We all love tacos, enchiladas, burritos and mexican rice dishes. The only problem is the cost of these Mexican favorites at a fine restaurant. What makes the food at a Mexican restaurant so appealing? Surely not the cost of the dish at your local Mexican restaurant!

You can prepare the same dishes as you get at a good Mexican restaurant yourself and even make them better than the chef. It all comes down to having the right ingredients and cooking the meat stock the right way. This simple cooking method can be used for almost all Mexican dishes that call for meat in them.

At the heart of the Mexican recipe is the preparation of the meat stock. Whenever you see the word 'carne' on a Mexican food menu, this refers to the type of meat used in the dish. This is usually chicken or beef. When you prepare your meat for the Mexican dish that you want to serve, you have to begin with an authentic Mexican 'carne' recipe. This includes different peppers, onions, other ingredients and requires the right simmering time to build the right flavor into the meat.

Although every recipe is different, many Mexican foods use common ingredients that you will need to prepare the carne meat. The use of chili peppers, tomatoes and onions, along with garlic are usually a part of most Mexican food recipes. Some other common ingredients include black pepper, oregano, paprika, parsley, cumin, lime juice, salt, sugar and cilantro. You will also need to keep some light olive oil on hand to prep the skillet.

First, coat the skillet with some light olive oil. Then start by browning the beef or chicken. After the meat is browned, drain off the oil residue into a disposable container. Then add approximately one half of a cup of water to the skillet. Adjust the heat of the stove to low. It is best to have a skillet with a lid, or some way to cover the meat stock while it is simmering.

The secret to great home prepared Mexican food is in the added ingredients you use while simmering your carne meat. For beef dishes, it is recommended that you simmer the browned meat for 35-45 minutes on a low temperature to extract the flavor of the spices. You want to take your time and prepare a lot of stock at one cooking session. The meat stock can be used again after it is frozen.

With chicken carne stock, you can reduce the simmering time to 25-30 minutes. The chicken will absorb the flavor of your spices faster and be ready to add to your recipe sooner. These rules of thumb can be adjusted as needed depending on your taste.

As a basic recipe for preparing Mexican carne stock, use the following ingredients in this order:

• Add 1 tsp. salt

• A few squirts of lime juice

• A dash or two of cumin and oregano

• Black pepper the stock to suit your taste

• Add hot sauce to taste and blend the stock and spices well

• Finally add a few diced green and red peppers.

Then spread chopped and diced onions evenly around the meat. The onions help to release the flavor of the other spices and transfer it into the meat. This is a secret to building a flavorful Mexican meat stock. Your beef or chicken will taste authentic and full flavored.

These are the basics of starting your Mexican cooking. Now all you do is use the meat stock you have prepared in your favorite Mexican recipes. This will start you on your way to cooking the best types of Mexican cuisine. You can save money by cooking at home and enjoy the great Mexican food you love more often.