In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we asked our employees to share some of their favorite recipes. Whether you are hosting your friends and family this Hispanic Heritage Month or simply want to try a new recipe that you’ve never heard of before, we’ve got you covered. 

Appetizers

Recipe Creator 

Recipe Name 

Ingredients  

Instructions 

AP Pattillo, Learning and Development Manager  

Puerto Rican Empanadas 

Sofrito: 

1 bundle of cilantro 

1 bundle of culantro 

1 small yellow onion 

3 to 5 cloves of garlic 

5 to 6 small aji dulce peppers (substitute with green bell peppers) 

1 medium red bell pepper 

1 medium green bell pepper 

 

Meat Stuffing: 

1 pound of lean ground beef (Can substitute with Turkey) 

1/3 cup of homemade sofrito (1 to 2 Ice Cubes if you froze it) 

1/3 cup of tomato sauce 

1 packet of sazon con achiote 

1 tablespoon of adobo all-purpose seasoning 

2 teaspoons of ground cumin 

1 teaspoon of dried oregano 

1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional) 

2 1/2 cups of small, diced potatoes (frozen potatoes work too) 

Hand full of Green Olives (optional) 

 

Empanada Discos: 

1 package of Goya Brand- Empanada Discos con Achiote (Any brand works but I find Goya easier to find) 

Or you can always make your own homemade but for time I go with store bought. ( I have found these to be hard to find here in NM). 

 

Sofrito:  

1. Finely chop the garlic, onion, aji dulces and bell peppers.  

2. Add them into a food processor or blender. (Remove the membrane and seeds from the peppers). 

3. Next add the bundles of cilantro and culantro and blend until roughly incorporated. 

4. Freeze sofrito for later or cook with olive oil, seasonings and tomato sauce. (I like to freeze in ice trays so I can use cubes as needed 😊) 

 

Bringing it all together: 

1. Defrost frozen empanada dough for 2-3 hours.  

2. On medium heat cook the beef or turkey until brown. 

3. Stir in homemade sofrito with green olives, tomato sauce until simmering.  

4. Mix in the diced potatoes, sazon, adobo, cumin, dried oregano and red pepper flakes (optional). 

5. Allow remaining liquid to steam potatoes until tender. Cool your mixture. 

6. On a flat surface, sprinkle some all-purpose flour and lay out your empanada dough. 

7. Add a tablespoon of the meat mixture in the center of the dough. Fold over the dough and firmly press with your thumbs. To properly seal the seam, crimp the edges with a fork. 

8. In hot oil, fry the empanadas for 1 minute on each side.  

9. Place them on paper towels and serve when ready. Be careful they can be very hot if you eat them right away!!  

 

Nataly Corrales,  

Loan Servicing Advisor  

Agua Chiles en Salsa Verde 

 

2 lbs of raw shrimp  

20 limes juiced  

2 large cucumbers  

1 purple onion  

2 chiles serrano  

16 oz of beer or choice  

2 avocados  

Salt and pepper to liking  

Cilantro  

1. Rough chop cucumbers, serrano chilies and onion. Place in blender. Add lime juice then blend on high for 2-3 minutes until liquid is formed. 

2. Strain saving liquid and discard solid left behind.  

3. Butterfly cleaned shrimp and place in a bowl. Gently pour liquid over shrimp and stir evenly.  

4. Chill shrimp and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours. The shrimp is ready to serve once it has become white and firmed up.  

5. Slice cucumbers and onions thinly and mix into cooked shrimp.  

6. Serve in a bowl with the liquid.  

7. Garnish with avocado slices and cilantro leaves.  

8. Serve with tostadas.  

Ruben Macias, Tenant Engagement and Commercial Lending Manager 

Mexican Hot Cheetos 

1 bag hot Cheetos  

Valentina hot sauce  

Pickled Jalapenos  

Lime Juice 

Salt to taste 

In a bowl mix hot Cheetos, Valentina hot sauce, pickled jalapenos, lime juice, and salt until it’s the perfect combination for your taste buds.  

 

BREAKFAST

Recipe Creator 

Recipe Name 

Ingredients  

Instructions 

Lee Santillanes, Loan Officer 

Mexican Breakfast Burrito  

4 tablespoons butter, divided 

1-pound frozen shredded hash browns 

1 package McCormick® Original Taco Seasoning Mix 

 1 oz 1/2 cup chopped onions 

1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers 

1 pound ground breakfast sausage, cooked and drained 

8 eggs 

1/4 cup heavy cream  

9 medium flour tortillas 

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add hash browns and 1/2 of the Seasoning Mix; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until softened. Add onions and bell peppers; cook 4 to 5 minutes longer or until onions are tender and potatoes are lightly browned. Stir in cooked sausage. Remove mixture from skillet; set aside. 

