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!!

Steak and Veggie Kabobs

This marinade isn’t true to the original recipe because I couldn’t remember it exactly but comes from a great friend and amazing lasagna maker, Web. He made it for us a few weeks back and they were amazing!

Summertime screams “Turn on the Grill!” so that is just what we did. What better way to beat the 100° weather than to spend time outside over a fiery grill? Kidding… it always takes some convincing in this hot humidity to get the grill going in our house but tonight, it was well worth it.

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Steak and Veggie Kabobs

Time: 24 hours… but seriously about 10-15 minutes to prepare
Servings: 4-6
Level: Easy

Marinade:
1 c. Zesty Italian dressing
1/2 c. Worcestershire
1/2 c. Dale’s Low Sodium Steak Seasoning (picture in slideshow)
2 cloves of garlic, minced

Kabobs:
1 1/2 lbs. chuck roast, or your favorite cut of beef… almost anything will do, cut into big bite sized pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped into big bite sized pieces
1 green bell pepper, chopped into big bite sized pieces
1 red bell pepper, chopped into big bite sized pieces
1 onion, chopped into big bite sized pieces
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 package white button mushrooms, cut in half, length wise

In a long dish, whisk marinade ingredients together. Add meat and veggies.

Toss to coat. Cover dish in plastic wrap and let sit overnight in the fridge, stirring once or twice throughout the day.

When ready to grill, thread meat and veggies on skewers.

Grill over medium heat for 10 minutes, turning often to ensure even grilling.

Yum!

Tips
– Serve with a side of brown rice.
– Skewer pineapple and grill for a sweet addition.
– Use leftovers to make steak fajitas.

Hash Brown and Ham Upside Down Quiche

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This morning, we woke up with brunch on the brain. But, seeing as how the Mississippi River has already flooded and dear ole’ Mother Nature decided to grace us with another torrential downpour and what The Weather Channel calls “deadly cloud to ground lightning strikes,” we didn’t quite think going out for brunch was in our cards today.

The solution? An impromptu quiche-ish dish  that turned into something it wasn’t supposed to be. A nice surprise, in fact, because oh, gracious was it good.

Hash Brown and Ham Upside Down Quiche

Servings: 4
Time: 25 minutes
Level: Easy

1 1/2 c. hash browns, frozen (or shoestring potatoes)
4 eggs
1/3 c. milk
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 c. ham, cubed (or bacon or sausage or even make it vegetarian and add juiced and seeded tomatoes)
1/3 c. bell peppers and onions, frozen
fresh spinach leaves
1/3 c. cheese, shredded
1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 400°. On a cookie sheet, bake hash browns for 5 minutes.

Transfer potatoes to a greased pie plate or cake pan. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper together.

Top potatoes with ham, bell peppers and onions, and spinach.

Pour egg mixture over top, sprinkle with cheese and Italian seasoning, and bake for 20 minutes.

Once removed from oven, invert onto a plate, allow to cool, and slice. Yum!

Tips
– Instead of using Italian Seasoning, try cumin and chili powder.
– Top with salsa if desired.
– Use leftovers to wrap in a tortilla with tomatoes and extra spinach leaves for a quick lunch.
– You don’t have to invert the dish. You can leave it in the pie plate if you want.

Homemade Hummus and a Hummus Veggie Wrap

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Hummus is a dip or spread made from chickpeas. Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are an excellent source of folic acid and fiber. They are also a good source of protein, as well as minerals such as iron, copper, zinc, and magnesium. As a good source of fiber, garbanzo beans can help lower cholesterol and even improve blood sugar levels.

Hummus is normally made with tahini, a sesame paste, but can just as easily be made without it. Tahini can be expensive and I have found the taste difference to be minimal when replacing the tahini with a little olive oil.

Hummus is a delicious spread for sandwiches in place of mayo or as a dip for pretzels and veggies. Making this healthy treat at home is so much cheaper than buying it at the store. Plus,  you get to change up the taste to match the flavors you love. I hope you enjoy!

Homemade Hummus

Servings: 4
Time: 5 minutes
Level: Easy

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, reserving 1/3 c. liquid
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tbsp. lemon juice, or lime juice

Blend all ingredients, except for reserved chickpea liquid, in a blender.

Add reserved liquid, a little at a time and as much as needed, until mixture is smooth. Yum!

Homemade Hummus Variations

Instead of adding chili powder, garlic, and cumin add one of the following ingredients instead:

1 tbsp. pesto

1 tbsp. sun-dried tomato pesto

a few roasted red peppers

How quick and easy is that?

Hummus Veggie Wrap

Servings: 2
Time: 5 minutes
Level: Easy

2 whole wheat tortillas
1/2 c. hummus
cheese slices, optional

various chopped and sliced vegetables:
Today, my wrap included…
radishes (for a peppery bite)
broccoli
onion
carrots
spinach leaves (a total must!)
bell peppers (any and all colors)
cucumbers

Spread hummus on tortillas, top with cheese and veggies, and wrap it up. Yum!
– Try dipping your wrap into Sriracha for an extra kick.
– Try adding different veggies, whatever is fresh at the farmer’s market!
– Instead of a tortilla, you could use a whole wheat pita.

Mexican Tortilla Pizza

I was going to make quesadillas… but then I figured it would save me almost 100 calories if I left off the top tortilla. Ahh, Mexican Tortilla Pizza is born.

Tyson Grilled and Ready Chicken Breast Strips make this dish super quick and easy. I use these pre-cooked chicken strips a lot!

I’ll be making this pizza again, for sure!

