded
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Mexican Seasoning:

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 Tablespoon Lawry’s garlic salt
1 Tablespoon Adobo seasoning
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cilantro


Directions:

Slice the Mexican calabacita squash into 1/8 inch julienned slices with mandolin, salt lightly with adobo seasoning and cook in oven or microwave until slightly tender (partially cooked)

Lightly oil and roast the poblano peppers in the oven for 20 minutes at 450F. Remove, place in plastic bags for 10 minutes until cooled, then peel, de-seed, remove stems, and dice into 1/4 inch pieces.

Brown Ground beef, seasoned with salt and black pepper, crumble and set aside.

Dice onions, bell peppers and jalapeños. Set aside.

Mix beef, squash, onion, bell peppers, jalapeños, salsa and cheeses, reserving 1 cup of the mixed blend cheese.

Add to a 9 X 9 inch oven proof bowl, sprayed with Pam Oil. Add remaining Mixed Cheese blend over top of casserole.

Cook in a 350 degree F oven for 40 minutes, until casserole is bubbly done.

Serve.

Alton Brown's Aged Eggnog

12 large eggs (pasteurized if you need peace of mind)
1 pound sugar
1 pint half-n-half
1 pint whole milk
1 pint heavy cream
1 cup Jamaican rum
1 cup cognac
1 cup bourbon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (plus more for serving)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Separate the eggs and store the whites for another purpose.

Beat the yolks with the sugar and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl until the mixture lightens in color and falls off the whisk in a solid “ribbon.”

Combine dairy, booze and salt in a second bowl or pitcher and then slowly beat into the egg mixture.

Move to a large glass jar (or a couple of smaller ones) and store in the fridge for a minimum of 2 weeks. A month would be better, and two better still. In fact, there’s nothing that says you couldn’t age it a year, but I’ve just never been able to wait that long. (And yes, you can also drink it right away.)

Source: TheEnglishman