Grilled Flank Steak with Corn, Black Bean and Avocado Salad

This is another recipe from the Summer Weekend Wizards cooking group. This was very fast and easy to come together. This was my first time making flank steak, but it will not be my last. The steak was juicy and had great flavor. The salad was a nice contrast with the smooth and creamy avocado. I added an extra jalapeno for some added heat.

Grilled Flank Steak with Corn, Black Bean and Avocado Salad
from Weight Watchers

1 pound lean flank steak
1 medium garlic clove, peeled, and smashed
1 tsp lime juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Salad
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (added 2 peppers)
1 small corn on the cob, cooked, kernels removed
1/2 medium avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
4 tsp lime juice
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

• Preheat grill to medium hot.
  
  
• Score steak on one side by making shallow crisscross slashes with a sharp knife; rub garlic over cut surface of steak. Brush steak with lime juice and season with salt and pepper; set meat aside for 10 minutes to allow meat to absorb flavors.
  
  
• Meanwhile, combine salad ingredients in a medium bowl; stir gently and set aside.
  
  
• Grill steak for 5 minutes on first side; flip and grill until well-browned on outside and medium-rare inside, about 5 to 6 minutes more. Immediately remove steak from grill and set aside on a clean plate for 5 minutes for meat to reabsorb juices. Thinly slice steak across grain and serve with salad. Yields about 3 1/2 ounces of steak and 1/2 cup of salad per serving.

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas

This was my recipe for our cooking group the Summer Weekend Wizards. My mother-in-law gave us lots of fresh vegetables from her garden, and I knew this was a perfect recipe to use them.

The recipe comes from Cooking Light. You can view the recipe here:
Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas

Salsa Chicken & Black Bean Soup

This recipe is from the Weekend Wizards cooking group. The original recipe is to be made in a crock pot. I am afraid to leave mine on when I'm not at home (I had one crack once), so I just made this soup on the stove. This is a great, fast, and flavorful soup. I added some extra spice and some lime juice to give it a nice kick and it was perfect!!
The original recipe can be found here http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/11/salsa-chicken-and-black-bean-soup.html

Salsa Chicken & Black Bean Soup
with my changes

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb chicken breast
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 cup frozen corn
16oz jar salsa
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 fresh cilantro, chopped
optional toppings:shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla chips

Heat dutch oven on medium heat and add oil and chicken.
Cook about 8 minutes, then flip breast over and cook for another 8 minutes.
Remove chicken from the pan.
Add bell pepper and corn and saute for 3 minutes.
Dice chicken and add back to pan.
Add cumin, red pepper flakes, chicken broth, and salsa.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in lime juice and cilantro.

I topped each bowl with cheese and crushed blue tortilla chips.

Chicken Quesadillas

Quesadillas are a quick weeknight meal that is quick, easy, and delicious. You can use whatever meat, cheese, veggies, or beans you have leftover in the fridge (corn, black beans, peppers, onion, mushrooms, etc).

Chicken Quesadillas

6 corn tortillas
1 cup shredded chicken
1 cup shredded jack cheese
sour cream, salsa, and avocado for dipping

Heat large skillet on medium.
Place 1 tortilla in a dry skillet.
Let the tortilla warm for about 5 seconds then flip the tortilla over.
Place a thin layer of cheese, chicken, and more cheese on tortilla.
Place second tortilla on cheese.
Heat until the cheese is mostly melted, and the bottom tortilla is browned slightly.
Flip the tortillas over to brown the second side.
Remove from pan and cut into wedges.
Serve with sour cream, salsa, and avocado or guacamole.

Green Tortilla Soup

I wanted another dish to use up some of the beer can chicken I made, and since it's fall I wanted a fast soup to make on a weeknight. I saw this soup on the Rachael Ray Show. It looked fast, easy, and delicious!!! The soup is "green" from tomatillos. On her show, she said you could use fresh tomatillos or salsa verde. I show salsa verde. Here is a link to the recipe. http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/mean-green-tortilla-soup/

I am submitting this recipe to Joelen's blogging event Tasty Tools-Dutch Oven. Here is a link to her great blog with lots of blogging events to enjoy. http://joelens.blogspot.com/

Green Tortilla Soup

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup water

15oz can corn

4 corn tortillas, cut into strips

cooking spray

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 lb precooked shredded chicken

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, grated

2 tsp cumin

2 jalapeno chilies, chopped

16oz jar salsa verde

2 cups cilantro, chopped

zest and juice of 2 limes

2 cups shredded jack cheese

1 avocado, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the tortilla strips onto a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray.

Bake strips until crispy for about 8 minutes.

Preheat a dutch oven or large pot on medium-high heat.

Add oil, onion, garlic, and cumin to pot and cook until soft about 3-4 minutes.

Add corn and jalapenos.

Add salsa verde, stock, water, and chicken to pot.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat, and add cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice.

To serve place some tortilla strips into bowl, add soup, and top with cheese and avocado.

