Southwest French Bread Pizza

What a busy weekend! I did almost no cooking, but it was a very food-centric weekend.  For my birthday on Thursday, KK and I went to Teak for Customer Appreciation Night... nearly everything is half price! Teak's sushi is delicious, but it's even better when it's 50% off.  On Friday, I organized a birthday happy hour at McSwiggans; their Friday special: $5 All-You-Can-Eat Nachos! I had such a great time seeing all my friends in one place! My friend Liz and her husband were in town from Philly on Saturday, and we went for a BYOB (or sake) dinner at Illuzion and drinks at Hoboken Bar & Grill.  Today we went to KK's cousin's baby shower.  It was such a cute, Winnie the Pooh themed party and the catered Indian food was delicious, especially the spicy Paneer 65. 

This recipe would be perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal.  The original recipe called for pico de gallo, but we used store-bought salsa instead.  Although the final product was delicious, it didn't seem quite crisp enough.  Next time, I'll try toasting the bread before adding the toppings. Fingers crossed the leftovers reheat well!

Southwest French Bread Pizza
Adapted from Tasty Kitchen
Time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 can 14.5-oz. black beans
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 can 4 oz. diced green chilies
2 cloves garlic
1 ½ cup salsa
1 loaf French bread
¾ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 avocado, sliced

Directions
1. Drain black beans, but do not rinse. Pour beans into a skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Add chili powder and stir. After 2 minutes, add diced green chilies. Continue to cook on medium heat for 2-3 more minutes while stirring. If it seems too dry, add in a tablespoon or two of water.

2. Dice garlic and add it to the black bean/green chili mixture. Keep on medium heat for another 2-3 minutes while stirring.

3. Remove mixture from the heat; stir in salsa.

4. Cut French bread in half lengthwise, then cut the halves into pieces about 6 inches long. Carve out a small area in the middle of each piece of bread. Spoon the black bean mixture onto the bread and cover it completely with the mixture.

5. Top pizzas with the shredded cheese.

6. Put pizzas into broiler for about 2-3 minutes. Cook until the cheese is slightly brown, but try not to burn the bread.

7. Top with the sliced avocado and enjoy!