Mexican Quinoa

• 1 pound ground turkey (or ground beef) 
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1 can Ro-Tel, juice included (or other brand diced tomatoes with green chilies)
• chicken stock (enough to make two cups when combined with the tomatoes)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Serve with corn chips

Instructions

1. Over medium heat, saute the turkey/beef and onion in 2 tablespoons oil
2. Toss in the garlic and continue to saute for another minute
3. Add the quinoa and stir together with the turkey/onion mixture
4. Add in the taco seasoning and saute for 30 seconds
5. Pour in the Ro-Tel and chicken stock mixture
6. Add the black beans and the frozen corn
7. Give it a stir and lock the top on the pressure cooker
8. Bring to high pressure for 8 minutes
9. When time is up, remove from heat (if electronic make sure it is turned off or unplugged)
10. Let pressure come down on its own for ten minutes, then do a quick release
11. Let set for a minute or so, then fluff with a fork
12. Serve on plates or in bowls with cheese, sour cream, and cilantro

7 layer mexican salad

Salad:
1 box of Jiffy cornbread
2 cups of chopped romaine lettuce
1 can of black beans rinsed and drained
1 can of corn drained
1 orange bell pepper diced
1 cup tomatoes diced
1 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
2 stalks chopped green onions for garnish
Dressing:
1 avocado
1/4 cup cilantro
1/2 jalepeño
2 limes (juice)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic salt

Directions

Dressing:

• Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and pulse it until the cilantro is well blended into the lime juice and avocado.

Seven-layered salad:

1. Cook the Jiffy cornbread according to box directions. Set aside and let cool. Cut in half and break half of it up into small crumbs. Layer the bottom of a dish (a trifle bowl is preferable) with the crumbled cornbread.
2. Add half of the romaine lettuce on top of the cornbread for the second layer.
3. Next, add half of the black beans.
4. On top of the beans, add half of the corn.
5. After the corn, pile on half of the bell peppers.
6. Following the bell peppers, sprinkle half of the tomatoes on top.
7. Toss half of the cheddar cheese on top of the tomato layer.
8. Drizzle half of the dressing onto the salad.
9. Repeat steps 2 through 8.
10. Finally, place the green onions on top of the salad and enjoy!

Serves 8.

Costa Vida Pulled Pork

2 pounds pork (I like to use the pork butt – my butcher concurs)
2 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chiles
3/4 can enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a reclosable bag to marinate, pour in one of the cans of Coke and 1/2 c. brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight. (I’ve done both…they both work.)
Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of Coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours. Remove pork from crock pot, drain off liquid, shred pork. (I use two forks because I’m too impatient to wait until it’s cool.)
Mix together (in a bowl or in the blender) other 1/2 can of Coke, can of chiles, enchilada sauce and brown sugar.
Put shredded pork back in the crock pot, cover with sauce, heat just until warmed through.

Serve on a bed of Romaine lettuce with pico de gallo, cilantro ranch dressing, feta cheese and a warm flour tortilla.

Cream Cheese Enchiladas

1 pkg sofented cream cheese
2-4 green onions finely chopped
1 cup Shredded Mexican blend cheese

White or yellow corn tortillas
Olive oil
heat the tortillas on the stove in a pan on each side for 30 seconds just to warm, then scoop cheese mixture in and roll, if using sauce add a little to the bottom of a glass baking dish. if not just add to dish top with more shredded cheese and green chiles

Green Chiles or green enchilada sauce

Mix cream cheese, shredded cheese and onion in mixer until well blended. Bake 350 for about 10 minutes until completely warmed through. YUMMY with fresh tomatoes!

Guacamole

Recipe By: Wendy Connors

Ingredients
3-4 Very Ripe Avocado's
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
Juice 1 lime
1 medium Roma Tomato, chopped
1/4 Cup Sour cream
1/4 c fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 Cup Salsa
1 tsp minced Garlic

Directions
Mash Avocado's in large mixing bowl. Mix in garlic, juice, sour cream and salsa. Once mixture is smooth, fold in onions, cilantro, and then tomatoes. Salt to taste.

Pico De Gallo Sauce (Baja Fresh Style)

Recipe By: Wendy Connors

Ingredients
1/4 Cup diced Roma tomatoes
1/4 Cup Finely chopped Onion
3 T Lemon Juice
1 1/2 T Finely chopped fresh Cilantro
1/2 tsp Salt

Directions
Combine all ingredients, refridgerate for at least 1 hour before serving with Chips, or to top enchilada's, in burritos' etc.