Leftover "Lexi-quiles"

My mom makes the best chilaquiles. She uses bottled verde sauce, tons of tortillas, eggs, and Chihuahua cheese to create the most sumptuous chilaquiles ever. As if that wasn't enough, she grills seasoned arrachera (skirt steak) and serves that alongside the eggy casserole. 


As you know, my culinary inspirations can be far and few between. I can be hesitant to experiment. But this morning, with only a few hours away from lunch and nothing in my empty belly, I wanted to make more than just sunny-side up eggs. I had some leftover lunchmeat and cheese in the fridge, and I thought, maybe, just maybe, I could transform the roast beef and smoked cheddar cheese into a mex breakfast dish. 


The tortillas crisped beautifully, and the beef sauteed deliciously...then I added my "red sauce" and the end result almost resembled vomit. I was so disappointed. Until I took the first bite. It was soooo good. I am so glad that, although food should always look visually appealing, that even when it becomes a visual disaster, it can still have good flavor and texture, which was what I had when I ate my leftover Lexiquiles. Ready to try? Go for it, the recipe is below. :-)


Leftover Lexi-quiles
Serves 4


- 3 slices roast beef lunch meat, chopped and sprinkled with 1/2 t salt, 1/2 t red chile powder, 1/2 t cumin, and 1/4 t ground pepper
- 4 slices smoked sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 of  large jalapeño, diced (keep seeds if you like it hot!)
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 7 corn tortillas, quartered
- 1/3 cup veggie or canola oil
- 4 eggs, slightly beaten
- Lexi's Red Sauce: 1/4 cup each Tapatio's Hot Sauce, 1/4 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup salsa of your choice

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas in batches, then drain on paper-towel lined plate. 
2. In same skillet add onions and jalapeños. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add beef, cook 3 minutes more, stirring often.
4. Add eggs and tortillas, stirring often, but gently. It may seem hard at first, and some of your tortillas will chip, but don't worry, keep on stirring!
5. Once the eggs have firmed (it will seem that you have pieces of scrambled egg throughout the skillet), add Red Sauce mixture. Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes more. 
6. Place cheese slices on top. Let sit 2 minutes, and the cheese will melt. 
7. Serve and chow down. Ole! 

Me Encanta Empanadas! Cheesy Chorizo Empanadas

I do, oh boy, I really do. Last year at my Dad's I was on an empanada craze, making every kind  I could think of after dabbling in Daisy Martinez's Morning, Noon and Night Latin cookbook. Basically you can make an empanada with any filling so long as it isn't too wet. What I love about these filled pastries is that they are so versatile. The dough itself varies from culture to culture. There is the flour-based pastellilo, from Puerto Rico, there is the masa-harina based empanada from Colombia, and there are the yeasty Salteñas from Bolivia. And as far as those fillings....they run the gamut! Guava and cheese, chicken, pork, corn, bacon and shrimp, and the list goes on...


Recently I have been doin' a fridge cleanup, so basically, I am trying to create meals with what's leftover in the fridge...and cabinets. I had a frozen link of chorizo mexicano, a half chunk of mozzarella, and wonton wrappers. I felt itty bitty empanadas were in line. According to Mr. Raichlen, one of the easiest ways to cut the fat from an empanada is to change the dough. Using wonton wrappers, you can cut back on the fat (regular dough often has lard or butter in it and ends up being deep fried)--these little babies can be baked instead of fried!


About my inspiration for these empanadas...when I was little, my cousin Nena and her boyfriend worked at a Mexican restaurant that served this amazing appetizer of chorizo topped with rich, melted cheese. You dipped tortilla chips into it--it was wondrous. In honor of this memory I decided to make these Cheesy Chorizo Empanadas. :-)