Appetizers

Salsa Fresca (Fresh Chile Sauce)
2-3 Fresh or stewed tomatoes
10-15 Piquin peppers or 3 serranos
½ Chopped onion
1 Clove garlic
½ T Cilantro (fresh coreander)
1 t Lemon juice (optional, but retards spoiling)
¼ C Water Salt to taste
All ingredients, except for onion, may be crushed in a molcajete (lava stone grinder) or in a blender. Pour in a bowl and serve with meal or tostadas (fried tortilla pieces). For a warm sauce simply place in a skillet and warm.

Salsa Dulce (Sweet Sauce)
1 T Oil 1 Chopped bell pepper
1 Chopped onion
1 Chopped tomato; (1art~e)
½ C Water Salt to taste
Place oil in medium skillet and saute pepper and onion. When onions become translucent add tomato and water and siminer for 5 to 10 min.

Salsa de Queso (Cheese Sauce)
1 T Oil
1 Chopped onion
½ C Grated American cheese (or in small chunk)
1-2 Tomatoes {chopped)
¾ C water
1-2 Jalapeño peppers (optional)
Saute onion in oil until translucent. Add cheese, tomatoes, and jalapeños. When cheese begins to melt add water and siminer from 4-6 min. until smooth.

Guacamole (Avocado Dip)
2-3 Ripe Avocados
1-2 Tomatoes
1 Green serrano or piquin peppers (optional)
2 T Chopped onion
1 T Lemon Juice Salt to taste.
Peel and mash avocados, tomato, and chile. Add onion, lemon juice and salt.

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Eggs

Chorizo con Huevo (Mexican Sausage and Eggs)
1 T Oil
2 Links Mexican sausage (about 3/4 C)
½ Chopped onion (optional)
2-3 Eggs ½ Chopped tomato (optional)
Place sausage in skillet with oil and cook covered over low to medium heat. Brown, stirring for even cooking. Add onions and tomato if desired and saute. Add eggs and scramble until done.

Frijoles con Huevo (Beans and Eggs)
2-3 T Oil, bacon, or chorizo grease
½ C Cooked and mashed pinto beans
2 Beaten eggs
Place oil or grease in skillet and let warm. Add beans and fry until ½ of oil Is consumed. Add eggs and scramble until done.

Huevos Rancheros
1 T Oil or bacon grease
2 Eggs
½ C Chile sauce
Cook eggs over-easy. Add sauce over the eggs and serve.

Papas Con Huevo (Egg and potatoes)
2-3 T Oil
1 Medium diced potato
2 Eggs Seasoning to taste
Fry potatoes in oil. Remove excess oil add egg. Scramble until done. A chile sauce may be added as seasoning).

Migas (Fried Tortilla Squares)
1-2 Tortillas cut in 2 in. square
2 T Oil
2 Eggs
Place tortilla squares in oil and fry until golden. Add eggs and scramble until done. (A chile sauce may be added. Cheese, onions, or tomatoes may also be added)

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Beans

Frijoles (Beans)
2-3 lbs Pinto beans
¼ lb Salt pork
1 Clove garlic, whole Salt to taste Water
Soak beans overnight. Drain and rinse. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Add all other ingredients. Cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours, until tender. Add water so that the beans are always covered.

Paloma en Frijoles (White-wing Dove in Beans)
Follow the recipe for Fijoles. Place 4-6 white-wing doves in pot and cook for 30 to 40 more minutes.

Frijoles a la Charra
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 Medium tomatoes, diced
3 T Cilantro (Fresh coriander)
2 Jalapeño peppers (optional)
Follow recipe for Frijoles. Then add the ingredients to the beans and continue to cook for 20 more min.

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Beef

Cesos Guisados (Stewed Beef Brains)
½ -l lb. Beef brains
1 T Oil
1 Small chopped onion
l Medium tomato, diced Seasoning to taste
Place brains in small sauce pan and cover with water. Cook for 45 min. Drain and place in skillet with oil, break into small pieces. Add onion and tomato and siminer for 15-20 min.

Menudo
8 lbs. Beef tripe
5 qts. Water
½ lb Cow feet or soup bone
1 Onion
5-6 Cloves garlic
4 T Paprika or red pepper (ground)
l T Oregano
½ t pepper corns
1 T cumin seed
3 C Hominey (1 large can)
Place tripe in 8-10 quart pan. Cover and boil. Lower heat to medium and cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours. Check evaporation and add water to have about 4-5 quarts. Check for doneness when meat can be cut with a spoon. Add oregano, and crush all other ingredients in molcajete, or blender, and add. Siminer for ½ hr. Serve with diced onion or lemon wedges.

