Food and Beverage
Give Comfort Food Classics an Authentic Mexican Twist
Last Updated on July 7, 2024 by Daily News Staff
(Family Features) If winter evenings have you stuck in a dinner rut, heat up the kitchen with family favorites everyone can look forward to. Shaking off the chill can start with a cozy blanket and comforting food that warms you from the inside out.
Soup is a wintertime staple thanks to its simplicity, and you can put a delicious spin on your next winter warmup with Mexican-inspired ingredients. Giving soup night a twist starts with Cacique Foods, one of the country’s top authentic Mexican food brands, that invites friends and family to share real moments while savoring authentic flavors.
This Smoky Chorizo and Chicken Pozole relies on the bold, hearty, spicy taste of Cacique’s Pork Chorizo combined with handcrafted Homestyle Salsa. Queso Fresco’s crumbly, creamy texture and milky, fresh flavor adds the perfect finishing touch, making this soup a perfect way to warm up weeknights with just the right amount of heat.
For a flavorful side that complements a variety of main courses while adding Mexican flair, consider Mexican Loaded Mashed Potatoes. This recipe is a familiar favorite with the unique twist of bacon and Pork Chorizo for a meat-infused recipe that will become a menu mainstay.
Plus, for an extra creamy texture, it calls for Cacique Crema Mexicana – an everyday table cream with a neutral, fresh-tasting flavor ideal for balancing out spice – and Oaxaca, a semisoft cheese with a mellow, buttery flavor.
Find more comforting recipes at caciquefoods.com.
Smoky Chorizo and Chicken Pozole
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6-8
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large white or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional, to taste (optional)
- 1 package (9 ounces) Cacique Pork Chorizo
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 container (16 ounces) Cacique Medium Homestyle Salsa
- 1quart chicken stock
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, trimmed of excess fat and diced
- 1 can (25 ounces) white hominy, drained and rinsed
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 3/4 cup crumbled Cacique Ranchero Queso Fresco
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- In large, heavy pot over medium heat, heat oil. Reserve 1/4 cup onion for garnish; add remaining onion to pot and season with salt. Saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Increase heat to medium-high; add pork chorizo and break it apart with spoon. Cook chorizo undisturbed until deeply browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes. Add smoked paprika and oregano; cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Pour in salsa and scrape up browned bits from bottom of pan. Bring to simmer 1-2 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly then add stock and bring to simmer.
- Stir in diced chicken and hominy. Decrease heat to medium and cook 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Taste and season with more salt, if necessary. Remove from heat.
- Serve bowls of pozole with reserved onion, lime wedges, crumbled queso fresco and chopped cilantro.
Mexican Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Prep time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Servings: 10
- 3 pounds russet potatoes (about 9 medium potatoes), peeled and cubed
- water
- 6 bacon strips, chopped
- 1 package Cacique Pork Chorizo
- 12 ounces Cacique Crema Mexicana
- 1/2 cup butter, cubed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup Cacique Oaxaca or Queso Quesadilla, shredded
- 1/2 cup Cacique Crema Mexicana Agria, for topping (optional)
- 3 green onions, chopped
- In Dutch over, add potatoes and cover with water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 10-15 minutes, or until tender.
- In skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels, chop into small pieces and set aside. Remove bacon grease from skillet and cook chorizo over medium-high heat, 6-8 minutes.
- Drain potatoes; add to pan. Mash potatoes, gradually adding crema Mexicana, butter, onion powder, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Transfer to greased 13-by-9-inch baking dish; sprinkle with cheese, chorizo and bacon. Refrigerate, covered, up to 1 day.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove potatoes from refrigerator and let stand while oven heats. Bake, covered, about 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes, or until heated through.
- Drizzle with crema Mexicana agria and chopped green onions.
SOURCE:
Cacique
At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.
Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience.
https://stmdailynews.com/category/food-and-beverage
You can also find food and beverage-related videos on our YouTube channel, where we regularly post new content and share tips, recipes, and demonstrations. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEhXBupt8tVynuUhpQZMxQt4lvPmOiAtQ&si=InDwc7YaB0KIwmxy
Food and Beverage
A Lesson in Kindness, Inclusion and How Kids Eat Differently
Kids Eat Differently: The school year brings new classmates, routines and opportunities for children to learn about people whose experiences may be different from their own. They could include friends who use a wheelchair, carry an inhaler or even receive nutrition through a feeding tube.
A Lesson in Kindness, Inclusion and How Kids Eat Differently
(Feature Impact) The school year brings new classmates, routines and opportunities for children to learn about people whose experiences may be different from their own. They could include friends who use a wheelchair, carry an inhaler or even receive nutrition through a feeding tube.
Watch this video to learn more
For families who rely on tube feeding, it is an essential part of daily life but is often understood only by those who experience it. That limited awareness can leave children who are tube fed and their families feeling isolated or unseen, according to Gerard Minor, a pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology specialist.
Parents can use everyday questions as opportunities to help children understand there are many ways people receive nourishment. Teachers, classmates, caregivers and communities can also help make tube feeding part of the everyday conversation around childhood rather than something that separates children from it.
“Helping children understand those differences early can encourage curiosity, kindness and inclusion,” Minor said.
To help bring greater awareness, understanding and representation to children and families who experience tube feeding every day, Compleat, a leader in tube feeding formulas, launched “What Is Better Than How,” featuring “Sesame Street’s” Elmo and his signature warmth and curiosity. The original song celebrates the many ways people eat. Some people eat with a fork, some use a spoon and some use a tube, reinforcing a simple message: What matters is not how you eat. What matters is that you are nourished, loved and included.
