"Tinga" denotes torn or shredded meat in Spanish, but to Western ears Teeengaaaa rolls off the tongue like an exotic dish you can pay good money for, but make at home?! Never! Taquerias north of the border have responded by making Tinga Tacos the star attraction, but the long trip up from Mexico has left these popular tacos struggling to reclaim their identity,...
Baked Taco Shells Are Just as Good as Fried
A few months ago I fried up some taco shells at home by dipping corn tortillas in a skillet full of hot oil. Then I tried baking them instead of frying them, and I haven't gone back to the frying pan since. You've got lots of options on how to bake a batch, so here are...
Classic Ground Beef Hardshell Tacos
Do you ever get a craving for some home cooking that you grew up with? No matter how strange or ridiculously processed the cooking happened to be? Well, these Classic Ground Beef Tacos are for all of you that grew up with a taco night that consisted of taco shells from a yellow box and mystery taco...
'Come and Get It' Huevos Rancheros Skillet
Originating in the rural heartland of Mexico, Huevos Rancheros has now made its way onto brunch menus around the world. And for good reason. When done right, it simply cannot be beat. But people can be finicky in the morning right? (And afternoon, and evening). So the idea here is to give your peeps the...
Authentic Mexican Cooking Ingredients Part II
Sequels can be disappointing right? (Caddyshack 2, Jaws 2, Speed 2 Cruise Control!!!) But sometimes they can unexpectedly take on a life of their own: Aliens, Empire Strikes Back, Godfather Part II. This article is the sequel to Authentic Mexican Cooking Ingredients Part I, and I'm hoping it does better than Caddyshack 2. Sure, it's helpful...
So Many Ranchera Sauce Recipes -- Where's Your Sweet Spot?
You know that telephone game where you whisper a message to the first person and then go around the ring to see how close the final message is to the original? Well, Ranchera Sauce has been around the telephone ring a few times and it's taken on all sorts of idiosyncrasies from the players. Taking a...
Chili Lime Peanuts -- Cacahuates Enchilados
Cozumel's blazing sun can eat up your energy muy rapido. When sunset finally rolls around there's a chance you'll end up looking like this: If I'm beached like that my first choice for instant energy would always be a big handful of cacahuates. Preferably with limon. Peanuts play a surprisingly substantial role in Mexican cuisine. You'll see them combined with...
Enfrijoladas Recipe -- What To Do With All Those Mexican Beans
Enfrijoladas are one of Mexico's most common 'dinner in a hurry' meals. They are less common north of the border because people tend to limit beans to the 'side dish' realm. But that usually means they've never tried warm corn tortillas drenched in a chili-infused bean puree. Enfrijoladas also happens to be on the lookout for a stable, long term relationship. It's more than willing...
Must Try These Peruano Beans (aka Peruvian, Canary, Mayocoba, or Mexican Yellow Beans)
Peruano beans are the quiet sibling when sitting next to Black and Pinto at the dinner table. Black and Pinto do all the talking, constantly arguing their case for a coveted spot on your Mexican dinner plate. Peruano is happy to sit smugly next to them, confident in its case to overtake both of them in the...
Mexican Street Corn Dip
The Aztec/Nahuatl word izquitl roughly translates as "toasted corn". The word itself, izquitl, has morphed into its modern day version, esquites, and is still used in Mexico today. Esquites has now made its way north of the border too, mostly because corn slathered in creamy, Chili-Lime sauce is a dish that can quickly transcend culture boundaries. In other...