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Dinner Recipes, Summer Meal Plan #3

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What to cook for dinner this week:

5- Day Summer Meal Plan

1.) Southwest Summer Corn Chowder 2.) Skillet Cod with Blackened Corn Relish  and Tomato Bacon Salad  3.) Stuffed Poblano Peppers  and Watermelon Salad  4.) Paprika Chicken with Bell Peppers, & Yogurt Sauce  5.) Black Bean Tostadas with Corn Salsa and Enchilada Cream  6.) Cocktail: Watermelon Tequila Spritzers

If you’re not familiar with this blog, here’s the basic idea:

Using some of the same ingredients in multiple dishes throughout the week is the key to getting delicious, wholesome, good for you, home cooked meals on the table several nights of the week. The recipes in each 5-day meal plan include some prep-work for another meal later in the week.

Like every other meal plan on this blog, this week’s recipes are designed to make healthy, delicious, home cooked meals every night of the week much easier with each meal building on the previous night’s efforts. A little = a lot.

If you’d rather cook three meals instead of five this week…

If two or three home cooked meals is more your style this week, Days #2, # 3, and #5 – OR – #1, and #4 work well together. Please note that the grocery list at the bottom of this page is for all 5 meals.

Meal Prep, Day by Day

Day #1

What’s for Dinner Tonight: Southwest Summer Corn Chowder A bowl of southwest summer corn chowder with potatoes and peppers.

Making dinner tonight will be a double-whammy combination of cooking super-yummy Southwest Summer Corn Chowder and getting a bunch of ingredients prepped for the rest of the week at the same time.

  • Enchilada Sauce: The recipe for tonight’s chowder offers the option of using prepared enchilada sauce or making a batch “from scratch” – a process that only requires about 10 minutes of hands on time and produces a sauce far superior to anything you’ll find in a can. Since you’ll be using enchilada sauce later this week in Stuffed Poblano Peppers AND Black Bean Tostadas with Enchilada Cream, I encourage you to make a batch. It’s really easy and sooooo good. To make the sauce, follow the instructions in this Enchilada Bake recipe.
  • Roasted Poblano Peppers: Follow the Corn Chowder recipe instructions to roast a total of 14 poblano peppers. Peel and seed all the roasted peppers. Reserve 8 of the peppers for Stuffed Poblano Peppers on Day #3. Chop the remaining peppers and add 2/3 of the chopped peppers to the chowder. Reserve the remaining 1/3 of the chopped peppers for corn salsa on Day #5.
  • Sweet Corn: You’ll need a total of 14 ears of sweet corn for this week’s meal plan. Shuck all the corn and slice the kernels off the cob. Follow the instructions in the recipe for Corn Chowder to sauté all the corn kernels to “blacken” it. Reserve 3 cups of kernels for the corn relish on Day #2 and 3 cups for corn salsa on Day #5. Use the remaining corn for tonight’s chowder.
  • Potatoes: Optional – if you want to serve Smashed Potatoes with Paprika Chicken on Day #4, cook a double batch of potatoes (48 oz total) in a large pan of boiling water instead of cooking the potatoes for tonight’s chowder in the broth. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and the potatoes to a pan of cold water and set it over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium once it begins to boil and cook the potatoes them until they are about 75% of the way done. You should be able to poke a fork into them, but will be able to tell that they aren’t quite soft enough to eat. Drain the potatoes and add half to the chowder to allow to cook completely. Reserve the other half of the partially cooked potatoes in an airtight container in your refrigerator for Smashed Potatoes.
  • Bacon: Follow the Corn Chowder recipe instruction to cook a total of 16 oz of bacon. Use 12 oz of the bacon in the chowder and reserve the remaining 4 oz for Fresh Tomato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette on Day #2. Either reserve 1 tbsp of rendered bacon fat in the refrigerator to make the Bacon Vinaigrette on Day #2, or just go ahead and make the Vinaigrette now, storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To get an even bigger jump on the week:

  • Follow this recipe to get a batch of black beans going in the slow cooker. Once tender, scoop the beans along with some of their cooking liquid into an air-tight container and reserve in the refrigerator. You’ll use them in Stuffed Poblano Peppers on Day #3, and in Black Bean Tostadas on Day #5. (You can also use canned black beans for both of these recipes. But, slow cooker black beans are much tastier and only take about 5 minutes of hands on work.)

