(Chicken-stuffed tortillas) 6 chicken breast fillets, skinned and boned and cut into strips 2 large onions, peeled and sliced 1 red pepper, seeded and cut into strips 1 green pepper, seeded and cut into strips 2 tablespoons olive oil 12 soft tortillas, warmed 250g/8oz guacamole 300ml/1/2 pint sour cream 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander For the marinade: juice of 4 limes 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried coriander 1. MAKE the marinade: combine the lime juice with the oil, dried oregano and coriander in a bowl. Add the chicken strips and stir well. Cover and leave in the refrigerator for 4 hours. 2. Put the chicken strips and marinade in a roasting pan. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C/400 degrees F/Gas Mark 6 for 30 minutes. Bake uncovered for the last 10 minutes of the cooking time. Slice the chicken into thin strips. 3. Meanwhile, saute the onions and peppers in the oil until they are soft and melting. It does not matter if they become a little brown and caramelised. 4. Place a little of the sauteed onions and peppers on each warmed tortilla and top with some chicken. Add a little guacamole, some sour cream and sesame seeds. Sprinkle with coriander and roll up. Serve with salsa if you want. From Essential Mexican Cookery. *** FAJITAS DE CHILES (Vegetables fajitas) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 large onions, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 red pepper, thinly sliced 2 green peppers, thinly sliced 4 green chillies, seeded and thinly sliced 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano 250g/8oz button mushrooms, sliced salt and freshly ground black pepper To serve: 12 warmed tortillas salsa and sour cream 1. HEAT the olive oil in a large frying pan and then gently saute the sliced onions and garlic for about 5 minutes until they are soft and golden brown. They should be melting and almost caramelised. 2. Add the sliced red and green peppers, chillies and oregano and stir well. Saute' gently for 10 more minutes, until cooked and tender. 3. Add the sliced button mushrooms and cook quickly for 1 more minute, stirring to mix thoroughly with the other vegetables. Season the vegetable mixture with salt and black pepper to taste. 4. To serve, spoon the sizzling hot vegetable mixture into the warmed tortillas and fold over or roll up.

Serve very hot with salsa and plenty of sour cream. From Essential Mexican Cookery. *** CHILI CON CARNE 1 pound ground beef 2 tablespoons shortening 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons Chili Powder 1 cup Onion Flakes 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce 1 17-oz. can red kidney beans 2 tablespoons vinegar Dash Garlic Powder CRUMBLE beef; brown in hot shortening, stirring until meat loses its pink colour. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Cover. Simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serves 4 to 6. *** CURRIED CHICKEN BALLS 2 pounds ground, raw chicken or turkey 1 teaspoon Onion Powder 1 tablespoon Curry Powder 1 teaspoon Season-All 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons fine bread crumbs 1 cup flour 1 cup butter COMBINE all ingredients except flour and butter; mix well. Form into small, bite-size balls. Roll lightly in flour and saute' in butter 15 minutes or until golden brown on all sides. Serve in a chafing dish or candle-warmed casserole in Creamy Curry Sauce. Be sure to have plenty of toothpicks handy.

Makes about 90. *** PAELLA 1 pound raw shrimp 1 3- to 4-pound chicken 1 cup olive oil 1 pound pepperoni, sliced 2 tomatoes 1 cup Chopped Instant Onions 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder 1 teaspoon Paprika 1 tablespoon Parsley Flakes 1 teaspoon Season-All 10 individual pieces Saffron 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon Black Pepper 2 teaspoons Chicken Flavour Base 11 cups rice 3 cups water 1 9-ounce package frozen artichokes, cooked 1 pimento, sliced 12 whole clams or about 1 cup canned minced clams 1 cup lobster pieces 1 8-ounce can peas, drained REMOVE shell from the raw shrimp; set aside. Cut chicken in pieces. In large skillet, brown chicken on all sides in oil; remove. Then add pepperoni and brown. Peel and cut tomatoes into sections, then add to skillet with onions; cook until onions are lightly browned. Returned chicken to pan, add shrimp and the remaining ingredients except peas. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Add peas and cook, uncovered, 5 minutes longer. All you need to serve with Paella is plenty of salad. Serves 6 to 8. *** TOASTED ONION DIP 1 cup dairy sour cream 2 tsp beef flavour base 1 tsp Bon Appetit 2 Tbsp chopped instant onions COMBINE sour cream, beef flavour base and Bon Appetit. Mix well and set aside. Toast onions in 350 F. oven for 1 minute or until lightly browned. Add to sour cream mixture. Allow mixture to stand at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve with assorted crackers or chips. Makes 1 cup. *** CHEESE DIP CARAWAY 1 8-ounce package cream cheese 1 cup dairy sour cream 2 Tbsp caraway seeds 2 tsp instant minced onion 1 teaspoon Season-All 11 tsp Worcestershire sauce HAVE cheese at room temperature; add sour cream and beat until smooth and creamy. Stir in caraway seed, onion, season-All and Worcestershire sauce.

Blend thoroughly. Makes about 1 cup. *** ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND PEPPER HERO 11 pound of sweet Italian sausage 1 cup water 2 medium onions, sliced 5 medium green or red peppers (or both), cut into strips 1 tsp dried basil leaves, crushed 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp crushed red pepper 2 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil 1 16-ounce loaf French bread PLACE sausage and water in 12-inch skillet.

Cover; simmer 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue cooking about 15 minutes longer or until sausage is browned. Turn occasionally. Cook onions and pepper strips with basil, sugar, and crushed red pepper in oil in skillet until just tender, about 10 minutes. Add cooked sausage. slice bread loaf almost in half horizontally, leaving one side attached. Place sausage in loaf, top with onion and pepper mixture. Slice sandwich. Yields 6 servings. *** SUBMARINE SANDWICH 1 1 pound loaf of French bread 4 ounces provolone cheese, sliced 1 pound salami, sliced 4 or 5 crisp lettuce leaves 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 1 pound fully cooked ham or turkey, thinly sliced 1 medium green pepper, thinly sliced 1 cup Italian salad dressing 6 long wooden picks or small skewers CUT bread horizontally into halves. Layer cheese, salami, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, ham and green pepper on top. Drizzle with dressing, top with remaining bread half. Secure loaf with picks; cut into 6 pieces.