What a great Mingle this has been! So much wonderful food to share with everyone.
So grab your sombrero, make yourself a margarita, and let's get eat!
Let's start with Megan's dish, for Rivera's Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas, featured on her site Feasting on Art.
Friends and family are able to keep Megan supplied with canned chipotle's so she is able to spice up this lovely dish. For those leery of the heat, sour cream is a must!
You can find Megan's post here.
Next up, a friend of mine who doesn't normally get involved in food 
posts (though he talks about food with me alot - apparently I make him hungry alot.)
Ktorrek broke into the foodie world with a step by step on how to make his version of a Barbacoa, using his slow cooker. This spicy, shredded beef is a work in progress for him, and has lead to the two of us browsing the online spice merchants for large amounts of cumin (and my trying to find chipotles in adobo somewhere around here, with no luck so far.)
You can find his post here.
If you like hot salsa, then check out this salsa made by Nupur from One Hot Stove, Chili de Arbol Salsa.
This salsa came about as a result of finding a hot and tasty salsa at a local restaurant, and then using the old trial and error method of making it at home. The color was not what Nupur wanted, but the flavor came pretty close.
Frankly, as a liker of mild, cilantro fresh salsas, this salsa scares me, but I am betting my husband would love, love, love it! If I ever come across that wall of dried chilis you were talking about, Nupur, I will have to grab some of these and make some for my hubby.
Next up, we have something a bit less spicy, but I doubt less flavorful, not with all that lovely green color that you get from the spinach and the cilantro.
This Mexican Green Rice comes to us courtesy of Faiza Ali's kitchen, all the way from the United Kingdom.
You can find the recipe for this lovely green rice here.
Soup anyone?
That's what Rara Avis, from Soulful Creations, brings to the Mingle, a black bean soup. I'm new to black beans, so I may have to make up a small batch of this and give it a try. Beans are so good for you, and so inexpensive, that having a good soup in my recipe rotation can't possibly be a bad idea.
You can find the recipe for the soup here.
Next up, Emma brings us a fabulous side of rice to go along with her own Mexican Fiesta (does that meal not look fabulous and make you want to dine Al Fresco tonight?)
The recipe for this side can be found at Food o'del Mundo, along with great step by step photos on how to make this rice.
Hey, Emma, what's everyone drinking with this feast?
Enchiladas are one of my favorite types of Mexican fare, so I was thrilled to see this entry from Supriya for Veggie Enchiladas.
I agree, enchiladas do take more time than a basic quesadillas, but are so worth the effort. And it sounds like Supriya's family agreed, these enchiladas look good and probably taste great as well.
You can find the recipe for these at Queen of My Kitchen.
Not to knock quesadillas when I say I love enchiladas, sometimes a simple quesadilas is just what my family needs for dinner, so this recipe for Chole Quesadillas will come in handy! And it is fusion cooking, combining an Indian chickpea curry with the Mexican quesadillas. What a great idea!
Suparna, I tip my sombrero to you, for coming up with such a unique combination for the Fiesta!
You can find her recipe on her blog, Mirch Masala.
Getting full yet? No? That's good, because there is lots more goodies to come.
Mermaid joins us in her first every blog event, bringing Mexican stuffed baked potatoes to the party. Welcome Mermaid, so glad you could join us!
Baked potatoes are such a versatile vehicle for so many flavors, so I can see how adding in Mexican flavor and beans could make this a meal in itself.
You can find the full recipe for this one dish meal at Naki Kate. Be sure to drop Mermaid a comment when you visit, encourage her to join in on more blog events!
I need a sweet break, so let's take a look at one of the desserts that made their way to the Mingle: Capirotada, a Mexican Bread Pudding.
Using a sugar syrup rather than a custard, and with the addition of cheese to the mixture, this bread pudding looks like a great way to use up stale bread. I know I'd eat it.
Thanks to Curry Leaf, over at Experiments, Emotions, Experiences with food, for this wonderful dessert.
Now that I've had a bit of dessert, I'm ready for some more yummy Mexican inspired dishes, including this dish from Shri, a Classical Mexican Rice, based on a rice recipe from Rick Bayless.
(Did I mention I passed up a chance to buy Rick Bayless' book at a flea market sale one day? I've been trying to use the books I have, so walked away and have been regretting it every since!)
