1. Toast the chiles and soak them in 4 C of warm water with the sun-dried tomatoes.
2. Drain, reserving 1 C water (if it’s not bitter — if it is, discard and use plain water in the following step).
3. Put the chiles and the tomatoes in a blender or food processor and puree with the remaining ingredients, including the reserved water.

I’m not a big fan of buns anyway (except on really, really cute guys).

Do not double these recipes unless you have two skillets to cook them in.

Variation I – with mushrooms

1 lb beef
1/2 C bread crumbs
1/4 C milk
1 t onion powder
1 t seasoned salt

Mix above ingredients and make 4 patties.

In large skillet, begin sauteeing the four burgers in oil. Add 1/2 lb sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, covered. When the juices begin to rise, turn the burgers over. Cook another 4-7 minutes. Remove burgers to a plate.

For the gravy, shake 2 t flour with 1-1/2 C milk. Pour into skillet and cook until thick. Season with salt and pepper and serve over the burgers.

Variation II – Italian

Make the burgers, substituting a teaspoon of Italian seasoning and a teaspoon of garlic salt for the onion powder and seasoned salt. Put them in the pan and cook for 5 minutes on one side and 4-7 on the other. When you remove them to a plate, pour a can of diced Italian tomatoes into the skillet. Bring it to a boil and simmer until reduced. Serve over the burgers and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Variation III – Mexican

Make the burgers, substituting a teaspoon of chili powder, a half teaspoon of cumin, and a teaspoon of garlic salt for the seasoned salt. Put them in the pan and cook as above. Remove to a plate and stir about 12 oz of salsa into the drippings. Heat it gently, spoon it over the burgers, and top with grated cheddar or jack cheese.

Variation IV – Middle Eastern

Make a half recipe of the Kufta bi Taheena (you can use a whole egg) and form the meat into four burgers. Cook as above and remove to a plate. Make a half recipe of the sauce, adding about 1/4 C of water to get a thinner consistency. Pour this into the skillet with the drippings and heat it gently. Serve over the burgers.

White fish and scallops are most commonly used, but calimari, salmon, and shrimp can also be prepared this way. However, in the U.S., most cooks make shrimp ceviche with cooked shrimp, boiling it until just opaque and then marinating it with the juice and other flavorings.

For an elegant first course, serve ceviche in individual martini glasses garnished with a lime twist. Or put it in a bowl in the center of the table and provide tortillas for scooping it up.

Basic Ceviche

1 lb white fish, diced in 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 C freshly-squeezed lemon or lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 green onions, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/2 t salt
3 T cilantro, chopped

Place the fish in a shallow bowl and mix with remaining ingredients except cilantro. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then chill for at least 2 more hours, stirring occasionally, until the fish is opaque and firm. Serve sprinkled with cilantro.

Shrimp Ceviche

1 lb shrimp
1/4 C freshly-squeezed lemon or lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 green onions, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into small strips
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 t salt
4 T cilantro, chopped

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the shrimp very briefly, no longer than 2-3 minutes. Drain it and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Combine with remaining ingredients and marinate in refrigerator for at least an hour.

2-1/2 lbs chicken breast tenders
Salt and pepper
1 T oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T chili powder
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t cloves
14-oz can diced tomatoes
2 T unsweetened peanut butter
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
2 scallions, chopped

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken for 4 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate.

To the skillet, add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic, chili powder, cinnamon, and cloves, and cook for a minute. Then return the chicken to the skillet. Add the tomatoes (do not drain), peanut butter, and cocoa and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring once in a while and turning the chicken once, until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with chopped scallion.

Serves 4, 431 calories each

Cut pork into 1/2-inch cubes, trimming off excess fat.
Heat oil in a large frying pan and saute the onion with garlic, jalapenos, oregano, and 3/4 t salt. When the onion is soft, remove mixture to a large stew pot.
In the same frypan, brown the pork, seasoned with salt and pepper, until browned (you may have to do this in several batches). Remove it to the stew pot.
Cut the canned chilis into 1/4-inch strips and add to the pot along with the stock and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours.
Mince the tomatillos or blend them in a blender and add them to the pot. Cook for 1/2 hour longer, or until the pork shreds easily. Serve with tortillas, rice, or potatoes, and garnish with cilantro and pickled jalapenos.

