Taste of Mexican and American Holiday Recipes

Selasi's Baked Pecan Cheesecake

Check out Selasi's delicious recipe for a Baked Pecan Cheesecake below. 

TOASTED PECANS 

•250g paw pecans 

•Toast in a preheated oven at 170°C for 18mins and set aside. 

STRAWBERRY - OPTIONAL 

•150g fresh strawberries 

•60g Sugar 

•Juice of half a lemon 

Cook the above until softened - about 15 minutes 

BISCUIT BASE 

•133g Morrisons salted ‘scalloped’ crackers 

•65g Morrisons pecan nuts 

•3/4 Morrisons tsp nutmeg 

•20g Caster sugar 

•1/2 Tsp salt 

•40g Morrisons unsalted butter 

Method

1) Preheat the oven at 180°C

2) Melt the butter in a pan and set aside

3) Blitz the crackers, nuts, sugar, salt and nutmeg to a fine sandy texture

4) Pour the fine mixture into a bowl and stir in the butter

5) Grease the inside of an 8inch springform tin with butter. On the outside of the same tin, seal and cover the base of the pan with tin foil to the top. (This stops water from penetrating the tin)

6) Pour the mixture into the tin- level and press firmly. Bake for 18 minutes and allow to cool. 

CHEESECAKE 

•490g Morrisons cream cheese 

•120g Morrisons sour cream 

•120g Caster sugar 

•7g Morrisons cornflour 

•7g Morrisons plain flour 

•4 Medium eggs 

•1 Egg yolk 

•1.5 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste 

•1 Tbsp lemon juice 

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 160°C fan.

2) Whisk together the cream cheese, sour cream and sugar no more than two minutes.

3) Add the flour and cornflour.

4) Whisk in the eggs one at a time. And then the yolk.

5) Stir in the vanilla and juice.

6) Pour the mixture onto the baked biscuit base. Tap the tin on a flat surface a couple of times to push out any air bubbles.

7) Create a water bath- Place the tin into a large baking dish and fill the dish with enough water. About halfway.

8) Bake for 60mins- It should still be wobbly in the centre.

9) Once baked, turn off the oven and leave the door ajar and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven.

10) Once cool, brush with the strawberry sauce and decorate with toasted pecans.

11) Chill in the fridge until ready to serve (best served cold). 

Melissa's Shrimp Po’Boy 

Find out how to make Melissa of @Fowlmouthsfood's delicious dish below. 

Ingredients

225g The Best King Prawns, defrosted

150ml Morrisons buttermilk

2tbsp Morrisons Cajun seasoning

1 small Morrisons baguette

¼ iceberg lettuce, thinly shredded

2 tomatoes, sliced

8 pickle slices

150g plain flour

150 fine cornmeal

1tsp baking powder

Salt

1tsp chopped capers

1tbsp chopped pickles

2tbsp mayonnaise

2tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tsp mustard

Vegetable oil for frying

Chives, finely chopped for garnish

Method:

1. Add prawns, 1tbsp of Cajun seasoning and buttermilk and mix, being careful to not break up prawns. Leave for 30 mins. 
2. Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Mix together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
4. Shake off excess buttermilk from prawns and add to flour mix, shake to cover and remove onto a plate, ensuring prawns are not touching each other.
5. Repeat until all prawns are done. Leave for 5 minutes. 
6. In a pan, heat oil over a medium-high heat until it reaches 170C - to test, add some flour mix to the oil. It should start fizzing within seconds. 
7. Carefully add prawns one-by-one, being careful to not overcrowd the pan.
8. Once golden and crispy - after 4 to 5 minutes - remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towel.
9. Repeat until all prawns are cooked. 
10. Slice baguette in half across the middle, and then again lengthways but not all the way through, so it opens like a book. 
11. Generously spoon sauce onto both sides, then add pickles and tomatoes to one side, then the lettuce.
12. Add prawns on top, and garnish with chopped chives.