Sorry, side tracked there.... Shri's rice looks so fluffy and flavorful, and lime juice can only have made it taste better. What can I say, I like lime.
You can find the recipe for this classic rice at Tasty Touch.
New mom Johanna at Green Gourmet Giraffe rarely has time for more than a quick bite, not with a baby to feed first thing in the morning, but still made the time to make these healthy and filling breakfast burritos. Not for breakfast, but who says breakfast type dishes have to always be for breakfast? Not me!
Filled with potatoes and a tofu-scramble, these sure beat a fat ladden burrito for nutrition, and probably taste much better too!
Thanks for taking the time to join the Fiesta Johanna!
By far the most colorful dish on the menu for our Fiesta are these wildly vibrant Beet Chalupas from Yasmeen at Health Nut.
I admit, I don't think I've ever had a Chalupas, but I'm interested now! Look at the color on these. Including the beet greens as one of the toppings for the chalupas just brings everything together.
If you visit Yasmeen, not only will you find the recipe for making these Chalupas, you'll also find a recipe for a Roasted Hot Pepper Cilantro Salsa. You can find both recipes here.
Fellow Tyler Florence Friday blogger Joanne bring us our only fish entry for this Mingle, a Seared Flounder with Zucchini and Toasty Garlic Mojo. (See? There is Rick Bayless' book again! I think I need to go back to the Flea Market and see if it is still there. Maybe someone else was as dumb as I was and its still there. I know, unlikely.)
This fabulous dish a great way to use up some of that fresh zucchini crop you have piling up. Made for two, remember, garlic cancels garlic, so don't be afraid to make this for a special date night.
You can find Joanne and her recipe at Eats Well With Others.
Smitha took advantage of a pile of July 4th left overs to make us some Mexican Fiesta Chutney Quesadillas.
Corn tortillas filled with beans and cheese, along with a choice of chutneys, these babies could easily have been served to her crowd of friends, vegetarian and non-vegetarian alike.
You can find the recipe for these Quesadillas here, at Kannada Cuisine.
Jelly brings us a Mexican dish from Italy, Tortillas "Fai Da Te", or "DYI" Tortillas.
I can't read Italian, so I'm so glad that Jelly gave an English translation to these Tortillas (but I admit, the recipe is so pretty to "read" in Italian.)
You can find the recipes, in English and Italian, for Jelly's Tortillas here, at Fragole & Cioccolato.
I'm running out of room but still have room to try a few more things!
How about this fabulous looking dessert, a Mango Flan, brought to us by Arjun and Soma at eCurry.
Would you believe, looking at this picture, that this flan was made in a pressure cooker? Poor Arjun, poor Soma, no working oven right, now, but my hats off to you for making this in a pressure cooker. I would not have believed you could do that, but I am a believer now.
I hope your oven is better soon!
The Monthly Mingle would not be the same without the wondeful lady that is Meeta. Her pictures and recipes are great, sure, but it the lovely lady herself that brings it all together.
This Mingle would not have been complete without an entry from Meeta, so I'm thrilled to say she was able to squeeze in time to make us some Black Bean and Goat Cheese Quesadillas. Made to feed a crowd of hungry boys (boy, do I know about those!), the boys used their hands to eat their way through ingredients and flavors their mothers swore they did not eat.
I don't think I'd have thought to mix black beans with goat cheese, so I'm glad Meeta did. I think I'll throw a couple of cans of beans in my pantry, and the next time my boys come through with friends taging along behind, looking for a snack, I'll be ready for them!
Many thanks to all the wondeful bloggers who joined me in celebration of a Mexican Fiesta! Ole to you all, I hope you had a great time.
Now, on to the dishes....
Montly Mingle Round Up: Let the Fiesta begin!
Munching through the Fiesta
When most people think of Mexican, they think tacos, enchiladas, nachos.... Your traditional Tex-Mex type fare. I've nothing against those types of meals, I love all of them.
But since I'm hosting the Monthly Mingle, and I picked the theme, I wanted something a bit different.
And since I completely forgot that I owned a Mexican cookbook, I went searching the internet for something different.
Introducing Mexican Chicken Wings.
Don't let the picture fool you. It isn't a big, lumpy mass of something, but a pile of chicken wings ready to be shared. Simple to make, with room for personalization, and good for a large gathering.
I found the original recipe here, and went on from it as my inspiration. I made 3 pounds, not 1. I hand crushed my tortillas to give them more texture and crunch. I increased the cumin and only used enough oil to let everything come together. And I "marinated" the wings in the oil and spices for a good hour before I tossed them in the tortillas and baked them.
These were enjoyed by everyone who ate them, with kids asking for more and the adults trying to behave themselves by not pigging out on them.
I served these along side the couscous salad I mentioned a few days ago, and it was a great combination.
Menu Plan Monday: Last day to submit your Monthly Mingle Fiesta dish
Another week of summer gone, and we've had more rain again. Not only is it really depressing, it is also totally ruining my usual summer menu choices. Who wants to eat salads and lighter dishes all the time when it is cold and dark and drizzly out?
Take last night, for example. I didn't make my grilled steak and peach salad on Friday as I'd planned last week, but instead made them last night for dinner. It was a lovely salad, hearty enough to be dinner, but light and full of flavors. We sat together as a family to enjoy our salads, but not outside in the sun on our deck. Instead we sat inside at the kitchen table, while the sky was dark and the rain kept coming down. I don't know about everyone else, but I find it depressing to eat salad in the dark of a rain storm. Rain storms call for comfort foods, like Mac & Cheese or something.
So if some things seem out of place on my menu plan for this week, not very summer like, the rain has gotten to me.
Be sure to check out all the other menu plans at Menu Plan Monday.
Sunday: Grilled Steak, Peach and Lime salad. This was supposed to be Friday's dinner, but neither the hubby or I felt like eating that night, so the kids wolfed down hamburgers and hot dogs while running through the mazes at Saunder's Farm that night, for their first ever Mazes in the Dark event. (I was with the boys, and those mazes are alot of fun in the dark, and even the simple ones, like the Spiral maze, seem completely different in the dark.)
Monday: Sheppard's pie. My oldest has asked to learn how to make this, so here is his chance.
Tuesday: Chili dogs with fries and coleslaw.
Wednesday: Something with shrimp. Not only is it on sale this week, my youngest has begged me to make something with shrimp for him. I just don't know what yet.
Thursday: Chicken with POM glaze.
Friday: I'm keeping this open, as well as Saturday. Saturday is my birthday and my hubby is going to take me out for dinner, however I'm still working on who all is coming and have not yet made reservations.
Don't forget to get your Monthly Mingle entry to me by the end of day today (your day, my day, whichever is fine with me). It is a Mexican Fiesta, but you are welcome to make a main dish, or a drink. Or a dessert. Or a side. Anything at all really! Just be sure to post about your selection and then send me an email at allthingsedible (at) gmail (dot) com with the subject line Monthly Mingle.
And stay tuned later today for my main dish choice for this mingle. The pictures aren't amazing but it was yummy!
Let's get this Fiesta started!
Since I'm the host of this month's Monthly Mingle, the Mexican Fiesta, it seems only fair that I kick things off before our July 13th finale date.
So pull up a seat and enjoy some of this lovely Mexican inspired salad that I threw together for Canada Day last week. It has an very non-Mexican base, Israeli Couscous. Interesting way to start my Fiesta, isn't it?
Don't be fooled by the couscous though. This bowl of yummy is full of flavor: lime zest and juice, cilantro, cumin, and a touch of Ancho chili powder. Along with some deliciously flavored pieces of roasted sweet potato, green onion and some red pepper.
This make ahead, healthy salad is a great side dish. Served cold, and best after resting in the fridge for a few hours, it frees up some of the cooks time at dinner, with no last minute fussing or prepping needed. It was very well suited with my main Mexican dish (which I will reveal closer to the 13th), and was well received by everyone but the children. Fortunately, that night, six adults outvoted four children, so I call it a success!
I can't really include a recipe as I didn't follow one or write one down. I simply threw together a few things that I had on hand, tasted it, added abit more cumin, then left to do Canada Day type things with family and friends. 
Hopefully my little salad has provided a bit of inspiration to those of you out there who were on the edge, thinking of joining in on the Mingle, but unsure. "Come on in, the water's great!" as the saying goes. Everyone is welcome!
Just be sure to send me your recipe link before July 13th, then I will be able to include you in the round up. The address is allthingsedible (at) gmail (dot) com.
