Are Food Blogs Over?

Isn't it just like me to jump on the food blog train as it's nearing the station?  That's OK, I'm going to start calling it a "Food Diary" instead.  See!  New concept!

Article: Are Food Blogs Over?

Black and White Cookies

Our book club selection this month was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. In keeping with a new tradition, I wanted to make something that relates to the book. I decided on New York's infamous Black and White Cookies.

Having only been to New York a handful of times, I'm certainly no expert on these cookies, but I have never tried a recipe on smittenkitchen that I didn't like, so when I saw she had a recipe for black and white cookies, I figured I couldn't go wrong.

My friend who lived in New York for five years thought they were a really good homemade version, though not quite the same as from a New York bakery. I thought they were just delicious cookies (and pretty)! I thought the white side of the frosting was a little too sweet, but it was balanced out with the chocolate and the cookie itself.

Black and White Cookies
1 3/4 c granulated sugar
1 c unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
4 large eggs
1 1/2 c milk
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/4 t lemon extract
2 1/2 c cake flour
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
4 c confectioners’ sugar
1/3 to 1/2 c water
3 oz very bitter or unsweetened chocolate
1 t light corn syrup
1 to 2 T unsweetened cocoa (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray, or line with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter. Mix by machine or hand until fluffy. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla and lemon extracts, and mix until smooth.

In a medium bowl, combine cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Stir until mixed. Add dry mixture to the wet in batches, stirring well after each addition. Using a soup spoon, place heaping spoonfuls of the dough 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake until edges begin to brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Boil a cup or so of water in a small pot. Place confectioners’ sugar in large, heat-safe mixing bowl. Gradually stir in enough boiling water to the sugar to make a thick, spreadable mixture. Err on the side of caution because a too-thin frosting is hard to undo. Leave remaing boiling water on the stove.

Spread frosting on half of the flat side of each cookie. Once all cookie halves have been frosted, place the bowl of the remaining frosting over the hot water and bring it back to a simmer (creating a double-boiler). Stir in the bitter or unsweetened chocolate until melted (I'd recommended breaking up the chocolate for easier melting), as well as the light corn syrup. Depending on the chocolate you used, you might find the chocolate color to be a little lighter than the “black” of a black-and-white cookie. If so, a tablespoon or so of cocoa mixed in darkens the color nicely. I ended up adding two tablespoons of cocoa and was really happy with the look and taste.

Ice the remaining half of the cookies with the chocolate frosting. If the chocolate frosting is getting too dry, whisk in an extra teaspoon of the hot water to smooth it back into a shiny frosting.

Let the frosting set. Store in an airtight container.

Caramelized Onion Dip

It was my turn to host book club again tonight. I don't know about your book club, but ours is spent talking a little about the book and a lot about celebrity gossip and movie adaptations, all while enjoying some good wine. The hostess is responsible for the food and everyone else brings the drinks - it's a pretty nice system we have worked out.

At this point, I've tested out most of my appetizer repertoire on my book club. So when I saw this recipe on my friend's blog, I decided this was the perfect opportunity to try it out. Wow, is this good!  I will definitely be making it again.  The cayenne adds a surprising hint of heat and really you can't go wrong with caramelized onions.

I reduced the amount of butter and oil from the original recipe and I don't think they were missed.

Caramelized Onion Dip
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
3 T butter
2 T olive oil
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c mayonnaise

Melt oil and butter in a pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and spices and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 more minutes until the onions caramelize and are brown. Set aside to cool.

With a mixer, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise until smooth. Add the onions and mix well.

Serve with chips, celery sticks, other dipping instruments.

Spicy Lentil Wraps

After a brief reprieve, Spring has returned to Chicago! We've been eating dinner pretty late these days because the weather has been so nice we've been taking advantage of it and running before we make dinner. It certainly makes for a later night, but after a (mild) Chicago weather, we have to enjoy these nice days while we can!

I saw this recipe over on thekitchn and figured it would be a good use of the rest of our lentils. This was not a quick dinner, but it was totally worth the effort to make the red pepper paste and tahini sauce yourself. I recommend making the red pepper paste the night before, it took the full two hours to cook.


Spicy Lentil Wraps with Tahini Sauce
1/2 c red lentils, rinsed
2 c water
3/4 c fine grain bulgur
2 T olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 t ground cumin
1 t red pepper flakes
1 scallion, chopped
2 T chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 t kosher salt
6 (approximately 9x12-inch) sheets lavash, white or whole wheat
3/4 c red pepper paste (recipe below)
2 cups shredded cabbage
Tahini sauce to serve (recipe below)

Combine lentils and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 20 minutes.

Turn off heat and stir in bulgur. Let stand until water is absorbed and bulgur is soft, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent. Stir in cumin and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute.

Add onions, scallions, parsley, and salt to lentil-bulgur mixture and stir until well combined. Let cool before using to make wraps. (If you want a smoother texture closer to the Trader Joe's version, you can run the filling through a food processor, but I like it just as it is.) You can freeze the filling in an airtight container if not using all at once.

To assemble, lay out a lavash sheet with the shorter end closest to you. Spread 1 1/2 tablespoons of red pepper paste across the lower 1/3 of the sheet. Top with the lentil-bulgur mixture, and then the cabbage. Roll from the bottom up, and spread an additional 1/2 tablespoon of red pepper paste across the top end to help seal the wrap. Repeat for remaining wraps.

To serve, cut each wrap in half and serve with tahini sauce on the side.

Red Pepper Paste
6 red bell peppers, cored and chopped
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 t kosher salt
Olive oil to cover (if refrigerating)

Combine bell peppers, cayenne pepper, and salt in a food processor and puree.

Pour the puree into a skillet over low heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a paste. This can take up to 2 hours.

Let cool before using. To store, pack the paste into a jar, pour enough olive oil on top to cover, and refrigerate.

Tahini Sauce
1/4 c tahini
2/3 c or more warm water
2 t lemon juice
2 t finely chopped parsley
1 glove garlic, crushed
1/8 t red pepper flakes
1/8 t kosher salt

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a fork until well combined. Gradually stir in small amounts of additional warm water until the desired consistency is achieved.

Noodles with Peanut Sauce

While perusing my latest issue of Runner's World last week (yes, I'm trying to be a runner again), I came across this recipe and couldn't pass it by. Noodles, peanuts, and a quick dinner, what more can you ask for?

Noodles with Peanut Sauce
6 T reduced sodium soy sauce
2 T sesame oil
1 T unsweetened peanut butter
4 T rice vinegar
1 T grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
10 ounces soba noodles (we used rice noodles instead)
5 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 c toasted sesame seeds
1/4 c chopped unsalted peanuts
1/4 c fresh cilantro leaves

In a large, shallow bowl, whisk the soy sauce, sesame oil, peanut butter, vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, ginger, and garlic.

In a pot, boil 3 quarts of water. Cook noodles according to package directions.

If using soba noodles, drain in a colander; run hot water over the noodles until the water runs clear. (If the noodles aren't washed, they'll be starchy and sticky.) Drain thoroughly again.

Add noodles to the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Add scallions; toss again. Garnish with sesame seeds, peanuts, and cilantro.


We couldn't find soba noodles at the store, but I think the rice noodles were a good substitution. I'd be curious to see if the taste changes very much if we used soba instead. I think next time I will increase the peanut butter in the sauce. Maybe 2 tablespoons? I just wouldn't mind it a little more peanut buttery.

Peanut Butter Waffles

I'm not a big breakfast person, I usually have to force myself to eat something in the morning to get going.  But every once in a while I love a real, traditional breakfast. This was one of those mornings. After a nice morning run we came home and made these awesome peanut butter waffles. I wanted to try something a little different with our waffles this morning.  We adapted this recipe, found here.

Peanut Butter Waffles
3/4 c whole-wheat flour
3/4 c all purpose flour
3/4 c oatmeal flour
4 t baking powder
1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 T sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/4 c whole milk
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/4 t kosher salt
Cooking spray or melted butter

Combine the first 8 ingredients and mix with an electric mixer or hand mixer. Preheat a waffle iron. When it is hot, spray its surface lightly with cooking spray or brush it with butter. Fill a 1/2 measuring cup with batter and pour it onto the waffle iron. Cook until the waffle is golden brown. Serve hot with maple syrup or your favorite waffle toppings.

