Black Bean and Corn Salsa

This was a dip I made for my very good friend, Becky‘s housewarming party.  I forgot to post this in a timely manner, it’s almost too easy to be a recipe.  But if you’re looking for a good salsa recipe that doesn’t depend on summer produce, this is a good one.  This is also great mixed in with scrambled eggs if you have leftovers.  Per usual I made way too much, so I’ll reduce the quantity below.  Still seeking tips on how to estimate quantities for groups.  Other highlights from the housewarming were Becky’s delicious Pumpkin and White Chocolate Cookies and life-changing Nutella Fudge.  Clearly it was well-fed and joy-filled house!

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Serves 15-20

Adapted from Paula Deen

• 3 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (17 oz) pkg frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
• 3 large Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 limes juiced
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp cumin
• Salt and pepper

In a large bowl combine beans, corn, tomatoes, onion and cilantro.  In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, vinegar, cumin, salt and pepper.   Combine and let sit for at least an hour to allow flavors to meld.

Pumpkin Poppers

It’s that time of year for pumpkin everything!  These poppers are like doughnut holes.  A little dense and super moist they’re a delicious fall treat.  I made these for church last Sunday.  Not knowing how many the original recipe made I decided to quadruple the recipe (me and my inability to estimate quantities).  I also hate it when you open a can of something but your recipe doesn’t use the full amount.  So since I only had the jumbo size (29oz) can of pumpkin it was most convenient to just calculate the recipe to use all of it.  I ended up with about 75 which worked out rather well.  My sous-chef and I were able to sample them when we made them, and then there were only about 6 left over after church, so when my extended family came over for brunch they were able to try them too.

I ended up only dipping the tops in butter/cinnamon-sugar, but if you like a sweeter treat feel free to coat the whole thing.  I also suggest just sprinkling with the cinnamon sugar so you don’t contaminate the batch and you can save the leftovers for something else (like topping pancakes!)

Pumpkin Poppers

Makes about 75

Adapted from Just the Little Things

• 7 cups white whole wheat flour
• 8 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup canola oil
• 2 cups brown sugar, lightly packed
• 4 eggs
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large (29oz) can pumpkin puree
• 2 cup low-fat milk

For Coating:

• 1 stick butter
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease mini-muffin tins with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until well blended.

Combine wet and dry ingredients and carefully mix until just combined.

Fill mini-muffin tins until almost full.  (A cookie scoop works well.)  Bake for 10 minutes.

When the poppers come out of the oven, let cool while you melt 1 stick butter.  In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon.  Once poppers are cool enough to handle dip the tops in melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones

Mom had a no good, very bad day yesterday, so I told her I’d treat her today.  When I saw this scone recipe I knew it’d be a great way to start the day and make her feel taken care of.

These scones are very subtly sweet, so if you’re into sweet baked goods for breakfast you’ll want to double the sugar or put a glaze on top.  I thought they were a great way to start the day, a delicious baked good that you can still feel good about.  With a little butter, some apple butter, or some honey, these are a great way to start the day.  I was able to make them in about 35 minutes, so if you feel like a morning baking project these are definitely easy enough to do before you’ve had your morning coffee.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones

Makes 12 scones

Adapted from My Kitchen Addiction

• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 4 Tbsp  (1/2 stick) cold butter, diced
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup milk + 1 Tbsp for brushing on top
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine all the dry ingredients, pulse until mixed.  Add in the diced butter, pulse until mixture becomes sandy with little pieces of butter throughout.  (This can also be done by hand with a pastry cutter)

In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, 1/4 cup milk, and egg.  Add in the dry ingredients.  Mix with a spatula until just combined.  Dough will be crumbly, so knead a few times by hand to bring dough together.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a disk.  Cut in half, form into disks about 3/4″ thick and cut each round into six pieces.  Place scones about 1-2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes until golden.

Candied Walnuts

Candied nuts are a delicious treat.  I really like making them to add a fun punch to a salad.  Paired with pears, gorgonzola, and/or cranberries, these candied nuts are a wonderful addition to salad.  Make your own balsamic salad dressing and you’ve got a wonderful restaurant-grade salad.

Candied Walnuts

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups walnut pieces (or pecan halves)

Stir sugar, oil and vinegar in a skillet over medium heat until sugar melts and syrup begins to bubble, about 3 minutes.  Mix in the nuts and stir until nuts are toasted and coated in syrup, about 5-6 minutes.  Spread nuts out evenly on parchment paper and allow to cool completely.

Homemade Applesauce

After Mom and I went apple picking last Monday, we had a ton of apples (more than would fit in the fridge).  So I decided to try my hand at applesauce.  I don’t usually eat applesauce, but I have fond memories of the kind Mom used to make.  The internet was down yesterday, so I had to get old school and search through some cookbooks to find some guidelines on how to make applesauce.  The hardest part is peeling and coring the apples.  After that it’s easy as apple pie.