Day #2

What’s for Dinner Tonight: Skillet Cod with Blackened Corn Relish  and Fresh Tomato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette Skillet Cod with Creamy Blackened Corn Relish

How much do I love tonight’s meal? If you could see me right now, you’d see me spreading my arms as wide as I can and yelling, “THIS much!” Tonight’s dinner is my definition of the perfect summer meal. Quick, easy, full of summer produce, and packed with flavor. I could seriously eat this every week. Perhaps I will.

  • Use the blackened corn that you reserved on Day #1 to make quick work of the Creamy Corn Relish. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • If you didn’t make the Bacon Vinaigrett e on Day #1, make that before you cook the cod. The cod only takes a few minutes, so have the corn relish, salad and dressing ready to go before you lay the fillets in the skillet.

Day #3

What’s for Dinner Tonight: Stuffed Poblano Peppers  with Tortillas and  Savory Watermelon Salad with Chili and Lime A stuffed poblano pepper with enchilada sauce.

  • Stuffed Poblano Peppers is a favorite dish at my house and gets made year round. The most tedious part of making these is roasting the peppers and removing their skin. Since you already did that on Day #1, you’re already ahead of the game.
  • If you didn’t make a batch of slow cooker black beans on Day #1, get those going at least 4 hours before you want to make the stuffed peppers. You can also just use 2 cups of canned black beans, drained and rinsed.
  • If you’ve never made homemade flour tortillas, this meal is the perfect excuse to give them a try. They are much easier than you might think and so much better than store bought you’ll probably never purchase them again. I suggest making the dough before starting on the stuffed peppers. The dough need a few minutes to rest, giving you time to make the stuffed peppers. Then, roll out and cook the tortillas while the stuffed peppers bake.
  • If you’ve never had a savory melon salad, you might think that watermelon salad with chili, salt and cilantro is not the kind of thing you want to eat. Trust me – this will change with the very first bite. The flavors go together beautifully and are positively addicting.

Day #4

What’s for Dinner Tonight: Paprika Chicken with Bell Peppers and Herbed Yogurt Sauce  and Smashed PotatoesPaprika Chicken with Marinated Peppers on arugula salad.

  • In the recipe instructions for tonight’s meal, you’ll see an option for brining the chicken in buttermilk for a few hours – up to 24 hours. This is optional, but does make the chicken extra juicy and flavorful.
  • The recipe includes instructions for grilling or roasting the chicken. Both methods are delicious so do whichever works for you.
  • Because you already boiled the potatoes on Day #1 for Smashed Potatoes, this side dish will take a fraction of the time. Simply begin the recipe at step # 2.

Day #5

What’s for Dinner Tonight: Black Bean Tostadas with Corn Salsa and Enchilada CreamBlack Bean Tostadas with Corn Salsa and Enchilada Cream.

  • Because of all the meal prepping you’ve done throughout the week, half of tonight’s meal is already cooked, prepped and ready. In your refrigerator, you should already have a few cups of slow simmered black beans, a bowl of homemade enchilada sauce, a few cups of blackened corn, and some roasted and diced poblano peppers. Get them out – tonight’s dinner will be on the table in no time.
  • Tostadas are a great way to use up all sorts of leftovers. If you have any leftover Paprika Chicken in your refrigerator, consider shredding it and adding it as a topping along with everything else.

This Week’s Featured Cocktail: Watermelon Tequila Spritzer

Watermelon Tequila Spritzer

Suggested Recipes for the Baker:

Baking recipes to go with this week's meal plan.

Useful Equipment:

Dutch oven and skillet

Shopping List, Weekly Summer Meal Plan #3

*Does not include ingredients for suggested baked goods.

