Southwestern Quinoa and Black Bean Casserole

 

Ingredients:

• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, minced
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 1/2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed
• 1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 4 bell peppers, diced
• 1 1/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese
• diced green onions

Directions:

1. Black beans: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, and jalapeno, sauteing for 4 minutes and stirring occasionally. Stir in broth and black beans. Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Mash beans to desired consistency. I like to make them a little more like re-fried beans while still leaving some of the beans whole. The mixture should be thick, not watery. If you still have a lot of moisture, let it cook out by keeping it on the heat for another few minutes. Taste and season with salt.
2. Quinoa: In a dry nonstick skillet over medium high heat, toss and toast the cooked quinoa with the cayenne, chili powder, cumin, and salt for 1-2 minutes. Taste and season with salt. Set aside.
3. Peppers: In the same dry nonstick skillet over medium high heat, place the diced peppers and do NOT stir. This allows the peppers to get a brown roasted look on the outside. Wait for 2-3 minutes before stirring, then let them "roast" for another few minutes before removing from the heat.
4. Assemble: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spoon black bean mixture into a glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with quinoa, bell peppers, and cheese. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the top layer of cheese was golden and bubbly. Sprinkle with green onions and let cool for at least 10 minutes (otherwise it will be too runny). Serve with sour cream, tortilla chips, on tacos, on a salad, or just eat it plain!

*I separated the dish in half, served one the night I made it and froze the other half for another night. That's why it's in a smaller aluminum container in the picture.

~Recipe via pinchofyum.com

Easy Taco Soup

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 chicken breast
• 1 can white beans
• 1 can beans of your choice
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 2 cans chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• Salt & pepper
• Tobasco (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut chicken breast into bite sized pieces. Saute Chicken in a large pot over medium-high heat until chicken is almost cooked through. Add minced garlic and green onions to the pan, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin, cook for an additional minute. 
2. Add beans, diced tomatoes, and broth to the pot. Bring to boil then cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. (For everything to heat through and flavors to mingle)
3. Add salt & pepper to taste and serve. Tobasco can be added to increase heat.

*Serve with chips, sour cream, cheese...

**I added one can of corn with peppers, drained.

~Recipe via Briana

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Red Onions

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• Course salt and ground black pepper
• 1 head cauliflower, cored and broken into small florets
• 1 medium red onion, halved and cut into thin wedges
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 12 ounces cavatappi or other short pasta
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving (optional)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Set a large pot of salted water to boil. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss cauliflower, onion, and garlic with 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until lightly browned and tender, 20 minutes, toss once.
2. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Add cauliflower mixture, Parmesan, and parsley; toss to combine. Toss pasta, gradually add enough pasta water to form a thin sauce that coats pasta. Serve topped with more Parmesan, if desired.

Recipe via Everyday Food, 2008

Cheesy Quinoa and Broccoli Patties

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup water
• 5 large broccoli florets
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese
• 2 large eggs
• salt & pepper for seasoning
• Olive oil for cooking

Directions:

1. First, cook your quinoa according to the directions on the package. I cooked mine by combining 1/2 cup quinoa with 1 cup boiling water, then letting it come to a boil, and simmering, covered for about 15 minutes. Once the quinoa has absorbed all the water, put it on a plate and let it cool completely.
2. Next, saute your diced onion until it's soft and translucent. Set aside and let cool completely. Cook your broccoli until it has softened a little bit, then let it cool as well. Once the broccoli has cooled completely, dice it into small pieces.
3. Now that you have everything ready, in a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together, leaving the eggs until the end. Mix well so you have a smooth, wet mixture that will allow you to make patties that will stick together.
4. Heat some olive oil in a pan, and make your patties. I made each using 1/4 cup of the mixture. Just make a ball out of the mixture, and squash it down a little bit. Cook each patty for about 7-8 minutes on each side on medium heat. You want the patty to develop a crust, but not to burn, so watch them carefully. Let cool for a couple of minutes before eating.

~Recipe from shopgirlmaria.blogspot.com via Winni

Pork Tenderloin with Seasoned Rub

Prep. time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt
• 1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl mix ingredients: garlic powder, oregano, cumin, coriander, thyme and salt. Stir mixture with a fork until all the ingredients are well combined and they form a seasoning. This will be used as a rub to ensure the pork is well seasoned throughout. Sprinkle the rub over the tenderloin with a dry hand, then rub the pork so the seasoning adheres well to the tenderloin.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and heat. Add the minced garlic and saute, stirring, for 1 minute. Put tenderloin in the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, searing each side using tongs to turn the meat Transfer meat to a roasting pan and bake for 20 minutes. Slice and serve.

~Recipe via Ellie Krieger at foodnetwork.com

Toddler Muffins

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, or to taste
• 2 large bananas, mashed
• 1 (4.5 ounce) jar baby food squash
• 2 carrots, grated
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup oat bran
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 24 mini muffin cups or 12 standard muffin cups.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in the mashed bananas, squash, carrots, and eggs. Stir in the flour, oat bran, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until just combined. Spoon the batter equally into the prepared muffin cups.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. Store at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze.

