Salsa Bites

This great recipe originates with the US Rice Federation. My friend Shelley gave it to me and several other friends who begged to know how to make the wildly popular spicy salsa, rice, and cheese nibbles Shelley brought to a recent party.

Salsa Bites:  

3 c. cooked brown rice

1 c. grated jalapeño Monterey Jack cheese (see Note)

4 eggs

One 16 oz. (430 mL) jar medium-hot, thick-and-chunky salsa

½ c. sour cream

½ tsp. each salt and pepper

Additional salsa and sour cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. With clean hands (I wear latex gloves), combine rice and cheese in large bowl. In second bowl, beat eggs until well blended. Stir salsa, sour cream, salt, and pepper into eggs. Add egg-salsa mixture to cooled rice-and-cheese mixture.

Spoon about 1-½ tbsp. of salsa-rice mixture into lightly greased miniature muffin pans.  Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips over filling, pressing slightly with back of spoon. Bake 15-to-20 min. or until slightly brown. Let rest in pans 30 min. before removing. Serve warm garnished with a dab of sour cream and a smidgen of salsa. Makes 4 dozen.

Note: No jalapeño Monterey Jack? Use plain Monterey Jack, adding a few chili flakes or a little chopped fresh hot pepper to the recipe.

Variation: See photo of Mini Salsa Pies, below. Bake these in lightly greased dishes at 350 deg. F. for 30-to-35 min., served with salsa and sour cream on the side.

Ready? Grab and grease those pans!

Cool rice after cooking

Combine with Monterey Jack cheese

Mix cheese and rice in one bowl; beat eggs in another

Add salsa, sour cream, seasoning to eggs ...

And beat it ... just beat it!

Combine the two mixtures

Bake 15-to-20 min. as appetizer "bites" ... or ... Bake 30-to-35 min.
as individual dinner servings. Serve with salsa and sour cream.