Pan de muerto (Day of the Dead sweet mexican bread)

From pretty much everywhere, lots of hit and miss before ending with this ;-)

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup white sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons orange zest

1/4 teaspoon anise extract

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the milk and the butter together in a medium saucepan, until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and add them warm water. The mixture should be around 110 degrees F (43 degrees C).

In a large bowl combine 1 cup of flour, yeast, salt, anise extract and 1/4 cup of sugar. Beat in the warm milk mixture then add the eggs and orange zest and beat until well combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of flour and continue adding more flour until the dough is soft.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This will take about 1 to 2 hours. 

Punch the dough, place it onto a baking sheet, shape it with a knob on top and bones/stripes from top to bottom, loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until just about doubled in size.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven let cool.

Cover with granulated sugar

Chipotle sauce

From me ;-)

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-3 chipotles chiles in adobo (canned), minced fine and sauce reserved
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted)
1/2 cup beef or chicken broth

DIRECTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and sauté the onions until they just start to brown. 

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the minced chipotles, the can of tomatoes and beef broth. 

Mix well and add salt to taste. 

If you want more chipotle flavor, add the reserved chipotle sauce spoonful by spoonful, mixing and tasting between spoonfuls.

(I like all this blended, but works perfect as is)

Turkey Ricotta meatballs in chipotle sauce

These have the be the fluffiest meatballs ever! I make them in Chipotle sauce (recipe on link) but they can be in any other sauce you want, tomato sauce for example.

From Food.com

INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground turkey breast
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

Combine ground turkey with the other ingredients in a bowl and then shape mixture into about 18 meatballs.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Coat pan with olive oil.
Add meatballs, and brown on all sides.
Once browned  add the chipotle sauce and let the meatballs cook through in the sauce for about 15 minutes or until done.

Manchego a la Mexicana

From: Ricardo Bailon

VERY VERY VERY easy breakfast!

INGREDIENTS:

1 very thin sliced tomato
1/4 very thin sliced onion
1 sliced serrano chile
1/2 cup stock (chicken, beef, etc...)
6 slices 1/4'' thick of Manchego cheese (serves 2)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large skillet fry the onion on some olive oil, once it starts getting translucent, add the serrano and stir for about 1 min, then add the tomato and the stock and let simmer on low heat until the sauce thickens, the tomatoes are blended in and add salt to taste.
When the sauce has the consistency you want, add the Manchego slices and cover for about 1 min.
Don't wait too long or the cheese will melt all over the sauce, it has to be soft but able to take out of the skillet.
Once served, pour some sauce over the cheese and add some refried beans on the side and flour tortillas.