Baked Chocolate Cake Donuts (Gluten Free and Dairy Free)

So my sweet sissy and niece are visiting me for the week from Las Vegas.  My sister found out a couple of years ago that she can't eat gluten or dairy along with a few other food items.  So I created this donut recipe exclusively for her.  I have to say, these were really good.  We all really liked them and my sis was overjoyed to have something made especially for her. 

Chocolate Cake Donuts (Gluten Free and Dairy Free)
Makes 6 donuts

Ingredients:
1 cup oats, ground into a fine powder (You can use a food processor or blender.)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 egg
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 325. Coat donut pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In large bowl, whisk oat powder, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In small bowl, whisk soy milk, sugar, egg, oil and vanilla until smooth. Add soy milk mixture to oat mixture; whisk until blended and smooth.

3.  Batter is more liquidy than firm.  Spoon batter into donut pan, filling until 2/3 full.  Bake at 325 for 13 minutes.  Cool in pan on rack 3 minutes, then carefully turn out directly onto rack to cool.

For chocolate-frosted donuts: Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon cocoa and 2 tablespoons vanilla soy milk. Stir until smooth. Dip cooled donuts into bowl and allow excess frosting to drip back into bowl. Transfer to rack. Top with sprinkles, coconut or mini chips, if desired.
Recipe Source:  Kimmy's Creation

Green Bean Bundles

So much has happened since I last posted a recipe.  The biggest one being that we moved to Texas.  Yes, that's right, y'all.  We moved out of Oregon and into Texas, and we are loving it.  Now we just need to buy some cowboy hats and boots and we are set.  We really have enjoyed our first three weeks of being here.  We are especially glad that we found a great rental considering that we were homeless for 3 weeks, livin' in a van down by the river.  (Okay, maybe we weren't living in a van, but it is still nice to have a house to live in.)  Side note:  Speaking of vans...we did purchase a mini-van.  Never thought I'd own one of those, but I have to say.  It's awesome!

I'm sure you'll all get to hear more about life in Texas and maybe even get a few Tex Mex recipes, but for now, here's my favorite new way to eat green beans.  So scrumptious!  And would y'all take a look at that bacon!  Doesn't bacon make everything better?  That it does! 

Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles

Ingredients:

1 pound green beans with the ends snapped off

8 slices bacon

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon minced red onion

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

a pinch of pepper

Directions:

1.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. 

2.  If you're using fresh green beans (which I recommend), wash and snap the ends off.  Discard any sickly looking, overly skinny, or limp beans.

3.  When the water is boiling, briefly boil (blanch) the beans for 2-3 minutes or until you start hearing a popping noise and the beans have turned bright green.  Quickly drain and rinse the beans in cold water until they have cooled. 

4.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. 

5.  On a cookie sheet, divide the green beans evenly into 8 piles.  Carefully wrap each pile of beans with one slice bacon and return to the baking sheet. 

6.  Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and sizzling. 

7.  While the bundles are in the oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat in a small saucepan.  When the butter is bubbly, add in the onions and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are softened and fragrant.  Reduce heat to low and add in vinegar, sugar, and salt.  Remove from heat and set aside. 

8.  When ready to serve, place bean bundles on a serving platter and drizzle with sauce.  Serve immediately.

Recipe Source:  Our Best Bites Cookbook

Spicy Honey Chicken

Wow!  This chicken is a fantastic summertime grillin' recipe.  It's not exactly spicy, it's just spiced well.  It's a delicious combination topped with a drippin' honey glaze.  I'm all about delicious spices topped with a little sweet.  Yummm!  This is definitely a keeper.  In this recipe, you coat the chicken with a spice rub and then, while grilling, you glaze the chicken.  You can also just marinate the chicken in the glaze and spice rub for at least one hour for equally delicious results.  Then you wouldn't have to glaze while grilling.  Either way the chicken ends up delicious. 

