Avacado bean Dip

2 Avocados

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp sour cream

1/2 tsp. salt or to taste

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 c. fresh or frozen corn

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

In a nonstick pan, without oil, add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until starting to brown. Add the corn and continue to cook until it is also browned. 

Meanwhile, mash one of the avocados with the sour cream, garlic, and salt. Chop the remaining avocado.

Stir the chopped avocado, corn and onions, and black beans into the mashed avocado. Taste for seasoning and serve with chips.

Enchilada Pasta

The meat and the amount in this is totally up to you. You can use all ground beef, all beans, or a combination of the two. If using all beans I would add 2 - 3 cans of drained black or pinto beans. In combination I would use about half a pound of ground beef and then a can or two of drained beans.

1.5 lb ground beef

Salt & Pepper

1 (19 oz.) can red enchilada sauce

1 (15 oz.) can nacho cheese sauce

1 (4 oz.) can diced chilies

8 oz. egg noodles

1/2 c. water

Sour cream, shredded cheese, and crushed corn chip to garnish

If using, season the ground beef with salt & pepper and cook, crumbling, until no longer pink.

Add all the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender. 

Remove from heat and serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of shredded cheese and crushed chips. 

Southwestern pork and beans

2 lb. cheap cut of pork (I used boneless ribs)

3 cans black beans, undrained

2 tsp. Chili powder

2 tsp garlic
1 tsp. onion salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. pepper

Salt to taste

Hot cooked brown rice or tortillas

Combine the seasonings and sprinkle generously over the ribs. Brown the rib in a nonstick pan, add a little bit of oil to your pan if you aren't using no-stick.

Place in the crock pot and cook on high for 2 - 3 hours or until the meat is easy to separate from the fat.  Discard the fat and strain the liquid. Place the meat, liquid, and cans of beans in the crock pot. Replace the lid and cook on high for 2 - 3 hours or until ready for dinner. Serve over cooked rice or strain and eat in tortillas with cheese.

Tex-Mex Casserole

I have seen several versions of this floating around on the internet lately. One blog said it was a Taste of Home Best casserole recipe, though I couldn't find it on their site.

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1/2 lb ground beef

2 cans black beans, drained

2 Tbsp. Taco seasoning

1 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can corn, drained

1/2 green pepper, chopped

3/4 c. salsa

1 can enchilada sauce

2 Tbsp. Italian salad dressing

1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese

1 small can sliced black olives (optional)

2 c. cheese

6 corn tortillas, cut into wedges

Serve topped with salsa, sour cream, cilantro, or avocado wedges

Cook the ground beef and taco seasoning together, crumbling the meat, until cooked all the way through. Add the onion, garlic, and pepper. When the onion is tender add corn and cook 2 minutes longer. Add remaining ingredients except cheese and tortillas. Stir to combine well.

Place half the meat mixture in the bottom of a 9x9 casserole dish. Top with 3 of the tortillas and 1 c. of the cheese. Top with remaining meat mixture, tortillas and cheese.

Bake at 425 for 15 - 20 minutes.

Tortilla Soup

Variants of tortilla soup are all over the place, and this one isn't substantially different, but it's a great quick soup that doesn't need meat to be delicious.

If you are gluten intolerant or have soy allergies, be sure to use a brand of tortillas and other prepared ingredients that you know are safe for you to eat.

1 large onion, diced

3-4 cloves garlic, diced

2-3 T. butter or olive oil

4 corn tortillas, roughly chopped

1-2 c. cooked chopped chicken (optional)

1-2 cans white beans (1 can if using with chicken, 2 cans if using alone)

1 c. corn

6 c. chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder

3 T. dried green and red peppers

1 tsp. cumin

salt and pepper to taste

cheese to garnish (optional, omit to make vegan)

Saute the onions and garlic in butter/oil over medium heat until they are soft and beginning to brown. Add stock, tortillas, spices, and juice from the can of corn. Simmer until onions are very tender and tortillas have dissolved. Using a regular or immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add corn, beans, and chicken if using. Simmer gently until heated through. Serve garnished with cheese if desired.