To make your own oatmeal flour, just grind whole oats in a coffee grinder or food processor.

I topped part of my waffle with maple syrup, and part with Trader Joe's cocoa almond spread. I love this stuff. It's Nutella for those of us who don't like hazelnuts.

Ethiopian Cabbage

One of the best things about living in a big city is the almost limitless availability of good food. We have amazing restaurants all over the place. We also have the opportunity to try almost any cuisine imaginable. One of our friends introduced us to Ethiopian Diamond several years ago and we love it! Here is our attempt at Ethiopian food at home. We served this dish over rice, but I definitely think it would've been better over the traditional injera.  Maybe next time!


Ethiopian Cabbage (adapted from recipe here)
3 T olive oil
4 carrots, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 t sea salt
1 t freshly ground black pepper
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground turmeric
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
5 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 c chicken broth

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the carrots and onion in the hot oil about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric, and cabbage and cook another 15 to 20 minutes. Add the potatoes; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes are soft, 20 to 30 minutes.

Lemon Roasted Cabbage

We had a whole head of cabbage leftover after St. Patrick's Day. I had seen this recipe a while ago and figured this was the perfect time to try it out. This is definitely my new favorite cabbage preparation! I'm going to be making my St. Patrick's Day cabbage this way from now on.


Lemon Roasted Cabbage
1 medium-sized head of green cabbage
2 T olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
generous amount of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425.

Cut the head of cabbage into 8 same-size wedges, cutting through the core and stem end. Trim the core strip and stem from each wedge and arrange wedges in a single layer on the roasting pan (leave some space around them).

Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice. Use a pastry brush to brush the top sides of each cabbage wedge with the mixture and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Turn cabbage wedges carefully, then brush the second side with the olive oil/lemon juice mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Roast cabbage for about 15 minutes, or until the side touching the pan is nicely browned. Then turn each wedge carefully and roast 10-15 minutes more, until the cabbage is nicely browned and cooked through with a bit of chewiness remaining.

Dad's Caesar Salad

My mom is an excellent cook, I got my appreciation for good cooking (and lots of recipes) from her. My dad, on the other hand, is really good at making two things. He is always the grill master at home and can grill a mean steak or burger. But I think where his culinary skills really shine is with this salad! For as long as I can remember, if we had a caesar salad, my dad made it. This is his recipe which I try to emulate. I still think his is better though!

Caesar Salad
3 cloves or garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 t dry mustard
1/2 t worchestershire sauce
4 T grated Parmesan (divided)
1 t Anchovy paste (optional)
1 T lemon juice
1 T white wine vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
Hot sauce
1 head romaine lettuce, torn

Combine garlic, mustard, worchestershire, and 1 T Parmesan in the bottom of a wooden salad bowl. Mix with a fork until a paste forms. Add anchovy paste, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, olive oil, and a few shakes of hot sauce. Combine all ingredients and let stand for 30 minutes. Add lettuce to the bowl and top with remaining Parmesan. Toss to combine.

This salad really stands on its own, but it's even better with homemade croutons and grilled chicken or shrimp!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

There is a ridiculous amount of spinach in my refrigerator right now. I decided to make this super healthy food as unhealthy as possible. Spinach and Artichoke Dip! There are two kinds of vegetables in there, I guess it's not that bad!  Actually, you could probably make this a lot healthier by using low or reduced fat versions of both the cream cheese and mayo. I did not do this. It was delicious and gone in about 5 minutes. We tried it with "hint of jalapeno" tortilla chips and it was a pretty awesome combination. Definitely recommended!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip
2 c baby spinach
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T olive oil
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c diced onion
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained
1 T lemon juice
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a saute pan over medium heat, saute the garlic and spinach in olive oil until the spinach wilts, about 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan, and onions. Add artichokes. Pulse with immersion blender to chop up artichokes and mix ingredients.  Stir in the sauteed spinach, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread in an oven proof baking dish and bake for approximately 20 minutes until browned.

Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, pita chips, or just eat with a spoon!

P.S. I have not figured out how to photograph a casserole to make it look good.
P.P.S. I need a manicure!