Spicy Honey Chicken


Ingredients:
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Rub:
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

Glaze:
1/2 cup honey
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

Directions:
1. Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.
2. Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces.
3. Toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well.  Let the chicken marinate in the fridge with the spice rub for at least an hour.
4. Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

5. While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2 Tablespoons honey glaze for later. Take the rest of glaze and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.
6.  Take the chicken off the grill and drizzle with the extra 2 Tablespoons of glaze.  Enjoy!

Recipe Source:  adapted slightly from Our Best Bites

Sparkling Mango Lemonade

We've finally been getting some sun rays here in the Pacific Northwest!  Hallelujah!  I've been seeing all these lemonade recipes popping up all over blogs and decided it was time to partake of this delicious summertime beverage.  I decided to pair the lemonade with one of my favorite fruits of summer.  The Mango!  Oh how I love them and could eat them everyday of my life.  This lemonade was perfect.  Not too sweet.  Not too tart.  The mango flavor is very subtle.  Even if you don't care for mango, I'd bet you'd like this because the mango adds just enough to be there, but it doesn't overwhelm.  We loved this!   

Sparkling Mango Lemonade

Ingredients:
For the mango syrup:
1 heaping cup sliced mango
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. cold water
Pinch of salt

For the lemonade:
1 cup very hot water
2/3 cup sugar
1¼ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
4½ cups cold sparkling water or seltzer

Directions:
To make the mango syrup, combine the mango, sugar, lemon juice, water and salt in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth.
To make the lemonade, combine the hot water and sugar in a pitcher or glass bowl. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Mix in the lemon juice and water. Stir in the mango puree.

To serve, rub a wedge of lemon or one of the spent lemon halves around the rim of a glass and then dip in sugar. Fill with ice if desired and then lemonade. Garnish with sliced lemon or mango. Serve immediately.
Yield: 6-7 cups

Recipe Source:  Adapted from Annie's Eats

Linked to:  Blue Cricket Design, This Chick Cooks, Sweets for a Saturday

Lemon Roasted Broccoli

Let me preface this recipe by saying that the hubs hates broccoli.  Even my daughter refuses to eat, "The trees..."  When I made this recipe, the hubs said, "Congratulations honey!  You just made broccoli edible."  Then, I saw him, and I kid you not, snitch a piece of broccoli off of the pan.  What the?  What's happening in my house?  My husband who eats Captain Crunch, Lucky Charms, or Frosted Flakes for breakfast every morning, snitching broccoli?  Either the world has come to an end or this broccoli is ridiculously good.  This is DEFINITELY a great way to eat broccoli. 

Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients:
1-2 heads of broccoli
4-5 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
about 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 medium lemon
zest of half of a lemon
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Wash your broccoli and dry completely. (It is essential that the broccoli is dry to crisp correctly.) Cut the broccoli into medium sized florets. Place broccoli on foil in a single layer and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss this around. Sprinkle broccoli with lemon zest and squeeze the juice of half your lemon over broccoli. Add salt, pepper and chopped garlic and toss this all around getting everything well coated. Roast in oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. The broccoli should get crispy in spots and be a dark green color. You'll see it start to turn dark brown in spots and this means its getting good, really good.

Once the broccoli is fork tender and crispy to your liking take it out.  Squeeze the other half of the lemon all over the broccoli if desired. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over broccoli and let the heat from the broccoli melt it slightly.  Remember the broccoli is going to cook down so it may look like a lot initially but once it's roasted it will be about half the amount.

Recipe Source:  My friend Brook adapted this recipe from Ina Garten

Linked to:  Full Plate Thursday, Friday Food, Potluck Sunday

Cafe Rio's Sweet Pork

Dear Sweet Pork, oh how I love you. I loved you enough to eat you for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the same day. Should I be admitting that? I had a salad with it, and I made a burrito with it. Then I made the same meal again the next week which we never do in our foodie home. That's how much I liked it. The second time I made it using homemade enchilada sauce which made it even more fabulous! I really adore Cafe Rio, but I don't live close enough to get any. Now I feel like I can bring Cafe Rio home anytime I want, and I have. : )

Cafe Rio's Sweet Pork

Ingredients:
2 pounds pork (boneless pork rib meat works great)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 (10oz) can red enchilada sauce (or use homemade - half the recipe of the Quick Enchilada Sauce for the Sweet Pork)
1 c. brown sugar

Directions:
1. Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinate. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinate for a few hours or overnight.

2. Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

3. In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

4. Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

Recipe Source: Favorite Family Recipes

This is how we like to eat our Cafe Rio Sweet Pork:

In the tortilla:
Sweet Pork
Mexican Mix Cheese
Black Beans
Cilantro Rice

To the side:
Pico de Gallo
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Lettuce

Linked to:  Hunk of Meat Mondays, Potluck Sunday

St. Paddy's Day Corned Beef

So my first thought when anyone would mention Corned Beef was...that stuff is Nasty with a capital N.  How many of you think the same thing?  Okay people, 'fess up.  I'd only seen Corned Beef in a can and HELLO, it is a little cat foodish to me.  Don't get me wrong, I don't think I've ever even tried it from the can, but I just had this bad perception of Corned Beef.  Then we made this for the first time last year and oh, how my perceptions have changed.  Now I only have 100 % pure love for this Corned Beef.  In fact, after we made it last year, the hubs and I were dying to eat it again and again and again.  So let me just tell you...throw all perceptions aside and try this. 

St. Paddy's Day Corned Beef

Ingredients:
1 Corned beef brisket, flat cut (about 3 lbs.)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2-3 Tablespoons mustard
1 head of cabbage
9-10 small red potatoes
1/4 cup butter
parsley

Dipping Sauce:
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. horse radish
squirt of mustard

Directions:
1.  Cover the brisket with water in a kettle. Pour the spice packet in the water. (The corned beef comes with a spice packet.) Boil the brisket for about 4 hours.   When you boil it, be sure to check the water level occasionally.  You may need to add water throughout the 4 hours.  Bring the water to a boil and then you can reduce the heat to medium high so long as it continues to boil.  You can also use a crock pot instead of the kettle if you desire.  Follow the directions above and cook on high for 4 hours.  You probably will not need to add any water if you use the crock pot method. 

2.  After the meat is boiled, preheat the oven to 350.  Prepare a glaze by mixing about 1/2 cup of brown sugar with enough mustard to make a paste. Spread this glaze over the corned beef and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. The glaze will be bubbly.

3.  While the meat is cooking, wash, quarter and core the cabbage.  Cut the cabbage into smaller pieces.  Put the cabbage in a pot of water to boil.  I like to cook the cabbage in the excess water from the cooked meat because it has all the spices and flavors in it.  You can also boil it in fresh water if desired.  The water should come up at least halfway on the cabbage.  Cook for about 15 minutes or until it reaches your desired texture.  Some people like it crispier, some softer. 

4.  After putting the cabbage on to boil, peel off a little bit of skin from around the center of the baby red potatoes with a potato peeler.  (You don't have to do this.  It just makes it look pretty.)  : )  Boil the baby red potatoes for about 10-15 minutes or until tender when poked with a fork. 

5.  When everything is finished, arrange cabbage, potatoes and meat on a platter. Melt the butter in a small bowl and mix with some parsley.  Drizzle this mixture over the vegetables and potatoes (not the meat).  You can use as much or as little as you want.  Feel free to add more butter and even other spices.  *Leave out the butter to make it dairy free. 

6.  Dipping sauce:  Mix together the sour cream, horse radish sauce, and mustard in a small bowl for dipping.  (My husband liked the sauce for variety.  I preferred it the meat plain.  Yes, it was that good!)

7.  Enjoy, devour, make more!

Recipe Source:  Geri Rosequist, a dear family friend

 

Linked to: Potluck Sunday hosted by Mommy's Kitchen, Tuesday Night Supper Club hosted by Fudge Ripple, This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking

Pastel de Choclo (Chilean corn and meat pie) and a Winner!

