Southwestern Bean Soup with Cornmeal Dumplings

I've had the intention of trying this recipe for weeks now, and for one reason or another, it kept not getting made. Finally this weekend, the time was right. We've all been sick around here (again!) and were needing some some soup, plus my non meat eating mother-in-law was going to be coming over and eating with us, but I wasn't sure when. A comforting bean and vegetable soup, cooked in the slow cooker, was the perfect choice.

I did alter the soup a good bit to suit my own personal preferences but made the cornmeal dumplings exactly as the recipe directed. It was the dumplings that drew me to this soup in the first place, and honestly we were a little divided on the outcome. I enjoyed them and thought they were a fun touch, my toddler really liked them, and for my mother-in-law, they were were the best part. Then you have Sage, who didn't care for them at all (but isn't really a dumpling kind of guy to begin with).

In any case, dumplings or not, I thought this was an absolutely wonderful soup. Easy, comforting, good for you and just really delicious- every thing you could want when you are feeling under the weather, or even if you are not.


Southwestern Bean Soup with Cornmeal Dumplings
adapted from Better Homes and Garden Crockery Cooking
as found on The Cook and the Dishwasher
serves 6

This soup could be garnished with any of your favorite taco toppings- cheeses, sour cream or greek yogurt, avocado, diced tomatoes, cilantro, etc. I went with sharp cheddar and sour cream, but was too lazy to garnish the leftovers and thought it was just as good all by itself.

for the soup:
2 1/4 cup vegetable stock
3/4 cup water
1 (15.5) can of dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5) can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5) oz can of diced tomatoes with mild chiles
1 cup frozen corn
3 medium-large carrots, sliced (2 cups)
1/2 large red onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 celery rib, diced (1/4 cup)
2 large cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

for the dumplings:
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
fresh ground pepper
1 egg white
2 tbsp reduced fat milk
1 tbsp canola oil

Combine all soup ingredients in a slow cooker, and season with salt and pepper. Cook on high for 3 1/2-4 hours (or on low for 7-8). Taste and adjust salt, if necessary.

For the dumplings, mix the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and several grinds of pepper in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, beat together remaining dumpling ingredients. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, but do not over-mix.

Drop the dumplings into the slow cooker in 6 mounds, atop the soup. Cook for an additional 20 minutes on high (30 on low) without opening the lid during this time. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in center of dumpling; it should come out dry.

Ladle soup into serving bowl, topping each one with a dumpling. Garnish as desired.

Black Bean and Veggie Pasta

I seriously LOVE Southwestern/Mexican/Tex-Mex flavors. Especially when they are loaded full of veggies and beans, and minus the meat. A little over a month ago, I had a craving for such a meal, but we didn't have any tortillas. Using pasta instead, I put together a quick and easy dinner that wound up being something pretty great. I took some pictures, but like most throw-together type pasta dishes, they weren't anything special and I decided not to blog about it.

A few days ago, I was deleting a bunch of old pictures off the computer (so Sage wouldn't be able to give me a hard time for having more pictures of food on my laptop than our child,) and I came across the ones from that pasta dish and remembered how delicious it was.

Yesterday, we were coming home from a friend's house, and I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner. It had to be 1) Quick- Sage was starving, and 2) Meatless- I had nothing defrosted. I decided to revisit that meal, and share it this time.

The original had green pepper, only yellow squash, a scant amount of cheese and was topped with light sour cream (or maybe greek yogurt, I can't remember.) This time, I used a orange pepper, added zucchini, increased the cheese, and topped it with diced avocado. Both, delicious, filling, and quick and easy- great for a week night.

Black Bean and Veggie Pasta

3 cups uncooked wheat or multi-grain rotini

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 medium bell pepper, any color, diced

2 yellow squash, diced

1 zucchini, diced

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 tsp ground coriander

1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14 oz.) can of diced tomatoes with mild green chilies

3/4 cup frozen corn, rinsed under water to partially defrost

2 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, cut into pieces

3/4 cup shredded 2% sharp cheddar cheese

sour cream/yogurt, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, etc., for serving

Cook pasta until just al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and peppers and saute for a couple of minutes. Add squash and zucchini and season with salt, pepper and coriander, cooking for 3-4 minutes or until squash and zucchini are becoming tender.

