Recipe

Name: Orejas
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 9 min
Total time: 1 h 4 min
Yield: 15-16 cookies
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 sheet Pepperidge Farm puff pastry, defrosted; ½ cup Zulka morena granulated cane sugar; ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Easter egg gelatinas

4 · Apr 1, 2015 · 1 Comment

This post is part of a compensated campaign with Nestlé El Mejor Nido. All opinions and the recipe here are my own.

Gelatinas are a popular dessert throughout Mexico and come in many unique flavors and shapes.

Of course, no holiday celebration is complete without one of your tías bringing her fanciest gelatina, right? My favorite kind of are the ones with colorful layers!

I was making a list of Easter dessert ideas the other day to bring to my aunt’s house for our family’s celebration and I decided to check out ElMejorNido.com for some inspiration. I love that I can save, organize and rate recipes, as well as make shopping lists and get recipes and special offers delivered my inbox every month. I came across some great ideas and recipes for making gelatinas that sparked a memory….

Queso fundido potato skins

2 · Mar 13, 2015 · 3 Comments

This post is part of a compensated campaign with Farmland® and Latina Bloggers Connect. All opinions and the recipe here are my own.

Queso fundido potato skins are a sinful snack perfect for any party or game day. Or even a random Saturday when you just want a savory, meaty, cheesy snack.

I usually serve queso fundido with tortillas (mostly corn tortillas, but sometimes flour) or hearty tortilla chips. But I’ve had a penchant lately to meld together my Mexican favorites with my American favorites, which is what prompted me to create these queso fundido potato skins.

RELATED RECIPE: Queso fundido with chorizo

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Mexican snacks for Super Bowl Sunday

32 · Jan 30, 2015 · 1 Comment

Super Bowl Sunday is upon us, and whether you’re throwing your own fiesta or heading to someone else’s, you probably need to make at least one dish to share with everyone! Why not feed your family and friends with an assortment of Mexican snacks?

Here’s my list of Super Bowl-approved snacks, dishes and drinks — easy Mexican recipes that can either be prepared a day ahead of time or quickly before you plan watch the big game.

Quick and easy Mexican recipes perfect for your Super Bowl party! Get all the recipes on theothersideofthetortilla.com

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BLT guacamole

2 · Jan 20, 2015 · 5 Comments

This post is part of a compensated campaign with Farmland® and Latina Bloggers Connect. All opinions and the recipe here are my own.

BLT guacamole is a mashup of two of my favorite things: A classic bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich and avocado. Whenever I make a BLT sandwich, I usually like to add a little sliced avocado and some homemade chipotle mayo.

This recipe is a lot like a BLT — the only thing missing is the bread. (Although you could eat this guacamole on toast as an open-faced sandwich, too.)

RELATED TIP: How to keep guacamole fresh and green…

How to make chipotle mayo

15 · Jan 19, 2015 · 2 Comments

Chipotle mayo is a condiment that you can easily make at home — so you can make it as mild or as spicy as you want! You probably already have all the ingredients at home, too.

Some condiments that are commonplace in Mexico, such as chipotle mayo, can be tough to find in mainstream grocery stores in the United States. Although I’ve always lived in cities where I had access to a Mexican grocery store, not all of them carry the brands I like, so I began making my own at home because I always have the ingredients handy anyhow. And considering it takes less than 10 minutes to whip up, I love that I can adjust how spicy it is with ease depending on my mood or what I plan to spread my chipotle mayo on….

Roasted jalapeño hummus

3 · Jan 12, 2015 · 1 Comment

This post is part of a compensated campaign with McCormick Spices. All opinions and the recipe here are my own.

Roasted jalapeño hummus is a quick, easy, healthy snack you can make at home in about 15 minutes.