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in the giveaway!  The winner was selected by random.org.  And the winner is...Rachel!  Rachel, I will be contacting you for your address to send you your Pillsbury prize package.  Now on to the main dish.

Once upon a time, I lived in Chile.  Southern Chile to be exact where it is cold and the penguins live.  Yes, penguins really do live in Chile.  Let me tell you, I loved Chile!  Besides being beautiful and breathtaking landscape, the Chileans are some of the best people on earth.  My favorite, favorite dish in Chile was this "Pastel de Choclo".  MMM...mmmm...MMMMM....it is so good.  Plus, it reminds me of one of my favorite places in the world.  The day I left Chile after a year and a half to come back to the states, I stopped by the house of some dear friends.  I walked in to see a surprise feast of Pastel de Choclo made by the wonderful Olga.  I definitely left Chile with some additional baggage as in 20 lbs. worth stuck to my body!

I made this for the first time for my hubs and kids.  I cannot believe I have not made this before for my family!  What was I thinking?  So this dish includes beef and chicken....and eggs.....and raisins....and olives.....and a corn crust....all topped off with powdered sugar.  Crazy?  Maybe.  Delicious!  Yes!!!  So this recipe includes the most traditional Chilean way of making this by adding all of the above, of course.  But if there is any ingredient you don't particularly like, you can leave it out.  The essentials are the meat mixture, the corn puree topping, and the powdered sugar.  The other stuff (eggs, raisins, olives, and chicken, can you believe you mix that in one dish?) really, really adds flavor though.  Seriously, you'd be surprised.  Now without further blah, blah, blah from me, I present to you my favorite, most beloved Chilean dish...Pastel de Choclo.

Pastel de Choclo Chilean Style

Ingredients:
Meat Filling:
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 Tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup water or beef broth
1 Tablespoon flour (for gluten free, use rice flour)

Corn Topping:
1 lb. fresh or frozen corn
1/4 cup cornmeal
1-2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 Tablespoon butter
Milk (if needed)

Additional Toppings:
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1/2 cup black olives
1/2 cup raisins
1-2 cups cooked chicken, shredded, cubed, or whole (seasoned with salt, pepper, and ground cumin, to taste)
2-3 Tablespoons powdered sugar (plus, more for sprinkling after)

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic, beef, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and saute.  Cook until the beef is cooked through (about 6-8 minutes).
2.  Pour in the water or stock and bring to a simmer.  Sprinkle flour over the meat mixture and stir in well.  Simmer for another 5-8 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Remove from heat and set aside.
3.  Place the corn, cornmeal, cornstarch, granulated sugar, and basil in a food processor or blender and process until well pureed.  You want these ingredients to form a thick batter.  I didn't need to add milk to mine, but feel free to add milk little by little until you have a formed a thick batter.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
4.  Melt the butter over medium-low heat in the large saucepan.  Add the corn puree and cook, stirring constantly, until well thickened about 5-8 minutes.  Set aside. 
5.  Spread the beef mixture in the bottom of a greased casserole dish (can be an 8x8 or a larger pie dish with tall sides).  Arrange over the beef mixture the hard boiled egg slices, olives, and raisins.  Season the cooked chicken with salt, pepper, and oregano to taste.   Spread the chicken over the top of the eggs, olives, and raisins.  Cover that with the cooked corn puree and spread evenly over the dish.  Sprinkle the powdered sugar over the corn topping. 
6.  Set the dish in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until bubbling and golden brown on top. 

*In Chile, more powdered sugar is served on the side to sprinkle over the "pastel" (cake) as it is eaten.  Trust me, it's good!
*To make this dairy free, just leave out the hard boiled eggs, butter, and don't add any milk.

Here's the inside of this bad boy!

