Green Chilli and Beans "a.k.a. Chilli Verde"

This is by far my favorite meal in the entire world! The cool thing about this meal is that you can make this meal and freeze it. That way if you want to have a big fiesta you can make this days or weeks in advance and pull it out when you are ready (and the flavors are so intense that no one will ever know it's been in the freezer!!)

For the Green Chilli:
8-12 Anaheim peppers (these are the long green ones-this gives it the green chilli flavor)
6-8 Jalpenos (these are the small green ones-these give the chilli the heat).

Place the peppers and jalepenos in the oven under broil. When the peppers start getting a burnt looked, then flip them to the other side and let the other side char. When they are charred on all sides, remove them from the oven and place them in ziplock bags, and let them "sweat" this takes about 30 minutes-so they cool down.

Remove from ziplock bags and remove the stems and peel off the skin of each pepper and jalepeno. **Note: you may want to use gloves because when removing the skin-the heat is so intense with these peppers your skin can physically feel like it's burning.

Take the jalapenos and peppers and place them in a blender and blend with a tiny bit of water. I blend so the peppers are no longer chunky-but not overly runny. You can pick the consistency. Add enough water to make the consitency you prefer.

For the chilli:
Cut up about 4 pounds of a boneless beef or pork roast into bite sized pieces. Or you can buy the stew meat that's already cut up (but it's more expensive). Brown in large pan and add 1 chopped onion, 4 cloves of minced garlic and 1 tsp. salt. Cook uncovered until the liquid from the meat is gone and meat is browned (this takes about 20-30 minutes for the liquid to absorb). Add enough flour to coat all the meat and sir it around. At this point pour 4 cups of the green chilli blended sauce in with the meat. Slowly add another cup at a time (tasting each time) until you reach the desired "hotness" of your chilli. Whatever chilli blend that is left over you can freeze for your next chilli batch. If you need to add a little water to the chilli so it's not so thick, do so.

Pour in a crock pot and cook on low all day and let all those flavors soak up. Or on High for a few hours.

Serve with refried beans and homemade tortillas....I promise you will love this recipe!!!!

Refried Beans:
Buy a bag of Pinto Beans
Soak in a bowl of water overnight.
Rinse and drain next morning
Pour into crock pot with amount of water it says on the bag
Add 1-2 Tbsp. salt depending on size of pinto bag.
Cook on low all day.
-Serve whole or to make the refried beans
Remove beans from crock pot-put in pan on stove-mash with a masher and add some bean juice and shredded cheese and mix until you get the perfect refried bean texture.


***Place leftover chilli and beans in old cool whip bowls and stick in freezer. Pull out and reheat when you want easy leftovers!!

Chicken Burritos

I found an amazing recipe...and I will give total credit to the amazing gals from ourbestbites.com, they also have an amazing cookbook...but they had a recipe that caught my eye and they were origanally suppose to be taquitos. The problem that I have with taquitos is they are so small, that I end up eating way to many, and then it's a portion control issue, so I took the ingredients that they suggested and bought large flour tortilas and made them into burritos and they were so yummy!

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
1/4 C green salsa
1 T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (I just boil it and then run it through my food processor to make it really easy!)
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

flour tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. lightly coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.


Then roll it up as tight as you can.


Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the burritos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.


Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Then we dipped them in cilantro ranch dressing...you can find that recipe here
Recipe taken from ourbestbites.com

Homemade Corn Tortillas

Homemade corn and flour tortillas are THE BEST! Here is a quick tutorial on how to make the corn tortillas....my 4 yr old loves to help me make these!!

I apologize for the sideview of this picture, I was too lazy to turn it.

Start with some masa. You can find this in the Mexican/Ethnic isle. On the back of this bag, there is directions on how many to make and how much salt and water to add. It's really that easy.

Then you need a tortilla press. These are so fun. You can buy them at a mexican specialty store or online.
You roll the dough into small balls. Then you need to take a quart size ziplock bag, and cut up both sides so it opens up. You lay one side of the bag on the inside of the press, lay a ball of dough on top of it, then cover the top of the dough with the other side of the bag (so it doesn't stick to your press)

Press down and that's what makes your tortillas.