While this might look like any old regular hummus, the roasted jalapeño, garlic and cumin give it a mellowed, spicy kick for a different flavor than traditional, plain hummus. This anything-but-typical dip is great served with pita bread, pita chips, or tortilla. chips. And in 2015, this snack — which is a fusion of Middle Eastern and Mexican flavors — is actually trendy! Middle Eastern dips and spreads are one of the global food trends in this year’s Flavor Forecast from McCormick Spices.

It’s quite easy to work most of these trends into your daily cooking routines, but I challenge you to try to incorporate at least one trend per week. Chances are, if you’re a Mexican food enthusiast, you may already be cooking according to some of these trends — in which case, congratulations for being accidentally cool!

Check out the full McCormick Flavor Forecast 2015 and get inspired to get cooking with recipe suggestions galore.

There are eight flavor trends to watch in the 15th annual McCormick Flavor Forecast, and here, I’m sharing my five favorites and how you can apply them with Mexican cuisine in your own kitchen.

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Cotija and chile-spiced palomitas

4 · Dec 19, 2014 · 2 Comments

You can’t have a family movie night without a great snack! I love making up my own popcorn flavors, so this cheesy chile-spiced palomitas recipe is just what I want for a night in with the family and my Netflix account.

popcorn with lime, chile powder and cotija cheese

When I got an air popper several years ago, I stopped buying microwave popcorn. The beauty of freshly popped popcorn made with an air popper is that you can make as little (or as much) as you want, and you can dress it up differently each time you make popcorn! And you’re not getting any chemical additives either, so you won’t feel unhealthy eating it. If you don’t have an air popper, you can also easily make the popcorn on the stovetop without any oil.

RELATED: Mexican snacks for a crowd

I love to mix and match flavors all the time, but one of my favorite combinations is melted butter, chile powder, queso cotija and a little squeeze of fresh lime juice. Sometimes, I substitute the chile powder for a liquid hot sauce such as salsa Búfalo or Tapatío. If I’m feeling like something really spicy, I might even use a habanero salsa!

RELATED: Roasted chickpeas with Tajín

Ingredients to make Mexican-style cotija and chile-spiced popcorn

The wonderful thing about this recipe is that since the queso cotija is already salty, you really don’t need to add any extra salt. If you do like your popcorn pretty salty, though, I recommend swapping the unsalted butter for salted before you go sprinkling any more salt on the popcorn.

I love to munch on these spicy and tangy palomitas while watching all kinds of different movies, from classic cine mexicano to 80s movies to animated flicks with the younger members of my family.

RELATED: A guide to Mexican limes

Cotija and chile-spiced palomitas

Author: Maura Wall Hernandez
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2–4 servings 1x
Category: snacks
Cuisine: Mexican

Print Recipe

Description

Turn a street food favorite into a family movie night snack! Make your popcorn spicy and tangy with grated queso cotija, chile powder, melted butter and a little squeeze of lime juice!

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 cup popcorn kernels, popped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup Cacique queso cotija, grated
Chile quebrado, Tajín or your choice of chile powder, to taste
Optional: A squeeze of fresh key lime juice

Instructions

In an air popper, pop 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels into a large bowl and set aside. (See notes below if you do not have an air popper.)
Grate 1/4 cup queso cotija with a medium-grain cheese grater.
Combine queso cotija and chile quebrado or chile powder in a small dish.
Melt butter in a microwave-safe dish at 15-second intervals, then pour over popcorn in the large bowl.
Sprinkle the mixture of queso cotija and chile powder over the buttered popcorn and toss well, using a large spoon.
Optional: To add a bright, citrusy flavor, squeeze 1-2 key limes over the top of the dressed popcorn and toss to incorporate.

Notes

If you can’t find key limes (the tiny kind), you can substitute with the juice of 1/4 of a large lime.

