Rosie Makes Her Corn Bean Tortilla Pie And Dijon Dill Potato Salad.

On Sunday,
the Hawthornes attended
the annual Labor Day neighborhood pig pickin'.
A highly anticipated event,
the pig pickin' brings the neighborhood together
 in feast and celebration.
Everybody brings something
and it's all good.
And it's all fun.

We know our immediate neighbors,
but we don't know so many others.
We know some of them by sight,
but not by name.
And it's the same way with everyone.
People who haven't seen each other
since this time last year,
re-meet and re-greet.
Nobody really remembers names.
Most remember faces and who goes with which dogs.
And each year there are new faces we welcome
and each year there are old faces we miss.
It is bittersweet.

 This once a year neighborhood get together
reminds you of hometown goodness.
A simpler place and time.
A front porch time.

It gives you the happies.
And we can all use the happies.

I'm bringing two items this year.

Everyone expects my Corn Bean Tortilla Pie

and people would be disappointed if I didn't bring that.

Middle Hawthorne requested a potato salad

and I making a favorite of ours.

It's a Dijon and Dill Potato Salad,

recipe courtesy of my dear friend, Maxine.

I'm making a double batch of the Tortilla Pies today.

One to take to the party

and one for the Hawthornes to keep.

Ingredients:

1 package flour tortillas

about 2 cups dried black beans, rinsed and cooked

2 cans corn

assorted peppers, chopped

red onion, chopped

big pile of grated Monterey Jack cheese

big pile of grated cheddar cheese

butter, melted

cumin

 cayenne

I've posted this recipe a few dozen times,

so I'm not going through the step by steps.

I will give you the basics

and you can take it from there

and put your own spin on this.

Start with fairly equal amounts black beans and corn.

I use dried black beans.

They are superior to canned.

Canned beans are evil.

Cooking beans takes about 40 minutes.

You do not need to soak the beans overnight.

I simply rinse the beans,

put them in boiling salted water.

Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Drain water out.

Rinse beans.

Refresh water.

Bring to boil.

Add in beans.

Simmer another 15- 20 minutes until beans are al dente.

Rinse.

Let cool.

Mix the beans and corn.

I like to add in chopped onions and

 assorted chopped peppers from the garden.

Sometimes for fun,

I throw in sliced black olives,

and if I want to be very daring,

sometimes I'll use sliced green olives.

That is your basic mixture.

Then I grate my cheeses.

I get a big pile of grated cheddar

and big pile of grated Monterey Jack.

If you wanted to "kick things up a bit,"

you could use a Pepper Jack.

For assembly,

I layer tortillas with the corn and bean mixture

and grated cheese on each tortilla.

I keep on layering until I run out of everything.

Here's a Rosie tip for layering:

Build up filling around the outside edges of the tortilla.

This allows for a more even, flat pie.

Otherwise, the pie appears domed

and it's accentuated by baking.

The one I'm taking to the party is 8 layers.

After assembly,

I melt a few tablespoons of butter and brush on the top and sides.

Then I sprinkle a little cayenne and cumin on the sides and top.

Save a little of the filling for the topping.

Both tortillas are ready for baking.

350 degree oven for about 40 minutes.

Check near the end

and if cheese is browning too much,

tent it.

 

See what I mean about the "doming?"

 

I went out and picked a handful of cilantro.

Chop cilantro and sprinkle over top.

Slice into wedges and serve.

This will be gone within minutes of its arrival at the pig pickin'.

Next I'm making Maxine's

Dijon and Dill Potato Salad.

I diced 4 large potatoes.

Add potatoes to a large pot of salted water,

bring to a simmer,

and cook until potatoes are just tender.

Drain potatoes and ...

... IMMEDIATELY pour about 4 tablespoons distilled vinegar over potatoes.

Toss to coat.

Allow potatoes to absorb the vinegar.

Let potatoes cool.

You need about a cup of chopped fresh dill.

Ingredients for dressing:

1 1/2 TB white distilled vinegar

1 1/2  TB rice vinegar

3 TB Dijon mustard

3/4 cup oil (I used vegetable.)

1 cup chopped fresh dill.

Mix vinegars and mustard in small bowl.

Gradually whisk in oil until you have a nice emulsion.

Stir in chopped dill.

Pour dressing onto potatoes and toss gently.

Mix vinegars and Dijon mustard.

Very slowly, drizzle in oil,

whisking the entire time.

No more of a drizzle than this.

Emulsify!

Stir in fresh dill.

Breathe in the aroma.

Pour onto potatoes

and gently toss to coat.

Those were my two offerings for the party.

 Let's see what else was there.

Our neighbor, Frank-The-Good

(Not to be confused with another Frank-The-You-Know-What

who no longer graces us with his presence.),

graciously cooks a pig for the neighborhood

every Labor Day.

We used to have this little get-together on July 4,

but with temperatures a few years in the 100s

and humidity about the same,

we wisely opted for a cooler time to party.

Not by much, though.

Frank offered us both sliced and ...

... chopped/pulled pig.

With two sauces.

I'm partial to vinegar and hot pepper flakes.

Ramen and cabbage.

Cole slaw.

Sweet potato.

Beans.

Cole slaw.

Green beans.

Surprise Casserole.

(Surprise since I don't know what's in it.)

Black bean and corn.

Corn and Black Bean Tortilla Pie.

Green Bean and Potato.

I'm thinking this is my favorite.

It's cabbage and red grapes 

and raisins and pineapple

and some other stuff.

Don't forget the eggs.

Guess whose tray this is.