Simple Sabroso Salsa

Sabroso means tasty in Spanish… I’m not sure if I used it in the right context or not, but hey, I only have a minor in the language so I’m not expected to know, right?

This salsa is called Sabroso Salsa because it is simply that, a tasty sauce… especially the next day, once all of the flavors sit and have a chance to mingle with each other.

If you have any leftover grilled corn, use it! If not, no worries! Canned corn will do just fine.

I served this salsa with tortilla chips but it would also be delicious served on crackers or bite sized baguette slices topped a little avocado and cheese. Appetizers, anyone?

Don’t forget to check the tips section for 2 great ideas for using up leftovers!

Simple Sabroso Salsa

Time: 5 minutes
Servings: A lot! It made about 3 -4 cups of salsa.
Level: Easy

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
1 can Rotel, drained
1 tbsp. jalapeños, diced
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. lime juice

Mix all ingredients together and let sit in the fridge until ready to serve. Yum!

Tips
– Play with the spices. You can add as little or as much of each as you’d like!
– I spooned leftover salsa over grilled chicken for dinner the next day. Yum!
– Another idea for leftovers!!!! I used the rest of the leftover salsa to make a simple pasta dish. I heated the salsa in the microwave and mixed it with cooked, drained pasta shell noodles and leftover shredded chicken. It was so yummy!!

You Hate Leftovers? No Way… and Big Boy Burritos

I recently had an interesting conversation with a guy about leftovers. I am leftover obsessed and he was telling how much he absolutely HATES them. After talking  about soggy casseroles, spoonfuls of peas, and one bite of this and that thrown back on a plate and stuck in the microwave, I almost agreed with him. GAAARRRROSSS.

It occurred to me that whenever I use leftovers, I rarely ever eat them in exactly the same way. I always turn them in to something completely different, so instead of boringly eating the same meal, I just have half of the leg work done for me when beginning my next meal.

Case in point: Last night’s burritos. I call them Big Boy Burritos because they are almost too stuffed to fit into a tortilla. Good news? You don’t need any sides. All of your veggies and protein are wrapped up into one filling bundle. Yum!

The day before I  made Steak and Veggie Kabobs and had a lot leftover. I made leftovers on purpose so I could have steak, veggies, and rice already done for a quick meal later. If you think ahead, you can make weeknight dinners a breeze for nights when you’re in a hurry.

Big Boy Burritos

Servings: However much you have leftover.
Time: 10 minutes, max
Level: Easy

Steak or chicken, cooked
Veggies, cooked
Salsa
Rice
Black Beans
Tortillas
Sour cream
Cheese, shredded

Slice meat and veggies into bite sized pieces.

In a skillet over medium heat, heat meat, veggies, a few spoonfuls of salsa, rice, and black beans until warmed throughout.

Microwave tortillas for 15 seconds to help them become more pliable. Top tortillas with desired amounts of salsa and sour cream. Top with warmed meat mixture and a little cheese. Wrap it up and you’re good to go! Yum!

In Honor of Cinco de Mayo…

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Cinco de Mayo… Ahh, what a delicious holiday. Yeah, yeah, I know. It’s a holiday that celebrates  Mexico’s victory over the French on May 5, 1862.  But, dang, celebrating  their victory with a delicious dinner is just fine by me. Our neighbors to the south know what their doing when it comes to their amazing cuisine and I’m not ashamed of how much I love it!

If your going to be staying in this Cinco de Mayo or if you are planning on having a blow out fiesta with friends, check out these recipes below. I took a look back at my recipe collection and my love is clearly evident… I can’t say that ANY of these recipes are even slightly  authentic but they are definitely inspired by south of the border flavors.

Grab yourself a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa, maybe a margarita or two, and celebrate!

Enchilada Pie 

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas (vegetarian and vegan)

Steak Fajitas

Mexican Cornbread

Quinoa Salsa Side Dish

Gringa Tostada

Fiesta Fritata

Baja Shrimp Tacos with a Corn and Radish Salad

Quinoa and Salsa… Quick 1 Minute Side Dish Using Leftover Quinoa

This shouldn’t even be a post, it’s so easy! But it was so dang good that I figured I’d post it because that’s the reason I started this blog anyway. I always come up with random stuff to throw together that ends up being really good and then, poof!, I’ve forgotten what I did as soon as I’ve done it. So, here it is…

Quinoa and Salsa

Quinoa, cooked
Salsa

Mix leftover quinoa with enough salsa to coat it completely. Heat in a small sauce pan on the stove until warmed throughout. Yum!