1 dozen corn tortillas, preferably stale
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t cumin
1 T oil
1/2 t oregano
1 t basil
1/4 t salt
2 C tomatoes, chopped
2-1/2 C buttermilk (see note below)
1/4 C grated cheddar
1/3 C chopped green chilis or green peppers
Tear tortillas into 2-inch pieces. In a big heavy skillet, saute the onion, garlic, chili powder, and cumin lightly in the oil, then stir in the tortilla pieces, coating them with the oil and spices. Turn the tortillas into a large bowl (don’t worry about where the spices go) and add the herbs, salt, and tomatoes to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring, simmer about 5 minutes.
Stir the tortillas, sauce, buttermilk, cheese, and chilis together, reserving a little cheese for the top. Cover and cook over low heat until the mixture is bubbly and the cheese is melted.
Let sit for 20 minutes before serving — even better, use a cast-iron pan or turn it into a casserole and put it in the oven at 325 degrees.
Serves 4.

Note: I don’t normally keep buttermilk on hand, but if you buy one quart, you’ll have just the right amount for one batch of Chillaquillas and one batch of Tall and Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits. It’s worth the trip to the store.

2-lb roasted chicken, cooled
1 onion, diced
15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 C cilantro leaves
1 T canned chipotles in adobo
1/3 C olive oil
1/3 C lime juice
3/4 t salt
3/4 t pepper
2 avocados, pitted, peeled, and diced
1-1/2 C Fritos
Leaf or Romaine lettuce leaves

Remove chicken from bone and toss with onion and beans in a large bowl. Puree cilantro, chipotles, oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender. Toss with chicken mixture. Toss with the chips and serve over lettuce with avocado on top.

1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 C minced onion
2 t garlic powder
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1/2 C milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
6 oz corn
1/4 C sliced olives
1/2 C yellow cornmeal/polenta
1 t chili powder
1 t salt
Cook ground beef and onion with garlic powder until meat is brown and onion tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon into an 8×8 square baking dish. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes; knife inserted in middle will come out clean. Cut in squares and serve immediately.

Sauce:
2 T olive oil
1 C chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
2 T chili powder
2 t cumin
Salt, pepper
2 C tomato puree
1 C stock or water
To make the sauce: Saute the onion and garlic in the oil. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper and stir well. Stir in the tomato puree and water and simmer briefly.

To assemble:
12 corn tortillas
1 large onion, diced
8 oz shredded colby or Monterey Jack cheese
Cooked, shredded chicken or beef (optional)
Diced green chilis (optional)
Warm the tortillas to soften them. You can do this in a microwave or in the oven, just wrap them in a damp towel or paper towel and be very careful not to let it dry out and catch fire. Spread each tortilla with sauce and then put some cheese, onion, meat (if using), and chilis (if using) in the center. Roll each one into a tube and place it in 9×12 baking dish. Store-bought tortillas will often crack, despite all efforts to soften them. It doesn’t really matter, since they’ll be topped with plenty of sauce and cheese. When the pan is full, spoon the remainder of the sauce over the top and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

This is so cheap and easy, you could get hooked on it, especially if you have kids. There’s also a version used to make soup — see Sopa de Fideo.

1 pound ground beef or diced chicken or pork
5 oz dry fideo or vermicelli
1 T oil or shortening
1 medium chopped onion
1 15-oz can chicken broth
1/2 C water
2-3 T chili powder
Salt or garlic salt and pepper, to taste

Saute meat until done, set aside. In the same pan, heat oil or shortening and brown the fideo (use 1-1/4 inch long pieces), stirring constantly. Add chopped onion halfway through browning. Add chicken broth and water, return meat to pan, add seasonings. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

For extra zip, add sliced jalapenos or ground cayenne. Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients
* 1 package of dry yeast (quick rising is okay)
* 2-3 cups warm water
* 2 tablespoons instant potatoes
* 2-3 cups warm water
* 2 tablespoons instant potatoes
* 1 heaping tablespoon sugar
* 1 pinch salt
* 1 cup melted lard or shortening
* 5-6 cups flour
Instructions
1. Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water (not too hot) and set aside
2. To a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons instant potatoes, sugar, salt, melted lard; mix
3. Add yeast/water mixture to the lard mixture and additional cups of water
4. Gradually add enough flour to make a bread dough (not sticky) and let rise
5. Break off portions of the bread dough to make patties, and fry them in lard

