Spicy Black Bean Hummus

I bought some hummus from the grocery store the other day. I'm not sure why I did that because store-bought hummus never tastes right to me. It's in the "store-bought-never-tastes-good" category along with cole slaw and potato salad as far as I'm concerned. Anywho, I decided to break out my food processor and make a batch since my husband has been wanting some (I've make a hummus-lover out of him since we've been married).
Hummus is so simple and quick to make (if you have a food processor), and it's always a great appetizer to bring to a party (I would double the recipe for parties). This particular recipe uses black beans in place of the chick peas, but it still incorporates the tahini like traditional hummus. Aubrey and I were amazed when we tasted the hummus. There are so many of our favorite flavors in each bite. Aubrey loves spicy foods, and I love black beans and cumin. We could have easily eaten the whole bowl in one sitting.

Spicy Black Bean Hummus
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon tahini
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small jalapeno pepper, chopped (about 2 Tablespoons)
Dash of crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Dash of ground red pepper
Pita bread and/or pita chips

Directions:
Place garlic in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add lemon juice, tahini, cumin, salt, black beans, jalapeno pepper, and crushed red pepper; process until smooth. Spoon bean mixture into a medium bowl, and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with ground red pepper. Serve with pita chips.

Nutritional Info (per 2 1/2 Tablespoon serving): 148 calories; 6.2g fat; 1.7mg iron; 0mg Cholesterol; 16mg calcium; 20.6g carbs; 381mg sodium; 4.5g protein; 3.5g fiber.

Source: Cooking Light

Asparagus with Balsamic Tomatoes

This is probably at the top of my list right now for my favorite side dishes. Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables, and many times I'll just roast it in the oven with olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Even though roasted asparagus is delicious, this recipe knocks the roasted one right out of the water. The tang from the tomatoes and balsamic vinegar mixed with the creamy crumbles of goat cheese make this irresistible. I'll definitely be making this more in the future.

Ingredients:
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Cook asparagus in boiling water 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar; cook 3 minutes. Stir in salt. Arrange asparagus on a platter; top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and pepper.
Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Info (per serving): 69 calories; 3.9g fat; 3g protein; 6.5g carbs; 4mg cholesterol; 16mg iron; 181mg sodium; 45mg calcium

Source: Cooking Light

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken

I've come to love my crockpot over the past few months. It's so nice to come home from a long day of work and have supper ready. It also makes a lot of food that we can eat on for a couple of days. This Tex-Mex chicken was delicious. The beans and chicken were perfectly tender, and it had a nice smokey flavor from the adobo sauce. I put this mixture on top of a baked potato for a complete meal. Normally I like my baked potatoes slathered with butter, bacon, and all the other unhealthy stuff, but this Tex-Mex Chicken had enough flavor on it's own. I only added a dab of light sour cream on top, and it was still figure friendly.

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken

Ingredients:
1 cup dried pinto beans
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups mild or medium salsa
2-3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Coarse salt and ground pepper, to taste
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream, for serving
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
4 scallions, white and green parts chopped, for serving

Directions:
In a five to six-quart slow cooker, stir together beans, salsa, chilies, flour and water.
Season chicken with salt and pepper; arrange on top of bean mixture. Scatter onion, bell pepper, and garlic on top of chicken.

Cover and cook on low heat for eight hours. Do not open lid or stir... I promise it's working!
Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred into large pieces. Return chicken to slow cooker and top with sour cream, cilantro, and scallions.
Serves 6 as a main course. Serves about 8-10 if you serve on top of a baked potato.

Source: Apple A Day ... Originally from Martha Stewart

Baked Chicken Parmesan

I love finding recipes that lighten up a normally full-o-fat recipe. However, it's only considered a "win" if the taste isn't sacrificed. I consider this particular recipe a "win." I always beat my chicken to death between 2 layers of plastic wrap. Beating the chicken with a mallet helps me get my frustrations out makes the chicken really tender. If you do that, the cooking time may decrease a bit. Mine did, anyway... by about 5 minutes. The end result was a tender piece of chicken wrapped in a crispy coating with cheesy goodness on top.
Did I mention that I love beating chicken?

Baked Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I accidently left this out, and it still turned out amazing)
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese
1 cup marinara sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450-degrees. Spray a large baking sheet lightly with cooking spray.

Combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a bowl. Melt the butter in another bowl. Lightly brush the butter onto the chicken, then dip into the breadcrumb mixture. Place chicken on the preparred baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Lightly spray a little more cooking oil on top and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Turn chicken over, bake another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, spoon sauce over chicken and top with shredded cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Info (per serving): 224.5 calories; 8.6g fat; 14.2g carbs; 1.3g fiber

Source: Gina's Skinny Recipes

Moon Pie Ice Cream

Happy Mardi Gras! Mobile has been filled with moon pies, king cakes, beads, and parades over the past few weeks. I recently tried the mint moon pies for the first time, and I'm addicted. If you love Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies, you will love these. They are identical as far as taste is concerned.
I decided to make a vanilla ice cream and mix moon pie pieces throughout for this year's Mardi Gras recipe. I used the mint moon pie, but you could use any kind you like.

Moon Pie Ice Cream

Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
6 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 mini moon pies (or 1 large moon pie), chopped into small pieces




Directions:

Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the warm milk and add the bean as well. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Put the vanilla bean into the custard, add the vanilla extract, and stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, rinsing and reserving it for another use, and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add the chopped moon pies during the last 1 or 2 minutes of churning.

