Warm Black Bean Dip

I believe I got this recipe from A Taste of Home magazine. 

When we attend a potluck type of event this is often what we take. 

I usually double it for family and triple it when I take to a dinner event.

1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp veg oil
1 can (15 oz) black beans-rinsed and drained
1/2 C diced fresh tomato
1/3 C salsa
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 C shredded cheddar
1/3 C minced fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp lime juice

Saute' onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add beans, mash gently. Stir in tomato, salsa, cumin and chili powder. Cook and stir just til heated through. Remove from heat; stir in cheese, cilantro and lime juice. Serve warm with chips.

*If you can find S&W Caribbean beans you can omit the cilantro and lime juice as they are already in the beans.

*We often don't drain the beans and make it a bit soupier and eat it as a soup for supper.

Taco Soup

from the Glenview Ward 1997 cookbook, submitted by Shelly Adams (my old VT companion)

1/2 lb grd beef
1 onion, chopped
1 pkg taco seasoning
2 16 oz cans stewed tomatoes
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained (I sub pinto beans, since we live in the pinto bean belt, and I usually cook up 1 1/2-2 lbs instead of a can. Stretch that soup!)
1 16 oz can corn, drained
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
1/4 C brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Brown beef with onion. Remove any grease. Stir in taco seasoning, tomatoes, beans, corn, tomato sauce, brown sugar and salt and pepper. Simmer til warmed through. Serve with tortilla chips. Add grated cheese and sour cream to your bowl of soup if desired.

My variations: I often use up leftover taco meat in this soup, makes it a snap to put together. I often leave out the sugar and stewed tomatoes. I have started putting stewed tomatoes through my blender to reduce the chunks and that helps. I don't get bothered by tomato acidity, hence no sugar added, but if tomatoes are too acidic for you, throw the sugar in.

looks better in the bowl with some cheese

Karla's Salsa

Aunt Karla's Easy Delicious Salsa, otherwise known as No Need for Pace Anymore!

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 jalapeño

1/3 of a white onion

Put the onion and jalapeño in a blender and chop fine. Add tomatoes and about 1tsp of minced garlic. Cover the top of stuff in blender with salt. Put a few shakes of black pepper and chili powder. Cover top with cilantro and blend.

It tastes better if it can sit and let the flavors blend a bit. 

Chicken Quesadillas

This is the only recipe I got from the Body For Life cookbook that we loved and still make to this day. It's easy and delicious.

Boneless, skinless chicken breast (I usually used 4 large breasts to feed about 8 people)
Salsa
Flour tortillas
cheddar or cheddar/jack cheese

Cut up the semi-frozen chicken into bite-sized pieces, about 1/2-1 inch square. Place in a skillet with about 1 C of salsa. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink. You can shred up/smash the chicken into smaller pieces at this point if desired. I usually shred it so it spreads in the tortilla more easily and the quesadilla is not as thick.

Place a flour tortilla on a warm non-stick skillet, place cheese on half of tortilla, place chicken mix on the cheese, fold tortilla in half and cook til golden brown. Flip and cook other side until golden and cheese is melted. Repeat until all the chicken is used.

Serve with more salsa, sour cream, refried beans, etc. YUM!!

Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe is my own creation. It's a hodge podge of other recipes I've tried. Usually chicken enchiladas have a white sauce but I LOVE the red sauce on these!

1 1/2 C cooked chopped or shredded chicken

Corn tortillas

1 can or mixed package red enchilada sauce

1/4 C finely chopped onion

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

Sour cream

1 can green enchilada sauce (can use less, if desired)

1 1/2 C cheese

Sliced olives

Vegetable oil

Mix red and green sauces together, warm. Put a few tsp of vegetable oil in a skillet and warm the tortillas on both sides. Mix cheese, cream cheese, onion, chicken and 1 C sauce together in a mixing bowl. Pour a small amount of sauce in the bottom of a baking pan, spreading it around. Place a spoonful of the chicken/cheese mixture down the center of a tortilla, top with a dollop of sour cream and sliced olives. Tool up and place seam side down in baking pan. Repeat until pan is full. Pour with remaining sauce. Top with more cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbly. 

Serve with salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, etc.

(I have also done a super quick version of this by tearing the tortillas and layering it in the pan similar to a lasagna. Tastes yummy either way!)

Joy's Sour Cream Enchiladas

One fine day our neighbor brought over a pan and asked if we liked enchiladas. He said his wife had made too many. We love Mexican food so we took the pan off his hands. After we tasted them, we asked for the recipe. They are yummy, but best of all, they are easy!

1 family sized can of cream of chicken soup (I use 2 small cans)

2 C sour cream

2 cans mild green chilies, chopped

Large package of corn tortillas (abt 30)

Shredded cheddar (2-4 C)

Vegetable oil

In a large sauce pan, mix the soup, sour cream and green chilies. Heat until warmed through.

Heat a few tsp or oil in a skillet-warm tortilla on both sides, then dip in sauce. (I usually skip the dipping part) cover the bottom of a cake pan or cookie sheet with a small amount of the sauce. Place a few Tbsp of cheese on the tortilla, roll it up and place seam down in pan. Repeat until pan is full. Cover with remaining sauce, adding more cheese to the top. Cover with foil and bake at 425 til melts and bubbly. Serve with sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes.