Warm Seven-Layer Skillet Dip

I planned our Super Bowl menu around this dip. Thankfully, it was very well received! I served it in the skillet and we scooped it out onto individual plates to gobble up with tortilla chips. Some chips may have also been dipped directly into the pan. 😉

The recipe was adapted from a Bon Appétit “healthyish” recipe, contributed by Shilpa Uskokovic. The original recipe convinced me to use American cheese slices in the queso layer to help it emulsify and to keep the cheese layer from solidifying.

We ate it as our Super Bowl appetizer followed by Poblano, Black Bean & Cheese Enchiladas with rice and refried beans, Trader Joe’s Elote chopped salad, followed by Churro Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting for dessert. Great.

Yield: 8 Servings

For the Beans:

• 4 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (I used a food processor)
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped (I used a food processor)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, finely chopped (I used a food processor)
• 2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 T Diamond Crystal or 1 3/4 tsp Morton kosher salt
• 1 T apple cider vinegar

For the Queso & Assembly:

• 2 tsp adobo from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt, plus more
• 4 oz yellow American cheese, coarsely grated or chopped or torn if using singles (about 1 cup) (I used 6 Trader Joe’s singles)
• 3 oz Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese, coarsely grated (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 ripe avocados, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• freshly squeezed juice from half a lime
• 1/4 cup (4 T) sour cream
• 1/2 cup good-quality salsa, drained if watery (I used Trader Joe’s Garlic Chipotle salsa)
• 1 (4 oz) can fire-roasted, diced green chilies or 1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeños
• 4 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup (packed) coarsely chopped cilantro
• tortilla chips, for serving

To Make the Beans:

1. Melt the butter, cut into pieces, in a medium deep skillet over medium heat. (I used a 10-inch cast iron skillet.)
2. Add the chopped onion, stirring often, until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Monitor the heaat, and continue to cook, stirring often, until onion is pale golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes more.
3. With the pan over medium heat, and add the chopped garlic cloves and cumin. Cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add chopped chipotle chiles, pinto beans, rinsed, and salt. Pour in 1 cup water and bring to a simmer, mashing beans with a potato masher until mostly smooth.
5. Cook, stirring often, until most of liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. (Beans should be risotto-like in consistency, loose enough to fall off a spoon.)
6. Remove from heat and stir in apple cider vinegar. Cover and keep warm.

To Make the Queso & To Assemble the Dip:

1. Whisk adobo, cumin, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Add chopped/grated American cheese and cook, whisking vigorously, just until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat and add grated Monterey Jack; whisk until cheese is melted and queso is smooth (return to low heat briefly if needed). (I cooked it over low for about 2 minutes to melt the additional cheese.)
4. Using your hands to avoid bruising, toss the avocados pieces with lime juice and a large pinch of salt in a medium bowl.
5. Uncover beans and pour queso over.
6. Top with dollops of sour cream, followed by salsa, diced chilies, and then avocados.
7. Scatter sliced scallions and chopped cilantro over the top.
8. Serve dip warm in skillet with tortilla chips.

Do ahead: Beans can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Reheat over medium-low, thinning with water and seasoning with salt as needed.

Art Smith’s Turkey & Pinto Bean Chili

This simple and flavorful chili is a lighter version of a classic beef chili. It is wonderful healthy option. It was included on a list of Food and Wine magazine’s best chilis.

The recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Art Smith. In the article he said, “(this) turkey chili is a big favorite of Oprah’s.” I modified the proportions and added additional toppings. We ate it with corn muffins and green salad on the side- it was still “healthy-ish!” 🙂

Yield: 6 to 8 

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 pounds ground turkey
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1 large or 2 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
• three 15-ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup beer (such as lager)( I used Negra Modelo)
• 1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• sliced scallions or chopped chives, for garnish
• sour cream, for serving, optional
• shredded cheese, for serving, optional

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Add half of the turkey and cook over medium-high heat, undisturbed, until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir the turkey, season with salt and pepper, and cook until no pink remains, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the cooked turkey to a bowl.
3. Repeat with 1 more tablespoon of oil and the remaining turkey.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the onion to the pot. Cook over moderate heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the garlic, chile powder, cumin, oregano and chipotle powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
6. Return the turkey to the pot.
7. Stir in the carrot, bell pepper, tomato puree, beans and lager and bring to a boil.
8. Stir in the stock and vinegar, cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes.
9. Add the thyme, season with salt and pepper and serve, garnished with scallions or chives.

