grilled pizza

I am always looking for different ways to spice up the same old dinners that we eat regularly. This was a winner at our house. I am sure that this will be a regular request this summer. Thanks to Tidy Mom for this fun new summer idea. Head on over to get all the step by step instructions.

Tips I found when I made them:
Flip the tortillas just when they have grill marks and watch them closely.
After putting the toppings on, it will only take a few minutes before they are done. 

Happy Grilling!

chili lime chicken

Amazingly simple and amazingly good!

2-3 chicken breasts

3 tbsp. lime juice

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 cup salsa

8 oz. frozen corn

2 cups black beans (or one can)

Put the first three ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. Break up the chicken and then add the next three ingredients. Cook until warmed through.

Serve on warm tortillas or over chips with cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes.

TIPS:

*This is quick and easy to put together and can cook while you are gone. Dinner will be ready when you get home.

*Use fresh tortillas and this will taste like something from a good Mexican restaurant.

black beans and rice

Here is the simplest of our black bean recipes. This is a favorite quick lunch or dinner.

2 cups water

1 cup rice

2 cups black beans (or one can)

1 can tomato sauce

1/2 cup salsa

2 tbsp. taco seasoning

optional add-ins:

1 cup corn

1 pound ground beef, cooked

Place all the ingredients in a large sauce pan, bring to a boil, and cover. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve beans and rice on warm tortillas or corn chips and top with cheese, sour cream, and/or avocados.

TIPS: This is a fun recipe for a dinner kit gift. Start with a new pan and fill it with a package of rice, a can of black beans, a can of tomato sauce, a bottle of salsa, a package of taco seasoning, and a bag of chips. Put in the recipe and wrap it all up for a cute "welcome to the neighborhood", get well, or wedding gift.

black bean taco salad

It is simple, easy and the perfect summer dinner.

1 large head lettuce, washed and torn into bite size pieces

2 tomatoes- chopped

2 cups black beans- or 1 can rinsed

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1 can olives, sliced

1 cup corn (optional)

3 cups tortilla chips,

1 cup salad dressing

Mix the first six ingredients in a large bowl. Just before serving add the chips and dressing. Enjoy!

TIPS: I like to use romaine lettuce and either ranch dressing, french dressing, or my favorite, a mixture of 1/2 cup ranch dressing and 1/2 salsa.

southwest egg rolls

Here is the first favorite black bean recipe. These are much like the ones on the appetizer menus at a couple of my favorite restaurants. I found a few different recipes that came close and adapted them to create this one. The number of ingredients may make these seem a little complicated but they are really fairly easy. They work well to make in bulk and freeze. From the freezer they make a quick dinner for the family or a little snack for one.

SOUTHWEST EGG ROLLS

Filling:

2 tbsp. oil

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 bunches green onions, finely chopped

Saute in a large frying pan until tender and then add:

4 cups, cooked chicken, chopped

2 cups corn

4 cups black beans, cooked (2 cans will work)

6-8 oz. frozen spinach. thawed and drained

2 tbsp. jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

2 tbsp. taco seasoning

Cook for a few minutes, and then add:

1 8 oz. package cream cheese

2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

Stir until cheese is melted and remove from heat.

Cook or warm 32-36 tortillas.

Spread 1/4 cup of the filling onto each tortilla, fold in sides and roll up.

Place the rolls on a baking sheet.

If freezing, place filled baking sheet in freezer until frozen and then transfer rolls to a labeled freezer bag.

If baking immediately, spray rolls with cooking spray. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Slice in half and serve with dipping sauce.

To bake after frozen, place on baking sheet, spray rolls with cooking spray and bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or microwave 2-4 minutes.

Easy Dipping Sauces:

Salsa-Ranch

Mix:

1 cup ranch dressing

1/2 cup salsa

Avocado Ranch

Mix:

1 cup ranch dressing

1 avocado, peeled and crushed

TIPS:

*The green onions can be replaced with 1/2 of a regualr onion or 2 tbsp. dried onion.

*Jalapenos can be fresh or canned.

*I have also used colby jack or cheddar cheese and I like them all.

*The secret ingredient that makes these so great is fresh tortillas. I buy them at a local Sam's Club, cook them on a griddle, and then fill them while they are warm. They roll easier and have a much better texture and taste than regular tortillas.

*Spraying the rolls with cooking spray is an alternative for frying. It gives them a crisp outer shell without the mess or fat content of all the oil.

black bean basics

At our house it is the official first day of summer. This time of year brings great fun and food including cold watermelon, fresh salads and savory smells from the grill. Over the next month we will be sharing four of our favorite summer recipes and they all happen to include black beans. So we thought we would share a few black bean basics first.

Beans are a great source of fiber, protein, calcium, iron, and folic acid. They are fat free and rich in antioxidants. For more information about beans check out the US Dry Bean Council.

Black beans are available canned and ready to use in recipes. A regular can contains about 1 3/4 cups of beans.

They are also available dry. Preparing these usually includes soaking and cooking but there is a simple and easy way to use dry beans. It involves one of my favorite kitchen appliances, called the crock pot. Normally beans are soaked to reduce cooking time but by using a slow cooker the processes can be combined. Here's how:

1. Sift the beans through your hand and watch for any small rocks, or dirty beans. (Food growers have pretty cool machines that sort foods, but they don't always catch little rocks that look like beans so you may find one or two.) Then rinse the dry beans before putting them into a slow cooker.

2. Fill the cooker up to a third of the way full with beans and fill the rest with water. (Beans use the water to increase three times their size as they cook.) Don't put anything in with the beans while cooking, especially any acids like tomatoes or vinegar as this slows the softening process.

3. Put the lid on and cook on high for 5-6 hours.

4. It is important to drain and rinse the beans after cooking. Then they are ready to use.

5. Now that the beans are ready, use them in a recipe or put them in zipper freezer bags, label the bags and save for a later date. A quart size bag will hold four cups. After measuring the beans into the bag, seal it, lay it down flat, and press a space across the middle. This will make it possible to break off half the beans (two cups) after they are frozen.

Black beans are a simple, healthy, food that my kids love. Check back for four easy dinner black bean recipes.