Then you can use a hot fajita skillet, a scookie skillet, or just a regular skillet and heat on med to med=high heat..Flip after about 15-30 seconds until both sides are light golden brown.

Then you throw them in a tortilla holder, I line the bottom with a paper towel and then keep one on top too. Cover and keep warm.

Have fun making these, it really is fun!

Carne Asada Tacos

These tacos are sooo easy to make

-Grilled steak (2 options: Grill the steak with basic salt and pepper or use the Mccormic

Peppercorn and Garlic marinade), cut into bite size cubes.

-Chopped jalepenos (these are the small green peppers, not the long anaheim peppers, cut down the center and remove core with seeds and discard.)

-Limes, cut into quarters

-green onions, chopped

-Fresh cilantro, chopped

-Corn Tortillas (Homemade or bought) Click here for my quick recipe for homemade corn tortillas. Make sure if you make or buy them, to serve them warm.

We like it simple, but if you want you can use my homemade salsa recipe, and top it with fresh salsa.

You are going to love how easy and insanely yummy this recipe is.

In tortilla, layer steak, jalepeno, onions, cilantro and then squeeze fresh lime juice over it.

This recipe is sooo healthy and so fresh and yummy-Enjoy!

Arroz con Pollo

Arroz con Pollo......or chicken and rice to all you gringos. This is one of my favorite recipes, and it's soooo healthy. You will never want to order this at a Mexican resteraunt after tasting the homemade version!

1 chicken (Two options......I either buy a rotisserie chicken, or when Lee's put's their whole 3-4 Lb. chickens on sale. for 3.99 each, I pick a few up and freeze them. Either will work. But if you cook a whole chicken I season it with a little salt and pepper and garlic salt and cumin)

1 cup frozen peas

1 tsp. salt and pepper

1/2 tsp. dried leaf oregano, crushed

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 of an onion, chopped

1 cup uncooked long grain rice (non instant rice or brown rice.)

10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes (this is a can with tomatoes and jalepenos)

2 Cups Chicken Broth

Shred chicken with fingers. Add peas, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic, and onion. Mix.

Coat a non stick pan with non stick cooking spray, add the rice and saute until light golden brown. Add the Rotel tomatoes-undrained. Press into rice and let simmer 3-5 mins. (I added 1 couple Tbsp. of water so it didn't get too dry). Pour into 13x9 pan. Add the chicken and gently toss to mix. Pour 2 cups of chicken broth to cover the rice and chicken. Add more if necessary to complete cover the mixture. Cover and bake 1 hour on 350 degrees.

Note:When you pour the mixture into the pan, it won't look like a lot of food, but once that rice soaks up all the broth, it will fill the entire pan.

Serve with warm corn tortillas.....salt the arroz con pollo and corn tortillas well before eating....enjoy!

Crispy Bean and Cheese Burrito

I got this recipe from my family circle magazine, and it was a really tasty dinner that my kids loved! And for those of you cutting back on meats...this was a meatless dinner.



Ingredients

1 bag (3-1/2 ounces) boil-in-bag brown rice (I just used brown rice from a box and cooked up enough to stuff 6 burritos....the instructions for 4 servings is plenty).
1 cup salsa
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon lime juice
6 soft taco-size flour tortillas
1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
Directions
Prepare rice according to package directions, about 10 minutes. Drain and place in a medium-size bowl. Stir in salsa and cilantro; set aside. In a small bowl, gently stir together avocado pieces with lime juice; set aside.

Place tortillas on work surface and sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese in center of each, from left to right. Top cheese with a heaping 1/4 cup black beans. Place a heaping 1/3 cup rice mixture over beans then divide avocado pieces among tortillas. Fold up like an envelope; repeat with remaining tortillas.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat top and bottom of burritos with nonstick cooking spray. Place 3 burritos in skillet, seam-side down; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Turn burritos over and cook another 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining burritos, reducing heat if they get too browned.

Recipe taken from:Family Circle Magazine

Chicken Tacos

Forget going out to a a fancy Mexican resteraunt, these are killer and really easy. If you are intimidated to make Mexican food, don't be, this is a great one to try! Funny little story to go along with this recipe. Every time Chris's aunt comes to town, she begs Chris's mom to make these, and because she only gets a chance to eat these when she comes to town, she consumes like 12 of these babies, they are that good!!

