Starting from scratch

Mexican food is loaded with flavor and even the best cooks sneak in packaged Taco or fajita seasoning every now and then in a crunch, but making a marinade from scratch is not all it's made out to be. With the right ingredients at hand - it's a cinch. There's a world of difference in the finished product and there are no nasty preservatives to deal with. This particular marinade can be used on chicken or pork and once the flavor soaks in, all you need is a hot grill. The end product can be eaten as a wrap with sauteed peppers and onions, in a salad or over rice and leftovers can be frozen for a rainy day. Most of the unique flavor comes from the Mexican peppers; these are a imperative for an authentic flavor. The Achiote or Annato seeds are used more for their color.

Recipe for Mexican Marinade:

4 chicken breasts or pork chops

1 onion cut into chunks

3-4 cloves garlic

handful of fresh thyme

1/4 cup vinegar

4 bay leaves

1 teaspoon Achiote seeds plus 2 tbsp oil

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp clove powder

1 tsp oregano

salt and pepper

2 Ancho peppers

2 Guajillo peppers

1. Heat the oil and throw in the annato seeds. Remove from the heat immediately and set aside. Remove the seeds when cooland dicard them. Only the oil is used for color

2. Soak the peppers in hot water till plump, remove stalks and seeds and grind to a paste.

3. Grind all the ingredients to a paste and place in a glass bowl with the chicken or pork. Allow it to marinate ovenight for full flavor. Grill or cook in the oven. Slice and use as needed.