Stir in black beans, tomatoes with chilies, and corn. Scatter in pieces of cream cheese, and stir until cream cheese is melted throughout. Combine with cooked rotini.

Top with shredded cheese, cover skillet and turn off heat OR transfer into a casserole dish, top with cheese, and place under preheated broiler for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with desired accompaniments.

Grilled Chicken Soft Tacos with Fresh Tomato-Corn Salsa

What perfect tacos for warm weather! Quick, easy and so fresh tasting. I originally had intentions of marinating the chicken, but when I didn't get around to it, I went with a simple dry rub that I came up with just by browsing my spice drawer. The seasoned chicken paired so nicely with the delicious fresh salsa that can be put together in minutes while the chicken is on the grill.

If I'd had it I would've used fresh corn from the cob in the salsa, but thawed frozen kernels work just fine (if you're like me and had way too much produce in the basket already by the time you reached the corn.) Do your self a favor and double or triple the salsa recipe because the leftovers are delicious with multi-grain tortilla chips!

For the dry rub:
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp onion powder
fresh ground pepper

For the salsa:
2 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup diced red onion, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
juice from half of a lime
1/8 tsp kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
cooking spray
small flour or corn tortillas (I used low-carb flour ones)
crumbled queso fresco or shredded cheddar
diced avocado
chopped lettuce

Combine all of the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl. Rub a quarter of the mixture on each side of the chicken breasts. Spray the chicken lightly with cooking spray and grill over medium-direct heat for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. Transfer to a cutting board and slice.

Meanwhile, combine all salsa ingredients. This can also be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use.

Assemble tacos by topping tortillas with sliced chicken, tomato-corn salsa, cheese, lettuce and avocado.

Avocado Dressing

Growing up, I was lucky enough to have a giant Haas avocado tree growing in my front yard. I thought nothing of having half an avocado served along with my dinner, or the ability to make myself guacamole by simply walking as far as my driveway. We gave them away by the bagfuls and yet there were always more than enough for us. The tree, unfortunately, quit producing fruit a few years back, so now days, I have to buy mine at the grocery store. They most often are rock hard, and there's no guarantee they will become ripe enough to eat before they began to go bad.

But we love avocados in our house, so we are willing to take that chance. The other day, Sage found a ready-to-eat one at the grocery, and I decided instead of just putting it on my salad, I'd make a dressing using it as the base. Since it was enough to dress a few lunch-sized salads, I tried it two ways- twice I had it on a bed of spring greens with a variety of vegetables and then on a salad similar to the one I've had in the past at a local Mexican restaurant. Their Avocado Salad comes with mixed greens (heavy on the iceberg and romaine) tossed in the dressing, and topped with tomatoes, cheddar, and chunks of avocado. (You can also have it with chicken or shrimp, if you so desire.)

I did enjoy it both ways, but I'd say I preferred it the Mexican way. Probably just because the dressing compliments the sharp cheddar so well, and because it had even more avocado on it. It held up well for several days in the fridge, although it did really thicken up. I just added a little water to thin it, but flavor wise it tasted the same freshly made as it did three days later when I had the last of it.

Avocado Dressing

1 ripe Haas avocado

juice from 1/2 lemon (I got about a tbsp and a half)

1 garlic clove, pressed

3-4 tbsp lite sour cream

1 tbsp water

cayenne pepper, to taste

1/4 tsp kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Mash avocado in a small bowl. Add lemon juice and garlic. Mix well.

Stir in 3 tbsp sour cream, water, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary. Add the additional sour cream if too acidic.

