February 29: Cowboy Caviar

This is just a fancy name for “bean salsa." It is one of my favorites. 

1 15 oz can black beans, drained

1 12 oz can Mexicorn or shoe peg corn, drained

1 12 oz can Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained slightly

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

6 green onions, chopped

3 tomatoes, chopped and seeded

minced jalapeno peppers to taste

1 T garlic, minced or 1 tsp garlic powder

1 c bottled Italian dressing

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate at least 4 hours

to combine flavors. Serve with tortilla chips like salsa.

February 27: Heidi's Salsa

This recipe comes from Heidi's 10th grade cooking class. One doesn't expect a high school cooking class recipe to be good, but this one is a keeper. I especially like that you can use canned tomatoes, which I do a lot when there are not fresh tomatoes available.

4 medium tomatoes (1 can tomatoes)

1 jalapeno pepper

1/2 medium sweet onion

½ lg green pepper

Juice of 1 lime

1 clove garlic

1 tsp salt

3 T cilantro

4 oz tomato sauce

Wash tomatoes, peppers and onion. Chop them up.

Seed jalapeno and chop. Place all in blender. Pulse

until chunky or desired smoothness. Add tomato sauce

and lime juice. Pulse until mixed in.

February 26: Fresh Salsa

This is my all-time favorite salsa recipe. My mother-in-law gave it to me years ago and I have made it so many times. It is so simple you will not believe it can be so good. But it is!

About 6 tomatoes, chopped finely

1 green peppers, chopped finely

1 can green chilies, opt.

1 jalapeno, opt.

1/2-1 onion, chopped finely

Cilantro

Salt

February 25: Cashew Chicken Wraps

I love lettuce wraps. And love this one. I found it on Pinterest.

Stir fry Sauce:
2 TB soy sauce
1 TB rice vinegar
1 TB brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 TB sesame oil

For Cashew Chicken:
2 chicken breasts (about 3/4 lb total), diced
8 leaves of green leaf or ice burg lettuce
3 TB canola oil
1 c onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
21 tsp soy sauce
1./4 c cashews, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

For fry sauce:
Mix all ingredients making sure to dissolve brown sugar. Set aside.
For Cashew Chicken:
Heat canola oil in pan over medium to medium heat heat. Add diced chicken and brown (about 4-5 minutes.) Remove chicken from oil. Add onions, garlic and 1 tsp soy sauce to pan; brown. When onions are garlic are brown and tender, add stir fry sauce, browned chicken, and cashews. Saute mixture for a few minutes and remove from heat.
Spoon chicken mixture into individual lettuce leaves. Add your favorite hot sauce, more cashews or basil.

February 24: "American Style" Brown Rice and Bean Salad

I love this salad. I love its healthiness, I love how it smells when I am making it. I love its flavors.


2 oz dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight, then cooked and drained, or 1 can, drained
2 c cooked brown rice, cooked, rinsed and cooled
3 TB mayonnaise
3 TB cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 TB lemon juice
2 TB finely chopped parsley (no dried in this recipe)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 stalk celery, finely chopped

Combine the beans, rice, mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper and gently mix together. Set the mixture aside in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes and to give the beans and rice time to absorb the dressing. Toss in the carrot, green pepper, and celery and serve. 

February 23: Crispy Chicken Salad

Just a little salad I made up. It is one of Ian's favorites.

 Romaine lettuce
Crispy chicken, cooked and cut into chunks
cheddar cheese, grated
Boiled egg, sliced
Cherry tomatoes

Honey Mustard Dressing:
1 1/2 c mayonnaise
1/4 c honey
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c Dijon mustard
1/8 c chopped onions
1/2 c oil
Mix ingredients in blender and add oil slowly at the end.