Cheesy-Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Start to finish: Active: 1 hour
Impresses: 4 for a main course, 8 as an appetizer

Ingredients
4 poblano peppers, halved and seeded
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup sweet corn
½ red onion, diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
1 14-ounce can roasted tomatoes and green chilis
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons hot sauce, plus more to taste
16 ounces La Vaquita® Queso Oaxaca shredded cheese, divided
La Vaquita Queso Fresco cheese, for serving
Chopped cilantro, for serving

Method
Heat grill to 450 F, making sure there is a large area for indirect cooking. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking tray with foil and spray with baking spray. Arrange poblano peppers, cut side up, on the tray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine rice, sweet corn, red onion, jalapeño, roasted tomatoes and chilis, kosher salt, hot sauce and 8 ounces of the La Vaquita Queso Oaxaca shredded cheese. Divide the filling among the peppers and top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover tray with foil and bake on covered grill over indirect heat for 20 minutes. Remove foil from tray, and continue cooking for another 10–15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from grill and sprinkle with La Vaquita Queso Fresco cheese and chopped cilantro before serving.

Alternatively, stuffed peppers can be baked, covered in foil, in the oven at 450 F for 20 minutes; then with the foil removed for another 10–15 minutes before serving.

Creamy White Chicken Chili

Start to finish: 30 minutes
Impresses: 6

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil 
½ white onion, diced
1 poblano pepper, de-seeded and diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1–3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, de-seeded and roughly diced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 tablespoons cornstarch 
8 ounces heavy cream
24 ounces chicken stock
1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
La Vaquita® Queso Fresco cheese, for serving
Sliced jalapeños, for serving
Tortilla strips, for serving
Sliced avocados, for serving
Cilantro, for serving
Fresh lime wedges, for serving

Method
Heat a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil, followed by onion and poblano pepper. Stir to coat and cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes with green chiles and chipotle peppers. Stir in kosher salt and seasonings. Add the chicken and cornstarch, stirring to be sure the cornstarch is incorporated. Stir in heavy cream and chicken stock. Bring chili to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 10–15 minutes. Finally, stir in beans and heat through. Serve with crumbled La Vaquita Queso Fresco, sliced jalapeños, tortilla strips, avocados, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime, if desired.

BBQ Corn Salad

Start to finish: Active: 45 minutes
Impresses: 4

Ingredients
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground mustard
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 sweet corn ears, shucked
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado, diced
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup queso fresco, crumbled 

Method
Heat grill over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, pepper, salt, garlic and onion powder, ground mustard and cayenne pepper.

Brush corn with vegetable oil and generously coat with spice mixture. Grill 2–3 minutes per side, or until corn is equally charred on all sides. Remove and let rest 10 minutes.

Once cool enough to handle, carefully cut corn kernels off the cobb. Place kernels into a large bowl and toss together with cherry tomatoes, red onion, avocado, cilantro and queso fresco. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Cajun Shrimp Tacos

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Start to finish: 15 minutes
Impresses: 4

Ingredients

For the salsa:
1 mango, diced
1 avocado, diced
¼ red onion, diced
4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
1 lime, juiced
For the tacos:
1 pound (about 16–20) shrimp, deveined with tails off
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
8 small flour tortillas

Method

For the salsa:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

For the tacos:
Toss together shrimp and Cajun seasoning.

Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan.

Add half the shrimp and sear until pink, about 1 minute. Turn and cook another minute before removing from the pan and repeating with the other half of shrimp.

To serve:
Nestle pieces of shrimp into a tortilla and top with salsa.

BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

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Start to finish: 1 hour 30 minutes
Impresses: 4

Ingredients
4 medium-sized sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
¼ cup barbecue sauce
2 cups shredded chicken (from Simply Perfect Roasted Chicken recipe)
1 jalapeño, sliced
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup queso fresco, crumbled

Method
Heat oven to 400 F.

Poke potatoes all over with a fork and place on baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and salt. Bake until a fork pierces through easily — about 55 minutes.

Add chicken and barbecue sauce to a skillet over medium heat. Warm, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes.

Once potatoes are done baking, make a middle split to open. Stuff each potato with ½ cup chicken mixture and top with jalapeño, cilantro and queso fresco.