Recipe Source:  adapted from Nuevoanden and Whats4Eats

Linked to:  Tuesday Night Supper Club hosted by Fudge Ripple, Mouthwatering Mondays hosted by A Southern Fairytale

Bacon-Peanut Truffles and a Giveaway {CLOSED}

Bacon and chocolate?  That's right, baby!  So we live in Oregon and have a place downtown called Voodoo Donuts.  It's pretty well known and popular and the line to actually buy donuts is always out the door and practically around the corner.  I kid you not!  It's known for it's crazy donuts (amongst other things).  One of the hubs favorite donuts there is the maple-bacon bar.  Yep, a donut bar glazed with maple and topped off with bacon.  It's actually pretty darn good.  Don't knock it 'til you try it. : ) In Seaside, Oregon, there are all these candy shops that sell chocolate covered bacon.  Just plain ol' bacon (which I admit can be delicious) dipped in chocolate (which can stand on it's own pretty securely).  I feel like bacon has been rediscovered again, but as a dessert...so of course when I got the Southern Living Magazine, I had to try the Bacon-Peanut Truffles. 

So we had some friends over and I made these little Truffles babies without the bacon on top.  I thought it would be fun to have everyone try one and guess the secret ingredient.  The bacon has a very subtle taste in these.  These truffles were good and fun to eat and very easy to make.  They have a perfect amount of sweetness.  They are not super sweet like a lot of truffles, just sweet (as opposed to lots of sweet, does that make any sense?)

Bacon-Peanut Truffles

Ingredients:  
2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts
8 thick bacon slices, cooked and divided
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

Directions:
1.  Process first 3 ingredients and 6 bacon slices in a food processor 20-30 seconds or until finely ground.  Stir together bacon mixture and peanut butter in a small bowl until smooth.  Cover and chill 2 hours. 

2.  Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of bacon mixture into 3/4 inch balls.  Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet; chill 1 hour.

3.  Chop remaining 2 bacon slices.  Microwave chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals.  Dip chilled bacon balls into chocolate.  Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Immediately sprinkle tops with bacon.  Chill 30 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks. 

Makes:  about 2 dozen

Recipe Source:  adapted slightly from Southern Living Magazine, March 2011

Linked to:
Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Friday Potluck hosted by EKat's Kitchen, Sweet Tooth Friday hosted by Alli 'n Son, Potluck Sunday hosted by Mommy's Kitchen, Mouthwatering Mondays hosted by A Southern Fairytale, Tuesday Night Supper Club hosted by Fudge Ripple, Totally Tasty Tuesday hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box


For your information:  Pillsbury is calling all cooks to enter their 45th Pillsbury Bake-Off contest.  Entries of original recipes are being accepted now through April 18th to compete for the grand prize of 1 million dollars.  Wow, huh?  100 finalists will be flown to Florida to compete for the grand prize.  I don't know about you, but I could use a trip to Florida. : )  There are tons of other great prizes too!  You can enter a recipe in one of four categories: breakfasts and brunches, appetizers, dinner made easy, and quick and easy treats.  If you are interested in submitting a recipe, check out all the information at http://www.bakeoff.com/.

Now for the giveaway.  This giveaway is for a Pillsbury prize pack including a:

• Pillsbury apron
• Pillsbury recipe book (I just received mine, and there are so many delicious things to try!)
• Pillsbury pen

How to enter (3 ways):
1.  Leave a comment.
2.  Be a follower or become one of my blog. -Leave an additional comment telling me so.
3.  Facebook, Blog, or Tweet about this giveaway. - Leave an additional comment telling me so. 

This giveaway will end on March 5, 2011.

This giveaway prize pack was provided by Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark.

Sweet Potato-Coconut Soup with Spicy Relish

Before February ends, I've got to get one sweet potato recipe in before the end of National Sweet Potato Month.  Yes, I am definitely sweet on this spud.  I could eat them loaded with butter, loaded with sugar, in salad, as soup, or just plain.  I'll pretty much eat these little babies any way they are served. 

This soup was a perfect combination of two loves: soup and sweet potato.  When it comes to winter, I love soup because it is so warm and comforting.  I am not a lover of cold weather so soup helps me to remember what being warm feels like. : )  This soup was so creamy and yummy.  When I make this again, I will double the spicy relish.  That was the best part of the soup.  I would have loved to put even more in my bowl.  My sweet spud never disappoints me. 

