Chicken, Rice and Black-Bean Salad

Ooooh, this was yummy with a freshly roasted chicken, the last of the tomatoes and jalapeno peppers from the garden, and brown rice cooked using the method I just discovered that was featured in the September issue of the Martha Stewart Living magazine.  If I had closed my eyes, I would have thought I was at Chipotle's!!

Source:  adapted from Everyday Food magazine, June 2005

1 c. brown rice

1 cooked chicken (about 2 1/2 lbs.), shredded (about 4 c.)

1 can (15 1/2 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed

6 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced

1 jalapeno chile (seeds and ribs removed for less heat, if desired), minced

4 scallions, thinly sliced

cilantro, chopped

1/4 c. white-wine vinegar

3 T. olive oil

1/2 t. ground cumin

sea salt & ground pepper

Cook rice according to package instructions or Martha Stewart's food editors' "Better Brown Rice" method.  Spread on a baking sheet; refrigerate until cool.

Place cooled rice in a large bowl; add chicken, beans, tomatoes, jalapeno, scallions and cilantro.  Whisk together vinegar, olive oil, cumin, sea salt and pepper and pour over ingredients in bowl.  Toss to combine.

Pumpkin Black Bean Bake

Since I didn't have any fresh jalapeno peppers, cherry tomatoes or cilantro on hand from the garden, I decided not to make the Jalapeno-Olive Relish to go along with the recipe this time.  I'll keep it in mind for early next fall!

Source:  adapted from bhg.com

1 lb. ground beef

2 c. 1/2 " pieces of peeled pumpkin or winter squash

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 c. frozen whole kernel corn

1 4-oz. can diced green chiles

1 t. sea salt (or more, to taste)

1 8-1/2-oz. pkg. corn muffin mix

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 c. milk

1/3 c. pumpkin puree, or canned pumpkin

Jalapeno-Olive Relish (optional, see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 400 deg.  In a large skillet, cook ground beef, pumpkin and onion over medium heat until meat is browned and onion tender, breaking up ground beef with spoon; drain fat if necessary.  Stir in black bean, corn, chiles and salt.  Transfer mixture to a 2-1/2 qt. baking dish.

In a medium bowl, stir together corn muffin mix, egg, milk and pumpkin puree until just combined.  Spoon over beef mixture.

Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cornbread topping comes out clean.  Serve with Jalapeno-Olive Relish, if desired.

Jalapeno-Olive Relish

1/4 c. halved pitted green olives

1-2 jalapeno peppers, sliced

6 cherry tomatoes, quartered

1-2 T. snipped fresh cilantro

In a small bowl, combine above ingredients.


Serves 6.

Cilantro Pesto

I still have a bunch of cilantro in the refrigerator that I wanted to use up (it keeps great, by the way!), so I thought I'd try making some pesto with it this evening.  Blech!!!  I had several recipes, all different, so I tried tweaking it by using a second recipe.  Blech again!  Then, I started over with a new recipe that used half cilantro and half parsley.  Better, but I don't think I'm going to waste any more time (or olive oil!) trying to perfect the recipe, especially since I have a fabulous Parsley Pesto recipe that I discovered last fall.  To stay on the up and up, I'll wait to post it until I actually make a batch this year.  :)
But hey, if you have a Cilantro Pesto recipe that you like, please let me know!

Corn & Black Bean Salad

Too simple!

Lettuce or Swiss Chard, torn

Green onion, sliced

Canned or frozen corn

Canned, seasoned black beans

Cilantro, chopped

Tortilla chips, crumbled (optional)

Dressing:

Salsa

Taco Salad

Don't forget to make this salad while fresh lettuce is in season!

assorted leaf lettuces, spinach and Swiss chard

cilantro, snipped with scissors

green onions, sliced

1 lb. ground beef, seasoned with taco seasoning mix (follow directions on packet)

shredded cheese (optional)

taco chips (optional)

Dressing:

home-canned salsa mixed with Greek yogurt

Cilantro, Tomato, Corn & Black Bean Salad

Source: adapted from recipe in Darrenkamp's sales flyer

3 ears fresh corn, cooked and sliced off cobs (or equivalent amount of frozen corn)

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

1 can seasoned black beans, drained

red or green bell pepper, chopped (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mix above ingredients and servc!