Quick Mexican

Chilaquiles is a basic Mexican dish created to use up leftovers like tortillas, chiles, shredded chicken and cheese. Rick Bayless keeps the recipe simple by doctoring canned tomatoes with canned chipotles in adobo, available at Latin grocers and many supermarkets.

Tortilla chips heated in a quick-cooking chile sauce and topped with feta, onion, sour cream, cilantro, and chicken make a particularly tasty version of this popular Mexican dish. Don't let the idea of softened chips put you off. This recipe is a winner.

Pepper Jack cheese looks innocent enough but adds a nice kick to these burritos. If you prefer a milder taste, use regular Jack instead.

"I'm crazy about fish tacos," says chef Amanda Hallowell. "And my sister Jessie is a sauerkraut fanatic. She made a fish Reuben sandwich one day, and we said, 'Let's combine the Reuben and the fish taco.'" At Nebo Lodge, that means fried flounder wrapped in a homemade flour tortilla with Jarlsberg cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing.

Melissa Rubel tosses shrimp with chipotle chile powder (made from dried, smoked jalapeños), grills them, then layers them on top of crunchy fried corn tortillas and crisp, citrusy slaw.

Marcia Kiesel's take on everyone's favorite dip has subtle tartness, balanced heat and a creamy-chunky texture.

To make this really easy, mix store-bought rotisserie chicken and cheddar cheese into a quick dough, then wrap the tamales in plastic before steaming them.

Hot Bread Kitchen's first employee, Elidia Ramos, taught her fellow bakers how to make gorditas, a favorite Mexico City street food. Crisp on the outside and soft within, these savory corn cakes are a great base for all types of toppings, from pulled pork to shredded chicken. For a more luscious gordita, fry the dough in lard or butter instead of oil.

For these flautas, tortillas are rolled around a savory filling and pan-fried until crisp. Grace Parisi perfected her technique by watching My Mexican Recipes on YouTube.

Grilling pork quickly not only keeps it moist, but adds a charred, smoky flavor that is lovely in these tacos. Remember to grill the cutlets only until they're just cooked through; leave them on the heat any longer and they can dry out.

To accompany his fresh tuna tacos, chef Aarón Sanchez of New York City's Paladar makes a quick, vinegary, supercrunchy red-onion pickle. It's lovely with the warm, soft tortillas. To bump up the flavors of the tacos even more, he also adds a dash of hot sauce and a healthy squirt of fresh lime juice.

This healthier take on the traditional taco swaps garden-variety lettuce for vitamin K-rich cabbage.

In this play on nachos, chef Gonzalo Martinez of Casa de Sierra Nevada tops a chunky guacamole with gooey melted cheese.

Chef Tip Mild queso oaxaca is the best cheese for melting.

The corn is rich and tangy, and a perfect accompaniment to the great steak.

This comforting soup is made with barley, potatoes and lima beans in a savory chicken broth.

A Mexican classic with a Greek twist, these tostadas appeal to children of all ages. Serve one burrito-style tortilla or two of the smaller ones per person.

This soup calls for canned black beans, making it superfast and easy.