Roasted Vegetable and Black Bean Tacos- Allison

roasted vegetable and black bean tacos

Yield: 10 to 12 tacos

Prep Time: 30 min 

Cook Time: 55 min 

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow squash, chopped into small chunks (1 cup)
1 medium zucchini, chopped into small chunks (1 cup)
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium red bell pepper, de-seeded, ribs removed and chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 medium sweet potato or yam, peeled and chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
One (10-ounce) can original Ro-Tel (tomatoes + chiles)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 to 12 taco-sized corn tortillas
canola or vegetable oil
suggested add-ins: avocado, cotija or feta cheese, lettuce, sour cream)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a large, rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.

2. Add all of your vegetables to a large bowl and toss with the olive oil. Spread the veggies on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes, stir to re-distribute, roast another 15 minutes, stir again, and roast one more time for 15 minutes (45 minutes total). This step may be prepared ahead of schedule- just refrigerate your veggies until ready to make your tacos.

3. In a medium skillet, heat the black beans and Ro-Tel tomatoes over low heat. In a small bowl, combine the spices (cumin through pepper). Sprinkle the spices over the beans/Ro-Tel and stir to combine. Add the roasted veggies, stir to combine and continue to heat until the mixture is completely warm.

4. In a small skillet, heat 1/2 inch or less of oil over medium-high. When you can flick a drop of water in the oil and get a sizzle, you're ready to fry your tortillas. Place one tortilla in the hot oil and use tongs to press it down so it cooks on both sides- you only need to cook it for about 20 to 30 seconds to soften it up. Remove the tortilla to a paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas, placing paper towels in between each cooked tortilla to absorb the oil.

5. Assemble tacos: Place a scoop of the roasted veggie/black bean mixture into a tortilla and add desired fixings. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Leftovers are good for a couple of days!

Tips:

*To prepare this recipe as GLUTEN-FREE, just be sure to use brands of beans and tortillas that are GF.
*Chili powder may be substituted for smoked paprika, if necessary.
*If you don't wish to fry your tortillas, you can soften them by heating 3 at a time in damp paper towels in the microwave (they'll be more susceptible to tearing though). Or flour tortillas are a good choice too.

*Sub your favorite shredded cheese for the feta, if desired.

Source: RecipeGirl.com

Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

This is a yummy sauce.  We like it by itself over ravioli, or with some added grilled chicken or shrimp.  It reminds me of a yummy sauce you would get at a restaurant.

2 Tbsp. butter
1 garlic clove, minced (more if you want)
1 c. chicken stock or broth
1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes
2 cups whipping cream
3 tsp. cornstarch
8-12 oz. fresh or frozen ravioli/ or noodle of choice

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried
2 T. chopped fresh parsley (only if using dried basil)
salt & fresh ground pepper

Melt butter in med. saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and cook 30 secs. Add stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered over medium heat about 10 mins. or until tomatoes are tender. Remove tomatoes with slotted spoon. Cut into smaller pieces. Return tomatoes to saucepan. Add cream and bring to a boil, and add your corn starch stirring consistantly. While this is simmering cook ravioli according to directions. Drain well. Add basil and/or parsley to sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix with your pasta, and that's it.

Peruvian Style Roast Chicken with Green Sauce

When I was pregnant with my first born we drove from Ohio to D.C. so that we could go to the temple.  Sperry lived there,so we stayed with him and he took us to eat at this Peruvian restraunt.  I had a dish with potatoes- like fries, chicken, tomatoes and an amazing green sauce.  I dream about that green sauce.  It was so good!!! So I have been on the search for it.  This is NOT that green sauce, but it was really tasty.  I didn't use a roasting bird, just tenderloins and roasted them in the oven until they were done. I also roasted potatoes and cut tomatoes into wedges and served it all together with the green sauce on the side.  Loved it, but I am still searching. I also didn't add the olive oil to the sauce.  Just didn't need it in my book.  This recipe is adapted from www.onceuponachef.com, the picture is also from there.