Samuel Bradbury's Philly Cheesesteak

Tuck in to Samuel of @fat.sam.eats' recipe for a tasty Philly Cheesesteak. The full recipe's below:

Ingredients

1 Large white onion (sliced)

1 Morrisons ribeye steak

1 Pack of monterey jack sliced cheese

1 Pack of mozzerella sliced cheese

1 Bottle of Morrisons mayonnaise

1 Pack of Morrisons bread rolls

Pinch of salt and pepper

Method

1. Put your pan on medium heat, Slice your bread roll, butter both sides and place into pan butter side down to toast the bread rolls.

2. Once bread is toasted, remove and drizzle olive oil into the pan, slice your onion and add to the pan and cook till they're nice and caramelised 

3. Whilst your onions are cooking thinly sliced your ribeye steak. 

4.  When the onions are cooked, remove them and turn the heat up to medium to high, add a little more olive oil and place steak into pan, cook for 3 minute. 

5. Once cooked, add the onions back in, season with some salt and pepper and mix together. 

6. Turn the heat off to the pan, put the steak and onion into a pile the same shape as the bun and add the cheese slices and let it melt. 

7. Whilst cheese is melting squirt some mayonnaise onto the bun.

8. When the cheese has melted put the bun on top of the melted cheese toasted side down and scoop up into the bun and close it. Enjoy!

The Feminist Foodie's Key Lime Pie

Enjoy Alys of @the.feminist.foodie's recipe for a classic Key Lime Pie - de-lish!

Ingredients 

Base:

1 x @Morrisons Sweet Pastry Case... I know you can use biscuits and bake, but these are honestly delicious and they save so much time... and after all, who wants to spend all their time in the kitchen on holiday right?!

Filling:

4 x Limes

300g x @Morrisons Sweetened Condensed Milk 

4 x Medium Egg Yolks

Topping:

300ml Double Cream

1 Tbsp Icing Sugar

Method

1. Zest all the limes and whisk with the egg yolks until they increase in size, this should look almost buttery.

2. Juice the limes, you should get around 100ml (no waste here!) 

3. Add the condensed milk to the yolks and zest and whisk until combined.

4. Whisk the lime juice into the mixture and you should notice that the mixture starts to thicken.

5. Pop the filling into the pastry case and bake in the oven at 140°C for just 15 minutes.

6. Leave to cool - I refrigerate overnight so that I'm not tempted to pick at it.

7. For the topping, whisk the double cream until firm and add your icing sugar. Pipe on to your pie to give the desired effect (you may have some left over, I let people spoon more on if they wish).

8. Decorate however you like, I used fresh limes, mint leaves and freeze dried raspberries but you can use whatever you want! Get creative!

Pancakes

Ingredients

• 275g SR Flour
• 275ml milk
• 2 tsp baking powder 
• 40g melted butter
• 4 eggs

Method

1. Mix the eggs, milk and melted butter together, then in a separate bowl mix the flour and baking powder. Make a well in the middle and using a whisk, combine the mixtures whisking until lumps have gone.
2. Warm a pan on medium heat melt a knob of butter in the middle of the pan and then add a ladle of batter.
3. Once you see pits on the surface of the pancake flip and cook the other side. You can check by lifting an edge. Once browning, take the pancake off out of the pan and repeat until you have your desired stack height.

Fish Tacos 

Ingredients

• 250g haddock or tilapia 
• Butter to season
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne / paprika 
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Olive oil
• 3 Wraps
• 1 Avocado chopped
• 3 tsp Sour cream
• 1 tsp Mayo 
• 1 tsp Sriracha sauce 
• Limes 
• Coriander 15g chopped
• Feta cheese crumbled 
• 1/4 Red cabbage chopped 
• 2 tomatoes chopped 

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160-180 degrees.
2. Take spices and seasoning and combine in a dish. Holding the fish, coat them in the seasoning mixture. 
3. Line a baking try with baking paper and lay the fish evenly spread over the paper. Lightly drizzle the fish with olive oil then place a small knob of butter on each piece. Place in the pre heated oven for 15-20 minutes. You should see some light browning around the edges.
4. Mix the taco sauce mixture using the sour cream, mayo, sriracha and a squeeze of half a lime in a bowl stirring until combined.
5. To cut the wraps to size take a bowl, place on the wrap and cut around the bowl.  This will leave you with a smaller circular wrap (taco).
6. Cut the remainder of the wrap into wedges and place on a tray.  Drizzled with oil and salt and add to the oven and leave in oven for the remainder of the time it takes the fish to cook. Or until browned.
7. Mix together the vegetables in a bowl giving a squeeze of lime and set aside ready for construction.
8. To serve, take the fish and break it up evenly, spread half of it between the tacos then add the vegetable mix on top. Then spread the crumbled feta over the top before sprinkling the coriander. Place lined together surrounded by the oven baked wrap wedges that are now crisps. Take a nice cold drink and enjoy!

