This cilantro crema dressing recipe is divine. I first made up this concoction for carne asada salad (a salad we threw together one night that has since become a family favorite dinner) and have made it many times. Using crema Mexicana as the base, this sauce is a wonderful salad dressing but it is also a great dip for chips and raw vegetables. (Kettle crinkle-cut potato chips in the same room as this dip is my new kryptonite).

We have also used this cilantro cream as toppings for other savory dishes, like baked potatoes and tacos. It would also be a great sauce to serve on top of a perfectly-cook steak. You get the idea, we’ve been using this stuff on everything.

If you’ve never had crema Mexicana, it’s used similarly to sour cream, but it is thinner in texture and doesn’t have a sour flavor. As a result, this cilantro crema dressing recipe makes for very fresh, light-tasting flavor, and the garlic and cilantro give it a nice brightness.

That’s about all I have to say about cilantro crema. Enjoy!

Cilantro Crema Dressing and Dip

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

Can be used as a salad dressing, a sauce topping for foods like baked potatoes, steak and tacos, or as a dip for chips or fresh vegetables

Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped finely
• 1 cup Mexican crema (see note below for details)
• ½ cup avocado or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Juice from 2 limes
• 2 garlic cloves, through a garlic press
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Mix everything together and your done!
2. The dressing is on the thicker side, but it still works great on salad!

Notes

Try to find crema Mexicana that is listed simply as "table cream." Sometimes crema Mexicana will be labeled "agria," or sour cream. While sour crema is still delicious, we like the dressing better when made with the plain, non-sour crema.

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I love Chipotle. It’s delicious, they are working to have more sustainable food production practices, and I can feed my family of five relatively healthy food for less than what we spend at McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants. I don’t know how they do it, but it’s great and I happily partake!

One of the best parts of Chipotle is the white cilantro-lime rice (yeah, yeah, I skip the brown rice). I love it. It’s simple, it’s so good, and it’s a great base for a burrito.

Well, I finally figured out how to make it at home and I am SO excited! It’s really simple and oh-so-tasty. I’ve made it twice already this week!

You’re welcome.

Cilantro Lime Rice {Chipotle Knock-Off}

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Author: Jane Maynard

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup white jasmine rice
• About ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 - 2 tablespoons of chopped onion
• A swig of olive oil
• About 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice from half of a fresh lime

Instructions

1. Heat a swig of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft. Add jasmine rice and fry it up for a few minutes in the pan. Add 2 cups of water and the salt, raise heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer (low) and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring the rice halfway through cooking time.
2. Remove from heat, add the chopped cilantro and lime juice and mix well.
3. Voila!

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Okay, people. Today’s enhiladas are scrumptious! You have to try them!! (Are you convinced yet? Did I use enough exclamation points? !!!!!! How about now?)

The recipe comes from Ms. Erika, one of Anna’s preschool teachers. Cate had Ms. Ferneyn and Ms. Erika several years ago and now Anna has the same two lovely teachers. Not only are they fabulous preschool teachers, but they shower me with recipes, food and produce. These ladies are kindred spirits and I love them as much as my girls.

Ms. Erika brought us dinner a few times last year through all the baby-being-born madness and these enchiladas were one of the meals she shared with us. These enchiladas are delectable and you can use chicken or black beans or both! The cilantro sour cream sauce is so good, with a mellow, balanced heat that pleases both kids and adults alike. It’s my new favorite enchilada recipe and, when I made them the other night, I could not eat just one.

Cilantro Sour Cream Enchiladas

 

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From Ms. Erika, preschool teach extraordinaire

Author: Jane Maynard

Recipe type: Main Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken OR 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained (or a half and half combo)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 can (4 or 4.5 oz) chopped green chilies
• 1½ cups shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese, or a combination
• 1½ tsp minced garlic, or to taste
• ½ tsp ground cumin, or to taste
• 1 package (10 count, 17.5 oz) soft taco size flour tortillas
• 1 jar (16 oz) green salsa
• ½ cup water
• Suggested toppings: sour cream, guacamole, chopped tomatoes, diced onion, minced cilantro, extra green sauce

Instructions

1. Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish. (Jane note: I did not grease my pan b/c I forgot. Everything turned out fine.)
2. In a bowl, mix chicken, half of the sour cream and half of the cilantro, the red pepper, chilies, ½ cup cheese, garlic and cumin.
3. Puree salsa, water and remaining ½ cup each of sour cream and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Spread 1 cup over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
4. Spoon about ¼ – ⅓ cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in rows on the sauce in the baking dish. Cover and refrigerate, along with the remaining sauce and cheese, up to 2 days.
5. To serve: Heat oven to 350*. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas; bake uncovered 35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly.
6. Serve with lots of toppings and tortilla chips.
7. Jane notes that you need to read: I think these are better if you make them the day before, but I cooked them as soon as I assembled them and they were still AWESOME. Also, I didn’t pour all of the sauce over the enchiladas for baking – I reserved probably ½-3/4 cups or so and used that as a topping when we ate the enchiladas.

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