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I read somewhere that people struggle with making hard decisions when it’s super hot outside. No wonder Summer has me over here sharing my beloved Shrimp Fries with family and friends. I’m just kidding, it actually brings me great joy to make a big batch of Shrimp Fries for casual gatherings. Everyone gathers around the plate or tray and digs in. It is a fantastic conversation starter if you can get a word in edgewise between bites.

Yeah, yeah the fries are crispy and the shrimp is juicy…. but IT’S THE  delicious Real California Oaxaca cheese that tops the fries and the luscious Real California Crema that crisscrosses it’s way across the plate FOR ME. That Real California Hispanic dairy inspires me to have another bite because I know it’s made with sustainably sourced Real California Milk from California dairy families. I call this #SnackHappy plate of Shrimp Fries my DREAMY SUMMER FOOD!

I shared my Shrimp Fries recipe with my friends over at Real California Milk and they have it on their website. Feel free to click on the link below and discover this recipe and other Snack Happy recipes to eat all Summer long!

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Check out @RealCalifMilk recipes here and let me know what snacks you’re creating this summer!

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Leí en alguna parte que a la gente le cuesta tomar decisiones difíciles cuando hace mucho calor afuera. No es de extrañar que Summer me tenga aquí compartiendo mis queridas papas fritas con camarones con familiares y amigos. Solo bromeo, en realidad me da mucha alegría hacer un gran lote de papas fritas con camarones para reuniones informales. Todos se reúnen alrededor del plato o la bandeja y comen. Es un comienzo de conversación fantástico si puedes decir una palabra entre bocados.

Sí, sí, las papas fritas son crujientes y los camarones son jugosos… pero ES EL delicioso queso Real California Oaxaca que cubre las papas fritas y la exuberante Crema Real California que se entrecruza en el plato PARA MÍ. Ese producto lácteo Real California Hispanic me inspira a probar otro bocado porque sé que está elaborado con leche Real California de fuentes sostenibles de familias lecheras de California. ¡Llamo a este plato #SnackHappy de Camarones Fritos mi COMIDA DE VERANO DE SUEÑO!

Compartí mi receta de papas fritas con camarones con mis amigos en Real California Milk y la tienen en su sitio web. ¡Siéntete libre de hacer clic en el enlace y descubre esta receta y otras recetas de Snack Happy para comer todo el verano!

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Have you ever been invited to a Taco Table Feast? One where you couldn’t decide what to eat!? A feast where there was a special taco for every one of your family and friends. It’s a bit of work for the host, but the smiles are reward enough. If this sounds like your type of spread then please allow me to share my tips.

My secret to the most successful taco table:

Make sure to have a variety of authentic hispanic style cheeses and cremas made with Real California Milk, a slew of salsas, guacamole and other yummy toppings (lime cabbage slaw, pickled onions, cilantro, sliced radishes, pickled jalapeños, Real California Oaxaca cheese). Having this assortment of flavorful fixings is a great way to mix and match when feeding a swarm of friends and loved ones. Let them choose from the traditional street style soft taco or mound their plate with the remarkable crunchy tacos dorados… it’s all about flavor combinations and giving them lots of options to customize their meal.

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The Ultimate Taco Table Feast:

works for all occasions and can be celebrated at a casual gathering or bring fun energy to a formal affair. Once people see tacos they forget all formalities and let the pleasance ensue. My personal favorite is the Taco Dorado de Papa . Drizzle your hard shell potato taco with Real California crema, a sprinkle of Real California queso fresco or cotija, a splash of salsa roja, a glob of guacamole, and a pickled jalapeño. Trust me it’s the way to go for the vegetarian palate. 🙂

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An added unexpected bonus to offer your guests is a little tequila board stationed amongst the tacos. It’s a festive way to bring on a ‘salud’ and kick start the party in the right direction. Add lime wedges, salt, tajin, and extra shot glasses to the board to have all your bases covered. This helps the host from having to run back and forth. It’s already all there for a welcomed help yourself shot throughout the gathering.

I recently had the privilege of creating and styling an Ultimate Taco Table Feast for my friends over on the Real California Milk Website. Wanna create your own Taco Table? Find Real California Milk products by looking for the seal in the dairy section of your supermarket. Be reassured the seal signifies those products are made with sustainably sourced milk from California dairy families!

Need taco inspiration? Find plenty of taco recipes on the Real California Milk website!

I think about potato tacos and my mouth waters. All I have to envision is Real California Dairy and potatoes meeting in a  taco shell for my mind to go into overdrive. They are a total treat in my house and a serious happy indulgence. It’s like having a celebratory meal on a Tuesday night, or making big sacrifices during lent for a meatless meal! My husband requests them casually all the time hoping I’ll say yes and just start breaking up the cotija and frying the shells in preparation.

FRYING THE SHELLS?

All tacos are created differently, and I find from 30+ years of cooking experience that frying the potato in the shell makes a huge mess out of the cooking oil. Messy cooking oil in turn means little nibs of burnt potato stuck to the shell, and no body truly wants that mess. So, frying the shells with no filling is a great solution, and not to mention you can obtain a crunchier shell, or store them for a day or two until ready to eat more Tacos.

The real secret to this recipe is mashing the potato and mixing in Real California crema into the potato mixture. This makes for the creamiest mashed papa center and then topping the tacos with more crema, and cotija is otherworldly. My favorite! I know if I see the Real California Milk Seal when selecting my dairy I’m buying quality authentic sustainable ingredients for California Dairy Families. I’m a California Latina girl that likes to keep it in my State.

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Tacos De Papa

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook time:  25 minutes

Yields: 8 king size Tacos De Papa

Ingredients for Tacos De Papa:

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 tablespoons Real California butter

2 small tomatoes, diced

½ white onion, diced

¼ cup Real California Crema Con Sal + ¼ cup for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup vegetable oil

8 king sized corn tortillas

2 tablespoons Salsa Roja or hot sauce

1 cups lettuce

½ cup pico de gallo

1/2 cup Real California cotija, crumbled

DIRECTIONS:

Peel potatoes, and cut into 1 inch pieces.

Place in a medium pot over medium high heat and cover with hot water. Bring water to a boil and cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

Discard water from the pot. Set to the side.

Melt butter in a large frying pan/pot over a medium high heat. Add in tomato and onion to sauté for 5 minutes or until onion goes limp. Turn off flame.

Add in boiled potaotes, then mash with a potato masher until crumbly. Pour in ¼ cup Real California Crema Con Sal and continue mashing until you have a smooth paste.  Season the potatoes with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Set to the side.

Heat corn tortillas over an open flame on both sides for 30 seconds.

       Let’s fry the shells: Pour 1 cup of vegetable oil into a small frying pan and allow it to get hot.

       Place a  tortilla into the hot oil then fold it in half using tongs.

      Once the first side is fried/hard, flip it to the other side and make a gap in between the side by using the tongs to separate the tortilla.

       Place shells on a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Fill each shell center with mashed potato paste.

Drizzle top of tacos with Real California crema, Salsa roja, lettuce, pico de gallo and Real California Cotija.

For more lent recipe inspiration hop on over to the Real California Milk Website!

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En Espanol:

Pienso en tacos de papa y se me hace la boca agua. Todo lo que tengo que imaginar es Real California Dairy y papas reunidas en un taco para que mi mente se acelere. Son un placer total en mi casa y una indulgencia feliz seria. ¡Es como tener una comida de celebración un martes por la noche, o hacer grandes sacrificios durante la Cuaresma por una comida sin carne! Mi esposo los solicita casualmente todo el tiempo con la esperanza de que diga que sí y simplemente comience a romper la cotija y freír las conchas en preparación.

¿FREIR LAS CONCHAS?

Todos los tacos se crean de manera diferente y, gracias a mis más de 30 años de experiencia en la cocina, descubrí que freír la papa con cáscara hace que el aceite de cocina se desmorone. El aceite de cocina desordenado a su vez significa pequeñas puntas de papa quemada pegadas a la cáscara, y nadie realmente quiere ese desastre. Por lo tanto, freír las conchas sin relleno es una excelente solución, y sin mencionar que puede obtener una concha más crujiente o guardarlas durante uno o dos días hasta que esté listo para comer más tacos.

El verdadero secreto de esta receta es machacar las papas y mezclarlas con crema Real California en la mezcla de papas. Esto lo convierte en el centro de puré de papa más cremoso y luego cubre los tacos con más crema, y ​​la cotija es de otro mundo. ¡Mi favorito! Sé que si veo el sello de leche Real California al seleccionar mi lechería, estoy comprando ingredientes auténticos y sostenibles de calidad para las familias lecheras de California. Soy una chica latina de California a la que le gusta quedarse en mi estado.

Tacos de papa

Preparación: 15 minutos

Tiempo de cocción: 25 minutos

Rinde: 8 Tacos De Papa tamaño king

Ingredientes para tacos de papa:

4 papas medianas, peladas y cortadas en trozos de 1 pulgada

2 cucharadas de mantequilla Real California

2 tomates pequeños, cortados en cubitos

½ cebolla blanca, picada

¼ taza de Real California Crema Con Sal + ¼ taza para decorar

Sal y pimienta para probar

½ cucharadita de ajo en polvo

1 taza de aceite vegetal

8 tortillas de maíz tamaño king

2 cucharadas de Salsa Roja o salsa picante

1 taza de lechuga

½ taza pico de gallo

1/2 taza de Cotija Real California, desmoronada

DIRECCIONES:

Pele las papas y córtelas en trozos de 1 pulgada.