You can serve warm with butter, honey or molasses, OR…

Have a frybread taco party. After each one cools slightly, hand it to a guest to stuff with cheese, beans, taco meat, shredded chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, black olives, sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole. (A big thank-you to our former housemate, Aaron Montoya, for that fantastic idea)

Combine green onions, cilantro, green chilis, cheese, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and hot sauce in a large bowl. Cut a pocket into each pork chop and stuff this mixture into the opening. If necessary, fasten it closed with a toothpick. Put the stuffed pork chops into a greased baking dish.

Sprinkle coarse salt, chili powder, and cayenne over the chops. If there’s extra filling, put it on top and around the pork chops.

Bake at 350 F for about an hour.

I found this recipe to be a little too dry. Next time, I’ll probably pour a jar of green salsa around the pork chops, and serve them with some additional salsa.

Combine ingredients and allow flavors to blend for a few hours. This is good with seafood or eggs, or you can just scoop it up with tortilla chips.

It’s good on eggs, too.

It was originally inspired by a South Beach Chicken Mole recipe, but I like this name better…as in, “Holy frijole mole, Batman, this stuff is dynamite!”

1 large onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T chili powder
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t cloves
14-oz can petite diced or crushed tomatoes
2-1/2 C cooked red, pinto, or black beans
2 T unsweetened peanut butter
2 T Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder
Cayenne pepper or dried chipotle, to taste
Salt to taste
2 scallions, chopped
Handful of cilantro leaves

In a large skillet, saute the onion and bell pepper in the oil until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic, chili powder, cinnamon, and cloves, and cook for a minute. Add the peanut butter, cocoa, tomatoes (do not drain), and beans, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once in a while. Add pepper and salt, garnish with chopped scallion and cilantro, and serve over brown rice.

2/3 C milk
1/4 C butter
1 T rum
2 eggs
1/4 C sugar
1 t salt
1 t grated orange peel
3 C bread flour
2 t yeast

2-1/2 lbs ground pork
7 cloves of garlic, minced
1 t sage
1-1/2 t fennel
1/4 t powdered cayenne
1/4-1/2 t red pepper flakes
1-1/2 t salt
2/3 C tequila

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with your hands. This can be done a couple of days in advance and refrigerated. Then crumble it into a large frying pan and cook for about 10 minutes over high heat, stirring every once in a while, until it’s browned.

Serve in tortillas with lettuce, cheese, diced tomatoes, and the salsa of your choice.

Season pork with salt and pepper, and saute in the oil in a large skillet until browned. Add the onion and pepper and saute until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic, chili powder, cinnamon, and cloves and simmer for a minute.

Add the tomatoes (do not drain), peanut butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. Garnish with scallions or cilantro leaves before serving with whole wheat tortillas or brown rice.

2 lbs. halibut cut into 1″ strips
Juice of 4 limes
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper
2 tsps. capers
16 green olives sliced
4 TBS. of white wine
Banana leaves

* Combine lime juice, salt, pepper and halibut strips in a bowl and marinate for 5 minutes.

* Roll strips on their side to form 4 roses about 4″ in diameter.
Hold together with toothpicks skewered through the sides.

* Take 4 squares of aluminum foil, place banana leaf in center, then put halibut rose on top of banana leaf place 1/2 tsp. capers, 4 olives and 1 TBS wine on each rose. Wrap banana leaf and aluminum foil around to form a packet.

* Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 5 minutes.

Cover with MANGO SALSA & Serve

MANGO SALSA

4 fresh mangos peeled and sliced or 1 16 oz. jar of mango slices.

8 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 white onion, diced
1 Banana pepper, seeded & diced
2 TBLS. olive oil
pinch of salt
1 tsp. sugar

Saute garlic, onion, salt and banana pepper in 1 tablespoon olive oil until translucent. Add mango and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Place in blender and puree. Strain back into saucepan with remaining olive oil and add sugar and simmer an additional 5 minutes.