2. Mix eggs, cream and remaining Seasoning Mix in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in same skillet on medium heat. Add egg mixture; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until soft curds form. 

3. To assemble burritos, place 1/2 cup potato mixture on each tortilla. Top with 1/4 cup each eggs and cheese. Fold each into a burrito. Serve immediately. 

4. Make Ahead Tip: Wrap prepared burritos in plastic wrap and store in freezer. To reheat, remove burrito from plastic wrap. Place on microwavable plate and cover with damp paper towel. Microwave 3 minutes on MEDIUM then 3 minutes on HIGH. Let stand 1 minute before serving. 

Ashley Sisneros, Associate Broker 

Huevos Rancheros 

12 NM Chile pods 

2 cloves of garlic  

¼ small onion  

A pinch of oregano  

Vegetable oil  

2 tbsp flour  

Corn tortillas  

Cheese of choice  

Eggs  

1. Remove stems and seeds from chile pods.  

2. Rinse pods and cover in ~5 cups of water.  

3. Boil for 20 minutes. Let cool and add to blender along with half the cooking water, garlic, onion, and oregano. Add salt to taste. 4. Heat 1 TBSP of oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add flour continuously stirring to make a roux.  

5. Slowly pour in blended chile sauce (strain in if needed). Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat.  

6. Heat enough oil in another skillet to shallow fry corn tortillas. Fry tortillas for about 30 seconds on each side until soft. Drain on paper towel. Fry as many tortillas as desired for layering.  

7. Layer tortilla, red chile, cheese to create 2-3 layers or as many as desired. 

8. Cook 1-2 eggs to your liking and add on top. Serve with a side of pinto beans and hashbrowns. 

DINNER

Recipe Creator 

Recipe Name 

Ingredients  

Instructions 

Saraí Arenas, Transaction Coordinator RES Santa Fe  

 

Baca Frita  

2-3 pounds flank steak 

2 teaspoons adobo seasoning 1/2 teaspoon cumin 

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

2 cups beef broth 

3 bay leaves 

4 cups water  

1 large white or yellow onion 

 

Marinade: 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

juice from 2 limes 

1 teaspoon salt 

6 large garlic cloves (minced) 

 

1. Bring everything to a full boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for about 90 minutes or until the meat easily pulls apart. 

2. Remove the meat from the liquid (discard the liquid). Shred the meat using 2 forks into pieces that are about 2-3 inches wide, against the grain. 

3. Add the shredded meat to a bowl and add in the marinade ingredients. 

4. Allow the meat to marinate for 30-45 minutes (do not go longer as it can break down the meat too much). 

5. After marinating the meat, heat a large skillet over medium/high heat. 

Add in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the sliced onions to the skillet and stir while cooking for about 2 minutes. 

6. Move the onions to one side of the pan to make room for the beef. (Don’t forget to stir the onions every few minutes to cook evenly.) 

7. Add the beef to the skillet in small batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Spread it into a thin layer allow to cook for 3-4 minutes without moving it. 8. Use a spatula to flip the meat over and cook for another 3-4 minutes. 

(You can add more oil to the pan if the meat or onions seem to be drying out) 

9. When all the beef has been fried, mix it together with the cooked onions. and serve with white rice and back beans!  

 

DESSERTS

Recipe Creator 

Recipe Name 

Ingredients  

Instructions 

Jamie Jaramillo, Real Estate Planning Director 

Grandma’s Natas  

8 eggs 

4 cups milk 

1 cup sugar. 

1/4 cup cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup milk 

1 tsp vanilla 

1 stick Cinnamon and powdered cinnamon to taste 

 

 

1. Heat milk in saucepan with a stick of cinnamon 

2. Save small glass of cold milk 

3. Beat egg whites with sugar 

4. Dissolve cornstarch in cold milk 

5. Add egg yellows, vanilla, and sugar to cold milk 

6. When milk starts to boil, remove cinnamon stick and add cold milk mixture 

7. Stir until thick 

 

Joe Kraft, Home Purchase Advisor  

Tres Leches 

Sponge Cake: 

2 ½ Cups All-purpose flour 

2 Teaspoons Baking powder 

¾ Teaspoon Salt 

8 Eggs, separated 

2 Cups extra-fine sugar 

4 Teaspoons fresh squeezed lime juice  

1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract 

2/3 Cup Whole Milk room temperature 

 

Tres leches: 

1 Can (12 ounces) evaporated milk 

1 Can (14 ounces) condensed milk 

1 ½ Cups heavy cream 

2 Tbs vanilla 

 

Topping: 

2 Cups of Whipping Cream 

4 Tablespoons powdered sugar 

2 Tablespoons Vanilla extract 

 

Sponge Cake:  

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9×13-inch glass baking pan (baking spray). 

