All-time Favorite Traditional Hispanic Recipes By David H. Urmann

Traditional Hispanic recipes are an all-time favorite not only in countries with a Spanish culture but also other countries learning to appreciate its delectable taste. There are a lot of traditional Hispanic recipes you can easily make at home.

Hispanic food covers the culinary traditions of Puerto Rico, Mexico, Cuba, South and Central America. These countries have Spanish cultures and origins. Hispanic food varies from each town, family and region.

Hispanic groups usually like to eat their food with rice. Other Hispanics like to mix their meals with beans, potatoes, quinoa and wheat or cassava. These foods are not similar to your basic nachos, tacos, tamales and enchiladas. They have their individual mainstreams of menu items, from the main dishes, desserts and appetizers up to the beverages.

Listed below are different types of Traditional Hispanic Recipes:
1. Picadillo Tacos
Ingredients:
• 1 large chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 pounds lean ground pork
• ¾ cup Sun-Maid Natural Raisins
• 1 can or 15 ounce tomato sauce
• ½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 12 purchased taco or tostada shells
• 3 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 ½ cups coarsely grated radish
• Lime wedges

Directions:
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add garlic and onion, cook for about 3 minutes.
• Cook until it becomes soft.
• Add some pork.
• Increase the heat and stir, breaking up the large pieces (cook until the pork is no longer pinkish in color).
• Add tomato sauce, raisins, cinnamon, olives, pepper and salt to taste.
• Simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
• Divide warm picadillos between its shells.
• Serve this topped with radish, cheese, lettuce and a squeeze of lime.

2. Sweet Raisin Tamales
Ingredients:
• 35 pcs cork husks
• 1 ½ c butter
• 3 pounds corn masa (prepared, for tamales)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 ½ cup of Sun-Maid Natural Raisins

Directions:
• Soak the corn husks in hot water for about 30 minutes or until the corn husks are soft.
• Combine the prepared masa with baking powder, sugar and butter using a large deep bowl.
• Mix until it becomes smooth, using a heavy spoon or electric mixer.
• Spoon about two teaspoons of raisin-masa mixture in a mound of about 1 x 3 inches, particularly on the length and center of corn husks.
• Roll the long side of husks over some filling.
• Fold the narrow the end of the husks up and tie it with a strip of corn husk, leaving the top end open or twisting both ends and tying it.
• Steam the tamales for about 45 minutes.
• The corn husks should pull away from the masa when it’s done.
• Serve warm.

3. Raisin Salsa
Ingredients:
• 1 medium tomato
• 1 medium red onion
• ½ bunch of cilantro
• 1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 jalapeno peppers stem and seeds removed
• Juice of 1 lime
• ¾ cup of Sun-Maid Natural Raisins
• Salt

Directions:
• Beat all the ingredients, except for the raisins, inside the food processor for about 10 minutes or until it becomes coarsely chopped.
• Transfer the mixture onto a large bowl.
• Stir in the raisins.
• Salt to taste.
• Let this stand for about 15 minutes so that the flavor blends.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=324634&ca=Food