If you don’t have an air popper, you can make the popcorn on the stovetop without any oil. You’ll need a deep pot with a lid. Pour the popcorn kernels in the bottom of the pot and heat over medium heat, gently shaking the pot every 30 seconds until the popcorn begins to pop. It will take around 4-5 minutes before the popcorn starts popping. Once it does, gently shake at 10 second intervals until the popping slows down. Remove from heat, shake a little bit more, then allow to sit for about 1 minute before you remove the lid. Most of the popcorn should be popped, with very few kernels left.

Huevos al albañil

33 · Dec 19, 2014 · 3 Comments

This post is part of a compensated campaign with BUSH’S Cocina LatinaTM and Latina Bloggers Connect but all opinions and the recipe here are my own.

Holiday vacation is my favorite time of year because it means I have time to make a special breakfast every day! This version of huevos al albañil, also known as bricklayer’s eggs, is a popular breakfast dish in Mexico.

The key to what makes huevos al albañil different from other egg dishes is that the eggs are scrambled and mixed with salsa, and cooked together so the salsa fuses with the eggs. They shouldn’t be too soupy when cooked; just wet enough that the salsa keeps everything moist. Whether you prefer to use salsa verde or salsa roja is up to you! The dish is served layered from the bottom up with a fried tortilla, beans, a scrambled egg and salsa mixture and then toppings such as crema mexicana and queso cotija, if desired.

RELATED RECIPE: Trenza de huevo con chorizo…

Roasted chickpeas with tajin

40 · Nov 28, 2014 · 1 Comment

Roasted chickpeas (also known in Spanish as garbanzos) with Tajín, lime juice and cumin is an easy, healthy snack that’s also naturally gluten-free and vegan-friendly.

A roasted chickpea recipe made with safflower or grapeseed oil, lime juice, tajín and ground cumin. Gluten-free and vegan-friendly! Get the full recipe on theothersideofthetortilla.com.

I prefer to use safflower or grapeseed oil, which are great for cooking with high heat, but you can also substitute canola oil if that’s all you have handy. Just keep an eye on the chickpeas as they roast. Canola oil has a lower smoking point than grapeseed or safflower oil at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, so you should reduce the heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit if using canola oil, and extend the baking time by about 5-10 minutes or until the chickpeas are sufficiently browned and crunchy.

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Chile-spiced hot apple cider brandy cocktail

9 · Nov 25, 2014 · 1 Comment

Growing up in the Midwest, I went apple picking every fall and loved to drink mulled hot apple cider. Although apple cider the way I grew up drinking it is really not consumed in Mexico, I came up with this recipe with the traditional American apple cider in mind; it’s made with apples that are easily found in Mexico along with Mexican cinnamon sticks, chile puya for a little kick, and sweetened with piloncillo — all ingredients that are muy mexicano.

Chile puya brings an earthy, fruity, moderate heat to this mulled hot apple cider that can be served with a splash of brandy on cold winter nights. It’s the perfect warm cocktail to serve during the holidays as well!

Chile puya looks just like a smaller version of chile guajillo, both in color and shape, but is spicier. If you can’t find chile puya, or want a milder spice, you can substitute a guajillo chile in this recipe. I advise that you start out with one chile and work your way up if you think it needs to be spicier. Either way, be sure to remove the seeds and veins inside the chiles….

Crema de elote

82 · Nov 24, 2014 · 4 Comments

Crema de elote, also sometimes known as crema de maíz, is a cream of corn soup commonly served in Mexico. This version is garnished with roasted corn, diced poblano chile, cotija cheese and crema Mexicana.

This post is part of a compensated campaign with Maseca, but all opinions and the recipe are my own.

Crema de elote is a hearty soup that can serve as a meal on its own, or can be divided into four portions for an appetizer or small first course. This soup is thickened with whole milk and Maseca instant corn flour.

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Frijol con puerco

10 · Nov 22, 2014 · 2 Comments

Frijol con puerco is a popular dish from the Yucatán area of Mexico and is considered a guiso, or stew.

This post is part of a compensated campaign with the National Pork Board but all opinions and the recipe here are my own.