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. oil, vegetable or canola

3 1/2-4 cups shredded chicken (I just boil 4 chicken breasts, and then run them through my food processor, so easy!(

12-15 corn tortillas (I just buy a big bag of corn tortillas-I will tell you what to do with them below)

Pinch of pepper

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 onion, chopped

2 (10 oz.) cans Rotel tomatoes (I drain one of the cans, and not the other)

grated cheese

shredded lettuce

Sour Cream

If you want, homemade guacamole, click here for recipe.

Mash garlic with salt to make a paste. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic paste. Cook unitl onion is tender. Add tomatoes, pepper and cumin. Stir in chicken. Cook uncovered, sitrring occasionally until liquid is obsorbed into meat. Taste and add more salt and cumin if needed.

For corn shells, get a skillet (or I use fajita skillet), and place a corn tortilla on it, cook 20 seconds on each side...this will make the corn shells sorft. Once cooked place in between 2 paper towels to keep warm and soft. Enjoy!!!

Chicken Enchilada Lasagna Bundles

You can use leftover chicken or buy a Rotisserie Chicken to save time on this recipe!



12 uncooked lasagna noodles (12 ounces)
2 cans (10 ounces each) Old El Paso® enchilada sauce
1 can (4.5 ounces) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles
1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
2 cups diced cooked chicken (I used 2 chicken breasts and sprinkled a little salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper and a little paprika on them, and baked them on 350 for 30-40 min's and then shredded).
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers (4 ounces) (Note: I couldn't find Mot. Jack cheese with jalepeno, I just used Colby and Montery Jack cheese and it was still yummy).
8 medium green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
Additional sour cream, if desired
Shredded lettuce, if desired

Total Time: 30 min
1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches. Cook and drain noodles as directed on package.
2. Mix enchilada sauce, chiles and tomato. Set aside.
3. Mix chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, onions and 1 cup sour cream.
4. Spread about 1/2 cup sauce mixture in baking dish. Then Spread about 2 teaspoons sauce mixture over each noodle; spread evenly with about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture. Roll up each noodle; place seam side down on sauce in dish. Spoon about 1 cup sauce over rolls. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.
5. Cover and bake 40 to 45 minutes or until hot in center. Heat remaining sauce in 1 1/2-quart saucepan; spoon over rolls. Top with additional sour cream and lettuce.

Recipe taken from Betty Crocker

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I have been a slacker for a couple weeks, but I have been on vacation, and who cooks while they are on vacation? I am back and this is what we had for supper last night. It was delic, and healthy!!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup prechopped fresh onion
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Dash of ground red pepper
2 (15.5-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken
1 cup thinly sliced green onions, divided
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives, divided
18 (6-inch) corn tortillas, divided
Cooking spray
2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (16-ounce) jar green salsa
10 tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream
Cilantro sprigs (optional)


Preparation
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add prechopped onion; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in cumin, chili powder, garlic salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Stir in beans; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chicken, 1/2 cup green onions, and 7 tablespoons ripe olives; stir well.
Preheat oven to 350°.

Layer 6 tortillas on bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread 2 cups chicken mixture over tortillas; sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining 6 tortillas.

Combine milk, chopped cilantro, and salsa in a blender, and process until smooth. Pour over top of tortillas. Cover and bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, remaining 1/2 cup green onions, and remaining 1 tablespoon olives. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve with sour cream. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Yield
10 servings (serving size: 1 casserole slice and 1 tablespoon sour cream)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 353(30% from fat); FAT 11.8g (sat 4.2g,mono 4.2g,poly 1.8g); IRON 2.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 45mg; CALCIUM 396mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45.8g; SODIUM 734mg; PROTEIN 23.5g; FIBER 7.9g

Maureen Callahan , Cooking Light, MARCH 2006

Super Burritos

Okay, so i probably won't put this one under the Cooking Light Tab. It sounded really good in my Better Homes and Garden Cookbook, but I failed to look at the nutritional value. But, every diet deserves a splurge night and I would highly recommend this one! It was so yummy!



Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion (1 large)
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper (1 small)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon medium or hot chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooked rice
1 4-ounce can diced green chile peppers, drained
8 10-inch flour tortillas
1-1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
1 cup chopped tomato (1 large)
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 recipe Guacamole or frozen avocado dip (guacamole), thawed
Bottled salsa (optional)

Directions
For filling, in a large skillet cook ground beef, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir in water, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cook about 5 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated. Remove from heat. Stir in cooked rice and chile peppers.

Meanwhile, wrap tortillas tightly in foil. Heat in a 350 degree F oven for 10 minutes to soften. (When ready to fill tortillas, remove only half of them at a time, keeping remaining tortillas warm in the oven.)

Spoon about 1/2 cup filling onto each tortilla just below the center. Top filling with cheese and tomato. Fold bottom edge of each tortilla up and over filling. Fold opposite sides in and over filling. Roll up from the bottom. Secure with wooden toothpicks.

Arrange burritos on a baking sheet, seam sides down. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until heated through. Remove and discard toothpicks. Serve warm burritos on lettuce with Guacamole and, if desired, salsa.

Makes 8 burritos

Chicken or Steak Burritos: Prepare as above, except omit the ground beef. Partially freeze 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 pound beef flank steak for easier slicing. Cut chicken into thin, bite-size strips and cut beef across the grain into thin, bite-size strips. Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in skillet. Cook chicken or beef, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic in hot oil until desired doneness for steak or until chicken is no longer pink and onion is tender. Stir in water, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cook about 5 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated. Remove from heat. Stir in cooked rice and chile peppers. Continue with step 2 as above.

Per Burrito: 415 cal., 20 g total fat (6 g sat. fat), 52 mg chol., 472 mg sodium, 37 g carbo., 5 g fiber, 24 g pro.
Daily Values: 32% vit. A, 44% vit. C, 26% calcium, 17% iron

Hernandez Fam Guacamole

If you have never had fresh guacamole, you have to try this recipe. It puts all the mexican resteraunts recipes to shame!! Remember Avacados are loaded with the "good" fat, so if you eat this in moderation, without a lot of tortilla chips, this is healthy for you!

2 ripe avacados, pitted and peeled
1 med. onion, finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Roma tomato, chopped
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Run all the ingredients together in a food processor. Make sure you don't over puree it, you want it to be a "little" chunky.

Note: I add the green chilli seeds in with this, but if you are a wuss, you might want to remove the chilli seeds and then taste the guacamole, then if it still needs a kick, then add the seeds. Also, depending on the ripeness of all the fresh ingredients you may want to add more lemon juice and more salt, just add a little at a time until it tastes just right. Enjoy!

Shredded Pork Tacos

I really like this recipe, it was reallly yummy, it just takes awhile for the roast to cook in the oven, but other than that, it was really simple to make.

1 pork roast
cumin
onion
salt
pepper
garlic powder
12 taco shells or six 6- to 8-inch flour tortillas
3/4 cup bottled salsa
2 cups shredded lettuce
1/2 cup finely shredded Monterey Jack cheese or anejo enchilado cheese (2 ounces)
Dairy sour cream (optional)
1 recipe for Guacamole (look at Guacamole Recipe)
Directions
1. I sprinkled my roast with cumin, dried onion (you could probably use a half of lipton onion packet if you don't have dried onion,) salt, pepper and garlic powder, just enough to cover the top of the roast. I put it in a roasting dish and added a little bit of water and baked it for 30 minutes on 325, and then turned it down to 275 and let it cook for another 1-2 hours.
Shred pork using two forks to pull through meat in opposite directions. Drain pork and return the pok to the stove top. Stir in salsa, additional cumin, garlic powder and salt and pepper and a little water. If you would rather use a small can of whole tomatoes instead of adding water that would taste even better. Then just let it cook slowly on the stove stirring, to make sure that it stays moist and doesn't get dry.
2. To assemble tacos, place pork mixture in warm taco shells. Top with lettuce, cheese, and guacamole. (If using flour tortillas, place pork mixture in center of warm tortillas and add remaining ingredients; fold tortillas in half.) If desired, serve with sour cream.
4. Makes 12 tacos

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

Ingredients
Dressing:
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad:
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
1/3 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8 3/4-ounce) can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained


Preparation
To prepare dressing, combine first 7 ingredients, stirring well.
To prepare salad, combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Tip: Add a spoonful of adobo sauce for a spicier salad. Kidney or pinto beans also taste great in this dish.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 2 1/2 cups)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 249(30% from fat); FAT 8.2g (sat 2.8g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 23.3g; CHOLESTEROL 50mg; CALCIUM 106mg; SODIUM 650mg; FIBER 7g; IRON 2.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.1g

David Bonom , Cooking Light, AUGUST 2006

Chilli Con Carne

1 1/2 pounds of extra lean beef (we use turkey because it's healthier)
2 medium onions-chopped
28 oz can whole tomatoes
6 oz. can tomato paste
1 cup water
1 Beef Boullian cube
2 Tbsp. diced bell pepper (I like it hot so we use one whole pepper)
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. oregano
1 Tbsp. Chilli powder
1 whole Bay leaf
4 16 oz. can peans (a mix of pinto, kidney and black)

Brown hamburger and onions in a large pan. Drain fat. In a slow cooker add meat mixture and all other ingredients. Cover and simmer 2-3 hours on low/med. Remove bay leaf and serve.

***Your house will smell so yummy as this cooks really slow!!

Meatless Chilli Verde

8-10 Anaheim Peppers (the long green ones)
2-3 Chillies (the small green ones)

Lay your chillies out on a baking sheet. Turn on your broiler to heat. Broil the Peppers and Chillies. You will need to turn them about 3 times until they start to turn black and blister. This takes about 15-20 minutes.

Place the Peppers and Chillies in a plastic sealable bag to cool. This will make it easier to peel the skin off later. Let them cool completely.

Remove from plastic bag and peel off all the skin. (Note: I buy cleaning gloves to do this, otherwise your hands will be burning all night long and this is pain like you have never experienced before!!!)

In a food processor add 1 cup of water and the peeled peppers and chillies. Blend until smooth.

Meanwhile, add one chopped onion to a pan sprayed with Pam and cook onions until soft. Pour the chilli mixture in with the onions. Add water if it's too thick. (You do want it thick enough that you can scoop it up with a soft flour tortilla. Add 1 tsp. of salt and let it cook with the lid on for 15 minutes. Add a few blocks of low fat cheese) to thicken. I add about a 2-3" inch thick piece.

Serve with fat free refried bean and tortillas.

Chicken Fajitas

With this recipe I saved time by just using store bought salsa. It was just as yummy. But, the recipe for the salsa sounds really good! I also saved a few more calories by not using any oil, and just using Pam cooking spray to cook the veggies and the chicken.



1 medium garlic clove(s), peeled and smashed
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut lengthwise into 8 thick strips

To make the salsa:
2 cup cherry tomato(es), coarsely chopped
1/2 cup scallion(s), chopped, green and white parts
1 small jalapeno pepper(s), cored, seeded and minced (don't touch seeds with bare hands)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional (see note below)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

To finish the fajitas:
1 sprays cooking spray
1 medium red onion(s), thinly sliced
1/2 medium sweet red pepper(s), thinly sliced
1/2 medium green pepper(s), thinly sliced
1 tsp canola oil
4 medium whole wheat tortilla(s)
Instructions
In a medium-size glass bowl, combine garlic, red pepper flakes, chili powder, lime juice, salt and pepper; add chicken to bowl and stir well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.


Meanhwhile, to make salsa, in a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, scallions, jalapeno, red pepper flakes, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside to allow flavors to blend.


Coat a large, heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add onion and peppers, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes; spoon vegetables into a small serving bowl and cover to keep warm.


Add oil to same skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken and any marinade remaining in bowl, but discard garlic (juices will sizzle so be careful of splattering liquid). Cook chicken until well-browned on bottom, about 3 minutes; flip chicken and cook until browned on second side, about 3 minutes more. If chicken is not cooked through, reduce heat to low and cook an additional 2 or 3 minutes.