Sweet Potato-Coconut Soup with Spicy Relish

Spicy Relish Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
1/2 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into a small dice
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Sweet Potato-Coconut Soup Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 small red onion, chopped
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into a large dice
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (about 1 can)
1 Tbsp. honey
Large pinch of ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. For relish:  Heat oil and butter over medium heat.  Add red-pepper flakes; heat for 10 seconds.  Add the diced sweet potato, salt, and pepper.  Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, 15 minutes.  Uncover, increase heat to high, and cook until diced potatoes are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl; stir in the parsley.

2. For soup: Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and ginger; cook until soft, 5 minutes.  Add red-pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.  Add stock and water; bring to a boil.  Add sweet potatoes; bring to a simmer.  Cook until potatoes are soft, 20 to 30 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes. 

3.  Transfer mixture to a blender and process until smooth.  Return to saucepan; simmer over low heat.  Whisk in coconut milk, honey, and cinnamon.  Cook until thickened and warmed through.  Season with salt and pepper.  Ladle into bowls; top with a spoonful of the spicy relish.

Serves 4.  Per serving: 410 calories, 34g carbs, 5g protein, 30g fat, and 4g fiber.

Recipe Source:  Bobby Flay

Linked to:
Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods hosted by Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Tuesday Night Supper Club hosted by Fudge Ripple
Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Tasty Tuesday hosted by 33 Shades of Green
What's Cooking Thursday hosted by Feeding Four

Black Bean Soup

Have you ever had a day like this?  I walk into the kitchen and wonder what is smellin' funky.  Oh yeah, it's me because I haven't yet showered after chasing after the kids all day.  I look down at my pants and start picking of some white crusties on my leg.  What are those white crusties anyway?  Oh yeah, that would be my boy's snot as he pulls himself up using my pant leg.  Then I remember the 3 year old little lady in the house was wiping boogers on me just for fun.  Yes, we are disgusting in my house.  The fact that it is disgusting makes it even more fun.  (Yes, I am totally digressing.  We will get to food.)  So I'm still in the kitchen and I go to look at what I have on the menu.  It's already 6, and I realize that dinner takes an hour to cook and that's not counting prep time.  Okay then, leftover night.  I open the fridge to find that we've also eaten all the left overs.  Okay, now it's every man, woman, and child for himself.  Ever have one of those days?  So here is a recipe for one of those days, Black Bean Soup. This comes direct from the ladies at Our Best Bites!  Bless you lovely ladies!

Holy frijoles!  I never knew beans could taste so good.  So my hubs lived in Brazil and he lovas the black beans.  He said he ate them every day and still likes them.  So that's sayin' somethin'!  When I read the description of how this soup was reminiscent of Brazil I had to cook this soup for the hubs.  Plus, it is super  extra healthy and low cal.  I admit I was skeptical of this being the entire meal.  I thought maybe we should have something to go along with it, but oh my laws, did it sing a song of enchantment to my tastebuds.  I loved the soup.  The whole family loved it, and we almost finished the whole pot in one sitting.  That's with us two big peeps, a 3 year old, and a 9 month old.  It definitely reminded the hubs of Brazil and reminded me that beans are not just a musical fruit, but a magical one too. 

Black Bean Soup

1 T olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3/4 C diced carrots (about 2 med carrots)
3/4 C diced celery (about 2 ribs)
1 C diced onion (about 1 med-large onion)
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained 
1 3.5oz can green chilies
2 cans low-sodium beef broth (I didn't use low sodium.)
1 t kosher salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t cumin
1/2 t dry oregano leaves
1 bay leaf

Optional Toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese, chopped cilantro, etc.

Directions:
Place a large stock pot on the stove-top and set to medium-high heat. When pan is warm, add olive oil. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and saute 4-5 minutes.

Add in the black beans, chilies, and beef broth. Stir to combine and then add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf.

Simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf from soup.

