Isn't it tragic when you're rushed, hungry, and eating an hour later than you meant to so you end up taking a terrible picture of some wonderful food?  It is to me because I look at this picture and think, "This isn't going to make anyone rush home to whip this up."

But you should.  You really, really should.

If you like black beans at all.  If you like smoky cumin-spiced dinners.  

If you like the tangy flavors of cilantro and lime melded into fresh, crunchy vegetables that sit atop all that smoky, black bean goodness.  

And you should.  You really, really should.  Like all those things I just talked about. 

Chicken and Black Bean Tostadas

Taken from Food Network Magazine

Serves 4

• 1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for frying
• 4 corn tortillas, preferably white
• Kosher salt
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ancho chili paste or adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 cups finely shredded green or red cabbage
• 1 bunch radishes (about 6), julienned
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 rotisserie chicken, skinned and shredded into large pieces

I'm in love with black beans.  Love, love them.  And here it is much, much cheaper to buy them dried and cook them myself.  So when I buy black beans I make the whole bag and then we have black beans for a long, long time.  This is not a problem for me or for Canaan, who likes to eat them like raisins.  

I also love, love mexican food.  Especially when I'm pregnant.  Mexican food that involves black beans?  You just can't go wrong.  

I also love, love chopping vegetables.  One of my favorite kitchen activities.  Is that weird?  I really like chopping peppers and onions, neither of which I particularly like to eat.  But to chop.  Yes.  I like to.

This salad is pretty much like therapy for me I guess.

Aside from all those other loves it was pretty dern good to eat.  Refreshing, light, but packed with flavors and punch with cilantro cascading over top and bright limes and smoky cumin mixing into each vegetable through the dressing.

And for people who care about this kind of stuff, because I know this house definitely doesn't but we have an ever-expanding circle that does, it's a naturally and easy gluten-free meal.

Chopped Mexican Salad with Roasted Peppers, Corn, Tomatoes, and Avocado

Adapted from Fine Cooking 79, p. 57

Finding mexican chorizo was my grocery-store adventure for the week.  They had all the spanish chorizo I could ever want (note: must put paella on my "to cook" list) but nothing labeled mexican chorizo.  No matter, I asked the deli man.  He had never heard of mexican chorizo, but picked up almost each type of sausage telling me, "This one is delicious."  I tried to describe to him what made chorizo mexican.  He scratched his head and shrugged and again pointed to almost everything in the display case.  I picked one that looked red and that he assured me was crumbly and that was that.

It's not mexican chorizo, but it's close.  Close enough for me to tell you that this recipe would be equally delicious with mexican chorizo.  But then a warm taco filled with almost anything works for me for a quick, weeknight dinner.

Chorizo, Potato, and Mushroom Tacos

Taken from pinkparsleycatering, originally from Rick Bayless, Mexican Everyday

Serves 4

12 ounces fresh Mexican chorizo, casings removed
1 medium white onion, halved and sliced into rings
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced about 1/2 inch thick
12 ounces potato, grated on the large holes of a grater (red skin, yukon gold, or russet) (I didn't grate my potatoes.  I used halved baby potatoes and put them in the microwave for just a few minutes before adding them to the pan at the appropriate time.)
salt
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
12 warm corn tortillas
about 3/4 cup Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Crumble the chorizo into a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat.  Cook, stirring often to break up large clumps, until some of the fat starts to render and the sausage looks half-cooked, about 4 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the onions and mushrooms.  Cook, stirring constantly, until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
Sprinkle the grated potato over the mixture, and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 3 minutes, stirring often.  Reduce the temperature if the potatoes start to brown before they soften.  Taste and season if necessary - some chorizo is seasoned highly.
Scrape the mixture into a serving bowl and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro.   Serve with warm tortillas and salsa.

We like to get our fajita on regularly in this household.  Many times that means cleaning out the leftover meat in the fridge and combining it with a homemade fajita spice mix.  Fajita spices can save almost any bland or tough meat when you let the flavors marry in a skillet for a bit and you're left with tasty, tasty fare whether you liked the original meat or not.

Sometimes fajitas have nothing to do with salvaging leftovers and everything to do with the fact that we just love almost anything rolled up in a tortilla.  These fajitas are no exception because not only did we love them, but they prove my point that almost anything rolled in a tortilla is delicious.  Sweet potatoes for example.  Sweet potatoes that I normally eat dutifully because they are good for me but not because I like that oddly sweet starch.  But these fajitas can make me look forward to sweet potatoes.  And poblanos and chorizo because everything in this roll-up is delicious.