To serve, place 2 chicken strips on each tortilla; top with about 1/2 cup of vegetables and 1/2 cup of salsa. Yields 1 fajita per serving.
Notes

Recipe taken from Weight Watchers Cookbook
If you’re short on time, substitute 1 cup of store-bought salsa for the fresh salsa (could affect POINTS values).

Blackened Chicken and Avacado Tacos

The avocado will dry slightly in the pan, intensifying its flavor. Choose a ripe but firm avocado so it will hold its shape as it cooks. For a piquant variation, try adding a blend of 1 1/2 teaspoons of Hungarian hot paprika and 1 1/2 teaspoons of smoked Spanish paprika to the spice rub for a more intense flavor.

Ingredients
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 ripe peeled avocado, cut into 16 slices
Cooking spray
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup bottled low-sodium salsa (such as Green Mountain Gringo)
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion


Preparation
Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Combine paprika and next 7 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl. Sprinkle paprika mixture evenly over chicken; let stand 10 minutes.
Combine juice and avocado in a medium bowl, tossing to coat. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Grill avocado 2 minutes on each side or until well marked; remove from pan.

Place chicken in pan. Cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Let chicken stand 5 minutes; cut chicken crosswise into (1/4-inch-thick) slices.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Divide the chicken evenly among tortillas; top each with 2 avocado slices, 1/4 cup lettuce, 2 tablespoons salsa, 1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream, and 1 1/2 teaspoons onion.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 423(25% from fat); FAT 11.6g (sat 3g,mono 5.1g,poly 2.6g); PROTEIN 45.2g; CHOLESTEROL 100mg; CALCIUM 158mg; SODIUM 675mg; FIBER 5.7g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38g



David Bonom , Cooking Light, MAY 2006

Spicy Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (about 2)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeño peppers
1 cup chopped cooked chicken (about 8 ounces), divided
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
3/4 cup (3 ounces) reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Cooking spray
3/4 cup salsa


Preparation
Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; stir until blended.
Place 1/4 cup chopped chicken over half of 1 tortilla. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons cheese and 1 tablespoon onion mixture; fold in half. Repeat procedure with the remaining tortillas, chicken, cheese, and onion mixture.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place 2 quesadillas in pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Repeat procedure with remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla in half. Serve with salsa.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 quesadilla and 3 tablespoons salsa)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 328(30% from fat); FAT 10.9g (sat 4.8g,mono 4.1g,poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 27.9g; CHOLESTEROL 65mg; CALCIUM 248mg; SODIUM 786mg; FIBER 2.1g; IRON 2.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29.4g



Allison Fishman , Cooking Light, MARCH 2006

Layered Taco Pie

Prep Time: 5 min Total Time: 24 min Makes: 4 servings
1 lb. lean ground beef 1 pkg.
(1-1/4 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Taco Seasoning Mix
1/2 cup water
4 TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Flour Tortillas, cut into quarters
1 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
2 cups shredded lettuce
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
PLACE meat in microwaveable (plastic) colander set over bowl. Microwave on HIGH 8 min., stirring and breaking up every 2 min. Discard any fat that collects in bowl. Transfer crumbled meat to 9-inch microwaveable dish. Stir in seasoning mix and water. Microwave 5 min., stirring after 3 min.

REMOVE half of the meat mixture; set aside. Place eight tortilla quarters on top of remaining meat mixture in pie plate. Top with reserved meat mixture and remaining eight tortilla quarters. Top with salsa and cheese.

MICROWAVE 4 min. Top with lettuce, green onions and sour cream just before serving.

Black Bean and Rice Tostada

Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 15 min Makes: Makes 5 servings, two tostadas each.
1 pkg. (16.35 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Soft Taco Dinner
1 cup instant white rice, uncooked
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (11 oz.) corn, drained
2-1/2 cups shredded lettuce
1-1/4 cups KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Spray both sides of Tortillas with cooking spray; place in single layer on baking sheet. Bake 10 min. or until crisp and lightly browned.

MEANWHILE, cook rice in large saucepan as directed on package. Add beans, corn and Seasoning Mix; mix well. Cook 5 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

TOP tortillas with rice mixture, lettuce, Salsa and cheese.