Caldio: Mexican Beef Stew

I learned to make this while visiting a friend in El Paso. I've seen it spelled a few different ways - Caldeo, Caldio, Caldillo. But no matter how you spell it it spells DELICIIOUS!

Ingredients:
2 lbs Beef Roast, cut into pieces
2 TBSP cooking oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
1/4 cup cold coffee (optional)
8 cups water-more as needed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
2 pounds potatoes, cut to bite size
8 Green Chilies, roasted, peeled and chopped
3/4 Cup of Taco Sauce
Butter
Tortillas or Crusty Bread

Directions:
Heat the oil over medium high heat in a 4 quart dutch oven. Add the meat in batches, browning each batch quite well. When the last batch is done browning remove and allow to drain. Add the onions. Cook for about 5 minutes or so then add the garlic, cook and stir for a minute more. Add all the meat back to the pot, then add the coffee and water to deglaze the pan. Scrape all the good browned bits up. Add the salt and pepper then cover and simmer for 2 hours. Check on the meat occasionally making sure it never cooks dry, add more water as needed to keep a soupy consistency. After the meat has stewed for several hours and is nice and tender add the taco sauce and the potatoes. Add more water as needed to cover the potatoes. Chop the chilies and
add to the soup. Simmer for another hour. Ladle soup into bowls along with a teaspoon of butter. Serve with flour tortillas or thick crusty home baked bread.

Chilaquiles Breakfast Casserole

This is a real crowd pleaser! I first had Chilaquiles at a fancy wine bar in phoenix for breakfast about a year ago, seemed like a good hangover cure for sure! Here is my version of this yummy dish!

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
4-5 C tortilla chips - stale is fine!
10 large eggs - but only use 4 yolks
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (4-ounce) can mild chopped green chiles
1 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 C shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 C shredded pepper jack cheese
1/2 C prepared green salsa verde
sour cream, optional

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat a rectangular 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Lightly crush the chips and spread half of them into the bottom of the baking dish.

Whisk the 10 eggs (remember only 4 yolks!), milk, chili powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in the chopped chiles, chopped cilantro, and 1/4 cup each of the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses; pour into the pan. Spread the remaining chips over the egg mixture. Bake until the casserole is set, 20 to 25 minutes.

Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of each cheese and continue to bake until the cheeses are melted and the casserole is set in the center, about 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve with the salsa and, sour cream, if using.

NOTE: if you don't have tortilla chips you can substitute corn tortillas. Leave them out overnight to dry out and cut into triangles.

New Mexican Chili Verde

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 pound pork loin — cut into 1/2-inch chunks and remove all visible fat
3 small garlic cloves — finely minced
1 red onion — finely chopped (optional)

2 tablespoons flour — preferably masa flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons water

28 oz. New Mexican chiles — roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno pepper — optional and preferably fresh

Mexican Tostada Pizza

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
3/4 cup water
1 4-ounce can diced green chili peppers, drained
2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 10-ounce package refrigerated pizza dough
1 15-ounce can pinto beans with jalapeño peppers, rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese