Mexican Food – T.W.O.

Carne Asada Tacos with Roasted Butternut Squash

Published on January 13, 2015January 12, 2015 by T.W.O.2 Comments

Taco Tuesday! Today we are featuring carne asada tacos with roasted butternut squash. It’s a simple, flavorful and hearty meal that will have your audience asking for seconds. Don’t be nervous about using squash in your dish – it makes the tacos sweeter! Happy cooking!

Carne Asada Tacos with Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredients:
– 3 lbs carne asada
– 1 meyer lemon
– 2 Tablespoon cayenne pepper
– 2 Tablespoon onion powder
– 1/2 chopped cilantro
– 2 avocados
– Salsa
– corn tortillas
– 1 butternut squash, cubed
– 1 Tablespoon olive oil
– Krazy Salt
– Sea Salt
– Pepper
– Cilantro (for garnish)

Directions:
1. Marinate carne asada with lemon, cayenne pepper, onion powder and cilantro. Set aside.
2. On a lined baking sheet (parchment paper), toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil, Krazy Salt and Pepper. Once the oven is at 415 degrees, place sheet in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. At the halfway point, flip the squash.
3. When the squash is about 15 minutes away from being done, put the carne asada on the bbq. Cook until done, but be careful not to overcook. Carne asada cooks fast.
4. Once done, remove and assemble your tacos. Add some tapatio and some salsa and you have your self a delicious dish!

Cheers,

Chicken Enchiladas with Homemade Hatch Chile Sauce

Published on October 7, 2014October 1, 2014 by T.W.O.2 Comments

Taco Tuesday? How about Enchilada Tuesday!?!? Yes! Hatch chilies are in season, so T.W.O. decided to make a homemade enchilada sauce. And boy did we turn up the heat! Hatch chilies compliment the chicken and pepper jack cheese nicely. Grab your apron and lets start cooking!

Chicken Enchiladas with Homemade Hatch Chile Sauce

Ingredients:
– 1 ¼ pounds hatch chilies (poblano chiles also work)
– 3 Tablespoons olive oil
– 8 cloves garlic, chopped
– 2 teaspoon salt
– 1 teaspoon ground pepper
– 3 ¾ cups reduce-sodium chicken broth
– 10 corn tortillas
– 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese, shredded
– 3 cups shredded cooked chicken*
– 4 Tablspoons cilantro, chopped
– 1 cup crimini mushrooms, diced
For garnish:
– 1 avocado
– sour cream
– cilantro
– lime
*T.W.O. shredded a whole rotisserie chicken

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to a broil. Make sure the racks are positioned in the middle of the oven.
2. Places the hatch chilies on a baking sheet lines with foil and broil for about 15 minutes, turning them halfway through.
3. Remove from the oven and reduce heat of the oven to 400°. Once the chilies are cooled, pull the skins off and remove the steams and seeds.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chilies and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes and then add 1 ¼ cups chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let reduce for 10 minutes.
5. Place the chile mixture into a blender and blend on low until the mixture starts to look like a pesto. Set aside.
6. In a bowl mix together the shredded chicken, mushroom and cilantro. Set aside.
7. Using the same skillet, add 2 ½ cups chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Dip each tortilla in the hot broth to moisten and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 9 tortillas.
8. Add 2 teaspoons of cheese to each tortilla and the chicken and mushroom mixture.
9. Roll them up and place in a 9×13 baking dish, seam side down.
10. Pour the chile sauce over the enchiladas, leaving the edges exposed. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
11. Bake in the middle rack for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Once melted, turn the oven to broil and cook until the cheese is brown.
12. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes. Serve and garnish with cilantro, avocado, lime and anything else your heart desires!

Cheers,

Homemade Tortilla Chips

Published on June 23, 2014June 22, 2014 by twinswithoriginality1 Comment

Chips can make or break a meal. We all know everyone fills up on chips before they even get to the main entree. So why waste the calories on fattening, unsatisfying chips? T.W.O. Has the perfect recipe for you to “wow” you guests on the next taco night! Grab you salsa and guacamole because these homemade chips are sure to be a crowd pleaser!!

Ingredients:

-1 package corn tortilla chips
– 2 tablespoon olive oil
– 2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
-salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Cut tortillas into triangles. Place on a foil lined baking sheet.
3. Brush with olive oil and season with cayenne pepper and salt.
4. Place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. The “chips” will become brown, but don’t over cook.
5. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. They will harden as they cool, but serve warm for bet results.

