Grilled Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

From fortheloveofcooking.net
serves 6-8

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 ripe avocado, diced
2 ears fresh sweet corn
2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing:
Juice of 1 lime
3 T vegetable oil
1 T honey
Salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash of cayenne pepper

Remove husks from corn and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes.  The corn shouldhave some brown spots and be tender and not mushy.  Cut the corn off the cob then scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices.  Set aside and let cool.  Slice the tomatoes in half.  Dice the avocado and chop the cilantro.

Add all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.  Set aside.

Combine the sliced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and grilled corn and honey lime dressing and mix gently so everything is evenly coated.  Be careful not to mash the avocados.  Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes to let flavors mingle.  Enjoy.

Lentil Curry

From Martha Stewart
Serves 4

1 T olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 T curry powder
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 head cauliflower, stemmed and separated into florets
1 C brown lentils, pciked over, well rinsed, and drained
2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes with juice
Coarse salt
Plain low-fat yogurt, for serving (optional)



In a nonstick Dutch oven (5-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid), heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 7 minutes.

Add curry powder, cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Stir in sweet potatoes, cauliflower, lentils, tomatoes and their juice, and 1 1/2 C water; season with salt.

Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until lentils and sweet potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately, with yogurt if desired.

**Notes from Em**
It took more like 45-50 min for my lentils to be done. I also think it needs some garlic. I'll do probably 3-5 cloves next time I make this.

Cuban Black Bean Soup

From familyfun.go.com
Makes 14 Cups

Because it's made with just a handful of basic ingredients, this soup is easy and inexpensive to prepare.  The mild flavor of the soup is pleasing on its own, but traditional add-ins like rice, egg, and onion make it even more appealing and hearty.

1 lb dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
4 C cold water
6 C chicken brother
1/2 t black pepper
2 T olive or canola oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, passed through a garlic press
1/2 t cumin
1 bay leaf
2 t kosher salt
1 t sugar
2 T white vinegar

In a large pot, bring the beans and water to a full boil.  Remove the pot from the heat, cover it, and let stand for 1 hour.

Return the pot to the stove and bring the mixture to a boil.  Add 1/2C cold water to stop the rapid boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.  Stir in the chicken brother and black pepper, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

While the beans cook, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions, green peppers, and celery, and saute them until they are soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic, cumin, bay leaf, salt, and sugar, and cook for 1 more minute.

Stir the mixture, along with the vinegar, into the beans, cover the pot, and continue cooking for 1 more hour or until the beans are soft.  More water can be added if the soup becomes too thick.

Remove the soup from the heat and allow it to cool for 30 minutes.  Discard the bay leaf and puree the soup, two cups at a time, in a blender or food processor.  (You can skip the cooling period if you use a hand blender for this step)

Return the soup to the pot to reheat it.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve the soup with side bowls of chopped eggs, minced onions, sour cream, rice, and cilantro for add-ins.

Creamy Vegetable Soup

Creamy Vegetable Soup

From Susan I.

Serves 8-10

1 large cauliflower
2 C grated carrots
Broccoli as desired
2-3 C diced potatoes
2 C chopped onion
4 C chicken broth
2 chicken boullion cubes
1 t basil
1 t thyme
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 C butter
3/4 C flour
1 quart half 'n' half
8 oz cream cheese, cut into 1 inch pieces

Cut veggies into small pieces, put them in a large pot, add broth, bouillon and spices. Cook on medium until tender. Set aside without draining.

In a separate pan melt the butter, add flour and cook about 1 minute, forming a roux. Slowly add the half 'n' half and cook, stirring constantly until thick. Add cream cheese and stir until the cream cheese melts. Combine with veggie mixture and cook, stirring occasionally until warmed through.

