Happy Cinco De Mayo! To celebrate we wanted to share a quick & easy Quesadillas recipe. Quesadillas are the perfect snack for any time of day. You can make with your favorite cheese and as healthy (or not) as you want in just a few minutes. Quick recipes like these are great to store on note cards near the kitchen, you can stick your favorites to the fridge for nightly inspiration or shuffle the deck for a surprise recipe when you can’t decide.. We love using these index cards from Hamelin, you can scan the recipe cards to your phone for easy access & more. Check them out here: www.hamelin.store

Ingredients:

To start you need to pick out your Queso. The cheese is the second most important ingredient in this recipe so it’s key to get it right. You can also use a vegan cheese alternative if you prefer. Our favorite combo is half Monterey Jack & half mozzarella Next you’ll need some Mi Tierra Tortillas and a little oil for the pan. That’s it! Only 3 Ingredients for the basics, you can always get fancy with salsa & toppings.

Fun Fact: Did you know the word quesadilla comes from the words Queso & Tortilla? Queso + Tortilla = Quesadilla

Instructions:

1. Heat the pan up to medium temperature. Simply add the tortillas to the pan and flip twice with a little oil if it’s not a non-stick pan. From there you can add your desired amount of cheese. You can either fold the centers together, place two on top of each other, or eat like mini cheese tacos. There is no wrong way to eat a quesadilla!
   
2. 5 minutes is all it should take to melt most cheese on medium heat, you can keep going if you like them extra crispy
3. Add your favorite toppings or dippers like salsa, guacamole, crema or anything else. Although don’t worry they taste great by themselves too!

Conclusion:

We hope you enjoyed this recipe, if you’d like to see more please follow us on social media and reach out to us, we’d love to hear your comments. If you have a favorite tortilla recipe of your own or a recommendation for our quesadilla recipe, send us an email & we’ll be sure to include it! Happy Cinco De Mayo!

Many thanks to Steve for sharing his experience & knowledge with all of us, it’s so much fun to hear how different folks enjoy the tortilla. These crunchy & delicious circles are the perfect healthy alternative for so many hungry people around the northeast & farther. If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to make your own chips from scratch, you can always purchase chips at our sister restaurant Mi Tierra in Hadley MA. You can check out their website for hours, directions & pricing on how to call ahead & reserve authentic tasty tortilla chips in bulk. Tortilla chips will last a day or so if sealed in an airtight container for storage. However staleness does come about quickly so don’t leave them for to long.

Or if you’re in the mood during lockdown to try something fun and new why not make them yourself? This way you can control all the factors of baking & have even more fun while you’re at it. Here’s a cool video demonstration on how to bring this flexible recipe to life:

Tortilla chips can be used in almost any kind of dish that needs an extra bit of crunch. From taco salads to nachos, and layered dips there’s loads of possibilities for different ways to slice & dice these tortillas. If you’re looking for an equal parts unique & delicious recipe for the holiday season be sure to check out our previous blog post on how to make an authentic Chilaquiles Recipe.

If you’re a fan of tortilla chips make sure to reach out to us & share your favorite seasoning, toppings or uses hack. We love seeing all the awesome creations people put together with our products. Because there’s endless things to do with corn tortillas these creations are always being sent in to us. Make sure to follow us on Social Media & tag us in your creations to be featured in our IG highlights.
Our Tortillas are available for online ordering in 7 states and counting! You can also find them at Whole Foods & many other establishments throughout the northeast. Just give us a ring or contact us for more info about finding your pack today.

Looking for more recipe ideas? Make sure to check out our other great tortilla based recipes: https://mitierratortillas.com/recipe-ideas/

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It’s important to care for your environment & think about how the food you purchase impacts the communities around you, now more than ever. Check out more great resources about sustainability in New England from our friends at: Eating with the Ecosystem

For the batter: 
2 pounds filleted whitefish: haddock, tilapia or cod would work well, as well as catfish if you’re feeling adventurous 
1 cup buttermilk 
2 Tbsp hot sauce (I like Valentina for this) 
For the Dredge:
1 cup cornmeal 
1 cup AP flour 
2 Tbsp chili powder 
1 Tbsp Salt
For the Slaw 
1 small purple cabbage quartered and then sliced very thin 
1 orange segmented and each segment cut into thirds 
Small handful of cilantro leaves, de-stemmed 
Juice of half a grapefruit
1 tbsp rice vinegar 
1 tsp sugar 
1 tsp salt for the Mayo 
¾ cup mayonnaise 
2 tbsp sauce from canned chipotle in adobo 
¼ of a lime, juiced 
½ cup neutral oil for frying (or more depending on pan size) 

Directions:

1. Filet your fish into 1 ½  inch by ½ inch strips and allow to marinate in the buttermilk hot sauce mixture for 30 minutes to an hour
2. While the fish is marinating make your slaw by tossing all the ingredients together thoroughly in a bowl
3. Make your mayo by whisking all the ingredients together until smooth
4. Pour your oil into a shallow pan. You should have enough oil to submerge the bottom third of your battered fish filets. This quantity will vary depending on the size pan you use, and the size pan will determine how many batches you will have to fry. This is all up to you, but whatever you do don’t overcrowd the pan, this will drop the temperature of the oil and make your fish less crispy.  Preheat your oil on medium high. It’s hot enough when a thin piece of cabbage dropped in immediately begins to bubble and rises to the top
5. Dredge the battered fish in the cornmeal flour mixture and immediately place in oil, allow to cook for at least a minute before moving it so the batter can seal on. Frying flaky fish without a deep fryer is a delicate process so use a fish spatula if you have one and don’t worry if the filets break a little, they will still be delicious. Once the fish is golden brown on the bottom flip and cook for about a minute, the fish should be golden brown on both sides but still silky in the middle. 
6. Season the fish with salt and chili powder as soon as it comes out of the oil, this is when it sticks best. 
7. Plate on a fresh hot Mi Tierra tortilla, fish first then mayo, then cabbage slaw

Chicken tinga is an ultra comforting chicken braise that’s ready in an hour and a half without much effort. It’s smoky and schmaltzy with an acidic balance from tomatoes and cider vinegar. It can be made with breasts or thighs, the thighs will give you more fat and a richer flavor, but have a less consistently tender texture when shredded. This recipe usually produces a fair amount of excess sauce, some of which can be scooped on to the taco, but the rest is great for sopping up with rice, or cooking beans in. 

Ingredients:

2 pounds bone in, skin on chicken breasts or thighs (about 2 breasts or 4 thighs) 

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp Mexican or other oregano 

1 bay leaf

1 cup chicken stock

1 28 oz can whole san marzano tomatoes 

2 chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped, plus some liquid 

1 ½ Tbsp Cider Vinegar 

1 Tsp fish sauce (optional) 

Makes enough for tacos for 4

Directions:

• Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. In a dutch oven, or medium sized pot with a tight fitting lid, sear, skin side down in the olive oil on medium high for 3-4 minutes, or until skin turns golden brown. Flip and brown on the opposite side (2-3 minutes), the majority of the chicken should remain quite raw. Remove from pot

• Immediately add onions, don’t discard that delicious fat! It’s the key to the comforting flavor and silky texture of the dish. Cook onions until slightly translucent, then add garlic and oregano. If you have too much browning at the bottom of the pot, you can use a little bit of the cider vinegar to deglaze at this point. Cook until the garlic becomes aromatic, about 30 seconds
• Pour in the chicken stock, and the tomatoes (with all the liquid), and stir, place the chicken back in the pot, skin side up, and bring everything to a boil 

• Reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, or until chicken is shreddable but still a little undercooked close to the bone. Don’t worry too much about overcooking since there’s plenty of sauce to prevent the chicken from drying out. Remove breasts from cooking liquid. Turn the liquid up to a high simmer and reduce liquid by half
• While the sauce is reducing, allow the chicken to cool a little, or don’t, depending on your level of patience and how you feel about burning yourself. Shred the chicken off the bone with two forks, you’ll probably need to use your hands towards the end of this process

• Once the sauce is reduced, add the chipotles in adobo and blend the contents of the pot with an immersion blender, season to taste with remaining vinegar, fish sauce, and salt (if needed)

• Place the shredded chicken back in the pot and cook on a low simmer for twenty minutes

• Top with diced onions, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice, or whatever you want, but make sure to serve on a fresh toasted Mi Tierra tortilla. Chicken Tinga works great as a filling for many classic Mi Tierra dishes. Feel free to use this spicy pulled chicken in quesadillas, nachos, or anything else. A personal favorite of mine is Chicken Tinga enchiladas with salsa verde on top!