Recipe via Lori at allrecipes.com

Minestra with Beef & Pork Polpette

Soup Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
• 4 ounces thickly sliced pancetta (I used bacon, chopped)
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic: 3 thinly slices, 1 smashed but whole
• 1 starchy potato (such as russet), peeled and diced
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper
• 2 heads escarole, chopped
• Freshly graded nutmeg
• 1 (15- to 19-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained
• 6 cups chicken stock

Meatball Ingredients:

• 3 slices white bread or peasant bread, crusts trimmed
• Milk, for soaking the bread
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 8 ounces ground pork
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, fennel pollen, or ground fennel
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika (smoked or regular)
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt and pepper
• A generous handful of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley tops, finely chopped
• 1 egg yolk
• Olive oil, for drizzle

Directions:

1. Make the soup: In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the Olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and render a couple minutes. Add the onions, sliced garlic, potato, bay leaf, and salt, pepper, and a few grates of nutmeg. Cover to wilt. Stir in the beans, stock, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a rolling simmer while you make the meatballs.
2. Make meatballs: Douse the bread with milk to soften. Place the ground meats in a bowl. Season the meat with fennel, paprika, red pepper flakes (if using), and salt and pepper. Add the cheese, parsley, and egg yolk. Squeeze the milk out of the bread and pull it into little crumbs as you add it to the meat. Drizzle with olive oil and roll the meat into walnut-size balls.
3. Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Add the meatballs and poach until cooked through.
4. Serve the soup in shallow bowls with shredded Parm on top and an extra drizzle of olive oil.

~Recipe from Week in a Day with Rachael Ray

Easy Sesame Chicken

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• Chicken
• 1 large egg
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 pinch each salt & pepper
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (for frying)
• Sauce
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1/2 Tbs toasted sesame oil
• 1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• For Serving
• 4 cups cooked jasmine rice
• 2 whole green onions

Directions:

1. In a bowl, whisk the egg, 2 Tbsp cornstarch, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs, then cut into small 1 inch pieces. Toss the chicken in the egg and cornstarch mixture.
2. Heat a large skillet with 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot (it should look wavy on the surface), add the chicken and all of the egg mixture. Cook the chicken, stirring only occasionally, until it is golden brown and cooked through (about 7-10 minutes). Drain off the excess oil, if desired.
3. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl stir together the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, fresh ginger, minced garlic, cornstarch, and sesame seeds. (You can grate the ginger & garlic with a small-holed cheese grater).
4. When the chicken is cooked through and golden brown, pour the sauce over top. Toss the chicken to coat in the sauce. The sauce will begin to thicken as soon as it hits the hot skillet. Once the chicken is coated and the sauce thickened, turn off the heat.
5. Serve the chicken over a bed of rice and sprinkle the sliced green onions over top.

*I used chicken breast rather than thighs.

Recipe via budgetbytes.com

One-Pan Enchilada Pasta

Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 of a small onion, diced
• 1 lb taco seasoned ground turkey
• 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (19 oz) can of red enchilada sauce
• 8oz (about 2 1/2 cups) of dried rotini pasta
• 2 cups of freshly shredded Colby Jack cheese
• green onion
• black olives

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, saute garlic and onions in olive oil over medium low heat until softened.
2. Add ground turkey meat and cook, breaking meat up with a wooden spoon until browned.
3. Once turkey meat is cooked through, add pasta, chicken broth and enchilada sauce to pan.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.
5. Cook on low, with pan covered for about 15 minutes.
6. Then remove lid and let simmer for additional 5 minutes until pasta and sauce has reduced.
7. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of cheese.
8. Top pasta with additional cup of cheese and melt under broiler for a minute or two, or place lid back on pan and let heat from the pasta melt the cheese.
9. Garnish with black olives and green onions.

*After pasta was cooked, I strained some of the liquid off before adding the cheese.

Recipe via number-2pencil.com

Cheddar Chicken Chowder

Ingredients:
2 bacon slices
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced red bell pepper (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 1/2 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1 3/4 cups diced peeled red potato
2 1/4 cups frozen whole-kernel corn
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% low-fat milk
3/4 cup (3oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, crumble, set aside.
2. Add chicken, onion, bell pepper, and garlic to pan drippings. Saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add broth and potato, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Add corn and stir well.
4. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Place flour into a bowl. Gradually add milk, whisking until blended. Add to the soup.
5. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently.
6. Stir in cheddar cheese, salt, pepper. Top with the bacon.

Recipe via Mikaila

Mini Omlets

Ingredients:

• 9 Eggs
• 1/4 cup Milk
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 Bell Peppers, small dice
• Onions, small dice
• Bacon
• Cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Saute peppers & onion over medium heat, set aside. Cook bacon to crisp and break up into small pieces, set aside.
3. In a medium boil whisk together the eggs, milk salt and pepper.
4. Lightly spray a 12-cupcake pan with oil. Ladle peppers, onion and bacon into each cupcake.
5. Pour egg mixture into cupcake pan filling each about half way. Place in oven and cook about 20 minutes. 10 minutes into cooking time place cheese on each omelet.

