2. IntroThrough exploring East Cesar Chavez, I found myself very inspired by all of the
colors that filled the neighborhood. This little area of town has a big Mexican
influence, and I felt the yearning to connect the most predominant colors in the
neighborhood to the most predominant colors in the traditional Mexican food
dishes found throughout the neighborhood. As you look through this book, you
will find various recipes that are inspired from various images taken throughout
the East Cesar Chavez neighborhood. It is up to you to make the connections
between the two and decide what they mean to you. Enjoy!
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4. 5
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 quart warm water
1/2 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
Whole cinnamon sticks, optional
Horchata
1. In a blender, combine the rice and warm water. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes
until the rice breaks up but does not form a powder. Let the rice mixture
stand in the refrigerator for 6 hours or up to overnight.
2. Strain the rice mixture into a container through a fine-mesh sieve or
several layers of cheesecloth to remove the rice solids.
3. Pour the rice water into a blender and add the milk, vanilla and almond
extracts, cinnamon, and sugar. Blend for 1 minute until well combined and
smooth. Serve the horchata over ice with cinnamon sticks as stirrers.
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5. 7
1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate
12 fluid ounces tequila
12 fluid ounces water
12 fluid ounces beer
ice
1 lime, cut into wedges
Beer Margarita
6
1. Pour limeade, tequila, water, and beer into a
large pitcher.
2. Stir until well-blended, and limeade has melted.
3. Add plenty of ice, and garnish with lime
wedges. Adjust with additional water, if needed.
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7. 3 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Tomato Salsa
1110
1. Stir the tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion,
cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, cumin, salt,
and pepper in a bowl. Serve.
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8. 13
1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapeno peppers
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Spicy Bean Salsa
12
1. In a medium bowl, combine black-eyed peas,
black beans, corn, onion, green bell pepper,
jalapeno peppers, and tomatoes.
2. Season with Italian-style salad dressing and
garlic salt; mix well.
3. Cover, and refrigerate overnight to blend
flavors.
9. 1 package bulk pork breakfast sausage
1 (16 oz) package Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with green
chile peppers, drained
Queso 1. Cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium
heat until completely browned; drain.
2. Slice the cheese into 1” cubes.
3. Combine the cooked sausage, cheese, and
diced tomatoes with green chile peppers in a slow
cooker set to Low.
4. Cook until the cheese melts completely, stirring
occasionally, 30 to 40 minutes.
10. 17
3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and
mashed
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
Guacamole
16
1. In a medium bowl, mash
together the avocados, lime juice,
and salt.
2. Mix in onion, cilantro,
tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in
cayenne pepper.
3. Refrigerate 1 hour for best
flavor, or serve immediately.u
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11. 19
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tomato sauce
Mexican Rice
18
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook,
stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking,
sprinkle with salt and cumin.
2. Stir in onions and cook until tender.
3. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Fluff with a fork and serve.
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13. 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pint sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
8 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1 (12 ounce) jar taco sauce
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Chicken Enchiladas
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium, non-stick skillet over medium
heat, cook chicken until no longer pink and juices
run clear. Drain excess fat.
3. Cube the chicken and return it to the skillet.
Add the onion, sour cream, cheddar cheese,
parsley, oregano and ground black pepper. Heat
until cheese melts.
4. Stir in salt, tomato sauce, water, chili powder,
green pepper and garlic.
5. Roll even amounts of the mixture in the
tortillas. Arrange in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover
with taco sauce and 3/4 cup cheddar cheese.
6. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 20
minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
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14. 2 cloves garlic
3 serrano peppers
1 pound small green tomatillos, husks removed
1 cup vegetable oil for frying
9 corn tortillas
3 cups water
4 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 store-bought rotisserie chicken, meat removed and
shredded
1/4 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 (8 ounce) container Mexican crema, crema fresca
1 cup grated cotija cheese
Enchiladas Verdes
1. Cover a large griddle with aluminum foil and
preheat to medium-high. Cook the garlic, serrano
peppers, and tomatillos on the hot griddle until
toasted and blackened, turning occasionally,
about 5 minutes for the garlic, 10 minutes for
the peppers, and 15 minutes for the tomatillos.
Remove to a bowl and allow to cool.
2. Heat oil in a small, deep skillet to 350 degrees
F (175 degrees C). Using kitchen tongs, fry the
tortillas individually, turning them once. They
shouldn’t be in the hot oil for more than 5
seconds per side. Remove excess oil with paper
towels and keep warm. Remember that the hotter
the oil, the less that the tortillas will absorb.
3. Place the toasted garlic, serrano peppers,
tomatillos, and the water in a blender and blend
until smooth; pour into a saucepan over medium
heat and bring to a boil. Dissolve the chicken
bouillon into the mixture, reduce heat to medium-
low, and cook at a simmer until slightly thickened,
about 10 minutes. The sauce shouldn’t be too
thick.
4. Soak three tortillas in the sauce, one at a time,
for a few seconds, fill them with shredded chicken,
sprinkle the meat with some of the sauce, roll
them and place them seam side down on a pasta
bowl. Spoon a generous amount of sauce over
them and top them with lettuce, cilantro, crema,
and cotija cheese. Pour a little more sauce over
the whole thing if desired. Repeat the procedure
twice more.
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16. Mexican
Wedding
Cookies
1. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
Stir in vanilla and water. Add flour and almonds,
mix until blended. Cover and chill for 3 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
3. Shape dough into balls or crescents. Place on
an unprepared cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 20
minutes in the preheated oven.
4. Remove from pan to cool on wire racks. When
cookies are cool, roll in confectioners’ sugar.
1 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
17. 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-
13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving
an overhang on two sides. Press the paper into
the corners of the pan and lightly grease the
paper with butter.
2. Melt the 2 sticks of butter in a nonstick
saucepan over medium-low heat; do not boil.
Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
3. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla to the saucepan
and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
4. Add the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, chili powder,
salt and baking powder and mix until smooth.
5. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake
until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out
fudgey, 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Cool in the pan on a rack, then use parchment
paper to lift out the brownies before slicing.
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2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground Mexican cinnamon (canela)
1/4 teaspoon pequin chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Mexican Brownies
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18. 1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
One 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
One 12-oz can evaporated milk
1 pint heavy cream, for whipping
3 tablespoons sugar
Maraschino cherries, to decorate
Tres Leches
For the cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and
flour a 9- by 13-inch cake pan.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large
bowl. Separate the eggs. Beat the egg yolks with
3/4 cup of the sugar on high speed until the yolks
are pale yellow. Stir in the milk and vanilla. Pour
the egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and
stir very gently until combined.
2. Beat the egg whites on high speed until soft
peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in the
remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until the egg
whites are stiff but not dry. Fold the egg white
mixture into the batter very gently until just
combined. Spoon into the prepared pan and
spread to even out the surface.
3. Bake until the cake is done, 35 to 40 minutes.
Allow to cool in the pan, and then turn out (upside
down) onto a rimmed platter.
For the tres leches:
4. Combine the heavy cream, evaporated milk
and condensed milk in a small pitcher. Pierce
the surface of the cake with a fork several times.
Drizzle the milk mixture over the top and allow
the cake to sit and absorb the milk mixture.
For the icing:
5. Whip the cream with the sugar. Spread it evenly
over the top and sides of the soaked cake and
decorate with maraschino cherries.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Several hours is
fine. The cooler the cake, the better!
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