A South Of The Border Spice Blend Recipes

SOUTH OF THE BORDER CHICKEN CHILI

Steps:

• Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and bell pepper; cook and stir 5 minutes.
• Stir in Seasoning Mix, water, beans, tomatoes and corn. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Serve with desired toppings.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER SHRIMP AND GRITS

Steps:

• Combine evaporated milk, grits, chicken broth, and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add Cheddar cheese and stir until incorporated. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until crisp and browned, about 3 minutes per side. Drain bacon slices on paper towels and chop when cool enough to handle.
• Add bell peppers to the bacon grease. Add shrimp and taco seasoning. Cook and stir until peppers are heated through and shrimp are bright pink on the outside and the meat is opaque, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in chopped bacon.
• Place a dollop of grits in each bowl and top with shrimp mixture and hot sauce.

SOUTH-OF-THE-BORDER ESSENTIALS: SMOKY TACO DRY MIX

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. You will need a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid to store this seasoning. I find old spice jars serve that purpose quite well. Make sure that you wash them out really good, so that your new spice does not pick up the flavors of the old one.
• 3. This recipe will give you enough spice mix to flavor 1 pound of ground beef, turkey, chicken, or pork.
• 4. Ancho chili powder not only has a bit of heat; in addition, it has a bit of smoke. So, we are getting our smoky flavor from two sources: The chili powder, and the smoked paprika. In addition, I doubled down on the cumin, subbed the onion powder for crushed dehydrated onions, and used white pepper for some sweet, sweet heat.
• 5. Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• 6. Grind the dehydrated onions using a mortar-and-pestle, or spice grinder.
• 7. Add all of the spices to a bowl.
• 8. Combine the ingredients, and then store in a good jar with a tight-fitting lid. Then store as you would any other dry spices.
• 9. MAKING THE TACO MEAT
• 10. Take 1-pound of ground beef, chicken, pork, turkey, or any combination thereof, and brown in a skillet with a bit of grapeseed oil, or other non-flavored variety.
• 11. Add the taco spices along with 1 cup of beef stock, or water.
• 12. Slowly simmer until the liquid is reduced by 60 - 70 percent, about 12 - 15 minutes.
• 13. PLATE/PRESENT
• 14. Serve as you would any yummy taco meat, like on these melted cheese tacos. Enjoy.
• 15. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

SOUTH-OF-THE-BORDER ESSENTIALS: CHORIZO SPICE MIX

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. The proportions listed are enough to flavor 1 pound of pork, beef, or chicken.
• 3. What is Chorizo? A lot of sausages use the name chorizo, but the most well known (and can be found in well-stocked grocers around the country) are Spanish and Mexican. The Spanish variety uses diced pork and is cured for a long period of time. The Mexican version (the one we are making) uses ground meat and spices and is traditionally ready in about 3 days. This recipe creates awesome chorizo, and can be used right away.
• 4. Uses for Chorizo • Stirred in with scrambled eggs. • Sautéed up with potatoes and spices to make Mexican hash. • Used to make tacos, enchiladas, and queso dip. • Mixed in with a bowl of red beans and rice. • Add some to ground beef and make a Mexican meatloaf. The possibilities are endless... Have some fun with it.
• 5. Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• 6. Add all of the dry spices together.
• 7. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 pound of ground chicken, pork, or beef.
• 8. Add the ground spices, the baked garlic, and apple-cider vinegar, then mix together. I like to use my hands.
• 9. PLATE/PRESENT
• 10. Use immediately with your favorite Mexican recipes or freeze for later use. This is my version of a Mexican meatloaf. Enjoy.
• 11. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER CHOPPED SALAD

Steps:

• To make the salad, preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brush each tortilla with vegetable oil on both sides, then sprinkle with salt. Stack tortillas and cut into thin strips. Scatter strips on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, to make the vinaigrette, stir together the lime juice and spice mix; pour in olive oil and whisk to blend. Stir in green onions.
• To assemble the salad, put lettuce in a large bowl. Top with cooled tortilla strips, beans, cherry tomatoes, avocado, cheese, and cilantro. Add dressing and toss well.
• To make the spice mix, stir together salt and spices in a sealable plastic bag. Store up to 1 month.

A SOUTH OF THE BORDER SPICE BLEND

Steps:

• Place into a grinder, and blend for about 60 sec. Or you could just mix thoroughly with a spoon.
• Store in a plastic or glass container.
• Store in a cool place.