Use immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Southwestern Quinoa & Kidney Bean Soup

Homemade soup is a go-to for me when I feel the need to eat something healthy. I just love how you can make something good for you and yet delicious by cleaning out your produce drawer and pantry. This vibrantly colored and tasty soup was exactly what I needed after a few days of not-quite so-healthy dinners spent with family.

While this soup contains many ingredients I often put in my soups, there were a few things that set this one apart. I don't believe I have ever used quinoa in a soup before and I was really pleased with the outcome. Kidney beans took the place of the typical black beans I tend to use with Southwestern/Mexican flavors. It just happened to be what I had on hand, but I found I loved them in this. Since the little guy is very sensitive to spicy food, I made this mild in heat- if I was making this for just me, I would've added in a jalapeno- but it was still full of flavor.

This might've just been a feel-better-about-what-I'm-eating type of meal, but it is definitely worth making again. Not only was it quick to make, it also yields a nice amount and the leftovers are just as delicious.

If going without meat isn't your thing, you could easily add cooked chicken along with or in place of the beans, but it's quite substantial as is.

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, well rinsed
1 cup water
1 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (32 oz.) carton vegetable broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, with mild green chiles
1 (15.5 oz.) can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1 tsp corriander
1 tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
diced avocado and shredded sharp cheddar, for serving

Bring quinoa and water to boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 12 minutes . Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a stock pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onion and peppers. Season with salt and pepper and saute until vegetables are becoming soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Add broth, tomatoes with their juices, beans, corn, corriander, cumin and bay leaf. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Remove baf leaf. Stir in cooked quinoa and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings (especially salt) if needed.

Garnish indvidual bowls with avocado and cheese.

Black Bean Tortilla Casserole

I know the humble casserole sometimes gets a bum rap, but I am a fan. I had black beans and tortillas on hand and wanted to make some kind of layered casserole with them. I knew I could find what I was looking for on Cooking This And That, because she has tons of Mexican/Southwest dishes as well lots of casseroles, bakes and other one-dish meals. Sure enough, I found this delicious casserole.

Sage has been really good about eating meatless meals more than half of the time, so I considered adding some chicken to this for him, but ultimately I decided to take Colleen's word that in this dish he wouldn't miss the meat. She was absolutely correct- Sage agreed afterward that it was perfect as is. I did add some green pepper to it and made a few changes to get it fit the size casserole dish I had. I had flour tortillas instead of corn, but they worked great. We really liked this and will definitely make it again.

adapted slightly from Cooking This And That,
originally from Reading, 'Riting & Recipes, serves 6
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 (10 oz.) can of Rotel tomatoes (I used mild)
1 cup salsa (or picante) sauce
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 (15 oz.) cans reduced sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
4 oz. low fat cream cheese
3 (10 in) flour tortillas, cut into quarters
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used 2% mild cheddar)
sour cream, lettuce, gaucamole, etc., for topping (I intended on using more than just sour cream, but that's what we wound up with, and it didn't seem lacking)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a skillet, heat oil and over medium heat. Saute onion and green pepper until soft. Add tomatoes, salsa and cumin and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in beans. Add cream cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat.

Spray 11x7 casserole dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/4 of bean mixture on bottom of pan. Next layer 4 quarters of tortilla over beans, with curved edges on the outsides, and pointed edges slightly overlapping. Spread another 1/4 of bean mixture over top and cover with 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat layering tortillas, bean mixture and cheese two more times, ending with cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with desired toppings.

Ground Chicken and Veggie Tacos

You might be thinking, really? A taco recipe? I know, other than a recipe for homemade taco seasoning, I've never used any kind of recipe for tacos. I mean, people who can't cook can manage tacos. But I saw this in the Dec./Jan. issue of Taste of Home and it just sounding worth trying. Mainly because I prefer ground turkey in my Mexican food, and Sage prefers sliced chicken breast. I thought this would be a perfect compromise. I also loved how the ground meat mixture included veggies like shredded carrot, diced green peppers and fresh tomotoes.

This was quite tasty, pretty healthy, easy to make, and a nice change from your everyday tacos. The original title was Spicy Ground Chicken Tacos, but I didn't find them spicy at all. The were rather sweet, so next time, I'd probably cut back the brown sugar a little and maybe add in a little cayenne pepper. As I was making them, I kept thinking how this probably could be adapted to a vegetarian recipe by omiting the chicken, bulking up the veggies, and serving with black or pinto beans on the side. Usually I would've halved this recipe, as makes 8 servings, but I thought it would make perfect leftovers for the hubby and kid, while I'm having a girl's night out dinner.

slightly adapted from Taste of Home, Dec./Jan. issue

3 boneless skinless chicken breast (about 1 1/2 lbs.)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1/2 large green pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 large carrot

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp ground cumin

freshly ground black pepper

For assembly:

8 (7 in.) whole grain flour tortillas

3-4 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped

shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar

reduced fat sour cream

Add chicken breasts to processor and pulse until ground. (Or purchase 1 1/2 lbs. already-ground chicken breasts and skip this step.)

Heat oil in large skillet. Add ground chicken, onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink. Drain off any excess liquid.

Add 2 of the diced tomatoes, carrot, ketchup, chili powder, vinegar, brown sugar, cumin and black pepper. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 10 minute, stirring occasionally.

If mixture is too saucy, simmer uncovered for a few minutes., until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.

To assemble: Top tortilla with some of the romaine. Spoon 1/8 of the chicken mixture, and top with cheese, tomatoes and sour cream. Tuck one end in and roll up.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

My cousin was having a Fiesta last night. I love Mexican food, Margaritas and Coronas so I was pretty excited. Sage was making his awesome guacamole, but I wanted to bring something too.

I rummaged around in the fridge and the pantry, and just started putting stuff together and came up with this light and flavorful salad. This could also be served as more of a salsa than a side dish. I saw several party goers putting it in their tacos, but I'm sure it would be delicious eaten with tortilla chips, too.

I didn't measure out my seasonings, because I think its best to determine by taste, especially because salsa can vary in flavor and heat so much. Another nice addition would be red onion, but pregnancy left me unable to eat raw onion. I think it would look pretty in ths already colorful dish though.

1 (14.5 oz. can) diced tomatoes with mild green chiles, drained

1 (15.5 oz. can) black beans, drained and rinsed

2/3 cup frozen corn (or more, that's all I had)

2 gloves garlic, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup salsa

Juice of half a lime

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

1/4 tbsp sugar

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

cumin, to taste

red pepper flakes, to taste

Combine tomatoes, beans, corn, garlic, peppers, and salsa. Add lime juice, cilantro, sugar and seasonings to taste. Chill for at least several hours. Taste before serving and adjust seasonings if neccessary.

Black Bean and Corn Quesadilla

Due to a Fantasy Football Draft, it was just me and the little one for dinner last night. Since he's not much of a meat eater, and I'm just as happy with a meatless meal, that part was a given. I had some leftover tortillas so I decided on quesadillas because they are easy for Beckett to eat.

Since my goal was to make these kid-friendly, they aren't spicey as written. I add red pepper flakes to mine and served them with chiptole salsa and pickled jalapenos. The filling could easily be stretched to make three servings, but since I wasn't serving them with a side, I wanted them to be quite substantial. As a result, they were a little hard for Beckett to handle, so he just ate the filling with a fork. Oh well- he still ate all of the insides!

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 cloved garlic, minced

1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 can (15.5 oz.) black beans, rinsed and partially mashed

1/2 tomato, diced (about 1/2 cup)

2 tbsp lite cream cheese

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

fresh ground pepper

red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

cooking spray

2 large flour tortillas

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar, divided

1. Heat oil in saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is becoming soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add corn, beans, tomatoes, cream cheese and spices. Stir to combine and cook for about two minutes. Set aside.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and add one tortilla. Sprinkle half of cheese on half of tortilla. Gently top with half of bean mixture, and fold tortilla over. When bottom side is toasted (about 1 minute or two) flip and cook for another minute or two.