Roasted Canned Tomatoes - Crock Pot Style

I was feeling lazy with cooking the other day, but wanted a yummy tomato sauce to smother my chicken in. So I made THIS but used a crock pot instead of roasting them in my oven for a couple of hours on a hot summer day. It turned out REALLY tasty

2 28 oz cans peeled whole tomatoes, drained, halved, and seeded.
1/2 to 2/3 C extra-virgin olive oil
14 large fresh basil leaves, torn
2 4-inch branches fresh rosemary
1/2 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Throw it all together in a crock pot, stir until well mixed. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6-8 hours. Serve over chicken, rice, pasta, or anything else.

Corn-Mango Salsa

From Better Homes and Gardens
Serves 6

2 ears fresh corn
1 medium mango, seeded, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 C red pepper, finely chopped
1/4 C red onion, finely chopped
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
2 T olive oil
2 T fresh mint, finely chopped
1 T fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 t salt

Heat grill to medium-high.

Husk the ears of fresh sweet corn and brush with olive oil, coating all sides. Grill corn on an uncovered grill directly over medium heat until kernels are tender and just begin to brown, turning often. Remove from grill; cool.

Cut kernals from ears. In a bowl gently combine corn kernels and remaining ingredients until well mixed.

**Notes from Em**
I haven't made this yet, but my mother-in-law made it for dinner last night and it was delicious. I have most of the stuff on hand to make it, and will be doing it some time this coming week probably. It's intended to be paired with pork chops, but it would go well with anything.

Chiles Rellenos Made Easy

From Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

1 1/4 C coarsely chopped onion
2 C chopped tomatoes
1/2 C low-sodium salsa verde
1/4 t salt
1/4 C fresh cilantro
4 poblano chiles
1 C shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
2 T goat cheese
3 large egg yolks
3 large egg whites
1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
3 T cornmeal
1/4 C canola oil

Preheat broiler to high.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in chopped tomatoes, salsa verde, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Place tomato mixture in a food processor; add cilantro. Process mixture until smooth. Set aside.

Place poblanos on a foil-lined baking sheet; broil 3 inches from heat 8 minutes or until blackened and charred, turning after 6 minutes. Place in a paper bag; fold to close tightly. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and discard skins. Cut a lengthwise slit in each chile; discard seeds, leaving stems intact. Spoon 1/4 cup Jack cheese and 1 1/2 teaspoons goat cheese in cavity of each chile.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly beat egg yolks in a small bowl. Place egg whites in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold egg yolks into egg whites. Combine flour and black pepper in a shallow dish. Place cornmeal in another shallow dish. Dredge poblanos in flour mixture, and dip into egg mixture. Dredge in cornmeal.

Heat oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until hot; reduce to medium heat. Add coated poblanos to oil; cook 6 minutes or until crisp, turning to cook on all sides. Place chiles on a baking sheet, and bake at 350° for 8 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve with tomato sauce.

Pairs really well with Black Bean & Corn Salad

**Notes from Em**
Chiles Rellenos seem to have a learning curve. I thought they would be really easy, but there are definitely a few things that I learned this time to do differently next time I make them.

1 - Don't cut the chile all the way down. Leave an inch or so uncut at the bottom.
2 - Use toothpicks to hold it closed after you've stuffed the cheese in, otherwise it makes a cheesy mess in your pan.
3 - Do a really THICK dredging in the eggs. This is 90% of your batter, and the batter adds a really fun texture.

Black Bean & Corn Salad

From the Kroger black beans can
Serves 6

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1/4 C lime juice
1 t cumin

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together until well combined. That's it folks, and it's amazingly good.

Roasted Vegetable & Ricotta Pizza

From Cooking Light
Makes 1 large pizza, about 6 servings

1 pound refrigerated fresh pizza dough
2 C sliced cremini mushrooms
1 C zucchini, sliced to 1/4 inch
1/4 t black pepper
1 medium yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 medium red onion, cut into thick slices
5 1/2 t olive oil, divided
1 T yellow cornmeal
1/3 C tomato sauce
1 C (4 oz) shredded part-skim mozarella cheese
1/2 t crushed red pepper
1/3 C part-skim ricotta cheese
2 T small fresh basil leaves

Position an oven rack in the lowest setting; place a pizza stone on rack. Preheat oven to 500°.