Beer Can Chicken turned into Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce

This week was my week to choose a recipe for our cooking group the Weekend Wizards, and we are following a fall theme this round. I chose to do a savory pumpkin dish. The recipe comes from Everyday Food from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living's cookbook Great Food Fast. Here is a link to the original recipe. http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/spicy-enchiladas-with-pumpkin-sauce?autonomy_kw=enchiladad%20with%20pumpkin&rsc=header_15

Whole chickens were on sale at my grocery store this week, so I decided to make 2 beer can chickens and use the chicken in 2 dishes this week. Here is a link to my previous beer can chicken. http://courtcooks.blogspot.com/2008/06/beer-can-chicken.html

I changed to rub on the beer can chicken to 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic, and 1 tsp chili powder.

I made a terrible mess in the kitchen when I was preparing the pumpkin sauce!! I used my food processor to make the sauce (the recipe says to use a blender-guess I didn't read it good enough) and adding 2 & 1/2 cups of water was too much liquid for it too handle. Orange liquid filled my kitchen counter, and onto the floor. After cleaning up, I poured the remains into a BLENDER, added more chili powder, pumpkin, and water.

My husband loved the dish!! I had tried the pumpkin sauce before baking and was sure the dish was going to be a disaster. After cooking the sauce, it really complimented the chicken.

This dish can be assembled up to eight hours ahead of time; refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, until ready to bake (add a few minutes to the cooking time).

Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce

1 whole chicken-about 3-4 lbs (skin removed, and meat shredded)

6 scallions, thinly sliced

coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

15oz can pumpkin puree

4 garlic cloves, peeled

2 jalapeno chilies, quartered

2 tsp chili powder

8 corn tortillas (8")

1 & 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, scallions and season with salt & pepper.

Set mixture aside.

In a blender, puree the pumpkin, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, 2 & 1/2 cups water, 2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper until smooth.

Pour 1 cup of the sauce into a 9x13 baking dish.

Spoon a mound of the chicken mixture into the center of each tortilla, and roll into a log and place seam side down in the dish.

Pour the remaining sauce on top, and cover with cheese.

Bake until cheese is golden brown, and sauce is bubbling-about 25-30 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas

This is a quick and healthy meal that I have been making for years. The recipe came from an American Heart Association low-fat, low-cholesterol cookbook. I used a box of frozen spinach, thawed and excess water removed.

Here is the original recipe.


Ingredients
1 pound fresh spinach
Vegetable oil spray, if needed
15-ounce can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed if desired and drained
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
6 6-inch corn tortillas or fat-free flour tortillas
1/2 cup fat-free or light sour cream
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
4 ounces shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
2 medium Italian plum tomatoes, diced
2 green onions (green and white parts), thinly sliced

Cooking Instructions
Thoroughly rinse the spinach and remove the stems.

In a large pot, bring several quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Cook the spinach in the boiling water for 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, remove the spinach. Drain well in a colander. Using the back of a spoon, squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a shallow nonstick baking pan or casserole dish with vegetable oil spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together the spinach, black beans, salsa, cumin, and chili powder. Spoon one fourth of the mixture down the middle of one tortilla. Roll the tortilla around the filling, jelly-roll style. Place the tortilla with seam side down in the prepared baking pan or casserole dish. Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas.

Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together the sour cream and lime juice. Remove the enchiladas from the oven. Spread the sour cream mixture evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the cheese, tomatoes, and green onions.

Bake for 5 minutes.

Black Bean Dip

This recipe was inspired by my Aunt Susie. She would make a dip similar to this at her parties. It is quick and delicious. Serve the dip with tortilla chips.


Black Bean Dip

15oz can black refried beans
1/2 cup salsa
1 roma tomato, diced
1 tbsp diced chilies
3 tbsp sour cream
1 cup shredded lettuce
1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend)
tortilla chips

Spread refried beans on serving tray.
Layer on salsa, tomato, chilies, sour cream, lettuce, and cheese.

Enjoy!!

Cinco De Mayo-Beef Enchiladas and Guacamole

This is an fast and easy recipe for beef enchiladas that can we cooked up fast to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. I'm sure they are much better for you than what you would get at a restaurant, with lots of cheese and greasy meat. This should be served of course with guacamole, tortilla chips, and a cold beer with a lime wedge!!!


Beef Enchiladas

1 lb extra lean ground beef
2 cans diced green chilies
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese
2 10 oz cans green enchilada sauce
8 flour tortillas, fajita size
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown beef in skillet until cooked through. Drain off any excess grease. Add green chilies, cream cheese, and 1 can of sauce and cook until cheese is melted. Heat tortillas, wrapped in aluminium foil in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Spray bottom of 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Begin assembling enchiladas. Place about a 1/4 cup of beef mixture into the center of a tortilla. Roll both sides in and place seam side down into pan. Once all tortillas are filled, pour the second can of enchilada sauce onto the top of the tortillas and the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.



Guacamole

2 ripe Haas avocados
1 plum tomato, seeded
1 lime
2 tsp diced onion
1 clove garlic
pinch salt and pepper
2 tsp chopped fresh cilantro

Cut avocados in half and remove seed. Dice avocado and place in mixing bowl. Add tomato, lime juice, onion, and cilantro. Make a garlic paste out of the clove of garlic and the salt. Chop garlic and sprinkle with the salt, then use the side of the knife and mash the garlic into a paste with the salt. Add garlic paste to avocado mixture. Mash mixture with a fork until desired consistency (I like the guacamole to be a little chunky).