Crispy Smashed Potato Pancakes with Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, Bacon and Eggs

Crispy Smashed Potato Pancakes with Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, Bacon and Eggs

Avocado Bacon Breakfast Egg Food Main Course Mexican Recipe Texmex

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Tomorrow is Cinco de May and these crispy smashed potato pancakes with guacamole, pico de gallo, bacon and eggs are a great way to kick off the celebrations! The idea here is that you take some cooked potatoes and smash them down into pancake like discs, brush them with oil and bake them until the are nice and golden brown, crispy and all sorts of good! I give them a "Mexican" kick by topping them with plenty of melted cheddar cheese, guacamole, crispy bacon, a fried egg with a runny yolk and finally a fresh tomato salsa, aka pico de gallo! There are just so many amazing flavours going on in these crispy smashed potato pancakes with guacamole, pico de gallo, bacon and eggs which are great for breakfast lunch or dinner!

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Creamy Avocado Zucchini Noodle Pasta with Taco Lime Grilled Shrimp

Creamy Avocado Zucchini Noodle Pasta with Taco Lime Grilled Shrimp

Avocado Food Gluten-free Main Course Mexican Recipe Seafood Shrimp Texmex

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Up first for this years menu of new recipes for Cinco de Mayo is a light, healthy and oh so tasty creamy avocado zucchini noodle pasta with taco lime grilled shrimp. This dish starts with a creamy avocado sauce with roasted tomatillos and a touch of spicy heat from a jalapeno chili pepper. Up next is the star of the show, some simple, finger licking good, taco lime grilled shrimp! The shrimp is marinated in a mixture of lime juice and a home made taco seasoning before being skewered up and grilled to perfection. Up next are some cherry tomatoes that are roasted until they are charred and tender but still burst in your mouth juicy! Everything is tossed with some light and healthy zucchini noodles, though this would also be amazing with regular spaghetti noodles! This creamy avocado zucchini noodle pasta with taco lime grilled shrimp is nice and light and healthy in addition to being sensationally good and it's bound to be the star of your Cinco de Mayo menu, though there's no reason to wait arourd for Cinco de Mayo to enjoy it!

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Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros

Breakfast Egg Food Mexican Recipe Vegetarian

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Huevos rancheros, or ranch style eggs, are a great way to use up leftover tortillas, refried beans and salsa, or as the case is more often for me, the perfect excuse to make some. Huevos rancheros typically consist of crispy fried tortillas topped with refried beans, salsa ranchera and a nice fried egg with a runny egg yolk! If you are using all homemade ingredients then huevos rancheros are a pretty healthy breakfast in addition to being tasty, fulfilling and easy to make! You can of course jazz things up a bit by adding extras like avocado, sour cream, cheese, etc. No matter how you serve them, these huevos rancheros are a great way to start off your Cinco de Mayo celebrations, or any day for that matter!

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Salsa Ranchera

Salsa Ranchera

Condiment Food Gluten-free Mexican Recipe Salsa Vegetable Vegetarian

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Cinco de Mayo is quickly approaching and I have been thinking about recipes for it starting with this classic one for a salsa ranchera. Salsa ranchera, or ranch style salsa, is a salsa that is made with a base of roasted tomatoes and chilies that is typically served warm and it has a thick soup like consistency. Of course this recipe is best when made with perfectly ripened field tomatoes but for the rest of the year canned tomatoes, especially fire roasted canned tomatoes, work just as well! This salsa is so easy to make that you will never go back to store bought salsas. It's perfect for dipping with tortilla chips and used in other recipes! (For some ideas, look below the recipe!)

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Thai Peanut Chicken Avocado Burritos

Thai Peanut Chicken Avocado Burritos

20 Minute Meals 30 Minute Meals Avocado Chicken Food Gluten-free Low-carb Main Course Mexican Recipe Texmex Thai

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After teasing you a while ago with photos of these tasty Thai style peanut chicken and avocado burritos on Instagram, I finally bring you the recipe and it was well worth the wait! (I often post previews of upcoming recipes on Instagram so follow Closet Cooking on Instagram to see what's coming!) These burritos were inspired by the thai peanut chicken saute that I made recently and I could not help but think that succulent chicken would be simply divine in grilled burritos along with cool and creamy avocados and of course the tasty spicy Thai peanut sauce not to mention plenty of ooey gooey melted cheese! Oh my! If you are starting off with already cooked chicken and you have the peanut sauce made (or store bought) then these burritos come together in no time flat making for quick and easy meals or even midnight snacks! :) I hope that you enjoy these peanut chicken and avocado burritos as much as I do; my only recommendation would be to make a double batch because if you are like me you will practically inhale them!

