CHILE RELLENO TORTA

1/2 pound cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated
5 eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 and 2/3 cups half-and-half
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
1/4 cup picante sauce


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix grated cheeses and spread evenly in buttered 10-inch deep dish pie plate.  Beat eggs, add flour slowly, and then beat in half-and-half.  If mixture is lumpy, strain it.  Pour egg mixture over cheeses in pie plate.  Carefully spoon chiles over the surface, then spoon picante sauce over all.  Bake about 45 minutes or until center is set.

Mexican Black Beans

1 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 large jalapeno seeded and chopped OR one 4 oz. can chopped green chilies
1/2 tsp. cumin
2  15 oz. cans black beans drained and rinsed
1  14.5 oz. can chicken broth
fresh lime juice
salt
pepper
Monterey jack cheese, grated (opt.)
fresh cilantro (opt.)

Heat oil in heavy saucepan over med-hi heat.  Add garlic, cumin, and jalapeno and sauté 30 sec.
Add beans and broth.  Cook 5 min. stirring occasionally.  Coarsely mash beans with a potato masher.  Continue boiling until thick, about 20 min.  Season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper.  Transfer to a bowl.  Garnish with Monterey jack cheese and cilantro.

For a larger batch, double the first 5 ingredients.  1 can of chicken broth will suffice, you just won't have to cook it as long.

Wyoming - Mexican Casserole

1 lb. ground beef 1 small onion, chopped (1/4 c.)
1 (1 3/4 oz.) envelope taco seasoning mix
1 c. water
1/4 c. bottled taco sauce
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach
4 0z. (3/4 c.) diced cooked ham
cooking oil
12 corn tortillas
1 c. sour cream
1 c. (2 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In a skillet, cook beef and onion til beef is browned and onion is tender. Drain off excess fat. Stir in dry taco mix, water, and taco sauce. Add frozen spinach and ham. Cover and cook til spinach thaws breaking up spinach with fork. Simmer, covered, 5 minutes. In a small skillet heat oil. Dip tortillas into oil just until soft and limp, 5 to 10 seconds. Drain on paper toweling. To assemble casserole, spoon 1/3 cup meat mixture onto each tortilla. Roll up. Place, seam side down, in greased 13x9x2 inch baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake in 350 F. oven 30 t0 35 minutes. Uncover; spread sour cream over tortillas. Sprinkle cheese over all. Return to oven to heat sour cream and melt cheese, about 5 to 10 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. chopped onion
3 T. butter or margarine
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 c. hot water
1/2 - 1 tsp. ground cumin
2 c. half and half
2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen corn
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilis - undrained
1/4 - 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1 medium tomato, chopped
fresh cilantro, chopped

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a dutch oven, brown chicken, onion, and garlic in butter until chicken is no longer pink. Dissolve bouillon in hot water. Add to pan along with cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add half and half, cheese, corn, chilis and hot pepper sauce. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Stir in tomato. Serve immediately; garnish with cilantro, if desired. Yield 6 - 8 servings (2 qts).