Tortilla Chips and Queso

Posted on December 1, 2010 by tasteofstmu

Tortilla Chips and Queso by Mireya Mata
Videography and Production by William Oulvey

In this video, watch and listen as Mireya Mata, alumna of St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, shows us how to make Tortilla Chips and Queso without using animal products. You can make this dish yourself by using the following recipe:

Ingredients for Tortilla Chips

  • 12 corn tortillas
  • Non-stick spray
  • Sea salt (optional)

Directions

Spread the tortilla wedges in a single layer on the sheet. Spray tortillas lightly with non-stick spray. Bake tortillas until lightly brown, approximately 10-12 minutes (watch carefully as ovens vary). Sprinkle with salt if desired. Repeat steps for the remaining 6 tortillas.

Ingredients for Vegan Queso (Cheese)

  • 2 tablespoons shallots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup red or yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • ¼ cup carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1/3 cup onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup of water
  • ¼ cup raw cashews
  • ¼ cup vegan butter (Earth Balance)
  • 1-2 teaspoons sea salt to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 can Rotel (Diced tomatoes and green chilies)

Note: You will not use the whole can just add enough to desired amount of spiciness!

Directions

In a saucepan, add shallots, potatoes, carrots, onions and water and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. In a blender, process the cashews, salt, garlic, vegan butter, mustard and lemon juice. Add softened vegetables and the cooking water to the blender and process until smooth. Add as much Rotel as you like depending on how spicy you like it. Start with 2 tablespoons and increase to desired amount. Serve with baked tortilla chips for Chips and Queso or add toppings such as refried beans, Smart Ground (vegan ground beef), tomatoes, guacamole, Tofutti Sour Cream, black olives etc. for nachos.

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Vegan Pancakes

Posted on December 1, 2010 by tasteofstmu

Vegan Pancakes by Avery Saenz
Videography and Production by Matthew Rodriguez

Avery Saenz, a senior communications arts student at St. Mary’s University, cooks a lot of her meals with easier recipes. However, she doesn’t use eggs or milk for her meals, not even pancakes because she follows a vegan lifestyle.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1 tbsp of sugar
  • 1/8 tsp of salt
  • 1 cup of soy milk
  • 2 tbsp of vegetable oil

Directions

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl until well-mixed. Mix in the soy milk and oil and beat together until batter is smooth. Drop 1/4 cup of batter at a time onto a hot-oiled griddle, or well-greased frying pan over medium high heat. When bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake, at approximately 3 minutes, flip  and cook the other side for another two minutes.

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Pasta Sauce

Posted on December 1, 2010 by tasteofstmu

Pasta Sauce by Jason Todd
Videography and Production by Erica Leal

Check out the interview I had with Jason Todd, a St. Mary’s Law alumnus. He explains his passion for cooking as well as the story behind his Pasta Sauce.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup of olive oil
  • 8 cloves of garlic
  • 3 29-oz cans of tomato sauce
  • 1 6-oz can of tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon of basil
  • 1.5 teaspoon of oregano
  • .5 teaspoon of cayenne
  • 1 cup of Parmesan
  • ¼ teaspoon of baking soda

Directions
Add ½ cup olive oil and 8 cloves of garlic to large pan. Cook garlic until it is light brown. If it becomes burnt start over as it will change the taste of the sauce drastically. Add 3 29-ounce cans of tomato sauce and 1 six-ounce can tomato paste to garlic and oil mixture. Stir to combine. Taste to get idea of how it should taste at this point. Add 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1½ teaspoon dried oregano, and ½ teaspoon cayenne to sauce. Stir to combine. Taste to get idea of how it should taste at this point. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to allow sauce to simmer. Cover with splashguard (a screen that covers the top of the pot). Cook for approximately 1 to 1½ hours. The sauce should reduce by almost ¼ and a skin/sheen will form on top. Taste to get idea of how it should taste at this point. Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Add ¼ teaspoon baking soda and stir. Sauce will foam as the acid in the tomatoes is released. This is essential for the sauce. Taste to get idea of how it should taste at this point. Add salt and pepper to taste. Eat with pasta and great bread.

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Dolmades

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Chrystalla Georghiou

Domaldes by Costas and Jane Georghiou
Videography and Production by Chrystalla Georghiou

Costas and Jane Georghiou are parents to Chrystalla Georghiou who is a student at St. Mary’s. Each one of them has learned to cook through watching and helping their parents and grandparents. Both consider cooking to be something that can hold a family together.

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs of ground meat (can be any meat, we used 1 lb lamb and 1.5 lbs bison)
  • 40-50 fresh grape leaves or 1 jar grape leaves
  • 1 medium onion
  • ½ cup rice
  • 2 lemons
  • Mint
  • Parsley
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 can crashed tomatoes
  • 1 cube vegetable or chicken bouillon (Maggi preferred)

Directions

Chop the onion, tomato and parsley. Mix the meat, rice, chopped onion, tomato and parsley in a mixing bowl. Add salt, pepper, mint, juice from one lemon and little olive oil. Mix ingredients by hand until ingredients are well mixed.

On a flat plate, place leaves flat, one at a time and put some of the mixture on it. Roll part of leaves around the meat and place in pot keeping each dolma tight to each other. Put some leaves flat at bottom of pan before placing completed dolmades in pot.

After all meat is used, add a can of crashed tomatoes to pot and some water but avoid covering with dolmades with water. Dissolve the bouillon in warm water and add to pot. Add the juice of the second lemon and some more olive oil. Place a plate in the pot to keep dolmades from lifting when cooking. Cover and cook on low heat for 45 minutes. Leave sitting in pot for 1 hour before serving.

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Turtle Brownies

Posted on December 1, 2010 by tasteofstmu

Turtle Brownies by Bianca Martinez
Videography and Production by Loriann Garses

Bianca Martinez is a senior at St. Mary’s University and will be graduating in May. She learned to cook at a very young age by watching and helping her mom in the kitchen. Bianca’s favorite thing to make is Ghiradelli Turtle Brownies.

Ingredients

  • 1 box (18.5  ounces) Ghirardelli Brownie Mix, Caramel Turtle
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine brownie mix, water, oil and egg in a large mixing bowl and stir at medium speed until well blended. Lightly grease the bottom of an 8×8 pan, then pour brownie mix into the pan. Take the pouch of caramel topping and squeeze caramel on to the top of the brownie mix in 5 horizontal rows. Then take a knife and pull the end of the knife vertically across the 5 previous horizontal rows. Bake brownies at 350 degrees for 38-42 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes before eating.

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Chicken Tacos

Posted on December 1, 2010 by dreneediaz

Chicken Tacos by Valerie Mancias
Videography and Production by Darlene Diaz

Valerie Mancias had continued the tradition of making her moms chicken tacos by sharing them with her best friends. These easy to make, mouth watering tacos are an easy, fast and enjoyable meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 rotisserie pre-made chicken
  • 1 Roma tomato
  • 1 yellow onion
  • several limes
  • corn tortillas

Directions

Peel the chicken and shred it into tiny pieces getting rid of he skin of the chicken. Squeeze lime juice on the chicken once it is shredded so that it soaks up the lime juice. Meanwhile preheat the skillet and sauté the onions. After one minute add the tomato and chicken. Combine all ingredients in the skillet for approximately 5 minutes then serve onve tortillas have been heated.

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Welcome to the Taste of StMU

Posted on December 1, 2010 by tasteofstmu

Welcome/bienvenidos to the official Taste of St. Mary’s University (StMU) blog showcasing the work of graphic design and multimedia students.  We are gradually building an online cookbook as well as a community of students, staff, faculty, family, friends, Marianists, alumni, local businesses, media professionals and foodies through this special project.

Recipes, photos, videos and announcements will be posted hereafter. We encourage you to subscribe to our blog so you can get a Taste of StMU!

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