Refried Beans

3 cans red kidney beans, drained
2 Tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped

In a large frying pan, heat the oil and butter and sweat the onion until softened.

Mash the beans as fine as you like, then mix them with the onion mixture.

Add some hot water 1 Tablespoon at a time to give you the same consistency as double cream.

Serve. Delicious :-)

Guacamole

4 avocados, peeled, stones removed, roughly chopped
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
2 - 3 tomatoes, finely diced
½ C sour cream
2 limes, juiced
5 drops Tabasco
Salt and pepper, to taste

Place avocado in a shallow dish and mash with a fork until smooth. Add onions, tomato, sour cream, 2 tablespoons lime juice, Tabasco and salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Cover surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fresh Salsa

5 tomatoes, finely diced
1 can corn, drained
1 avocado, finely diced
1 red capsicum, finely diced
3 spring onions, very finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
4 Tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.

Chicken Enchiladas

4 chicken breast fillets, poached and shredded
4 spring onions, finely chopped
4 Cups grated cheddar cheese
Salt & freshly ground pepper
16 tortillas
2 x 400g can crushed tomatoes
½ C parsley leaves
1 large green chilli
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 Tablespoons cream

Preheat oven to 190°C. Combine chicken with spring onions, half the cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a small frying pan over a medium heat. Cook tortillas for 5 seconds on each side or until golden. Divide chicken mixture between the tortillas and roll up tightly. Place seam side down in a 19cm x 27cm ovenproof dish.

Place tomatoes, coriander leaves, chilli, garlic, cream into a food processor and process until smooth. Pour over enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling.

Chunky Salsa

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
1 small green capsicum, finely diced
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
500g tomatoes, diced

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until soft. Add chilli and capsicum. Cook for 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomato paste and tomatoes. Bring mixture to the boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat. Cool completely.

Chicken in Green Almond Sauce

12 chicken pieces
2 Cups hot chicken stock
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 Cups fresh coriander, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 chilli, seeded and chopped
5 tomatoes, diced
Juice of 2 lemons
1 C ground almonds
2 Tablespoons oil
Salt, to taste
Fresh coriander, to garnish
Rice, to serve

Preheat oven to 200 C.

Place the chicken pieces in a flameproof casserole of shallow pan. Pour in the stock and bake in oven for 45 minutes, until tender. Drain the stock in a measuring jug and set aside.

Put the onion, garlic, coriander, green pepper, chilli, tomatos and lemon juice and the almonds in a food processor. Puree fairly coarsely.

Heat the oil in a fry pan, add the almond mixture and cook, over low heat, stirring with a widen spoon, for 3 – 4 minutes. Mix with the stock and return to the pan with the chicken.

Heat the chicken through. Add salt to taste.

Serve at once with coriander and accompanied by rice.

Picadillo

4 Tablespoons oil
1 kg beef mince
2 onions, finely chopped
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 to 2 teaspoons of minced chilli or to taste
440 g can diced tomatoes
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon of ground cumin
1 Cup beef stock
1 Tablespoons cornflour

In a large pan or saucepan heat the oil and add the mince. Cook over a medium heat until well browned.

Add the onion, garlic and chilli and stir through. Cover and sweat for 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir through the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes, and cumin.

Barely cover the mixture with beef stock and simmer for 30 minutes. The amount of stock added will determine the consistency. If the sauce is a little thin, lightly thicken with cornflour mixed with a little cold water. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chimichangas

Makes 14

Picadillo (see recipe here)
14 warmed tortillas
1 Tablespoon oil

Spoon 2 - 4 Tablespoons of filling down the centre of each tortilla. Fold the edges, then the top and bottom, envelope-fashion, and fasten with a toothpick.

Heat oil in frypan over moderate heat. Fry the chimichangas, a few at a time, for about 1 – 2 minutes, or until golden.

Drain and keep warm while you cook the rest of the chimichangas.

Quesadillas

Makes 14

14 tortillas
2 C grated cheese
Picadillo (see recipe here)

Have warmed tortillas ready, covered with a cloth.

Mix the cheese and picadillo together.

Heat fry pan then, holding the tortilla in your palm, put a spoonful of filling along the centre, avoiding the edges.

Fold the tortilla and seal the edges by pressing together well, use a little water if necessary. Brown on both sides.

Remove the quesadilla and transfer to a plate to keep warm while cooking the remaining quesadillas.

Serve hot.