  • 7 limes
  • 1 – 2 lemons (3 tbsp juice)
  • 3 lb fresh seedless watermelon
  • 14 poblano peppers
  • 4 red bell peppers (or any color bell pepper)
  • 14 ears of corn
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 2 small red onions
  • 1 large tomato
  • 2 shallots
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 48 oz (3 lbs) small new potatoes
  • 3 1/2 cups fresh cilantro
  • 3/4 cup fresh oregano
  • 4 large tomatoes
  • 4 cups of summer greens – for bacon and tomato salad. I prefer spinach, frisée, or endive
  • 3 cups of arugula or other tender greens (for serving with paprika chicken)
  • 9 cloves garlic
  • 2 pounds of cod fillets
  • 16 oz thick cut bacon
  • 4 lbs chicken pieces, bone-in, skin-on (Use a whole cut-up chicken, or any combination of pieces.)
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 4 tbsp (1/4 cup) paprika
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • Dash of ground cayenne pepper (optional, Paprika Chicken)
  • 4 tsp Tajin Seasoning
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 16 oz diced fresh or canned tomatoes
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp dark brown sugar
  • 8 fresh corn tortillas – OR – prepared tostada shells
  • 1/2 – 1 cup cream (for corn chowder)
  • Sour cream (optional – for serving with stuffed poblano peppers)
  • 3/4 cup Crema Mexicana (Mexican Sour Cream) – OR sour cream (for tostadas)
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 cup plain, unsweetened greek yogurt
  • 1–2 cups of Cotija cheese – or Monterey Jack (For black bean tostadas)
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Salt (table salt and kosher salt) and pepper
  • Flaky sea salt (for sprinkling over watermelon salad)
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups of corn oil (For frying the fresh corn tortillas. If using prepared tostada shells, disregard.)

You’ll need a total of 2 cups of enchilada sauce for this week’s meal plan. Homemade enchilada sauce is super easy and delicious. To make it from scratch, you’ll need the following ingredients. If you’d rather not make it from scratch, purchase 2 cups of canned enchilada sauce.

  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 3 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tbs butter
  • 3 tbsp unbleached, all-purpose flour
  • 24 oz red chili paste (I use one 24 oz bag mild and one 24 oz bag hot)
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth or water
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

You’ll need a total of 6 cups black beans for this week’s meal plan. Either use the ingredients list below for slow cooker black beans (which only takes about 5 minutes of hands on time) OR – purchase 6 cups of canned black beans.

  • 16 oz. (1 lb) dried black beans
  • 8 cups water – or chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 or 2 limes
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
  • 2 tbsp chopped green onions (optional)

For Homemade Flour Tortillas (Optional, to serve with Stuffed Poblano Peppers):

  • 4½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 1¼ cup water
  • ⅔ cup corn oil

For Watermelon Tequila Spritzers (recipe makes 8 drinks):

  • 16 oz tequila
  • 16 oz Sanpellegrino (Use any flavor, but I prefer the Pomegranate and Orange variety.)

5- Day Summer Meal Plan

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Southwest Summer Corn Chowder

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A bowl of southwest summer corn chowder with potatoes and peppers.

Southwest Summer Corn Chowder

  • Author: RebeccaBlackwell
  • Total Time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 poblano peppers (*Roast a total of 14 peppers – using 4 tonight and reserving the rest. See note)
  • 4 cups (4–6 ears) of sweet corn  (*Prep a total of 14 ears of corn. See note.)
  • 12 oz (1 lb) thick cut bacon  (*Cook a total of 16 ounces of bacon. See note.)
  • 1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 red bell peppers, stems and seeds removed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup enchilada sauce (*see note)
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 24 oz (1 & 1/2 lbs) small new potatoes, scrubbed
  • 1/2 – 1 cup cream (to taste)
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

