Category Archives: Mexican

Chicken Ranch Tacos

Posted on February 4, 2010 by Veronica

This recipe was listed mid-year in the free Betty Crocker calendar I received by mail and was one of the few things that interested me, so I made it right away. It’s simple and very delicious and I will definitely be making it again!

Chicken Ranch Tacos

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

1 box (4.7 oz) Old El Paso® Stand ‘N Stuff® taco shells (10 shells)
3 cups cut-up deli rotisserie chicken (from 2- to 2 1/2-lb chicken)
1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix (or 3 tablespoons homemade)
1/2 cup ranch dressing (2 T of homemade was sufficient for me)
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 medium), if desired
Old El Paso® Thick ‘n Chunky salsa, if desired
Additional ranch dressing, if desired

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Heat taco shells in oven as directed on box.
2. Meanwhile, in medium microwavable bowl, place chicken. Sprinkle with taco seasoning mix; toss gently to coat. Microwave uncovered on High 2 to 3 minutes or until hot. Stir in 1/2 cup dressing.
3. Spoon warm chicken mixture into heated taco shells. Top with lettuce, tomato, cheese and onions. Drizzle with salsa and additional dressing.

Tips:
Instead of rotisserie chicken, use any diced cooked chicken.
Offer additional taco toppings such as olives and sour cream.

Nutrition Information (will be less if you use less dressing):
1 Serving (2 tacos): Calories 500 (Calories from Fat 290); Total Fat 32g (Saturated Fat 9g, Trans Fat 2 1/2g); Cholesterol 105mg; Sodium 1500mg; Total Carbohydrate 23g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 3g); Protein 31g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 15%; Vitamin C 8%; Calcium 15%; Iron 10% Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 4 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

makes 5 servings (2 tacos each)
Recipe from Betty Crocker

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Posted in Main Dishes, Mexican and tagged chicken, ranch, tacos. Bookmark the permalink.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Chili

Posted on January 16, 2010 by Veronica

This chili is so easy and the results blew me away! I could not believe how delicious it was, especially for how little energy it required. I will definitely be making this over and over again throughout the remaining winter months.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Chili
Recipe from Betty Crocker
Prep time: 10 minutes Start to finish: 7 hours, 10 minutes Servings: 6 (1 2/3 cups each)

1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 medium yellow or green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (15-16 oz each) chili beans in sauce, undrained
1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso enchilada sauce
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Mix all ingredients exept sour cream and cilantro in a 4-5 quart slow cooker.
2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7-8 hours.
3. Stir mixture to break up chicken. (I had to pull it up and cut it against the side of the crockpot with a fork a little bit and did the same with the stewed tomatoes). Top each serving with sour cream and cilantro.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
1 Serving: Calories 370; Total Fat 11g; Cholesterol 65mg; Sodium 1690mg; Total Carbohydrate 38g (Dietary Fiber 8g); Protein 30g

Notes: I used 1 large breast and 1 thigh for the meat and that equaled 1 1/4 lb. I accidentally only purchased 1 can of Mexican stewed tomatoes, so I substituted a can of chili-ready tomatoes for the other with great results. I will probably use the chili-ready tomatoes instead of the stewed next time b/c they are already diced and I wouldn’t have to cut up any big chunks.

6 Comments

Posted in Lighter Fare, Mexican, Soups & Stews and tagged chicken, chili, crockpot, easy, enchilada, slow cooker. Bookmark the permalink.

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Posted on November 13, 2009 by Veronica

Look at this photo. Just look at it.

I’m not going to tell you what it looks like to me because I don’t want to bias you against this dish any more than you already have been by looking at the ugly thing.

All I have to say is, don’t judge a book by it’s cover. The most delicious apples I’ve ever had were hand-picked in an organic orchard and were quite pathetic to look at, and sometimes a shiny red apple has a rotten core. Things aren’t always how they appear.

This casserole is one of those things. I guarantee the flavor totally makes up for the lack of eye appeal. It’s got the layered concept of a lasagna, but with ingredients more akin to creamy chicken enchiladas. Incidentally, it doesn’t taste like either of those things. It tastes like King Ranch Chicken Casserole and you’ll just have to make it to taste it for yourself and discover that beauty can be found in flavor, even if it isn’t present visually.

King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Adapted from Homesick Texan

Ingredients:
2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 t cumin
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 t salt
10 (6”) corn tortillas
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, diced
2 cups of grated cheddar cheese
1 (10.5 oz) can of cream of mushroom soup (fat-free is fine)
1 (10.5 oz) can of cream of chicken soup (fat-free is fine)
1 (14.5 oz) can of Ro-Tel tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp. of chile powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. (My 9×13 dish fit this perfectly.)