Some versions of this soup also call for a can of diced tomatoes to be added with the corn and beans.

If using lentils in place of the ground beef simmer the lentils in water until almost tender and then add 1 Tbsp taco powder to the water to finish cooking.

1 (12 oz) box. Jumbo pasta shells (about 35) 

1 can refried beans

1 lb hamburger OR 3c. cooked lentils

2 Tbsp Taco seasoning

12 oz. cheddar cheese

1 can enchilada sauce

Cook Pasta shells in lightly salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with a little butter or olive oil.

Heat hamburger with 1 Tbsp of the taco seasoning. Cook, crumbling, until no longer pink and cooked throughout. Add 1/2 cup of water and remaining taco seasoning and simmer over medium heat until most of the liquid is gone. 

Divide between the shells a scoop of beans, filling each shells about halfway, then a sprinkling of cheese and top with hamburger. Place in a 9x13. Pour the can of enchilada sauce over the shells. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, uncover and bake just until cheese is starting to melt. 

Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. 

Serve over a bed of lettuce, top with fresh tomatoes and ranch.

Tex-mex Barley Stew

3/4 c. barley
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
1 can tomatoes, drained
1 carrot, cut into coins
3/4 c. frozen corn
1/2 c. frozen peas
1 can diced chilis
1 can pinto beans
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. oregano
5 c. beef broth (vegetable or imitation work fine too)
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. flour
1 - 2 c. cooked beef, chicken, pork, turkey, pretty much whatever you have leftover, chopped or shredded (optional, if not using add an extra can of beans)

Saute onion in olive oil until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the beef broth and barley and simmer until the barley is tender, about 45 minutes. Add the carrots after about 30 minutes of cooking.

Add the remaining ingredients, except flour, and simmer until the vegetables are cooked.

Combine the flour and enough water to make a thin paste. Stir the flour into the simmering broth and simmer until thick.

My top 5, from 2010

1. Gumbo

2. Palak Channa

3. Chicken Style Bean Stew

4. Pumpkin Cream Pasta

5. Caramelized Quinoa and Black Beans

Another Enchilada Recipe

2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

1 tsp. rotisserie chicken seasoning

1 tsp. taco seasoning

1 can pinto beans, drained

1 can white beans, drained

12 oz. cheese, grated

1 (4 oz) can green chilies

1 large can red enchilada sauce

1 c. prepared spanish rice*

12 tortillas

Combine the rotisserie chicken and the taco seasoning. Sprinkle the chicken with the seasoning and cook in a little oil until no longer pink OR roast in the oven or crock pot until cooked. Shred and put in a bowl.

In the chicken bowl add the two cans of beans, 8 ounces of the cheese, chilies, Spanish rice and just enough enchilada sauce to moisten.

Divide the filling between the tortillas, roll and place seam side down in a casserole dish. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated through.

*For spanish rice you can use a commercial mix or make your own. For mine I saute a little onion, garlic, and bell pepper in olive oil until tender. Then add 1 c. water, 1 beef bouillon cube, a dash of oregano, and 4 oz. tomato sauce and bring to a boil. When boiling I add 2/3 c. rice and simmer until tender and liquid is absorbed. Makes a little more than a cup

Mexi Confetti Bake

1 c. cooked white rice
1 c. cooked brown rice
1 chicken breast, cooked and chopped (optional)
1 can black beans, drained
1 can mexi corn, drained
1/2 c. salsa verde
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1/2 c. grated cheese

Combine the cilantro and the salsa verde in a blender and puree until smooth. Combine remaining ingredients and cilantro mix. Pour into a casserole dish and bake, covered, at 400 until heat through, about 20 minutes.

