Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs. salt
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 3 Tbs. finely chopped onion
• 1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-2 ears of corn
• 1 Tbs. brown sugar
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbs. butter, divided
• 8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

Directions:

1. Fill a large pot about 3/4 full of water and bring to a boil. Dissolve 1 Tablespoon of salt and add the corn. Shuck off the outer husk and silk from the corn. Fresh corn should cook in about 3 to 5 minutes. Older corn should cook in about 6 to 8 minutes. Let corn cool for a couple of minutes then cut along the cob to remove kernels.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in beans and corn, then add sugar, salsa, and pepper flakes; mix well. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.
3. Melt 2 teaspoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet, sprinkle evenly with cheese, then top with some of the bean mixture. Place another tortilla on top, cook until golden, then flip and cook on the other side. Melt more butter as needed, and repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Note: Serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream if desired!

Eggplant Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. olive oil for brushing
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbs. water
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 large eggplants, peeled and sliced into 1/2-in rounds
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 48 oz. chunky tomato sauce 
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Oil 2 baking sheets and a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Whisk eggs and water together in a shallow dish. Combine Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, salt, and ground black pepper in a separate shallow dish. 

Dip eggplant slices into egg mixture, then press each gently into bread crumb mixture. Gently tap off any excess crumbs. Arrange slices on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake eggplant slices in the preheated oven until tops are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Flip eggplant and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove eggplant from the oven and increase temperature to 400°F. 

Heat 2 Tbs. olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and stir in ground beef. Season beef with salt and ground black pepper. Cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Drain and grease. Stir tomato sauce into ground beef; bring to a simmer and set sauce aside.

Place 1/3 of the eggplant slices on bottom of the dish. Pour 1/3 of tomato sauce with ground beef on top of eggplant layer. Sprinkle 1/3 of mozzarella cheese on top of sauce layer. Repeat 2 more times, finishing with a layer of mozzarella cheese. 

Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Chorizo Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3/4 pound bulk chorizo sausage
• 1/2 cup cooked rice
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup taco sauce
• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 poblano peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 2 tablespoons taco sauce, or to taste
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir chorizo in hot oil until completely browned and broken into small pieces, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; stir rice, onion, 1/4 cup taco sauce, Cheddar cheese, and cumin with the chorizo until evenly mixed.
3. Fill poblano pepper halves with the chorizo mixture; place in a small casserole dish or a pie pan. Drizzle 1 tablespoon taco sauce over each pepper. Pour water into the bottom of the dish; cover loosely with aluminum foil.
4. Bake in preheated oven until peppers are tender, about 1 hour.

Simple Tomato Bruschetta / Bruschetta Simple de Jitomate

Simple Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients:

• 3-4 large heirloom tomatoes, chopped, or about 1.5 pounds of cherry tomatoes, quartered  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• about 10 basil leaves, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over grilled chicken, with crackers, as a simple pasta sauce, or over a green leafy salad.

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Bruschetta Simple de Jitomate

Ingredientes:

• 3-4 jitomates de reliquia grandes picados o alrededor de 1.5 libras de jitomates cereza, cortados en cuartos
• 2 dientes de ajo, picados
• 1 cucharada de aceite de olivo
• 1 cucharada de vinagre balsámico
• Aproximadamente 10 hojas de albahaca, picadas
• sal y pimienta al gusto

Procedimiento:

Combine todos los ingredientes en un tazón y mezcla bien. Añadir sal y pimienta al gusto. Servir con pollo a la parrilla, con galletas, como una simple salsa de pasta, o sobre una ensalada de hojas verdes.