The Fat Food Club's Tacos Al Pastor

Try this fantastic recipe for Tacos Al Pastor courtesy of Paul of @FatFoodClub. 

Ingredients

For the marinade

• 2 regular sized Morrisons pork loin chops
• 1 teaspoon each of cumin, black pepper, cayenne, oregano, chilli flakes, garlic powder
• ½ squeezed fresh lime
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

For the roasted pepper and chilli sauce

• 280g Morrisons grilled mixed peppers in a jar
• 1 small fresh red chilli deseeded
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil

To serve

• 4 or 5 corn tortilla wraps
• Mixed salad, I went for shredded red cabbage, carrot and red onion
• Fresh yogurt
• Lime wedges
• Coriander
• Toasted corn on the cob (optional)

Method

For the marinade (2 hours - to a day, before serving)

1. Take 2 regular sized Morrisons pork loin chops cut into small bite size chunks 
2. Place into a sandwich bag along with a squeeze of half a lime
3. Add to the bag 1 teaspoon each of cumin, black pepper, cayenne, oregano, chilli flakes, garlic powder. 
4. Finally, pour in two tablespoons of olive oil
5. Seal the bag and give everything a mix. Place in the fridge. Leave to marinade for at least 2 or up to 24 hours before cooking. 

Cooking

1. Place a heavy wide based pan on a high heat and add a little olive oil.
2. Add the marinated pork loin from the fridge and stir frequently. Season with salt and pepper. You want the pork loin to char, brown and caramelise but not burn. This will take around 10-15 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly if you think you are burning the pork. 
3. Meanwhile, build your tacos. Start by placing a separate pan on a high heat and warm the tacos individually on each side for 1 minute. 
4. Using a blender, make the roasted mixed pepper and chilli sauce by whizzing up the mixed jar of peppers, chilli and the 2 garlic cloves until smooth. Set to one side. 
5. Once the tacos are warmed and the pork loin cooked, place a small handful of mixed salad onto the tacos. 
6. Add a teaspoon of the yogurt followed by a teaspoon or two of the roasted mixed pepper and chilli sauce. 
7. Squeeze over a little fresh lime and top with torn coriander. Serve with sweetcorn. 
8. Sit back and enjoy a taste of holidays Mexican street food style!

The Physique Foodie's Cheesy Beef Empanadas

Full of flavour, tuck into Shia of @ThePhysiqueFoodie's delicious recipe. 

Ingredients

For the dough

• 375g Plain flour (more for surface & rolling pin)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 110g Cold butter (cubed)
• 180ml Coconut milk
• 1 large egg

For the filling

• 10 squirts of "oil spray" or 1tbsp of oil
• 1 chopped yellow onion 
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 chopped chilli (optional)
• Salt & pepper 
• 1/4 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 500g beef mince (choose your fat content... i used 5%)
• 1tbsp tomato paste
• 1tsp oregano
• 1tsp paprika
• 150g cheddar
• 150g red Leicester 
• Egg wash for pastry
• Dips (sour cream, salsa, guacamole)

Make Dough 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut butter into flour using your hands or a pastry cutter until pea-sized. Add water and egg and mix until a dough forms. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.
2. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

Ready to cook!

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180ºC fan) and line two large baking trays with parchment paper.
2. In a large pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Add beef and cook, breaking meat up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 5 minutes. Drain fat.
3. Return pan to medium heat, and stir tomato paste into beef. Add oregano, cumin, and paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and jalapeños and cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
4. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and divide in half.  Roll one half out to half centimetre thick. Using an 11cm round cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Repeat with remaining dough. Reroll scraps once to cut out more rounds.
5. Lightly moisten outer edge of a dough round with water and place about 2 tablespoons filling in centre and top with cheese. Fold dough in half over filling. Use a fork to crimp edges together. Repeat with remaining filling and dough.
6. Place empanadas on prepared baking trays and brush with egg wash. Bake until golden and filling is warmed through, about 25 minutes. 

