Authentic Mexican flavors for your fiesta

Family Features

Cinco de Mayo is a fun and festive holiday that’s celebrated with music, dancing, family and delicious food. To bring great Mexican flavors to your fiesta, take a lesson from Maria Conception Jacinta Dominguez Ortega — also known as Mama Ortega.

In the 1800s, Mama Ortega created a loving home for her 13 children, and it centered around a tiny kitchen.

From her small charcoal-burning stove, Mama created memorable meals her family loved. Everything for each meal was homegrown, hand picked and homemade.

You may not be able to grow your own ingredients, but you can take advantage of the way Mama did things — through authentic ingredients such as the line of Ortega Mexican Foods products.

Fire-roasted chiles, authentic taco seasonings, crisp taco shells made with whole kernel corn and America’s No. 1 taco sauce are just a few of the ways that Ortega brings authentic Mexican flavor and fun to your family’s dinner table.

For more delicious Mexican recipes to enjoy on Cinco de Mayo — or any day — visit www.ortega.com.

Smothered Beef and Bean Burritos

(Pictured left)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Start to finish: 40 minutes

Makes: 10 burritos

1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 10-ounce can condensed cheddar cheese soup

1‚Ñ2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound lean ground beef

1 onion, diced

3‚Ñ4 cup water

1 Ortega Soft Taco Kit — includes 10 soft tortillas, one 1.25-ounce package taco seasoning mix and one 3-ounce package taco sauce

1 cup Ortega Refried Beans

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1‚Ñ4 cup diced tomato

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Combine soups and sour cream in small bowl; set aside.

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and onion. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Drain and discard fat. Add water and seasoning mix from kit. Cook and stir 3 minutes. Stir in refried beans.

Wrap tortillas from kit with clean, lightly moistened cloth or paper towels. Microwave on high (100 percent power) 1 minute, until hot and pliable.

Divide beef mixture evenly among tortillas. Fold ends of tortilla to middle, then roll tightly around mix ture. Place in baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Spread soup mixture evenly over tortillas. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with taco sauce from kit, cilantro and tomatoes.

Chili Con Queso Dip

Prep time: 3 minutes

Start to finish: 15 minutes

Makes about 3 cups

1 16-ounce package pasteurized processed cheese spread, cut into chunks

1 cup Ortega Thick and Chunky Mild Salsa

1 4-ounce can Ortega Fire-Roasted Diced Green Chiles

1 package (10 count) Ortega Tostada Shells or 1 package (12-count) Ortega Taco Shells, broken into pieces

Additional Ortega Fire-Roasted Diced Green Chiles (optional)

Chopped tomatoes (optional)

Combine cheese, salsa and chilies in small saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until fully melted and blended.

Serve warm with tostada or taco shells. Garnish with additional chilies and tomatoes, if desired.

Slow-Cooked Shredded Beef Tacos

Prep time: 12 minutes

Start to finish: 6 hours

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

11‚Ñ2 pounds beef chuck roast

1 medium onion, sliced

1 cup water

1 Ortega Grande Taco Dinner Kit — includes 8 hard taco shells, 8 soft flour tortillas, 1 packet (1.25 ounces) taco seasoning mix, 1 packet (3 ounces) taco sauce and 1 packet Land O Lakes Cheese Sauce

1 4-ounce can Ortega Diced Green Chiles

Optional toppings: shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, shredded mild cheddar cheese, sour cream

Place beef and onion in 4-quart slow cooker. Combine water and seasoning mix from kit in small bowl. Pour over beef and onion. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or until fork tender.

Transfer beef to cutting board; shred beef with two forks. Place in large bowl. Stir in taco sauce from kit and chilies.

Fill warmed taco shells and tortillas from kit with beef mixture. Top with cheese sauce from kit. Garnish with desired toppings.

Easy Empanadas

Prep time: 10 minutes

Start to finish: 25 minutes

Makes: 12 empanadas

1 cup prepared refrigerated barbecue shredded pork

2 tablespoons Ortega Taco Sauce, any variety

1 tablespoon Ortega Fire-Roasted Diced Green Chilies

1 can (12-count) refrigerated biscuits

1 egg, well beaten

1 cup Ortega Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix pork, taco sauce and chilies in small bowl.

Separate biscuits into 12 pieces. Flatten each biscuit into 6-inch round, using rolling pin. Divide filling evenly among biscuits, spreading over half of each round to within 1‚Ñ4 inch of edge. Fold dough over filling; press edges with fork to seal well. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm with salsa for dipping.

Chocolate Chile Brownies With Spiced Frosting

Prep time: 10 minutes

Start to finish: 1 hour

Makes: 9 servings

Brownies

1 package (18 to 19 ounces) brownie mix, plus ingredients to prepare mix

1 4-ounce can Ortega Diced Green Chiles, undrained

Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon Ortega Chili Seasoning Mix

11‚Ñ2 to 2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, extending foil over sides of pan; lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray.

Prepare brownies according to pack age directions. Stir in chilies; mix until well blended. Pour into prepared bak ing pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or use time recommended on package. Cool on wire rack. Using foil “handles,” remove from pan.

Blend powdered sugar and season ing mix in small bowl. Stir in milk, adding more if necessary, until desired consistency. Spread on brownies. Slice and serve.