Favorite Mexican Meal

One of our favorite Mexican meals is Carnitas Tacos on homemade tortillas with fresh guacamole.  Yum! The pork is cooked in the slow cooker.  The tortillas are some work but so worth the effort.  I have really been into making tortillas lately, both flour and corn tortillas.  I even went and bought myself a handy dandy tortilla press for making the corn tortillas.  The flour tortillas I roll out by hand with a rolling pin.

Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas Tacos


1 T. chipotle chile powder ( I can't find chipotle chile powder so I use regular chili powder)
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. garlic powder
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. onion powder
3 lb. boneless country-style pork ribs
flour tortillas or taco shells

  Combine all ingredients except pork and tortillas in a small bowl.  Trim some of the fat from the pork.  Coat pork with rub; place in slow cooker.  Cook on low 8 to 10 hours or until browned and tender enough to shred.*  Remove pork; reserve cooking liquid, removing any fat.

*Could be more or less depending on how hot your slow cooker runs. Mine runs hot so it takes me less time.  You want it to be tender enough to fall apart when you put a fork in it.

Shred pork with two forks.  Stir in enough reserved cooking liquid into pork to moisten.  Serve with tortillas and fresh guacamole.

(Pork can be made two days ahead.  Cover and refrigerate. Reserve liquid separately, removing any fat that hardens on surface.  Reheat pork with liquid before serving.)


Homemade Guacamole


3 avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1 lime, juiced
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 T. chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced

In a large bowl place avocado and lime juice.  Toss to coat.  Add the salt, cumin, cayenne pepper and then mash together.  Fold in the onions, tomatoes, cilantro and garlic.  Let sit at room temperature for about an hour before serving.

I added a little Fruit Fresh in it to help it not to turn brown so fast.


Homemade Flour Tortillas


2 1/2 c. flour ( I use half all-purpose and half whole wheat)
1 t. salt
1/4 c. shortening
1 c. hot water

 You can do this in a heavy duty mixer with a dough hook, in a bowl to mix by hand, or I like to mix mine in the food processor.

Mix the flour and salt together.  Add the shortening and combine until crumbly.  Slowly add the water.  Mix until combined.  It should have the consistency of playdough.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  I used my pancake griddle (heated to about 350 I think)  last time and it worked well.  That way I could cook 4 to 6 at a time.  While your pan is preheating, divide the dough into 8-10 balls, depending on how big you want the tortillas. On a lightly floured surface roll the balls as thinly as possible into circles.

Place the dough onto your preheated pan and cook until large bubbles appear, about a minute.  Flip and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute until the tortilla is cooked through but not brown or burned.  Repeat with remaining tortillas, keeping the cooked tortillas under a clean kitchen towel.


Homemade Corn Tortillas


2 c. corn masa mix
2 c. warm water

Mix masa mix and water together for about 4 minutes.  Divide into approximately 16 portions.  Press into a 6"round shape using tortilla press lined with waxed paper or with hands.  Peel tortillas from the waxed paper and place on preheated 400-450 degree griddle for about 20 seconds.  Flip tortilla and cook for another 20 seconds.  Additional flipping may be necessary to fully cook the tortilla.  It should bubble and puff up.


If anyone tries making their own tortillas let me know how they work!  Enjoy!

Zucchini Bread

It's been a long time since I posted anything so I thought I'd sit down for a couple minutes and share my zucchini bread recipe with you. I get a few requests for this! :-)

Zucchini Bread

Bread

3 eggs

1/2 c. oil

1/2 c. applesauce

1 1/2 c. sugar

3 c. grated zucchini

2 t. vanilla

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

3 t. cinnamon

1 t. baking soda

1/4 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1/2 t. nutmeg

1/2 c. chopped nuts

Topping:

1/4 c. whole wheat flour

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 T. butter

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 c. chopped nuts

Combine topping ingredients together in a small bowl.

Preheat oven to 325. Grease two 8x4 loaf pans.

In a large bowl beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in oil, applesauce and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and nuts. Stir into egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle with topping.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until done.

I like to make this in mini loaf pans. It will make 4. Bake about 40 minutes or until done.

How to Peel a Kiwi

Two of my children love kiwi. I always found them a pain to peel. Then I discovered this great tutorial on peeling a kiwi. It is on my favorite food blog Our Best Bites. Click here to view their awesome tutorial!

Alfredo Sauce

At one of the cooking classes we had last year, a professional chef came and showed us how to make a few different pasta sauces. This Alfredo Sauce is one of my family's favorites. My child who normally will not eat spaghetti had two helpings at dinner tonight!

Alfredo Sauce

1 pint of heavy cream

1 c. grated Parmesan cheese

2 T. butter

salt and pepper to taste

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

Heat saucepan over medium heat. Add heavy cream and bring to a boil. Add Parmesan cheese. Whisk until well-blended and cheese is incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Finish by adding butter and parsley. Serve over pasta of your choice.

From My Laundry Room to Yours

I thought I would share some laundry room recipes. Sounds weird I know! I have been making my own laundry soap for at least a year and a half. It makes a 5 gallon bucket so it lasts a long time and is inexpensive to make. Cleans clothes just fine. I will also share how to whiten whites and how to remove perspiration stains from white shirts.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

4 cups hot tap water

1 Fels-Naptha bar soap

1 c. Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (NOT baking soda)*

1/2 c. Borax*

Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted. Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover, and let sit overnight to thicken.

Stir soap and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: Lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

For top load machines use 5/8 cup per load

For front load machins use 1/4 cup per load.

This soap doesn't get the water sudsy like commercial laundry soap.

*Borax softens water, is a multipurpose cleaner and a deodorizer. Washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, softens water, cleans walls, tiles, sinks, and tubs.

Fels-Naptha soap, Borax, and Super Washing Soda can be found at Ace Hardware. Some Super Walmarts carry them.

To Whiten Whites

Soak for 1/2 hour in 2-3 ounces 3% hydrogen peroxide per gallon lukewarm water. Rinse, then launder. If still dingy, repeat process.

To Remove Perspiration Stains*

Dissolve 1 cup automatic dishwashing granules in 1 gallon hot water. Soak white shirts overnight in this solution. Pour solution and shirts into washer and wash as usual with your regular detergent. You may want to rinse one extra rinse cycle.

*This was amazing! I had shirts that I thought I would have to throw away and the stains came out.

Mango Salsa

My good friend Shelley shared this recipe with me. It is awesome! I love the sweet and hot flavors together. I am pretty sure I have eaten all of it by myself before!

Click here for instructions on how to pick a good mango and easy way to cut it. Click here for instructions on picking a good avocado and cutting it.

Thank you Shelley for sharing this recipe!

Mango Salsa

1 mango, finely diced

1 avocado, finely diced

1/2 a red onion, finely diced

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 T. fresh lime juice

1 T. red wine vinegar

1/2 c. cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 T. olive oil

salt to taste

How to Cut a Watermelon

One of my favorite food blogs to go to is www.ourbestbites.com. They have lots of good recipes. They also have tips and tutorials. One I have tried and really liked is their tip on how to cut a watermelon. Click here for the instructions.