Crunchy Taco Wrap

The other day I had a craving for tacos. But, I didn’t want them on a crunchy shell with watered down ground beef, and messy salsa. I started thinking, “how can I incorporate those flavors into a wrap?” Inspired by my Southwest Chicken Burrito, I came up with the idea for this Crunchy Taco Wrap. When I think of wraps, I think of crispy fresh vegetables. So, instead of using bottled salsa, I made fresh Pico de Gallo to top the seasoned ground beef. I even made my own taco seasoning mix. To give the meat a little creaminess, I drizzled the beef with a home-made nacho cheese sauce and added a couple of dollops of sour cream. The wraps were rolled (burrito style) and browned in a skillet to give them a crispier texture. This recipe is kind of a cross between a taco and a Crunchwrap Supreme, but the fresh ingredients makes it so much more flavorful and a much healthier option. Despite the fact that everything was made from scratch, this was still on the table in less than 30 minutes.

The Pico de Gallo needs an hour of refrigeration to give the flavors a chance to meld, so you may want to prepare this earlier in the day. After that, everything comes together in no time.

To prepare Pico de Gallo: Seed and finely chop tomatoes. Finely chop 1/2 of a red onion. Chop cilantro. Seed and finely chop jalapeno peppers. Juice limes. In bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapenos and lime juice. Stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

To prepare taco seasoning mix:  

In small re-sealable plastic bag (or airtight container), combine chili powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic powder, oregano and paprika. Shake well to thoroughly combine.

In large skillet, over medium-high heat, add ground beef. Season with 1-1/2 Tablespoons of taco seasoning mix. Brown, stirring occasionally to break up beef.

Meanwhile prepare nacho cheese sauce:  

In medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, melt butter. Whisk in cornstarch and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk. Sauce will be thick, so add more milk to thin it down. Simmer about 2 minutes, then add cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, hot sauce and 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning mix. If still too thick, add more milk until the sauce is of desired consistency.

To prepare wraps:  Scoop a generous portion of browned beef down center of tortilla. 

Top with a heaping helping of Pico de Gallo. Drizzle with nacho cheese sauce. Then top with 2 or 3 small dollops of sour cream. 

Tuck in ends and roll burrito style. 

Spray rolled burritos with non-stick cooking spray. Brown in preheated skillet.

Flip to brown other side.

Serve warm with additional Pico de Gallo.

CRUNCHY TACO WRAP
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

Pico de Gallo:

• 4 ripe Roma or plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 large red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons lime juice
• Salt, to taste

Taco Seasoning Mix:

• 2 Tablespoons chili powder (preferably hot Mexican chili powder)
• 2 Tablespoons cumin
• 1/2 Tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (reduce amount if you want less heat)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons paprika (preferably Spanish paprika)

Nacho Cheese Sauce:

• 1-1/2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 3/4 cup milk, plus more to get desired consistency
• 3 Tablespoons cream cheese
• 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon taco seasoning mix (recipe above)

Wrap Ingredients:

• Large (10-inch) flour tortillas
• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons taco seasoning mix (recipe above)
• Prepared Pico de Gallo (recipe above)
• Prepared Nacho cheese sauce (recipe above)
• Sour cream, optional

DIRECTIONS:
1. To prepare Pico de Gallo: In bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapenos and lime juice. Stir
    well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
2. To prepare taco seasoning mix:  In small re-sealable plastic bag (or airtight container), combine chili
    powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic powder, oregano and paprika.
    Shake well to thoroughly combine.
3. To prepare nacho cheese sauce: In medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, melt butter. Whisk in
    cornstarch and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk. Sauce will be thick, so add more milk to thin it
    down (if desired). Simmer about 2 minutes, then add cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, hot sauce and 1
    teaspoon of taco seasoning mix. If still too thick, add milk until the sauce is of desired consistency.
4. In large skillet, over medium-high heat, add ground beef. Season with 1-1/2 Tablespoons of taco seasoning
    mix. Brown, stirring occasionally to break up beef.
5. To assemble wraps: Scoop a generous portion of browned beef down center of tortilla. Top with a
    heaping helping of Pico de Gallo. Drizzle with nacho cheese sauce. Then top with a couple of small
    dollops of sour cream. Tuck in ends and roll burrito style. Spray rolled burritos on both sides with
    non-stick cooking spray. Brown in preheated skillet. Flip to brown other side.
6. Serve warm with additional Pico de Gallo.

