Cinco de Mayo was last week and I'm just now getting around to mentioning it? It's not like I didn't indulge in any fiestas. We had two at "work" and I made shredded chicken tacos at home. I haven't posted anything for awhile because I've been swimming in a volunteer project for the high school band and we held the event yesterday. Finally! So a quick bit about how much I love Mexican food and then on to a little something more.
So, have you ever made corn tortillas from scratch? Its actually easier than you think. Look for Masa (or instant corn masa flour) at the grocery store. To make corn tortillas, you just add water, make little globes of masa and flatten them. If you expect your tortillas be as thin or perfectly round as the ones in the store, sure, that's going to be difficult. Your tortillas may not be perfectly round, but they will be perfectly delicious. I use two dinner plates, place a blob of masa between two sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper and smash. My tortillas are not as thin as the store-bought kind, but I like them better. They have a creamy corn texture on the inside and after you fry them, they are crispy on the outside. Add some shredded chicken, a bit of salsa and some grated dry Monterey Jack cheese. Heaven!
Where do you get the shredded chicken? You make it because its so easy and fabulous. Chop boneless skinless chicken (breasts or thighs or both) and brown it in olive oil in a frying pan along with some onion. When its brown, spoon it all into a crock pot with a can or two of Ortega diced green chiles, a bit of oregano, salsa, salt and pepper to taste. Let it cook for at least four hours on low. Its best if it cooks for 8 hours in the crock pot so if you are going to leave and go to work or shopping, cover it with a half an inch of water or chicken broth so it won't dry out. If your chicken is too moist when you come home take the lid off and let some of the moisture evaporate. Serve on home made corn tortillas. Yum. If it wasn't Mother's Day and I didn't plan on putting my feet up for a while, I would make some right now!
Today is Mother's Day and I'm recovering from several months of working on a fund raiser. To raise money for the high school band, we organized a kitchen tour with six beautiful kitchens and food at each home. It was an all-consuming project, but the weather was gorgeous and our guests had a lovely Day-Before-Mother's-Day. Its an all-volunteer project and I just want to add a note about volunteering. My boss has a little stack of cards with quotes on them on her desk. The other day I found this one from Sidney Smith. "The greatest of all mistakes is to do nothing because you can only do a little. Do what you can." Really, do what you can. If you can't donate money, donate your time, even if it's only to make a phone call or a run to the post office. Sometimes you might hesitate to help because you think that "other people are taking care of it." Trust me, they will appreciate the help and you will be glad you became part of something positive.
Do what you can. It will make your life richer.
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