  1. Place a rack in the top third of your oven and preheat the broiler. Lay the poblano peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet and place them under the broiler. Roast until the skins of the peppers are almost completely blackened. Turn them over to blacken the other side. Remove the peppers from the oven, dump them into a bowl and cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Let cool, then peel off the blackened skins and remove the seeds. Chop the peppers and set aside.
  2. Husk the corn and use a sharp knife to slice it from the cob. Heat a skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates almost immediately. Add the corn to the skillet and sauté until the kernels are about 50% blackened. Dump the corn out onto a plate or a bowl and set aside.
  3. Cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces. Heat a large, heavy bottomed saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until the bacon is crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pan to a plate lined with paper towels. Remove all but about 1 tbsp of bacon fat from the pan and return the pan to the burner.
  4. Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until it’s soft and translucent. Add the chopped bell peppers, minced garlic, oregano, and sugar. Cook, stirring constantly 1 minute longer.
  5. Add the broth, enchilada sauce, and about 1 tsp salt and pepper to the pan. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and let simmer until the potatoes are fork tender.
  6. Taste the broth for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.
  7. Add the poblano peppers, corn, and 1/2 cup cream to the soup. Stir to combine, taste and add up to 1/2 cup more cream if desired. Stir in the bacon and chopped cilantro.

Notes

For the Enchilada Sauce, use canned or frozen, – OR make a batch from scratch, which is seriously easy and sooooooo tasty. Follow the instructions for Homemade Enchilada Sauce in this recipe for Baked Enchiladas. Reserve the leftover sauce for Stuffed Poblano Peppers on Day #3 and Black Bean Tostadas with Enchilada Cream on Day #5.

Poblano Peppers: Roast a total of 14 poblano peppers. Peel and seed all the roasted peppers. Reserve 8 of the peppers for Stuffed Poblano Peppers on Day #3. Chop the remaining peppers and add 2/3 of the chopped peppers to the chowder. Reserve the remaining 1/3 of the chopped peppers for corn salsa on Day #5.

Corn: You’ll need a total of 14 ears of sweet corn for this week’s meal plan. Shuck all the corn and slice the kernels off the cob. Follow the instructions in the recipe for Corn Chowder to sauté all the corn kernels to “blacken” it. Reserve 3 cups of kernels for the corn relish on Day #2 and 3 cups for corn salsa on Day #5. Use the remaining corn for tonight’s chowder.

Bacon: Cook a total of 16 oz of bacon. Use 12 oz of the bacon in the chowder and reserve the remaining 4 oz for Fresh Tomato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette on Day #2. Either reserve 1 tbsp of rendered bacon fat in the refrigerator to make the Bacon Vinaigrette on Day #2, or just go ahead and make the Vinaigrette now, storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Skillet Cod with Creamy Corn Relish

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Skillet Cod with Creamy Blackened Corn Relish

Skillet Cod with Creamy Corn Relish

  • Author: RebeccaBlackwell
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
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Description

Use the blackened corn that you reserved on Day #1 to make quick work of the Creamy Corn Relish. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

If you didn’t make the Bacon Vinaigrette on Day #1, make that before you cook the cod. The cod only takes a few minutes, so have the corn relish, salad and dressing ready to go before you lay the fillets in the skillet.

Ingredients

For the Creamy Corn Relish:

  • 2 1/2 – 3 cups of corn, freshly sliced from the cob or frozen and thawed
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 shallots, peeled, ends trimmed, and minced
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp Tajin Seasoning (*see note)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh oregano, chopped
  • The juice from 1 or 2 limes (to taste)

For the Cod:

  • 2 pounds of cod fillets, cut into 4 pieces (use fresh or frozen and thawed cod)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Make the Creamy Corn Relish:

  1. Heat a skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates almost immediately. Add the corn to the skillet and sauté until the kernels are about 50% blackened. Dump the corn out onto a plate or a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
  2. Add the olive oil to the skillet and set over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and sauté until soft and just beginning to brown. Scrape the shallot into a medium size bowl and allow to cool slightly.
  3. Add the rest of the corn relish ingredients to the bowl with the shallot, including the corn, and stir to mix. Taste and add more salt, pepper or lime if desired. Refrigerate in a covered container until ready to serve.

