Pineapple and Black Bean Salsa

My taco kick continues, as last night I made fish tacos using this recipe and some trout we received from the father-in-law. Kept things pretty much the same as the shrimp tacos I shared last week- slaw, pico, sour cream, and feta topped things off again, but this time with a few dashes of hot sauce instead of leftover marinade. On the side I served up this Pineapple and Black Bean Salsa with some tortilla chips. I came across this recipe in the March 2011 issue of Everyday Food, in their feature on pineapple (which is also where I found the recipe for the Jerk Pineapple Pork Chops I recently shared). This made a really light and flavorful accompaniment to our fish tacos. I've got some leftovers in the fridge that I'll definitely be enjoying over the weekend.

Pineapple and Black Bean Salsa
Recipe from Everyday Food; Makes 4 cups

1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups chopped pineapple
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and minced
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Coarse salt

• In a medium bowl, combine black beans, pineapple, jalapeno, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt.

My notes: I kind of eyeballed the red onion and cilantro and things worked out just fine. This could also be good served over rice on the side of some fish or chicken, I think.

Pleasantly Surprised- Couscous with Black Beans, Corn, and Mushrooms

I figured I had better make a new recipe this week so I'd actually have something put up here. And I am always looking to add some more vegetarian recipes to my repertoire. I went to my usual source, Everyday Food, and noticed this dinner suggestion. It seemed easy enough, and though a little apprehensive about it I figured I'd give it a shot. When I got home Monday night, honestly, the last thing I felt like doing was making a new recipe. I'd have much rather called in a pizza, or tossed a burrito in the microwave. But, I decided to be a big girl and get to work. Especially since I had so many fresh ingredients for the dinner that I didn't want to go to waste. It was my first time cutting corn off the cob- that was a little messy. But overall everything else came together pretty well. And as often turns out to be the case, the recipes I am hesitant about turn out to be the ones I like the most. This had a really great flavor and was really filling. The textures were really nice together. Josh liked it a lot too. He thought it tasted like veggie fried rice. Good to know I can get that flavor without having to twice cook some rice!

Couscous with Black Beans, Corn, and Mushrooms
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup Israeli couscous (you can substitute regular couscous or orzo pasta)
course salt and ground pepper
1/2 lb. sliced button or cremini mushrooms
1 small bunch scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
1 1/4 cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears of corn)
1 can (15.5 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced (optional)
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and sliced

• In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add couscous and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown and fragrant, about 4 minutes.
• Add 1 1/2 cups water, season with salt, and bring got a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tsp oil over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and then transfer to a large bowl.
• Add 1 tsp oil to the skillet and cook the scallion whites and corn, stirring occasionally, until scallions are soft and corn is browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and then add to the mushrooms.
• Add couscous, black beans, lime juice, jalapeno (if using), and scallion greens to the mushroom mixture and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve with avocado slices on top.

My notes: I did not use the optional jalapeno, but others who have shared this recipe online said that they used it and really liked it, so maybe next time I'll give it a shot. Although you can't see it in my photo we did have the avocado with it, and it really did add a lot of complimentary flavor to the dish. I'm tagging this recipe vegan, but is someone knows something about Israeli couscous that I don't, let me know and I'll remove the tag.

