Tortilla Strip Chicken

This simply easy recipe comes from Cheeky Kitchen.  All of my kids LOVED this.  I served it with Pico de Gallo and guacamole.  They all ate it plain.  I did not.  To each his own!


2 cups  Yellow Chips, crushed
Salt & Pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (if desired)
10-12 chicken tendersPress the chicken tenders into the crushed tortillas, coating them well. Transfer to a large baking sheet. Bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or just until cooked through (watch 'em! You don't want them to overcook and get dry and nappy). Top with Fresh Avocado Salsa. Serve with a dollop of plain Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream that has a couple tablespoons of chopped cilantro stirred in.

Tomatillo Dressing

This is the Cafe Rio house dressing recipe. The thing that I like about making it, is that I can control the spice. When I get it at the restaurant, the spicyness can be a little overwhelming for me. (I'm a wimp, I know.)  But when I make it, I can do it a little milder.  It's perfect. 


1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch
1 cup mayo
1 cup chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic
3 tomatillos
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup milk


1. Blend in a blender all ingredients except mayo. Mix well.
2. Add mayo and pulse until creamy.
3. Store in fridge.

Bajio Chicken

Okay, so I still haven't actually eaten at Bajio, so I don't know how authentic this recipe is. What I do know, is that it is delicious!  Everyone liked it.  And it doesn't make as much as the Cafe Rio Pork, so you don't have to eat the leftovers for weeks to finish it off!

5 chicken breasts
1/2 cup salsa
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 cup brown sugar (more to taste, I added at least an extra 1/8 cup)
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
6 oz. Sprite (1/2 can)

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return to crock pot and cook 1 more hour. Thicken the juices with a little cornstarch mixed in water.
Serve with flour tortillas, lettuce, cheese, black beans and any other taco fixings.
If you want it spicier rather than sweeter add a hotter salsa and more green chilies.

Navajo Tacos

This is great for the leftover chili.  And the fried rolls are great!  I did a couple of extras and we ate them with butter and honey. Take the rolls out of the freezer about 2 hours before you eat.  You don't really want them to rise.

Navajo Tacos

thawed roll dough
chili, leftover or from a can
cheese, shredded
lettuce, shredded or torn
salsa
sour cream

onion, whatever kind you like green, purple, sweet (I use green onion)

olives, sliced (I didn’t do any this time)

Heat a pan with oil. Your gonna deep fry the roll dough. Once you get the oil to prime frying temperature, flatten a piece of roll dough and put it into the hot oil. Fry the one side until golden, then flip to cook the other side. Once that side is golden, remove from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towel. Continue doing this with all your dough. Once complete, top the fried dough with chili, cheese, and other toppings.

Pico De Gallo

This is the most wonderful salsa you will ever eat.  It is wonderful just on chips, but heavenly on tacos and quesadillas.  And it only takes a few minutes to make. Make it in the summer when you have tomatoes and onions and cilantro from the garden.

medium tomato, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and choppped (I leave this out)
2 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped (I use about 4)
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt to taste
pepper to taste
juice of fresh lime, to taste

In medium bowl, combine tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and green onion. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir until evenly distributed. Sprinkle with lime juice. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

This recipe is from Real Mom Kitchen. When I make it, I put half in the fridge and half in the freezer. It lasts us for days.  We make quesadillas, burritos and tacos with it.

Pork Roast: marinade over night in a can of coke. (Not diet)

Put it in a crock pot with coke in the morning and cook until very tender (about 8 hours on low). Drain off any liquid after cooking.

Add:
1 can enchilada sauce (red)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 small can diced chilies
1 c. brown sugar
Cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Ranchero Beef Hash

1 lb. small red potatoes, chopped
2 tbsp. cooking oil
1 med. carrot, shredded (I leave this out)
leftover roast or steak, chopped
Salt and ground pepper
1 tbsp. butter
4 eggs
salsa

For hash, place potatoes in a 1 1/2 quart microwave safe dish.  Add 2 tbsp. water. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes in microwave, stirring once.  Drain potatoes.