Cook the chicken breasts in a skillet over medium heat with either water or a little oil. Sprinkle half the cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt on one side and put the other half on when you turn them. Once cooked through, shred and set aside.

Combine soups, Ro-Tel tomatoes and chile powder; blend until smooth.

Place a layer of tortillas in the casserole dish, then half the chicken, onion, bell pepper, cheese & sauce. Repeat layers with the remaining half of everything, except end with the cheese on top.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

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Posted in Main Dishes, Mexican and tagged casserole, chicken, king ranch. Bookmark the permalink.

Spinach & Black Bean Enchiladas

Posted on November 9, 2009 by Veronica

It seems the older I get, the less meat appeals to me. Thus, Meatless Mondays were born into our household–my sneaky way of making a day without meat sound fun so Dennis plays along. :)

This recipe made both of us happy–the enchiladas are filling, have good flavor, and are figure-friendly. I do realize the picture isn’t too appetizing, but they really are good, I promise!

If you have any favorite vegetarian dishes and are willing to share the recipe, please leave it in a comment or message me!

Spinach & Black Bean Enchiladas
from The New Holly Clegg Trim & Terrific Cookbook

makes 8 enchiladas

1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 (1 1/4 oz) pkg. taco seasoning mix (or 3 tablespoons homemade)
1 c water
1 c fat-free sour cream, divided
8 (6-8 inch) flour tortillas
1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
1 1/2 c shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
2 T sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a non-stick skillet, heat the spinach, black beans, taco seasoning mix, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the mixture is thickened. Remove from the heat, and stir in 1/2 c sour cream.

In each tortilla, spread 1 T enchilada sauce, about 1/3 c spinach mixture, and 1 heaping tablespoon cheese. Roll up each tortilla placing the seam-side down in an oblong baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spread the remaining enchilada sauce over the filled enchiladas, cover, and bake for 15-18 minutes.

Uncover and garnish with the remaining cheese. Continue baking for 5 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted. Serve with the remaining sour cream, and sprinkle with the green onions.

Veronica’s notes: I felt the filling was creamy/liquid enough without putting the enchilada sauce on the inside, so I just poured it over the top.

Nutritional info per serving: 266 cal, 14 g protein, 39 g carbs, 3 g fat, 5 g fiber, 11 mg cholesterol, 1198 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: 1.5 very lean meat, 2.5 starch

2 Comments

Posted in Lighter Fare, Mexican, Vegetarian & Vegan and tagged black bean, diet-friendly, enchiladas, spinach, vegetarian. Bookmark the permalink.

Slow-Cooked Enchilada Casserole & Spicy Red Rice

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Veronica

Two more incredible recipes from Marina!

SLOW-COOKED ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
$100 Prize Winner Pillsbury Bakeoff 2000, by Elizabeth Castle (Marina’s daughter)

1 1/2 lb. ground beef sirloin
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (1.25-oz.) pkg. Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix (or 3 tablespoons homemade)
1 teaspoon salt (I suggest omitting as the seasoning mix adds plenty of salt)
½ teaspoon pepper
9 (51/2-inch) corn tortillas
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup tomato sauce
1 (10-oz.) can Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce
6oz. (11/2 cups) finely shredded Cheddar cheese
2 (15-oz.) cans pinto, black or kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1 (11-oz.) can Green Giant Mexicorn Whole Kernel Corn, Red and Green Peppers, drained
1 (4.5-oz.) can Old El Paso Chopped Green Chiles
1 (21/4-oz.) can chopped ripe olives
Sour Cream

1. Brush inside of 3 1/2 or 4-quart slow cooker with oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray. In large skillet, brown ground beef sirloin with onions and garlic over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix, salt and pepper.

2. Place 3 tortillas in bottom of oiled slow cooker. Top with beef mixture, broth, tomato sauce, and enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with ½ cup of the cheese. Layer 3 more tortillas. Top with beans, corn, green chiles, half of the olives and ½ cup of the cheese.

3. Top with remaining 3 tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese and olives. Cook on high setting for 21/2 to 3 hours or on low setting for 6 to 7 hours. Uncover slow cooker for last 30 minutes of cooking time. Top individual servings with sour cream.

Serves 8

Marina suggests topping the sour cream with sliced avocados and more enchilada sauce.