Carne Guisada (Stewed Meat)
1 lb. Round steak in small chunks
1 T Oil 1 Clove garlic
½ t Cumin seed
6-8 Black pepper corns
½ C Tomato sauce or stewed tomatoes
1 Sliced onion
¾ C Water
Brown meat in oil. Mash all spices and add. Add tomato and onion. Siminer for 45 min. Salt to taste

Fideo con Carne (Vermicelli and Beef)
8 oz Vermicelli, crumbled
1 lb Cooked ground beef or beef chunks
3 T Oil 1 Clove garlic, mashed
1 Small onion, chopped
1 Bell pepper, chopped
½ t Cumin seed, smashed
½ C Tomato sauce
2 ½ C Water
Brown crumbled vermicelli in oil. Drain excess fat. Add all other ingredients and cook over medium to low heat for about 20 min.

Higado Guisado (Stewed Liver)
1 T Oil
1 lb Liver
1 Onion sliced
2 Medium tomatoes, diced
1-2 Cloves garlic, mashed
½ t Cumin seed, mashed
¼ t Black pepper
¾ C Water
Salt to taste Brown liver in oil. Add onion and saute. Add all ingredients except water, and stir. Add water arid cook over medium to low heat for 30 to 40 min.

Caldo de Hueso (Bone Soup)
2-3 lbs Soup bone
1 Onion, quartered
1 Clove garlic, whole
1 Bell pepper, sliced
3-4 Carrots, chunks
2-3 Potatoes, quartered
½ Cabbage, sliced
l T Cilantro (Fresh coreander)
Water Salt and pepper to taste Squash, turnips, and/or apples may also be added if desired
Place soup bone in large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and lower heat. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook over low heat for 2 hours. Add carrots and wait 2 ½ hour then add potatoes, cabbage and cilantro. Cook for 30 more min.

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Chicken

Arroz Con Pollo (Chicken and Rice)
1 Chicken, boiled and cut in small pieces (save stock)
1 C Rice (uncooked)
3 T Oil
½ t Cumin seed
1 Clove garlic
¼ t Black pepper
½ Onion, chopped
½ Bell pepper, chopped
2 C Chicken stock
1 C Water
Saute rice in oil until golden not quite brown. Mash Cumin and garlic and add. Add onion bell pepper and chicken stock. Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium and let cook without stirring until almost all liquid is consumed. Add water and continue cooking until all liquid is absorbed.

Calabaza con Pollo (Chicken and Squash)
1 Chicken, cut in small pieces
3 T Oil
2 Medium Mexican squash, diced
½ t Cumin seed, mashed
1-2 Cloves garlic mashed
1/4 t Black pepper
1 Onion, chopped
½ C Tomato sauce (or 1 C stewed tomato)
1 Small bell pepper, sliced
1 ½ C Water
Brown chicken pieces in oil cooking thoroughly. Drain excess fat and add squash. Stir well and all other ingre-dients. Cook for 25-35 min. over low heat.

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Desserts and Beverages

Chocolate
Mexican chocolate squares
Milk
1-2 Cinnamon sticks
Use one square for every 1 ½ cups of milk. Combine all ingredients in saucepan and bring to boiling point. Remove from heat, use whisk or egg beater to produce foam. Serve warm in coffee mugs.

Cafe de Olla
8-l0 T Coffee
8 C Water
½ Piloncillo (Mexican raw sugar)
1 Stick Cinnamon
Boil water, piloncillo and cinnamon. Pour over coffee in drip-pot. Serve hot.

Champurrado (Chocolate and corn meal drink)
1/3 C Masa harina (corn flour- not to be confused with corn meal)
1 ½ C Water
1 ½ C Milk
2 Mexican chocolate squares
1/3 C Sugar
1 Cinnamon Stick
Toast flour in a pan until golden brown. Add water, a little at a time to avoid lumping. Add milk, sugar and chocolate, breaking chocolate until blended.

Te de Canela (Cinnamon Tea)
2-3 Cinnamon Sticks
4 C Water
3 T Sugar
Boil cinnamon sticks and water for 5-10 min. Add sugar and serve.

Buñuelos
2 C Flour
½ t Salt
l T Baking powder
3 T Shortening
¼ C Sugar
2 T Ground cinnamon
¾ C Warm Cinnamon tea (approximate)
¼ C Oil or shortening for frying
Mix flour, salt, Baking powder. Add shortening and blend to even consistency. Add tea, a little at a time, to make dough. Make small, biscuit-size balls. Cover for 20 min., then roll balls as thin as possible. Fry to a golden color, remove and drain excess oil. Combine sugar and ground cinnamon and sprinkle over buñuelos while hot.

Empanadas (Turnovers)
FILLING:
2 C Cooked pumpkin, mashed
½ Piloncillo, crushed (or ¾ C Brown sugar)
1 T Cinnamon, ground
Mix all ingredients together and cook over low heat for 20-30 min. Cool and fill pastry. already prepared.
DOUGH:
2 C Flour
l ½ t Baking powder
½ t Salt
3 T Sugar
½ C Cold water
½ C Shortening
Mix all dry ingredients. Add the shortening blending evenly. Add cold water a little at a time to mix dough. Make biscuit size balls and roll out. Cut out circle to size desired and add filling to one half and fold over. Press all edges and prick top with a fork. Tops may be brushed with beaten egg white. Bake on greased sheet for 20 min. in a 400 degree oven.

