Texas Caviar

Ingredients:
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 4 oz can diced green chilies
4 med tomatoes, diced
1 med green pepper, diced
1 white onion, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
juice of 4 limes
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 avocados, diced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine. :) Serve with tortilla chips.

Crockpot Southwestern Chicken

We have a winner!! Super easy, really fast(aside from crock pot time), very cheep and extremely yummy! And hardly any ingredients!!

I got this recipe from The Sisters Cafe (where I'm sure more will be tested and tasted) This is hearty enough for a full meal and yet you could serve it as a dip. Another meal that my ENTIRE family loved.

Ingredients:
1 small bag frozen corn
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 large frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used 3 because I wanted it meatier)
1 16-oz jar medium salsa
If desired, serve with any or all of the following:
shredded cheese
tortilla chips
sour cream
diced avocados
green onions

Directions:
Pour bag of frozen corn in bottom of crock pot. Place frozen chicken breasts on top of corn and cover with rinsed and drained black beans and jar of medium salsa. Cook on high for 1 hour, and then on low for 4 hours. Shred chicken with forks. Serve with tortilla chips and add toppings to individual servings.

I put this under the fast category because it literally took me 2 min to throw together.

Cheesy Chicken & Salsa Skillet

Sooo good! My kids loved it! Only takes as long as it takes to cook pasta!

Ingredients:

2 cups penne pasta, uncooked
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, but into bite size pieces
1 1/4 cups thick & chunky salsa
1 cup frozen corn, thawed (I used canned corn drained)
1 large green pepper cut into short thin strips
1 cup finely shredded 4 cheese mix

Directions:

Cook pasta

Heat large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 2 min. Stir in salsa, corn and peppers. Bring to boil. Simmer on medium-low heat 10 min or until chicken is done, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta. Add to chicken mixture; mix lightly. Top with cheese. Remove from heat; cover. Let stand 1 min or until cheese is melted.

serves 4

Salsa (Kara's)

Well, okay, so it's not MY salsa recipe. Josh actually got it from a friend, who I think got it from Smart Chopper. But hey, who actually makes up there own recipes? (Well I guess there are a few people, but not me. LOL)

2 medium tomatoes (quartered)
1/4 medium onion
4 sprigs cilantro
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp. garlic salt
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 jalapeno (1/3 for mild, 2/3 for medium, 1 for hot and spicy)

Put all ingredients in a food chopper and mix to consistency desired.

Canned Salsa

Someone was talking about a salsa they could can the other day (maybe Beth?). I got this recipe from my sister in law Sharon. I haven't made it yet, so if anyone makes it before me--let me know how it is. I thought I'd post it anyway because she is a really good cook and a super gardener/canner so it might be good and it sounds pretty easy.

22 large tomatoes (peeled)
5 large onions
6 cloves garlic
2 green peppers
10 jalepeno peppers
6 anaheim chilis
1 12oz. can tomato paste
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
1 cup vinegar
1 large bunch cilantro, chopped

Chop all vegetables (and tomatoes) as coarsely as you desire. (A food processor works great.) Place all ingredients in a very large pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 45 min. Place in pint jars and process in a hot water bath for 35 min. Makes 24 cups.

Salsa

Okay, here is my most excellent salsa recipe:

1 can chopped tomatoes (not sure how many fresh ones, maybe 2 or 3?)
1/2 onion
2 serrano peppers
1/4 green pepper
1 TBS lemon juice
1 TBS lime juice (or juice from 1/2 lime)
1 garlic clove
cilantro
oregano (I know, weird. But it's good)
salt

I dump the tomatoes in the blender, chop everything else and then mix in blender. Then I taste it to see what it needs.
I usually just sprinkle a bunch of oregano in, I sometimes put in green onions, too. Just taste it, usually it's either not hot enough (another jalepeno) or it needs more salt. If you take a whiff and you start coughing - it's hot enough!

Anyway, play around with it until it's how you like it. Just like how much cilantro you put in, it's personal taste! :) Ha ha.