Cook the Cod:

  1. Lay the cod fillets out on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Pat dry with another towel or paper towel. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with salt and pepper.
  2. Dump the flour onto a plate. Press both sides of each fillet into the flour to coat. Gently shake excess flour from the fillets and place them on another plate.
  3. Add the olive oil to a skillet and place over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and looks shimmery, add the cod. Let the cod cook, undisturbed, for 3-4 minutes. Use a spatula to gently lift one of the fillets. If the bottom of the fillet is golden brown, flip it over onto the other side. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. The fish should be completely opaque and flaky.
  4. Serve the cod fillets smothered with creamy corn relish.

Notes

Tajin Seasoning is a yummy seasoning made from dried chilies and lime. My local grocery store doesn’t carry it, so I order it on Amazon. You can also substitute any Mexican seasoning blend that includes chili powder in the list of ingredients. If you use a seasoning blend that does not contain lime, you might want to increase the amount of lime juice in this recipe. Just mix up the corn relish and taste it to determine weather it warrants a few more drops of lime.

Tomato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

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Tomato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

Tomato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette 

  • Author: RebeccaBlackwell
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 side salads
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Bacon Vinaigrette:

  • 4 oz thick cut bacon (about 4 or 5 slices)
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:

  • 4 large tomatoes
  • 4 cups of summer greens – I prefer spinach, frisée, or endive
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

Make the bacon vinaigrette:

  1. Slice the bacon into 1-inch pieces. Place a skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook, stirring frequently, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the skillet from the heat. Use a slotted spoon to more the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.
  2. In a medium size bowl, add 1 tbsp of the rendered bacon fat. Add the vinegar, dijon, and sugar and stir to combine. Pour the olive oil into the dressing in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly, to create an emulsion. Add about 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Whisk to combine, taste and add more if you like.

Make the Salad:

  1. Wash the tomatoes and remove the stem and core. Slice them into large chunks and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.
  2. Put the greens in a bowl, or distribute amongst serving plates. Top with tomatoes. Drizzle with bacon vinaigrette and top with the pieces of crispy bacon.

Roasted Poblano Peppers Stuffed with Black Beans and Rice

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A stuffed poblano pepper with enchilada sauce.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

  • Author: RebeccaBlackwell
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes (plus time for poblano peppers to cool)
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 60-70 minutes
  • Yield: 8 stuffed poblano peppers
Print Recipe

Description

Stuffed Poblano Peppers is a favorite dish at my house and gets made year round. The most tedious part of making these is roasting the peppers and removing their skin. Since you already did that on Day #1, you’re already ahead of the game.

If you didn’t make a batch of slow cooker black beans on Day #1, get those going at least 4 hours before you want to make the stuffed peppers. You can also just use 2 cups of canned black beans, drained and rinsed.

If you’ve never made homemade flour tortillas, this meal is the perfect excuse to give them a try. They are much easier than you might think and so much better than store bought you’ll probably never purchase them again. I suggest making the dough before starting on the stuffed peppers. The dough need a few minutes to rest, giving you time to make the stuffed peppers. Then, roll out and cook the tortillas while the stuffed peppers bake.

Ingredients

  • 8 poblano peppers
  • 1 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 small red onion, peeled and diced
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced
  • 18 oz (2 heaping cups) black beans – homemade or canned
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup enchilada sauce, homemade or from a can – PLUS more for drizzling if you like
  • 16 oz diced fresh or canned tomatoes
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1 lime

FOR SERVING:

