Cinco (or actually Seis) de Mayo featuring: Salsa, Black Bean salad and Sopapilla Cheesecake

So, I had some end of the year parties to attend, and my own continued attempt at healthy, satisfying meals, so I made things both good for you to keep, and terrible, but delicious to take to parties.  :)  There is a restaurant here in town that makes salsa fresh at your table, and it is so good, and I crave it, so I have been attempting to copycat it, and I think I am really, really close!!!  With the black beans, I have created the recipe from black bean salad from World's Healthiest Foods, and I am adding some of the awesome benefits they have listed.  Finally, thanks to a friend, who shared this recipe on Facebook Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie, the combination of flavors....cheesecake and sugar....cinnamon, butter and sugar....(notice the running theme...dairy fat and sugar....) smells amazing and I am betting tastes super amazing!!!!  So party it up!!!!  Adios!!

                                                                    

Sara’s CopyCat Guadalajara Grill Salsa

 

12 oz canned plum tomatoes, and juice, diced up, or smashed up ( love, love LOVE, Trader Joes)

½ small sweet onion chopped

1/8 cup cilantro, chopped (or more…I like more)

I also added a little bit of fresh oregano and thyme from my garden

3 garlic cloves minced

2 dashes cumin

¼ tsp salt

1-2 (maybe 3 or 4)  chipotle in adobo, chopped

1 key lime juiced.

And because I had it in my garden, a small amount of fresh oregano and thyme

Small pinch of hot chipotle powder (found at Sunflower)

Mix together and test frequently, because it is pretty, tasty good!  

The Great Black Beans and Rice and Mango Salsa with Naan Experiment

That is a literal and figurative mouthful!!! So I had the afternoon off from my second job, which is awesome, I have so much work I need to finish, so instead, I decided to cook. A relative of mine(Thanks Brooke!http://youcangetfit.wordpress.com/) posted a black beans and rice on her blog not long ago, and I have made it regularly since then, and I had a mango and thought mango salsa would go splendidly with it. I like to eat it alone, with salsa, in a tortilla, or in a quesadilla, leftovers can be turned into tortilla soup. Lots of fabulous options. Today I am going to make a simple Naan to eat it with. It is all super simple, so that I can get some actual work done...bummer :( Eat on!! (mmmmm...I just ate it, all the flavors together is fantastic!!! The naan is an excellent holder, full of flavor and sweetness...did I mention this is really good?? mmmm...)

Black Beans and Rice, Spanish Style
from How To Cook Everything *with Sara modifications
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
* my addition, 2 carrots and celery chopped, two chipotle peppers in adobo, and remove after cooking, ½ cup sweet frozen kernel corn, 1 tbsp pinto bean seasoning from santa cruz chili factory and a chunk of ham.
1 tbsp minced garlic
¾ c dried black beans, washed, picked over, and soaked if you have time
1 ½ c long grain rice
1 c chopped tomato (canned is fine, include the juices)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ c chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
1. Put the oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low so that the mixture bubbles gently. Cover loosely and cook, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary, until the beans are about half-done—softening but still tough in the middle—about 40 minutes (an hour or more if you didn’t soak the beans at all). Heat the oven to 350 F.
2. Use an immersion blender or a potato masher to semipuree the beans in the pot (leave at least half unpureed). **I don’t always do that.
3. Stir in the rice, tomato, and a good amount of salt and pepper. (If you don’t want a crust to develop, cover the pot.) Bake in the oven until the rice and beans are tender, about an hour, adding a little water if needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve or store, covered(reheat and stir in a little water and olive oil just before serving).

 Mango Salsa

Ingredients

1 mango - peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
¼ red onion, chopped finely
½  fresh jalapeno chile pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions

1.                        In a medium bowl, mix mango, red bell pepper, onion, , jalapeno, lime juice. Cover, and allow to sit at least 30 minutes before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naan

Original Recipe Yield 14 servings

Ingredients

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

1.                       In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
2.                       Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
3.                       During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
4.                       At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

Tomatillo Salsa

I can't really show you the steps to this recipe...but it is a truly incredible recipe.  This is the most addicting salsa I know...and boy I know addicting salsas!  Anyway...I recieved my bountiful baskets mexican food pack full of peppers and tomatillos and so I had to make this fabulous salsa...I double dare you to make it, and then, see if you can stop eating it.   

Sweet Tomatillo Salsa

10 tomatillos, husked
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green chili roasted (or small can of diced green chilies)
1 green bell pepper roasted
1/2 jalapeno roasted
1/4 - 1/2 cup cilantro
1 lime juiced
3-4 tblspns brown sugar
2 tsps white sugar
salt to taste



Place tomatillos in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to boil. Simmer until tomatillos soften and begin to burst, about 10 minutes.

Drain tomatillos and place in a food processor or blender with roasted peppers. Add back to saucepan with remaining ingredients, except cilantro. Cook a short time, just until it boils. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.

See MoreHere is the link to bountiful baskets, if you are in the West, see if it is in your town, it is a cool program.  http://www.bountifulbaskets.org/

what is left of my bountiful basket pack after several salsas...