Mexican and Southwestern Food Recipes
Arepas
A South American staple, arepas are cornmeal cakes that are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They can be stuffed with a variety of ingredients, from cheese to chicken salad, and the ingredient list is short. Three years ago, I tagged along on one of my husband’s business trips to Florida,…
5-Can Weeknight Chili
A great bowl of chili is just minutes away thanks to a handful of economical pantry ingredients. Top with a simple sprinkle of cheese or load it up with chopped avocado, crushed tortilla chips, minced onions, etc. The wee hours of Christmas morning last year found my extended family in an airport.…
Black Bean Dip (or Salsa or Salad)
Enjoy this easy, endlessly versatile recipe as a dip with chips, a salsa for fish or chicken, a super-simple salad, or the foundation of a healthy, plant-based meal. Perfect for a potluck and can be prepared up to a day in advance! Amidst all my experimenting with new recipes, this simple…
Beer Margaritas
This unconventional recipe makes a large pitcherful and tastes like the best version of the classic drink. Leftovers freeze well and become slushy-like! Cinco de Mayo is the perfect reason to enjoy a favorite Mexican meal, but what exactly is the holiday all about? Cinco de Mayo—the fifth of May—commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862…
Easy Chicken Fajitas
These flavor-packed wraps come together in a snap and always garner rave reviews. As an option, serve the chicken fajita mixture over rice or salad greens. Week to week, I find myself falling back on easy Mexican-inspired recipes for a variety of reasons. Tex-Mex cuisine often begins with a foundation of convenient pantry staples…
Easy Cheesy Enchilada Casserole
When I began my little Fountain Avenue Kitchen adventure four years ago, I hadn’t the slightest idea where it would take me. I had never posted anything on social media, didn’t own a real camera, and didn’t follow a single blog. In fact, I was reluctant to call my website a blog because, to me,…
Rio Grande Skillet Dinner
This easy, all-in-one meal is healthy, economical and so family friendly! When I open my cupboard, I see more than enough food to sustain my family for a week, and likely much longer. For too many people, this is not the case. This problem isn’t limited to some far-flung locale. It’s an…
Crispy Black Bean Skillet Tacos
Pantry and fridge staples come together in a flash for these crispy meatless tacos that are deliciously filling and economical too. You know the feeling. You get home late from work, a meeting, or kids’ sporting events. Everyone is hungry, no food has been prepared, and you just want to eat…five minutes ago. As…
Easy Chicken Burrito Bowls
DIY burrito bowls are wholesome, loaded with fresh flavor, and easy to customize to taste! There’s a well-known restaurant that is famous for its burrito bowls, and I can see why. The flavorful all-in-one meal offers a high degree of customization and it’s sort of fun. It’s viewed as a healthier option than many…
Chili Lime Chicken
Add memorable flavor to basic chicken with a blend of spices you likely have on hand. Perfect as is and in burrito bowls, with or without the optional sauce. When it comes to food preparation, I sometimes worry that I do too much for my kids. Most mornings, I have breakfast ready for them instead…
Chipotle Lime Crema
Fashioned after a friend’s recipe for lime crema, which she uses as an awesome finishing touch on her chili, this easy sauce adds the smoky heat of a chipotle pepper. The spiced-up version is perfect for chili and most anything based on south-of-the-border flavors. I use this versatile condiment on a couple of recipes…
Southwestern Confetti Coleslaw (no mayo)
Classic, creamy coleslaw is a perennial picnic and cookout favorite. Like potato salad and baked beans, coleslaw plays a popular supporting role on any plate starring fried chicken or barbecued ribs. While I adore a thick slaw with a hearty dose of mayonnaise, many people prefer a lighter vinegar base. Smoky cumin, tangy lime and…