Source: Vanilla Ice Cream from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Baked Oven Fries

I made these oven fries last week, and I apologize for just now getting around to posting them. I was so happy with how these turned out. The only thing I would do differently is cut them a little thicker. Mine cooked a little faster than the directions called for. Next time I'll cut them at least 1/3 or 1/4-inch thick.
One of the reasons I love this recipe is because I don't have to deal with the frying pan. I always get nervous when I fry things because of all the oil that bubbles and pops; not to mention the stench it leaves in the house and in my hair and clothes. These baked up nicely in the oven without me having to worry about them. I'll definitely be making these again and again.

Baked Oven Fries
Ingredients:
3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into even sized wedges
5 Tablespoons vegetable, canola or peanut oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 475-degrees. Place the potato wedges in a large mixing bowl. Cover with hot water; soak for 10-30 minutes. Put 4 tablespoons of the oil onto a heavy rimmed baking sheet. Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan with oil. Sprinkle the pan evenly with the salt and pepper. Set aside.

Drain the potatoes. Spread the wedges out on layers of paper towels or on clean kitchen towels. Pat dry with additional towels. Wipe out the now empty bowl so it is dry. Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Arrange the potato wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the bottoms of the potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes. Using a metal spatula and tongs, flip each potato wedge keeping them in a single layer. Continue baking until the fries are golden and crisp, 5-15 minutes. Rotate the pan as needed to ensure even browning.

When the fries are finished baking, transfer to a paper-towel lines plate to drain some of the grease. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Source: Annie's Eats

Cajun Turkey Sliders

I have found an amazing healthy burger that will make my man slap his mama (in a good way). These are even delicious left over the next night. Ground turkey has a tendency to be a dry when cooking, but these were very moist. I felt like I was indulging in a sinful burger, but these are actually very healthy. I love the idea of mixing chopped vegetables inside. I'll definitely make these many more times in the future.
The original recipe calls for 1 pound of ground turkey made into 4 burgers (quarter-pounders), but I decided to make sliders. I used 1.25 pounds of ground turkey since that's the only way I could purchase it at my grocery store, and I was able to make 11 sliders.

Cajun Turkey Sliders
Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
3 ounces white mushrooms, shredded (about 1 cup shredded)
1 egg
2 Tablespoons Panko bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons ketchup
1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Burger/slider buns
Burger condiments

Directions:
Preheat broiler. Spray a broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. I used a cookie rack on top of a cookie sheet since I don't have a broiler pan.

In a large bowl, mix together turkey, green pepper, mushrooms, egg, bread crumbs, ketchup, minced onion, Cajun seasoning and garlic powder. Form into burgers or mini-burgers (sliders).

Place burgers on the prepared broiler pan or cookie rack on top of pan and broil for about 5 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reads 160-degrees on an instant-read thermometer (or no longer pink/raw in the middle).

Make individual burgers with the condiments you like.

Source: adapted from Parents online

Sweet Cheesy Biscuits

These biscuits remind me a lot of the Jim 'N Nick's cheese biscuits. They're slightly sweet from the vanilla and sugar, but you could probably add less if  you prefer less-sweet biscuits. I like to make these to go along with soups, and it also goes will with BBQ dishes.
These are super easy to make, and clean-up is a breeze.

Sweet Cheesy Biscuits
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Bisquick
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425-degrees. Stir together all ingredients just until combines. Scoop into a mini muffin pan coated with cooking spray. Bake 12-15 minutes, until golden.
Yield: About 20 mini muffins

Source: Plain Chicken

Risotto Cakes

Every time I make risotto, there is always a lot left over. I never know what to do with it, and it doesn't have the right texture when re-heated. I've been hearing of people making risotto cakes with their leftover risotto, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm so glad I did because it was absolutely delicious. I made one of those just-add-water gravy mixes to drizzle on top, and we had a nice meal. I'm looking forward to making many more risotto cakes in the future and trying out different toppings. I'm thinking marinara sauce with sprinkles of fresh basil would be nice.

Risotto Cakes
Ingredients:
2 cups Risotto
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Topping of your choice (gravy, marinara sauce, Parmesan cheese, etc.)

Directions:
Shape risotto into 4 round patties (about 3-1/2 inches wide). Dredge in breadcrumbs.
Cook patties in hot oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve warm with desired topping(s).

Source: Southern Living June 2008 issue

Birthday Cake Bark

I apologize for my lack of posts lately. In the past 11 nights, I've only spent 2 of those nights at home. And those days were spend unpacking, doing laundry, and re-packing. Aubrey and I got a chance to visit my sister and her husband in Kansas City last weekend. We had a blast sledding in the snow, trying out new restaurants, and just spending time with family. My sister's birthday was last Saturday, so I made this birthday cake bark to help celebrate.
This bark is sinfully delicious! It's was so hard to keep from snacking on it while making it. The flavor really does resemble that of a birthday cake. It's a great twist to the original birthday cake.

Birthday Cake Bark
Ingredients:
6 ounces high quality dark chocolate
12 ounces high quality white chocolate
2-3 Tablespoons yellow cake mix
3-4 Tablespoons sprinkles of your choice

Directions:
Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour chocolate on. You can smooth it with a spatula to the thickness you desire. Stick the pan in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler. Whisk in cake mix very slowly, stirring well until no lumps remain. Let it set for 3-5 minutes, or until it slightly thickens. Remove baking sheet with chocolate from the freezer and immediately pour white chocolate on top. Sprinkle on sprinkles. Freeze for 20 minutes.

Once set, break into chunks. Keep refrigerated.

Source: How Sweet It Is
If you need other recipes to use up that cake mix, try these:
Birthday Cake Ice CreamBrownie Bottom Ice Cream Cupcakes