Every so often my body craves meat-free meals. I can’t necessarily say it’s because I’m a closet vegetarian or anything like that, I think I just enjoying eating meat-free sometimes. It usually happen after a few days of heavy carnivore scarfing. Plus I like making dishes that my Momma (she’s vegetarian) can enjoy too. It’s all about my Momma, really. Anyhow, I was having one of those days yesterday and really craving a sope. Mmmmm sopes!

I looked in my pantry and not only did I find a bag of Maseca front and center, I also saw a plump little onion sitting there waiting to be had. Fast forward thirty minutes later and my bag of Maseca was now a batch of sopes. I had a pan of refried beans on the stove, and a mushroom caramelized onion mixture was underway. I called my Mom up on the phone and said “Get over here!” It was nice, we had an afternoon lunch in a matter of minutes. She was happy, and I was happy too. I have to remind myself more often that it’s good to eat vegetarian, and not to get so caught up in the “meat” race. Simple, and yet so delicious.

This meal could be made as a light lunch served with a little side salad, or as a main dish for dinner served with a side of rice. I would even consider making them in a much smaller version as an appetizer for a party. Doesn’t matter how you make them, once you do you’ll realize how easy they are to make and never look back. You could even make all the ingredients and have a little sope bar. Build your own.

Ingredients for sopes de hongos:

• 4 – cups Maseca
• 1/2- teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 – cups warm water
• vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 – tablespoons butter
• 1 – onion (sliced)
• 1 – basket of mushrooms (sliced)
• refried beans
• crumbled queso fresco
• salsa
• sour cream or crema

Directions:

1. In a large bowl add maseca, salt and water. Mix with hands until no longer sticky.
2. Divide the dough into 18 to 20 balls, then flatten it between both hands. Make sure the dough is a little on the thick side, and about the size of the palm of your hand.
3. On a hot comal heat each disk for a minute on each side. Remove from comal and place on a clean working surface.
4. Pinch the sides of the sope to form a little edge. Make sure to do this step right when the sope comes off the comal. Careful not to burn your fingers.
5. In a frying pan over a medium high flame add vegetable oil (enough to cover entire sope). Allow to get hot.
6. Drop each sope into the hot oil and fry till lightly golden about a minute.
7. Remove from oil and place on a paper lined plate to drain off oil drippings.
8. In a large frying oil over a medium flame add in butter.
9. Add in onion and sauté for 10 minutes.
10. Add in mushrooms and sauté for 7 minutes.
11. Remove onion mushroom mixture from stove and place in a dish.
12. Fill sopes with a huge dollop of refried beans and smooth to fill center.
13. Top beans with onion mushroom mixture. 
14. Then top with queso fresco, sour cream and salsa.
15. Enjoy!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Maseca. However, the recipe and opinions are my own.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Maseca. However, the recipe and all opinions are my own.

What type of effect does that crumbly little bit that sits on top of coffee cake, or fruit crisps, or crumble bars have on you? I’ve come to accept those scrumptious crumbs as my weakening kryptonite. I have zero will power or restraint when a crumbly beauty is near, especially if a fork is within hands reach. Forget about it.

I have been in a cooking frenzy the last couple of days, working on project after project. Then at a certain point, I realized I needed a reward treat for my cooking efforts. Don’t misinterpret what I’m saying… everything I’ve been creating has been lovely and delicious, it’s just that I needed a crumbly mouthwatering topping in my mouth. I had a big basket of fresh peaches on the table, and the earning desire of the taste of corn. I though how can I get all these desires into one dish, and make it fast? The answer my friend is Maseca. I used it as my base flour and built around it. I made fresh peach crumble bars from start to finish in under an hour, and I was pleased as peach punch! Give it a try. Make it for the next family function you’re attending, or make a batch and plan a picnic, they are that delicious and deliver all the crumbles you’ll ever need.

Ingredients for fresh peach crumble bars:

• 1 – cup Maseca corn flour
• 3/4 – cup almond meal
• 1/2 – cup corn meal
• 1 – cup unbleached flour
• 1/2 – teaspoon sea salt
• 1 – cup sugar
• 16 – tablespoons butter (2 sticks) (melted)
• 4 – large peaches (ripe, peeled, cored, and cut into wedges)
• 1/2 – cup brown sugar
• 1/4 – teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Line a 8×8 baking pan with wax paper allowing an inch to stick out over the edges. This will help remove the bars once baked.
3. Combine Maseca, almond meal, corn meal, flour, salt, and sugar to a mixer. Mix on low for 1 minute to combine dry ingredients.
4. Pour butter into dry ingredients, then mix on medium to combine. Mixture will be crumbly and appear like little peas.
5. Press 2/3 of mixture into the bottom of prepared 8×8 pan. 
6. Top with fresh peach slices. 
7. Then sprinkle peaches with brown sugar and cinnamon. 
8. Top peaches with remaining crumble mixture by crumbling over the top. 
9. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
10. Remove from oven, and cool for 1 hour. Cut into 9 generous servings. 
11. Enjoy!

Yes, it’s so hard to get my son to eat. He is very selective about what he will eat and almost every meal is met with opposition, even if it’s something he had eaten the day before with no problem.  I stick to the very basics with him for now, and am always looking for ways to get him to try new foods.  A couple of weeks ago he FINALLY took to eating a popsicle, and he LOVED it so much, partly because it was on a stick, or maybe it was just the sugar rush.  Either way (I didn’t care which it was), this got my mind racing with ideas of all the yummy foods I could put on a stick and I decided the next thing would be a corn dog or cheese bomb. He was bound to like one or the other, right? I was pushing for the cheese.

I made my batter with Maseca (the corn flour) and cut the wieners in half to make it easier for his little mouth to gobble them down and his hands to hold.  Victory! Not only did he like the corn dog, he liked the cheese bomb too!  He now had a choice. If this recipe worked on my son, then it is officially kid proof.

Ingredients for Mini Corn Dogs and Cheese Bombs:

• 6 – frankfurters (beef or turkey) (cut in half)
• 6 – pieces of cheddar cheese (1 inch wide by 3 inch length)
• 18 – popsicle sticks
• 1 – tablespoon corn starch
• 1/2 – cup Maseca (amarillo)
• 1/3 – cup corn meal
• 3/4 – flour
• 2 – tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 – teaspoons baking powder
• 1 – teaspoon salt
• 1/2 – teaspoon baking soda
• 2 – tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 – cup milk
• 1 – egg
• enough oil to fill a small saucepan 3/4 of the way up (about 4 cups)

Directions:

1. Pat frankfurters dry with paper towel. Insert popsicle stick into ends and push half way up. Do the same with the cheese chunks.
2. Sprinkle frankfurters and cheese with corn starch to ensure batter will stick. Set to the side. 
3. In a large mixing bowl combine Maseca, corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix well.
4. Pour in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Mix well till vegetable oil is fully incorporated into flour mixture. Set to the side.
5. In a small bowl mix milk and egg together. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture. Mix well. Batter will be slightly lumpy.
6. Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium flame and wait till oil reaches 370 degrees fahrenheit.
7.  Pour batter into tall cup and dip frankfurters and cheese chunks one at a time letting excess batter fall back into the cup.                                                               
8. Deep fry 2 at a time until golden brown.  
9. Place corn dogs and cheese bombs on a paper towel lined plate to drain for a few minutes before eating!
10. Enjoy!