Two 'Mexican' flavored recipes

No, it's not Cinco De Mayo. But I've been on a bit of a Mexican kick recently. Living in Los Angeles for 10 years I acquired a taste for the Mexican food served in the region. Now I live in Orlando and have a hard time finding anything that's even close.

Note these are not the most gourmet of recipes, more like camp cooking. But sometimes you just have a craving for the simple things.

Slow Cooker Mexican Meat loaf

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef chuck
1 cup coarsely crushed corn chips
1/3 cup taco sauce
2 tablespoons taco seasoning or taco spices
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated cheese (Cheddar, Monterey Jack or Mexican blend)

Direction: Mix meat, crushed chips, taco sauce, seasoning, egg and cheese. Shape into a loaf. Place in electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours (or on high 3½ to 5 hours). Makes 5 to 6 servings.

Mexican Spam Soup

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) can Turkey Spam, chopped fine
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 cans chicken broth
1 (32 ounce) can refried beans (or two 16 ounce cans)
2 chopped green chiles
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Direction: Mix together in slow cooker. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Serve with crackers and some fat free cheddar cheese. You could substitute seasoned and cooked ground Turkey.