Tips
– I used a really good black bean and corn salsa.
– Try using mango salsa… I think that would work and be delicious!
– Add a few black beans and a handful of corn to bulk up this side dish.
– Add a few veggies, like beans, corn, bell peppers, onions, and avocado and throw the mix into a tortilla for a quick lunch or dinner.
– Serve as a side dish instead of rice.

Fiesta Frittata

Another meatless meal success!!! The mister loved it and asked if there were leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll convert him over to the idea that meat doesn’t always have to be the center of every meal. The jury is still out.

My last attempt at a meatless meal, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas, proved to be a great place to start, and tonight’s recipe followed suit.

If you follow my blog regularly you must have noticed our love of all foods Mexican. Mexican, especially chips and salsa, would be at the top of our death row meal list for sure!

Frittatas are traditionally Italian. They are basically open faced baked omelets. The key to making a great one is patience. One your lid goes on… don’t lift it off to have a peak until at least 6-7 minutes have passed. Good luck with that one… it’s really hard not to!

You can add a ton of veggies and still have a protein packed meal. Serve it with a side salad… or a quinoa salad… and you’re good to go! Quick, fast, and in a  hurry!

Fiesta Frittata

Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Level: Easy-Medium

1/3 c. frozen bell peppers and onion mix
1/3 c. black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 c. corn, frozen
sliced jalapeños, to taste
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can Rotel
6 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. cheese, shredded

In a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, sauté bell peppers, onions, beans, corn, and jalapeños until warmed throughout.

Add all spices and can of Rotel. Cook until all of the tomato juice has evaporated. Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Once juice has evaporated, add egg mixture to skillet.

Stir egg and vegetable mixture until eggs are no longer runny, about 1 minute. Cover, turn heat to medium-low and cook for an additional 7-10 minutes, or until eggs have set completely. Remove lid, top with cheese, and serve when cheese has melted. Yum!!

Tips
– Serve topped with salsa and sour cream.
– Leave out any of the spices or veggies if you don’t like them.
– Serve with warmed quinoa mixed with jarred salsa.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas – Vegetarian, Gluten Free, and DELICIOUS!

My husband, as I’ve told you before, is a die-hard carnivore. DIE-HARD. Whenever I try to make a meatless or vegetarian meal, no matter how large and filling, he always starts the meal out with an attitude of  “This is rabbit food, not human food and I will starve to death if I eat like this…” He doesn’t actual say that but he does claim to be hungry after every vegetarian meal, even though he rarely ever is…it’s all mental. But, nonetheless, I’ll cook meat. Meat, meat, meat.

Until tonight. I have decided to reclaim my love of meatless meals.  I say meatless, not vegetarian, because I never really buy vegetable stock and crowders and black eyes are best boiled with a little ham or bacon. I can’t help it… But, regardless, I stuck to my guns and started cooking.

No meat? No problem! I am so out of everything in my pantry and fridge anyway that braving the “I’m gonna be hungry later” comments made me get creative. I needed a meatless meal with tons of fiber and protien to satisfy us. I mean, what was he gonna snack on after? There is nothing there. Gah, I gotta go to the store. Maybe tomorrow.

Tonight’s meal was not only vegetarian and gluten-free but it actually TRICKED my husband into thinking it was chock full of beef. Go figure! While I was cooking, I decided not to tell him it was vegetarian to see what he would say. At the end of the meal, I asked him to guess the ingredients. He guessed refried beans and ground beef. Ehhhnnnk, both wrong.

He wasn’t “hungry” afterwards either. Success!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 2 (but can easily be doubled)
Level: Easy-Medium

1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1/4 c. onions, chopped (optional)
2 small sweet potatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
4 small corn tortillas
1/3 c. shredded cheese
1/2 c. salsa
sour cream to top, if desired

Preheat oven to 350°. Peel and cube sweet potatoes.

