Mexican Street Corn Dip

We happened to have a bunch of fresh corn and needed a new way to prepare it. This dip did the trick! It was so delicious and paired really well with our Christmas fajita dinner! --Mark

 
Ingredients

2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, to your taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cups corn (3-4 raw)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
4 tablespoon salted butter
1/3 cup olive oil mayo or use plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
1 ear grilled corn, kernels removed from the cob
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped


Directions

1. Mix the spices. In a bowl, combine the chili powder, paprika, cayenne, and a pinch of salt.

2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add the corn, garlic, 1 teaspoon of the spice mix, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the corn is softened, 5 minutes.

3. Reduce the heat to low. Mix in the cream cheese until melted and creamy. Stir in the sour cream. Cook until warmed throughout. If desired, thin the dip with milk.

4. In a separate skillet, melt the butter until golden. Mix in 3 teaspoons of the spice mix, plus a pinch of chili flakes and salt. Cook another minute, then remove from the heat.

5. Mix the mayo and lime juice with a pinch of salt.

6. Spoon the dip into a wide serving bowl. Top with grilled corn and drizzle the mayo and spicy butter over the corn. Sprinkle on the cheese and cilantro. Serve with lots of chips for scooping!


Notes

Grilling the ear of corn over the flame on the gas stove worked well.

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/street-corn-dip/

Cinnamon-Roasted Butternut Squash

 We had some cubed butternut squash and Stacy went looking for a unique recipe. This one was so good we knew we had to save it. The squash was the perfect tenderness and the flavors blended really well. This was a great find! --Mark

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash about 3 pounds, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt do not use table salt, or the recipe will be too salty (or reduce the amount and add a bit at the end as needed)

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously coat two baking sheets with nonstick spray.

2.Place the squash cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and maple syrup, then sprinkle the salt, cinnamon, and pepper over the top. Toss to coat, then divide between the two baking sheets, discarding any excess liquid with that collects at the bottom of the bowl. Spread the cubes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets, taking care that they do not overlap.

3. Place the pans in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven, turn the cubes with a spatula, then return to the oven, switching the pans’ positions on the upper and lower racks. Continue baking until the squash is tender, about 10 to 15 additional minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the rosemary over the top. Serve warm.

Notes

https://www.wellplated.com/cinnamon-roasted-butternut-squash/

Mexican (Spanish) Rice

It may not be quite as strong as my quest for the perfect carnitas recipe, but the quest for a good, fluffy Spanish rice has been pretty tough as well. This is it. It's the closest I've gotten to restaurant style rice. --Mark

Ingredients

2 cups long grain rice

2 T oil

8 oz tomato sauce

6 stems cilantro (optional(

1 tsp salt

1 tsp minced garlic

4 cups water (or broth)

1 cube chicken bouillon (unless using broth)

dash cumin

dash garlic pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a large frying pain on medium heat. Add the rice and cook until golden brown.

Add the bouillon cube to the water and heat until dissolved, then add to the rice with the rest of the ingredients.

Stir and cover the pan. Let simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed completely. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

Fluff before serving.

Baked Vegetable Tempura

No one will mistake this for actual tempura, but it's a really easy recipe and will do the trick. I was surprised at how good these turned out. --Mark

Ingredients

Panko Breading:

2 cups panko bread crumbs

salt to taste

2 eggs

Vegetables:

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup cauliflower florets

1 sweet potato, cut into 1/4-inch slices 

1 small squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 onion, sliced 1-inch thick and separated into rings

10 green beans, trimmed

¼ cup all-purpose flour 

Dipping Sauce:

½ cup soy sauce

¼ cup water

2 T rice vinegar

2 tsp white sugar

2 green onions, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a large baking sheet.

Combine panko and salt together in a shallow bowl. Whisk eggs in a separate small bowl. Combine broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, winter squash, onion, and green beans together in a large bowl; add flour and toss to coat evenly.

Shake excess flour from each vegetable piece, dip into beaten egg and press into panko mixture. Gently toss between your hands so any panko crumbs that haven't stuck can fall away. Place vegetables onto prepared baking sheet; do not stack.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, turning occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, and sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add green onion. Serve sauce alongside vegetables.

Syracuse Salt Potatoes

This recipe popped up in a dinner group Stacy started on Facebook. Then she saw a recipe for them and remembered that she's wanted to make them before. One person in the group made them, then we did, then more people did. These are fantastic! So salty, moist, and then buttery. Don't skimp on the butter! --Mark

Ingredients

2 pounds whole new potatoes
5 cups cold water

1 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup melted butter, or to taste

Directions

Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. Transfer potatoes to a plate and drizzle butter over the top.

Sweet and Savory Fried Plantains

I've always loved plantains, and recently I discovered that they are not expensive nor are they hard to work with. So, naturally I experiment with them frequently. Here's a nice side dish I found. And to tell you how good they are, Kate hates bananas, but really liked these. --Mark

Ingredients

1 large yellow plantain, peeled

⅛ tsp garlic powder

1 T canola oil 

½ tsp butter

⅛ tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp agave nectar

⅓ tsp light brown sugar

1 pinch ground cinnamon, or more to taste

Instructions

Cut plantain into three sections. Quarter each section so you have twelve pieces. Season plantain pieces with garlic powder.

