Mexican Breakfast Spices Up Your Day
Tomato enchiladas - or “entomatadas” - once earned a perfect 10 for Vicky Palomera Chann of Los Angeles.
It was in a grammar school cooking competition in Tepic, the capital of the state of Nyarit in Mexico. Chann, then a second-grader, triumphed despite a handicap that almost put her out of the running: Before she even got started, her sister spent most of the money allotted for ingredients on her own project, a fancy dessert. That left Chann with only enough cash for tortillas and a few tomatoes.
On the day of the judging, most of the youngsters brought dishes that clearly showed a mother’s touch. But the teachers weren’t fooled. They loved Vicky’s simple entomatadas and handed her the top score.
Today, Vicky, her husband, Brian, and sons Ryan and Christopher often have entomatadas for breakfast. Brian, a chef, usually does the cooking; he says for a meatier dish, you can add warm shredded chicken to the filling. If cotija cheese isn’t available, he suggests substituting Cheddar or jack.
Vicky’s Entomatadas
Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
8 medium tomatoes, chopped
Salt, pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
8 corn tortillas
1 cup grated cheese (preferably cotija)
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add garlic and cook briefly. Add tomatoes and cook until soft. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add oregano. Sauce will be thick; do not add water. Add a small amount of cheese, if desired.
Lay each tortilla on top of sauce to soften. When tortilla soaks up some of sauce, place on plate. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons sauce onto tortilla and roll up. Place on dinner plates. Spoon some of remaining sauce over tortillas and sprinkle with cheese. Serve at once.
Yield: 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 333 calories, 533 milligrams sodium, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 16 grams fat (43 percent fat calories), 41 grams carbohydrate, 12 grams protein, 4.54 grams fiber.
Eggs with Chorizo
1/2 pound chorizo sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium green bell pepper, cut in small dice
1 medium tomato, diced
6 eggs, beaten
Salt
Cook chorizo in skillet until browned and crumbly. Remove and drain on paper towel. Discard all but small amount of fat from pan.
Add onion, garlic and green pepper and cook until vegetables soften. Add tomato and cook 1 minute.
Return chorizo to pan. Add eggs and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt. Cook until eggs are set.
Yield: 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 320 calories, 696 milligrams sodium, 356 milligrams cholesterol, 24 grams fat (68 percent fat calories), 5 grams carbohydrate, 20 grams protein.
Breakfast Beans
1 cup pinto beans
1 clove garlic
1/4 medium onion
3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Sort and rinse beans. Cover with hot water and bring to boil. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 hour.
Add garlic and onion quarter and cook until beans are tender, about 2 hours. When skins start to burst, add salt to taste.
Combine green onion and cilantro. Serve beans in their broth in individual bowls. Accompany with onion-cilantro mixture to add as desired.
Yield: 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 171 calories, 448 milligrams sodium, no cholesterol, 1 gram fat (5 percent fat calories), 32 grams carbohydrate, 10 grams protein, 3.03 grams fiber.
Mexican Chocolate Milk
1 quart chilled milk
1/2 cup instant chocolate milk powder
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
Ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine milk, chocolate milk powder, sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and vanilla extract in blender. Blend until frothy. Pour into glasses and sprinkle tops lightly with cinnamon.
Yield: 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 184 calories, 151 milligrams sodium, 19 milligrams cholesterol, 5 grams fat (24 percent fat calories), 27 grams carbohydrate, 9 grams protein.