Mexican-Style Chipotle-Lime Pork Cutlets

I chose these flavor-packed pork tenderloin cutlets to serve with Mexican-style roasted broccoli and cauliflower steaks. The dishes complemented each other very nicely.

The dish was based on a Mexican dish called cecina enchilada, thinly sliced pork marinated in a chili sauce. This recipe was adapted from Milk Street, contributed by Diane Unger. I modified the proportions. Serving rice on the side was essential to soak up every drop of the wonderful sauce. Simple and delicious.

The grilled pork could also be sliced and used as a taco filling with chopped white onion and fresh cilantro. Rice and refried beans would make this a complete meal as well. Next time!

Yield: Serves 8

• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 T ground cumin
• 2 T sweet paprika
• 4 tsp ground coriander
• 4 tsp packed brown sugar
• 8 medium to large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 pork tenderloins, about 1 1/4 pound each, trimmed of silver skin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (can use more, to taste)
• 2/3 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the oil, cumin, paprika, coriander, sugar and garlic. Microwave on high until the garlic is softened, about 1 minute.
2. Measure out 6 tablespoons of the seasoned oil, including some of the solids, into a large baking dish.
3. Cut each tenderloin in half crosswise, then cut each piece in half lengthwise.
4. Between sheets of plastic wrap, use a meat pounder to pound each piece to an even 1/8-inch thickness.
5. Place the meat in the baking dish, turning to coat on all sides with the oil mixture. Cover and refrigerate while you make the sauce and prepare the grill.
6. Into the remaining oil mixture, whisk 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, the chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, lime juice and cilantro. Set aside.
7. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. For a charcoal grill, ignite a large chimney of coals, let burn until lightly ashed over, then distribute evenly over one side of the grill bed; open the bottom grill vents. For a gas grill, turn all burners to high. Cover and heat the grill for 5 to 10 minutes for charcoal or about 15 minutes for gas, then clean and oil the cooking grate. (I used a gas grill.)
8. Place the pork in a single layer on the grill (on the hot side if using charcoal) and cook until well browned, about 2 minutes.
9. Using tongs, flip each piece and cook for 1 minute. Transfer browned side up to a platter. (See Tip)
10. Stir the sauce to recombine, then drizzle 1 tablespoon over each cutlet. Tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side.

Tip: Don’t grill the second sides of the cutlets for more than about 1 minute or they will overcook. Aim to get charring on only the first sides, then serve the pork charred side up.

Chickpea, Quinoa & White Bean Chili

This dish was a fun, delicious, and healthy dinner. Everyone in my house loves a meal that involves assorted toppings! 🙂

The recipe was adapted from Antoni Let’s Do Dinner by Antoni Porowski of Queer Eye. The chili published in his last book is one of our absolute favorites, so I knew that we had to try his vegan version (vegetarian with the optional sour cream and cheese toppings).

We ate it with cornbread muffins on the side. Wonderful.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

For the Chili:

• 3 T olive oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
• 5 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Kosher salt
• 2 1/2 cups water or a combination of stock and water
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1 T chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
• 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 T finely chopped chipotle chilies in adobo, plus more to taste (about 1 medium chile)
• 2 tsp packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup tricolor quinoa, rinsed

For the Toppings:

• coarsely crushed or broken tortilla chips
• sour cream
• shredded Mexican cheese blend, cheddar, or pepper Jack cheese
• sliced or cubed avocado
• chopped red onion or sliced scallions
• canned mild green chilies or sliced fresh or pickled jalapeños
• chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or other large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. (I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven.)
2. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and 1 teaspoon coarse salt; cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, dissolve the tomato paste in 2 1/2 cups water or in a combination of stock and water. (I used 1 cup stock and 1 1/2 cups water.)
4. Stir the chili powder, cumin, and oregano into the onion mixture and cook, stirring, until the spices begin to stick to the bottom of the pot, about 1 minute.
5. Add the tomatoes, beans, chickpeas, chipotles, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and the tomato paste mixture. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a low boil.
6. Add the rinsed quinoa, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is tender, about 25 to 35 minutes.
7. Remove the chili from the heat and adjust the seasonings and chipotle to taste.
8. Add the water to thin, if desired.
9. Serve with assorted toppings (and cornbread, if desired).