Capirotada
1 Loaf French Bread (day old)
6-8 Bananas
1 C Raisins
½ C Peanuts or nuts
¼ lb Longhorn cheddar cheese, sliced
1 Piloncillo
2 Cinnamon sticks
1 t Anise seed
3 ½ C Water
2 Peeled and sliced apples (optional)
Heat piloncillo, cinnamon and anise in water until pilon-cillo dissolves. In a baking dish, slice bread and cover bottom. Add a layer of bananas, a few raisins and nuts. Cover with cheese slices, enough to see bottom ingredients. Layer again until all ingre-dients are gone. Pour piloncillo mixture and cover. Bake for 20-30 mjn. in pre-heated oven (400 degree), or until cheese melts.

Capirotada Gringa
4-6 Slices toasted bread, cubed
3 C Milk, scalded
1 C Sugar (brown, or piloncillo)
1 t Nutmeg
½ t Cinnamon
3 Eggs, well beaten
¼ C Butter, melted
1 t Vanilla
1 C Chopped pecans
1 C Raisins
3 oz Cream cheese
Combine bread cubes and scalded milk in a buttered 2 qt. baking dish. Let bread soak about ten minutes. In a bowl, combine sugar with all spices. Stir in eggs and melted butter. Add all other ingredients and stir to blend. Pour over bread cubes and stir lightly until well blended. Bake 20-30 min. in 350 degree oven.

Pan de Polvo (Mexican Wedding Cookies)
5 C Flour
1 ½ C Shortening C Sugar
2 C Sugar
¼ t Anise seeds
¼ C Cinnamon tea
2-3 Cinnamon sticks, crushed in a blender (or 1T ground cinnamon)
1 C Water
Anise Tea:
Boil 1 C water with ¼ t anise seed and cinnamon tea. Remove seeds and use the desired amount.
Topping: Mix ¾ C sugar and crushed cinnamon sticks.
Combine flour and sugar. Add shortening and mix well (the texture of cookies depend on how well this is mixed). Add anise tea until dough is well blended. Roll out a little at a time with a floured pin, on a floured surface. Make about ¼ to ½ inch thick. Use small cookie cutter, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Pre-heated oven to 400 degree, and bake until golden brown (10-15 min.) Remove and coat with topping while still warm.

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Miscellaneous

Tamales
FILLING:
6-8 lbs Pork (Venison, javalina, turkey, or other meat may be substituted)
2 Cloves garlic, whole
1 Whole onion Water
½ C Flour sprinkled to avoid lumbing
4 T Ground red pepper (or ½ T paprika for milder taste)
4-6 Cloves garlic, mashed (or 1 T Garlic Powder)
1 t Cumin seed, smashed
1t Ground black pepper
1 t Salt
Boil meat with cloves garlic, onion, and enough water to cover. Cook over medium heat for 1 ½ to 2 hrs., depending on kind of meat used. Remove and cool. Save broth for dough and cooking of meat. Grind meat, or chop finely. Place in a large skillet and add the rest of the ingredients.
DOUGH:
8 lbs Masa (corn dough)
3 lbs. Lard
2T Ground red pepper
2 T Ground paprika
3/4 C Meat broth Salt to taste
Blend all ingredients until smooth and even consistency. Dough is right when a small ball dropped in a glass of water floats. Cover dough to avoid drying.
Chucks preparation: Cut ends of chucks and soak in hot water for at least 1 hour. Separate and rinse. Place about 2 T of dough on smooth surface of chuck. Smooth and spread over chuck with fingers or flat spoon. Spread only about ¾ of chuck, leaving smaller end free. Place filling on one side and roll into a cylinder. Fold side without dough over to complete (should look like a fat cigar). Place tamales in a large pot (5-6 doz. at a time). Tamales should be placed in pot in pyramid shape around a pan top or similar object. A good object to use is the molcajete. Add 2 C water. Bring to boiling then lower to low for 35-45 min.
(Raisins may be added to meat or to indi-vidual tamales as they are made)

Cabrito en Sangre
1 Cabrito (young goat, kid, save the blood for sauce)
3-4 Cloves garlic, crushed
1 t Ground black pepper
1 t Cumin seed, crushed
2 Onions, chopped
2 Tomatoes, diced
1 T Cilantro
1 t Crushed oregano
Boil desired amount of goat with an onion for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from heat. Save broth. Boil the blood alone in a skillet mashing it to prevent lumping. Simmer and add broth as needed (about ½ to l C) Add all other ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

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