The Original Dadbod's Mexican Feast

Featuring fish bites, spicy mac and cheese, loaded cheesy fries and much more, tuck into James of @the_original_dadbod's Mexican feast. 

Tortillas

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• Tsp salt
• 150ml warm water

Method

1. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl
2. Add warm water and knead for 5 minutes
3. Cover with a towel and leave for half an hour
4. Roll out your proved dough into thin breads, around the size of pitta breads
5. Place in a hot pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side

Fish Bites

Ingredients

• 1 cod fillet, diced
• 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Method

1. Combine dry ingredients together in a bowl
2. Add cod and coat thoroughly
3. Shallow fry in a pan for a few minutes on each side until cooked

Spicy Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 500g spiral pasta 
• 1 Tbsp light butter
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 1 Tsp mustard powder
• 3 tbsp plain flour 
• 450ml semi skimmed milk
• 2 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp paprika 
• 2 fresh chillies - chopped 
• 250g reduced fat cheddar
• 50g Parmesan cheese

Method

1. Boil spiral pasta until cooked.
2. In a separate pan, heat butter and garlic paste before adding mustard powder and plain flour.
3. Mix together and then add milk and whisk until thickened.
4. Add cayenne pepper, paprika and chilli and stir.
5. Next, add cheddar and parmesan and allow to simmer.
6. Then add your pasta and stir together to cover pasta.

Loaded Fries

Ingredients

• 3 large potatoes 
• 100g reduced fat cheddar
• 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp paprika
• Sprinkle of salt and pepper

Method

1. Peel and chop potatoes in to fries.
2. Add to boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes in the pan.
3. Remove from heat and drain water.
4. Place on to oven tray and top with paprika, salt, pepper and cayenne and cook for 20 minutes. Turn the chips over and cook for a further 15 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
5. Remove from oven, add grated cheddar cheese on top and cook under the grill for 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.

Guacamole

Ingredients

• 1 avocado 
• 1 diced red onion
• Diced cherry tomatoes 
• Chopped fresh coriander
• 1/2 tbsp garlic paste
• Juice of a lime
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Chop and mash avocado until almost smooth, leave some chunks for texture.
2. Mix with diced onions and tomatoes.
3. Combine with the rest of the ingredients and stir.
4. Place in the fridge until required.

Tish Wonders' Mexican Inspired Veggie Bowl

Full of Mexican-inspired flavour, try Tish of @Tishwonders's veggie bowl recipe. 

Ingredients (serves 2): 

Black bean & lime quinoa:

• 150g quinoa (soaked 4-8 hours)
• 140ml water 
• 100g cooked black beans
• 1 red pepper
• 40g fresh coriander
• 1.5 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• sea salt & black pepper
• extra virgin olive oil 

Chipotle cherry tomato salsa: 

• 220g cherry tomatoes
• 1 small red onion
• 1/2 tsp green jalapeño powder
• 20g fresh coriander
• 1 garlic clove
• 1.5 tbsp lime juice
• sea salt 

Spring onion corn:

• 1 corn
• 2 spring onions
• 1/2 red chilli
• 50g butter
• 20g fresh coriander 

Guacamole:

• 2 avocados
• 1/2 small red onion
• 20g fresh coriander
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 small jalapeño
• sea salt 

Griddled aubergine: 

• 2 large aubergine
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt & black pepper
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds 

Method

1. Cook quinoa and place in a mixing bowl with remaining ingredients. Combine well. 
2. Halve the cherry tomatoes and quarter the red onion - lay on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil & sea salt. Roast for 20 minutes at 200°C.
3. Place remaining ingredients + roasted tomatoes & onions into a food processor and blitz. 
4. Brush corn with oil and place on a hot grill for 10 minutes until charred.
5. Place chopped corn kernels into a bowl with the remaining ingredients. 
6. Combine all the guacamole ingredients. 
7. Chop the aubergine into wedges. Season with cumin, garlic powder, sea salt and olive oil. Place on a griddle for approx 3 minutes on each side.