Mexican Tortilla Pizza

Servings: 2
Time: 15 minutes
Level: Easy

1/3 c. Tyson Grilled and Ready Chicken Breast Strips
1/4 c. corn, frozen
1/4 c. peppers and onions, frozen
1/4 c. mushrooms, sliced, optional
1 tbsp. jalapeños, diced, optional
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. chili powder
salt, to taste

2 tortillas
1/2 c. refried beans
1/3 c cheese, shredded
salsa, to top
sour cream, to top

In a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, cook chicken, vegetables, and spices, until chicken is completely thawed.

Turn oven to Broil. Spread refried beans on each tortilla, top with chicken mixture, then sprinkle with cheese.

Broil in oven until cheese is melted and tortilla is crispy.

Top with salsa and sour cream, if desired. Yum!!

Tips
– Try using different veggies, meat, or spices to mix things up.
– Leftover taco meat, enchilada sauce, or fajitas? No problem! This pizza would be good topped with any of those leftovers.

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

Chicken and Pesto Quesadillas

This is such a great recipe to whip up on a super busy weeknight or even as a super quick lunch when your sick and tired of PB&J. As I’ve said before, a store bought jar of pesto can save your culinary life when you’re in a pinch!

In this recipe, you can use really good lunch meat slices, like Boars Head Ever Roast, rotisserie chicken, or any chicken you may have leftover.

Chicken and Pesto Quesadillas

Servings: 1
Time: 5 minutes
Level: Easy

2 flour tortillas
1 tbsp. pesto
5-6 slices of chicken lunch meat, or 1/2 c. cooked, shredded chicken
onion, sliced (optional)
1/4 c. Italian Cheese (anything will do… Mozzarella, a blend… whatever you have)

Spread pesto on one tortilla. Top with chicken, onions,  and then sprinkle with cheese.

Place the second tortilla on top and heat in a non-stick skillet over medium heat, turning a few times to brown both sides. Yum!

Tips
– Try rolling these same ingredients into crescent rolls instead of tortillas and bake according to crescent roll package’s directions.
– Instead of regular pesto, try the sun-dried tomato version. It’s delish!

Baja Shrimp Tacos with a Corn and Radish Salad

My pictures aren’t very good tonight. The lighting is bad, the angles are bad, they’re all bad. But it is because we were so anxious to sit down and eat these yummy little tacos! I will definitely be making both of these recipes again and again. The tangy yogurt sauce really made this meal come together and we loved every bite. I made enough for Jason to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow but he ended up going back for seconds… big seconds… yum!

Baja Shrimp Tacos

Servings: 2
Time: 15 minutes
Level: Medium (Just because of the timing. To have everything done at once is kind of tricky.)

10 frozen shrimp, defrosted, peeled, deveined
1/4 c. onion, thinly sliced
1 pinch of garlic powder
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
1 pinch of cumin
1 pinch of coriander

In a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onions until translucent. Add shrimp and all other ingredients. Heat until shrimp just turn pink, about 4 minutes.

Serve in warmed corn tortillas with Spicy Lime Yogurt Sauce, lettuce, and salsa. Yum!

Tips
– Warm the corn tortillas in a little oil, turning frequently, over medium heat. This will take the “raw” taste away.

Spicy Lime Yogurt Sauce

2 tbsp. plain non-fat yogurt
2 tbsp. sour cream
1-2 tsp. lime juice
1 pinch of cayenne
1 pinch of cumin
1 pinch of coriander

Mix all ingredients together. Can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 1 week. Yum!

Corn and Radish Salad

Servings: 2
Time: 5 minutes
Level: Easy

1/2 c. corn, rinsed and drained
3-4 radishes, thinly slices
1 tbsp. jalapeños, chopped
2 tbsp. Spicy Lime Yogurt Sauce

Mix all ingredients together. Can be made up to 3 hours ahead of time if stored in the fridge. Yum!

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.

Quinoa Curry… In a Hurry!

My adventures with quinoa have only just begun and I already have a totally different view of the nutty goodness. Tonight’s dinner was legit, if I do say so myself.

I came up with tonight’s dinner idea out of a craving for Trader Joe’s red curry sauce that I so dearly miss… Come on Memphis! Get it together. I NEED a Trader Joe’s. For those of you reading in a sacred T.J. zone, grab a bottle of Two Buck Chuck, a piece of freshly baked naan, heat up the onion bhajis, and think of me. Poor little ‘ole me who thinks about the good old days and Trader Joe’s in my backyard with a pain in my heart at least once a week.

Tonight was one of those night. Ouch, the pain! What I wouldn’t do for a jar of their red curry sauce… Ah, heaven! Well, the next best thing I could think of to satisfy this craving was to come up with my own red curry sauce. I wasn’t expecting to mimic the sauce exactly… Just get as close as I could. Needless to say, I was so very happy with the outcome.

Normally, I would serve red curry over a bed of brown rice. Tonight… quinoa. And I would do it again in a heartbeat!

Quinoa Red Curry

Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Level: Easy

1/4  c. onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 chicken breast, cooked and diced OR 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. green peas, frozen
1 1/2 tsp. ginger powder or 1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 c. cooked quinoa
salt, to taste

Sauté onions and a sprinkle of salt in a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat until onions become translucent. Add garlic, diced chicken or beans, peas, ginger, curry, and cayenne. Stir ingredients together and heat for about 1 minute. Add the can of tomatoes and cooked quinoa.

Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 10 minutes so liquid can absorb.

Yum!

Tips
– Make it vegetarian by using garbanzo beans (chick peas) instead of chicken.
– Add roasted red peppers if you have them for a sweeter curry.
– Try using fire roasted diced tomatoes instead of regular.
– Serve with warmed Naan (a traditional Indian flat bread),  pita bread, or tortillas.