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Chicken Fajita Pasta

Chicken Fajita Pasta

30 Minute Meals Chicken Food Gluten-free Mexican Pasta Recipe Texmex

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Chicken fajitas are one of my favourite meals and I often like to use the same flavours in a hearty and tasty chicken fajita pasta. This pasta starts out with some chicken that is tossed in taco seasoning (I like homemade for tons of flavour) followed by plenty of onions and peppers! Once the chicken and veggies are ready there is some broth to form the base of the sauce along with some diced tomatoes (fire roasted are great here) and I like to add some sour cream to things nice and creamy. All that's left is to mix in the pasta and serve topped with your favourite chicken fajita fillings like cheese and sour cream!

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Enchilada Sauce

Enchilada Sauce

Food Gluten-free Low-carb Mexican Recipe Salsa Sauce Texmex Vegetarian

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I use enchilada sauce in a lot of different recipes and instead of buying those expensive cans I like to make my own! Not only is it cheaper to make your own, it's also super easy to make and you know exactly what's in it! I start out with some seasonings including onions, garlic, cumin and oregano and then I add some heat with smokey chipotle chilli peppers and the base of the sauce is a can of diced tomatoes. After seasoning with salt and pepper and pureeing in a food processor you can simmer it a bit to reduce it and thicken it to the desired consistency. All said and done you can make this tasty and healthy enchilada sauce with commonly stocked pantry ingredients in less than 20 minutes; once you try it you'll never go back to those store bought cans!

See below for some tasty recipe ideas that use this enchilada sauce!

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Chicken Enchilada Chilaquiles

Chicken Enchilada Chilaquiles

20 Minute Meals 30 Minute Meals Avocado Breakfast Egg Food Gluten-free Main Course Mexican Recipe Texmex

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It's time for another quick and easy chicken dinner, chicken enchilada chilaquiles! Chilaquiles is a Mexican dish where tortillas are fried until golden brown and crispy before being tossed in salsa and cooked until they start to soften and optionally topped with things like cheese and crema. I like to kick chilaquiles up a notch, making them even more hearty, with the flavours of chicken enchiladas, starting with an enchilada sauce, as the salsa, to which I add shredded chicken, corn and black beans. From there I top the chicken enchilada chilaquiles with onions, cheese, crema, avocado, cilantro and even a fried egg! Of course you can top these chicken enchilada chilaquiles with your favourite chicken enchilada toppings and I won't tell anyone if you enjoy them for breakfast, dinner or even a late night snack!

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Mushroom Quesadillas with Chipotle Crema

Mushroom Quesadillas with Chipotle Crema

30 Minute Meals Appetizer Food Gluten-free Main Course Mexican Mushroom Quesadilla Recipe Texmex Vegetarian

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Today, October 15, is National Mushroom day and do I ever have a tasty mushroom recipe for you today! Mushroom quesadillas with chipotle crema! These mushroom quesadillas are super easy to make where you pretty much just saute the mushrooms with some onion, place them in tortillas, along with plenty of cheese and then fry them until the tortillas are lightly golden brown and crispy and the cheese has melted! I always like for there to be a source of spicy heat with my quesadillas so I serve there mushroom quesadillas with a smokey chipotle crema that you can either drizzle on or serve it on the side for dipping!

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Texmex Grilled Chicken Salad in Creamy Avocado Salsa Verde Dressing

Texmex Grilled Chicken Salad in Creamy Avocado Salsa Verde Dressing

Avocado Bacon Chicken Food Gluten-free Main Course Mexican Recipe Salad Texmex

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Summer's not over yet and there is plenty of time for another salad like this texmex grilled chicken salad in creamy avocado salsa verde dressing! This salad is a texmex themed salad with taco lime grilled chicken, grilled corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado and bacon in a creamy avocado salsa verde dressing! This salad does not take much time to make, you just need to grill the chicken, cook the bacon, assemble the salad and toss it in a dressing and if you grill the chicken and cook the bacon ahead of time it gets even easier! There are so many amazing flavours packed into this salad that work so well together and it is definitely calling my name! This texmex grilled chicken salad in creamy avocado salsa verde dressing is the perfect way to enjoy the last days of summer!