For the Chicken

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup lime juice, from 2 limes
• 4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika

• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 4 pound whole chicken

For the Green Sauce

• 3 jalapeño chili peppers, seeded if desired (I use about half the seeds for a medium-hot sauce), and roughly chopped
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from one lime
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

For the Chicken

1. Combine all of the ingredients except the chicken in a blender or mini food processor, and blend until smooth. Remove the giblets from the inside of the chicken and pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels; place in a bowl, breast side up with the legs facing you. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or your fingers, loosen the skin from the flesh over the breasts and legs, being careful not to tear the skin or push all the way through (you want the marinade to stay inside the bird). Spoon about 2/3 of the marinade evenly underneath the skin, and spread the remaining 1/3 evenly over the skin. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position, and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Spray a rack (preferably a v-shape) with non-stick cooking spray and place the chicken on top. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Roast for 20 minutes, until the skin is golden. Turn the heat down to 375 degrees, and continue to roast for about an hour and ten minutes more, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh. (Keep an eye on it -- if it's browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.) Tent the chicken with foil and let rest for about 20 minutes. Tilt the chicken over the roasting pan to release the juices, then transfer to a cutting board. Carve the chicken and serve with green sauce.

For the Green Sauce

1. Combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil in a blender or food processor and blend into a smooth sauce. With the motor running, open lid and slowly drizzle in olive oil. It will seem very runny at this point but, don't worry, it will thicken up as it sits. Transfer the sauce to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pepperoncini Pork Roast

Slow cookers are such huge time savers, but a lot of people never get past making the same old chili and soups in them. This pork roast gets a zingy kick from pepperoncini peppers (find them jarred near the olives at your supermarket) and dry English mustard. It’s sophisticated enough for a dinner party, and no one will ever know you made it in a crock pot!

Pepperoncini Pork Roast

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 6-8 hours on low

Serves 8

2 ½ pounds boneless pork roast

1 cup minced pepperoncini peppers

1 cup pepperoncini juice

1 tsp, black pepper

½ tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. dried basil

1/8 tsp. dried rosemary

1/8 tsp. dry mustard, such as Colemans (I usually rub the whole roast with regular old mustard)

3 cups chopped broccoli, spinach, or asparagus

Place all the ingredients except the vegetables in a slow cooker.  Simmer on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.  (You can just slice this up but I usually shred it and then stir it all together with the peppers etc. then serve it more like pulled pork with rice) Serve with the steamed broccoli, spinach, or asparagus. 

Turkey or Buffalo Chili

Lean ground turkey or buffalo sub-in for the typical beef in this slow-cooker recipe, but you’d never know it. This recipe is a total cinch: brown the meat, throw everything into your slow cooker in the morning, and by dinner you’re good to go! You could also put it together in the evening, then when you get up, portion it out and store extra portions in the freezer.

Turkey or Buffalo Chili

Serves 6 (a single portion is 1.5 cups)

Prep time: 25 minutes. Cook time: 5 to 8 hours, depending on slow-cooker setting

Ingredients

•               1 to 1½ pounds lean ground turkey or buffalo meat

•               ½ cup diced red onion, or more if desired

•               2 Tbls. fresh parsley or cilantro

•               1 heaping Tbls. chili powder

•               1 Tbls. minced garlic

•               ½ tsp. crushed red chili flakes

•               15-ounce can white beans

•               15-ounce can kidney beans (no sugar added)

•               15-ounce can black beans

•               15-ounce can pinto beans

•               15-ounce can lentils or adzuki beans

•               4 cups chopped zucchini

•               28-oz can crushed tomatoes

•               1 heaping tsp. sea salt

Brown the turkey or buffalo meat in a skillet and drain.

Turn a slow cooker to high setting. Add the meat, onion, parsley, chili powder, garlic, and red  pepper flakes to the pot. Stir, cover and set aside.

Open and partially drain all 5 cans of beans; I leave a little liquid in to make my chili a little juicier. Add the beans, zucchini, and tomators to the cooker. Stir well.  Keep the cooker set on high for 4 to 5 hours or adjust heat to low and simmer for 6 to 8 hours.

Stir and taste occasionally, adjusting seasonings as needed. Add the salt just before serving to best preserve its nutrients.

