Migas (Scrambled eggs with salsa and cheese)

My first introduction to eggs with salsa were some Migas a friend/coworker made late at night when we were hanging out at her place. These are not fancy restaurant food (migas means crumbs) but they're downright tasty.

You'll Need:

1 package of fresh corn tortillas
Butter
2 eggs per person
1 jar of salsa or Rotel tomatoes and chilies
1 package shredded mixed Mexican cheese

Make the Migas:

• Melt some butter in a pan
• Chop up one tortilla per person, in large pieces
• Cook the tortilla in the butter until crispy
• Beat two eggs per person and add salsa/Rotel, cheese, salt and pepper
• Add the eggs to the butter and tortilla chips and cook like scrambled eggs
• Serve

You can serve potatoes on the side for a great late night or breakfast meal.

Baked Goat Cheese with Garlic Croutons

This recipe has been a favorite of mine since I was little, and never ceases to impress friends. It's fairly simple, and really really tasty. It's an appetizer, so you could follow it up with a big meal.

You need:

1 stick of butter

1 log of Montrachet (or other) goat cheese

Olive oil

1 tsp. dried thyme (plus a bit more to mix into the bread crumbs)

Pepperidge Farm rolls (any small narrow white bread should work, say, a baguette or ficelle)

Garlic cloves

Bag of mixed baby greens

Vinaigrette (dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and chopped garlic to taste)

The Plan:

• Cut the goat cheese log into half inch round slices (dental floss cuts it really well without breaking it up to much, or use a knife run under really hot water)
• Marinate the cheese rounds in olive oil with thyme mixed in, turning every once in a while over the course of a day.
• Cut six slices of bread per person, less than 1/2 inch thick.
• Melt a stick of butter, and brush butter on both sides of the bread slices.
• Bake these bread rounds at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes (or until golden brown)
• Peel the garlic cloves and cut them in half.
• Rub the raw garlic on your butter toast rounds when they've cooled.
• Coat the marinated goat cheese rounds in bread crumbs seasoned with thyme.
• Place them in a baking dish that contains 1/4 cup olive oil and bake at 400 degrees until bubbly and golden, about 6-10 minutes.
• Toss the greens in the vinaigrette and serve one goat cheese round per person on a bed of dressed greens with the garlic croutons arranged around it.

Black Bean Quesadillas with Pico

These are a quick, easy recipe I came up with to use up pantry ingredients and add some freshness.

For quesadillas, you'll need:

1 can of black beans with jalapenos added (or one can plain black beans, and a jar of pickled jalapenos)

1 package of shredded cheese, preferably a Mexican blend

1 tsp. or two of cumin 

Salt and pepper

1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 package small whole wheat tortillas (in this case, I don't recommend the freshly made ones, since they puff up a lot)

For the Pico, you'll need:

1-2 fresh tomatoes (in the off-season, I like the tomatoes on the vine)

1 red onion

1 bunch cilantro (you won't use all of it)

1 fresh lime or some bottled lime juice

Salt and pepper

The plan:

• Drain the beans and add them to a sauce pot
• If they don't contain jalapenos already, add the desired amount from your jar of pickled peppers
• Begin to heat the beans, then add cumin and salt and pepper to taste
• Cook over medium heat and let it cook down a little
• Set it aside, since this tends to thicken as it cools

Next:

• Chop a tomato or two up into half-inch bites and place in a bowl
• Chop half of the red onion into roughly the same size as the tomatoes, and add to the bowl.  If the onion is small, you can chop up some of the rest of the onion as you wish.
• Chop up cilantro to taste.  I would go for at least a tablespoon or two, but I know it's an acquired taste.  Rough chop is fine.  Add to the bowl as well.
• Add a gentle amount of salt and pepper, then add the juice of one lime and toss.
• Let it sit.  You can actually make this the day before.

Finishing up:

• Heat up the olive oil in a medium non-stick pan
• Add one tortilla, and sprinkle cheese on top.  I like a fair amount, but keep in mind that there will be cheese on the other side, too.
• Add a generous dollop of beans over the cheese and spread them out.
• More cheese on top of the beans, then add another tortilla.
• Keep an eye on the bottom tortilla, when it starts to get crispy and brown, use two spatulas to flip the whole thing over
• Once the second tortilla is browned on the bottom, slide the whole thing to a plate
• You should be able to make two-three servings.  
• Once done with the tortilla assembly and cooking, toss the pico again and taste it.  Adjust seasonings as needed.
• Put a generous scoop of pico de gallo on top of each quesadilla.  You can garnish with sour cream if you need additional "stuff" but frankly I think it's fine without.

Enjoy!