SPICY RED RICE
2007 Blue Ribbon Recipe courtesy of Marina Castle

2 tablespoons butter
2 cups Calrose white rice
½ cup minced onions
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
2 cups chicken broth
1 (8oz) can Mexican hot tomato sauce or regular tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon butter
Melt butter in a 2 quart saucepan. Add rice and onions and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add rice and onions and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add spices and stir until rice is lightly toasted. Slowly and carefully add liquids and bay leaf, stir and add butter. Bring to a quick boil, then immediately lower heat to simmer. Cover pan and cook for 25 minutes or until done. Remove lid, stir and cover pan again. Keep warm.

Serves 6

This was the tomato sauce I used–I never knew this stuff existed until I looked for it for this recipe. It made the rice plenty spicy.

5 Comments

Posted in Main Dishes, Mexican, Side Dishes and tagged casserole, crock pot, enchilada, red rice, slow-cooked, spicy. Bookmark the permalink.

Crab & Avacado Enchiladas

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Veronica

This recipe comes from Splendour In My Kitchen, my friend, Marina’s, cookbook. I made two recipes out of it today but the other one won’t be ready until tomorrow so I’ll blog it then.

As for this one, it was fun for a change and would go over well with seafood & avocado lovers (or, as in our case, indiscriminate food lovers). We especially liked it with salsa on top!

Saute onion, olives & mushrooms in butter

Mix the mashed avocado with sour cream & spices

Mix the avocado mixture with crabmeat & sauteed vegetables.

I added some cheese b/c I could

Put about this much on your tortilla & roll it up

All 12 should fit perfectly

Cover with remaining sour cream, cheese & olives

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes and serve!

Crab and Avocado Enchiladas

adapted from Splendour In My Kitchen by Marina Castle

1/4 c finely chopped scallions

1/4 c chopped black olives

1/4 c fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped

2 T butter

10 oz. crabmeat (fresh, frozen or canned)

1 ripe avocado, mashed

1 1/2 c sour cream, divided

1/2 t salt

1/4 t garlic powder

Dash of black pepper

12 tortillas (I used flour)

2 c shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1/2 c black olives, sliced
Salsa, for garnish

Saute onion, chopped olives & mushrooms in butter until onions are translucent. Remove from heat and stir in crabmeat and avocado mixed with 1 cup sour cream, salt, garlic powder, pepper & 1 cup cheddar. Heat tortillas six at a time by wrapping in damp paper towels and microwaving for 40 seconds. Fill each tortilla with 1/12 of crab mixture, about 1/4 – 1/3 cup, roll and place seam side down in a buttered 9×13 baking dish. Cover with remaining sour cream and sprinkle with remaining cheese and sliced olives. Bake 20 minutes. Serve immediately with salsa (home canned is best!). Serves 6.

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Posted in Main Dishes, Mexican and tagged avacado, crab, creamy, enchiladas. Bookmark the permalink.

Dulce de Leche

Posted on July 22, 2009 by Veronica

My method of making dulce de leche is probably the most commonly used. It is the cheater’s way of making it so go elsewhere if you want the stuff with real cream and vanilla bean seeds. This blog is for the non-food snobs. Me? I can be both but I prefer to cheat when it comes to dulce de leche.

Dulce de Leche

1. Remove the label from a can of sweetened condensed milk. (This is the only ingredient, by the way.) I use Eagle brand and recommend you do not buy generic. Generic cans have a tendency to let water in and make the dulce de leche form sugar crystals, which ruins it.

2. Place it in the bottom of a pot on its side and cover with water at least an inch above the top of the can.

3. Put it on the stove, put the lid on, and turn the burner to high. You will let it boil on high for 2 hours. Alternately, you can simmer it on medium for four hours but it turns out exactly the same so I do it on high to save time.

4. Check the water level every half hour or so and add more water to keep it above the top of the can. DO NOT LET THE WATER LINE FALL BENEATH THE TOP OF THE CAN, OR THE CAN COULD EXPLODE, RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY.

5. Have I scared you into never trying my method yet?

6. Once it has boiled for two hours, turn off the heat and carefully remove the can with tongs.

7. Allow to cool completely, then open and use as you wish. Some just wait until the can is warm but not hot before opening, but I’m not so brave. The fear of the can exploding in my face keeps me from attempting anything of the sort. I usually let it sit overnight or just stash it in the cupboard if I won’t be using it for a while. It has a long shelf life, even after cooking. I’m not sure how long, because the longest it’s ever lasted on my cupboard shelf is one month. I’d say you’ve got until the expiration date on the can, but I’m not making any promises.