I like to use boneless country-style ribs for this dish, as they typically are very meaty and juicy. This cut comes from the sirloin or rib-end of the pork loin.

Traditionally, this dish was sometimes also made with the tail and ear as well. However, in modern times, it’s become more common to see the dish made without it. This recipe was originally taught to me by a family friend in 2009 and I’ve since adapted it to my own style.

RELATED RECIPE: Slow-cooker cochinita pibil
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Pellizcadas

47 · Nov 21, 2014 · 3 Comments

This post is part of a compensated campaign with Maseca, but all opinions and the recipe here are my own.

Pellizcadas are the perfect appetizer for those who love sopes, but want something a little smaller to snack on.

Pellizcadas can be eaten alone, as an appetizer, or along with a meal such as lunch. In Veracruz, where part of our family is from, it’s common for pellizcadas to be served with small pieces of crushed chicharron and topped with salsa. In other parts of the country, there are many variations when it comes to the toppings. This particular variation is similar to one I’ve eaten in Acapulco, where this dish is sometimes referred to as pellizcadas acapulqueñas….

Atole de calabaza

39 · Nov 16, 2014 · 1 Comment

Atole de calabaza is a masa-based beverage made with milk, and served hot. This pumpkin-flavored version tastes similar to pumpkin pie and is perfect for serving around the holidays.

Although vanilla atole, chocolate (called champurrado) and strawberry atole are the most common flavors, there are many other common flavors such as pumpkin, as well as modern, non-traditional flavors. I love to serve this pumpkin atole with conchas or orejas (types of pan dulce).

How to make Mexican atole de calabaza. Recipe via theothersideofthetortilla.com.

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How to make orejas

830 · Nov 4, 2014 · 11 Comments

Orejas, also known as palmiers, are a puff pastry cookie and kind of pan dulce commonly found in panaderías all over Mexico.

Pan dulce was made popular during the French occupation in the mid 1800s, and as Mexican President Porfirio Díaz was considered to be a Francophile, French influence on Mexico’s gastronomy was allowed to grow from the time Díaz first took control as president in 1880 and flourish into the early 1900s.

In 1911, Díaz left Mexico to live in exile in Paris when Madero became president; he would live there for four years before he died in 1915. And although Díaz died in exile, the French pastries and sweet breads adopted by Mexico morphed into uniquely Mexican creations, with a variety of shapes, textures and creative names that still exist today.

RELATED RECIPE: Cafe de olla

Pan dulce can encompass pastries, sweet breads and even cookies. Other popular kinds of pan dulce include conchas (circular sweet rolls with a sugary, crunchy, crumbly topping made of flour, confectioners’ sugar and butter or vegetable shortening, and shaped to resemble a seashell), sweet empanadas, mantecadas (similar to pound cake, and shaped like muffins or mini loaves), cuernitos (croissants), and puerquitos or marranitos (pig-shaped cookies). Of course, these are only a few of the most popular and common kinds of pan dulce. Some types have a directly translated name from the original French name, but others have more creative names in Spanish.

Orejas are a staple at my house and I often make a batch to enjoy with a cup of coffee throughout the week, to take to work for a breakfast meeting, or when I need to drop off something easy for a bake sale or party. Some of my other favorite variations include churros, garibaldi, and rieles (mini strudels with a fruit or cheese filling and coarse-grain sanding sugar).

RELATED RECIPE: Atole de vainilla

Orejas are made by spreading cinnamon sugar on both sides of a sheet of puff pastry, then rolling the puff pastry with a rolling pin to press the cinnamon sugar into the pastry. Then, the pastry is folded and sliced, and baked at a high temperature so the sugar caramelizes and creates a sort of glassy sugar glaze on the pastry dough.

Although every Mexican panadería is a little different, it’s guaranteed you’ll always find orejas. But you’ll feel like a fancy pastry chef and a little bit like a rock star when you make them on your own—and you’re likely to impress people who have no idea how easy they are to make!

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