My first Tex-Mex post! I eat and cook a lot of Tex-Mex. Andy thinks I’m half Mexican. Cilantro, jalapenos, and limes are a staple in my kitchen.  I CAN”T GET ENOUGH!!!

A few years ago, I took a cooking class as part of a conference from Jane Butel. She’s a cook from New Mexico and she has some great Southwestern recipes. Since I have three of her cookbooks, I’ve tried lots of them! Her recipes are simple and have few ingredients.

Ya know those green chilies in a can? She show you how to make your own, and wow; they’re delicious. I’ll save that for another post.

Both of these recipes are adapted from her cookbook, Real Women Eat Chilies.

This dish is quite easy; however, it does take a tad bit of planning. The garlic needs to roast, chicken needs to marinate, and the potatoes need to boil. The chicken can be start marinating in the morning and the garlic can be roasted at any time. You may even want to roast up a few batches to have on hand. They will keep in the fridge (remove the skins) for about a week.

CILANTRO CHICKEN

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp salt

2 Tbls extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 C coarsely chopped cilantro

1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced

1 lime, halved

1. Rinse the chicken breast and pat dry. Combine garlic, oil, mustard, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, and juice from 1/2 lime.

2. Generously coat chicken breasts, place in shallow glass dish, cover and marinate for at least 30 min.

3. Preheat the grill pan on medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until thoroughly cooked.

4. Slice remaining 1/2 lime and use as garnish.

Notes:

Serves 4

Adapted from Jane Butel’s Real Women Eat Chilies

Please, please use real garlic and not the jar stuff.

CHIPOTLE AND ROASTED GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

INGREDIENTS

1/2 unpeeled head garlic, top 1/4 sliced off

2 tsp olive oil

2 lbs golden potatoes

1 Tbls unsalted butter

1/2 C buttermilk

2 canned chipotle peppers, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 cob of corn, shucked, washed, and stripped (this is my fav corn stripper)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place garlic on large piece of foil. Cover with oil and wrap tightly. Bake in the over at 400 degrees for 20 – 30 minutes or until soft. When done, squeeze garlic cloves out onto the foil. Discard the rest.

2. Place potatoes in pot and cover with water. Cover, bring to a boil and cook until tender.

3. In small pot, warm buttermilk and butter.

4. Drain potatoes then add garlic. Mash potatoes and garlic. Slowly add warm buttermilk and butter to potatoes until fluffy.

5. Add salt and pepper. Fold in chipotle peppers.

6. After mashed potatoes are on the plate, sprinkle corn over top.

Notes:

Serves 4

Adapted from Jane Butel’s Real Women Eat Chilies

If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use any other kind of milk.

No, you don’t have to cook corn on the cob. Raw corn is delicious and sooo sweet.