Hint of Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

St. Patrick's Day is one of my favorite holidays. Spring is almost here! Green is my favorite color! I'm (a generous) 25% Irish in real life and 100% Fighting Irish in my heart! Also, I'm in love with mint and chocolate together!

I found this picture on Pinterest and knew I had to make these for our St. Patrick's Day party. When I actually looked at the recipe though, I realized there was no way I could make those. Um, I'm not using a Sugar Cookie Mix in my chocolate chip cookies.  Seriously!

Remember that episode of Friends when Monica is trying to recreate the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe that had been in Phoebe's family for generations? Then they realize it's the Nestle Toll House recipe from the bag? I feel the same way. That is hands down my favorite cookie recipe. I made some minor tweaks to it to get the green, minty result that I wanted.

Hint of Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/4 c flour
1 t baking soad
1 t salt
1 c butter, softened
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 packed brown sugar
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t peppermint extract
8-10 drops green food coloring
2 large eggs
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c mint chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and food coloring in large mixing bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 - 11 minutes until golden brown.

These cookies were a big hit! I thought they were the perfect "hint of mint" cookies. I probably could've added more food coloring, but I was really happy with how they turned out.

Red Lentil Curry

This weather is killing me!  In the absolute best way possible. If it gets cold and snows again, I may just cry!

I washed and put away my long, down coat last weekend. Stupid? Maybe. I'm going to think of it as optimistic instead. We went for a run tonight before dinner, I think half-marathon training has officially begun! By the time we got to the lake (approx 1.3 miles away), the temperature had dropped about 20 degrees and there was a fog rising off the water. What weird weather!  It's supposed to be back into the 70s tomorrow though, so you'll hear no complaints from me.

Red Lentil Curry (adapted from recipe found here)
2 c red lentils
1 large onion, diced
1 T vegetable oil
2 T curry paste
1 T curry powder
1 t ground turmeric
1 t ground cumin
1 t chili powder
1 t salt
1 t white sugar
1 t minced garlic
1 t ginger root, minced
1 (14.25 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes, blended to a puree
Cilantro
Basmati rice

Wash the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear (this is very important or the lentils will get "scummy"), put the lentils in a pot with water to cover and simmer covered until lentils tender (add more water if necessary), about 15-20 minutes.

While the lentils are cooking, in a large skillet or saucepan, caramelize the onions in vegetable oil. Meanwhile, combine the curry paste, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, salt, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a mixing bowl. Mix well. When the onions are cooked, add the curry mixture to the onions and cook over a high heat stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in the tomato puree and reduce heat, allow the curry base to simmer until the lentils are ready. When the lentils are tender, drain them briefly (they should have absorbed most of the water but you don't want the curry to be too sloppy). Mix the curry base into the lentils, top with cilantro, and serve.

We served this curry over basmati rice (cook according to package directions).

Vegetable Couscous

What a beautiful day we had in Chicago! We decided to go for a run before dinner and this meal was so quick and easy to throw together afterward. I chopped the vegetables before we left and then just had to cook it all when we got home. This dish calls for a ton of vegetables, a whole rainbow of them! Doesn't it just make you feel healthy to see all that color in your dinner? I'd say this meal took about 30 minutes or so in all. This recipe made two healthy dinner portions and we had enough leftover for at least two days of lunches.

Vegetable Couscous (adapted from recipe found here)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 yellow squash, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 c sliced baby portabella mushrooms
4 c vegetable broth
1 t paprika
1/2 t ground cardamom
1/4 t salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 (16 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
2 cups dry couscous
Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large pot over medium-low heat. Place onion, zucchini, yellow squash, and carrot in pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to soften and turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the red and yellow peppers and mushrooms; cook another 3 minutes. Vegetables should still be firm.

Pour in the vegetable stock and season with paprika, cardamom, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to low. Stir in chickpeas and tomatoes. Pour in the couscous; stir. Cover pot immediately and remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork. The couscous should have absorbed about half the cooking liquid.

Garnish with the Parmesan and more cilantro.

Black Bean, Sweet Potato, and Quinoa Chili

We've been having some amazing, Spring weather here in Chicago.   And fortunately, the forecast for the next seven days looks like more of the same!  Yay!

I planned to make this recipe from the Kitchn when we were still feeling the cold chill of winter, but will probably start lightening up our meals for the Spring and Summer.