Chorizo, Poblano, and Yam Fajitas with Lime-Marinated Red Onions

Adapted from epicurious.com

Yield: 4 servings

1.5 cups paper-thin slices red onions

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 cups 1/2-inch-thick sticks peeled yam (red-skinned sweet potato)

12 to 14 ounces hard chorizo or andouille sausage

2 fresh poblano chiles,* halved, seeded, cut into thin strips

8 7- to 8-inch-diameter flour tortillas

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Toss onions and generous sprinkle of salt in medium bowl. Mix in lime juice. Set aside to marinate, tossing occasionally.

Meanwhile, place yam in microwave-safe bowl. Add splash of water. Cover; cook on high until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Sauté chorizo in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. Transfer chorizo to bowl or plate.  Add chiles to skillet along with a splash of evoo if chorizo has not created much oil. Cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Drain yam; transfer to skillet. Add chorizo and toss 1 minute to rewarm filling.

Cook 1 tortilla at a time directly over gas flame or in skillet until heated, 10 to 15 seconds per side.

Arrange tortillas on work surface. Spoon filling in strip down center of each. Top with cheese, onions, and sprinkle of lime marinade. Fold in sides of tortillas.

Shrimp and havarti quesadillas?  Um YES.

Perfectly cooked shrimp, sauteed mushrooms, my favorite cheese, and a bit of sweetness from the apricot preserves.  Um YES.  YES. YES.  YES.  Make these.  And you will be happy.

(And dinner will be on the table in 10-15 minutes.)

Havarti Shrimp Quesadillas

From Taste of Home June/July 2010, p. 22

Prep/Total Time: 25 min.

Yield: 2 dozen

1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, chopped

1 T. canola oil

1 T. butter

6 T. apricot preserves

6 flour tortillas (10 in.)

6 oz. Havarti cheese, thinly sliced

1/2 lb. cooked peeled deveined shrimp, chopped

2 T. butter, melted

In a large skillet, saute mushrooms in oil and butter until tender.  Spread 1 T. preserves over half of each tortilla; top with cheese, shrimp and mushrooms.  Fold tortillas over.  Brush both sides with melted butter.

Grill quesadillas, uncovered, over medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese is melted.  Cut each quesadilla into four wedges.  Serve warm.

Eggs!  Eggs have become one of my new best friends since I started eating for two.  While frozen chicken breasts and pork chops languish undisturbed in my freezer for months, I’m getting my protein fill from breakfast foods.  And seeing as how I’ve been in love with Mexican food my whole life and now even more than EVER, Mexican eggs sounded like a scrumptious dinner treat.

They were.  They are.  We ate it.  It’s gone.  It was delicious.

And.  I poached my very first egg for this recipe, having just witnessed the triumph of this same scene from the movie Julie and Julia.  I’ve poached and conquered.  I’ll likely poach again.

Masa Corn Cakes with Poached Eggs
Originally from Food Network Magazine
Cook Time: 30 minutes, Yield: 4 Servings

For the Salsa:
2 large ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound), finely diced
1/4 small white or red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt

For the Corn Cakes and Eggs:
2 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced
2 cups masa harina corn flour
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 large eggs
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 Hass avocado, chopped, for garnish

Make the salsa: Combine the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Make the corn cakes: Warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat just until the butter melts. Combine the masa harina, 1 teaspoon salt, the sugar and queso fresco in a large bowl. Stir in the milk mixture to make a soft dough. Scoop the dough into 8 portions (about 1/4 cup each) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with another sheet of parchment; press a pan on top to flatten into disks.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the corn cakes until crisp and golden on the bottom, about 3 1/2 minutes; flip, press lightly with a spatula and cook until golden on the other side. Continue with the remaining cakes, adding more oil as needed. Season the cakes with salt; place on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you poach the eggs.

Bring a deep pan of water to a simmer over medium-low heat; add the vinegar. Poach the eggs.

Divide the corn cakes among 4 plates; top each cake with a poached egg, salsa and cheese; serve with avocado.

Lately it’s been like a Mexican fiesta at our house: carnitas, gorditas, burritos, Mexican lasagna, corn and avocado salsa and most recently chilaquiles.  I’ve been holding out on you I guess with the lack of photographs of these goodies.  But Nate urged me to record these chilaquiles in photographic history.