  • Sour cream
  • Tortillas – homemade or purchased

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven’s broiler and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  2. Wash and dry the poblano peppers and lay them out on the baking sheet so that they are not touching.
  3. Broil until the skin is completely black. Remove from the oven and, using tongs, turn the peppers so that an un-blackened side is facing up. Put back under the broiler to blacken that side. Repeat until the skin of the peppers is blacked on every side.
  4. Place the peppers in a bowl, cover with a towel and allow to cool to room temperature.
  5. While the peppers cool, heat oil over medium heat in a large high-sided skillet or sauce pan. Add the diced onion and cook until softened and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, paprika, and garlic and cook 1 minute longer, stirring constantly.
  6. Add all the remaining ingredients to the pan except for the rice and cilantro. Cover and cook on low, simmering for about 20 minutes, and removing the lid to stir occasionally. After 20 minutes, the mixture should be thickened and condensed.
  7. Remove from the heat and stir in the rice, cilantro, and juice from 1 lime. Set aside to cool slightly while you peel the peppers.
  8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  9. For each pepper, use a knife to slice the pepper open, lengthwise. Remove the stem and seeds and gently pull off and discard the blackened skin. Place the peppers in a 9 x 13 baking dish.
  10. Open each pepper and add a generous amount of filling; wrap the pepper around the filling.
  11. Bake the peppers for 20 minutes and, if you like, serve with extra enchilada sauce, sour cream and tortillas.

Savory Watermelon Salad with Chili and Lime

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Savory watermelon salad with chili and lime.

Watermelon Salad with Chili and Lime

  • Author: RebeccaBlackwell
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 servings
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • About 3 lb fresh seedless watermelon (approximately half of a small 6 lb watermelon), cut into large chunks
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp Tajin Seasoning (*See note)
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. Put the watermelon chunks into a large bowl and set aside.
  2. Add the lime, honey and Tajin Seasoning to a small bowl and stir to combine. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, pouring it in a thing steady stream while you whisk to create an emulsion. Stir in the cilantro.
  3. Pour the dressing over the watermelon and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with about 1/2 tsp sea salt. Toss gently once more. Taste, add more salt if you like, and serve.

Notes

Tajin Seasoning is a yummy seasoning made from dried chilies and lime. My local grocery store doesn’t carry it, so I order it on Amazon. You can also substitute any Mexican seasoning blend that includes chili powder in the list of ingredients. If you use a seasoning blend that does not contain lime, you might want to increase the amount of lime juice in this recipe. Just mix up the dressing and taste it to determine weather it warrants a few more drops of lime.

Paprika Chicken with Marinated Peppers and Herbed Yogurt Sauce

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Paprika Chicken with Marinated Peppers on arugula salad.

Paprika Chicken with Marinated Peppers and Yogurt Sauce

  • Author: RebeccaBlackwell
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 servings
Print Recipe

Description

Don’t be deceived by the length of the recipe instructions for this dish. It’s super simple and requires only about 20 minutes of hands on time. The recipe includes instructions for grilling or roasting the chicken. Both methods are delicious so do whichever works for you.

Ingredients

To Brine Chicken in Buttermilk (*Optional):

Brining chickening buttermilk for a few hours tenderizes the meat and enriches the flavor.

  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt

For the peppers:

  • 4 red bell peppers (or any color bell pepper)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper

For the Paprika Chicken:

  • 4 lbs chicken pieces, bone-in, skin-on (Use a whole cut-up chicken, or any combination of pieces. I prefer to use only chicken thighs and drumsticks because the people in my family are dark meat lovers.)
  • 3 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp dark brown sugar
  • dash of ground cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 3 cups of arugula or other tender greens for serving (optional)

For the herbed yogurt sauce:

  • 1 cup plain, unsweetened greek yogurt
  • 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp fresh oregano, minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

Brine Chicken in Buttermilk (*Optional):

  1. Pour the buttermilk and salt into a large zip top bag. Add the chicken pieces. Zip the top (make sure it’s completely closed!) and smush the chicken around in the bag a bit to coat evenly with buttermilk and salt. Put in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Make the Peppers:

  1. Get your outdoor grill going, or preheat the oven’s broiler. If using the grill, place the bell peppers over the hottest area and cook on all sides until the skin is about 90% blackened. If using your oven, lay the peppers on a foil lined baking sheet and put under the broiler. Let cook until the skin is blackened, then rotate the peppers and repeat until the skin on every side of the peppers is blackened. Remove to a plate and let rest until cool enough to handle.
  2. Once cool, peel off the blackened skin, remove the seeds and tear into 2-inch pieces.
  3. In a medium size bowl add the olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Stir to combine then add the strips of bell peppers. Toss to coat the peppers in the vinaigrette.