2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Set it aside. 

3. In a mixer whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar, raise the speed to high and continue whipping until stiff peaks. Reduce speed to low, beat in yolks, one at a time. Beat in vanilla and lime juice. 

4. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, in two or three additions, ending with flour. Use a spatula to gently finish folding all the flour.  

5. Pour in the prepared baking dish.  

6. Tap on the counter to release bubbles.  

7. Bake for 30 to 35 mins or until cake is golden and springs back when touched. 

 

Tres leches:  

1. Leave the cake in the glass baking dish to cool.  

2. Once at room temperature, Poke hole in the cake with a toothpick.  

3. Add the Tres Leches mix, one cup at a time, wait for it to soak in, repeat until all Tres Leches mix is absorbed. 

 

Topping:  

1. Whip the cream, powder sugar and vanilla until thick peaks form – don’t over whip. 

Spread evenly on top of the cake. Refrigerate overnight. 

 

Gloria Chavez, Associate Broker 

Arroz Con Leche 

8 Cups Water  

2 cups Jasmine Rice 

2 Cinnamon sticks 

1 12 ounce can evaporated milk 

1 can condensed milk 1 cup whole milk Ground cinnamon 

1. Put the water, rice and cinnamon stick in a pan and set over medium high heat.  

2. Bring to a boil uncovered and cook until the rice is tender. 

3. Strain out the liquid, discard the cinnamon.  

4. Return the rice to the pan. Stir in evaporated milk, condensed milk and milk.  

5. Continue cooking over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. 

6. Reduce the heat to low until mixture is thick.  

7. Dust the top with ground cinnamon. 

SIDES

Recipe Creator 

Recipe Name 

Ingredients  

Instructions 

Saraí Arenas,  

Transaction Coordinator RES Sants Fe 

Camaguyana Guacamole 

1 Pineapple  

1 White, Yellow, or Red Onion  

1 Avocado  

1 cucumber  

Salt  

Pepper  

Vinegar  

Olive Oil  

This is a great summer salad, it’s very refreshing. We serve this at our house at every Cuban party we have and we don’t need a reason to party. My Dad learned it from his Abuela Clemencia.  

 

In a medium bowl cut the skin off a pineapple and cut into cubes. Add an onion (white, yellow or red) peel and diced into small cubes. Add an aguacate (avocado) peel it and cut into cubes. Peel and add a cucumber into cubes. Add salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil to taste and toss it together. Enjoy this summer treat. 

Jamie Jaramillo, Real Estate Planning Director 

Tortillas 

Makes 6-8 tortillas 

2 cups flour 

1 teaspoons baking powder 

1 teaspoon salt 

3 tablespoons lard (adjusted from original recipe at 2 tablespoons) 

3/4 cup lukewarm water 

 

1. In the table mixer, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add the lard or shortening. Work the fat into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. 

2. Add the water. 

3. Mix until it comes together into a sticky dough. 

4. Gather the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface (the bowl works fine for the pros), kneading for about a minute until it becomes smooth and satiny. Let it rest at least 15 minutes (preferably more than 30). 

5. Pinch off an egg-size ball. 

6. Shape the dough into a fat disk. Repeat with the remaining dough. 

7. On a floured surface, give each disk a few quick passes with a roller, pressing from the center toward the edges. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat until the circle is between 1/8- and -inch thick and 10–12 inches in diameter. 

8. Heat a large cast-iron griddle or pan over high heat, to about 500°. Add one circle of dough and cook 30–45 seconds, until large bubbles form across the surface. Check if brown spots have appeared on the bottom. If so, flip the tortilla and cook another 30–45 seconds, until it puffs and browns on the other side. Rest the tortillas under a towel while you cook the others. 

 

We’d love for you to share any of these recipes that you try with us by tagging us on social (IG, FB). 

P.S. Interested in joining our team? We’re hiring for multiple positions across our organization. Head over to our website for current openings.  

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