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Creamy Avocado Salsa Verde Dressing

Creamy Avocado Salsa Verde Dressing

Avocado Dressing Food Gluten-free Mexican Recipe Texmex

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Up next is a quick and easy creamy avocado salsa verde dressing that is perfect for any salad and in particular texmex and mexican themed salads. This dressing could not be easier to make, you simply mix some mashed avocado with some salsa verde and buttermilk. The avocado provides and buttermilk provide the creaminess and the salsa verde provides the flavour! I like to use a nice freshly homemade batch of salsa verde to maximize flavour but store bought works as well. Trust me this dressing is amazing on salads despite the fact that you will be tempted to drink it all up before it makes it to the salad!

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Taco Lime Grilled Chicken

Taco Lime Grilled Chicken

6 Ingredients Chicken Food Gluten-free Grill Main Course Mexican Recipe Texmex

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While it's still warm enough to do some grilling I got out and did some to make this taco lime grilled chicken using my homemade taco seasoning! This taco lime grilled chicken is super easy to make, you just marinate the chicken in the taco seasoning and some lime juice, grill it and you are good to go! You can serve these tasty chicken breasts as is or slice them up and use them in anything from tacos, to burritos, quesadillas, etc. I like to make larger batches so that I have leftovers to use in other recipes requiring grilled chicken. This taco lime grilled chicken is one tasty way to enjoy some of the dwindling summer grilling days!

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Taco Seasoning

Taco Seasoning

Food Gluten-free Low-carb Mexican Recipe Spice Blend Texmex Vegetarian

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Taco night was always one of my favourites when I was growing up and the key to good tacos is a tasty taco seasoning. Back then taco night was always from a box or a package and although I remember those meals fondly when I take a look at the ingredients and see things that I do not recognize and can't really pronounce I just have to make my own. Homemade taco seasoning is actually really easy to make and you can control the amount of each ingredient so if you like things spicy you can increase the chili pepper powder and it you want to reduce the sodium you can easily cut back on the salt etc. This homemade taco seasoning consists of chili powder (ground chilies), cumin, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and cayenne. This recipe makes enough for one taco night dinner with one pound of ground meat but feel free to make a much larger batch so that you have some on hand and you don't have to make it every taco night. Once you try this homemade taco seasoning you will never go back to the store bought packaged stuff!

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Mexican Street Corn Nachos

Mexican Street Corn Nachos

Appetizer Food Gluten-free Mexican Recipe Texmex Vegetarian

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With the new football season starting we're going to need some new snacking ideas and I have one for you right now, some Mexican street corn nachos! I am a big fan of the Mexican street corn (elote) style flavours which vary but the flavour combo that I like is with butter, mayo, crumbled cotija (or feta), cilantro, chili powder and lime juice which goes so well with sweet juicy corn! When I came across the idea of Mexican street corn nachos on Simply Recipes I just had to try it! Normally when I make nachos I load them up with ingredients, sprinkle on plenty of cheese and then throw it into the oven to melt the cheese but this recipe calls for a cheese sauce which is always a nice alternative especially when it's a creamy Monterey Jack cheese sauce! Other than the addition of the tortilla chips and cheese sauce these nachos have all of the ingredients of Mexican street corn and when in nacho form they are perfect for snacking on while watching the game!

Check out below the recipe for links to other recipes that use this amazing flavour combo!

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Chicken and Avocado Burritos

Chicken and Avocado Burritos

20 Minute Meals 30 Minute Meals Avocado Chicken Food Gluten-free Low-carb Main Course Mexican Recipe Texmex

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Today I have some tasty chicken and avocado burritos for you! They are so easy to make, you simply wrap the chicken, avocado, cheese, salsa verde, sour cream and cilantro up in a tortilla, grill it and enjoy! Just make sure to put the cheese on the top or bottom of the burrito so that is melts and gets all nice and ooey and gooey when it's grilled. Feel free to serve these burritos with extra salsa and sour cream for dipping! These burritos don't take long to make, they are nice and portable, filling and most importantly, packed full of flavour!

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Grilled Zucchini Nachos

Grilled Zucchini Nachos

Appetizer Avocado Food Gluten-free Main Course Mexican Recipe Texmex Vegetarian

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Zucchini season is definitely here! The stores are full of it and it 's pretty cheap so I picked up a lot of it with the plan to start off by making these grilled zucchini nachos! The idea is to slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch discs, grill them until just tender, but still crisp, and then to top them with a bunch of nacho toppings including plenty of melted cheese! As far as the toppings go I start out with some grilled corn off the cob, black beans, tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, avocado, cilantro and a finish of sour cream. With all of the fresh summer ingredients, these grilled zucchini nachos are pretty healthy in addition to being nice and tasty! One of the great things about these zucchini nachos is that you can top them with whatever you want so feel free to use your favourite nacho toppings! This years zucchini season is off to an amazing start with these grilled zucchini nachos which will quickly become a staple in my summer meal plans!