Coloque en una olla mediana a fuego medio alto y cubra con agua caliente. Hierva el agua y cocine por 15 minutos o hasta que las papas estén tiernas.

Deseche el agua de la olla. Establecer a un lado.

Derrita la mantequilla en una sartén/olla grande a fuego medio alto. Agregue el tomate y la cebolla para saltear durante 5 minutos o hasta que la cebolla se ablande. Apague la llama.

Agregue las papas hervidas, luego triture con un machacador de papas hasta que se desmorone. Vierta ¼ de taza de Real California Crema Con Sal y continúe machacando hasta obtener una pasta suave. Sazone las papas con sal, pimienta y ajo en polvo. Establecer a un lado.

Caliente las tortillas de maíz a fuego abierto por ambos lados durante 30 segundos.

       Freímos las conchas: Vierta 1 taza de aceite vegetal en una sartén pequeña y deje que se caliente.

       Coloque una tortilla en el aceite caliente y luego dóblela por la mitad con unas pinzas.

      Una vez que el primer lado esté frito/duro, dale la vuelta al otro lado y haz un espacio entre los lados usando las pinzas para separar la tortilla.

       Coloque las conchas en un plato forrado con toallas de papel para que se escurran.

Rellene cada centro de la concha con puré de patata.

Rocíe la parte superior de los tacos con crema Real California, salsa roja, lechuga, pico de gallo y Cotija Real California.

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This post has been sponsored by MAGGI®. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

I remember the first time I was introduced to  , I was sitting in a busy kitchen in Mexicali , Mexico, learning to make rajas con crema (green chile strips) for a batch of Rajas and Cheese Tamales with my husband’s grandmother. I watched as she broke up the cube of vegetable bouillon over the strips of green chile and corn.  Later that day, I was fascinated to learn that Maggi would be the key to flavoring the tamal masa as the lesson proceeded. It was a great way to season the masa and give it an extra level of sabor. Grandma said to me in Spanish that Maggi was her favorite bouillon, and she used it for many dishes. I was liking this tutorial and knew I would keep the Maggi step in my own tamal making. (more…)

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.

 

For those Mexican food-lovers in the Southern California area, there is an amazing annual event coming up, the East LA Meets Napa gala organized by AltaMed.  I highly recommend it!  This event brings the tastiness of local Latino owned Mexican food restaurants and wine that is made in Northern California, Napa to be exact.  I had the pleasure of attending a preview tasting for the event at Loteria Grill a few days ago and let me tell you I made sure I had a bite of everything it had to offer.  I attended East LA Meets Napa last year and wouldn’t miss it for the world this year.  I am so proud of AltaMed for providing many underserved communities with quality care for the past 41 years.  This organization continues to prosper and grow bringing more people/families the health care they need.  Support this amazing event by buying a ticket now.  It’s a win win.  You won’t be sorry because the food is amazing, the wine is sublime and all proceeds go to getting more people healthcare by AltaMed.

 

Chef Jimmy Shaw was a gracious host and his Tacos Bilingue were some of the best tacos I’ve ever tasted.  Beef tongue and pork tongue divided by a slice of avocado.  These are the tacos I’ll be looking out for!

It all takes place at Union Station (800 N Alameda St in Los Angeles) Friday, July 19th from 6p.m. to 9p.m. For tickets, click here!

Here are a few photos from last years event.  Hope to see you there!

I’m always craving a good hearty empanada, something I could sink my teeth into and relish every minute between bites.  I have those moments where I stare into my empanada as I softly devour it, knowing the end is near.  BUT there is always another one waiting for me on the plate until they are all gone.  These potato empanadas unfold a new level of love before me all neatly wrapped in a pie crust dough.  Have them for dinner tonight or take them on your next picnic.  Either way, here is a simple way to make these tasty little gems using left over mashed potatoes.  Watch the video to see how.

Ingredients for Potato Empanadas:

• 1 – box store bought pie crust
• 1/2 – cup of cold left over mashed potatoes (made with Idaho Potatoes, butter, garlic, and onion)
• 1/4 – cup chile strips (I roasted and peeled anaheim chiles)
• 1/4 – cup grated pepper jack cheese
• 1/2 – cup grated cheddar cheese
• egg wash (1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water mixed together)

Disclosure: This video/post is sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission (which I am very proud the be associated with). The recipe and opinions are my own. Thank you for watching.