Mojo Marinated Beef Fajitas

When we first moved to North Carolina, we had to spend the first week after our closing in a hotel because our moving company was delayed.The hotel just happened to be across the street from a Chili’s restaurant. So, guess where we ate every night? That’s when Mike developed an insatiable appetite for fajitas. So, once we were settled in our new home, I knew I was going to have to find a “go-to” recipe for beef fajitas, or we’d be eating out every night. Typically, you use a tougher cut of meat for beef fajitas, like skirt or flank steak. So, the right marinade is crucial to success. What makes this Tyler Florence recipe so special is the mojo marinade. Merriam-Webster defines “mojo” as “a power that may seem magical,” and that pretty much describes this marinade to a tee. The flavors are vibrant, bold and aromatic. I don’t usually care for beef fajitas, but the first time I made these, the smell was so enchanting, it won me over. And, unlike some other marinades, the flavors of this one really penetrate the meat. The original recipe calls for marinating the beef for 2 to 4 hours, but I found that you get the best results by tenderizing overnight (or longer), especially if you don’t cut your meat into strips beforehand. I prefer to grill the steak whole, let rest, then slice into strips. The mojo is a mixture of freshly squeezed orange juice, fresh lime juice, olive oil, garlic, chipotle chiles, cilantro, cumin and salt. Then you top it with peppers and onions that have been grilled in a mixture of olive oil and lime juice; and serve on warmed tortillas. These fajitas are so flavorful, you’ll pass on the optional garnishes. 

If you can get your hands on one of these meat tenderizers, it is well worth the investment. I bought this 48-blade Jaccard from Cooking.com. What I love about it is it pierces the meat thoroughly, not only tenderizing, but allowing the marinade to soak into the fibers of the meat. (Plus, it’s completely dishwasher safe, which is always a bonus.) I don’t think I’d ever go back to pounding meat again. This works like a charm. (No, this is not an endorsement, just a helpful tip.)

Juice the orange and 2 limes.

In blender, or food processor, combine all marinade ingredients. Puree until smooth. 

Transfer to a re-sealable plastic bag. Add steak. Seal and shake to coat. Refrigerate overnight. (I usually put mine in the refrigerator about 5:00 PM the day before, then grill it the next day around the same time, so it marinates for 24 hours.)

Clean and thinly slice bell peppers and onion(s). Place peppers and onions in large re-sealable plastic bag. Add olive oil and lime juice. Shake to coat.

Transfer peppers and onions to an aluminum (disposable) pan.

Preheat grill. 

Place pan of peppers and onions on the grill. Cook until they just start to wilt (crisp, tender). 

Cover with aluminum foil and place on unheated side of grill (indirect heat), while you cook steaks.

Drain the marinade from the beef. Season steak with salt and pepper. Grill the steak over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 135° F. (medium done, which works best for this cut of beef). Let beef rest. 

Meanwhile, place a tortilla on grill and let char 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip the tortilla to quickly heat other side. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Wrap in foil to keep warm.

Slice beef into strips by cutting against the grain (or at a 45° angle across grain).

To serve: Spread some guacamole on tortilla (if desired), top with a few slices of steak, then peppers and onions. I had to omit the guacamole (as Mike despises it).  :(
Additional garnishes include salsa, sour cream and shredded cheese.

 
MOJO MARINATED BEEF FAJITAS
Source: Tyler Florence, The Food Network
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

Marinade (mojo):

• 1 orange, juiced
• 2 limes, juiced
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 3 chipotle chiles, in adobo sauce
• 3 Tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt

Fajitas:

• 2 to 2-1/2 pounds skirt or flank steak
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large, or 2 small green peppers, thinly sliced
• 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced (or use 1 red and 1 yellow for more color)
• 1 to 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Flour tortillas

Optional Garnishes:

• Prepared guacamole
• Salsa
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheese

DIRECTIONS:
 
1. Tenderize beef. In blender, or food processor, combine all marinade ingredients. Puree until smooth.
    Transfer to a re-sealable plastic bag. Add steak. Seal and shake to coat. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Clean and thinly slice bell peppers and onion(s). Place peppers and onions in large re-sealable plastic
    bag. Add olive oil and lime juice. Shake to coat. Transfer peppers and onions to an aluminum
    (disposable) pan.
3. Preheat grill.
4. Place pan of peppers and onions on the grill. Cook until they just start to wilt (crisp, tender). Cover
    with aluminum foil and place on unheated side of grill (indirect heat), while you cook steaks.
5. Drain the marinade from the beef. Season steak with salt and pepper. Grill the steak over medium-
    high heat for about 4 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 135° F. (medium done,
    which works best for this cut of beef). Let beef rest.
6. Meanwhile, place a tortilla on grill and let char 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip the tortilla to quickly heat
    other side. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Wrap in foil to keep warm.
7. Slice beef into strips by cutting against the grain (or at a 45° angle across grain).
8. To serve: Spread some guacamole on tortilla (if desired), top with a few slices of steak, then peppers
    and onions. Additional garnishes include salsa, sour cream and shredded cheese.