Pure Imagination- Veggie Tacos

Sorry about being gone for a bit there. I'm always doing that, huh? Saying I'm back and then wandering away, no doubt distracted by some shiny object. Well, you see, the deal with last week was there was a lot of schedule shifting going on, and so dinners didn't go exactly as planned. And when things don't go as planned, it usually means that we're falling back on stand-by meals I've already shared, frozen burritos, or grabbing a quick bite out. And I can't exactly snap a pic of my Chipotle burrito bol and be all, "Look y'all, I eated this". So, yeah, that was the deal with last week. Which is a shame, cause I was planning to try a new recipe out. That didn't happen, but I tried to turn that into a bonus last night, and it worked! I decided Sunday morning while doing my menu planning that I needed to get to work using up our corn tortillas. I thought I'd take a stab at making up some veggie tacos, especially since I had an onion and squash on hand for that recipe that I didn't get to make. These turned out really yummy! And, thanks to some early effort, pretty quick too. I normally have a couple heads of lettuce and some other veggies to clean and chop after our grocery shopping, so that I can make our lunch and dinner salads throughout the week. While I was doing just that this weekend I also chopped up some of the veggies for my taco filling, cutting down the pre-eating prep work last night. I also got a little imaginative when it came to putting the tacos together. Originally I was going to make some spicy black beans on the side, but I had the idea to instead mash the beans and spread them on my warmed tortillas. It was one less thing going on the stove, and it helped keep the taco fillings in the tortillas. So, let's see what my little mind cooked up.

Veggie Tacos
Recipe by moi; Makes 8 tacos

Olive oil
1 large russett potato, scrubbed and diced
1/4 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and ribbed, large mince
1 zucchini or yellow squash, quartered and sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms, roughly chopped
8 corn tortillas
1 15 oz. can black beans, mostly drained
Garlic powder
Ground cumin
Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
Salsa

• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add diced potatoes and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown and soften. Add salt and pepper.
  
• Meanwhile, mash your black beans in a bowl, adding garlic powder and ground cumin to taste. You want to keep a little liquid with your beans to make a smooth mash.
• Add your bell pepper, onion, jalapeno, and squash to the potatoes. Allow to cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally, and then add the mushrooms. Cook for a few minutes more, until mushrooms have started to soften.
  
• While veggies finish cooking, wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and warm in microwave for 30 seconds - 1 minute. Spread your beans on each tortilla, warm in microwave for 15- 30 seconds if you wants your beans to be warmed.
• Top your tortillas with veggie mixture, cheese, and salsa of your choice.

My notes: Just cook the vegetables until they are softened to your liking. My potatoes were a little undercooked, but it made for a nice texture. And definitely add your mushrooms last, you don't want them to get too soft. They add a nice meaty texture to the filling. We had three tacos each, and there was a little filling leftover. The only other thing we had with these were small side salads, so if you were serving any other side dish I would say two tacos per person is a good serving and just equally distribute your filling. I had two tacos with salsa verde, and one with picante. Both were delicious, so you go where your taste buds take you. I think this filling would also be great with some scrambled eggs. Breakfast tacos anyone?

Harvest Month- Cumin Polenta Stuffed Poblanos

Here it is, the last day of November and my final Harvest Month recipe to share. This has been a fun experiment! The idea for this meal was sparked by a recipe I spotted while perusing a Better Homes & Gardens issue I inherited on a visit to Josh's grandmother. I've obviously used corn meal before, and used pre-made polenta, but never made my own. The recipe for Cumin Polenta called out to me and I almost immediately thought about filling some poblanos with it. A quick click using the Food Blog Search in my sidebar brought me Cara's Pumpkin Polenta & Manchego Stuffed Poblanos which helped fill in the rest of the picture the Cumin Polenta had started to form in my mind. I stuffed my peppers with the BHG polenta recipe, topped with Pepper Jack cheese, and followed Cara's lead by serving them over a black bean/tomato/chile ragout. Making this polenta wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it might be, and I'll definitely be trying some different recipes for it in the future.

Cumin Polenta Stuffed Poblanos
Serves 4














4 large poblano peppers
1 14 oz. cans reduced sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1/2 cup grated Pepper Jack cheese

• Roast whole poblanos by your preferred method- stove, oven, grill, etc. I used the oven, and roast just long enough to soften, but not long enough to have to peel them.
  
• Meanwhile, in a large heavy saucepan combine broth and cumin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; gradually whisk in cornmeal. Cook and stir until thick, about 6 to 8 minutes. Whisk in milk and butter. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an oven-proof skillet with lid with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium-low heat. Cook the onions until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the diced peppers with green chilies and the black beans, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer.
• Carefully cut a slit into each pepper and scoop out all the seeds. Fill each pepper with polenta and place on top of the black bean mixture. Top each pepper with shredded cheese and cover the skillet. Bake for about 15-20 minutes.

