Coshocton column shares Mexican-inspired recipes

Queso is life — I’m pretty sure of it. I’ve never once been unhappy sitting at Yucatan or Tlaquepaque in Coshocton with a basket of warm chips, fresh salsa and a bowl of queso in front of me. My favorite bite is dipping the chip into the queso first, then adding just a touch of salsa on top. It’s crispy, creamy and just a little spicy.

We recently slipped away to West Virginia for a couple of days and enjoyed a cozy dinner with new friends who graciously hosted us. They served queso chili with tortilla chips, and it was the kind of meal that feels like a warm hug — comforting and full of warm spices.

We spent the evening talking and laughing while looking out over their working farm with goats, horses and sheep. It was such a blessing to slow down, enjoy good food and build new friendships. I’ve included the recipe they served us that night so you can enjoy it at home too.

I’ve been following Claudia Regalado on Facebook, and her home-style Mexican recipes have inspired me to start making more of my own salsas and sauces. She started out posting her fashion videos online, and while some people followed, everything changed when she started posting her family recipes online. They are authentic and delicious, and I can see why they became her most popular posts.

Making your own sauces isn’t as difficult as you might think, and the flavor difference compared to store-bought is incredible. Don’t get me wrong. There’s a time and place for a jar of salsa from the store, but when you’re craving that down-home Mexican flavor, homemade sauces simply can’t be beat.

I even made chicken flautas from Claudia’s cookbook, and they were a huge hit. They turned out perfectly crispy and were served with a homemade sauce and guacamole on the side. The recipe started with a rotisserie chicken, which made the whole meal feel doable for a busy weeknight.

Recently, I prepared birria tacos for a family get-together, and wow, what a crowd-pleaser. The flavor was rich and beefy, and frying the tortillas in the flavorful oil from the meat took them to another level. They made fantastic party food and provided enough leftovers for lunches for several days afterward.

Over the past year, I’ve gotten into the habit of portioning leftovers into individual containers and freezing them. I bring them to Crossroads Baptist Church, where I work as a preschool and school director, so a delicious lunch is always waiting after a quick five minutes in the microwave.

Try these recipes soon and enjoy a Mexican fiesta right in your own kitchen.

QUESO CHILI

Combine the chili with swirled queso for the ultimate dip experience.

Chili recipe

1 tablespoon bacon fat or vegetable oil

2 pounds ground beef

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped green pepper

4 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

2 teaspoons ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano (or can use regular oregano)

4 cans diced tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

1 tablespoon sugar

4 cups water

Chili con queso (recipe follows)

Tortilla chips

Heat oil, add meat and break into smaller pieces as it browns, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, green pepper, chili powder, salt essence, cumin, oregano and cayenne and cook, stirring until soft. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and water into the pot and stir well. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, uncovered about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pot from heat and swirl in chili con queso. Serve immediately with chips for dipping.

Queso

½ pound fresh poblano or Anaheim chilies

2 tablespoons oil

1 cup chopped onion

¼ teaspoon cayenne

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 large tomato diced

1 cup milk or cream

1 ½ cups grated cheddar

1 cup grated pepper jack

Roast the peppers by putting them on an open gas flame and charring the skins. Put them into a gallon Ziploc bag and close, allowing them to steam. Take off skins and deseed, then chop peppers. Alternatively, you could use a can of dived green chilis for this step.

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium high heat and add the onions and cayenne, cooking until very soft. Add the flour and stir until thickened. Add the tomatoes and chopped chilis and slowly add cream and stir until thick. Add cheese until melted and well incorporated. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning.

(Recipe adapted from Food Network, Emeril Lagasse, 2002.)

BIRRIA TACOS

1 pound beef chuck roast

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 cup white onion

4 garlic cloves minced

3 cups beef or chicken broth (or use bouillon cubes or bouillon powder and water)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 bay leaves

16 small corn or flour tortillas

2 cups Monterey Jack cheese

¼ cup white onion

¼ cup fresh cilantro

2 limes in wedges

Pat dry the chuck roast and season all over with salt and pepper. Add the beef, chopped onion, minced garlic, beef broth, tomato paste, diced chipotle pepper, spices and bay leaves to a slow cooker (mine is 6 quarts). Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender. Or put it in a pot with all ingredients and cook at 350 F for 2 hours. Remove bay leaves and shred the meat directly in the slow cooker.

Ladle some broth (consommé) into a bowl. Lightly dip both sides of a tortilla into it. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium. Place the dipped tortilla in the skillet and sprinkle with cheese on half, top with shredded birria, and fold into a taco. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until crispy and golden. Repeat with the remaining tacos. Serve your birria tacos hot with small bowls of consommé for dipping. Garnish with diced onion, cilantro and lime wedges.

(Adapted from www.budgetbytes.com/birria-tacos/.)

CHICKEN FLAUTAS

Salsa verde

5 tomatillos, peeled and cleaned

5 chili de arbol peppers (I used two poblanos and one serrano because that is all I could find at the store)

1 habanero pepper

1 garlic clove

½ white onion

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan over high heat, submerge everything in water. Bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, remove from heat to cool. Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add garlic, onion, cilantro and salt. Blend on high until smooth.

Guacamole

2-3 ripe avocados, peeled and sliced

1 tomato, diced

½ cup cilantro, diced

¼ cup white onion, diced

Lime juice to taste

Salt to taste

Dice avocados and smash with potato masher or fork. Add tomato, onion, lime juice and salt. Stir to combine. Add more salt if needed.

Flautas

Rotisserie chicken, shredded

Monterrey Jack or Mozzarella or melty cheese, shredded

12 corn tortillas

Vegetable oil

Heat oil in pan (enough oil for about 1 inch on the bottom of the pan). Put a handful of chicken and cheese into tortilla. Roll up and put seam side down into oil. Fry on all sides until golden. Serve with salsa verde, guacamole and sour cream.

(Adapted from Cooking Con Claudia, Penguin Random Books, 2023.)