Hello sisters! We are so excited to share with you all our latest collaboration with our favorite grocer, Northgate Markets. We teamed up with them this season to bring you all a Lent meal plan that will make your cooking life much more simple and put your mind at ease. I remember how strict my grandma used to be about lent, she would always say "Los Viernes, no se come carne." Although we are not catholic, we still observe 'no meat Fridays' during lent season in memory of our grandma.
I hope you all enjoy the recipes we put together for you! They are truly delicious and very easy to make. We know what a hassle grocery shopping can be, so we even went ahead and put together a grocery shopping list for you, just to make your life that much easier (you know, one less thing to think about). We hope you enjoy, and please, if you recreate any of these meals, don't forget to tag us and Northgate. We would love to see and know what you think of them. Provecho!
Cooking Plan of Attack, Tips, and Planning Ahead
I know a lot of you may look at the name of of these recipes and think they are too hard to make, or that they probably take too much work. Let me stop you right there; we created these recipes for moms just like us. Moms who are too busy to even shave their legs at times, or for that mom who doesn't have a couple of hours to spare to get her nails done (yes, that is us, and we are not ashamed to admit it). This section breaks everything down to show you how easy it is to not only make the meals, but get you in the habit of planning meals for your family, and to use any left-overs for lunches or dinners throughout the week. The best thing of all, these recipes are versatile and can be reheated very easily.
Aguachile Rojo - Save a tablespoon of the fresno chile sauce, and add about 1/2 cup of olive oil plus a squeeze of lime juice and salt to make a bright and delicious vinaigrette. Use over any quinoa, bean and hardboiled egg salad. Seriously, just having this vinaigrette laying around can make any salad (or hard boiled egg) taste fancy.
Tostadas de Atun - This is my favorite recipe because of how easy it is, and because it keeps forever. This has always been my go-to meal when I feel overwhelmed and like theres nothing to eat on the fridge. Aside from being simple, it is also very kid friendly with zero spice (that's if you omit the buffalo of course). You can also always make tortitas de atun with any leftover tuna. Or make a quick tuna salad sandwich for lunch the next day. Also, the chips and tostadas from northgate are addictive and can eat them all day and all night.
Chiles Rellenos - ok, ok I know what you are thinking. Even reading the words chiles rellenos together can make any cook nervous. Listen, its like riding a bike, once you learn you will be a master in no time. But even if the task seems daunting, take the filling recipe and make yourself tostadas with a drizzle of our Guelaguetza mole on top. Believe me, these will be a winner and maybe save this chile relleno dish for a special occasion, but please do make the filling! It pairs beautifully with our mole. Promise you they will become one of your favorite tostadas recipes.
Sopa de Tortillas - Listen, you always need a nice soup in the fridge. You can also always make extra and freeze it in small tubs. To thaw it, all you have to do is pop it in the fridge before heading to work, and heat it up once you get back home. You'll have dinner ready for your family in less than 10 minutes. You'll thank us for this recipe. It is finger-licking delicious.
Cheese Stuffed Zucchini - We made this for a group of friends who came over our home and these were a hit. They made us look super fancy. These also keep great in the fridge and are so easy to reheat when you have people over. You can also prep everything ahead and assemble everything come dinner time. Just prop them in the oven and you'll have a healthy and delicious meal in no time.
Fish Tacos - Who doesn't love themselves a good taco? The great thing about this dish is that you could make them on a Tuesday for a Taco Tuesday and then repeat them on a Friday. This recipe bakes the fish, so its a healthier choice for your family. Also, the crema is to die for. You can always make yourself extra for a great chip dip and pair it with a nice glass of wine later on the night.
Capirotada - I loved this one for so many reasons. One, because we used Pan Bimbo and it brought back so many memories of our childhood. Also, because the left over cream mixture we prepared was used for breakfast the next day on our french toast and as a strawberry dip for mom later that night (yes, there was wine involved in that one too). This is a perfect dessert to take to any office pot luck, school gathering or just as a treat to keep around the house.
ok, ok enough talking, lets get to the recipes!
AGUACHILE ROJO
Ingredients:
16 large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
Juice of 8 limes
4 red Fresno peppers, stems removed
2 to 3 habanero peppers, stems removed
Juice of 4 limes
2 tablespoons Pompeian grapeseed oil
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup English cucumber, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Pepper
Salt
Tostadas.
Preparation:
Peel and clean the shrimp. Using a small, sharp knife, butterfly the shrimp open by slicing almost all the way through the back side. This will help the shrimp lay more flat while marinating and cooking.
Rinse the shrimp in cold water and pat dry with paper towels and transfer back to shallow glass dish.
Add the juice of the 8 key limes, making sure the shrimp is covered with lime juice. Cover and chill while you prep the rest of ingredients.
To a blender, add the red Fresno peppers, habaneros, juice of 4 key limes, grapeseed oil and salt to taste. Pulse or blend until desired consistency. Taste for salt.
Pour this mixture over the shrimp/lime mixture making sure it’s mixed in evenly. Season with fresh cracked pepper.
Layer the cucumbers, onions, and cilantro over the top. Chill for just 15 more minutes. make sure the shrimp has been chilling in the fridge for at least of a total of 30 minutes Before serving, mix all together. Serve with tostadas.