My notes: This polenta doesn't really firm up enough to not escape from the poblanos, so next time I might not roast the peppers beforehand and instead just cut them in half and fill. And I realize my pepper-roasting instructions are a little vague- for the life of me I can't actually remember what I did. I mean, I know I roasted them in the oven, but I can't remember what temp or for how long. I really shouldn't wait so long to share recipes- this is what happens!

Black Bean Confetti Salsa

Things have been very busy around these parts lately. Josh has been doing a lot of traveling on weekends and in the next two weeks we'll be having friends over to see the house for the first time and then going on vacation. New recipes have been trumped by finishing up projects, cleaning, and eating some of the reserves in the freezer. Last weekend though we managed to get away from all the chores for a Labor Day potluck. I decided to make use of the still reasonably priced summer produce and take Deb's Black Bean Confetti Salad, although I always eat it scooped up on tortilla chips so I call it a salsa. It's easy, colorful, delicious and can please just about any party-goer, be they carnivores, veggies, or vegans.

Black Bean Confetti Salsa
Recipe from Smitten Kitchen














2 15 ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
4 bell peppers, a mix of colors, small dice
1 medium white onion, small dice
Juice from one lime
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

• Mix beans, bell peppers and white onion in a large bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk remaining ingredients into a vinaigrette. Pour over the bean mixture, toss it well and adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

My notes: This makes quite a bit. In fact, I ate it for lunch the rest of the week. Next time I think I'll halve the recipe and use the extra bell pepper for our lunch salads. But it's really good, and a nice break from heavy dishes that typically turn up at a potluck.

Cuban Black Beans and Rice

I made this recipe last week and I can't tell you how pleased I was with how it came out. Especially because I had some concerns as I sniffed the nearly-finished beans simmering on the stove. I think I must have an olfactory problem with vegetable broth, cause I always have my doubts about recipes that I use it in. But, like those other recipes, I loved the results in this case too! I am so pleased to have a really fast, really filling and really delicious vegetarian recipe to add to the repertoire. When Josh got home he said the kitchen smelled just like the burrito he had in NYC. He stuffed some of his dinner in a tortilla and was very, very happy. This recipe is supposed to serve four, but the protein-carb punch of beans and rice is really filling. We got two dinners and 4 lunches out of this one batch, which makes it pretty pocketbook friendly too!

Cuban Black-Bean Stew with Rice
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4













1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
2 cans (19 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 ounces) vegetable broth
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Garnishes (optional): lime wedges, fresh cilantro, and sliced radishes

• Prepare rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add beans, broth, vinegar, and oregano. Cook, mashing some beans with the back of a spoon, until slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Fluff rice with a fork. Serve beans over rice, with garnishes, if desired.

My notes: I had half a red onion leftover in the refrigerator, so that's all I used and am likely to keep it that way since we were both so pleased with the outcome. I didn't bother with any garnishes because I knew whatever we didn't use would just sit in the fridge and be a waste of money. Josh did however point to the radishes in the recipe's picture and say that they were a part of his NYC burrito, so I guess I might include them next time, just for him. :)

Pantry Cooking: Bean and Cornbread Pie

A couple weeks ago I came home with no idea of what I'd be making for dinner. Not my usual situation, but luckily after a few moments perusing the contents of my refrigerator and pantry I had a plan in hand. My pantry contained a a couple cans of beans, some canned tomatoes and a box of cornbread mix. My refrigerator had the ingredients for the cornbread along with some cheese and sliced peppers. And I had an onion from my father-in-law's garden in my veg basket. This let me cobble together a yummy dinner for Josh and me.