In a large skillet heat oil over med. high heat. Add potatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally until potatoes are lightly browned and tender. Stir in carrot; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add roast or steak, using a spoon to break beef in bite-size pieces, heat through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

In large skillet melt butter over med. high heat. Break eggs in skillet; season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low; cook eggs 3-4 minutes, until whites are set and yolks begin to thicken. For more doneness turn egges and continue cooking 30 seconds.
Divide hash among plates. Top with one egg and salsa.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Lindsay Walden
4 chicken breasts cooked and shredded (save 8 cups broth)
1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon
Bear Creek Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 can drained and washed black beans
1 can diced tomatoes and jalapenos
½ bag frozen corn
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Cheese
Cook chicken and shred (save broth). Set aside. Whisk Bear Creek Tortilla Soup Mix into broth. Then add chicken back in. Add 1 can drained and washed black beans. Add tomato/jalapeno mixture. Cook one hour on low (simmer). Then 10-15 minutes before serving, add ½ bag frozen corn. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, and chips.

Taco Soup

Rachel Ward

1 lb. ground beef
1 16 oz. can tomatoes
1 can corn
1 taco seasoning packet (or about ¼ c.)
¼ c. onion, chopped (I use dried onion, a small handful)
1 can kidney beans
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
Chips and shredded cheddar

In large pot brown ground beef and sauté onions; drain. Add tomatoes, kidney beans, corn and tomato sauce. Add taco seasoning, bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with chips and cheese
(I don’t like canned tomatoes, so instead I use 2 cans of corn and 2 cans of tomato sauce.)

Guacamole

Lindsay Walden
3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Mexican Melt

Lindsay Walden
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 can tomato soup
½ cup of milk
½ cup of salsa
Grated cheese
5-6 tortillas cut into wedges or small pieces

Brown meat. Add soup, salsa, milk and tortillas. Sprinkle cheese over it and let melt. Serve with tortilla chips and Spanish rice.

Beef Enchiladas

Lindsay Walden
1 lb ground beef
1 can olives (small, pitted), chopped
1 package of cream cheese
1 can tomato sauce
1 small chopped onion
1 can red enchilada sauce
Green onions, chopped
1 small package of corn tortillas
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Grated cheddar cheese

Sauté onions and brown ground beef. In small bowl, add cooked meat and onions to tomato sauce. In skillet, heat olive oil. Warm both sides of tortillas. Wipe oil off with paper towels. With butter knife, spread cream cheese on tortilla. Add meat mixture and then roll up. Place in a 9X9 pan. Once pan is full, sprinkle chopped olives over tortillas. Pour red enchilada sauce over those. Sprinkle chopped green onions over that. Then cover with grated cheese. Cook until cheese is melted at 350˚F (usually about 30 minutes).

Black Bean & Chicken Burritos

Lindsay Walden
1 can Black Beans (undrained)
Grated cheddar cheese
2-4 pieces of chicken breasts
Can of salsa
Tortillas

Boil chicken and then cube or shred. In large bowl, combine salsa, black beans, some grated cheese, and chicken. Spoon mixture into tortillas. Roll and place in a 9X9 or 9X13 pan. Cover with cheese. Bake at 350˚F for about 30 minutes.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Sara Ward
4 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. oil
2 tsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder
Mexican blend shredded cheese
Tortillas, soft taco size
1 can green enchilada sauce
Cook and shred 4 chicken breasts. Mix above sauce with shredded chicken. Roll chicken mix and grated cheese into flour tortillas. Top with green enchilada sauce and a little grated cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Chicken Fajitas

Lindsay Walden
1 tbsp Worcestershire
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1 minced garlic clove
1 dash hot pepper sauce
Mix together then place strips of chicken in sauce. Marinate 30 min to 2 hours.
1 1/2 lbs chicken
1 tbsp veggie oil
1 onion sliced
1 bell pepper sliced
1/2 lemon juiced
Heat oil in large skillet over Hi heat. Fold chicken in pan and sauté 5minutes. Add onion and pepper. Sauté 3 minutes. Remove and sprinkle w/lemon. Serve on warm tortilla with your favorite fajita sides.

Mexican Lasanga

This was a favorite growing up. We had it often. For years I scraped the topping off of the tortillas because I didn't like it. So, I know first hand that it is almost as good without the topping. Just so you know. . .

Mexican Lasagna

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
8 oz. Monterey Jack, shredded
1 small tomato, chopped
6-8 flour tortillas
1 can refried beans
Chopped olives
½ c. salsa

Brown ground beef with onion. Drain fat. Season with cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste. Add salsa and tomato Remove from heat and set aside. Divide one can of beans evenly among flour tortillas. Spread beans thinly over tortilla, sprinkle with olives and cheese. Roll each up and place in greased 9x13. Pour meat sauce over top. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes.