When most folks see salsa, their immediate instinct is to grab a chip and dunk it in the spicy, tomato sauce. Me? I want to throw it into one of these four recipes and make me some dinner. I know it sounds strange, but I'm not the biggest fan of salsa on its own. I much prefer the flavors and ingredients it brings to a dish. The main ingredients of salsa - tomatoes, onions and peppers - are staples of many dinner recipes, and a jar of salsa can act as an easy, flavorful shortcut.

All of these recipes come together very quickly and some use less than 5 ingredients! And all are naturally gluten-free.

One-Pot Quinoa & Salsa Chicken

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups chicken stock
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 16oz jar chunky salsa
2 cups chicken, cooked & chopped
1 cup shredded Mexican-style cheese

In a large pot, bring the 2 cups chicken stock to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa. Once the stock has reached a boil, add the quinoa, cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

To the pot, add black beans, salsa, chicken and cheese. Stir until all ingredients are mixed and cheese is melted.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Mexican Lasagna

15 corn tortillas, cut in half
2 32oz jars chunky salsa
4 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded (see note below)
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 4oz can chopped green chilies
2 cups Mexican-style cheese, divided
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, add cooked chicken, sour cream, black beans, green chilies, 1 cup of the cheese, cumin and black pepper. Stir until combined.

In a 9x13 pan, spread half of one jar of salsa. Arrange one third of the corn tortilla halves on top of salsa. Spread half of the chicken mixture on top followed by the rest of the first jar of salsa. Arrange the next third of tortillas halves, followed by the rest of the chicken mixture and half of the second jar of salsa. Top off with the remaining tortillas and the rest of the salsa. Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup cheese on top.

Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is bubbly and cheese is melted. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Note: For quick shredded chicken, place chicken breasts in a large pot. Fill with enough water to cover the chicken. Over high heat, bring to a boil and cook for 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred with two forks or your fingers.

Sweet & Spicy Crockpot Chicken

4 raw chicken breasts, fresh or frozen
1 packet taco seasoning or 1 Tbsp of homemade taco seasoning (see note below)
1 16oz jar chunky salsa
1 8oz jar peach preserves

Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the crock pot. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the chicken. Add the jar of salsa and then the preserves. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. When cooked, use two forks to shred the chicken and mix with the sweet & spicy sauce. Serve with rice or tortillas.

Note: To make homemade taco seasoning, mix up the following spices and store in an empty spice jar to always have taco seasoning on hand!

Taco Seasoning

1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Yield: 2 1/2 Tbsp

Spicy Salsa Tomato Soup

1 64oz bottle Spicy V8 juice
1 32oz container chicken stock
1 16oz jar chunky salsa
1 can black beans

Add all ingredients to a large pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes. Garnish with cheese, sour cream & chopped green onion, if desired.