Can't wait to see what everyone brings!
Menu Plan Monday: Still tweeking it
Is it really Monday already? Wow, that weekend was fast. We didn't really do anything or go anywhere, but wow, is it really Monday already?
I'm making a plan for this week, but I'm staying very flexible with it. Just in case. A menu plan can be a great stress reliever, knowing in advance what you need to take out and defrost, pick up at the store, and plan ahead for. But it can also cause alot of stress if you are locked into it, refusing to make anything else because that is what is written on your plan.
Have I ever mentioned I write my plan in pencil?
I've sort of written this one, just broke my pencil doing it actually, but like I said, I'm being flexible. Because you never know when you will need to change things up or scrap them entirely.
(And don't forget to go check out Menu Plan Monday, hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie, for more menu ideas. I got a lovely muffin recipe from another blogger who menu plans just last week. Think I'll go have one of those muffins now, while I still have any left.)
Sunday: Butter chicken with rice, Naan bread, asparagus and carrots. An old favorite.
Monday: No idea yet. Seriously. If I can't figure something out this morning, without having to run to a store, we are having penee pasta with tomatoes, garlic and chili's.
Tuesday: By hubby request, chili.
Wednesday: Sandwich bar with fruit salad. Because we will all be eating at different times.
Thursday: Stuffed baked potatoes with sausages.
Friday: Grilled steak and peach salad.
Don't forget, you still have time to join me in this month's Monthly Mingle, the Mexican Fiesta! You can read all about how to join here, then head off to cook something fabulous for this event. Everyone is welcome, blogger or not, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what everyone has for the party.
Btw, need to do a "toot my own horn" announcement and invite you all to head over to Tyler Florence's blog today to see my very own post, chosen as last week's pick for Tyler Florence Fridays. I was so excited, so excited! (And I admit, seeing it makes me want to make more shrimp too.) ** NOTE ** As of 10:52 am EST, it isn't up yet, but I'm sure it will be today.
Menu Plan Monday: School's out, the kids are home
The last day of school was on Thursday of last week, and in that time slot for my menu plan, I wrote: SURPRISE!!!!
Think that was cheating?
In reality, my kids used free kids meal coupons at Subway for dinner, followed by an ice cream cone, and the hubby and I had a fabulous salad with grilled chicken, grilled peaches, grilled red onion, and a sweet and savory dressing. Which I did not take a picture of so will have to make again.
Friday's plan of chili lime cumin steak turned into buffalo chicken nuggets, premade from the store, and whatever everyone felt like picking at.
This week, however, my children are home all week, so I might do a few things with them and that might mess up whatever I plan. Plus, it is Canada Day this week, and I have no idea what we are doing. If we end up out somewhere to see fireworks, dinner could be changed. If not, we will eat what I plan ahead.
Sunday: Spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread. (I worked all day, so hubby cooked.)
Monday: Steak, fennel and orange salad. Assuming I remember to go out and get some oranges. And fennel. (Cancel that - I could not get fennel this morning, and by the time I did get some, it was late and I was so tired that I stopped and picked up pizza, which I am now eating. I plan to have the salad for lunch tomorrow.)
Tuesday: Mexican chicken wings with some kind of vegetable. Not sure what kind yet though.
Wednesday: Canada Day, so I'm going to plan ahead to make a broccoli and cheddar fritata, which I can make ahead, and that way if we are out and it isn't eaten, well, I'll have lunch the next day.
Thursday: We are out at a friends for dinner. Should be fun!
Friday: Hmmm I have written down, "Tyler's California Cobb Salad for me." Not sure what I'm planning on feeding anyone else that night.
As always, don't forget to go to Menu Plan Monday to see lots of other menu plans. I need to, I want some breakfast ideas, needing a break from the same things we have around here.
Btw, don't forget, you are invited to this months Monthly Mingle, hosted by me, where we are having a Mexican Fiesta! You can get all the details here, and then send me your entry by July 13 at allthingsedible (at) gmail (dot) com, with the subject of Monthly Mingle.
It's time for a Fiesta - and you're invited!
That's right, it is Monthly Mingle time and I get to play hostess this month while Meeta is busy moving! And since I get to hostess this fabulous event, I also get to choose the theme and I've decided it is time for a Mexican Fiesta!