Bean and Cornbread Pie
Recipe by me; Serves 4


























1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes with chiles
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
olive oil
1 box cornbread mix
shredded cheese
sliced jalapeno

• Preheat oven to temperature noted on cornbread mix. Heat oil in medium sauce pan over medium heat (I used about a tablespoon). Saute onion till softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute more. Add in beans and tomatoes with juice. Reduce heat and let warm through.
• Make cornbread mixture according to the instructions (or from your own recipe). Add in shredded cheese to your taste.
• Place bean mixture in oven safe dish. Spread cornbread mixture atop bean mixture. Top with jalapeno slices and more shredded cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes, done when a toothpick inserted into the cornbread topping comes out clean.

My notes: I used a mixture of cheddar and pepper jack cheese in this recipe, but you could use whatever you personal preference might be. I almost always have these ingredients in my kitchen, so I'll definitely be making this recipe again. When I can chew well, that is. :)

Spinach Fest 2008- Spinach Quesadillas

Boy, you'd think I'd married Popeye the sailor man what with all these spinach recipes in a row. And I even have one more in my pocket! This is a little something I whipped up a couple weeks ago. I had one night open on my menu plan that I just couldn't think to fill. I wanted something that would be really easy to put together, so I decide I would just come up with some kind of quesadillas. I decided on using chopped spinach and black beans for my filling, along with some cheese of course. These were really great! I think I might make a batch to tuck into the freezer for emergency meals. I can't remember now what I served with them, aside form our usual salad. I think we just had some chips & salsa with them. I would have liked cilantro-lime rice, but I think cilantro and peppers were off the shelves at the time.

Spinach Quesadillas
Recipe by me; Makes 6












6 wheat flour tortillas
1 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess liquid
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 4.5 oz. can chopped green chiles
Coarse salt and ground black pepper
Ground cumin
Shredded cheese- I used cheddar and pepper jack
Olive oil

• Mix the drained beans, spinach, and chiles together in a bowl. Add salt, pepper and cumin to taste.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat. Rub surface with paper towel dipped in olive oil. Place one tortilla into the pan. Top with shredded cheese. Once the cheese starts to melt place about 1/3 cup of the filling on one half of the tortilla. Gently fold the tortilla over the filling and press down. Let sit for a moment on each side of the tortilla to warm the filling through and finish melting the cheese. Remove quesadilla from pan and repeat process with remaining ingredients. Serve, cutting into wedges if you like.

My notes: The chile amount is a guess. Jalapeños were hard to come by, and I had a 7 oz. can of chopped green chiles, of which I used half or more. And the cumin I really did just sprinkle liberally over the filling, so just use your personal judgment. I love using wheat tortillas to make quesadillas this way. They are a little sturdier than white flour tortillas, so the don't tend to split when folded or become soggy from cheese or fillings. What are you favorite quesadilla fillings?

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

I made this chili, found in the October 2007 issue of Everyday Food, about a month ago. I thought I would give it a whirl as it seemed much quicker than my regular veggie chili recipe. And while it was quicker, it wasn't quite as delicious. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but it just didn't hit the mark for me. It's sort of in between my usual veg chili and the black bean & corn stew I make. I might make it again sometime when looking for a fast veggie meal. No pic, cause really these things rarely photograph well for me. And the recipe wasn't put up on Martha's site, so I couldn't steal their picture either, ha.

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 zucchini (about 1 pound total) halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 carrots thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cans (19 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
1 package frozen corn, thawed

• In a 5 quart Dutch Oven or heavy pot heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes.
• Add zucchini, carrots, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, corn, and 1 cup water. Simmer until slightly thickened and carrots are soft, 8 to 10 minutes more.

My notes: I used 2 15 oz. cans of black beans because I don't know that I've ever seen 19 oz. cans. In fact, as I was typing that I was not sure that I even noticed it said 19 oz. when I made the recipe. I wonder if it's a typo. Or perhaps I'm not looking closely enough at the grocery store and these 19 oz. cans have been right under my nose. Anyway, like I said, this recipe was good, not great, and I might make it again but it's not destined to be in heavy rotation. Wanted to share it anyhow though, since it's not available on their website. Hopefully I'll get a chance to make my favorite veggie chili soon so I can share it with you.

