Saturday was a very special day for me. My Arabian horse came home, after two years of living on a ranch in Paso Robles. It was a matter of economics, and an offer I couldn’t refuse, to move her 120 miles away. “Savvy” has been well looked after and she was doing well. The problem was, I wasn’t. I found myself longing to brush her, feed her carrots, nuzzle her mane and to appreciate what only a true horse person can understand– that “equine smell” of horse sweat, with notes of mustiness and … well, horse. As luck would have it, someone I have known for decades owns a ranch about 12 miles from my home. Charlene graciously offered to trailer my mare for the two-hour long haul back to Salinas, California. Excitedly, I called out to my girl, “Savvy!!” and I could hear her whinny as the trailer pulled in to her new home. She unloaded a bit stiffly, so we took her into the arena. It took less than a minute for her to sniff, paw and find just the right place to buckle her front knees and plop down for a good roll.
Savannah Sue, has officially checked out her new home and I was grinning from ear to ear. I missed that 27 year old horse more than I imagined! Her new digs are quite lovely, I must say. It’s also a good 20-30 degrees cooler. I wilt in weather that is higher than my coastal 70-80 degrees. While Savvy got to sniff around, and her new neighbors came to check her out….
…we drove up to the main house. The owners are away at their second home in Hawaii. Nice, huh?
The top right photo is not a small house. It’s a “Chicken Condo“. I’d say that there won’t be a coyotes, foxes nor or any kind of predator that can get to these chickens! Next door, is a more typical chicken coop with Mr. Rooster. The caretaker handed me a carton of fresh eggs, freshly laid that day! Score!! After brushing my horse, and feeding her carrots, we headed home. I felt like all is right with my world, just knowing that my horse was 15 minutes away from home.
This morning, I pondered how to enjoy these eggs. If you’ve never tried farm fresh eggs, I can tell you that the yolks are more yellow. I personally believe that they taste better. Huevos Rancheros, I decided, would be perfect. I fact, just last week, I had received a box of California Grown Avocados— courtesy of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program. All I needed was salsa, but my homegrown tomatoes aren’t ready. I have a fast and easy recipe for homemade salsa. Fortunately, I stockpile canned tomatoes in all size, shapes and flavors. You need a 28 ounce can of tomatoes, a can of Rotel Tomatoes— which I didn’t have. I simply added minced mild green chilis, which are a pantry staple in my home. A food processor makes this a breeze to make:
You also need onion, fresh jalapeno, fresh cilantro and a garlic clove. If you’ve never worked with jalapenos, just remember a few things– the membrane holds all the heat. Remove the seeds, too, and wash your hands! If you accidentally rub your eyes, you will be very sorry! If you hate cilantro (Chinese Parsley), leave it out. Thankfully, we love cilantro and grow it in my own backyard.
Toss all of your ingredients into the food processor. Add 1/4 tsp of cumin (or more, if you wish), a pinch of sugar and salt, and fresh lime juice. I coarsely cut the canned mild green chilis and then pulsed these ingredients about 3 times– we don’t want puree!
Add the undrained tomatoes and pulse this a few more times. Taste with a tortilla chip. Mine needed more salt. Yummy!
TASTING NOTES: I see no reason for me to buy salsa in the deli section nor jars at the grocery store. This is much easier to make, and you can adjust the “heat”. 1 whole jalapeno gave this some kick. 1/2 jalapeno would be more my preference, but my boys like it hot. If you want mild,leave out the jalapenos, altogether but don’t skip the minced green onion. If you have Rotel tomatoes (which are tomatoes with mild green chili peppers, and some seasonsings) that works, too. Salsa is ready. Next, you need eggs, a can of black beans (drained and rinsed), corn tortillas and cheese. I used Cotija cheese.
I lightly cooked each tortilla in a little vegetable oil, until soft. Then I drained and patted it with paper towels.
Now for those lovely eggs– sunny side up. To the black beans I added a bit of chicken stock to make them a little moist, and mashed them just a little bit– or, you could puree them. Since the salsa has kick to it, I didn’t season the beans. Let’s build it– layer 2-3 corn tortillas. Next, some beans and a little bit of Cotija cheese. I decided to broil it for about 30 seconds, to melt the cheese. Next the salsa, then the eggs. Sprinkle with a little more cheese and slices of avocado.
We were so hungry that I didn’t photograph the egg– which was cooked perfectly, with just the right amount of beautiful yolk. I’ve provided printable recipes for the Huevos Rancheros and the Homemade Salsa, at the very bottom of this post. I hope you’ll try this. We loved it.
I’m looking forward to spending more time with my horse– and more fresh farm eggs wouldn’t be so bad, either! UPDATE: My beloved mare went to her pasture in the sky, just a month after I posted this. I have decided to keep her photos on this post, in memory of the joy she brought into my life.
California Black Bean Huevos Rancheros
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 corn tortillas
- 1 can black beans drained a rinsed
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup Cotija Cheese a mild Mexican cheese made with cow’s milk or cheese of your choice
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 avocado peeled and sliced
- Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Heat the black beans. Add a splash of chicken stock and lightly mash. I like to leave them chunky and some whole. You could puree these, too.
