Chipotle Fish Tacos

When I was visiting my friend Becki in San Diego, California many years ago, the one thing she insisted I had to eat was fish tacos. I had never had them and couldn’t wait for my first taste. We drove around and around, looking for a specific restaurant. I’m not sure we ever found the right one, but we finally stopped at Alberto’s and ordered tacos with “green stuff” aka guacamole. One bite and I was hooked.

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Enchiladas Rancheras and Chile Rice Casserole

When I was in college, I used to make dinners for my classmates. It was a treat for them and a taste of home cooking was a welcome relief from dorm food. I grew up cooking for a family of six and I missed making those big dinners. Having friends over gave me an excuse to make some of my favorites.

Most of the time when I was growing up, if I ordered enchiladas in Mexican restaurants, they were filled with seasoned ground beef. Not exactly true Mexican, but they were good and filling. One Christmas, a friend gave me The California Heritage Cookbook and as I read through the recipes, I realized that I had a lot to learn about ‘real’ Mexican cooking.

My guests who came to dinner the night I first served these enchiladas were astonished at the flavors, and so was I. This sauce is so far superior to anything store-bought that it is well worth the extra effort. I like to serve the enchiladas with the Chile Rice Casserole, also from the California Heritage Cookbook for a nice change of pace from traditional Mexican Rice. Add a tossed green salad for a balanced meal. And don’t forget the margaritas for sparkling dinner conversation!

Smoky Shredded Pork Tacos

I used to have one of the original style Crock Pots. A few months ago I finally bought myself a new slow cooker. I had done tons of research into the various types, sizes, and functionality. While I would have loved one of the super-duper ones, with just the two of us to cook for, it would have been overkill. So I wound up with a great Cuisinart programmable model just right for us. Its small size helps keep me from making enough food to feed an army!

Since then I’ve been going through a lot of my recipes, seeing which ones can be converted to the slow-cooking method. It’s been fun! I love adapting recipes because it gives me a chance to put my own spin on them. When you look at recipes, see if you can figure out other ways to use it. Would it work as part of a different recipe? Would it be a good side dish or could you alter it for a main course? I am always taking a little from one recipe and adding it to another to create a whole new dish.