Bobby Flay’s Vegetable Chili with Cumin-Lime Yogurt & Avocado-Shishito Relish

Wow. This was the best vegetarian chili I have ever experienced. It was a little bit labor intensive to prepare but the house smelled incredible and the resulting meal was worth the work.

This recipe was adapted from Bobby Flay’s new cookbook, Beat Bobby Flay, via today.com. Even after decreasing and adjusting the chili powders in the recipe, the chili was on the spicy side. It was well tempered with all of the toppings and I also served it over rice to balance the heat. Next time, I may omit one teaspoon of chili powder, noted below.

I loved all of the toppings and garnishes. The cotija cheese was absolutely essential. Healthy and fabulous vegetarian comfort food.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

For the Cumin-Lime Yogurt: (Makes 1 cup)

• 1 cup 2% Greek yogurt
• 1 lime, finely zested and juiced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Avocado-Shishito Relish: (Makes about 2 cups)

• 2 Hass avocados, cut into large dice
• 2 T finely diced red onion
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 T chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon canola oil
• 4 shishito peppers

For the Vegetable Chili:

• 8 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
• 8 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tsp ancho chile powder
• 1 tsp guajillo chile powder (I ground a guajillo chile in a spice grinder)
• 1 tsp chipotle powder
• 1 tsp chili powder, optional (next time I would omit it)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle dark beer (I used a Fat Tire amber)
• 1 (28-ounce) can peeled whole plum tomatoes, undrained (I used San Marzano)
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 T finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 2 large portobello mushrooms (about 11 oz), stems discarded, caps cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 6 cups 1/2-inch-diced peeled eggplant (1 large or 2 medium, about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 scallions, green tops and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon clover honey

To Serve:

• Cumin-Lime Yogurt (recipe above)
• Avocado-Shishito Relish (recipe above)
• 1/2 cup coarsely grated or crumbled queso blanco
• 1/4 cup finely grated Cotija cheese
• fried tortillas strips or crumbled tortilla chips, for garnish (optional)
• cornbread or cornbread muffins, for serving, optional

To Make the Cumin-Lime Yogurt:

1. Whisk together the yogurt, lime zest, lime juice, and cumin in a small bowl.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours before serving.

To Make the Avocado-Shishito Relish:

1. In a large bowl, combine the avocado, onion, lime juice, and cilantro in a large bowl.
2. Using a fork, coarsely mash the ingredients together.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering.
5. Add the shishitos, season with salt and pepper, and cook until charred on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board, let cool for a few minutes, then finely dice.
6. Gently fold in the diced shishitos into the avocado mixture to combine.

Note: The relish can be made up to 4 hours in advance, tightly covered and refrigerated.

To Make the Vegetable Chili:

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
2. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
4. Add all of the chile powders, the coriander, and cumin. Cook, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant and deepen in color, about 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the beer and cook over medium heat until the mixture is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the tomatoes and their juices and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften and break down, about 10 minutes. Using a potato masher or wooden spoon, coarsely mash the tomatoes.
8. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the oregano. Cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 20 minutes.
9. While the sauce is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat.
10. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring a few times, until golden brown and their liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a large bowl.
11. Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil.
12. Working in batches, add the eggplant in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring a few times, until golden brown and soft, about 5 minutes per batch. Add more oil, if necessary. (I cooked the eggplant in 3 batches.) Transfer the eggplant to the bowl of mushrooms.
13. Add the eggplant, mushrooms, and black beans to the tomato sauce and stir to combine.
14. Cook for 15 minutes to meld the flavors and thicken the mixture.
15. Stir in the cilantro and scallions and season with the honey, salt and pepper.

To Serve:

1. Ladle the chili into bowls, top with a dollop of the cumin-lime yogurt and avocado-shishito relish.
2. At the table, pass the queso blanco and Cotija cheeses, as well as some tortilla chips, if desired, to sprinkle over the top of the chili.
3. Offer cornbread or cornbread muffins on the side, if desired.