TOSTADITAS DE ATÚN
Ingredients:
4 cans of Tuny Jumbo light tuna in water
2 tomatoes, diced
½ red onion, diced
Cilantro, chopped finely
4 tbsp. McCormick mayonnaise with lime
Salt
Pepper
Avocado, diced
Classic Mexican Bufalo hot sauce
4 tostadas
Preparation:
Mix tuna and mayonnaise with fork and season with salt and pepper.
Combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and avocado in a separate bowl and set aside.
Spread tuna mixture on every tostada.
Add a tablespoon of mixed vegetables on top of every tostada.
Serve tuna tostadas topped with classic Mexican Bufalo hot sauce.
Chiles Rellenos de Mole
Ingredients:
6 pasilla peppers charred, peeled, and seedless
1 cup Mole Guelaguetza
Filling:
½ lb. imitation crab meat
1 pear, diced
½ white onion, diced
3 tbsp. oil
½ cup raisins
2 tomatoes
1 tbsp. sugar
Salt
Pepper
Batter
2 Hidden Villa Ranch eggs, whites and yolks separated
3 tbsp. flour
Frying oil
Preparation:
Char, peel, and remove seeds from pasilla peppers then set aside.
Heat oil in a saucepan and add imitation crab meat, pear, and raisins. Grind tomatoes with sugar and add to saucepan. Season with salt and pepper.
Fill each charred pasilla pepper with mixture from saucepan and then coat each pepper with flour. Set aside.
Beat Hidden Villa Ranch egg whites until reaching a frim consistency, then mix in egg yolks gently.
Dip the flour coated chiles into the batter and fry in abundant hot oil until golden on both sides. Drain excess oil on paper towels.
Prepare mole sauce and serve chiles rellenos bathed in mole sauce.
Sopa de Tortilla
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. Cacique Queso Fresco, crumbled
2 tbsp. Cacique Crema Mexicana
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tomatoes, diced
4 husk tomatillos, peeled and diced
½ cup yellow onion, diced
1 chile guajillo, seeded and toasted
1 tsp. chipotle chile canned in adobo, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. cumin
1 cup of tortilla chips
2 quarts of chicken stock
1 avocado, diced
Cilantro
Salt
Pepper
Preparation:
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, both chiles, garlic, oregano and cumin to the heated oil. Sautee for 15 minutes.
Add tortilla chips to the pot along with the chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Once boiling turn down to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Blend the soup in the blender until very smooth. Add the soup back to the soup pot and bring back to a simmer and check seasonings. (you could also use an emulsion blender)
Serve soup in bowl and garnish with tortilla chips, a drizzle of Cacique Crema Mexicana, crumbles of Cacique Queso Fresco, avocado and cilantro.
Fish Tacos
Ingredients:
Lime Crema:
¼ cup sour cream
3 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
zest from half a lime
¼ tsp. salt
Slaw
2 cups cabbage, thinly chopped
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
½ green onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
Tacos:
2 tbsps. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. lime juice
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. red pepper powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
1-pound of tilapia
8 (6-inch) soft taco tortillas
1 avocado, sliced
Lime Crema:
In a small bowl, whisk together all the crema ingredients. Set aside.
Slaw
In a large bowl, combine all the slaw ingredients. Set aside.
Tacos:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
In a small bowl, combine the vegetable oil, lime juice, cumin, paprika, coriander, red pepper powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dip the fish into the bowl and turn the fish until it is evenly coated with the marinade. Place the fish onto a lined baking tray and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Bake for 9-10 minutes until the fish is flaky when tested with a fork.
Transfer the fish into a plate and break into smaller pieces using a fork.
Heat the soft tortillas according to the directions on the package.
Divide the fish evenly onto the tortillas.
Top each taco with sliced avocados, lime cream, and ¼ cup of the slaw.
Calabacitas Rellenas de Queso
Ingredients
4 zucchini
1 cup of shredded El Mexicano mozzarella
1 garlic clove, minced
1 ½ tbsp. of onion, finely diced
¼ cup of bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tsp. of fresh parsley, finely chopped
Sauce
3 medium tomatoes
1 garlic clove
¼ white onion
½ tbsp. olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Preparation:
Slice zucchini in half and use spoon to scoop out the flesh. Set flesh from all zucchini aside.
Boil water in a pot and throw in zucchinis for 3 minutes.
Remove zucchini from boiling water and set them aside.
Chop zucchini flesh you had set aside, and place in mixing bowl. Set aside.
Place saucepan with olive oil over medium heat and sauté garlic and onion for 4 minutes, then add chopped zucchini flesh and cook 2 minutes.
Remove mixture from heat and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Stuff zucchini halves with sautéed mixture and top with cheese.
Place zucchini in baking dish and bake for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and browned.
Boil tomatoes, garlic, and onion for sauce. Once softened, blend tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Serve stuffed zucchini with sauce.
CAPIROTADA
Preparation:
Prepare the cream for the bread pudding by mixing evaporated milk, condensed milk, milk, cornmeal, eggs, and vanilla.
Place cream mixture in a saucepan on medium heat. Continuously stir for 15 minutes, until cream slightly thickens. Be sure not to stop stirring to avoid mixture from burning and sticking. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a deep baking dish place a layer of bread, then pour some of the cream mixture that was set aside on top and add peanuts, walnuts, raisins, and shredded coconut. Repeat these steps in layers until ingredients are completely finished.
Bake for 15 -25 minutes.
Ingredients:
1 can of evaporated milk
½ can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup of milk
2 tbsps. cornmeal
3 egg yolks
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 package of Bimbo
½ cup peanuts
½ cup of walnuts
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup raisins