Why, you might ask? (Or maybe you didn't ask, but I'm going to answer anyways.)
Well, because I love Mexican food. My entire family likes Mexican food. What isn't to love about Mexican food? And since no one wants to visit Mexico right now, we can all experience our own little bit of it in our own homes.
As for the Fiesta, well, it has been a long school year, which is almost over. And a long spring that does not seem to want to give way to summer. And any excuse for a party is a good excuse. So let's all find our festive spirit and party!
If you've never been part of the Monthly Mingle before, let me tell you what you do: first of all, copy that little picture above, the badge that says Monthly Mingle on it. Then hit your kitchen, or your bbq, or your drinks cabinet, or wherever you keep edibles, and make something that relates to the theme of Mexican Fiesta. It can be a drink, a main course, an appetizer, a dessert. It can serve one or a crowd. It can be no-cook or require hours of slaving over a hot crock pot. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it fits within the theme of Mexican Fiesta. Make it up or find a cookbook, just make something.
Then take a picture and put it up on your blog. Please include the phrase Monthly Mingle: Mexican Fiesta. Then send me the link, and a copy of your picture, by email: allthingsedible (at) gmail (dot) com, including the words Montly Mingle in the subject post. (If you don't have a blog, you can join in as well, just email me the details of what you made, with a picture or two.)
Do this before July 13th, and I will be sure to include you in the round up.
Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with. Please feel free to join in. Let's Fiesta!
If you are looking for the Monthly Mingle announcement
Well, it seems both Meeta and I made an oops and it is July I am hosting.
So come back later this month and see all about it.
And pretend to be surprised when you see the theme for the month, pretty please!
Montly Mingle: Kids Lunches
I would never put this in one my children's school lunch boxes. Too messy for the quick 15 minutes they get for lunch at school. Or rather, not lunch, but "nurtrition break." My children go to a school that has a balanced school day, which means that rather than the traditional morning recess, hour long lunch time divided between eating and playing, and afternoon recess, they get two "nutrition and activity breaks," each 45 minutes long, again divided between eating and outdoor play. Time-wise it works out to the same amount of time as they were getting before, but it seems so much shorter.
As a result, my children are getting to school for 9:15 am and having "lunch" at 11:15 am. Then "snack" at 2pm. By the time they get home at 4:30pm, they are starving! So when they are home, I like to give them a bit more of a substantial lunch than they would get to have at school, with a little more time and alot more leisure.
Slow cooked shredded beef sandwiches are a nice way to have a relaxed lunch together. Cooking the beef all morning in the slow cooker until it is tender and falling apart, soaking up the seasonings in the liquid. Piled high on fresh buns, soft on the inside, but toasted for a little bit of contrast. Top the beef as you'd like, with salsa or cheese, with dressing, with stacks of caramalized onions, however you want to eat it. I had mine with an avocado aoili that I'd thrown together (really, just avacado with store bought mayonnaise and alot of garlic).
I served these dripping sandwiches with a platter of cruidites, fancy for raw vegetables, and a dip. A lovely crunch to pair with the softness of the beef and bread.
This might not be quite what Meeta and Srivalli had in mind when they asked for submissions to this session of the Monthly Mingle, but the beauty of the mingle is that you never know what anyone is going to come up with. Be sure to see both these blogs for more ideas, and check for the round-up!
Slow Cooked Beef Sandwiches
2 1/2 - 3 lb boneless beef pot roast (a cheaper cut works best here, don't go with prime rib or sirloin!)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup of water
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
5 cloves of garlic, minced
dash of hot sauce
1 tablespoon of olive oil
kosher salt (just a pinch, the Worcestershire sauce will have plenty)
freshly ground black pepper, lots of it!
Heat a medium pan over high heat. Rub the olive oil all over the roast and season with the salt and pepper. Sear the beef on all sides on high in the pan. You want a nice crust here.
Place the seared beef in a 3 1/2 - 4 quart slow cooker (I used my small one.) Mix together the rest of the ingredients and pour all over the beef. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, until the beef is falling apart when you touch it with a fork.
Remove the beef from the slow cooker with a slotted spoon, to drain slightly) into a bowl. Shred up any that does not fall apart on its own. Serve with toasted buns and a variety of toppings, your choice.
