Gorditas and Hamonado

Yes, another Mexi-pino concoction.  Gorditas are like corn tortillas, but they are thicker and more like a crisp bread.  Hamonado is a Filipino breakfast sausage that is on the sweet side.  Combine them and mmmmm, so good!

Corn Flat Bread
1 3/4 cup masa harina (corn flour)
1 cup sweet rice flour or all purpose gluten free flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grape seed oil
1 cup hot water
oil for frying

Mix dry ingredients plus the oil.  Slowly add the hot water to form dough.  (I usually do this in my Ninja blender so I can add the hot water while it mixes it for me.  This way I don't have to deal with trying to handle the hot water.)  In a pan, heat oil.  Shape dough into 2 inch flat circles, flattening as thin as possible.  Fry dough for about 2 minutes on each side until they are a golden crisp color.  Set aside cooked bread and allow to cool.

Sausage, Mushroom & Spinach Filling

1 package chicken hamonado (any chicken sausage will do)

1 cup mushrooms sliced

2 cups spinach washed

1/2 onion

1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced (you can omit if you don't want it spicy)

Salt

Pepper

1/8 cup chicken broth or 2 tablespoons of oil

Boil hamonado in water for about 15-20 minutes.  Drain and rinse pan.  Cut hamonado in half lengthwise and cook in pan with a little oil.  Hamonado is sweet so it will burn easily so flip it from one side to another to prevent burning.  Cook until brown, about 10 minutes.  Set aside and let sausage cool.

In another pan, heat chicken broth and saute onion and mushrooms.  Add sausage and stir well.  Add spinach and jalapeno and cook until spinach wilts.  You can use oil instead of chicken broth, but since the gorditas and sausage is already cooked in oil, I try to avoid using it for the vegetables too.

When the sausage is cooled slice into small bite sized pieces.  Top gordita with sausage and vegetables and serve with salsa.

If you don't use up all the dough, you can store it in an air tight container in the fridge.  Simply microwave it when you are ready to use it.

Feel free to experiement with the toppings.  I have used steak, tomatoes, and onions and it was great.  There are also great flavored chicken sausages like mango and tomato basil which work great too. 

Quick and Easy Shrimp Tacos

Since I have started school, time management has been a bit tricky.  I have been opting for easy meals I can put together easily.  Needless to say, we've been eating a lot of tacos again in the Padilla house.  This recipe is super quick to put together.  I always have these ingredients on hand so whenever I am in a pinch I whip up this dish. 

I always buy the frozen large prawns and keep them in my freezer.  The part that takes the longest is defrosting the shrimp.  I throw the bag in a sink of cold water as soon as I get home and try to unwind from school.  It's usually ready to go in about 30 minutes.

Shrimp Tacos
1 lb cooked large prawns peeled
1 white onion diced
2 garlic cloves diced
1 bunch cilantro chopped
1 juice of lime
1 pinch salt
Green salsa
Corn tortillas

Roughly chop shrimp so they are about 1/2 inch in length.  In a bowl, mix shrimp, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.  Heat corn tortillas and top with shrimp mixture.  Top with green salsa.

Crack open some hard cider and call it a night! Tomorrow is another day!