Remove dough from refrigerator. Let stand, covered, for 30 minutes.

Combine mushrooms and next 4 ingredients (through onion) in a large bowl; drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Toss. Arrange vegetables on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 500° for 15 minutes.

Punch dough down. Sprinkle a lightly floured baking sheet with cornmeal; roll dough out to 15-inch circle on prepared baking sheet. Brush dough with 1 teaspoon oil. Spread sauce over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella over sauce; top with vegetables. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella and red pepper over zucchini mixture. Dollop with ricotta. Slide pizza onto preheated pizza stone. Bake at 500° for 11 minutes or until crust is golden. Sprinkle with basil.

**Notes from Em**
- I added an eggplant, and some halved cherry tomatoes, they were super tasty on this pizza.
- My crust ended up going really soggy in the middle because of how moist all of these veggies were. Next time I think I'll roast them a little bit longer, then cook the pizza without them, just throwing them on for the last few minutes.

Pao de Queijo

These are like the little bread/cheese roll things that you can find at the Brazilian restaurants in the area like Tucanos and Rodizio Grill. They're amazing, and once you start eating them, you'll keep eating!

From Our Best Bites
Makes 22-24 mini muffin sized

1 large egg
1/2 C milk
1/4 C canola oil
1 C tapioca flour (no substitutions!!!)
1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 C grated cheddar cheese
1/4 C grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place egg, milk, oil, tapioca flour, and salt in blender an dblend until smooth. Add the cheese and pulse 2 times. The batter will be VERY runny. Immediately pour batter into a mini muffin tin, filling each well about 3/4 full, or just slightly less.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before removing rolls from pan. Serve warm as they do not reheat well.
**Notes from Em**
Tapioca flour was kind of a pain for me to find. I looked at all the grocery stores, and eventually found it at a natural foods type store. (Good Earth for those in the area) You CANNOT use any other kind of flour. It won't turn out right at all.

Spinach & Mushroom Calzones

Spinach & Mushroom Calzones

Makes 4 Calzones

1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups spinach leaves
1/4 C red onion, diced
1 package cremini mushrooms
1/4 C ricotta cheese
1 small can of beets, diced
Fresh basil, thinly sliced
1/4 C Zesty Italian Dressing

Unroll dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; using a pizza cutter, cut into 4 quarters. Sprinkle garlic, onion and beets evenly over dough rectangles. Drop a few small dollops of Ricotta cheese on top of the onions, garlic, and beets. Top with mushrooms, spinach, and basil. Bring 2 opposite corner to center, pinching points to seal. Bring remaining 2 corners to center pinching all points together to seal. Bake at 425F for 12 minutes or until golden. Drizzle with Italian dressing and serve warm.

**Notes from Em**
This is something that I'm sort of developing on my own, after being inspired by a couple of other recipes. It's kind of a work in progress. We didn't LOVE it as the recipe above is done, but it definitely has potential. You might want to put a creamy marinara or something with it. If I do it again I'll re-post it with its modifications.

Lemon & Herb Rice

This rice recipe went with a chicken recipe that I really didn't like. But the rice is really good! So have some fun with it. It's good cooked like this, or with just bits and pieces of the herbs in there. I think I've only put the mint in it once, but I've made the rest of it several times.

 Lemon and Herb Rice

From Eating for Life

Serves 4

4 portions brown rice or bulgur wheat
Juice from 2 lemons
1 C fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 C fresh mint leaves, chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 T olive oil
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/4 t salt

Prepare rice according to its package directions.

Once rice is fully cooked, add remaining ingredients; stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

White and Wild Rice Pilaf

White and Wild Rice Pilaf
From Allrecipes.com
Serves 8

1 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 C Swanson Vegetable Broth
1/2 C uncooked wild rice
1 C uncooked regular long-grain white rice
2 T chopped fresh parsley

Heal oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in broth and wild rice. Heat to a boil. cover and cook over low heat 25 minutes.