Heat oil and butter together in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook plantains in hot oil until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side; season with black pepper and continue to cook until slightly darker in color, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove skillet from heat and drizzle agave syrup over the plantain pieces. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over the plantains.

Pickleback Slaw

I was looking for a unique slaw recipe for a barbecue meal and found this. The name was intriguing, and the fact that it uses pickle juice sold me. It made it here so it must be a keeper. --Mark

Ingredients

½ - 1 bag of shredded cabbage / veggie mix

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

3 T juice from a pickle jar

1 T Dijon mustard

1 T cider vinegar

2 tsp hot sauce of your choice (optional)

Kosher salt

Ground black pepper

Instructions

Mix together in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Toss again before serving. Top generously on burgers or tacos. Eat any leftovers within 3 days.

Oven Roasted Okra

Okra is great, but sometimes you want something different than the wonderfully slimy boiled variety. We found this recipe since we had so much okra in the freezer. It made it to the blog, so it must be a keeper! --Mark

Ingredients

12 ounces okra, frozen 
1½ tablespoons coconut oil (or you can just spray them)
¼ cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Toss okra with oil or spray with coconut oil cooking spray.Toss with parmesan cheese. Dump onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment.

Roast Okra for 12-15 minutes turning once or until done.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini

You know how zucchini seems to last forever? Like, even when you buy just one or two, you can't eat them all. This recipe is perfect for that. We made it like three times in a week after discovering it. It's easy to make, crispy to eat, and pretty healthy. Definitely one to keep on hand. --Mark.

Ingredients

4 zucchini, quartered lengthwise

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste.

Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan mixture. 

Place into oven and bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp and 

golden brown.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

French Fries

At first we were a little intimidated to use the deep fryer, but it's gotten a lot easier. Once it's out we make several things so we don't have to clean the thing right away!   --Mark

Ingredients

1 russet potato, cut into evenly sized strips
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
salt to taste

Instructions

Soak potatoes in a large bowl of water for about 30 minutes. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Gently add the potatoes in the hot oil for about 5 minutes, stirring and flipping the potatoes occasionally. Remove potatoes from oil with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towel and to cool completely.

Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry the potatoes again until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Blot with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt to serve.

Notes:

https://www.allrecipes.com/video/4044/how-to-make-french-fries/

Kelewele

I found this recipe for our bookclub and it was a hit! I made it again for our family and even our banana-hating daughter loved these.   --Mark

Ingredients

4-6 ripe plantains with little black spots
1/4 onion cut in pieces
1 teaspoon Cayenne or chili pepper
1/2- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1-2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon lemon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon bouillon powder or small bouillon Maggie cube (optional)
oil for deep frying

Instructions

Using a sharp knife cut both ends off the plantain. This will make it easy to grab the skin of the plantains. Slit a shallow line down the long seam of the plantain, cut only as deep as the peel. Remove plantain peel by pulling it back.

Cut plantains in diagonal pieces and set aside.

Blend onions , ginger, garlic, in a blend or food processor, with just enough water to facilitate blending , then add cayenne pepper, lemon, nutmeg, salt and bouillon. Set aside

In a large bowl toss the plantain cubes and ginger spice mixture

Let it rest for about 10 to 20 minutes to absorb the flavor

Heat up a large skillet or cast iron with oil up to ½ inch- medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
Fry the plantain cubes in batches , turning once, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Do not overcrowd the pan( it will cause the plantains to be soggy and absorb excess oil

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried plantains to pan lined with paper towels.Serve warm.

Notes:

We use our deep fryer and it works really well.

Funeral Potatoes

This recipe has an unfortunate name, is not very good for you, and is sinfully delicious. Make sure to share with LOTS of people. Spread that bad cholesterol around a bit. --Mark

Ingredients:

2 cans of cream soup (chicken or mushroom)
8 oz. sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 large package of frozen hash browns
2 cups Ritz crackers
1/4 cup melted butter

Instructions:

Mix the liquids and cheese together well. Stir in frozen hash browns quickly (it freezes the sauce so you have to be fast).

Grease a 9x13 pan and pour in the mixture. Crush up to 2 cups of Ritz crackers and mix together with the melted butter. Top the mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

Mexican Rice

We have been on a quest to make the perfect Mexican rice, but for some reason ours always came out mushy. It wasn't light like the rice you get in a Mexican restaurant. Say good-bye to mushy Mexican rice. Turns out the trick is to fry the rice first. Who knew? --Mark

Ingredients:

3 T vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin.

Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mexican-Rice-II/Detail.aspx

Annie's Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

This was awesome. And it complimented the cucumber sandwiches perfectly. And that lunch was light enough so I could enjoy a huge piece of German chocolate cake later. Yum, yum, and yum! --Mark

Ingredients:

2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 T white sugar
1 T brown sugar
3 T fruit preserves, any flavor

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 cups cinnamon sugar

Instructions:

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.

Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

Notes:

Don't add ANY sugar.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Annies-Fruit-Salsa-and-Cinnamon-Chips/Detail.aspx

Sweet and Savory Kale

This is a wonderful way to get some greens and not feel like you're eating a "boring" vegetable. We've found that kale grows really easily in the garden, too, so finding different ways to use it is pretty important. --Mark

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T Dijon mustard
4 tsp white sugar
1 T cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 cups stemmed, torn and rinsed kale
1/4 cup dried cranberries
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mustard, sugar, vinegar, and chicken stock, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the kale, cover, and cook 5 minutes until wilted.

Stir in the dried cranberries, and continue boiling, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced by about half, and the cranberries have softened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with sliced almonds before serving.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-and-Savory-Kale/Detail.aspx

Japanese Style Green Beans

This is definitely Maxim's favorite way to make green beans. They go great with an Asian meal, or with any other meal for that matter. They are easy to do and are a welcome change to boiled green beans. You have to use the fresh or frozen beans or it won't work, trust us. --Mark

Ingredients:

1 T canola oil
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 pound fresh green beans, washed
1 T soy sauce
1 T toasted sesame seeds

Instructions:

Warm a large skillet or wok over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, pour in canola and sesame oils, then place whole green beans into the skillet. Stir the beans to coat with oil. Cook until the beans are bright green and slightly browned in spots, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in soy sauce; cover, and let sit about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Japanese-Style-Sesame-Green-Beans/Detail.aspx

Portuguese Stuffing

I am not a big stuffing person. This stuffing is out-of-this-world amazing. Well, I guess it's technically a "dressing" since we don't actually stuff the turk--who cares?! It's awesome! It goes perfectly with the Portuguese turkey we make at Thanksgiving, and it is awesome as a leftover. One of our friends said it's "good but not traditional." I'll take good over traditional any day of the week. --Mark

Ingredients:

bread, hard

olive oil

garlic, minced

onions, chopped

crushed red pepper

tomato sauce

chourico

red wine

salt

giblets

turkey drippings

Instructions:

A few days before making the stuffing, break bread into chunks. Chop giblets and chourico in a food processor. Make sure the chunks are very small. In a pot, heat olive oil. Saute garlic and onions until soft. Add crushed red pepper and heat through. Stir in tomato sauce. Add giblets and chourico and cook through. Add salt. Once the meat is cooked, add in red wine and simmer.

Stir bread chunks into sauce until it is all covered. Put into greased roasting pan or baking dish. Place in oven with turkey for one hour, basting frequently with the turkey drippings.

Note:

One variation is to soak the dried bread in water and then squeeze out the excess water through a colander. Then add it to the sauce. Spread the bread mixture into a baking pan before cooking.

Sweet Potatoes

Another classic fall recipe, especially good at a Thanksgiving meal. This is one of Zelia's recipes and is as tasty as any sweet potatoes I've tried. --Mark

Ingredients:

6 sweet potatoes, cooked

1/2 cup orange juice

2 T lemon juice

1 T corn starch

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

walnuts

Instructions:

Add all ingredients except potatoes and walnuts and boil until sauce looks clear. Place potatoes in buttered casserole dish and top with walnuts. Pour sauce over potatoes and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Roast Potatoes

These Portuguese potatoes are a regular side dish at our Thanksgiving meals, and have been at Stacy's since she was a girl. One way to make sure they taste absolutely fantastic is to roast them to the point that they are just about burned. We won't tell the story about how Zelia burned them one year and Stacy went on and on about how great they were and kept asking why they were so good that year. Oh, would you look at that. I just told it. --Mark

Ingredients:

potatoes, peeled

onions

crushed red pepper

garlic, crushed

1 small can tomato sauce

red wine

2 T oil

water

salt

Instructions:

Oil the bottom of a baking pan and pour in the onions, red pepper, garlic, tomato sauce, and red wine. Cut the peeled potatoes into roughly uniform chunks and place them in the pan. Add about 1-2 cups of water and sprinkle with salt. Cover. Bake for about 45 minutes at 350. Continue to check on the potatoes and uncover for the last 15 minutes for browning. If you are cooking a turkey or other meat you can baste the potatoes with the meat drippings.

Party Potatoes

Stacy got this recipe from a coworker at her temp job. I think they spent most of their time exchanging recipes, which works out well for me because she got some good ones. These potatoes resemble the "funeral potatoes" of intermountain Mormon fame, but someone felt funny labeling a recipe as a funeral dish. Either way, yum. --Mark

Ingredients:

6 potatoes, cooked in skins and cooled, peeled, and grated

1 can cream of chicken soup

salt and pepper

1 pint sour cream

1 1/2 cup grated cheese

1/3 cup chopped green onion

Instructions:

Mix soup, seasonings, and sour cream. Heat in a sauce pan until warm. Mix with potatoes and green onions, and place in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.