Homemade Applesauce

Makes about 5 cups

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking

• 3 lbs apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (about 10 cups chopped)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups water (or apple juice or apple cider)
• 1 Tbsp butter (optional)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

In a large pot combine chopped apples, cinnamon, water and butter.  Cover and bring to a simmer over low heat.  Stir frequently until apples are soft but not mushy, about 20 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Use your spoon or a potato masher to crush the apples to your desired consistency.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Serve warm or cold.

Blackberry Coffee Cake

Since we had some blackberries to use up, I tried this coffee cake.  It’s a simple, rustic little cake.  Not very impressive looking, but with the perfect balance of sweet, tart, crumble and cake.  This makes a wonderful casual coffee cake.  If you don’t have blackberries you can sub in whatever fruit you have on hand.  You could probably use frozen berries as well, but I haven’t tried it myself.

Blackberry Coffee Cake

Makes 1 9″ cake

Adapted from The Pastry Affair

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 12 oz blackberries

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease a 9″ cake pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and ginger.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg.  Mix in the sour cream.  Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.  Spread batter into the prepared cake pan.  Top with the blackberries, pressing them lightly into the batter.

Crumble:

• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well until crumbly.  Spread crumble evenly on top of the cake.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden.  Cool for several minutes before serving.

Savory Zucchini Cakes

We bought a bunch of big, beautiful zucchini and summer squash the other day on the way home from the beach.  We didn’t really have a plan for them, but I stumbled upon this simple recipe for savory zucchini cakes.  I liked that the ingredient list is short and it comes together really quickly.  I’ll definitely be making these again and again.

Zucchini Cakes

Makes about 8 patties

Adapted from Just Putzing Around the Kitchen

• 1 large zucchini, grated and drained
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white
• 1 cup panko
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp red curry powder
• 1/2 cup Parmesan
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced (optional)

Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Grate the zucchini and squeeze out the excess liquid.  Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.  Form into about 8 patties and place on prepared cookie sheet.  Broil on low for about 5-10 minutes, flip and broil for an additional 2-4 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Rosemary and Garlic White Bean Dip

I find that taking dip to work is a convenient and tasty lunch.  There are lots of options for things to eat dip with, so your lunch can vary a lot too.  This dip also makes a great sandwich spread, so if you’re a vegetarian it adds a nice protein kick to a sandwich.

Rosemary and Garlic White Bean Dip

Makes about 1 cup

Adapted from Laura’s Recipe Collection

• 4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 – 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 (15oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed (I used cannelini and garbanzo)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3 small sprigs rosemary, rinsed

Saute the garlic in 2 Tbsp olive oil in a small pan until fragrant, be careful not to brown it.

In the bowl of your food processor, combine beans, lemon juice, and salt and pulse a few times.  Pour in the garlic and oil, puree until smooth.

Heat the remaing 2 Tbsp olive oil in a small pan, add the rosemary sprigs.  Saute until fragrant, about 2-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and take the rosemary out of the pan.  Pour the oil into the food processor.  Mince about 1 tsp of rosemary and sprinkle on top.

Hummus

I’ve wanted to make my own hummus for a while, and I’m not sure what has taken so long as it’s terribly easy to make.  I look forward to experimenting with some different flavor and bean combinations.  In the meantime here’s the basic recipe I started with.  I was a little concerned when I sampled it while making it as it didn’t taste quite how I expected, but after a night in the fridge it was exactly right.

Hummus

Serves about 6-8

Adapted from Delicious Shots

• 1 (15oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 clove garlic, pressed
• 1/4 cup water (from boiled chickpeas)
• 1/2 tsp salt

Add chickpeas to a small saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes.  Scoop the chickpeas out of the water and into the bowl of a food processor.  Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and blend until smooth.  Serve with carrot sticks, pita, pretzels, or whatever strikes your fancy.

Very Berry Muffins

We still have some blackberries from when we went berry picking a few weeks ago.  In an attempt to find a way to cook with them, I stumbled across these muffins.  I liked the sound of them because they’re full of healthy ingredients and aren’t full of sugar like a lot of muffins can be.  This was also the first recipe I’ve seen that uses strawberry puree, I think you could also use applesauce if you prefer.

While these weren’t the prettiest muffins (I think because I used thawed frozen strawberries), they sure do taste good.  They aren’t overly sweet, so they’re perfect for a delicious healthy breakfast or snack option.

Very Berry Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Adapted from Skinny Taste

• 1 1/2 cups pureed strawberries (I used frozen)
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup blackberries, halved
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a blender, puree strawberries until smooth and you have 1 1/2 cups.

Whisk to combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix the egg, vanilla, melted butter, and pureed strawberries.  Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.  Gently fold in the blackberries.

Spoon batter into greased muffin tins and bake for about 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool for about 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.