Asadero Chicken Bundles

Asadero Chicken Bundles were a dish I created one evening when we wanted something hardy yet light. NO RED MEAT! The delicate crust made with panko or bread crumbs, the velvet smooth taste of melted Asadero cheese and the hint of spicyness from the green chile made this the perfect dish to serve. I hadn't made it in a while and had forgotten the savory, mouthwatery taste this recipe delivers. I hope you try the dish and let me know what you think.
Asadero Chicken Bundles
Makes 6 servings

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup dried bread crumbs (or Panko)
1 tablespoon McCormick's Mexican Seasoning
6 Asadero slices
12 green chile strips
Butter
1 recipe Chile con Queso (recipe follows)

Flatten chicken breasts by placing between two sheets of waxed paper and pounding with mallet. Place 1 slice of Asadero cheese on the chicken and 2 strips of green chile on top of the Asadero cheese. Roll up chicken breast and fasten with toothpick.

Coat chicken bundles in breadcrumbs seasoned with Mexican seasoning. In large skillet, melt butter. Brown coated chicken bundles on both sides. Place on a cooking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake chicken in a 350° oven for 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and place bundles on warmed platter. Pour hot chile con queso on top. Serve hot.


Chile Con Queso Mejicano

6 fresh green chiles, roasted, peeled, and cut into length-wise slices
1 onion chopped
2 tablespoons bacon grease
1 clove garlic, minced
2 large fresh tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
2½ cups grated Jack or Longhorn cheese

Salt to tasteSauté chiles and onion in bacon grease. Add garlic and cook until soft. Add tomatoes, cheese, and salt. Heat until cheese melts.
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Gourmet Sleuth has a listing of various types of Mexican Cheeses and their substitutes. Check out the listing for a wonderul variety to use in your Southwestern cooking.

Halloween Spread for the Kiddos

What's Halloween without a table spread out with so many good things to eat? Boring! Before sending your little ones (or even your big ones) out to Trick or Treat, make sure they have a good meal to eat. All that wonderful delicious candy on an empty stomach is bound to keep you up all night with disgusting tummy troubles. So make sure they eat well. This way they won't be scarfing down so much candy. A simple spread of Nachos and Spicy Chicken Wings ought to do the trick. It's all finger foods and they won't feel like they have to sit down at a formal table before going out on a night of fun.

Of course, dinner could be a little more involved. How about some Chile Chili? Or an Eyeball Platter of Meatballs and Deviled Eggs? There's also La Llorona Punch and Spicy Popcorn.

Make dinner before the Trick or Treating into a party. It is a night of celebration and a time to have an enjoyable time with your family. Have a great time and PLEASE make sure kids aren't out by themselves. And be sure and check the candy before any is popped into their mouths. Sadly, there are some sickos out there. So let's take care of our kids. Happy Halloween Everyone!

Halloween Nachos

1 dozen tortillas, either corn or flour
1 stick melted butter
Garlic salt
3 cups refried beans
1 cup mild salsa
1 cup shredded cheese
Sliced pickled jalapeños (optional)

Using your favorite Halloween cookie cutters, cut shapes out of tortillas. Brush each cut-out with melted butter and sprinkle with garlic salt. Spread pieces on cookie sheet. Crisp tortillas pieces in a 350° oven for approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
Arrange on a platter with refried beans, salsa, shredded cheese, and jalapeños for the kids to make their own great tasting nachos.

Chicken Wings

40 chicken wings or drummets
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 stick of butter
1 cup hot sauce (like Louisianna)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ garlic powder
Oil for frying wings

Mix flour, salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic salt. Lightly dust wings with the flour mixture and place on a tray. (Reserve the left-over flour mixture.) Refrigerate tray of wings for 1 hour. Whisk eggs with 1 cup of milk. Remove wings from fridge. Heat oil, or vegetable shortening in a deep pot to 2 to 3 inches deep. Allow to get hot over medium high heat. Dip each wing into the egg mixture and then re-dust with the left-over flour mixture. Fry wings, 6 to 7 at a time, until golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes.Drain fried chicken wings over paper towels.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add hot sauce, black pepper, and garlic powder. Simmer for 1 minute. Place drained wings into a large bowl. Drizzle with the hot sauce mixture. Toss lightly until thoroughly covered in sauce.If hot wings aren't what the kids want, do not drizzle with the hot sauce. Instead, mix BBQ sauce with a little honey and brush over drained wings. Delicious!

Chile Chili
(makes 4 generous helpings)

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can chili beans
2 tablespoons chile powder
1 tablespoon grated Mexican chocolate
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon each: salt, pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce
sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, minced onion, chopped jalapeños, optional

Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic. Drain and discard fat. Add tomatoes, chili beans, chile powder, and chocolate. Cook on medium low heat for 1 hour. Serve Chile Chili in bread bowls.