This is a traditional Mexican dish that I’ve never put my hands into, but my co-workers’ love for it left me ready to try when the Mexican craving hit.  (These things always come in waves for me and Nate never complains when it’s Mexican I fancy.)  It turns out this is a perfect weeknight meal with all of its rustic ease of preparation.  And even more perfect because it’s spicy and it’s Mexican and I love both.

Chilaquiles with Chorizo

Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Cook time: 30 minutes   Yield: 4 serving

First make the Stovetop Salsa:

5 Roma tomatoes

1 large yellow onion, root removed, peeled, and halved

½ or 1 jalapeno, stemmed (depending on preference and heat of particular jalapeno)

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium stock pot, place the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, and garlic and cover with 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil over high heat and let cook 5 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a blender and puree until smooth with the cilantro and salt. If the salsa is too thick (it should have the consistency of a very thick soup), add a little of the cooking liquid. Check seasoning and add additional salt, if necessary, and pepper, to taste.

While the salsa vegetables are boiling:

Remove 6 oz. Mexican-style chorizo from its casing by splitting 1 end and squeezing out the meat. In a large heavy-bottomed high-sided saute pan, fry the chorizo until it is grainy but still soft, about 4 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to break up the meat and prevent a crust from forming on the bottom of the pan. Set aside and keep hot.

5 c. Mexican-style tortilla chips

4 ounces Cheddar, grated

4 ounces Monterey Jack, grated

1/2 cup sour cream

1 small red onion, finely diced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Once salsa has been blended, return it to the same stock pot and heat until boiling.  Add about half of the tortilla chips to the pot and stir to coat with the salsa, then cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add remaining chips, stir to coat with the salsa, and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 to 5 additional minutes. There should be a nice mix of very soft and still slightly crunchy chips when the chilaquiles are finished. Remove from the heat and use a slotted spoon or tongs to heap generous portions into each of 4 bowls. While still piping hot, top with the grated Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, chorizo, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkling of red onion and cilantro. Serve hot with Guacamole on the side.

*For added protein, we added a soft set egg to each plate.  From co-workers reports this is often a part of this traditional meal as well.

This meal comes together quickly and smoothly, as long as you set up your dredging stations ahead of time.  I HATE when I cut up chicken and then have to wash my hands to dole out flour and spices onto separate places, only to re-chicken gunk my hands when I go to do the dipping and patting.  Every time this happens to me (like recently when I was cooking with Kim and threw out an egg yolk only find I needed an extra egg yolk later on in the recipe) I can just hear my mom in my head saying, “Well, didn’t you read the whole recipe before starting?”  No mom, I didn’t.  I am a Home Ec failure.

Making this recipe I managed to avoid that internal monologue, only to have it replaced by the one where she says, “Didn’t you know to wash your hands right after cutting jalapenos?”  Yes mom, I did know but that doesn’t mean I did it and it doesn’t stop my upper lip from burning now.  My mom speaks to me often in the kitchen, despite the fact that I pretty much refused to have anything to do with cooking anything other than Chocolate Chip Cookies growing up.  Does your mom speak to you?  Does it happen anywhere specific?  Well, I am speaking to you to say “Go make this recipe now!  It’s good.”  (*unless you are my mother-in-law and then you shouldn’t because one bite of this and you will faint from spice).

Tex-Mex Chicken with Chiles and Cheese

Originally adapted from Fine Cooking 99, p. 86.  I lowered the amount of butter and upped the amount of corn because we like corn and I wasn’t serving no carb-heavy side dish! Next time I’d add even more so there.

Serves 4.

1-1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1-1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

1 medium jalapeño, seeded if desired and thinly sliced

1 large clove garlic, minced

2–3 medium limes, 1 or 2 juiced to yield 3 Tbs. and 1 cut into wedges

1 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano

1 cup grated sharp Cheddar

Position a rack about 4 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Toss the chicken with the chili powder, cumin, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Lightly dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off any excess.

Melt 1-1/2 Tbs. of the butter in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 Tbs. butter, the corn, jalapeño, garlic, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring, until the corn begins to brown lightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken, lime juice, oregano, and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring, until the chicken is just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the Cheddar and transfer the skillet to the broiler. Broil until the cheese melts and browns on top, about 3 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.