Red and Black Bean Pie

I was chided by my sister-in-law for not updating, so here we go! With the weather getting colder I was looking for some hearty recipes. Finding vegetarian options that meet my idea of hearty can be a little difficult, but this one met expectations. This recipe is from the October 2006 issue of Everyday Food, and is their 'Freeze It' feature. I halved this recipe, since it was meant to make enough for two in the first place. This is the first time I've worked with polenta in any form. It was easy and yummy, so I'll definitely use it again. Maybe next time I'll try it soft.

Red and Black Bean Pie
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 8


2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 bunches scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 ox can diced tomatoes in juice
1 16 oz. tube plain prepared polenta, patted dry
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1 1/2 cup coarsely shredded Pepper Jack cheese
Salsa (optional)

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium; add white part of scallions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes with juice, and 1/2 cup water. As you bring to a boil, mash 1/4 of the beans with the back of a spoon against side of pan to release starch. Reduce to a simmer; cook until mixture has thickened 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, brush eight 10- to 12-ounce ramekins or custard cups or 2 deep dish pie plates with remaining oil. Slice polenta crosswise into rounds- 8 for ramekins or 16 for pie plates. Place one round in each ramekin or 8 rounds in the bottom of each pie plate.
• Remove bean mixture from heat. Stir in green part of scallions, cilantro, and hot sauce; season with salt and pepper. Spoon bean mixture over polenta; top with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. If desired garnish with cilantro, and serve with salsa.
• To freeze- Let unbaked pies cool completely; cover with aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Bake frozen with foil on at 400 degrees until warm in center, 60-70 minutes for ramekins, 70-80 minutes for pie plates. Remove foil; bake until cheese is golden brown, about 15 minutes.

My notes: Aside from halving this recipe I also forgot to buy the cilantro. So in lieu of it I added a little cumin. I can't say any specific amount, I just sprinkled it in to taste. I think the next time I make it I'll do both cilantro and a bit of cumin. Also, instead of making double the pies I think you could definitely make one pie and use the leftover bean mixture for veggie burritos or even scoop and eat with tortilla chips. Yum!

Fast & Filling

Now that Dancing With The Stars has started I'm going to be looking for fast and easy Monday & Tuesday night meals. So last night I pulled out an old standby that we hadn't had in quite a while. This stew is hearty and filling without being heavy and without meat. It's also incredibly easy as the only thing I have to chop is an onion. I guess you could mince the garlic too, but I either use the jarred variety or my lovely garlic press. I think I've addressed my laziness already, so no need for excuses. Anyway, I'll be pulling this recipe out time and again as the cold winter months approach. I typically serve this with cornbread, but tortillas or tortilla chips would also be delicious.

Black Bean and Corn Stew
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 4.5 oz. can chopped green chiles
2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
Salt
1 10 oz. package frozen corn

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cumin; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes more.
• To the pan, add chiles, beans, tomatoes and their juice, 2 cups water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
• In a blender or food processor, puree 2 cups of the stew. Return the puree to the pan, and add frozen corn; simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.

My notes: I typically get more than 4 servings out of this. Last night I ladled 2 cups worth into my bowl for dinner. I had 1 1/2 cups for lunch today and I have about 1 1/2 cups left for tomorrow. My husband helped himself last night, so not sure how much he had then, but he divvied up the leftovers so he probably has about the same 3 cups worth left. Depending on how hungry you are you could definitely exceed the 4 servings. In fact, if you served this alongside some quesadillas or flautas you could probably stretch it quite a ways.

Blog begets blog

I am really having a blast lately cooking and baking up some great things I've found on other blogs. This is the third or fourth recipe I've found on Crystal's blog poco-cocoa. And they have almost all been awesome. There was one lone recipe that didn't turn out for me, but that hasn't soured me on pillaging her recipe index for ideas and inspiration! As soon as my eye fell upon the title of this recipe I was hooked, and knew I just had to make it.