Quick Tip

Bake sweet potatoes on Sunday (reduce cook time to 40 minutes if baking with chicken) for quick assembly on Wednesday.

Snappy Veg Toss

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Start to finish: 35 minutes
Impresses: 6

Ingredients
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
¼ cup sugar
4 large carrots
10 radishes
½ red onion
4 ounces queso fresco

Method
In a large measuring cup, stir together vinegar, salt and sugar until dissolved. Set aside.

Peel carrots and slice in half and then down the middle lengthwise before slicing each piece into thirds. Place into a shallow dish.

Slice radishes into thin rounds and onion into ¼-inch thick slices and add to dish with carrots.

Pour vinegar mixture over veggies and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 15–20 minutes, or until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, arrange on a platter and top with crumbled queso fresco. 

Note: If making in advance, you can pickle veggies separately in jars and store in the fridge.

House Chips & Guac

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Start to finish: 30 minutes
Impresses: 4

Ingredients
For the guac:
2    poblano peppers
3    ripe avocados
1     lime
½    small red onion, diced
2    roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1     serrano pepper, seeded and diced
¼    cup cilantro, diced
      salt and pepper
¼    teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
2    ounces queso fresco

For the chips:
12    corn tortillas, cut into wedges
    cooking spray
    salt

Method
Heat oven broiler to high and adjust the top rack to be about 6 inches from the coils. Line a baking sheet with foil and place poblanos on sheet pan on top oven rack. Broil peppers until charred all the way around, about 4–5 minutes per side. Once finished broiling, place peppers into a gallon-sized zip–top freezer bag and seal. Set aside. 

Turn off broiler and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spritz the same baking sheet that was used for the poblanos with cooking spray. Place tortilla wedges in a single layer and spritz with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 8–10 minutes or until chips have started to crisp around the edges. 

While chips bake, cut avocado in half and remove the pit. Scoop flesh into a medium-sized bowl. Squeeze lime juice into bowl and, using a fork, gently mash avocado and lime together. Stir in onion, tomatoes, serrano, cilantro, salt, pepper and cumin, if desired.

Remove the poblanos from the bag, peel off the skin and remove the seeds. Roughly chop the peppers.

Place prepared guacamole into a serving bowl and top with roasted poblanos and crumbled queso fresco.

Fiery Steak Chili

Start to finish: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Impresses: 6

Ingredients
2 tablespoons light olive oil
2 pounds sirloin steak, trimmed
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 16-ounce jar salsa verde
2 cans kidney beans, drained
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
½ cup masa (corn flour)
3 cups beef broth
4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled

Method
Cut trimmed steak into 1-inch cubes. 

Heat a heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium-high heat. Add in oil, then steak.

Brown steak, creating a caramelized crust on all sides and stirring as needed.

Reduce heat to medium and add in onion, garlic and chipotle peppers. Stir and cook for 3–4 minutes, or until onions become slightly translucent. 

Stir in adobo sauce, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute.

Add in salsa verde, stir and cover. Let stew for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, place masa into a small bowl and slowly pour in 2 cups of beef broth, stirring constantly with a fork until no lumps remain.

Remove lid and add in the remaining ingredients, including masa mixture and remaining 1 cup of beef broth. Stir to combine, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for at least 30 minutes before serving and topping with queso fresco.

Queso Fresco Cheesecake

With crumbles of La Vaquita® Queso Fresco folded into the batter, this cheesecake delivers in texture and depth of flavor. Top with dulce de leche to tie together the sweet and salty profile that makes for a perfect end to a festive meal.

Crust
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar

Filling
3 blocks cream cheese, softened
4 ounces La Vaquita® Queso Fresco, crumbled
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs

Heat oven to 325 F.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar until combined. Press into a 9-inch spring form pan. (If you don’t have a spring form pan, a 9x9 baking dish will work for cheesecake bars.)
In the bowl of a food processor, combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and eggs until smooth.
Sprinkle in La Vaquita Queso Fresco and pulse two or three times until combined.
Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake 50–55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool completely before removing spring form ring. Serve as is or with warm dulce de leche or caramel.