Quick and Easy Nachos

-Janis M.

Layer on a cookie sheet:

tortilla chips

refried beans

cooked ground beef

olives

shredded cheese

Bake in oven at 350 until cheese is melted.

Serve with salsa, diced tomatoes, green onions, sour cream, jalapenos, and whatever else you desire.

Mexican Haystacks

-Amy H.

Brown 1 lb of ground beef and stir in enough salsa to cover.  Serve over tortilla chips and top with cheese, olives, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, etc.

Chicken and Rice

-Pat H.

1. Saute garlic, onion, fresh tomatoes and onion.

2. Stir in 2 cups of rice and cook until brown.

3. Add 2 cups of chicken broth, 2 cups warm water, and 1 can of tomato sauce.  Cover and cook over medium heat.

4. Add chicken 5-1o minutes before it's done.  (Shred a cooked chicken from Costco, or you can add a can of shredded chicken)

*Usually takes 1/2 hour on medium heat.

Easy Crescent Taco Bake

1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1 lb lean ground beef

3/4 cup salsa

2 Tbsp taco seasoning mix

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

shredded lettuce

diced tomato



1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll dough, seperate into 8 triangles. Place in ungreased 9 inch square pan or 10 inch pie plate, press over bottom and up sides to form crust.



2. In 10 inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat 6 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thorougly cooked, drain. Stir in salsa and taco seasoing mix; simmer 5 minutes. Spoon meat mixture in crust-lined pan; sprinkle with cheese.

3. Bake 20-25 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown and cheese is melted. Served topped with lettuce and tomato.

Tostada Pizza

1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 (4 oz) can diced green chile peppers, drained
1/2 of a 1 1/2 oz pkg of taco seasoning mix
1 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cornmeal
1 (10 oz) pkg refrigerated pizza dough
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans with jalapeno, rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced

In large skillet, brown meat. Drain any fat. Stir in 3/4 cups water, chile peppers, taco seasoning mix, and chili powder. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or untill most liquid is gone.

Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Pat pizza dough into a 12x18 inch rectangle on baking sheet bak for 5 minutes at 400 degrees.

In a bowl, mash beans with a fork; spread over partially baked dough within 1/2 inch of edges. Spoon meat mixture over beans., Bake 10 minutes until ctustis golden. Sprinke with cheese. Bake at another 1-2 minutes until melted. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. If desired, serve with taco sauce.

Breaded Chicken Tenders and Sopita

-Deena O.

*I buy seased breaded chicken tenders or chicken patties at the store and keep a bag in the freezer for when my husband has to work late or a starving child stops by. They cook up quickly and are ready to eat by the time the sopita is ready.

For each package of sopita** you will need:

1/2 Tbsp of oil
2 cups of water
1/3 cup tomato sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chicken bullion

Brown the pasta in the oil until golden. Add the water, tomato sauce, and seasoinings. Simmer over medium low flame until tender and the water is nearly gone, but not quite. Best eaten at once.

**Sopita is a shortened form of sopa seca, meaning dry soup. They are little packages of Mexican pasta found in various shapes- stars, melon seeds, alphabet letter, etc. You can buy them in the international aisle of your market (although not always at Ralphs).

Chicken Nachos

-Debbie S.

Line bottom of crock pot with tortilla chips.
Place 4-6 chicken breasts (can be frozen) on top.
2 cups salsa
2 cups shredded cheese (put on 15 minutes before done)
Cook on low 6 hours or until chicken shreds easily
Use chips to dip or put in a burrito
Add sour cream, black olives, guacamole, etc.

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

-Cynthia H.

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and cooked

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 lemons juice

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

Mix all the ingredients.

Add:

1 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tsp vinegar

Let sit for a few hours in refrigerator or overnight.

Garnish with chopped avocados, chopped cilantro and Tabasco sauce. Serve with our favorite crackers.

Taco Salad

-Amy B.

Ground beef
1 pkg Taco Seasoning
lettuce
tortilla chips, coarsely crushed
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can sliced olives, drained
1 cup shredded cheese
1/2 onion, chopped
chopped green onions
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 cup Thousand Island Dressing
1/2 jar salsa (11 oz)
1/3 cup sugar (half)

Cook beef with Taco Seasoning (1/2 pkg).

In large bowl combine lettuce, chips, tomatoes, beans, olives, cheese, onion, chillies and beef mixture.

Combine the salad dressing, slasa, sugar and remaining Taco Seasoning. Pour over salad and toss to coat.

Cheesy Nacho Beef Dinner

-Amy H.

1 (6.4 oz) pkg Rice-A-Roni Spanish Rice
1/2 lb ground beef
2 cups water
1 cup salsa
1 can corn
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
tortilla chips

1. Saute rice with ground beef in large skillet over medium heat until beef is browned.

2. Stir in water, slasa, corn, beans, and special seasoning (from rice pkg). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in 1 medium tomato.

3. Sprinkle with cheese and top with sour cream. Serve with tortilla chips.

* I have frozen meat already browned in my freezer, so I pull out a bag, defrost it and just add everything all at once. I don't put the tomato in and my family likes it better wrapped in a tortilla with nacho cheese sauce, sour cream, and guacomole (if we have any).

Rolled Mexican Chicken

-Gwen S.

4 Chicken Breasts
1 can whole Chilies
4 slices Monterey Jack Cheese
Herb and Garlic Bread Crumbs

Thin out chicken. Put whole chilies on top. Add a slice of cheese and rool in a ball. Sprinke bread crubms. Repeat with each chicken.

*Easy version:
Put chicken in pan, place green chilies and a slice of cheese on top and sprinkle bread crumbs all over. You you want it spicey, add the extra juice from the chilies to the pan.

Fajitas

-Gwen S.

Sliced Chicken
Italian Dressing
Green and Red Peppers
Onions

Cut the chicken in thin slices. Salt and marinate chicken in Italian salad dressing for 10 minutes more. Cook the chicken. When it is almost done add the peppers and onions. Serve with tortillas.