Fiesta Breakfast

Here we go again, another breakfast created from the previous night’s leftovers. In this case, we had homemade tacos for dinner, thusly permitting a special breakfast the next morning.

I first had a “Mexican-style” breakfast in San Diego, at the hotel where I was staying for a few nights. Their version was a little different, but it included such things as tortillas, black beans, chorizo, eggs, guacamole, sour cream and salsa.

Feel free to substitute whatever taco fixing leftovers you have. Chopped green onions make a terrific and tasty garnish, and guacamole would be a nice addition as well.

Here’s the way I make it:

Ingredients

• TORTILLA, 1, 8-inch, flour or corn, your choice
• TOMATO, 1, skinned, seeded, and chopped
• ONION, 1 small, chopped
• REFRIED BEANS, canned
• GROUND BEEF, prepared with taco mix, leftover
• SHREDDED CHEESE, prepackages Mexican mix
• SOUR CREAM, 1 to 2 tablespoons, as desired
• EGGS, 2 or 3, over easy
• PICO DI GALLO or SALSA, as much as you want
• BUTTER for frying

Directions

1. Warm the tortilla in lightly buttered non-stick pan. Put on plate.
2. Warm the refried beans in the microwave.
3. Warm the leftover flavored ground beef in the microwave.
4. Spread the refried beans, then the ground beef, on the tortilla.
5. Sprinkle shredded cheese on the ground beef.
6. Top with chopped tomatoes and dot with sour cream.
7. Fry your eggs in a non-stick pan, using plenty of butter.
8. Slide the eggs over the open-face taco.
9. Spoon on pico di gallo or salsa.
10. You might want to warm up more tortillas on the side.

Chili Con Carne

I cheat when it comes to chili con carne.

Mine isn’t authentic or even from scratch. I use packaged chili flavoring, plus I throw in whatever meat I can find in the fridge – the loose hot dog, an extra slice or two of Spam, couple of left-over Vienna sausages … if it’s there, I’ll throw it in the pot.

But I’ll say this: It’s fast and it’s tasty. Here’s my basic recipe:

Ingredients

• CHILI MIX, Lawry’s, 2 packages
• BEER, Mexican (Dos Equis or Corona), 1 bottle
• TOMATOES, 2 cans (14.5 oz. each)
• GROUND BEEF, 1 to 1½ pounds
• PORTUGUESE SAUSAGE, 1 pound, chopped
• ONION, 1 large, chopped
• BELL PEPPER, 1, chopped
• OLIVES, 1 small can chopped and 1 small can sliced
• MUSHROOMS, 8 oz, chopped
• GARLIC, 2 cloves minced
• SALT AND PEPPER, to taste
• CHEESE, grated Mexican mix (at least cheddar and Monterey jack), 8 oz.

Directions

1. Brown the ground beef, season with salt and pepper, set aside.
2. Brown the Portuguese sausage, set aside.
3. Sauté the onions until soft, then add in the ground beef and the Portuguese sausage.
4. Add in the chili mix, beer, bell pepper, olives, mushrooms and garlic.
5. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, leave on back burner for a couple of hours.
6. Add the cheese and stir in before serving.