MONDAY NIGHT MENUS - MAKING COOKING HEALTHY AT HOME EASIER - SERVING A MEXICAN DINNER

A GREAT MEXICAN FEAST
(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)




On Mondays I try to post easy-to-pull-together meal menus that are festive enough for entertaining, but simple enough to be a regular weeknight meal for the family. 
You can add your own personal flare to these ideas, but the basic organization will get you started down your own path. 
It is great to have a bunch of "go-to" tried and true menus for impromptu occasions.  This is one of the menus I've used a lot over the years.  It is simple, easy, inexpensive, tasty and very festive!

  So; get started!  Pull out the chips.  Melt some cheese and mix up a large picture of cold margaritas to go with these recipes.  

Soon you will be enjoying a  Mexican feast!

MENU:

MEXICAN FRUIT SALAD WITH HONEY LIME DRESSING

TACO PIE

BLACK BEAN AND RICE CASSEROLE

SALSA AND CHIPS

FAKE FRIED ICE CREAM

RECIPES:

MEXICAN FRUIT SALAD WITH HONEY LIME DRESSING

Ingredients:

1 cup cantaloupe chunks

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup kiwifruit

Red or Green Grapes

1 cup pineapple chunks

1 tablespoon orange zest

½ cup fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup honey

¼ cup fresh lime juice

Directions:

In a large clear bowl, combine 1 cup each: cantaloupe chunks, blueberries, kiwifruit slices, pineapple chunks and red or green grapes. Stir in 1 tablespoon orange zest, ½ cup fresh orange juice and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Whisk together with 1/3 cup honey and ¼ cup fresh lime juice; pour over salad and toss to blend. Serve in pretty stemmed dessert glasses, or side bowls. 

TACO PIE
Ingredients:
Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls
Taco seasoning mix 
Salsa

Corn chips 

1 lb. ground beef 
½ cup chopped onion

Shredded lettuce

Tomato, chopped

Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (4oz.)

sour cream, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a pie shell with the triangles from 8 Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls.  Brown onions in a skillet.  Brown the humburger in the onion.  Mix onions and hamburger together and add taco mix to them in the skillet.  Crumble corn ships and put them in the bottom of the pie shell.  Pour hamburger and onion mix over the corn chips.  Pour salsa over this mixture.  Sprinkle the top generously with shredded cheese, any flavor you prefer.  Bake uncovered for 30 - 35 minutes.  Let cool for five minutes.  Top with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream and a little un-melted cheese.  Cut into slices and serve with sour cream on the side.

BLACK BEANS AND RICE CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

(1-15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed

1 small jar of salsa

1 teaspoon chili powder

½  teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 zucchini, chopped

1 can white shoe peg corn kernels

1 cup green or red peppers chopped

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 small can green chilies

1 cups brown rice, cooked

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large pan over medium heat, cook beans and salsa for five minutes.  Stir in spices.  Add all of the vegetables to the mixture and cook for an additional five minutes, until veggies soften slightly.  Mix in the cooked brown rice.  Place mixture in a large casserole dish, sprinkle with cheese.  Bake for about 20 minutes.  Crunch up some tortilla chips in the bottom of a clear or decorative bowl and pour the casserole mixture over the chips while hot.  Line the sides of bowl with whole chips and garnish the top with slices of avocado and olives.  Serve with sour cream on the side. 

  

FAKE FRIED ICE CREAM 

(Fried ice cream with no frying involved.  Just like what they serve in some Mexican restaurants.)

Ingredients

1 (18oz.) box corn flake cereal
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

 vanilla ice cream
Any Favorite Toppings

Directions::

Shape ice cream into 3 inch balls and place in a muffin tin to freeze very hard.  Place cereal in a food processor and process until finely crushed (or place cereal in batches in sealable plastic bags and crush with rolling pin). Place crushed cereal in a large mixing bowl and mix in melted butter. Stir in sugar and cinnamon until well blended.  Roll frozen ice cream balls in the crunchy mixture, pressing down to make it all stick and stay on the ice cream.  Place in a pretty serving dish, drizzle with caramel or chocolate, add a dollop of whipped cream if desired, place a cherry on top and serve immediately.