3. Repeat procedure with remaining ingredients. Serve with your toppings such as salsa and/or sour cream.

Tequila-Lime Marinated Chicken Burritos & Sage's Guacamole

We had stuff to make burritos, and it just so happened I thought ahead a few hours and was able to marinate the chicken. Usually I'm waiting on something to finish defrosting so I can start cooking.

I threw together a marinade that included tequila and lime juice- and wow, did it make the chicken delicious! Of course, we had ours in burritos, but it would also be just as great by itself. Sage also made a batch of his guacamole, which everyone always loves. This was an easy and yummy dinner.

Tequila-Lime Marinated Chicken Burritos
juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tequila
1/4 cup onion, choppped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
fresh ground pepper & sea salt

2 large chicken breasts

1. In a large ziplock baggie, combine all marinade ingredients. Add chicken breats, turn to coat. Marinate for 4 hours, turning once.
2. Grill over medium-high direct heat until chicken is no longer pink inside, about 6 minutes on each side.
3. Slice breast into strips and serve in a tortilla with your favorite fixings.

We had ours with pepper jack cheese, organic chipotle salsa, diced tomato, Sage's guacamole (recipe below,) sour cream and cilantro. It would've been great with refried beans or black beans, but I didn't have any.

Sage's Guacamole
2 Haas avocado, diced
juice from 1/2 lime
1 lg. roma tomato, chopped
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
fresh ground pepper
2 pinches of kosher salt

1. Mix all ingredients well. Avocado will break down some as its stirred, but do not mash.

Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sauce & Creamy Corn and Avocado Salad

We had a few avocados that needed to be eaten, so I decided we should have something Mexican for dinner. On the wonderful food blog, A Year in the Kitchen, I found a recipe for a corn and avocado salad that sounded tasty.

I was trying to decide about what to pair the salad with and began thinking of the Mexican restaurant I used to hostess at. They had the best fish tacos, and no matter where I go, no one else's ever compare. They had grilled- not fried- fish, a creamy white sauce, and a fish taco must- shredded cabbage.

I came up with this recipe, and while its not the same, it was great, as was the salad. This light, delicious meal went great with an icy Corona Light. As a shortcut, I bought pre-shredded cabbage, and the entire meal came together quickly. We were out of propane, so we broiled the fish, but it would've been great on the grill, too.

Fish Taco with Cilantro Lime Sauce (makes 4 tacos)

2 Large Tilapia Filet

olive oil

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

sauce:

3 tbsp lite sour cream

2 tbsp lite mayo (I use the kind with olive oil)

1/4 fresh jalapeno, minced

1 tsp minced cilantro

Juice of half a lime

4 small flour tortillas

1/2 of an avocado, sliced

1/2 of a small tomato, diced

1 cup shredded cabbage

1. Place fish in glass baking dish. Brush both sides with oil.

2. Mix dry spices together and brush on top of fish.

3. Broil for about 7 minutes, flipping halfway though. Fish is done when no longer opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Transfer to a plate and cut into bite size pieces.

4. Meanwhile, in small bowl, blend sauce ingredients.

5. Fill each tortilla with fish, cabbage, avocado and tomato. Top with sauce.

Creamy Corn and Avocado Salad (from the blog A Year in the Kitchen)

1 c. frozen corn kernels, defrosted but cold*
1 avocado, diced (mine were small, so I used 1 and a half)
1/4 red onion, minced (I omitted, due to preference)
1 tbsp. minced cilantro
1/4 jalapeno, minced
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper

1. Add corn, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, salt and pepper to a bowl. Mix well.
2. Gently fold in avocado, being careful not break it up too much. Keep chilled until serving.

*This recipe says to defrost corn and leave cold. The bag of corn I had said all over it MUST COOK FULLY. Since I am a scaredy cat when it comes to food, I cooked mine first, and let it fully chill before proceeding. This was probably a completely unneccesary step.