Spicy Vegetable Pinto Soup

olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thick sliced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1 tbsp chili powder
1 (15 oz). can hominy, drained
1 (8oz). can tomato sauce
3 c. water
1 Knorr Vegetable bouillon cube
1 can pinto beans, drained (white, kidney and black beans all work great here too)
2 handfuls of spinach, chopped
1 - 2 c. cooked quiona

Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the red bell pepper, jalapeno and zucchini and cook until bell pepper is cooked, the zucchini wont be yet but that is fine. Turn the heat to medium and add the cumin, oregano, chili powder and some salt and pepper. Add the tomato sauce, hominy, spinach, beans, water, and bouillon cube. Simmer until veggies are tender about 20 minutes. Add the quinoa and simmer just until the quinoa is heated through.

Heathers Chicken Enchiladas

We have our first quest post!!! When she first sent me the recipe they came with this endorsement "Everyone that has had these requests them again, and every time I make them the dish gets scraped clean."


-2 split chicken breasts, cooked - we also sometimes cheat and just use the canned chicken

-1 can Rotelle tomatoes
-1 can green enchilada sauce (use 1/2 for the filling, 1/2 for the sauce)
-1 can black beans, undrained
-1 can diced green chilies
8 oz cream cheese

shredded cheese to taste

tortillas

This is the simplest recipe! Combine everything , then fill each tortilla, turning seam-side down in a 9x11 baking dish. This usually makes about 8 enchiladas for us. Pour the second half of the can of enchilada sauce over the pan, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake @350 for 25-30 minutes.

I want to add that I added 4 sliced green onions to the filling, since I add onions to everything

Spicy Bean & Bacon Dip

2 cans black beans, smashed
1/2 lb bacon
1 onion, chopped
4 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. water
1/2 vegetable bouillon cube
2 chipotle chilies, chopped fine, adobo sauce reserved
2 oz. Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 oz. Bleu Cheese, crumbled

Saute bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and crumble, set aside. In the bacon drippings saute onion until tender. Add garlic and saute just until fragrant. Add the beans, water and bouillon cubes and simmer 10 - 20 minutes, until thick enough to dip into.

Add the chilies, 1 Tbsp of the reserved adobo sauce, cheddar, and bleu cheese. Stir to mix well, cover, removed from heat, and let sit for 5 minutes.

Uncover, stir to mix the melted cheese. Add the crumbled bacon and stir again.

Serve with corn chips

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

3 carrots
1 onion
1 small eggplant, purple skin sliced off
4 cloves garlic
1/2 butternut squash, peel sliced off
olive oil
salt

2 c. couscous
3 c. chicken broth (imitation or vegetable both work)
3 green onions, sliced
dash black pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. rosemary
1 can garbanzo beans, drained

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

Cut all the vegetables into small pieces that are roughly the same size, about 1/2 in in diameter. Toss with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Spread out on pans in a single layer. Roast at 425 until vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.

When cooked boil together chicken broth, pepper, thyme, and rosemary. When boiling add the couscous, immediately remove from heat and cover tightly. Let sit for 5 minutes. Remove lid.

Combine roasted vegetables, couscous, garbanzo beans, and bacon. Toss to mix well.

Serve with a salad.

You can drastically change the dish my changing the spices. Try it with curry, Italian, Moroccan or southwestern spices too

Southwestern Pasta Primavera

12 oz. pasta

1 Tbsp. butter
2Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. flour
1 onion, chopped, onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 - 3 zucchini, cut into thick coins
10 stalks asparagus, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 carrot, grated
1 can pinto beans, drained (other beans works too, kidney, white, whatever)
1 can tomatoes, drained
1 (4 oz.) can green chilies
1 oz. asiago cheese, grated
1/2 tsp. taco seasoning
1 c. half-an-half or milk
1/2 c. chicken broth (or imitation)

Cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, sour cream

Cook pasta according to package directions. Darin and set aside.

