Monday, March 29, 2010

Taco Night: Sauteed Potatoes with Chorizo and Creamy Poblano Pepper Strips



It was a busy weekend here at Stirring the Pot. One thing after another, you all know how that goes. We spent the bulk of the weekend getting two cars fixed and neither one ended up being right. My husband's work vehicle broke down Thursday night, spent Friday in the shop, ran fine for an hour or so and then broke down again on Saturday. We're crossing our fingers that they can get it right this time around. My car wasn't broken, but we had an appointment to have a leather seat replaced. The shop replaced the seat alright....in a different color! Sometimes I really wonder what goes on in people's heads. It seems like it is nearly impossible to get what you pay for these days and that is a shame.

Frustrated and famished, I cooked up two different types of taco fillings. The first was Sauteed Potatoes with Chorizo and the second was Creamy Poblano Pepper Strips (Rajas). Both recipes were featured on the new Food Network Show, Mexican Made Easy. I have to admit that I'm still not sure what I think of the show itself, but I have loved all three recipes I've tried so far.


The Sauteed Potatoes and Chorizo were super easy and delicious. You can find Marcela's recipe posted HERE on Food Network. Mexican chorizo is sauteed with onion and boiled red-skinned potatoes to make a delicious, easy and unique taco filling. The recipe makes a ton of food and is great the next morning as a filling in an omelet or folded into scrambled eggs. We really liked it!

The next recipe,and our favorite, is the Creamy Poblano Pepper Strips, also known as Rajas, found HERE on the Food Network website.


The recipe for Rajas begins by blackening six poblano peppers, steaming them, and removing both the skins and seeds. The peppers are cut into strips and added to a mixture of sauteed onion and corn. This dish is finished off by the addition of heavy cream, creme fraiche, and monterey jack cheese. This recipe is SO good! It is tasty on it's own, but is delicious in a corn tortilla. I made a few changes to the recipe which I will note below.

Notes/Results: Creamy, unique and delicious, the Rajas were our favorite. I made a few changes to the pepper and corn filling because I have a major aversion to creme fraiche and sour cream. I replaced the creme fraiche with cream cheese and found that my mixture was a little too dry, requiring more heavy cream (oh darn!). The poblano peppers aren't hot at all, but did add a nice mellow pepper flavor to the filling. Even my picky daughter liked the poblano pepper and corn filling. Tucked inside of some delicious corn tortillas, both fillings were delicious!

Warning: While both recipes are delicious, they do make a ton of food! Luckily we loved both recipes and have been happy to have them as leftovers throughout the weekend. Both recipes would be great for a larger family or a gathering. In fact, they were featured as part of a Mexican Cookout on Marcela's show.

P.S. I was so hungry I snapped the pictures as quick as I could and got busy eating! Sometimes it's so hard to stop and take the time to worry about getting good pics!

28 comments:

  1. This looks fantastic Kim! I will definately try making these! And leftovers are the best part about cooking!
    Happy Monday!

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  2. I have to say. This is one of those times when I wish I had a television. So that I could watch the Food Network and know what the hell you were talking about.

    But the food. The food looks amazing. Love the rajas.

    Also. How could anyone think you actually WANTED one seat to be a different color. Sheesh!

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  3. These both look great. I love anything in a tortilla.

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  4. These look really scrumptious. The rajas sound wonderful, though I must say I was born with a tortilla in my hands. I really like this post. Both recipes are terrific.

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  5. I like both versions. I'm partial to the chorizo but love the creamy poblano one. How about I just mix the two:)

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  6. They both look excellent! What a drag about your cars. I got frustrated just reading about it!

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  7. O wonder about people some times too. What was the seat guy thinking? Both these filling look great. I'll have to trythem out on the family. We love <exican!

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  8. I love tacos!!!I really like both versions.

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  9. Wow both of these fillings sound delicious. Great review and I'm glad to be forewarned that they make a lot!

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  10. You make the best meals!!!!

    By the way, earlier I thought you had asked about troubles with blogspot. Kim – I have had trouble with blogspot it’s been sooo slow. That’s why I just give up some evenings.

    About the photos……if you use Picasa and you delete them from your picassa account – your photos will disappear too. You can delete them from your hard drive but not the Picasa account. I use Picasa now because you can see those photos on Google Reader. If you use Photobucket or another photo site, you will not see those on Reader, at least not from my work computer. We are blocked by so much. Blocked from facebook, from yahoo email, from Gmail, from YouTube and especially from Blogspot.
    Probably TOO much information!

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  11. Oh my goodness - I don't know how people think they can get away with something like the wrong color of leather!! I hope they got it fixed. I haven't seen this show yet, but both of these look and sound amazing!

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  12. I love the looks of the creamy poblano recipe.

    PS I was having issues seeing the pictures on blogs earlier today and last night too. I thought it was our internet, but maybe it was something more global.

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  13. Even though we have a great mechanic, having a car in the shop is a major pain.
    Both recipes sound fantastic.
    Mimi

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  14. Car stuff sucks! ;-( I have been craving tacos and was just going to make some simple ground bison ones--silly me! These both look incredible! ;-)

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  15. I haven't watched Mexican Made Easy, but after seeing the recipes you've been posting, I'll have to. They all look so good! Esp. the poblano filling--I love roasted pobalano peppers and anything creamy. Even if the pictures were taken in a hurry, the food still looks great!

    Sorry about your car problems. What on earth did the shop say when you pointed out that the seat was the wrong color?

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  16. Kim another beautiful post. I am so in love with the poblano pepper that I must try that one! It looks like you could probably add diced potatoes to it also, to transform it into a nice side dish as well. Remarkable recipes and pics. Thanks.

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  17. That looks so ridiculously delicious! I'm having a craving for it right now! I love Taco Night.

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  18. It's funny how Mexican food can fit the bill for food when everything seems to have gone wrong. Must be the comfort factor.
    Sam

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  19. I love mexican food! Gonna have to check out that show I think:) These look good!

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  20. Oh my goodness....can I come to your house for dinner? Talk about amazing...this looks so scrumptious.

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  21. I love taco night...usually once per week.
    And...you poor woman sounds like it was a very long weekend; makes leftovers even better!

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  22. Your tacos look really good! I've seen that show once and I think shes darling but I'm not sure about it either...I actually forgot about it until you mentioned it.

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  23. Oh my gosh, I'm drooling, this looks so darn good!

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  24. wow so sorry about all the car trouble what a nightmare, the Rajas sound so cool, lol Rebecca

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  25. Boy oh boy do those Rajas look awesome! I just ate dinner and I swear my stomach is growling, this is a must try!

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  26. Kim - You won me over with the Tyler Florence recipes you made so I bought Stirring the Pot on Amazon for $7.57 !! Good deal.....I am happy to hear you'll be one of the administrators on IHCC too :-)

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  27. Oh my gosh this looks SO up my alley! We love taco night at our house and I think this will be on our menu very soon. Chorizo and potatoes - get out... Thanks for posting!

    http://meatandpotatoesfoodie.blogspot.com/

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  28. I haven't gotten a chance to check out that new show yet--but regardless, I love Mexican food ha ha!

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