Black Bean and Corn Salad

OK, I'm trying something new here. I Haven't been really good about taking pictures of the meals I prepare. Lately I've been following a recipe blog that I love! I've been trying some of the recipes she has featured. She has inspired me to do more step by step pictures. So here is my first attempt to do so. I don't have a fabulous camera - just point and shoot, so the pictures aren't that great. Maybe this will convince me to invest in a better camera. Someday...

Black Bean and Corn Salad

• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1. Place lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small jar. Cover with lid, and shake until ingredients are well mixed.
2. In a salad bowl, combine beans, corn, avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Shake lime dressing, and pour it over the salad. Stir salad to coat vegetables and beans with dressing, and serve.

So here's what I started with (minus the cayenne pepper - I forgot to put that in the picture). Notice I didn't use cilantro. Aaron doesn't like it. I sometimes substitute fresh parsley for coloring, but I didn't have any. Also, no fresh limes today, and I didn't have any frozen corn, canned worked just fine.

Dressing ready to go!

I drain and rinse my beans in my trusty colander. The corn goes in too!

Everything is all chopped

Mixed together with the dressing!

Pretty simple and very delicious!!!

Grilled London Broil

Aaron made this for Mother's Day. It was perfectly delicious!
The only changes I would make is to use less salt. He marinaded it for 6 hours in a plastic containter, then cut it into smaller pieces to put on the grill. (so that is not our picture, but from the Allrecipes.com website)

Grilled London Broil

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 pounds flank steak

1. In a small bowl, mix together garlic, salt, soy sauce, ketchup, vegetable oil, black pepper and oregano.
2. Score both sides of the meat, diamond cut, about 1/8 inch deep. Rub garlic mixture into both sides of the meat. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil, and refrigerate for 5 to 6 hours, or overnight. Flip meat every few hours.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil grate.
4. Place meat on the prepared grill. Cook for 3 to 7 minutes per side, or to desired doneness

Brown Sugar cake

I got this recipe from one of the recipe blogs I follow. It was very simple, easy, and delicious. For more details check out her blog.

Brown Sugar Cake


2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup sour milk (add 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice to the milk)
1 teaspoon baking soda

Cut together (like pie dough) brown sugar, butter, flour and salt. Set aside one cup of the mixture. To the rest of the mixture add egg, milk and soda. Spread in a 10x15 pan. Sprinkle rest of crumbs on top. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Serve with crushed strawberries and whip cream.

The blogger recommended serving it with vanilla ice cream, which would have been wonderful, but we didn't have any, and I had some whipping cream on hand. Too bad I ran out of strawberries after last night. Leftovers will have to be sans strawberries :(

I used a 9x13 pan. It worked, but the middle was a little underdone even after 35 minutes, so I would recommend using the right size pan.

Chocolate Mint Cookies

I made this last week with Amy - she loves the dough, but wouldn't eat the cookies. I loved both :) I got the recipe from The Mrs. Field's Best Ever Cookie Book. I didn't have mint chocolate chips, just semisweet - but it was still good. I also used unsalted butter. And as you can tell by the picture I cooled them on cookie racks.

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 tsp. mint extract
10 oz mint chocolate chips (about 1 3/4)

1. Preheat oven to 300 F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, blend sugars with an electric mixer at medium speed. Add butter and beat to form a grainy paste. Scrap sides of bowl, then add eggs and mint extract. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
4. Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips, and blend at low speed just until combined. do not overmix.
5. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 19 to 21 minutes, Immediately transfer cookies with spatula to a cool, flat surface.

Chicken and Cheese Enchilada Chowder

I combined two recipes that I found. We tried this recipe first at my in-law's house (on Spring Break back in '10). The second recipe came from Jamie's blog. This recipe is the result.

Makes about 8 servings

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 14.5-ounce cans corn, drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow, green, or red bell pepper
1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups milk
4 chicken bouillon cubes
2 chicken breasts

4-5 T. taco seasoning ( I did this to taste...however much you want)
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp lime juice

Toppings
shredded Pepperjack cheese
shredded cheddar cheese 
diced avocado
sour cream
tortilla chips

In a 4 to 5 quart slow cooker pour tomatoes, beans, corn, onion, and bell pepper. Place chicken breasts on top of vegetables. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker.

Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Remove chicken and shred with a fork. 

Add the 1/2 t lime juice, 1/3 C sour cream and 2 T butter to the soup. Whisk it in until the butter has melted and the sour cream is well combined. Stir in shredded chicken and taco seasoning.

Top with shredded cheeses, avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips! Yum!

Cafe Rio - Style Lime Rice

This recipe comes from my MIL's 2008 neighborhood recipe book. It was submitted by Carol C* I honestly have never been to Cafe Rio- I know I've heard it's the best. So I don't know how to compare it, but it was really good. Aaron doesn't care for cilantro, but I put a little bit of fresh parsley in there for color. I also halved the recipe, and there was tiny bit left over.

2 c. long grain rice
2 cans (approx 4 c.) chicken broth
1 cube butter
1 c. chopped celery
1 onion, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
zest and juice of 2 limes

Saute the celery and onion in the butter. Add the rice and stir until the rice is coated with butter. Add the broth, lime zest, juice and cilantro. bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer; cover and cook for 20 minutes or until rice is done.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

This was for St. Patrick's Day. From the Betty Crocker newsletter. Pretty straightforward, and delicious. I'm sure any brownie mix would be fine, but I happened to have a supreme mix.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

Brownie layer
1 box Betty Crocker Original Supreme Brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch) water, oil and eggs, as instructed on box.

Filling
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
1/4 c. whipping cream
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp mint extract
4 drops green food coloring

Topping
1/2 c. whipping cream
1 (12 oz) pkg semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. butter (do NOT use margarine)


Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease bottom only of a 9 x 13-inch pan with shortening or pan spray. Make and bake brownie mix according package directions for 9 x 13 pan, using eggs, oil and water. Cool completely - about 1 hour.
2. In a large bowl, beat ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over cooled brownies. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.
3. Meanwhile in a 2 - quart nonstick saucepan heat topping ingredients, over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. cool about 10 minutes or until lukewarm.
4. Pour topping over filling; spread to cover. Refrigerate uncovered about 2 hours or until set. Before cutting into bars let stand about 10 minutes at room temperature. For bars cut into 8 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.