Baked Black Bean Flautas with Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce
Recipe from poco-cocoa; Makes 8
1 15 oz. can black beans
8 corn tortillas
cooking spray
3/4 cup grated Colby Jack cheese
1 7 oz. can La Costena Green Mexican Salsa
1 avocado, seeded and scooped out of shell

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a small bowl, mash black beans and their juice with a potato masher or a fork.
• Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray (line it with foil first for easier clean-up). Heat the corn tortillas in the microwave for about 1 minute, wrapping them in a moist towel, until they are soft and pliable. Spray both sides of one tortilla with cooking spray. Spoon a few tablespoons of the beans down the center of the tortilla, and top with a sprinkle of cheese. Roll up the tortilla tightly, and lay, seam side down, on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until tortillas are crispy and slightly browned.
• Meanwhile, puree the salsa with the avocado in a food processor until smooth. Serve the flautas topped with the Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce.

My notes: I used pepper jack cheese instead of Colby jack, cause I like it spicy! And the green sauce is spicy! Not overwhelmingly so, but if you don't like much heat you could probably tone it down by adding another avocado. I served the flautas with Mahatma Spanish Rice. It is our favorite and it's usually only 75 cents or less. I usually mix in frozen southwestern veggies too, but I haven't been able to find any lately. Weird! The recipe makes 8, so we each had 3 for dinner and that left 2 for Josh to take for lunch the next day.

Sammiches

So, I know I posted over at This Week For Dinner that I was going to make Spinach Pie last night and Southwestern Turkey Clubs tonight, but I had to switch things up when I realized yesterday that I'd forgotten to thaw my phyllo dough. And thusly Wednesday and Thursday will be switching because I was going for an alternating menu of veggie and meaty. Anyway, back to the recipe at hand. I served these sandwiches with Spicy Black Beans, which is practically the only way I prepare black beans. We love them and it's so quick and easy. The recipe for the sandwiches can be found here, but I really changed it up to suit what I had & felt like doing, so below is my adjusted recipe.

Southwestern Turkey Clubs
Recipe based on Everyday Food recipe; Serves 2
2 small ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
8 slices of bacon, cooked crisply
Sliced peppered turkey breast
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons pickled jalapeno, chopped
1 tomato, thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
6 slices whole wheat bread, toasted

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bacon slices on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping slices halfway through. Remove from baking sheet and place on paper towels to drain.
• In a small bowl mash together avocado, lime juice, and jalapenos. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread avocado mixture on one side of each slice of toast. Layer bacon, tomato, turkey, and toast to form triple decker sandwiches. To serve, skewer with toothpicks and slice diagonally with a serrated knife.

My notes: I used peppered turkey breast purchased from the deli, because it's one of our usual lunch meat purchases, so it saved me time and money. I bake my bacon to a crisp, which protects me from the usual grease burns I get frying it. This worked fine since I was using prepared turkey. The recipe calls for 1 avocado and 2 tablespoons lime juice. I felt the mixture was much too limey going by this original recipe, so I added an additional avocado to the mix. It helped, but still didn't even out the taste completely, so next time I'll also use less lime juice. So, keeping these adjustments in mind, we both really enjoyed our sandwiches, and I will definitely be making this again sometime.

Spicy Black Beans
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4

1 teaspoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 14.5 oz. canned black beans, drained and rinsed
Coarse salt
Cilantro leaves (optional)

• In a medium sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add black beans and 1 cup of water.
• Bring to a simmer; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. (Add more water for a thinner consistency if necessary.) Season with coarse salt and cilantro leaves, if desired. Serve immediately.

My notes: Since this recipe serves 4 I usually divide in half for our dinners. I use 1/4 teaspoon of the red-pepper when I half, but I tend to still use all 3 cloves of garlic. Spicyness is in the tastebuds of the preparer though, so adjust as you like. Also, despite my love of cilantro, I once again didn't have any. I rarely buy it unless it is truly integral to a recipe, because it usually goes to waste. I'll have to plan this recipe in conjunction with some other ones that require it next time.