Due to the craziness of the world and needing some spice, my husband Bruce and I decided to do a little traveling south of the border. We spent 10 weeks in Mexico, living on a tight budget and traveling by bus around the country. Great, illuminating trip – all good except for being stopped by four heavily-armed police checking our suitcases for drugs in an empty bus station at 1:00 a.m. That was scary.
We had great food, I became a mezcal fan – and we even found some pretty tasty Cannabis on our travels. As for these three recipes, their tastiness comes from the Noble Farms’ strain Sunburn, a sativa-dominant hybrid, quite uplifting and strong. Sometimes I get a little anxious from sativas, but Sunburn was a pleasure from start to finish.
Chicken Fajita Tacos
Serves 4
My preference is always for the flour tortilla – but in Mexico the tortillas were mostly corn and the flour variety ordered mostly by gringos.
Ingredients:
4 teaspoons canna-oil or butter, melted
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in small pieces
½ cup sliced peppers, any color
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper
½ cup salsa
4-8 tablespoons sour cream or Mexican crema
4-8 tortillas, corn or flour
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil with the lime juice and spices. Add the chicken and marinate for an hour.
2. In a medium skillet, add the remaining olive oil. When hot, add the peppers and onion and saute until soft, about 7-9 minutes. Add the chicken, salt and pepper and saute until golden brown, 5-7 minutes.
3. Divide the mixture between the tortillas and top with the salsa and cream.
Guacamole
Makes 2 cups or 4-6 servings
Avocados have tremendous health benefits and they also taste great, especially when made into guacamole. To keep your guac from turning brown, drizzle it with citrus juice and press plastic wrap snugly into its surface (this limits the oxygen exposure that leads to browning). We like our guacamole chunky, so we mash the avocado only enough to break it up a bit – but you can make yours as smooth as you’d like.
Ingredients:
2 large ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
Juice of 2 medium limes
4-6 teaspoons canna oil
¼ cup chopped scallions
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 small tomato, seeded and chopped (optional)
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, mash the avocados.
2. Add all the other ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Serves 4
A chili stuffed poblano is a taste sensation. The poblano is a mild chili pepper originating in Mexico, when dried it is called ancho or chile ancho.
Ingredients:
8 small or 4 large poblano chiles, sliced in half and seeded
4 teaspoons canna oil or butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 pound lean ground turkey or beef
15 ounce can chili seasoned beans
1 tablespoon chili powder
salt and pepper
⅔ cup shredded cheddar
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 340º. Place the peppers on a baking sheet.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the oils. Saute the onion and garlic for 5-7 minutes. Add the meat and saute until cooked through, 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the beans, chili powder and salt and pepper. Stir to combine and heat through.
4. Fill the peppers with the meat mixture. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes.