Southwest Chicken Burritos

 

There’s always a package of tortillas in our pantry. It makes for a quick and easy meal anytime of the day. Just wrap and roll with any ingredients of your choosing and satisfy the heartiest of appetites. All of our local Mexican restaurants include rice as a tortilla filling. As a matter of fact, that was a big topic of discussion when my son last visited. Here, they call them California Burritos. My son strongly objects to that name. He says true California Burritos don’t have rice in them, they have French fries in them instead. So, needless to say, he was not impressed with our food culture here in North Carolina. I think I’d rather have rice in my burrito. Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer my French fries on the side. Maybe my son won’t object as much if I call this a Southwest Burrito. These burritos are filled with spicy rice, diced tomatoes and green chilies, chicken (marinated in a blend of Southwest seasoning, lime juice, cilantro and green onions), red bell peppers, black beans, lots of cheese and a few dollops of sour cream, to give the filling a nice creamy texture. Then, they are toasted in a skillet, to give them a warm, crispy exterior, while the cheese and sour cream melds into one deliciously gooey center.  Normally, I would have included corn in the filling, but I intentionally left it out, as I served this for dinner along with my Tex-Mex Corn Chowder. 

Ingredients for Emeril's Southwest Seasoning

Prepare Southwest Seasoning: In small resealable plastic bag (or air-tight container) combine all ingredients. Shake well to combine.

Ingredients for burrito. Missing from photo - olive oil.

Trim excess fat from chicken. Cut chicken into thin strips, then cut cross-wise into small cubes. Place cubes in large bowl (or large resealable plastic bag). 

Add olive oil, Southwest seasoning, lime juice, cilantro and green onions. 

Marinate in refrigerator for at least one hour; the longer the more flavorful.

Meanwhile, prepare rice according to package directions, using the Ro-tel tomatoes. Remove from heat; place in large bowl and set aside.

Chop red bell pepper.

Pour chicken contents in large skillet. Add chopped red peppers. 

Cook until chicken starts to brown and liquid has burned off. 

Warm black beans, over low heat, in small saucepan.

Add cooked chicken and red bell peppers to prepared rice. Add warmed beans. Stir well to combine.

Sprinkle generous amount of cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Place 4 or 5 dollops (about 1/2 Tablespoon each) of sour cream on top of cheese. 

Arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll stuffed tortillas, burrito style. Spray the rolled tortillas all over with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 burritos, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. 

  
Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining burritos. Serve warm.

SOUTHWEST CHICKEN BURRITOS
Source: Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box Zatarain’s Spanish rice (or omit black beans and substitute Zatarain’s Rice with Red Beans)
• 1 can (10-ounces) Ro-tel diced tomatoes with green chilis
• 2 pounds chicken, boneless, skinless (about 3 breasts)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons Emeril’s Southwest seasoning (recipe follows)
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1 can (15-ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper (about 3/4 of a pepper)
• Sour cream
• 2 to 3 cups shredded cheese (Monterey jack, Colby jack, or cheddar)
• 6 to 8 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Emeril’s Southwest Seasoning:

• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 Tablespoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare Southwest Seasoning: In small resealable plastic bag (or air-tight container) combine all
    ingredients. Shake well to combine.
2. Cut chicken into thin strips, then cut cross-wise into small cubes. Place cubes in large bowl (or
    large resealable plastic bag). Add olive oil, Southwest seasoning, lime juice, cilantro and green
    onions. Marinate in refrigerator for at least one hour.
3. Meanwhile, prepare rice according to package directions, using the Ro-tel tomatoes. Remove
    from heat; place in large bowl and set aside.
4. Pour chicken contents in large skillet. Add chopped red peppers. Cook until chicken starts to
    brown and liquid has burned off.
5. Warm black beans in small saucepan.
6. Add cooked chicken and red bell peppers to prepared rice. Add warmed beans. Stir well to
    combine.
7. Sprinkle generous amount of cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Place 4
    or 5 dollops (about 1/2 Tablespoon each) of sour cream on top of cheese. Arrange chicken and
    rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll stuffed tortillas, burrito style. Spray the tortillas all
    over with cooking spray.
8. Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 burritos, seam-
    side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to
    a plate and repeat with remaining burritos. Serve warm.