Make the chicken:

  1. If roasting chicken, heat the oven to 425 degrees. If grilling the chicken, prepare the grill.
  2. Lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry on all sides.
  3. In a large bowl, add the paprika, salt, pepper, brown sugar, and cayenne. Stir to mix. Add the chicken to the bowl and toss it around in the spices to coat the chicken completely.
  4. If roasting in the oven, put the chicken in a roasting pan and cook for 30-40 minutes, until cooked through. When pierced with a fork, the chicken’s juices should run clear.
  5. If cooking the chicken on the grill, place the chicken over a low-heat section, cover and let roast for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken over, cover and cook for another 15 minutes, until cooked through.

Make the Herbed Yogurt Sauce:

  1. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and stir to mix. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if desired. Chill the sauce until ready to serve.

To Serve:

  1. Add a pile of greens to each plate and top with a few slices of bell pepper and a drizzle of vinaigrette. Top with a pice or two of chicken. Serve with the yogurt sauce.

Simple Black Bean Tostadas with Corn Salsa and Enchilada Cream

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Black Bean Tostadas with Corn Salsa and Enchilada Cream.

Crispy Black Bean Tostadas with Blackened Corn Salsa

  • Author: RebeccaBlackwell
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8 tostadas
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Ingredients

  • 8 fresh corn tortillas – OR – prepared tostada shells
  • 2 cups of corn oil (For frying the fresh corn tortillas. If using prepared tostada shells, disregard.)
  • 1–2 cups of Cotija cheese, crumbled (or Monterey Jack, shredded)

For the Refried Black Beans:

  • 3 cups black beans, slow simmered or canned (drain and rinse beans if from a can)
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup enchilada sauce, homemade or prepared
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Corn Salsa:

  • 4 poblano peppers
  • 3 cups corn, freshly cut from the cob or frozen and thawed
  • 1 red onion, peeled and diced
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 cup black beans, slow simmered or canned (drain and rinse beans if from a can)
  • 1 large tomato, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2–4 tbsp fresh lime juice

For the Enchilada Cream:

  • 3/4 cup Crema Mexicana (Mexican Sour Cream)
  • 1/4 cup enchilada sauce, homemade or prepared

Instructions

Fry the Tostada Shells:

  1. This step is optional if you are using prepared tostada shells. If frying fresh corn tortillas, add the corn oil to a deep skillet or sauce pan and heat over medium high heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees. You can test that the oil is hot enough by dropping a small piece of tortilla into the oil. If it immediately begins to simmer, with bubbles surrounding its surface, the oil is ready.
  2. Place one or two tortillas into the hot oil and let cook until golden brown on the bottom. Use tongs to flip the tortillas over in the oil and cook until brown on the other side. Use tongs to lift the tortillas from the hot oil onto a paper towel lined plate or baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with a bit of salt. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Make the Refried Black Beans:

  1. Dump the beans into a bowl and mash with a potato masher, or just squeeze them together in your hands to mash. You want the beans to be about 50% mashed, with some completely mashed and some whole and partially whole beans.
  2. Heat the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until melted. Add the mashed beans and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, using the back of the spoon to keep mashing the beans.
  3. Add the enchilada sauce and cook for another 2-4 minutes, continuing to stir and mash.
  4. Remove from the heat and taste. Add salt and pepper if desired.

Make the Corn Salsa:

  1. Place a rack in the top third of your oven and preheat the broiler. Lay the poblano peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet and place them under the broiler. Roast until the skins of the peppers are almost completely blackened. Turn them over to blacken the other side. Remove the peppers from the oven, dump them into a bowl and cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Let cool, then peel off the blackened skins and remove the seeds. Chop the peppers and set aside.
  2. Heat a skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates almost immediately. Add the corn to the skillet and sauté until the kernels are about 50% blackened. Dump the corn out onto a plate or a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
  3. Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the diced onion. Sauté, stirring constantly, until the onion is beginning to blacken. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds longer. Scrape the onion and garlic onto the plate with the corn. Let cool to room temperature
  4. Add the diced poblano peppers, corn, onion and garlic to a large bowl and add the rest of the salsa ingredients. Toss to combine. Taste, and add more lime, salt and pepper if desired.

