Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

I got this recipe from my really great friend, Whitney. We've loved it and it's one of those fun ones you can make with whatever you want. This is the vegetarian version, but it would be good with some seasoned ground beef or shredded chicken. It goes together fairly quickly and has lots of great flavor. We served ours with some fresh guacamole, but you could top it with anything.

Recipe:
4 flour tortillas
1 jalepeno- minced (for less heat, take out ribs and seeds)
1/2 onion- diced
2 garlic cloves- minced
1/2 tsp cumin
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed (we used one black, one red- it added good color)
1 1/2 c water
1 can corn-drained
2 1/2 c cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 9" pie pan. Heat 2 T oil in skillet. Add onion, jalepeno, garlic and cumin. Season with a little salt and pepper, cooking til onion and pepper are soft. Add beans and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until almost all the water is absorbed and then stir in the corn. Remove from heat. Layer in you pie pan, tortilla, 1/4 of the bean mixture, then cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Bake for 20-25 min, until heated through and cheese is melted. Serve sliced into wedges with whatever you want!

You can make this in the morning and refrigerate until ready to cook. Just add 5 minutes to cooking time. Great if dinner time is always busy time!

Fajita Tostadas

I realize I've posted about tostadas before, but this is a twist on the original. Delicious and easy, and that's my biggest goal in cooking, so why not?!

I actually got this from a friend's blog and she got it from her friend, that I don't know. I've made my own adjustments and have loved this meal every time I've made it.

You start by roasting the veggies and chicken with some corn and salsa.

Then melt some cheese and brown up your tostada shells

Then assemble with all the fixings.

It really is as good as it looks.
Not judging by the photography of course.

This time around I forgot that I didn't have any chicken and didn't have time to go to the store. So we skipped out on chicken and I just added beans to the veggies when I roasted them. I also tossed my onion and pepper in a marinade for an hour or so before hand. Both changes worked out beautifully!

Recipe:

1 med onion- sliced

1 bell pepper- sliced (we love red or yellow the best)

1 box of frozen corn or one can of corn, drained

about 1 cup prepared salsa- you can use jarred or bottled, but fresh, like pico de gallo, is best

olive oil

1-2 cups cooked and shredded chicken, depends on how meaty you like your meal, we like less so the veggies can shine

6 corn tortillas or tostada shells

1 c cheese, cheddar or pepper jack are good choices for this

Move rack to highest setting, under the broiler and preheat the oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with foil and put your onion, pepper, corn, and about 1/2 cup of salsa on the foil. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss together. Roast veggies, tossing occasionally until tender and lightly browned. That takes about 15-20 minutes. Add the chicken, toss and roast an additional five minutes. Transfer all that into a bowl and discard foil.

Now you can use tostada shells and sprinkle with grated cheese and toast. Or you can use tortillas. Brush them with olive oil. Bake until lightly toasted, then sprinkle with cheese and continue baking until the cheese melts.

Then top the tostadas with the chicken and veggies and then top like you would a fajita. Lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, and your remaining salsa. So good!

Spicy Black Bean Enchiladas

This is a pretty quick and easy enchilada recipe. I've tweaked a few things to make it a little more our style.
Recipe:
8 flour tortillas *I highly recommend the uncooked tortillas*
2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 pkg enchilada seasoning
2/3 c water (this wasn't quite enough, I think I'd go closer to 3/4)
1 10 oz can enchilada seasoning- we like medium, if you can handle the heat!
1 c sour cream
shredded cheese- the pepper jack I used turned out really good, but use whatever you have or like

In skillet, mix water and seasoning packet, then stir in the beans. Let that simmer til the sauce thickens and beans are tender. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of sour cream.
Assemble the enchiladas by spreading 2 T enchilada sauce on the tortilla, 1/4 c bean mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Roll and put in greased 9x13, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining 7 tortillas. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top of rolled tortillas.
Cover and bake for 15 minutes at 375. Uncover and sprinkle the top with cheese, bake an additional 5 minutes. Serve with remaining sour cream.

**This is a great dish to make ahead and then refrigerate until you are ready to eat. Just add an additional 10 minutes of baking time to warm through!

Red Chile Chicken with Rice and Black Beans

I saw this recipe on My Kitchen Cafe and it looked pretty good. And I always like meals that are one pot. Less dishes are always a good thing.


It turned out really good and even warmed up great for lunch the next day. A little sour cream and homemade guacamole on the side topped it off great. Go here for the full recipe.