I opened this can today, one month after making it–still perfect!

When it’s done, you’ll have some lovely thick, caramelly stuff like this. Dip apples in it, heat it and swirl it over ice cream, or use it in PMS Pie or put it on top of some banana slices in a pie crust with whipped cream over that to make a Banoffee Pie. Heaven!

Veronica’s tip: I use a stock pot and cook several at once so I have them on hand. Also, I recently found prepared dulce de leche in a can at the grocery store on the Mexican food aisle so if preparing dulce de leche yourself doesn’t appeal to you, check to see if your grocer sells them. The kind I found looks like this (and it it tastes almost as good as homemade):

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Posted in Mexican, Sweets and tagged dulce de leche. Bookmark the permalink.

Tamale Pie

Posted on June 19, 2009 by Veronica

Did you know that Campbell’s has a “Fiesta Nacho Condensed Soup?” I didn’t, until I made my friend, Katy’s, mother’s tamale pie, which calls for it. As soon as I tasted it, I knew I had to try it in other things to have some fun with it.

You know that slightly spicy cheese & tomato dip (I think it’s made with Velveeta & Rotel) that people bring in crockpots to potlucks & serve with tortilla chips? Well, that is what the soup reminds me of! And at 120 calories/half cup–I can guarantee you it’s a calorie bargain compared to the Velveeta dip (you’d get less than half as much Velveeta dip for that many calories).

After making the tamale pie….

I bought a few more cans and made nacho appetizers (which we turned into a meal)….

And then whipped up some nacho tacos (just replace the cheese with the heated soup)

As for the tamale pie, it was very good (everything was good, but this blog is about the pie so I’m concentrating on that). It will definitely be a recurring meal at our dinner table. I’m almost embarrassed to say it’s the best thing I’ve eaten in a few weeks b/c it’s so simple to prepare & doesn’t that sort of mean I’m a bad cook if I can’ t make something from scratch that tastes better? Oh well, I don’t care!

Honestly, I don’t know if the best thing about it is how easy it is to make, how tasty it is, or that it’s Weight Watchers friendly. That’s right, people! You can have a big slice of beefy, cheesy, cornbread topped pie without feeling guilty!!! Now how’s that for a winner?

Tamale Pie

Recipe courtesy of Katy R.
Serves 6

1 lb. lean ground beef (I used bison, so mine was lower in cals than what is stated below)
1 pkg. taco seasoning (or 3 tablespoons homemade)
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can nacho cheese soup
1 can corn, drained
1 box of Jiffy corn bread
1 egg
1/2 cup milk (I used skim)

Brown meat & drain off any fat. Stir in taco seasoning, Rotel tomatoes, and can of corn. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into 13×9 baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray & spread nacho soup over the beef. Mix Jiffy mix with the egg & milk & spread over the nacho cheese soup. Bake at 425 until cornbread is brown on top, about 15 minutes.

Serve with a salad and you are good to go!!! *Heads up to Moms: this dish is very kid friendly!

Nutrition Facts (prepared with lean ground beef & skim milk)
Per Serving
436 Calories
15.2 g Fat
6.9 g Saturated fat
113 mg Cholesterol
835 mg Sodium
42.9 g Carbohydrates
2.8 g Fiber
12 g Sugar
31 g Protein
*9 Weight Watchers Points

Based on a 2,000 calorie diet, one serving provides
15% Vitamin A
14% Vitamin C
17% Calcium
25% Iron

______________________
Update 7/15/09

I made this again today, but this time added a cup each of quartered and sliced zucchini and yellow summer squash, along with a cup of diced onion. This really bulked up the filling layer and it was no less tasty. There is no end of variations on this recipe, I’m sure–I think beans would be a wonderful addition or even replacement for the meat.

1 Comment

Posted in Lighter Fare, Main Dishes, Mexican and tagged cheese, fiesta, nacho, nachos, Pie, soup, taco, tacos, tamale. Bookmark the permalink.

Fish Tacos

Posted on June 6, 2009 by Veronica

Back when I was preparing to make that Razzcherry Pie, I was browsing other recipes that included both raspberries and cherries in pie filling and ran across this one. Minstrel Boy’s main blog theme is music but he also enjoys cooking (he’s a truffle maker too), so he puts up a recipe every now and again. I questioned his method of refrigerating the pie two hours before baking and that started us chatting a little. He saw my shrimp tacos blog and shared the link to his fish tacos. I am always up for something new and although fish tacos aren’t exactly new to me, I’ve never had one where the fish was fried, or with cabbage, or with ranch dressing (particularly not with a ranch dressing this unique), so I figured I’d try them out. They are the best I’ve had to date, so I thought I spread the word!