ACHOO! chili

ACHOO! chili

How about getting some immunity-boosting help from your dinner? Foods rich in vitamins A, C and E, plus zinc can help fight off your next cold — and can help soothe its symptoms if you do catch a bug. The red peppers, chili powder, carrots, sunflower seeds and parsley in this recipe provide the vitamin power. Grass-fed beef and mushrooms pack the zinc. The allicin in garlic is a potent antioxidant, but it works best when garlic is raw, so stir it in at the end.

1 1/2 pounds grass-fed lean ground beef
1 medium red or yellow onion, diced
1 Tbls. dried parsley
2 Tbls. chili powder
2 cups chopped carrots
2 large red peppers, chopped
2 cups sliced white or cremini mushrooms
1 32-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 – 2 cup water or vegetable broth (or more if desired)
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbls. minced fresh garlic
Fresh parsley
1 cup sunflower seeds
Cayenne pepper sauce (optional)

In a large soup pot, saute the onions and carrots in 2 tablespoons of water until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, about 7 minutes more. Stir in the red pepper, parsley, chili powder and mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms begin to give up their water. Add the crushed tomatoes and water, adjusting water to the consistency you like. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the peppers soften. Add the salt and stir in the raw garlic. Serve, topping with chopped fresh parsley, sunflower seeds, and a few shakes of cayenne pepper sauce, if desired.

Basic Roll Dough

Basic Roll Dough

Dissolve 1½  T.  Yeast in ½ cup warm Water with 1 T. Sugar. (or ½ T. Stevia)

In a liquid measuring cup, heat 1¾ cups Milk and ¼ cups Butter in the microwave, on high for 5 min.  (I’ve used almond milk for a non dairy version and it worked fine) If you use powdered milk just make it with fairly warm water and don’t bother heating it cuz you don’t need to kill whatever heating milk kills because it’s already dead. J Add ¼ cup Sugar (or 2 T. Stevia) and 2 t. Salt and let it cool.

To the warm milk add yeast mixture and 2 cups Flour. (I use sprouted wheat flour) Add 2 Eggs and enough flour to make a soft dough. Cover and let raise for 1 hour.

Roll out as desired. Let rise 45 minutes. Bake at 400 deg. for 12-15 minutes.

Varieties

Parkerhouse: Roll out and cut into circles. Dip in butter, fold over, and place on a cookie sheet. Rub tops with remaining butter. Let rise and bake as directed above.

Cloverleaf: Break dough into small balls. Roll into nice round balls and place 3 in each section of a muffin tin. Brush with melted butter. (I like to dip the balls in butter too) (What! I like butter) Let raise and bake as directed above.

Cinnamon Rolls: roll out all the dough into a nice big rectangle about ¼ to ½ inch thick. Butter the whole rectangle with softened (not melted) butter. Sprinkle with generous amount of brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins (ewww. Not raisins for me)

Roll out and cut with a piece of thread. Place on a baking sheet and let rise and bake as directed above. Frost however you love (glaze, cream cheese frosting etc)

Orange Rolls: Roll out as for Cinnamon rolls. Mix juice from 1 orange, ½ cup of butter, 1 t. vanilla and powdered sugar to make an almost runny type frosting. Spread over dough, roll up and cut. Place on baking sheet, let rise, bake as directed above. Frost with basic powdered sugar frosting but replace other liquid with orange juice. (I love these with lemon too in place of the orange)

Slow Cooker Pesto Ranch Chicken

This was really great and so easy.  I made another crockpot of scalloped potatoes and we had a delicious easy meal all ready when we got home from an evening of soccer games.  I also thought this would be yummy with more veggies- carrots, mushrooms etc.

Slow Cooker Pesto Ranch Chicken

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 12 or so tenderloins- i just put them in frozen.
• 6 ounce jar pesto (I used basil pesto) I love the Sam's club brand, all pesto's are not created equal, so pick one that is not dry, and I think the refrigerated pesto is much tastier.
• 1 package ranch dressing seasoning mix or 3 Tablespoons
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 -2 cups frozen green beens or you can use canned- add this the last half hour.

1.  Spray slow cooker with cooking spray and place chicken breasts in the bottom.

2.  Sprinkle ranch packet over the chicken breasts, pour pesto over the top, and lastly pour the chicken broth over the top.