To hear the song, create a personalized version and learn more about the campaign, visit Compleat.com/WhatIsBetterThanHow.
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Last Updated on September 21, 2026 by Daily News Staff
(Family Features) Maintaining a healthy eating plan can be challenging year-round, and busier fall schedules can make those goals even more difficult. Finding easy-to-make favorites can keep you and your loved ones on track as you navigate those hectic moments this autumn.
One simple yet delicious solution: Chopped Salad Kits and Sheet Pan Meal Starter Kits from Dole, which make it easy to incorporate vegetables without the hassle of kitchen prep. Take the guesswork out of meal planning for your time-starved family with these limited-ingredient, kit-based dishes.
Mexican Street Corn Bowls with Grilled Chicken provide a perfect balance of hearty yet nutritious flavor while taking advantage of the convenience of prepackaged ingredients. Perfect for fall weather, Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Soup requires just three ingredients and hungry loved ones for a filling meal worth celebrating.
For more original easy-to-make fall recipes, nutritional insights and information, visit Dole.com or follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
Mexican Street Corn Bowls with Grilled Chicken
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Servings: 4
- 1 cup dry instant brown rice
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 large ears fresh corn, silks and husks removed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 Dole Limes, juice only (about 3 tablespoons), divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 package (12.9 ounces) DOLE® Chopped Chipotle & Cheddar Kit
- 1 Dole Avocado, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced
- 1 cup chopped Dole Pineapple
- Prepare grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Prepare rice according to package instructions.
- Brush all sides of chicken and corn with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place chicken and corn on hot grill rack; cover and cook 8 minutes, or until grill marks appear and internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 F, turning chicken once and corn frequently. Transfer chicken and corn to cutting board; let stand 5 minutes. Cut corn kernels from cobs into medium bowl. Slice chicken 1/4-inch thick crosswise.
- Add 1 tablespoon lime juice, cilantro and paprika to corn; toss and fold in Parmesan cheese. In small bowl, whisk dressing from salad kit and remaining lime juice.
- Serve rice in bowls topped with avocado, pineapple, chicken, corn mixture and remaining contents of salad kit drizzled with dressing mixture.
Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
- 1 DOLE® Homestyle Roasted Herb Sheet Pan Meal Starter Kit
- 1 container (32 ounces) chicken broth
- 1 cup whole-wheat pasta shells, cooked
- Prepare sheet pan meal starter kit according to package instructions. Transfer to cutting board and carefully cut chicken and vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces.
- In medium saucepot over medium-high heat, bring chicken broth to simmer. Stir in pasta shells, chicken and vegetables. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 5 minutes, or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
SOURCE:
Dole
At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.
Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience.
https://stmdailynews.com/category/food-and-beverage
You can also find food and beverage-related videos on our YouTube channel, where we regularly post new content and share tips, recipes, and demonstrations. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEhXBupt8tVynuUhpQZMxQt4lvPmOiAtQ&si=InDwc7YaB0KIwmxy
Sign up for our STM & Coffee newsletter and get the latest food-related news and recipes directly into your inbox, ensuring you never miss out on exciting culinary trends, tips, and delicious inspirations.
Food and Beverage
6 Tips to Keep Your Grill Working Like New
With a combination of routine cleaning and long-term maintenance, you can keep your grill ready to entertain guests and feed your family for many cookout seasons to come. Start with these six tips.
(Feature Impact) If the grill is one of the centerpieces of outdoor living in your household, it’s worth investing the effort to keep it looking nice and functioning well.
With a combination of routine cleaning and long-term maintenance, you can keep your grill ready to entertain guests and feed your family for many cookout seasons to come. Start with these six tips.
Quickly Clean After Each Use
Taking a few minutes to tidy up your grill after every session can prevent grease and grime from building up and turning into a much more annoying chore. Scrape away stuck-on food while the grates are still warm, but wait until the grill completely cools to empty and dry the grease drip tray, wipe down splatter and dispose of ashes. Always protect the grill with a weather-proof cover when it’s not in use.
Avoid Wire Brushes
Although many people reach for wire brushes as a go-to grill scraper, there are safer options. Bristles from wire grill brushes can break off, stick to grates, end up in food and potentially injure people. Look for alternative grill cleaning tools like temperature-safe nylon brushes, wood scrapers or pumice stones.
Use Safe, Non-Toxic Cleaners
When stubborn residue and grease call for something stronger, don’t reach for harsh chemicals like bleach or strong solvents. Since you’re cleaning a cooking surface, opt for food-safe, non-toxic cleaners like vinegar-based solutions or mild degreasers.
Catch Issues Early
Being aware of common grill issues can help you notice them before they turn into larger repairs. For instance, if you notice food cooking unevenly, it could be a sign of clogged burners or worn heat diffusers. An ignitor that clicks without lighting could signal blocked gas flow or a loose connection. Grease buildup can start fires and accelerate metal corrosion.
Give Components a Monthly Tune-Up
If you use your grill regularly, set aside time each month for extra maintenance. Check hinges, knobs and other moving parts, inspect burners and tubes for damage or clogs and clean the grill’s heat diffusers and vents.
Do a Seasonal Deep Clean
Before you stow the grill for the winter, give it a thorough inspection and cleaning. Soak removable parts like the grates and heat shields in warm, soapy water or food-safe degreaser. Scrub away carbon buildup from each part, as well as the interior lid and walls of the grill. Finally, polish exterior surfaces so you’ll be greeted by fresh, shiny equipment when the next cookout season rolls around.
Discover more home and outdoor tips at eLivingtoday.com.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
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