To make these tacos, you’ll need

Cod or some other meaty deepwater fish
Buttermilk
Fry coating: I used 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder & 1/4 tsp. cayenne whisked together in a shallow bowl–you’ll need more if you’re making lots of fish
Queso fresca, crumbled (I used shredded cheddar b/c I’m a “gringo heathen”–lol)
Shredded cabbage
Diced tomato
Large 5-6″ corn tortillas (I had small ones and couldn’t fit much in them)
Good ranch dressing*
Lime wedges (optional)

Cut your fish into bite-sized chunks and soak them in buttermilk overnight.

Dump a bunch of oil in a skillet–about an inch high–enough to cover the fish once dumped in. While it is heating to 360 degrees, remove your fish from the buttermilk and coat it with the flour mixture. Once the oil is hot, put the fish in and enjoy the delicious smell of fish frying. The fish will cool down the oil, so I turned it back up to high once it was in. It didn’t take long–just a few minutes–remove once the fish is golden brown. Let them drain on a paper towel lined plate. Discard the oil. No need to wipe out the skillet-you’ll be using it again soon.

Stack your tortillas five at a time and wrap in a damp paper towel, then microwave on high for 50 seconds. Take them one at a time and put some fish chunks in, fold it over and put as many as will fit in your skillet. Once the heated side is firm enough to hold it’s shape, turn over and repeat on the other side. Once done, layer on the cheese, shredded cabbage and tomato, then “hose it down” with that good ranch dressing (*recipe below). I also squirted some lime juice over mine and that was wonderful.

Minstrel Boy’s Good Ranch Dressing
1 packet Good Seasons instant Zesty Italian Mix (I used a generic Italian dressing mix)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup buttermilk
Mix & serve

I served mine with Green Rice & some mixed vegetables. It might sound strange, but this dressing (which is sooo wonderful, by the way–you’ll need to add more buttermilk if you actually intend to use the leftover for dressing b/c it’s thick like dip) tastes really good on top of green rice. Try it! Oh, and we used about three times as much dressing on the tacos as what is pictured–it was that good.

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Posted in Main Dishes, Mexican and tagged cabbage, fish, ranch dressing, tacos. Bookmark the permalink.

Green Rice

Posted on June 5, 2009 by Veronica

I do not really like Spanish rice, but I do love Mexican food, so I’m always looking for alternative side dishes to complement my Mexican meals (let me know if you have some!). I started making this green rice about four years ago and every one that has tried it raves about it and immediately tries to figure out what’s in it b/c they’re always expecting broccoli when they look at it and are surprised by the slightly spicy, garlicky & cilantro taste. It is a very nice complement to any Mexican dinner, but I really like to serve it with my creamy chicken enchiladas along with a salad. It does take a while to make, so I usually save it for special occasions or days when I have an extra hour to prepare dinner.

Green Rice pictured with Fish Tacos

GREEN RICE

3 cups fat-free chicken broth or water
2 poblano peppers, stems & seeds removed
1 jalapeno pepper, stem & seeds removed (use latex gloves so your skin doesn’t get burned during handling)
1 bunch (at least 1 cup) chopped fresh cilantro leaves, divided in half
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, finely diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup brown rice
½ tsp. salt

Combine the broth and peppers in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, and then partially cover and simmer gently over medium to medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Pour the mixture into a food processor or blender*, add 1/2 of the cilantro and process to a smooth puree. Set aside.

Wipe the pan clean, add the oil, and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the warm broth mixture & the salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Start checking on it about 30 minutes to make sure there is still enough liquid. There should be enough, but add more broth as needed. Also, the rice will start sticking to the bottom toward the end of cooking so when most of the liquid is absorbed, you’ll have to stir it every few minutes to keep the bottom from scorching. This makes the rice creamy–almost like a risotto in texture. Once the rice is tender, remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes, covered. Stir in remaining cilantro and serve.

*Remove the center part of your blender lid before turning it on so that the steam has somewhere to escape once the internal pressure increases. If you don’t do this, your blender lid will blow off & you could be badly burned (as I have on two separate occasions). It works best to start the blender on low and slowly increase the speed, that way nothing sloshes out through the open hole at the top.