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Mexican Street Corn Style Grilled Zucchini

Mexican Street Corn Style Grilled Zucchini

Food Gluten-free Low-carb Mexican Recipe Side Dish Vegetable Vegetarian

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It's the middle of summer which means that zucchini is everywhere and I am always looking for tasty new ways to enjoy it! The other day I was thinking about one of my favourite summer foods, elote or Mexican street corn, which is corn on the cob that is slathered in butter and mayonnaise and sprinkled with cheese (cotija or queso freso or feta or parmesan, etc.), cayenne, lime juice and cilantro and that lead me to the notion of serving some grilled zucchini up with the same toppings! So the basic idea was to quarter some zucchini into sticks, grill it, toss it in a mixture of butter and mayo and the sprinkle on some cheese, cayenne, lime juice and cilantro! This Mexican street corn style grilled zucchini could not be easier to make and the flavour combo of the toppings is just as fabulous on grilled zucchini as it is on corn! What a great new way to enjoy some zucchini and it's the perfect side dish for any summer meal!

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BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas

BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas

Chicken Food Low-carb Mexican Quesadilla Recipe

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Pineapple was cheap the other week so I picked some up on a whim and although I was enjoying eating it as is, I couldn't help but think of using some of it in a recipe. For those of you that have been following for a while, you will not be surprised that one of my first ideas was using it in a grilled cheese sandwich, though as it happened I was out of bread but I did have some extra tortillas that needed using and so quesadillas it was! With all of the cold weather lately I have been dreaming about warmer days and the BBQ chicken and pineapple flavour combo was sounding really good for a cheesy quesadilla, along with some spicy jalapenos for extra heat of course. If it were warmer out I would fire up the grill, grill some chicken and slather it with BBQ sauce but since that was not viable I went with the simpler leftover shredded chicken option, which also happens to be much quicker to implement. I have to say that the combo of the sweet and spicy BBQ chicken and juicy and tangy pineapple was a fabulous one! The ooey gooey cheesy quesadillas were pretty amazing and certainly did remind me warmer days; a perfect way to enjoy that pineapple!

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Breakfast Queso Fundido

Breakfast Queso Fundido

Appetizer Breakfast Dip Egg Food Gluten-free Low-carb Mexican Pork Recipe

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While I was looking into queso fundido for my chorizo queso fundido I came across an idea that nearly floored me, a breakfast queso fundido! Yes, that's right, a hot melted cheese dip for breakfast! I hardly needed an excuse to make it! What makes this a breakfast queso fundido is that it is full of chorizo sausage and scrambled eggs which would make for a great breakfast all by themselves let alone in a hot melted cheese dip! In addition to the chorizo, scrambled eggs and cheese this queso fundido is filled out with some onions, garlic, tomato and a jalapeno for some extra heat! I have to admit that I was a little bit concerned about how scrambled eggs would work in a dip like this but they were a natural fit and they made for one amazingly tasty breakfast! This breakfast queso fundido would be the perfect way to start off the big game day right!

Let them have hot melted cheese dip for breakfast!

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Spicy Peanut Chicken Tacos

Spicy Peanut Chicken Tacos

20 Minute Meals 30 Minute Meals Avocado Chicken Food Gluten-free Main Course Mexican Recipe Taco Thai

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I am kind of obsessed with tacos and I am always experimenting with different ingredients in them so when I made the slow cooker shredded spicy peanut chicken for the spicy peanut chicken rice bowls I naturally though about using it in tacos. One of the great things about tacos is how flexible they are! At their base they are of course tortillas filled with things and I sometimes like to think of them as having a main ingredient such as a meat with one or more accompanying ingredients that are there complement and contrast the main filling. Up next is a salsa or a sauce and finally some herbs and maybe a splash of lime juice to finish things off. With the meat having already been chosen for these tacos as the slow cooker shredded spicy peanut chicken and the 'salsa' as the spicy peanut sauce that left the other accompanying ingredients. I was sure that creamy avocados would go perfectly with the spicy peanut sauce and chicken and that some sweet and tangy onions would complement them all nicely. These tacos would not be complete with some Thai inspired herbs including cilantro, basil and mint and a garnish of chopped peanuts and some extra heat from some birds eye chili were a must.

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