Mexican meals for under $2

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Posted by Patti

I saw these recipes and I just had to share! I am not one to cook Mexican without majorly messing up, how, is beyond me...I am Italian...we cook! These recipes look so yummy and easy to make...best of, my wallet likes the price!
Enjoy~

Corn and Cheese Enchiladas
Cost per serving: $1.98

If you’ve got picky vegetarians in the family, here’s a dish everyone can enjoy. It calls for fresh corn, but frozen corn works well, too. Tone down the spice by swapping in regular Jack cheese or Cheddar for pepper Jack.


Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 31 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Cost per Serving: $1.98
Ingredients

* 8 6-inch corn tortillas
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 5 scallions, white and light green parts, chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 medium ears)
* 1/2 cup whole milk
* Salt
* 2 cups grated pepper Jack
* 1 10-oz. can enchilada sauce

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Stack tortillas, wrap in foil and bake until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

While tortillas are baking, oil a 7-by-11-inch glass baking dish. Warm 1 Tbsp. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallions and garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in corn and milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 7 to 10 minutes. Season with salt.

Remove tortillas from foil. Set aside 1/2 cup cheese. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of corn mixture in center of a tortilla. Sprinkle with a heaping tablespoon of cheese. Roll up tortilla and set in dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas, overlapping them slightly. Pour enchilada sauce over tortillas and sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes.
Nutritional Information

Calories:457
Fat:25g (sat 13g)
Protein:20g
Carbohydrate:41g
Fiber:5g
Cholesterol:64mg
Sodium:323m

Oven-Baked Mexican Meatballs
Cost per serving: $1.30
Give plain meatballs a jolt by adding canned chipotle chili to the meat. The spice level of chipotle chilies varies, so start by adding a small amount and adjusting to taste. If you like spicy food, leave in some of the seeds.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Cost per Serving: $1.30

Ingredients

• 1  pound  ground chuck
• 1  large egg
• 2  tablespoons  tomato paste
• 1  cup  plain bread crumbs
• 3  cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped cilantro
• 2  teaspoons  chili powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 1/2  chipotle chili canned in adobo sauce, seeded and finely chopped
• 1  (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

Preparation

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 475°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, combine meat, egg, tomato paste, bread crumbs, 2 garlic cloves, cilantro, chili powder and 1 tsp. salt; mix with your hands to combine well. Form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs and place on prepared baking sheet. Mist with nonstick cooking spray. Bake until well-browned, 17 to 20 minutes, turning once or twice.
Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add remaining garlic clove and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add chili and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer hot meatballs to saucepan, gently stir to coat, and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information:

Calories:403

Fat:18g (sat 6g)

Protein:30g

Carbohydrate:30g

Fiber:4g

Cholesterol:126mg

Sodium:966mg

Pork Carnitas

Cost per serving: $1.10

This slow-cooker meal combines an inexpensive cut of meat with Mexican spices for a yummy budget dinner. Roll the pork in corn tortillas or serve it on a plate alongside steamed rice.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Yield: 6 Servings
Cost per Serving: $1.10

Ingredients

• 1  onion, sliced
• 2  tablespoons  chopped chipotles in adobo or
• 2  fresh jalapeño chiles, seeded and sliced
• 2  to 3 lb. boned pork butt or shoulder
• 4  cloves garlic, slivered
• Salt and pepper
• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 1  (14 oz.) package 6-inch corn tortillas

Preparation

Place onion, chipotles and 1/4 cup water in slow cooker. Stir to combine. Using a knife, make incisions all over pork and insert garlic. Season roast with salt and pepper.
Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Put roast in pan and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer roast to slow cooker. Pour 1/2 cup water into pan and stir over low heat, using a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits. Pour liquid into slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours.
Remove roast from slow cooker and let cool. Shred pork, using two forks to pull meat apart. Return pulled pork to slow cooker and stir to combine with onions, chipotles and juices.
Serve pork with warm tortillas and toppings of your choice.

Nutritional Information

Calories:471
Fat:19g (sat 6g)
Protein:41g
Carbohydrate:33g
Fiber:4g
Cholesterol:129g
Sodium:16mg

 Mexican Eggs with Beans

Cost per serving: $1.83

This economical recipe for a Mexican standby uses inexpensive ingredients such as canned pinto beans. It works for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Yield: 4 Servings Cost per Serving: $1.83

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 1  small onion, chopped
• 2  (15 oz.) cans pinto beans, drained
• 1 1/3  cups  shredded Cheddar
• 4  large flour tortillas
• 8  large eggs
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  pepper
• 2  ripe plum tomatoes, diced in 1/4-inch pieces
• 1  cup  jarred green salsa (salsa verde)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add pinto beans and mash coarsely with a potato masher or a fork. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Keep warm. Meanwhile, heat 1/2 Tbsp. oil in a nonstick, 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla and cook for 1 minute per side until heated through and pliable. Transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet. Spread one quarter of bean mixture on top of tortilla; keep warm in a 250°F oven. Repeat with remaining tortillas and bean mixture, adding another 1/2 Tbsp. oil to skillet as needed. Add 1/2 Tbsp. oil to skillet and then add 4 eggs. Cook to your liking. Transfer 2 eggs onto each of 2 tortillas; season with salt and pepper and sprinkle diced tomato on top. Cook and serve 4 more eggs in same manner. Serve tortillas with salsa.

Nutritional Information

Calories:806

Fat:37g (sat 14g)

Protein:38g

Carbohydrate:80g

Fiber:13g

Cholesterol:469mg

Sodium:1mg