Poblano, Black Bean & Cheese Enchiladas

Recently, my friend gave me beautiful cast iron baking dishes. I knew that I wanted to make enchiladas in them right away! Our Cinco de Mayo feast was the perfect occasion. Our meal also included chips and guacamole, of course. 😉

The recipe for these hearty, vegetarian enchiladas was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. I modified the proportions and method. We ate them garnished with sour cream, red onion, avocado, and cilantro with refried beans and rice on the side. We topped off our festive meal with a Tres Leches Cake. Perfect.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped (I used a food processor)
• 1 poblano chile, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (I used a food processor)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped
• 1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving, optional
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups coarsely grated mild Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• 10 to 12 (6-inch) soft corn or flour tortillas (I used Trader Joe’s corn & wheat tortillas)
• fresh cilantro leaves and stems, for serving
• sliced avocado, for serving, optional
• diced white or red onion, for serving, optional
• rice and refried beans, for serving, optional

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. (I used the convection setting.)
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onions and chopped poblano chile; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and charred in spots, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the cumin and minced garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
4. Transfer half the vegetable mixture to a blender; add the tomatoes, chili powder and chipotle chile. (I used a Vitamix.) Blend until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (If your blender isn’t particularly strong and the sauce looks more like a chunky purée, add 1/4 cup sour cream and blend again until smooth.)(I omitted the sour cream in the sauce.)
5. Add the black beans and 1/2 cup cheese to the remaining vegetables in the skillet and stir to combine. Some canned beans are already salted, so taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
6. Place the tortillas in a tortilla warmer (or on a plate) covered with a damp paper towel. Cover and microwave for 1 minute, or until warm and pliable.
7. If using individual dishes, spread a few spoonfuls of sauce over the bottom of each dish. (I used 5 dishes.) Alternatively, pour enough enchilada sauce to lightly coat the base of a medium casserole dish or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Spread it to cover the bottom of the dish(es).
8. Line up the filling, tortillas and baking dish in a row. Place a heaping 1/4 cup of the bean mixture in the center of each tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place in the casserole dish(es), seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. (I placed 2 enchiladas per individual dish.)
9. Spoon or pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas.
10. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 to 1 1/2 cups of cheese, to taste. (I used 1/2 cup cheese per dish.)
11. Place the baking dish(es) on a rimmed baking sheet and tent with foil. Bake for 10 minutes.
12. Remove foil and continue to bake until the cheese has melted and has browned in spots, about 10 additional minutes.
13. Top with sour cream, avocado slices, diced onion, and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Note: The sauce and the black bean mixture (without the cheese) can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The spice level in the sauce can be easily modified by adjusting the amount of chili powder.

Oven-Baked Barbecue Chicken

The week of President Biden’s Inauguration, our local newspaper published recipes to celebrate our nation. The article included recipes for the Navy Bean Soup that is served in one of the Senate restaurants and White House Chef (1966-1987) Henry Haller’s Cooked Vegetable Salad. The third recipe was late Representative John Lewis’ recipe for Barbecued Chicken.

This oven-baked barbecued chicken was published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution as Representative John Lewis’ “other legacy.” It was originally published in the AJC in 1995 and was re-published after his death. He started making this dish in 1968, serving it to guests with potato salad, with rice and string beans, or with sweet potatoes and green salad.

I adapted the recipe to used boneless, skinless chicken thighs, modified the proportions and method, and included garlic in the sauce. We ate it with crispy oven fries and green salad. It was a crowd-pleaser in my house too.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard (I used Dijon)
• 1 tablespoon Tabasco or other hot sauce (I used chipotle Cholula)
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced, optional
• 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs OR 1 whole frying chicken, cut up, or equivalent chicken pieces
• fresh herbs, for garnish, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350, preferably on convection roast. Coat a rimmed baking sheet or 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking oil spray.
2. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
3. In a medium bowl, combine ketchup with mustard, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, pinch of black pepper, onion, and garlic, if using. Blend well.
4. Put chicken parts into the prepared pan. Spread half of the sauce evenly over chicken if using boneless, skinless chicken or all of the sauce if using bone-in chicken parts.
5. Bake for 15 minutes for boneless, skinless thighs or for 30 minutes for bone-in skin on chicken parts.
6. Remove pan from the oven and flip the chicken pieces over if using boneless, skinless chicken; coat with the rest of the sauce. If using bone-in skin-on chicken, basting the chicken with pan juices at this point.
7. Return the pan to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes for boneless, skinless chicken or 30 minutes for bone-in, skin-on chicken parts.
8. Remove pan from the oven as set to broil. Broil the chicken, watching carefully, for 1 to 3 minutes, or until browned in spots.
9. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired. Serve warm.