Meanwhile in a large skillet sauce the onion and garlic in olive oil and butter until onion is tender. Add the carrot, zucchini, and asparagus and saute until vegetables is crisp/tender. Add the flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring. Add the beans, tomatoes, chilies, half-an-half, and broth. Cook, stirring, until thickened. Stir in the taco seasoning and asiago cheese.

Fold in the cooked pasta. Serve topped with grated cheddar, sliced onions, and sour cream if desired.

Southwestern Omelet

For additional flavor saute 4 strips of bacon and add that in with the filling

6 eggs
1/4 milk
1 Tbsp flour
salt and pepper to taste

cheese

1/2 can black bean
1/2 small onion
2 cloves garlic, mashed and minced
2 - 3 green onion, sliced, green parts too
1/4 green bell pepper, chopped

Sour cream
Salsa

For the filling:
Saute onion and garlic in a splash of olive oil until tender. Add the green onion and bell pepper. Cook 30 seconds and remove from heat. Add the beans

Whisk together milk and flour. Beat in eggs and salt a pepper to taste. Pour 1/4 or the batter into the pan and cook, rotating the pan until eggs are set.

Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle cheese down the middle and top with bean filling, Fold the sides over and remove from the pan. Top with sour cream and salsa.

Repeat with remaining eggs

Two great looking dip recipes I found on other blogs

I just thought these two dip recipes looked amazing

1) A black bean dip topped with cheese and broiled to perfection

2) A white bean and rosemary dip that also looked amazing

Sweet Potato Quesadillas

8 Tortillas

1 large sweet potato
2 large onions
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp. sugar
3 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 can black beans, drained
3/4 can corn, drained
1/2 bunch Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Melt butter and in a large skillet. Add onions and saute until tender. Add sugar and let the onions brown a bit over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally until the onions are caramelized.

Meanwhile, prick the sweet potato all over and microwave until soft. Mash

Combine the mashed sweet potato, half of the caramelized onions, and cheese.

Heat the remaining onions, add the corn and cook a few minutes until the corn starts to get golden in spots. Add the black beans.

Divide the sweet potato mix evenly between the tortillas and spread on half. Sprinkle with a generous amount of chopped fresh cilantro. Top with bean and corn mix.

Heat a splash of oil in a pan, the one you used on the onions is fine, and cook each tortillas on either side until golden.

Pumpkin Enchiladas

I went to a pumpkin party last week and the host served these very tasty enchiladas.

The only change I made was to cut the meat in half and add a can of beans. You can make them entirely with black beans, just saute the garlic a few seconds with the onions before adding remaining ingredients and use two cans of beans

I think some cooked rice would make a great addition to the filling too

1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
1 large can enchilada sauce
1/2 lb. ground chicken or turkey (optional, just add a second can of beans if not using)
1 can black beans, drained (pinto or adzuki would be good too)
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1 small can green chilies
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. taco seasoning
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Salt and pepper to taste

10 - 12 small corn tortillas
shredded cheese (optional)

Saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic and meat and cook, breaking up large chunks of meat, until meat is cooked. Remove from heat and add 1/2 the enchilada sauce, black beans, pumpkin, chilies, and seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put about 1/4 c. of the enchilada mixture into each corn tortilla. Roll closed and place in a casserole dish.

Cover with remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 15 - 20 minutes until warm.

Pumpkin Chili

1 butternut squash
1 medium onion, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
Olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. beef broth (or imitation)
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 lb. ground turkey (optional)
1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 small can tomato paste
1 tsp. taco powder
1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Sour Cream and Cheese to serve on top

Cut the butternut squash in half vertically, scoop out seeds, and place cut side down on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 10-15 minutes or so just until tender enough to cut. Remove skin and cut into small cubes.

Meanwhile, saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add ground turkey and taco seasoning and cook, while breaking up the pieces, until meat is cooked.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer at least 1 hour until flavors are blended and squash is tender.