Elote Dip (a.k.a. Hot Mexican Corn Dip) is everything we love about Mexican street corn in a fabulous scoopable dip. It is made with roasted corn in a creamy sauce of spicy mayonnaise, lime, and cotija cheese. Whether you eat it with a spoon or dip into it with tortilla chips, this is a snack that everyone loves.

As soon as fresh corn is available each year, this is one of the first foods to make. (Along with this street corn pasta salad!) In Mexico, corn is roasted over an open grill then slathered with mayo, sour cream and sometimes butter and cheese, sprinkled with plenty of spices, and drizzled with fresh lime juice. It’s sold from stands and street carts on the cob or sometimes off the cob in small cups.

Biting into an ear of corn with lightly charred sweet corn kernels covered in chile powder and tangy lime is an experience everyone needs to have. Elote is a treat that I cannot resist any time it’s on a menu.

Elote Dip

This recipe is the creation of Chef Jeff Smedstad, the chef-owner at Elote Cafe in Sedona, AZ. On a weekend getaway in Sedona many years ago, my first taste of this corn dip had me purchasing a copy of Chef Jeff’s cookbook.

My friend Augusta and I wound up going back to Elote Cafe the very next night because we couldn’t stop talking about the Elote Dip!

We spent our weekend in Sedona hiking, wandering, and eating (of course!), and this simple dish was the food highlight of our trip.

Once I got home, I made this three times and ate it for lunch almost every day for a while. I may have even texted three friends and my sister just to rave about this corn dip after we tasted it.

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Crispy bacon, gooey cheese, and scrambled eggs, all wrapped in a crunchy tortilla? It’s no wonder that this Breakfast Quesadilla has become one of my favorite breakfast options. Try it and you’ll see why this is one I make on repeat.

I will always love a good, hearty breakfast recipe with components I can prep in advance. With this quesadilla, having the bacon, eggs, and toppings ready in the fridge means breakfast comes together in just a few minutes. (It’s the same trick I use with my breakfast grilled cheese.) You can also make it all to order on the day of.

Breakfast Quesadilla

Friends, if you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know how much my family and I love quesadillas. We could eat them for breakfast, as a late-night snack, in a box, with a fox. On any given week, it’s likely that either I or my boys will be trying out a new variation of one of our favorite quesadilla recipes.

In fact, this recipe for breakfast quesadilla was inspired by the breakfast grilled cheese sandwich I linked above. I love the salty, cheesy, rich flavors, and just had to try them with a crispy flour tortilla. The result? I could tell you how good this is, but this is definitely one where you have to taste it to believe.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Tortillas – I reach for

With a buttery, crispy flour tortilla wrapped around melty Pepper Jack cheese and incredible pork carnitas along with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro, this Carnitas Quesadilla is the best lunch I’ve had all week. If you’re making carnitas, add this one to your meal plan. You can thank me later.

Friends, this recipe for carnitas quesadillas is exactly what happens at my house in the days after I make a batch of my slow cooker pork carnitas or pork carnitas in the oven. Leftover carnitas are absolutely perfect for adding to salads, rice bowls, and more.

But, this quesadilla that makes me actively happy about those leftovers. As in, I wake up grinning thinking about lunch. Don’t judge me for that, okay?

Crisp buttery edges. A gooey tangle of cheese and shredded pork in the middle. A little cilantro, because it needs that fresh green pop. That’s the whole thing. And, since the meat freezes like a dream, once you start making carnitas, you’ll always have it on hand.

Carnitas Quesadilla

There are only a handful of foods I could genuinely eat every single week, and carnitas are darn near the top of that list. A batch usually goes pretty fast around here, but whenever there’s a cup or two lingering in my fridge and I’m feeling like treating myself, rest assured that I’m going to use it in this carnitas quesadilla recipe.

And, while I love cheesy quesadillas, I do not actually like my quesadillas overloaded with cheese. I know, I know. Hot take. But, it just makes me feel so lethargic. So, I err on the side of using just enough cheese to hold everything in place. But, if YOU want to add more? I’m on board. Follow your heart.

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Monterey jack cheese, Black Forest ham and spicy green chile are rolled up in boneless, skinless chicken breasts and baked to tender, flavorful perfection in this fun new (and easy!) twist on cordon bleu. This is what chicken cordon bleu would be like after a tour of the American Southwest!

Chicken Cordon Bleu is a classic of French cuisine that became a staple of American restaurants in the 1960s. Before long, home cooks realized how easy it was to make at home and started adding it to their rotation, too.

My family has long loved variations on the theme, including this chicken cordon bleu with creamy white sauce. But, this recipe for green chile chicken cordon bleu is my own Southwestern take, inspired by the classic. And, it’s the version I keep coming back to.

Green Chile Chicken Cordon Bleu

Having grown up in New Mexico and Arizona, I can confidently say that I am more familiar with the flavor profiles of Southwestern cooking than any other. It is absolutely my comfort zone.

So, if I have the opportunity to tuck my beloved green chiles into a dish, you can bet I’m going to try it. In many cases, they are a welcome addition, but here? They create pure magic.

The gentle, smoky spice of green chiles is the perfect foil for the creamy Monterey jack cheese, salty ham, and mild chicken. It is a match made in the land of enchantment. If you’ve been hunting for a new chicken recipe with real Southwestern kick, this is the one.

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Every single year I tell myself I’m going to keep Cinco de Mayo simple. And every single year I end up with a full spread because honestly? That’s the whole point! This collection of the best Cinco de Mayo recipes has you covered. From juicy tacos and saucy enchiladas to creamy dips, zesty sides, and irresistible desserts, there’s something about this holiday that makes you want it all! And I’m not sorry about it!

I’ve pulled together all of our tried and true Mexican recipes for Cinco de Mayo…and don’t miss #23 because it’s my FAVORITE!!

🌶️ Tacos, Burritos & Main Dishes

These hearty, flavor-packed mains are the star of any Cinco de Mayo spread. From slow-cooked meats to quick skillet favorites, these recipes are guaranteed to satisfy.