Stir in white rice. Cover and cook over low heat 20 minutes or until rice is done. Stir in parsley.  Serve hot.

Bananas Foster Style

Bananas Foster Style

From Eating for Life

Serves 1

1 banana, sliced
2 T sugar-free maple syrup
1 portion low-fat cottage cheese (about 1/2 C)

Lightly coat a small nonstick skillet with butter-flavored cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add sliced bananas and fry for about 1 minute.

Add maple syrup to the skillet and gently stir to coat the banana slices; continue to cook for another minute.

Place cottage cheese on a small serving plate and microwave on high until heated through, about 20 seconds.

Top cottage cheese with maple-glazed banana slices. Serve and enjoy!

Brie, Rosemary and Garlic Fondue

This recipe comes from Stephanie. I don't know where she got it, but it's AMAZING.

1 cup Chardonnay
2 shallots, minced
Rosemary stem, leaves removed and minced, stem reserved
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 Oz butter
3 Oz Brie, rind removed and cubed into small cubes
1 Oz Parmigiana-Reggiano, shredded

In a medium saucepan, combine the chardonnay, shallots, rosemary stem and minced garlic and reduce by half. Add the cream and reduce by 1/3. Whisk in the butter and the Brie and the Parmigiana-Reggiano. Cook until the cheeses are melted. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and add the chopped rosemary (I actually didn't strain it). Transfer to a fondue pot and keep warm on medium heat.

Use fresh baguette slices or chunks of flavorful artisan breads, lightly blanched vegetables, fruit (i.e. green apples and purple seedless grapes), cooked and sliced flavored sausages or chicken.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

This is one of those really yummy appetizer type dinners. It's also a little sketchy on the measurements (like cheese and toppings) cuz those are really up to personal preference. If you make your dough from the recipe linked here, you'll want twice as many toppings. It makes a TON. I'll give you different baking instructions at the bottom for that as well.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

From Our Best Bites

Via The Girl Who Ate Everything

Makes about 24

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough (or make your own)
pizza sauce
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T olive oil or melted butter
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t dried Italian seasoning
Mozzarella cheese
Pizza toppings of your choice

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package, usually 400.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12"x8". you're going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. You're not putting the marinara sauce on the dough, it's for dipping after. When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully life up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).


Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter and then sprinkle with the garlic powder, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese.


Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Dough's vary so make sure you check them after 10 minutes. Serve with warmed marinara/pizza sauce on the side for dipping.


**Notes from Em**
If you're using the home made pizza crust recipe that I linked, it's going to give you two full pans of these tasty rolls, so be prepared with lots of extra topping supplies, and double the amount of the herb mixture for the top. Let's face it, that stuff is good and you don't want to be stingy with it. I baked them at 425 for 13-15 minutes. Personally I really hate the taste of store-bought pizza doughs. As far as the sauce goes, I've tasted a bunch of brands of pizza sauce and have found Contadina to be the best.

Pizza Dough

Pizza Dough

From Williams-Sonoma

Makes 2 12-14 inch pizza's

2 packages (5 teaspoons) active dry yeast
2 1/2 C warm water (105-115 F)
2 t malt syrup or sugar
1 /4 C olive oil
5 C flour
1 T sea salt
all purpose flour and semolina flour for rolling and shaping

BY HAND:
To make the crust, in a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the malt syrup, oil, flour, and salt and stir with your hand or a wooden spoon until a rough ball forms. Using a plastic pastry scraper, scrape the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead the dough until soft, smooth, and elastic, 8-10 minutes. Add up to 1 C flour to the work surface while kneading to prevent the dough from sticking.

BY STAND MIXER:
To make the crust, in the 5-qt bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the malt syrup, oil, flour, and salt. Place the bowl on the mixer, attach the dough book, and knead on low speed until soft, smooth, and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Add up to 1 C flour while kneading so the dough will pull away from the sides of the bowl. Remove the dough from the bowl.