Black Bean, Sweet Potato, and Quinoa Chili
Adapted from Bon Appétit

1 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 T chili powder
1 T ground coriander
1 14.5-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
1/2 lb dried black beans, rinsed well
3 chipotle chiles from canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
1 t dried oregano
2 t kosher salt + more to taste
3 c sweet potatoes (2 medium), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 c quinoa, rinsed and drained
sour cream
green onions, chopped
fresh cilantro, chopped
shredded cheddar cheese

Heat the oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and beginning to brown, 6-7 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, and coriander and stir. Cook together for 1 minute.

Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, beans*, chipotle pepper, and oregano. Add 5 cups of water and bring to a boil (I subbed in about 2 cups of chicken broth). Reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer until beans are flavorful and tender, anywhere from 2 - 4 hours (depending on the age of your beans).

After 1 1/2 hours of cooking, add the sweet potatoes, quinoa, and salt. Place the pot's lid back on slightly ajar and allow to simmer on low heat until the beans are soft and the sweet potatoes and quinoa are cooked through. Add more water if the chili becomes too thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with sour cream, cilantro, cheese and green onion.

*For better results, quick-soak the beans prior to adding to the chili. To quick soak the beans, place the beans in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, and let soak, covered, for 1-2 hours.

I threw in about 1/3 c of butternut squash that I had leftover too. This was a little more soup-like than traditional chili, but it was very hearty and filling. I think I'm going to try it with the original bulgur next time. I usually prefer that to quinoa.

Thai Butternut Squash Soup

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, but this weekend was super busy! But I'm back with what I hope will be delicious recipes this week and some special St. Patrick's Day fare this weekend!

I made this soup last week, it was really tasty. I got the recipe out of the Moosewood Restaurant's Simple Suppers cookbook. This cookbook is fantastic for weeknight meals, and especially great for our current vegetarian diet.

Thai Butternut Squash Soup (adapted from Moosewood recipe)
1 c coconut milk
1/2 t Thai red curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen brand)
4 t sugar
1/2 t salt
2 c chicken broth
3 c cooked butternut squash
1 lime
2 c fresh baby spinach
Sriracha
Chopped fresh cilantro

Pan-fried Tofu
8 oz firm tofu
1 T soy sauce
1/2 t Thai red curry paste
1 t vegetable oil

In a soup pot, whisk together coconut milk, curry paste, sugar, salt, and broth. Add the squash, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered until the squash is warmed through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the tofu*. Cut the tofu into small cubes and put them in a bowl. Toss with soy sauce and curry paste. Heat the oil in a small skillet on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the tofu and cook, stirring occassionally, for about 5 minutes. Set aside

Lightly grate the lime peel and juice the lime. Add 1 teaspoon of the zest and 2 tablespoons of the juice to the simmering soup. Stir in the spinach and tofu and cook just until the spinach wilts. Add more sugar, salt,and Sriracha to taste. Garnish with cilantro.

This soup was really thick, I think next time I would add and additional 1-2 cups of broth. And while the tofu smelled delicious while I was cooking it, it didn't add a lot to the taste. Next time I'm going to try it with shrimp instead.


*Press the tofu prior to cutting for crispier results.

The original recipe calls for frozen winter squash, but I roasted a fresh butternut squash myself. To roast: cut the squash in half, length-wise, remove pulp and seeds. Place facedown on a baking sheet and roast in a pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes at 375, or until soft. Once cooled, scoop out the cooked squash and set aside.

Black Bean Tortilla Pie

We've made this recipe a few times.  It one of our favorites from Martha Stewart's Good Food Fast cookbook.  As is, the recipe is a little bland, but I think we've made adjustments that up the flavor and make it really delicious.  The toppings are all optional, but I think they really amp up the dish.

Black Bean Tortilla Pie
(adapted from Martha's recipe here)

4 flour tortillas (10 inches)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno chile, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t cayenne pepper
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
12 ounces beer
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (2 1/2 cups)
Sour Cream
Cilantro
Avocado
Tomatoes

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch spring form pan. Use the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeno, garlic, cumin, and cayenne; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add beans and beer, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 15 minutes. Stir in corn and scallions, and remove from heat.

Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of spring form pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer. Bake until cheese melts, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove side of pan; sprinkle pie with scallions. Top with avocado, cilantro, chopped tomatoes, and sour cream.

Sushi Salad

I love sushi, but I'll admit I'm a little nervous to try my hand at it at home.  I saw this recipe on a blog I read (shutterbean.com) and it just looked too good to pass up.  This salad has all the wonderful flavors of a sushi dinner, without dealing with the scary raw fish.  It also is an incredibly filling salad with both the rice and edamame. And let me tell you, this miso-green onion vinaigrette is killer!!!

Sushi Salad
3/4 cup dry brown rice, cooked and cooled
1 cup shelled frozen edamame, thawed
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp agave nectar
8 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
1 small cucumber, cut into small pieces
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 cup green onions, sliced
4 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 sheets nori, chiffonaded
1 avocado, chopped
1 recipe Green Onion-Miso Vinaigrette (recipe below)
Sriracha
Wasabi

In a small bowl, mix the edamame, rice vinegar and agave together, set aside.

Place the lettuce in a bowl and drizzle a spoonful of dressing on top, toss. Add rice, cucumber, carrots, green onions, sesame seeds, nori, and avocado to the lettuce and drizzle more green onion miso dressing on top. Top with a bit of sriracha and wasabi and dig in!

Green Onion-Miso Vinaigrette
1/4 cup red miso
1 cup roughly chopped green onions
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp minced ginger
1 clove garlic
2 tsp agave nectar
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup water

Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth (you can easily use a hand blender, which is what I did). Chill until ready to use.

This made enough for 2 large dinner salads with plenty left over for lunch the next day!

Banana Bread

When I was growing up, if we had some bananas on the counter that started to brown, my mom would make banana bread for us. I started to do the same thing in college. One of my roommates liked my banana bread so much that she would intentionally let her bananas turn brown so I would make some. This is a recipe I got from my mom years ago. Tried and true.

You can put the brown bananas in the freezer and just thaw them out when you're ready to bake.

Banana Bread
1/2 c shortening, I usually use butter (softened)
1 c sugar
2-3 mashed bananas
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c milk
Pinch of salt
1 t baking soda
2 c flour

Preheat oven to 325.
Cream together butter and sugar. Mix in bananas, eggs, and milk. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix. Pour the batter into a greased 8x8 pan. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a fork comes out clean.

Thai Veggie Pizza

I spent the last couple of days out of town for work and ate out for every meal. I was really looking forward to a dinner at home when I got back. My husband picked out the ingredients for a new pizza to try. We've made a Thai chicken pizza several times that is awesome, this vegetarian version was a great way to change it up.

Thai Veggie Pizza
1 pizza crust
1/2 c cream cheese, softened
1/4 c smooth peanut butter
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 T fresh ginger, minced
2 T Thai chile garlic sauce or to taste
2 T chives, chopped
Juice of 1 lime, divided
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 c shredded cheese
1/2 jalapeño, minced
1 carrot, shredded
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced
Handful cilantro, chopped
1/4 c roasted peanuts, chopped
1/2 c bean sprouts
1/2 avocado, sliced

Pre-heat oven to 500.

We have a pizza crust recipe that we love (I will share it next time), but for a quick weeknight meal, we like to use the refrigerated crusts from Trader Joe's. Use your favorite pizza crust for this recipe.

Roll out pizza dough into 12 inch circle. Poke with fork to prevent bubbles when baking. Pre-bake crust at 500 degrees for four minutes. In a small bowl combine cream cheese, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, Thai chile sauce, chives, and juice of 1/2 the lime. Once pizza is out of the oven, cover with the cream cheese, peanut butter mixture. Top with red peppers, jalapeño, and shredded cheese. Bake for an additional 6 minutes. When the pizza comes out of the oven, top with carrots, cucumber, cilantro, bean sprouts, peanuts, and avocado. Slice and enjoy!

This pizza will definitely make it into our pizza rotation! It was awesome!

For my birthday this year, my husband got me a kit to make our own wine. He has been making beer with his buddy for a few years now, but this is our first foray into wine making. Last night we bottled thirty bottles of the homemade wine. We have to wait at least one month to try it. It's going to be a long month!