Mexican Sides - Rice, Pico De Gallo, Cebiche, Green Salsa

Here are a few authentic recipes gathered by the DR from some of the work crews when we lived in Oregon-

Rice-
fry in a small amount of butter for a few minutes before cooking. Then cook as usual using 2/3 part water and 1/3 part tomato soup-


Pico de gallo (fresh salsa)

2 Tomatoes- finely chopped
1 yellow onion- finely diced
jalapeno- thinly minced- to taste
cilantro- finely minced- to taste
black pepper- to taste
salt - to taste
1/2 to a whole lime- juiced

Mix all ingredients and adjust the flavor-



Cebiche

Shelled, Uncooked Shrimp
Lime juice
same ingredients as pico de gallo except the lime juice for that
shredded carrots

place shrimp in bowl, cover in fresh lime juice. Cover bowl with tin foil and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Take out and drain lime juice. Add vegetables. Put back in freezer for about 10 minutes. Serve on tostada.


Green Salsa

12 Tomitillo (sp)
2 fresh jalapeno peppers
Salt
Finely Chopped onion
Finely chopped Cilantro



These are not the most thorough recipes as they came directly from some of the mexican workers and the DR's writing- but they are close enough.

Manicotti

1/2 lb pork sausage, browned and drained
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 cup plain bread crumbs
8 oz mozzarella cheese- grated
1/2 large onion, chopped
oregano- to taste
garlic salt- to taste
salt and pepper- to taste
2 eggs- beaten
1/2 to 1 C milk
14 Manicotti Noodles (cooked a few minutes less than package directions)
3 or more cups of Tomato Sauce

Additional Mozzarella for topping

Cook and drain meat. Cool. Add bread crumbs, grated cheese, chopped onion, seasonings, and eggs. Add enough milk to make sure the stuffing is moist. Meanwhile, cook the noodles a few minutes less than the directions on the box so they are still a little undercooked. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water- drain completely. Prepare pan with a cup of tomato sauce in the bottom. Carefully stuff each noodle with meat mixture and place in a 9x13 baking dish, lining them up side by side, and across the bottom as needed. Pour remaining tomato sauce over the top of the noodles, using enough to cover the noodles. Top with additional grated mozzarella cheese and bake at 350 degrees, for 35-40 minutes until cooked through.

Any remaining stuffing you can put in the freezer. My original recipe is half of this- but I always double it- at least- and I usually just use a pound of each meat.

Easy Quiche

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 C evaporated milk (make sure it is evaporated milk)
1 pkg crescent roll dough
1/2 - ground sausage ( 1lb if not using mushrooms)
2-3 green onions, sliced
1 C chopped mushrooms (optional)
1/4 lb cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 lb Monterey Jack cheese, grated

Heat oven to 325 F

Brown sausage (and mushrooms) and drain.  Line bottom of pie plate with crescent roll dough sections, covering all the inner surface and up the sides, pinching together to make a crust.  Put drained sausage(mushroom) and green onion slices in bottom of crust and level.  Mix together beaten eggs and evaporated milk and pour over the mix in the crust. Meat mix should be barely covered.  If needed, you can add more egg/milk mixture by an egg and 1/4 C of milk at a time.  Top the mix with the grated cheeses and bake for 40-45 min.

This fits a standard pie pan- if you use a deep dish pan or larger round pan- then you may need to double the recipe.

Chicken-Pasta Salad

12 oz elbow macaroni
10 oz canned chicken
1 C frozen peas
1 C chopped tomatoes
1 C chopped cucumbers
1 C grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 C mayonnaise (or more- I use more because the DR likes really moist salads)

Cook pasta. Place frozen peas in the bottom of colander. When macaroni is cooked, pour over the peas in the colander. Run cold water over both until cool. Drain well. Put in large serving bowl. Add Chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers. In a separate bowl, season mayonnaise- make it a little saltier that you would think because it gets diluted in the salad. Right before serving, add the mayo dressing and the grated cheese.

BBQ Soup

1 lb ground beef
2-4 c uncooked pasta (wagon wheel shapes for example)
2 (14.5 oz) cans stewed tomatoes
3 C water
16 oz pkg frozen corn
1 c bbq sauce (kc masterpiece original)
salt and pepper to taste

Season meat, cook and drain. Add all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until pasta is tender. Adjust seasoning. Serves 6-8.

Serve with cornbread, or biscuits

Spinach Dip

1 pkg ranch flavored Dip Mix
1 pt sour cream
10 oz pkg frozen spinach
8 oz can of waterchestnuts

Sour Dough Bread Bowl

Thaw and drain spinach. Mix dip mix (not dressing) with sour cram. Add drained spinach. Drain and chop waterchestnuts. Add to mix.

Cut and "gut" bread bowl (or just put in a bowl and cut up a loaf to dip), making chunks of bread to dip in the spinach dip.

Favorite Aunt's Blackened Chicken Fettuccine

This recipe belongs to my sister- the real nurse in her big girl job. And make sure to make it when you are not counting calories or anything-



Blackened Chicken Fettuccine



Garlic Cream Sauce:

3/4 CUBE Butter

3 cloves of garlic- minced

1 1/2 QT of whipping cream

kosher salt/ pepper to taste

8 oz grated REAL Parmesan cheese- divided



Melt Butter in heavy pan over medium low heat, saute garlic. Stir in cream and bring to a simmer. Reduce by about 10 % or so. Add 1/3 of the cheese.



Meanwhile:

1 lb of boneless, skinless Chicken Breast

Cajun seasoning blend.



dredge one side of the chicken in the cajun seasoning and cook on both sides in a frying pan while the sauce is cooking. When cooked, either slice or cube the meat (sliced is fancier for company :) )



Prepare desired pasta- fresh fettuccine, or dried works fine too- you can use other pasta that you may like better.



When the cream sauce is ready, and the noodles have been cooked and drained, place in a serving bowl (large) and toss with the cream sauce (it will thicken some) then layer with the Chicken, sliced olives, chopped tomatoes, cooked and chopped Bacon, remaining Parmesan cheese- and - if you like- mushrooms, peas, whatever suits your fancy.