Agriculture Society

It’s no secret that I love Mexican food, and I’m always excited about preparing traditional dishes with whole foods and real ingredients because most restaurants don’t use them. In this recipe, you get all of the amazing flavor of your favorite enchiladas from the restaurant, without any of the unhealthy attributes of restaurant food.

You can use any type of meat filling you want; you could even use just cheese. But I love the combination of dramatic tastes and seasonings in this meal when using steak and cheese together with the red sauce. The taste of of this recipe is positively explosive in southwestern flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of grass fed steak, your favorite cut (we used a sirloin)
• Approximately 1/4 pound of grated cheese (we used Organic Valley Raw Monterey Jack) – use more if you prefer your enchiladas cheesier
• Organic, sprouted corn tortillas (we used Ezekiel organic sprouted corn tortillas)
• Diced onions (we used half of a large onion, you can use more or less)
• 2 – 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Saute onions with steak in a pan with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Alternatively, you can grill your steak on a barbecue or in the oven for approximately 15 – 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the steak. You will want to cook steak until just over the rare side.
2. While steak is cooking, start enchilada sauce (see ingredients and directions below).
3. Warm tortillas for 1 to 2 minutes on a baking sheet in the oven (lowest temperature setting). If tortillas are frozen, heat longer (3 to 4 minutes). When you are finished warming the tortillas, raise oven temperature to 350 degrees.
4. Grate cheese in a bowl and set aside.
5. Take the steak out of the pan and cut up into bite-sized pieces.
6. Take tortillas out of oven and fill with pieces of steak, cheese, and a teaspoon or two of the red sauce.
7. Place your tortillas in a baking dish (we used a 9×5 inch baking dish). Wrap your tortillas with filling and press together inside baking dish.
8. After you have filled the baking dish with tortillas and filling, pour the remainder of sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle enchiladas with cheese.
9. Place the baking dish in the oven and cook for approximately 25 minutes.
10. Take enchiladas out of the oven, cool for five minutes, and serve. Serves 3 – 4 people.

Ingredients for red sauce:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato organic sauce
• 1 1/2 cups water

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized pan, heat the oil on medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the onion, oregano, chili powder, basil, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, parsley, salsa and tomato sauce.
2. Mix together and then stir in the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

One night recently when I was unable to cook because I wasn’t feeling well, my husband cooked this meal up with ingredients we already had in the house. It was incredibly delicious! Who says pot pie has to have a crust? This one certainly didn’t, and you won’t miss it with all the wonderful, comforting flavors included in it. Perfect meal for the whole family. You can also serve it with some nice, warm homemade bread and a salad.

Rue ingredients for sauce:

• 1/2 a cup real butter
• Organic, sprouted flour of your choice (whole wheat, buckwheat, or spelt, for example)
• 1/2 cup unpasteurized milk
• 1/2 cup whole or home made yogurt

Pie ingredients:

• Cooked pasture-raised, organic chicken or other type of meat – ham or turkey for instance, diced or cut into pieces of size you prefer.
• Organic carrots
• Organic celery (1 – 2 stalks)
• Organic Peas
• 1 large organic potato of your choice (we used a red potato)
• Organic broccoli (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Paprika

Amounts for meat and vegetables are based on your own preference. We seldom measure those things out when we cook. This recipe should make enough for 3-4 people.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the sauce (a rue):

On low heat, melt 1/2 cup butter in a small sauce pan. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is the consistency of glue.  Slowly stir in milk and yogurt until mixture is blended and warm. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Keep on low and stir occasionally. Optional – you can add a teaspoon of arrowroot to thicken sauce.

Pie ingredients:

1. In a frying pan that is suitable for oven cooking (we use stainless steel All-Clad), melt a 1/4 cup butter on medium-low heat.
2. Start adding meat, potatoes, diced carrots, peas, celery, onions, broccoli (optional), salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add 1/4 teaspoon of paprika. Cook until vegetables are sauteed, but not overdone. Make certain the potatoes are cooked well.
4. Pour sauce evenly over meat and vegetables.
5. Put a layer of parmesan cheese on top.
6. Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until the top of your pie is bubbly and slightly brown.
7. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
8. Serve and enjoy!

There’s nothing better than a grass-fed beef taco.  As I am a Mexican food fanatic, I can eat tacos anytime, but especially when they are this delicious, healthy, and made with fresh ingredients.

History of tortillas and tacos

Tortillas are believed to date back as far as 10,000 B.C. Mayan legend says that in ancient times a peasant created them for his king. In 1521 the acquisition of Mexico was taken by Spain, headed up by explorer Cortez. They were looking for fortune and opportunity and found a myriad of new foods such as squash, avocados, chocolate, beans, vanilla, peanuts, and corn.  Cortez was received warmly at first by Montezuma, the ruler of the Aztec civilization. But over time, many battles ensued and eventually Cortez overtook the capitol and claimed it as the property of Spain. Although they replaced many of the Aztec buildings and institutions with their own, the culture was never fully removed and many customs and traditions came through such as the eating of stone-ground corn cakes with many other foods.

One of the most integral part of the diet in Mexican eating is the tortilla, made from corn.  To remove the husk, corn kernels are cooked with lime and then ground on a stone slab with a grinding stone. The resulting dough (masa) can be formed into little round balls and then hand patted out into thin round cakes. The cake is then fried on both sides in a pan. This cake can also be wrapped in a corn husk (the tamale) which is filled with meat. This handmade wrapper is extremely versatile and its uses are endless.

Tortillas can be used for many foods such as enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, and tamales. Tortillas are often used as eating utensils, such as a plate as in a tostada or taco salad (even Mexican pizza). The tortilla has become popular in the United States and can be found in many places – and not just Mexican restaurants -  due in part to the increase of the Hispanic population.

Ingredients:

• 1 – 2 pounds grass-fed ground beef
• grated raw cheese, I use Organic Valley Raw Monterey Jack
• organic romaine lettuce, shredded or sliced
• organic onions, diced
• organic cilantro, stems removed
• non-irradiated, organic chili powder
• organic cumin
• organic paprika
• organic oregano
• sea salt
• non-irradiated pepper
• home-made pico de gallo (see recipe below)
• organic, sprouted corn tortillas (we used Ezekiel brand organic, sprouted corn tortillas – a traditionally prepared food)
• garnish with organic avocados (optional)

Directions:

1. Brown the ground beef in a stainless steel pan with onions (optional).
2. Begin adding in sea salt, pepper, and spices – chili powder, cumin, oregano, and paprika.You can add a bit of water to your mixture to help set in the spices.
3. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes. Cook beef and onions until beef is browned and onions are sauteed.
4. About five minutes before the beef is done simmering, turn the oven on to warm and place your tortillas on a piece of foil to heat for 2 – 3 minutes. The longer you leave your tortillas in the oven, the more crispy they will become. Some people prefer them this way, I like mine softer.
5. When the tortillas are ready, take them out of the oven. Place on a plate and fill with ground beef. Top with cheese, cilantro, romaine, onions, and pico de gallo.

Recipe for pico de gallo:

• finely chopped organic tomatoes (3 – 4 medium sized)
• finely chopped organic onions (1 medium)
• diced organic green onions (one stalk, optional)
• organic cilantro, stems removed, chopped (your own preference of amount)
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• organic chili powder (to taste – some people like spicy, some prefer mild)

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, adjust amounts according to your own taste. Serve over tacos.