Bread Bowls
1 can refrigerated French bread loaf dough

Preheat oven to 350°
Spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Remove dough from can but do not unroll. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces. Shape each dough piece into a round ball with seam on bottom and round and smooth on top. Place dough balls on prepared cookie sheet seam side down. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until deep golden brown. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Cut off about a quarter from the top and press bread down into "bowl" to shape.

Eyeball Appetizer Platter

Deviled Eggs:
6 hard-cooked eggs
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
pinch of salt and pepper
6 pimento stuffed Spanish Olives cut in half
hot sauce

Peel eggs. Cut in half lengthwise. Slip yolks out and into bowl. Mash yolks and stir in mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into pastry bag (or zip lock bag with corner cut out). Squeeze yolk into egg halves. Light brush egg whites with hot sauce. Place 1/2 sliced olive in center of "eyeball" with pimento showing on top.

Meatballs:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup crushed crackers
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup (1 small) onion, minced
1 large egg
Asadero cheese pieces
Pimento stuffed olives sliced in half

Preheat oven to 400°
In large bowl, mix all ingredients except Asadero and olives. Shape into 1 1/2 inch meatballs and place in ungreased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Bake meatballs for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully make a small slit on to of each meatball and insert Asadero piece. When cheese has melted slightly, top with olive half.

La Llorona Punch
1 package (.22 ounce) Berry Blue Kool Aid
1 (2 liter) bottle ginger ale, chilled
1 (64 ounce) bottle white grape juice, chilled
8 scoops of vanilla ice cream
1 cup sugar, or to taste

In a large punch bowl, stir together kool aid, ginger ale, and white grape juice. Taste and stir in sugar as needed. Float ice scream scoops on top right before serving.

Chile/Pepita Popcorn
4 cups freshly popped popcorn
1 1/4 teaspoon chile powder
1 1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pepitas (roasted and shelled pumpkin seeds)
1 cup raisins
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Combine chile powder, cumin, and salt. Toss hot popcorn with melted butter. Sprinkle with seasoning mixture. Stir in pepitas and raisins.
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Here's another Popcorn recipe you can make. Go to Mexican Chocolate Lore and More to read more about it.

Feliz Dia de los Padres

My husband claims I’ve been getting very long-winded on my blogs. So, I went back and checked, and sure enough…I was. So, for you folks who are here reading about Mexican- American Border cooking, I want to tell you El Paso, Texas has the best in the world. Am I biased? Of course I am. I grew up on this cuisine. I’ve tried Mexican, Mexican-American, Tex-Mex, Southwestern, even so-called Nuevo Latino Cuisine in various parts of the country. Nothing tastes like down-home cooking in El Paso. I’m NOT saying that other cities don’t have good food, but when you grow up savoring the tastes this region has to offer, nothing else seems to compare. If you have a favorite place (or city) that you think it has the best Mexican food, send me a comment and let me know.

Tomorrow is Father’s Day. So in memory of my father and in honor of my husband, I’ll leave you with a couple of recipes that I know are (and were) their favorites.














Hot and Spicy Chicken Wings
(makes 40 wings)

40 chicken wings or drummets
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 stick of butter
1 cup hot sauce (like Louisiana)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ garlic powder

Oil for frying wings Mix flour, salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic salt. Lightly dust wings with the flour mixture and place on a tray. (Reserve the leftover flour mixture.) Refrigerate tray of wings for 1 hour. Remove wings from fridge. Heat oil, or vegetable shortening in a deep pot to 2 to 3 inches deep. Allow to get hot over medium-high heat. Re-dust each wing piece in leftover flour mixture. Fry wings, 6 to 7 at a time, until golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes.Drain fried chicken wings over paper towels. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add hot sauce, black pepper, and garlic powder. Simmer for 1 minute. Place drained wings into a large bowl. Drizzle with the hot sauce mixture. Toss lightly until thoroughly covered in sauce.















Chocolate Margaritas
(makes 2 servings)

Chocolate-Chile Powder*, for rims of glass
1 shot chocolate liqueur
1 shot chocolate vodka (Van Gogh’s)
1 shot tequila
1 shot coffee flavor liqueur
1 shot half and half (optional)
Chocolate-Chile Powder*
2 tablespoons Mexican Chocolate ground into powder
1 tablespoon ground red chile powder

Mix Chocolate Chile Powder ingredients completely and spread out over an open dish. Moisten rims of margarita glasses and dip into the Chocolate-Chile Powder.

For margaritas:
Fill a shaker with ice. Add margarita ingredients. Shake for about a minute. Pour into garnished margarita glasses.
(c)2008