Super Quick Cheesy Chorizo Dip (aka Queso Fundido)
prep: 10 minutes
cook: 10 minutes
serves: 16 (¼ cup portions)

you’ll need…
16 corn or flour tortillas (6 inch)
4 cups shredded Chihuahua cheese or Monterrey Jack cheese
1 link (6 oz.) pork or beef chorizo (Mexican style sausage, uncooked)

let’s get to it…
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven.
Place an ovenproof 9-inch pie plate inside the oven to heat for 5-minutes. Remove hot pie plate from oven and add shredded cheese. Return pie-plate to the oven so cheese can melt, 6 to 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove plastic casing from the chorizo (if there is any). Place chorizo in a microwavable dish. Using a spoon, cut chorizo into 1-inch pieces. Cover and microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain excess grease.
Remove melted cheese and tortillas from oven. Sprinkle chorizo on top of cheese and serve with tortillas.

cooking know how…

Lékué Steam Case with Tray

• I used this cool Lekue microwave steamer to cook the chorizo. It comes with a tray at the bottom that separates the grease from the food, so, if there is a healthy way to cook chorizo, this is it.

• I also used this beautiful Tortilla Warmer from Camerons Products. It heats up in the microwave for 45 seconds and keeps your tortillas hot and soft for more than an hour after they come out of the oven. It even holds the big 12-inch tortillas.

Tortilla Warmer from Camerons Products

Cheesy Chicken and Chorizo Empanadas

prep: 30 minutes
bake: 20 to 25 minutes

makes 12 empanadas

you’ll need…

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I pulled mine off a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
12 ounces chorizo (Mexican sausage)
8 ounces Chihuahua cheese
1 package Goya Puff Pastry Dough for Turnovers, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten
chopped cilantro or parsley (optional)

let’s get to it…
Remove enough meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken to make 2 cups; set aside.

Heat chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking up meat with a spoon. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and drain on a paper towel. Add drained chorizo to chicken and mix.

Spray a kitchen grater with anti-stick cooking spray. Grate Chihuahua cheese; set aside. (You can also buy shredded Chihuahua cheese.)

Place oven rack in middle of oven. Heat oven to 375°F.

Separate thawed dough rounds on work surface. Roll out each one slightly to make them easier to fold.

Spoon meat mixture and cheese evenly onto center of each of the 12 dough rounds. Brush edges of dough with beaten egg. Fold dough into half-moon shape. Press down edges with a fork or twist edges gently to seal.

Place empanadas on baking sheets spaced 1-inch apart. Brush tops of empanadas with remaining beaten egg.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and filling is hot. Top with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley if desired.

Cheesy Enchilada Stacks

prep: 15 minutes
bake: 15 minutes

you’ll need…
4 corn tostadas (packaged fried open-face corn tortillas)
1 can (16 oz.) refried beans
2 cups shredded cheese (Mexican blend, cheddar or your favorite)
1 can (10 oz.) Enchilada Sauce
4 eggs, fried or poached

let’s get to it…
Arrange oven racks so one is the middle. Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9 x 9 square pan with cooking spray.
Break the corn tostadas in half. Spread half of the refried beans (or as much or as little as you want) evenly on 4-tostada halves. Place in the square pan.
Top the 4-halves in the pan with half of the Enchilada Sauce; sprinkle on 1-cup cheese.
Repeat as directed: Spread the rest of the refried beans on the remaining 4-tostada halves and stack on top of the other halves in the pan. Top with the remaining Enchilada Sauce and 1-cup cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes.
While Enchilada Stacks bake, prepare eggs as desired (for poached eggs, click here). When Enchilada Stacks are ready, place one stack on each plate and top with an egg. Serve immediately.

Cooking know-how: Use leftover shredded cooked chicken, chorizo, ground turkey or beef in between layers.

30-Minute Pasta, Chorizo and Black Bean Skillet Dinner

prep: 10 minutes
cook: 20 minutes
serves: 6 to 8

you’ll need…
7.5 ounces Mexican chorizo, casing removed and cut into ½” pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
12 ounces angel hair pasta (fideos) nests, or thin spaghetti broken in half
1½ cup diced onion (about 1 medium onion, peeled, in ¼” dice)
4 cloves fresh garlic, pressed or chopped finely
1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or your favorite beans
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes (undrained)
3 cups chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 cup frozen peas, or your favorite frozen vegetable
1 cup Queso Fresco, or your favorite cheese
salt and pepper to taste

let’s get to it…
Heat a large 12-inch skillet on medium high for 1 minute. Add the chorizo and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often; remove chorizo from skillet and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.
Add angel hair pasta and sauté in the chorizo fat for 2 to 3 minutes or until pasta begins to get toasted and turn golden yellow. (Add oil to pan if needed to sauté pasta.)
Remove pasta from skillet and set aside with chorizo.
Sauté onions and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes or until soft. Add beans, tomatoes, chicken stock or broth and oregano. Return the chorizo and pasta to the skillet.
Reduce heat to simmer, cover skillet and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until liquid is absorbed and pasta is cooked. Season with salt to taste.
Remove from heat and top with peas and cheese. Cover and let rest 1 to 2 minutes before serving.