*Ingredients can be interchanged with your favorites or what you have in the house.

~Recipe from Mikaila

German Pancake

Cook time 20 minutes
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 Tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven 400 degree F.
2. In a large bowl mix the eggs, flour, milk and salt together. Make sure you mix ingredients well.
3. Melt the butter in the 9x13 baking dish in the oven. The pan needs to be at least 2 inches tall since the pancake is going to rise quite a bit. Pour the mixture into the pan slowly.
4. Bake for 20 minutes. Do not open oven, as it will cause the pancake to be flat. 

~Recipe from www.utahdealdiva.com

Mini Pancake Muffins or Puffins

Makes: 24 mini pancake muffins.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Shift together with a wire whisk.
3. In another bowl, stir buttermilk, egg, maple syrup and melted butter until just combined.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until combined.
5. Stir in chocolate chips. Reserve a few chips to sprinkle on the tops.
6. Bake for 8-9 minutes.

*Great recipe for when you don't want to stand over a skillet cooking pancakes. I make half without chocolate chips for my daughter. 

~Recipe from www.bakerella.com

Copycat Noodle and Co. Japanese Pan Noodles

Yields 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Udon noodles, cooked
• cornstarch
• salt
• 2-3 drops, sesame oil
• 4 Tbs. teriyaki sauce
• 2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbs vegetable oil
• 1 Tbs fresh ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 Cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 Cup Asian sprouts
• 2 Cups broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup carrots, sliced
• 1 Tbs black sesame seeds
• 1 Cup cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, mushrooms, and broccoli. Stir fry 2-3 minutes.
2. Add oil, then saute the ginger & garlic.
3. After a minute, add noodles and let caramelize.
4. Add the red chili flakes, sesame oil, teriyaki sauce and rice wine vinegar.
5. Add all of the other ingredients and toss to coat well. serve.

*I didn't use cornstarch or salt, I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil and snow peas instead of mushrooms. I also scrabbled some eggs and put on top for protein. Let it pan sear for a while to get the noodles a bit browned. ~Stephanie M.

~Recipe via recipe4living.com

Old Time Apple Pie with Crumb Topping

Ingredients:

Pie

- Pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie

- 6 cups tart apples, sliced and peeled (I usually don't peel and it turns out fine)

- 1/4 cup sugar

- 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

- 2 tablespoons flour

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

- 1/8 teaspoon lemon zest

- 2 teaspoons lemon juice

- 1 tablespoon butter

Crumb Topping

- 1 cup sifted flour

- 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

- 1/8 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 cup soft butter

Preparation:

1.  Preheat oven to 375°
2. Prepare crumb topping first.  Combine flour, brown sugar, salt and butter; blend until crumbly then set aside.
3. Next, prepare the filling.  Mix all ingredients together, except for butter, until apples are well coated. 
4. Pour apple mixture into pie crust.  Cut butter into 1/2 inch chunks and spread over apples, then evenly sprinkle crumb topping over apples.  Pop it in the oven for about 50 minutes.

 ~Recipe from Stephanie M.

Spinach, Onion & Cheese Enchiladas

*These pictures show a half portion of the recipe below.

**This recipe is documented based on memory from what I do in my kitchen.  All amounts listed are approximate so feel free to adjust according to taste!

Serves about 4

Ingredients:

• ·         16 oz (or more if you like it saucy!) jar of enchilada sauce (I use Nanitas, but anything will do!)
• ·         12-15 oz of fresh spinach
• ·         Whole yellow onion diced
• ·         12 oz (or more if you like it cheesy!) of shredded Monterey or cheddar cheese
• ·         12 corn tortillas
• ·         3 tablespoons of olive or other vegetable oil for frying
• ·         9x13 baking dish

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Sauté diced onion in oil in frying pan (you can add more oil if you need to) over medium/high heat until onions are translucent.  Add spinach and stir.  When spinach is wilted, add about half of the jar or more of enchilada sauce and completely cover spinach and onions.  Turn heat down to medium/low and let simmer.
3. Place stacked tortillas all together in foil and wrap and put in the oven to soften them up.  You can also put each one individually on an oiled frying pan; while this option is better and makes the tortillas more workable, that takes a long time. 
4. Spread sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. 
5. When tortillas are warm and soft, it’s time to fill them.  Turn heat off of the spinach mixture.  Scoop a couple of spoonfuls (you really don’t need much) of the spinach mixture into each tortilla and then sprinkle with a little cheese.  Roll the tortilla up and place in the baking dish ‘open’ side down.  Place all wraps side by side in the pan.
6. Spoon remaining sauce over the tortilla wraps, spreading sauce to cover every square inch.  Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.  Put in oven uncovered and cook for 25+ minutes (cheese should be completely melted; if you want the cheese a little bit browned, it will take more like 30-35 minutes).
7. Serve with sour cream, avocado/guac, lettuce, rice and any other condiments/sides that you like.

~Recipe from Stephanie M.