Recipes - or non-recipes

The one thing missing from my last post was recipes. But, the post was long enough already and I don't follow recipes a lot of the time - and by not including them I had another ready made post! Usually I'll start with a recipe and maybe follow it, or look up a few and mash them together.

For the sope base, since it was the first time and it's not so much a throw together recipe, I used this one (of course I picked my own fillings).
https://pinaenlacocina.com/2015/05/11/sopes-de-chorizo-con-papa-potato-and-mexican-chorizo-sopes/
Having never made them before, there was a bit of trial and error in making them (see the evolution pic in my last post). My only suggestion if you try to make them, you really do need to pinch the dough after the first cooking - like you're making the edge of a pie crust.

The queso fresco - which again is way easier than you would think - I used this one:
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/11/queso-fresco-easy-cheese-recipe.html
The recipe looks more difficult than it is - I heat it as directed but I just line a colander with a cotton dish towel and dump it in there (you can save the whey, but I haven't figured out what to do with it yet) and then squeeze out the liquid and add the salt. Since you're probably making something that involves beans, just put the can of bean on top of the cheese (on its side, on the outside of the towel) and let it compress the cheese for a bit. You'll know it's ready when it's crumbly.

And finally - the Shepherd's Pie - this was loosely based on this - and I do mean loosely:
https://www.homeandplate.com/blog/leftovers-cottage-pie

I used all butter (no olive oil) - about 2T, I didn't use mushrooms, I didn't have enough leftover carrots so I cut up another one and added it to the onions/butter so it would be soft.  I dumped in all my leftover cooking liquid/broth, probably ~2 cups (which is why it didn't look quite as pretty when it was done cooking) and added frozen peas. I also don't think I used as much beef as the recipe. And...I didn't have leftover potatoes, so I cooked 3 (4?) potatoes and
mashed them with just enough milk/butter to be spreadable. I also made it the night before and then heated it up for dinner. I baked it at 325 so it wouldn't get overly brown before it was heated through. And I didn't use any cheese.

Yesterday I didn't do much cooking - I took down all the Christmas decorations. 😔Breakfast was an easy poached eggs on toast, blackberries and a Cutie. Lunch was a baked potato and dinner was sopita (https://practicalfamily.org/recipe/sopita-mexican-shells-cheese/). If you know me, you know I love Spaghettio's. This is basically Spaghettio's with cumin! 💞

Today I made breakfast tacos, and since I'm talking about budget, I calculated the cost - .68 for two breakfast tacos! Lunch was leftover sopita and dinner was bean and cheese tamales from the freezer with "cheater" enchilada sauce (https://www.budgetbytes.com/red-enchilada-sauce/).

I'm still working on this week's menu....