Form the dough into a ball, transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in bulk, 1 1/2 - 2 hours. For a more flavorful crust, make the dough up to this point, punch it down, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Let the dough come to room temperature before shaping.

Place a pizza or baking stone on a rack in the lower of the oven, and preheat to 500F for at least 30 minutes before baking. Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly oiled work surface. Cut it in half with a sharp knife or a bench scraper. Gently shape each half into a loose ball. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes. Lightly dust 1 dough ball with all-purpose flour. Roll it out into a round 12-14 inches in diameter. Spread 1/4 C semolina flour on a baker's peel or on the top of an inverted half-sheet pan. Transfer the dough round to the peel or pan.

Top the dough with desired pizza sauce, cheese and toppings. Slide the pizza off the peel or pan onto the hot stone. Bake the pizza until the crust is crisp and brown, 10-15 minutes. Using the baker's peel or a wide metal spatula, carefully transfer the pizza to a cutting board. repeat with the remaining dough and topping ingredients. Serve the pizza hot, cut into wedges.

Whole Wheat Banana Nut Bread

Recipe from Allrecipes.com
Makes 1 loaf

1/3 C oil or unsweetened applesauce
1/2 C honey
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
1 C mashed ripe banana
1 3/4 C whole wheat flour
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda
1/4 C hot water
1/2 C walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat honey and oil/applesauce together. Add eggs, and mix well. Stir in bananas and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt. Add baking soda to hot water, stir to mix, and then add to batter. Blend in chopped nuts. spread batter into a greased 9x5 loaf pan.

Bake 55-60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1/2 hour before serving.

**Notes from Em**
The original recipe said nothing about using applesauce, I got that from the comments on the recipe. If you choose to do the applesauce, you'll need to bake it an extra 5-10 minutes.

It's a lot better if you add 1 tsp of cinnamon.

Instead of a loaf, you can do 18 muffins and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Balsamic Poppyseed Vinaigrette

Stephanie is a master salad maker in my opinion. She's always got great recipes and ingredients to put together to make tasty and beautiful salads. This dressing comes from her. Feel free to modify the actual salad ingredients to fit your tastes and desires.

Dressing:
1/3 cup Balsamic vinegar or fresh lime juice
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
3/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup Dijon mustard

Mix together all ingredients, cover and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to fully develop

Salad:
1/8 red onion, finely sliced
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons sugar
1 bunch spinach
1 bunch romaine or red leaf
1/2 cup Swiss cheese
1/2 pound bacon

Cook bacon until crispy; let cool and cut into small pieces. Place almonds and sugar in a small non-stick skillet over medium heat and cook until caramelized; set aside. In a large bowl place spinach and romaine; toss. Top with onion, almonds, swiss, and bacon. Drizzle the salad with dressing just before serving

**Notes from Em**
On caramelizing the almonds - I had no idea what I was doing the first time I tried this, and it really freaked me out to just throw dry sugar and nuts into a pan. As the nuts warm up though they release their oils and the sugar clings to the oils.

I like to add Craisins to my salad.

Oven-Roasted Canned Tomatoes

Oven-Roasted Canned Tomatoes

Serves 4-8

2 28 oz cans peeled whole tomatoes, drained, halved, and seeded.
1/2 to 2/3 C extra-virgin olive oil
14 large fresh basil leaves, torn
2 4-inch branches fresh rosemary
1/2 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 300F. Spread out the tomatoes in a large shallow pan (a half-sheet pan is ideal) and sprinkle with other ingredients, turning to coat them with oil. Bake 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours, basting and turning the tomatoes several times. They're done when their color deepens to dark scarlet and they taste mellow and very rich. Don't let them brown, nor allow the garlic to brown -- it'll turn bitter.

Transfer the tomatoes and their oil to a glass or china bowl. Let them mellow at room temperature up to 6 hours. The flavor will ripen in this time.

Refrigerate the tomatoes up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Serve the tomatoes at room temperature, or tossed with hot pasta.