- Heat a little bit of vegetable oil and lightly cook the corn tortillas; drain and pat dry and set aside.
- Cook eggs (2 per serving) sunny side up.
- Preheat the broiler:
- Layer 2 to 3 corn tortillas, then a layer of black beans. Sprinkle a little Cotija cheese on top and broil for about 30-45 seconds– enough to melt the cheese.
- Add a layer of salsa, then the eggs.
- Garnish with a little more Cotija Cheese and an ample amount of fresh avocado– the best part!
Restaurant Style Salsa
Equipment
- 1 Food processor
Ingredients
For the "vegetables:
- 1/4 cups chopped onion I used red (see notes)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 whole jalapeno quartered and sliced thin (use 1/2 for a milder version)
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 lime juiced
For the "sauce":
- 1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes drain them, and keep the liquid set aside
- 1 10 ounce can Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)** or 1 can diced tomatoes and 1 small can mild green chilies as a substitute
- 1 can mild green chili
Instructions
Rough chop the vegetables:
- Rough chop the vegetables and toss them into a food processor, which includes: Onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse just a few times.
- Add the tomatoes and mild green chilies (or the Rotel tomatoes, if using). Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like—I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.NOTE: Draining the tomatoes makes the salsa less watery. Add small amounts of the tomato liquid into the salsa, if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos.
- The salsa will develop more flavor, if chilled for a few hours. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Your horse is beautiful and I just love the name. Glad you have her back near you. I'm sure she's grateful to see you more often.
Wonderful recipe..looks fantastic!
So happy for you that you have your baby back 🙂
Fantastic post! I love these eggs, ate them often in Texas where I am from, and the welcoming back part of the story, how fabulous!
Savvy is SOOOO gorgeous! What a beautiful face. I don't blame you to want her back home with you. There simply is no comparison in locations when you love and are bonded with your horse! I love that she whinnied back at you when you called her name! There's nothing quite like that! Your eggs are making me hungry too, by the way! I make homemade salsa too every summer and never buy store bought. One day I want chickens but hubby says not until I retire! A Chicken Condo is the way to go! Roz
I'm so glad you were reunited with your baby! She is one gorgeous horse. I don't know how you stood to be away from her for so long!
Those farm fresh eggs look glorious…and you put them to the perfect use. The huevos rancheros are fabulous!
Your recipe is wonderful and seems delicious and your horse, is so beautiful!! I'm happy you can be with her again and I can imagine how much you missed each other.
Love,
Lia.
Those look delicious! I think I'll be making them for dinner soon. Congrats on Savvy's homecoming!
Deb, loved seeing Savvy's homecoming. Looks like a wonderful new home!!!! Only thing is you might not be online as much with her that close! She is a beauty and for sure has been loved and cared for in Paso Robles!
It looks like a perfect breakfast. I could go for some salsa right now on such a hot day.
Even more I'm so happy to see you with your horsey! She's so lovely and I always love hearing about the equines. I live 70 miles from my girls and only see them on weekends and weekdays can be so hard. When it's a beautiful day outside all I can think about is how much I'd rather be riding than doing anything else.
It takes a certain kind of person to appreciate that horsey smell.
That's an outstanding looking breakfast. Our friend raises Arabians and currently hav three with one of them (the mom) being 30+ years old.
What a beautiful horse! This recipe sounds amazing!
Hi Debby_, thank you so much for writing about RO*TEL. We love this recipe and think you should enter it into our recipe contest for a chance to win $2,000. For more info visit http://www.rotelacrossamerica.com
– The RO*TEL Across America Team
Huevos Rancheros is the perfect way to use those farm fresh eggs. It all looks perfectly cooked and delicious.
So happy for you to have your horse back and close by. Many happy times!
That is such s great photo of you and Savvy! You need to find a special place on your blog for that one.
So glad you were able to spend some time with her, I'm sure she missed you as much as you missed her.
This breakfast- dee-licious! I'm drooling :-P'''
Welcome Home Savannah Sue, she is beautiful.
So happy for you that you have your beloved horse back. Yummy recipes, thanks for posting.
glad you were reunited with your horse, she is a beauty…great recipe love the salas, yummy
sweetlife
I love this post, I love your horse…I always love chickens and can't wait to have some of my own one day. And I love that yummy breakfast. Those eggs look so good.
Rebecca
I just signed up for an egg share at my CSA – a dozen farm fresh eggs every two weeks! You're giving me all sorts of great ideas!
It's wonderful that you have your horse back with you again. I can see how happy it makes you.
Love those huevos rancheros, especially with homemade salsa. This is one of my favorite meals.
That is just gorgeous, my husband would love it too, he adores black beans.
I am soo happy your baby is home, 27 years old, I dont think I have ever heard of a horse that old? do you still ride her?
My family LOVED this recipe! and I had a blast making it! Thank you!! I adore your blog!
I have lots of fresh eggs and these huevos rancheros look fantastic! I will definitely be trying this out. Your horse is just beautiful!