Happy cooking!

Chicken Enchilada Quinoa Dish

Published on April 15, 2014June 6, 2014 by T.W.O.3 Comments

Tired of your average enchilada dish? Well this dish will definitely activate your taste buds and leave you feeling satisfied! This quinoa casserole is a great alternative to traditional enchiladas and is a crowd pleaser! It’s an easy mouthwatering recipe to make for any meal- including for a crowd!

Chicken Enchilada Quinoa Dish

Ingredients:
– 2 cups dry Quinoa, cook according to package directions
– 2 Chicken breasts, boneless & skinless, cubed
– 1 ½ cup Sweet Onion, chopped
– 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
– 1 ½ Tablespoon chili powder
– ½ Tablespoon garlic powder
– 2 cups Red Enchilada Sauce
– 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
– 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
– ½ cup green onion, chopped
– Cilantro
– Avocado
– Hot Sauce
– Salt & Pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook quinoa, fluff with a fork and toss with enchilada sauce in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium to high heat. Sauté onion for 5-8 minutes or until brown and caramelized. Add chicken cubes and seasonings (chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, hot sauce and some enchilada sauce). Cook chicken for about 8-10 minutes or until done. Make sure not to overcook the chicken.
3. Add chicken to quinoa and toss to combine. Mix in ½ cup of each kind of cheese to the quinoa and chicken. Place the quinoa into a 9×11 casserole dish. Top with cheeses. Bake uncovered for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
4. Set the oven to broil and broil for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is slightly browned. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!
5. Plate the quinoa and top with fresh avocado (or you can make guacamole!), cilantro & green onion. Sour cream and salsa are also great too!

Chicken Fajitas

Published on March 4, 2014March 3, 2014 by T.W.O.1 Comment

Taco Tuesday can get a little old after a while, so T.W.O. decided to change things up a bit and make some chicken fajitas – with t.w.o. twists! These are not your average fajitas you order at a Mexican restaurant, because we decided to add cannellini beans and Rimel’s “Green Sauce.” This is a great dish not only for Tuesday, but for any day of the week! And it is great for a crowd! So invite your friends over and let’s have a fiesta!

Ingredients
-4 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
-1 fajita mix
-Mini sweet bell peppers, sliced into stripes
-1 sweet onion, sliced into wedges
-2 jalapeños, sliced into stripes
-1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
–Rimel’s “Green Sauce”
-Corn tortillas*
-1 Avocado, sliced
-Salsa
-Cilantro

*T.W.O. uses the La Tortilla Factory brand of corn tortillas

Begin by cutting the chicken breasts into stripes. Heat up a sauce pan with olive oil. Add chicken breasts, fajita mix and ½ water. Cook chicken until done.

Remove chicken, keeping the juice to sauté the vegetables. Sauté the vegetables for about 5-8 minutes. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the chicken back into pan. Add about 1/3-1/2 cup of the “Green Sauce” and mix. Keep on the heat for about 2 minutes then remove.

Heat up the corn tortillas. Now it is time to make the fajitas! We like to top our fajitas with salsa, avocado, cilantro and a little of the “Green Sauce.” Now it’s time for a salsa dance!!

Ole!

Chicken Enchiladas

Published on December 23, 2013December 22, 2013 by twinswithoriginalityLeave a comment

Chicken or beef? Red of green sauce? What is your favorite enchilada? T.W.O. sure enjoys a chicken and green sauce enchilada! Both flour and corn tortillas! This time we decided to feature these enchiladas with flour. This dish makes for a great weeknight or weekend dinner! So next time you are in the mood for a fiesta, make this dish and you and your guests will be doing the “La cucaracha!”

Ingredients

-Cooked chicken, diced*

-Flour Tortillas

-Green Enchilada sauce

-Green onions, chopped

-Ortega chilies, diced

-Mushrooms, chopped

-Black olives, diced

-Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

*T.W.O. used a Costco pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.

Begin by pouring some enchilada sauce on the bottom of the Pyrex. This will prevent the enchiladas from sticking.

Next, lay a tortilla flat. Place chicken, mushrooms, green onions, Ortega chilies and black olives down the center of the tortilla. Then add your cheese and some enchilada sauce.

Now its time to roll it up! Place the enchilada into the Pyrex and repeat for the rest of the tortillas. Once you are done, pour the enchilada sauce over the tortillas and top with cheese.