Just so you and or your Mother can enjoy the fabulous flavors of Southwestern and Regional Mexican cuisine that you'll learn to cook in our week long cooking school--we are placing the school on a 25% off one day special.  You will get a gift certificate sent electronically for giving on Mother's Day.

In the school, we feature such special dishes as moles, Pollo  Borrachio,  very special Chiles Rellenos,  regional soups and stews and yummy desserts such as Margarita Pie, Flan Caramelisado and much, much more.

This offer is good until midnight, Wednesday, May 9.  I look forward to cooking with  you!

Here's some super quick 20 minute entrees to enjoy this week.

CHICKEN TORTILLA CHOWDER

The hearty, full flavor and creamy consistency of this chicken soup tastes like work, but this dish is actually fast and easy to make. Cutting the chicken breast is the most time-consuming part of the recipe. This is a versatile dish that you can vary in many ways. Instead of chicken breasts, you could use leftover roast chicken or turkey, firm-fleshed fish or shellfish with fish stock, roast beef, or ground chuck with beef stock.

Cooking Time: 10-12 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

1, 14 ½ oz. can chicken broth, preferably low sodium, with water added to make 2 cups

2 white or yellow corn tortillas, broken up

1 pound chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes

3 scallions, thinly sliced (some reserved for garnish)

1 ½ tablespoons minced pickled jalapenos with juice

Optional Garnishes:

Cilantro leaves

Crushed red caribe chiles

Lime wedges

1. Place the chicken broth and water in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the tortillas and chicken. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Add the scallions and jalapenos with juice. Stir to combine well. Simmer for approximately another 5 minutes. Serve garnished with the reserved scallion and, if desired, the cilantro, chiles, and lime to squeeze on the chowder.

Per Serving:

Calories 326, Protein 50g, Carbohydrates 14g, Fiber 2g, Fat 8g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 130mg, Sodium 338mg.

Reprinted with permission from Jane Butel’s Quick & Easy Southwestern Cookbook.

TILAPIA TACOS with GRILLED CORN MANGO SALSA

This delightfully easy way to broil or grill fish, typical of the Yucatan Peninsula, has that citrus-spicy flavor. In the Yucatan, the chile that is always used is the Habanero, however here we are using a rub instead.  It is simple to prepare and can be used on any moist fish such as Tilapia, Bass, Grouper, Halibut and the like.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Temperature: Broil or medium hot grill

Cooking time: approximately 5 minutes

1 ½ teaspoons olive oil for oiling the broiler pan

4 to 6, 4 to 5 oz. firm textured fish filets such as red snapper or Tilapia (see above)

3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon or more rub, such as Gordon’s rub*

Few sprigs fresh cilantro or Italian flat leaf parsley for garnish, optional

1. Preheat the broiler or the grill. Lightly oil broiler pan and place a bit of water in the bottom, then place fish filets on the rack of the pan if broiling.

1. Sprinkle with freshly squeezed lime juice, then sparingly sprinkle with rub and broil or grill. Broil or grill until fish flakes easily, about 3 to 4 minutes Do not turn, as the fish will flake apart. Serve as a filling for tacos or as entrée over rice garnished with cilantro or parsley sprigs.

MANGO AND GRILLED CORN SALSA

This salsa is a great dipping salsa, or over a grilled chicken salad or over any seafood or fish dish. The juicy mango flavors combine quite well with the grilled corn.

Yield: makes about 3 cups or 6 servings

2 large ears yellow or white corn

1 Tablespoon good-quality olive oil, preferably Spanish

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium white onion, chopped into ¼ inch pieces

2 ripe mangos, chopped

1 Tablespoon crushed caribe chile or to taste

1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice (1 lime)

½ teaspoon salt

1.  Preheat grill to 400F (205C). Shuck corn, then brush with olive oil. Place corn on grill. Rotate corn as it chars on edges of kernels. When corn is cool enough to handle, slice kernels off cobs into a nonreactive bowl. Add remaining ingredients, then taste and adjust seasonings, if desired. Allow to set about 30 minutes before serving.

Note: If fresh corn is not available, frozen or canned corn can be substituted. Use 1 cup whole kernel corn, drained and place on a cookie sheet and place under the broiler to brown the kernels slightly. Frozen corn on the cob can be grilled.