3.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
Recipe adapted from Picky Palate 

Peach Vanilla Bundt Cake

This cake was heavenly!  I didn't use the vanilla bean because mine had all dried out, but I did use pure vanilla extract.  It was vanilla, peachy perfection!

(recipe and photo from justapinch.com)

Ingredients

	Cake
	Ingredients
3	cups all-purpose flour
½	teaspoon baking powder
½	teaspoon baking soda
½	teaspoon salt
1	cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1¾	cups granulated sugar
4	large eggs, room temperature
1	vanilla bean, split, seeds
1	cup sour cream
1½	cups diced fresh peaches
	Syrup
	Ingredients
⅓	cup fresh peach puree, strained
⅔	cup granulated sugar
1	tablespoon orange juice Directions Place rack in center of oven, and preheat oven to 350. Grease and lightly flour inside of 10 inch bundt pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. Using either a stand mixer (paddle attachment) or a hand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and beat at medium-high speed until the mixture is light in texture and color, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating for 30 to 40 seconds after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla bean. At low speed, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with sour cream. (Add a bit of flour, a bit of sour cream, a bit of flour, a bit of sour cream, a bit of flour.) Scoop half of batter into pan and spread with spatula. Sprinkle with peaches. Scoop remaining half of batter on top of peaches. Smooth with spatula. Bake cake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then invert it onto another rack. Place the cake, on the rack, over a baking sheet. While cake is baking, make syrup. Combine peach puree, sugar, and orange juice in a small non reactive saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Using a pastry brush, dab syrup generously all over surface of the warm cake, allowing it to soak into the cake before reapplying. Let the cake cool completely.

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Having been in Chicago recently I was interested in making some deep dish pizza with a buttery cornmeal crust.  This was really good.  I will have to try it again soon following the directions properly.  As it was I just didn't have the time to "laminate"  the dough, and I didn't pay great attention to the recipe.  I ended up dumping all of the butter into the flour mixture (melted and softened).  I also only let it rise once.  It made a beautiful, soft, fun to work with dough.  I did stick it into the fridge for about 10 minutes while I finished up the rest of the sauce.  With the sauce I didn't add the extra sugar. We are not big fans of sweet tomato sauce, I did use tomatoes and basil from my garden.  The result was delicious.  This recipe is a definite keeper.

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

For the Dough:

3¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup yellow cornmeal
1½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
1¼ cups water, room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon + 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup grated onion
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
¼ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

For the Toppings:
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)
(Pepperoni)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make the Dough: Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Add water and melted butter and mix on low speed, using a dough hook, until fully combined, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping sides and bottom of bowl occasionally. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is glossy and smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, 4 to 5 minutes. (You can easily make this by hand, mixing in the water and butter with a spatula and then kneading by hand.)

2. Coat a large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Using greased spatula, transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat the dough in oil; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in volume, 45 to 60 minutes.

3. Make the Sauce: While dough rises, heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add onion, oregano, and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and sugar, increase heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to about 2½ cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil and olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.

4. Laminate the Dough: Turn the dough out onto dry work surface and roll into a 15x12-inch rectangle. Using an offset spatula, spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough, leaving a ½-inch border along the edges. Starting at the short end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. With seam side down, flatten the cylinder into an 18x4-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle in half crosswise. Working with one half, fold into thirds like a business letter; pinch seams together to form ball. Repeat with remaining half. Return balls to oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in refrigerator until nearly doubled in volume, 40 to 50 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower position and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

5. Bake the Pizzas: Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with 2 tablespoons olive oil each. Transfer 1 dough ball to dry work surface and roll out into a 13-inch circle. Transfer dough to the pan by rolling the dough loosely around a rolling pin and unrolling into pan. Lightly press dough into pan, working into corners and 1 inch up sides. If dough resists stretching, let it relax for 5 minutes before trying again. Repeat with remaining dough ball.

6. For each pizza, sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella evenly over surface of dough. (If you're using any meat or veggie toppings, add them now, on top of the cheese.) Spread 1¼ cups tomato sauce over the cheese (or toppings) and sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan over sauce. Bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove pizza from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

(Recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated)