Potato Taquitos

What You Need:

• potatoes
• salt
• pepper
• fresh cilantro, chopped
• garlic, minced or pressed
• ground cumin
• corn tortillas
• vegetable oil
• toothpicks

What You Do:

1. Boil the potatoes until fork soft.
2. Cool them down so you can manage them.
3. Mash them up as is, or peel and mash them. You can use a fork or potato masher, but do not blend them mechanically.
4. Season to taste with salt, pepper, chopped cilantro, garlic, ground cumin, etc.
5. Lay a corn tortilla on the counter or on a plate.
6. Spread some of the potato filling in the middle of the tortilla. Be careful, or it will spill out when you roll it up.
7. Fold the bottom half of the tortilla over the filling towards the top.
8. Fold the top half of the tortilla tightly down over the bottom.
9. Secure with a toothpick, pushing it centrally through all of the layers, or use two; one on each end.
10. Repeat until the filling is gone.
11. Heat up about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet.
12. Fry however many taquitos will fit on the bottom of the pan without overlapping.
13. When the bottoms are golden brown, flip them over and cook the second side the same way.
14. Drain on paper towels, salt them while hot and remove the toothpicks.

No Queso Quesadillas

Makes about two big no-quesadillas using 13" tortillas*

What You Need:

• 1/4 cup unbleached white flour
• 1/4 cup yellow nutritional yeast
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch oregano, dried
• 1 pinch parsley, dried
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/8 cup Herdez brand salsa ranchera, to taste (From the Latino section of the supermarket) OR use your favorite prepared salsa - tomatillo works well.
• 1/3 cup frozen corn, steamed in a tiny amount of water and drained
• 13" flour tortillas, plain or spinach (make sure you have a pan to fit 'em, or make 10")
• Pam® type cooking spray
• Non-stick skillet type pan 

What You Do:

1. In a small saucepan mix together the first eight items.
2. Stir with a spoon well, then whisk well to remove any flour lumps.
3. Over medium heat whisk constantly (I do mean constantly or else you'll get gross lumps), until the sauce bubbles and then becomes very thick, about five minutes.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Lay a tortilla on a plate and spread half of it with the sauce.
6. Sprinkle the corn on top of the sauce and close the tortilla over it.
7. Spray the non-stick pan fiercely with the cooking spray.
8. Gently transfer the tortilla to the pan using a spatula.
9. Spray the top of the tortilla and cook over low-medium heat until the bottom is golden brown, flip over and brown the other side.
10. Transfer to a plate and let sit for a few minutes. Cut into pieces.
11. Top with Pico de Gallo and dig in.

• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped onion, more if they're sweet
• salt to taste
• juice from 1/8th lemon wedge

1. Mix everything together and let sit to blend flavors.

*Make both No Queso-Quesadillas at the same time. The sauce will thicken considerably as it cools and become an un-spreadable, lumpy mess in less than an hour.

John's Bean Filling

"It's actually more than a filling - a recipe with a thousand uses; filling, spread, dip, spackling, etc. Technically it's a recipe for refried beans. Although I have heard that in Mexico, true refried beans are made with nothing but beans and oil. Onions aren't even used to make them. But that little cultural detail shouldn't impede your enjoyment of this recipe; which will amaze everyone who tastes it (I am only partially kidding)".

 
What You Need:

• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 2 cans beans (preferably black beans)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• 3 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• juice of two lemons, limes or one orange (in theory a grapefruit would work too)
• salt
• cayenne pepper to taste (1/4 teaspoon should do)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

What You Do:

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet under medium-high heat.
2. Add the garlic and onion, fry until the onion turns translucent.
3. Raise the heat and add the beans, stirring and mashing them.
4. Add the tomato, cumin and oregano.
5. Continue to stir and mash the beans. In a few minutes they should be mashed to a past-like consistency; add the lemon, lime or orange juice and stir well.
6. Then lower the heat and add the salt and cayenne to taste.
7. Finally, add the chopped cilantro and stir it in a little.
8. Serve or use as needed.

Dottie's Corn, Rice and Bean Salad

This picture's a modified version with white and red kidneys, no corn, parsley. and fancy rice. I also used an EFA rich oil in combination with EVOO to make this guilt-free.

One of the best things to eat in the entire world.


 

What You Need:

• 2 cups dry brown rice, cooked and still hot (about 5-6 cups cooked) 
• 1 16oz cans pinto beans (rinsed and drained) 
• 1 16oz cans black beans (rinsed and drained)  
• 1 can hominy (rinsed and drained)
• 3/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/3 cup corn oil
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 pickled jalapeno peppers (stemmed, seeded and quartered)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro (optional)  

 
What You Do:

1. In a large bowl toss together the cooked rice, beans, corn and green onions.
2. In a blender or food processor: blend the oil, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, jalapeno peppers, chili powder, cumin and salt.
3. Add this dressing to the large bowl of stuff and stir to mix.
4. Serve chilled or at room temperature.