A Summertime Meal For A Crowd: Tex-Mex Style Recipes

School is starting soon and Labor Day is around the corner … all of this means there will be a ton of “End of Summer” celebrations before long.  And, with these parties, you’ll need some good food to share . . . and, if you’re going to be feeding a crowd, you’ll need recipes that can work for large groups.

Enter . . . six Houston Bloggers and Lawry’s (you know . . . of Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and Marinade fame?).

With the mandate to “create a menu for a large gathering,” the six of us excitedly got to work — emailing back and forth with menu ideas, discussing which Lawry’s products we would use, comparing recipes, finalizing meet-up times for cooking, and (eventually) sharing pictures of our creations.

The result?  A collection of Tex-Mex inspired, pot-luck style dishes (using a variety of Lawry’s marinades and seasonings) that anyone can make . . . anyone can eat . . . and anyone can enjoy.

We have six recipes total to share with you — an appetizer, side and main course, WITH a variation of each recipe.

(We’re all about options, people.)

Appetizers:

• Black Bean and Mango Pico (from Simply Being Mommy)
• Roasted Pepper Pico de Gallo with Black Beans and Mango (from yours truly – see below for the recipe)

Sides:

• Cold Bean Tex-Mex Salad (from Tree, Root and Twig)
• Spicy Cold Bean Salad (from Potamus Prefers)

Main Course:

• Carne Asada Torta (from Nicki Woo — the Home Guru)
• Vegetarian Grilled Party Po’boy with Chipotle Mayonnaise (from MileHiMama)

My friend Crystal and I worked on the appetizers.  She created a fresh, crisp Black Bean and Mango Pico (a recipe that has always been a favorite of mine) . . . I worked on the variation, using roasted red and yellow peppers, along with Lawry’s new Seasoned Salt Marinade, to make a tangy, smokey-sweet Black Bean and Roasted Pepper Pico de Gallo.

Then, after I left Crystal’s house — I promptly went home and nearly ate it all.  No. Joke.

(it is that good)

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 Roasted Pepper Pico de Gallo with Black Beans and Mango

Number of servings: 12

 Ingredients

1. 4-5 Tomatoes
2. 1 Red Onion
3. 2 Red Pepper
4. 2 Yellow Peppers
5. 1 Mango
6. 26 oz can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
7. 1/2 C Lawry’s Seasoned Salt Marinade, plus 3 TB reserved
8. 2 TB Chopped Cilantro*

 Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
2. Wash and cut the peppers in half. Place each pepper half on a foil lined pan (cut side down) and then, using a basting or pastry brush, brush the top side of each pepper with the reserved Seasoned Salt Marinade.
3. Place the pan in the oven and roast the peppers for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and turn each pepper over, using a pair of tongs. Brush the rest of the marinade on the cut side of the pepper.
4. Return the pan to the oven and roast an additional 15 minutes or until the peppers are soft and the skin is charred. Remove from the oven and let cool.
5. While the peppers are roasting, wash and dice the tomatoes, onion and mango.
6. Place all diced ingredients in a large mixing bowl and add the drained and rinsed black beans.
7. After the pepper have cooled, remove the charred skins and dice the peppers, adding them to the mixing bowl.
8. Pour in the 1/2 C of Seasoned Salt marinade and stir gently.
9. Add the chopped cilantro and stir.
10. Store (tightly covered) in the fridge until ready to serve.
11. Serve with tortilla chips.

*More cilantro may be added if so desired.

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Want to try out the newest Lawry’s Marinades and their infamous Seasoned Salt? I can help you out with that.

Leave a relevant comment here on this recipe post.  Then, let me know on my Lawry’s Giveaway Post when you finish.  EASY!

p.s.  Each of the Houston Bloggers participating in this recipe challenge have a giveaway for a Lawry’s Flavor Pack!!!

 

*Disclosure:  I was invited to participate in this campaign/recipe project through my association with The Motherhood.  In addition to receiving a  Lawry’s gift pack, featuring their new marinades, I was compensated for my time and work.  Any opinions in this post are completely mine, as is the recipe I shared in this post.