Deviled Egg Salad

Every so often Mike will shuffle up to me, with a pleading “puppy dog” look on his face and ask, “Will you do me a big favor?” Right away, I know what he’s craving. He wants me to whip him up a batch of egg salad. Don’t get me wrong, egg salad is simple enough to make. I have no problem making it for him anytime he wants it; but, I need to do it with a clothespin on my nose. There is something about the smell of hard boiled eggs that I find truly unpleasant. The odor just seems to linger around the house for what seems like forever. However, I always cave in when hubby requests egg salad. After all, Mike is more than patient when it comes to being my “official” taste tester. The last few times I made this, Mike kept asking, “did you put this recipe up on the blog, yet?” I kept responding, “no, it’s just egg salad.” He firmly disagreed, and told me I needed to share this recipe. Actually, this has all the same ingredients I’ve used in deviled eggs for years, and they’ve always been a hit; so maybe Mike is right! I think of it as just eggs, but the seasoning does make all the difference; and it's versatile enough to adapt to your preferences.

The number of eggs in this recipe is going to seem weird. That's because, last time I made this, I just used up what we had left in the house. Normally, I would use a dozen eggs; but I only had 9 on-hand that day, so I adapted the seasoning for that quantity of eggs.

Place eggs in pot of cold water. Add 1 teaspoon salt to the water. Bring to a rolling boil, continue boiling for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 12 minutes. Drain hot water from pot and continue to add cold water to pot until water is completely cool, or add ice cubes to water, to quickly cool. (Actually, some cooks say after the water boils, you can then cover and let stand, off the heat, for 12 to 15 minutes and get the same results. I'm sure that would work fine, as well. I prefer to let it boil for a few minutes longer, just to be on the safe side.) With either method, the yolk will be nice and yellow, without the grayish shadow around the edges of the yolk, that results from over-cooking.

Peel eggs. The easiest way to peel the eggs is to firmly tap each end of the egg on a hard surface (such as the counter top), to crack the shell. You can also roll the egg on the counter top to crack the shell. Begin peeling the egg by starting at the wide end of the egg, which is where there is an air pocket, an easy access point. Using the side of your thumb, remove both the shell and the white, filmy membrane just beneath the shell. Rinse the eggs under cool water to remove any shell residue. Then wipe dry with a paper towel.

Chop the eggs. An egg slicer works best for this. Put eggs in medium size bowl. Add mayonnaise. Start with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, then add more as needed, or until desired consistency. Add spices. Stir well to combine. Taste. Add more mayonnaise, or spices, as needed.

There are so many other variations for this recipe. Try adding dill, or replacing the dry mustard with Dijon mustard. Some cooks add relish, or fresh celery (instead of the celery seed), or green onions (instead of onion powder). I've even heard of chopped olives being added. Replace some of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt, to lighten up the dish. Or, add a little hot sauce to spice it up a bit. This recipe is the way Mike likes it best; but it's versatile enough to tweak to your personal preference.

Make a sandwich, wrap, or serve on crackers. Garnish with lettuce and crumbled bacon, and even a little parsley, if desired. 

DEVILED EGG SALAD
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 9 eggs
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/8 teaspoon celery seed, plus a pinch
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus a pinch
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• Cooked, crumbled bacon, for garnish, if desired
• Lettuce leaves, for garnish, if desired
• Parsley, for garnish, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place eggs in pot of cold water. Add 1 teaspoon salt to the water. Bring to a rolling boil, continue
    boiling for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 12 minutes. Drain hot water from pot
    and continue to add cold water to pot until water is completely cool, or add ice cubes to water, to
    quickly cool. Peel eggs. Rinse under cool water to remove any shell residue. Dry with paper towel.
2. Chop eggs. An egg slicer works best. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise to eggs. Add spices. Stir to
    combine. Add more mayonnaise, as needed. Taste. Adjust seasonings, as desired.
3. Garnish with crumbled bacon, lettuce and parsley, if desired.
4. Serve in wraps for a brunch, on crackers as an appetizer, or on toast for lunch.

Note: To lighten up the recipe, substitute some of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.

Variations:  Add dill; green onions, Dijon mustard (instead of dry mustard), celery (instead of celery seed), relish, chopped olives, etc.