La Piña en la Cocina

Embracing my Mexican heritage and sharing all the wonderful flavors, colors and foods I grew up with. Join me on this journey as I also learn new foods and cooking techniques. Dedicated to my parents Ramiro and Blanca.

Basic Chicken Enchiladas (Enchiladas de Pollo)

enchiladas close up

Traditionally, in my family, chicken enchiladas were prepared with corn tortillas that were filled and then rolled tight. They were be served to order, individually onto your plate, topped with enchilada sauce and a sprinkle of cheese. The fillings were simple, either a lightly seasoned poached chicken or a crumbled queso cotija or queso fresco with sliced onions. They were rarely ever baked in the oven. Although, I do enjoy that cheesy version too! Crumbled Cheese Or Melted ...

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Salsa de Chile Morita y Piquin~A Smoky, Dried Chile Salsa

shrimp tostadas with chile morita salsa

Another week down, another salsa to enjoy with everything! Dried chiles, I just can't imagine cooking without  them. And not only for salsa recipes, they add so much more flavor than your best chile powder. One of the questions I get most about salsa, is how long does it keep?  That varies, of course, depending on many things. For any fresh salsa's, that are not cooked, I would suggest enjoying as much of it on the first day you prepare it. But, in the case you had to store it, this is ...

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Serrano Lime Salsa

salsa in bowl with wooden spoon

Serrano lime salsa is literally ready in minutes! I have experimented with many variations of this particular salsa these past 35 years. Sometimes all fresh, sometimes cooked, roasted grilled, smoked or combination of both fresh and grilled! You name it, I have tried it! All Chile! All Day! Everyday! I remember the day when I lived on the east coast, small town life, and there were no fresh chile peppers to be found for miles and miles! Nooooo!! Lol! Mom would ship me care packages ...

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adobo rojo-Red Adobo with roasted chicken and spices

Adobo Rojo-Red Adobo

What's the difference between an adobo and a recado? For me, they are pretty much the same thing. Sometimes vinegar or citrus is added, but that depends on the cook. Recados and adobos are used to ...

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Cantaritos!

Cantaritos! The word cantaritos is used to describe the style of Mexican clay glassware used for this cocktail. First thing I will suggest is take the time and squeeze fresh juice! Don't buy the ...

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salsa asada in bowl

Salsa Asada- Roasted Tomato Poblano Salsa

I remember the first time I prepared salsa asada. I was in California visiting mom. Those days mom wasn't doing much cooking anymore. Trying to show off some of my salsa making skills, I decided to ...

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salsa roja and salsa verde in glass jars. Extra salsa in small bowls

Salsa Roja! Salsa Verde!

Salsa roja or salsa verde? Why not both! On any given day, I always have a small selection of homemade salsas in my refrigerator. I can't be without a red or green salsa. Sure does make my life a ...

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seafood chowder in bread bowl

Green Chile Seafood Chowder

Green chile seafood chowder! Yes! It has been a little while since I prepared a chowder. The chilly temperatures outside was the main source of inspiration for this recipe yesterday. Flour No ...

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masa, filling, corn husk and cheese

Masa For Tamales Using Masa Quebrada

What is masa quebrada? The literal translation is broken dough. Masa quebrada describes a freshly ground corn dough that is coarse in texture. This was the traditional method my parents used to ...

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red chile pork tamal fresh out of the steamer pot

Red Chile Pork Tamal Part 1&2

Red chile pork tamal, also posted as chile colorado pork tamal here on my blog. In an attempt to make it easier for my followers during tamal season, here are the videos. I will be adding some tips, ...

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Pan Dulce

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Tacos

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