Crazy Easy Carnitas

This recipe for Carnitas ("little meats") is so foolproof and easy, you will be making it often!

You will need:
A pork roast
A crock pot
salt
pepper
1/2 cup water
skillet
oil (approx. 4 Tbs)

Simply turn your crock pot on HIGH  , salt and pepper your pork roast, add to crock pot with water, cover and cook until it is very tender.  Before getting ready to serve, chop pork into about 1 inch pieces.  Heat skillet medium high, add oil enough to coat bottom.  Put meat into skillet, fry until just edges are crispy.  Add back to crock pot with what is left of juices. Adjust salt to taste.

Our family likes carnitas in soft tacos, using corn tortillas, Pico de Gallo and shredded iceberg  lettuce.
Carnitas are also served with hot tortillas, along with rice and beans, or in a burrito.

Pico de Gallo: Equal amounts of diced tomatoes and minced onion, one jalapeno, (seeds removed for mild heat)  add chopped cilantro, salt, and juice of 1/2 lemon.

Migas

When we were first married, we were well, let's say 'just scraping by'. One of the "go to" meals we put on the table was migas. You can find many recipes on line for this  dish using fancy ingredients  like chorizo and cheese, but traditionally, Mexican households would use tortillas to stretch the eggs to go around to a table full of hungry kids. It is also the way to use tortillas that are not fresh enough for tacos. Our family recipe is pretty simple:


You will need:
six tortillas - torn into 1 inch pieces
three eggs
 2 Tbsp.oil
salt
skillet

* Heat oil in skillet until hot enough to fry tortilla pieces. Add tortillas to oil, stirring until crispy, (some will be less crunchy than others). Add eggs one at a time cracking directly into the tortillas. Stir them around coating the tortillas, cooking the eggs right onto the tortillas. Cook until eggs are done. Salt to taste, you can serve with salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, cheese be creative if you wish. This is a good brunch dish, or even dinner when the budget is tight. Goes well with Refried beans. ( *see Hurry up Refried Beans recipe)

Hurry Up Refried Beans

Why do I call them hurry up refried beans? Why not just get a can of Rosaritas? Answer: I love the flavor of homemade beans, but they take hours to make.  Besides, homemade beans just taste better! When you can do this in just minutes, it pays off big time!

You will need:
two cans whole pinto beans (drained set aside liquid for later)
oil or lard (about 2 Tbsp.)
skillet
potato masher

Heat about two Tbsp. oil in skillet, Add one quarter of the beans at a time to the hot oil, Mashing them at each addition.(careful, it splatters). As the beans will need some liquid, add back some of the liquid that you had set aside, stirring the beans until you have a favorable consistency. This is a fast moving process, and they need to be watched carefully.

Variations:
Flavor if you like with some onion powder, garlic, some canned green chillies, or cheese. (hint: using bacon fat makes them so tasty)

Easy Zucchini Pie

This is the perfect recipe for those who don't like to eat their veggies, tell them it's pie! OK, it's good for you who love your veggies too.

You will need :
4-6 mediunm zucchini
1 cup shredded dry jack cheese or parmesean
butter

*preheat oven to 350℉
Butter a pie plate or casserole dish
Microwave or steam zucchini in seperate pan or dish, drain well and mash with potato masher.
fold in cheese, put into your buttered pie plate.
Bake uncovered for about 1/2 hour, or until it is slightly brown on top, and bubbly.

This was so handy when we had a garden overflowing with squash! It goes great with any entree, or it can be enjoyed as a main course.