how do we find answers to unexplained vocab?

Hola Gary

Sometimes there are such specific and local words that they are not always included in the diccionary. 

Here is an entry for "baleada" in wikipedia. Here's what they have for the English definition and here in the Spanish one they expand more and give more detail. It says that the name "baleada" (a typical food from Honduras made with a tortilla and frijoles inside with other ingredients too) probably comes from the word "bala" (bullet) because the beans (frijoles) remind of bullets because of their shape. 

Un tapado costeño is a typical soup from Honduras. Here is a bit of info.

I hope it helps.

Saludos

Inma