Stuart's Pico

6 tomatoes
2 med. onions
~10 tomatillos
1/2 a bunch of cilantro
salt
pepper
lime juice
lemon juice

Dice and mix all vegetables.
Finely chop cilantro
Add lime and lemon juice to taste along with salt and pepper
For some heat and a nice flavour add a couple of jalapeños

Black Beans

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it.
Add beans, tomato juice, and salt.
Continually stir until heated through.
Just before serving, stir in the cilantro.

(**NOTE** you can add a can of corn, drained, to the beans with a dash of cumin and chili powder.)

Bajio Sweet rice

1/2-1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 of a white onion, chopped (add more or less to your taste or use green onion)
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1 1/3 cups raw white rice
3 cups chicken broth
1/4-1/2 cup white sugar

Directions

Put a little oil in bottom of pan (maybe about 1/2-1 tablespoon).

Saute chopped onion until translucent. Add the chopped cilantro (no big stems) and saute a minute more.

Add the rice, cooking until it is light brown (being careful not to burn).

Combine the chicken broth and sugar, letting sugar dissolve. Then stir into rice until combined. Bring to a boil.

Cover and let cook on low, med-low until rice is done, about 25-30 minutes.

Fluff with a fork before serving.

Skillet Enchiladas

These are easy and delicious.

You need:
1lb of meat - ground beef or chicken
Diced onion

1/2 cup of milk
1 10oz can of enchilada sauce - green or red, either is fine
1 can cream of mushroom soup undiluted
flour toritillas
grated cheese

2 tblsp diced green chili

Heat skillet and brown meat and onion.
Add enchilada sauce, soup, milk and chilis
Bring to a boil. 
Turn down. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Fill tortillas with cheese and roll up.
Bury in soupy sauce mixture.
Cover with cheese.

Cover and heat for 5 minutes or so until cheese is melty.

Serve with salsa and sour cream.

*You can use less meat and add some black beans to it instead. Whatever you fancy.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas:

This is a recipe Stuart makes when we're having people over. They always ask for the recipe and I never get around to giving it to them... Today is your lucky day.

Indgredients:
12 flour or corn tortillas
¼ cup chopped onion
4 cups sour cream
1 tsp. garlic powder
2-3 cups cooked chicken, cut up
1tbs or more chili powder
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2-3 cups grated cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 large can refried beans
1 small can green chilies

In a large bowl, mix together chicken, sour cream, soups, chilies, onions, garlic powder, and chili powder.
Add 1 ½ cups grated cheese.
Mix.
Down the center of each tortilla, spread a line of refried beans, then a line of sour cream mixture.
Fold ends to middle and roll up.
Place seam side down in a 13x9” pan.
Continue with all tortillas.
Then spread remaining sour cream mixture on top.
Sprinkle remaining cheese over all.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Spanish Style Beef and Rice

I didn't have green pepper (that's a first), so I used red instead.
From Rachael Ray

I've taken this to pot lucks and gotten rave reviews.

2 cups beef stock
1 3/4 cups water
1 T butter
2 cups white enriched rice
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb ground sirloin
Salt and pepper
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley


Heat beef stock, water and butter to a full boil. Add rice, reduce heat and cover pot. Cook 20 minutes, until tender and liquids are absorbed. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, 2 or 3 minutes. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, Worcestershire. Cook together 5 to 7 minutes, until veg are just tender. Add tomato sauce, cloves, cumin and parsley. Bring mixture up to a bubble and reduce heat to low. Combine cooked rice with meat mixture and serve.

This recipe is very versatile, you can even use it to stuff peppers.

Guacamole

The following recipe is taken from the Rick Bayless cookbook, Authentic Mexican. This man is a genius! He's been on Iron Chef, has a plethora of books and has even hosted his own show on PBS. After you make this guacamole, you'll never buy any from the dairy section again.


1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno or 2 serrano peppers, stemmed seeded and finely chopped
1 ripe, medium large tomato, cored and very finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and very finely chopped
10 sprigs of fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
3 ripe, medium avocados
salt, about 1/2 teaspoon
1/2 lime, juiced

1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the finely chopped onion with the peppers with the tomato, garlic and coriander.

2. Close to the time you are going to serve, halve the avocados lengthwise from cutting from the stem to the flower ends, around the pits. Twist the avocado in opposite directions to loosen the meat from the pits, then scoop out the pits then reserve.

3. Using your hand or a spoon, roughly mash the avocado while mixing in the other ingredients , making a course, thick mass. Flavor with salt, then enough lime juice to add a little zing, if you wish. Return the pits to the guacamole and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap pressed directly ont0 the surface of the mixture. Set aside for a few minutes to let the flavors blend.

Returning the pits to the guacamole with help slow down the browning -- if it lasts that long.

4. The guacamole is very attractive in a pottery bowl or Mexican mortar, sprinkled with chopped onion, coriander, radish slices and crumbled fresh cheese; radish roses really dress it up.