In a pot of water, boil sweet potatoes until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook garlic and onions until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add sweet potatoes, black beans, and spices. Cook until heated throughout, mashing the potatoes and beans a little as they cook along. Pour 1/2 of the salsa into a small casserole dish. Divide the potato and bean mixture into fourths. Fill each tortilla with a portion of the mixture, top with a little cheese, and roll. Place on top of salsa in casserole dish,  seam side down. Top with remaining salsa and cheese. Bake, covered, for about 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Top with sour cream if desired. Yum!

Tips
– This was my first attempt using sweet potatoes and black beans together. I think you could use salsa verde for a different flavor and it would work nicely.
– As my friend Katie pointed out, I LOVE cumin. If you don’t… then leave it out.  No biggie!

Enchilada Pie

Well, another Mexican craving…when will it stop? I think Mexican dishes might just be my all time favorite. Last night, we had a friend come in from out of town. A few drinks, a few tail whooping at darts, and an overall great night. The best part: Enchilada Pie and chips and salsa.

Chips and salsa would absolutely be #1 on things to serve at my death row meal. I LIVE for chips and salsa. Don’t care what kind of chips, don’t care what kind of salsa. Just let me at ’em!

I threw this meal together tonight using some cans I had stacked in my pantry. They were actually given to me my my wonderful Nana. She loaded me up on canned goods the last time I went to visit and I can’t thank her enough. She wanted to clean out her pantry and I happened to be there… score! So many great recipes have come from her graciousness.

Enchilada Pie

Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
Level: Easy to medium (depending on whether or not you have to cook your chicken)
Serving Size: 6

1 can fat free refried beans
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cayenne powder
1 tbsp. salsa
4-6 small corn tortillas
1/2 c. chicken, cooked and shredded
1 can enchilada sauce
1 small can chopped green chilies
1/3 c. shredded cheese

Cook chicken if needed… Try the cooking method I used in my Stir Fry recipe, or just pan sear/grill. This is also a great way to use leftover chicken.

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix beans and next 4 ingredients.

Spread mixture on the bottom of a greased, 9×13 baking dish.

Break or tear e tortillas into 1/4ths and layer half of them on top of bean mixture. Top with shredded chicken. At this point you could add some corn if you had any. Pour 1/2 can enchilada sauce over top. Layer with remaining tortillas.

Pour the other 1/2 of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas and top with green chilies and shredded cheese.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Yum!

Tips
– Try this recipe with cooked ground beef instead of chicken.
– Add corn or tomatoes to the chicken layer.
– Top with a dollop of sour cream right before serving.

Gringa Tostada

For lunch today, I needed to use up some leftovers! I had leftover black beans and corn from last night’s BBQ Chicken Pizza and figured this might be a good way to use them.

Let me know what you think! You could always use leftover chicken or whatever else you have on hand.

Gringa Tostada

Time: 5-10 minutes
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 (but can easily be doubled)

2 small corn tortillas
deli-style turkey lunch meat, sliced and chopped
1/3 c. black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 c. corn, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
salt, to taste
1 tbsp. salsa + a spoonful for garnish, if desired
sour cream, for garnish
shredded lettuce, for garnish
shredded cheese, for garnish

Put corn tortillas in the toaster oven or regular oven on broil. Watch closely and toast until tortillas crisp up a bit. Be careful not to burn them! I do it all of the time…  Put meat and next 7 ingredients in a skillet over medium heat. Heat until warmed throughout. Top toasted tortillas with meat and vegetable mixture. Garnish with salsa, sour cream, lettuce, and cheese. Yum!

Tips
– After eating this yummy little creation…. I gotta tell ya… there are refried beans at the bottom of traditional tostadas for a REASON! That sucker was messy, I mean, messy to eat! It tasted great, but in hindsight, I might have mashed the black beans and added a little olive oil to them to create a bean paste that would have mimicked the glue effect of the refried beans, or maybe even used refried beans, but that’s NOT what I had on hand.
-I want to try this recipe the next time I have leftover black beans and corn. It looks like a great salsa! Black Bean and Corn Salad