Roasted Salsa Verde

This weekend, we will be in Oklahoma City for my mom-in-law's wedding! After ten years of being a self-sufficient widow and working in Braum's Market, Mom is at her cash register when Mr. Henson walks into Braum's, again, acting like he needs to make a purchase, but really wanting to strike up a conversation with her. Before he leaves, a dinner date has been made!

Any time we make plans to head beyond the Mississippi River, I get a strong hankering for TexMex Cantina Food! Last night, I food-prepped a crockpot of Vegetarian Pozole in which the recipe calls for roasting the tomatillos with onion, garlic and poblano peppers. That's when I was glad I had purchased an extra pound of tomatillos! The same ingredients are used for the salsa verde to top Forks Over Knives Portobello Mushroom Tacos in 2013; however, this time I roasted them in the oven under the broiler giving the dish a rustic flavor with the slight charring.

Don't be intimidated by the tomatillos. The husk is easy to unwrap from the green tomatillo which looks like an immature tomato and the skin is a smidge sticky. You want a firm tomatillo.

This recipe requires either a blender or a food processor.

ROASTED SALSA VERDE

Gather & Prep:
1 lb Tomatillos, husk and sliced in halves or quarters
1 large Yellow Onion, peeled, quartered and the layers separated
4 to 6 Garlic cloves (not the whole bulb, just the cloves on the bulb) peeled
2-3 Poblano Peppers or 1-2 Jalapeño Peppers, stemmed, seeded and either halved or quartered. You control how much or little heat you want.

Toss together in a large bowl with a drizzle of: 
2-3 tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
1 tablespoon Chili Powder

These ingredients are needed for the end processing:
1 bunch Cilantro
2 Limes, zested and juiced
opt: Mesquite or Hickory Liquid Smoke
opt: Salt

• Move oven rack to about 4-6 inches away from the top broiler.
• Turn oven's top broiler to 550*.
• Line baking sheet pan with foil.
• After you've tossed the veggies, together, with the oil mixture; pour veggies onto lined baking sheet.
• Place under the broiler and set timer to 5 minutes. Yes, it will smoke!
• After 5 minutes, pull rack and use tongs to turn over the tomatillos and all of the veggies to cook and char the opposite side.
• Set timer for 5-7 more minutes. You have control over how much charring you'd like!

While the veggies broil: 

• Chop the cilantro in halves or thirds to prevent the stems wrapping around the blades of the blender or processor.
• Zest and juice the limes

When the veggies are ready:

• Remove from the broiler and let cool for just a couple of minutes.
• When cool enough to handle, unpeel the foil from the edges of the sheet pan and use to funnel the veggies into your food processor or blender. **If using a blender, be sure to use a towel to hold the lid down. The warm veggies might build steam during the blending and explode the lid! Yes, I have had this happen!
• Add the cilantro, lime zest and juice to the food processor or blender with the veggies. 
• Optionally, this is when I add the splash of liquid smoke. I do not add salt until I taste the final product on a salted tortilla chip! Rarely do I ever add salt to salsa because of the salty chips.
• Pulse the food processor or blender until desired consistency.
• Enjoy immediately or pour into lidded container to place in fridge!

See?! Wasn't that easy?! You've unhusked the mystery to those cute, little tomatillos and made fresh, whole food for your family to "mmmmm" over! Fresh is best, especially when you control the ingredients! Let me know how your Roasted Salsa Verde turned out!

Tuesday Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas

Some days you just gotta have some cheesy, spicy (or not) Texican-Mexican flavor! Here's a super fast resolve to settle your inner longing for the Southwest when you are far, far away and "#7 Speedy Gonzalez" menu item will never suffice.

Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas

1/2 to 1 cup  bottled Roasted Red Bell Peppers, drained & sliced
1 tablespoon Mayonnaise (or Vegannaise)
1 cup + Colby Jack/Fiesta Blend or Sharp Cheddar, shredded
Cilantro, chopped
For heat: 1 Jalapeño Pepper, seeds & membrane removed, chopped OR
For heat: splashes of Sriracha, to taste
(optional: 1-2 splashes of Mesquite Liquid Smoke)
(optional: sauté one small onion, diced)
Flour Tortillas, size and flavor depends on you
Olive Oil or spray oil

• Drain Roasted Red Bell Peppers and slice into strips.
• In medium bowl, combine mayo, cheese, cilantro and chopped jalapeño. Stir in strips of sliced Roasted Red Bell Peppers.
• Heat skillet to medium to medium-high and lightly coat with oil.
• Spoon some of the cheese mixture onto one side of each tortilla. Then, fold tortillas in half.
• Slide the stuffed & folded tortilla onto the heated and prepared skillet for 3-4 minutes each side OR until cheese is melted and tortilla is toasted.
• Remove from skillet. Cut each tortilla in half or thirds to serve!

The breakfast twist on this recipe is to scramble one egg per tortilla. Spoon the cheese mixture and the scrambled egg onto one side of each tortilla and proceed with heating. Serve with salsa and additional cilantro! :)

Go play with your food!

2-on-Tuesday: Roasted Pepper & Corn with Quinoa

I needed a quick vegetarian, Tex-Mex-tasting, protein-packed filling for a tortilla or topping for a salad or I was gonna blow my nutrition budget!

To truly get the roasted effect I was craving, there should be gas in the grill. I didn't have time...I WAS HAWNGRY! I turned the oven up to 400 degrees at a medium broil, placed the orange bell pepper in the little cast iron skillet and monitored the roasting while occasionally turning the pepper with tongs.

Attempting to achieve a fire-roasted effect on the corn didn't pan out, too well. Will try, again, when the grill is fired up! I used what I cooked, but should have gone with fresh corn. Live and learn!

What I wanted was Chuy's Creamy Jalapeno Dip. What I opted for was a very ripe avocado partly diced and partly smooshed with shredded sharp cheddar to serve as the "creamy" binder for the recipe with a very large jalapeño chopped small for that bite I like! With the lime zest and juice, my hubby never suspected avocado was even near his mouth! (Sneaky wife stands smiling while hubby enjoys his tortilla!)

Cilantro is the star with quinoa receiving the supporting

role! You'll probably want to double or triple the entire recipe if serving a family.

Roasted Pepper & Corn with Quinoa!

1 cup cooked Quinoa
1 cup Corn
1 orange or red Bell Pepper, roasted, skinned, seeded & diced
4 Green or Spring Onions, sliced (I'm not fond of raw onions)
1 - 15 oz can Black Beans, drained & rinsed (I used half of the can)
1 bunch Cilantro, chopped
1-2 large Jalapeños, chopped small
1-2 very ripe Avocados, partly diced & partly smooshed with
1/2 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar
Zest and juice from 1-2 Limes
1 teaspoon ground Cumin or Adobo
Salt, to taste
Tortillas or salad greens

• Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well!
• If your quinoa is still warm, it will somewhat "melt" the very ripe avocado with shredded cheese!
• Remember, this is NOT an exact science, so add and subtract with what your mouth likes!
• Serve chilled over a bed of salad greens OR stuffed into a warm tortilla!

It curbed my hawnger in a nutritious way and there were left-overs for another meal! <cha-ching!>

#GoPlaywithYourFood