Make the Enchilada Cream:

  1. In a medium size bowl, add the Cream Mexicana and enchilada sauce. Stir to combine. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Assemble the Tostadas:

  1. Spread a tostada shell with about 1/4 cup refried black beans. Top with about 1/2 cup (or more) corn salsa. Drizzle with some enchilada cream and sprinkle with cheese.

Southwest Summer Corn Chowder

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A bowl of southwest summer corn chowder with potatoes and peppers.

Southwest Summer Corn Chowder

  • Author: RebeccaBlackwell
  • Total Time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 poblano peppers (*Roast a total of 14 peppers – using 4 tonight and reserving the rest. See note)
  • 4 cups (4–6 ears) of sweet corn  (*Prep a total of 14 ears of corn. See note.)
  • 12 oz (1 lb) thick cut bacon  (*Cook a total of 16 ounces of bacon. See note.)
  • 1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 red bell peppers, stems and seeds removed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup enchilada sauce (*see note)
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 24 oz (1 & 1/2 lbs) small new potatoes, scrubbed
  • 1/2 – 1 cup cream (to taste)
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

  1. Place a rack in the top third of your oven and preheat the broiler. Lay the poblano peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet and place them under the broiler. Roast until the skins of the peppers are almost completely blackened. Turn them over to blacken the other side. Remove the peppers from the oven, dump them into a bowl and cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Let cool, then peel off the blackened skins and remove the seeds. Chop the peppers and set aside.
  2. Husk the corn and use a sharp knife to slice it from the cob. Heat a skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates almost immediately. Add the corn to the skillet and sauté until the kernels are about 50% blackened. Dump the corn out onto a plate or a bowl and set aside.
  3. Cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces. Heat a large, heavy bottomed saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until the bacon is crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pan to a plate lined with paper towels. Remove all but about 1 tbsp of bacon fat from the pan and return the pan to the burner.
  4. Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until it’s soft and translucent. Add the chopped bell peppers, minced garlic, oregano, and sugar. Cook, stirring constantly 1 minute longer.
  5. Add the broth, enchilada sauce, and about 1 tsp salt and pepper to the pan. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and let simmer until the potatoes are fork tender.
  6. Taste the broth for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.
  7. Add the poblano peppers, corn, and 1/2 cup cream to the soup. Stir to combine, taste and add up to 1/2 cup more cream if desired. Stir in the bacon and chopped cilantro.

Notes

For the Enchilada Sauce, use canned or frozen, – OR make a batch from scratch, which is seriously easy and sooooooo tasty. Follow the instructions for Homemade Enchilada Sauce in this recipe for Baked Enchiladas. Reserve the leftover sauce for Stuffed Poblano Peppers on Day #3 and Black Bean Tostadas with Enchilada Cream on Day #5.

Poblano Peppers: Roast a total of 14 poblano peppers. Peel and seed all the roasted peppers. Reserve 8 of the peppers for Stuffed Poblano Peppers on Day #3. Chop the remaining peppers and add 2/3 of the chopped peppers to the chowder. Reserve the remaining 1/3 of the chopped peppers for corn salsa on Day #5.

Corn: You’ll need a total of 14 ears of sweet corn for this week’s meal plan. Shuck all the corn and slice the kernels off the cob. Follow the instructions in the recipe for Corn Chowder to sauté all the corn kernels to “blacken” it. Reserve 3 cups of kernels for the corn relish on Day #2 and 3 cups for corn salsa on Day #5. Use the remaining corn for tonight’s chowder.

Bacon: Cook a total of 16 oz of bacon. Use 12 oz of the bacon in the chowder and reserve the remaining 4 oz for Fresh Tomato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette on Day #2. Either reserve 1 tbsp of rendered bacon fat in the refrigerator to make the Bacon Vinaigrette on Day #2, or just go ahead and make the Vinaigrette now, storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.