Conclusion:

For more great recipes be sure to follow our social media channels & subscribe to our newsletter for our most recent posts & updates. Our Tortillas are now available for online ordering in the state of New Jersey.

Background:

We’ve been so inspired seeing everyone’s kitchen creations & recipes over the past few weeks/months we wanted to share one of our own. Chilasquiles is a tasty traditional breakfast meal prepared throughout many Mexican kitchens. The word comes from the Nahuatl Aztec language & there are numerous variations of this dish across the continent but any way you prepare it is going to be delish! For more information on the history of the dish & origin of the words check out this incredible book full of fascinating recipes & origin stories. With more time to spend at home these days we’ve enjoyed looking into the meaning & history of the food that ends up on our plates, as well as more in depth research into the roots of different cuisines. It’s our belief that meals taste best if your able to learn something about it before consuming… …just food for thought

Recipe:

2 pack tortillas worth of chips cut into “frito style” strips (roughly 2.5 cups) 
1 ½ tbsp neutral oil
Olive oil
1 onion sliced
1 poblano pepper
4 cloves garlic minced
1 chipotle pepper in adobo plus some sauce 
⅔ cup your favorite salsa 
¼ cup stock or water
⅓ cup queso blanco or feta 
6 eggs
Handful cilantro for garnish 
Serves a hefty brunch for 3 

1. Cook the chips in advance, they’ll keep fresh sealed for more than a week, and chilaquiles are a good use for stale chips. Slice the tortillas into approximately 6-8 pieces to create a frito shape. Toss with neutral oil and salt to taste. Bake at 320 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until crispy.
2. In a large skillet on medium high, sweat onions and poblanos in olive oil, once the onions have begun to turn translucent, add garlic, and chipotle , and cook for 30 seconds 
3. Add stock, and mix contents of skillet before adding chips 
4. Stir constantly until chips are fully coated in sauce, this will become easier as the chips tenderize and start to bend, once coated, let simmer on medium low for the amount of time it takes to fry 6 eggs in a separate pan or alternatively crack the eggs on top of the chilaquiles and broil in the oven until eggs are cooked but still runny, about five minutes 
5. Turn the heat off once the chips are fully coated and tenderized but ideally some retain a little crispiness 
6. Sprinkle Queso Blanco on top and garnish with cilantro serve with a fried egg on top of each portion 

Notes:
1. In general, oil frying creates a crispier chip, but I find for chilaquiles the healthier oven bake works just as well, since the main goal is to dehydrate the tortilla and allow it to reabsorb the braising liquid.
2. I prefer to fry separately because I find the chips overcook slightly in the broiler and lose some crisp 

We hope you enjoy this recipe to the fullest! Let us know how it turns out in the comments or on our social media channels we love hearing from our customers & fans

If you have any additional questions or concerns about the logistics of shipping & delivery feel free to reach out to us online, email or call Michael and we be happy to answer all of your questions.

1. Whole Corn

Whole kernals of local organic corn are cooked in water with a trace of crushed limestone.
(Fun Fact) The length of time for which the maize is boiled and soaked varies according to local traditions and the type of food being prepared, with cooking times ranging from a few minutes to few hour, and soaking times from a few minutes to about a day.

2. Soaking

After being cooked the solution steeps and undergoes a chemical process. The corn softens and gains calcium & potassium
(Fun Fact) Without the addition of powdered lime the nutrients inside the corn are unable to be digested. Settlers trying to copy the ancient technique missed this step and became malnourished trying to eat only corn products to sustain themselves. 

3. Washing

The Kernels are washed thoroughly the hulls, starch & other corn matter are removed

Calcium hydroxide is the powder that results from scraping the limestone rocks. The Aztec would grind corn against the lime stone river rocks and figured out it’s beneficial properties this way.

4. Nixtamal 

Once the nixtamal is formed you have masa and it can be made into many different food options.

Graphic:

Conclusion:

We hope you enjoyed this in depth look at the process behind our famous Mi Tierra Tortillas. Make sure to follow us on our social media for even more great content!