Place soup in a blender. Place lid on blender, but remove the stopper in the lid to let heat escape. Place a paper towel over the hole to avoid splatters.

Puree soup until completely smooth. Optionally you could pulse until a semi-chunky soup is achieved. Squeeze in the juice from one lime and pulse to combine.

Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings. Serve with extra lime wedges. Makes about 8 C soup.

Nutritional Information (1 C soup, w/o toppings):
125 calories, 2g fat, 8g fiber

*You can also used dried black beans and prepare them before hand and put them in the soup to make it even better!

Recipe Source:  Our Best Bites

Caribbean Pork Loin with Pineapple-Raisin Relish

This is a deliciously moist and tastebud tantalizing dish. The relish is so good with the raisins, but if you don't like raisins it would still be really good without it. You've got to try this one. I find that pig is one of my favorite meats. This meal again reaffirmed the fact that I love my porky. This recipe comes one of the best cooks I know - my Momma! :)

Caribbean Pork Loin with Pineapple-Raisin Relish

Pork:

1 cup packed fresh oregano leaves (I used 2 Tablespoons dried.)

I cup packed fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1 Tbsp. finely shredded lime peel

3 Tbsp. lime juice

2 teaspoons salt

4 cloves garlic

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 cup olive oil

1 4-lb. bone in loin center rib roast (I used a boneless center cut pork loin roast.)

Relish:

1 1/2 cups chopped pineapple

1 cup golden raisins

4 green onions

1/4 cup pineapple juice

3 Tbsp. lime juice

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In food processor or blender, combine oregano, 1 cup cilantro, 1/2 cup pineapple juice, the lime peel, 3 Tbsp. lime juice, 2 tsp. salt, the garlic and cumin. Cover and blend or process until chopped. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream until incorporated.

2. With sharp knife, score surface of pork with small slits. Place in roasting pan, bone side down. Pour herb mixture over roast. Roast, uncovered 1 1/4 - 2 hours or until thermometer inserted into center of roast reads 160 degrees, spooning herb mixture over meat two or three times during roasting. Lightly tent with foil and let stand 10 minutes.

3. For relish, in bowl combine pineapple, golden raisins, onions, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, 3 Tbsp. lime juice, 2 Tbsp. cilantro, and 1/4 tsp. salt.

Island Spice Pork Tenderloin

This recipe was fantantic! It sounds like the craziest combination of spices, but it turns out marvelously. We absolutely loved it. It turned out so juicy and tender also. I found this recipe at a blog called Annie's Eats. (I only made one pork tenderloin and halved the recipe.)

Island Spice Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

For the spice rub:

2 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 pork tenderloins (about 2-2½ lbs. total)

2 tbsp. olive oil

For the glaze:

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tbsp. (2-3 cloves) finely minced garlic

1½ tsp. Tabasco sauce (I used Frank's Hot Sauce.)

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Combine the salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir together with a fork to blend. Pat the mixture over the pork tenderloins.

Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tenderloins in the skillet and brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes total. Remove from the heat, leaving the pork in the skillet.

Stir together the brown sugar, garlic and Tabasco in a small bowl until blended. Spread the mixture evenly over the tops of the tenderloins.

Place the skillet in the preheated oven and roast about 20 minutes (I put mine in a glass baking dish), until an instant-read themometer inserted in the center of each tenderloin registers 140˚ F. Loosely tent the skillet with foil and let stand 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Honey Mustard Pork and Mango Kabobs with Coconut Cilantro Rice

My hubs and I got our first grill last summer. We have absolutely loved grilling. I'm always trying to find new recipes for the grill. I got this idea from some random store recipe and then created these pork and mango kabobs! These are fabulous! We loved them. This one is a keeper!

Honey Mustard Pork and Mango Kabobs

6 Wooden Skewers

2 Tbsp. honey mustard (I used French's honey mustard dipping sauce.)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 lb. pork cut into cubes (I just cut up boneless pork chops)

2 mangos (You want the mangos to be almost ripe, but still firm. If they're too ripe, they get mushy on the grill.)

1/4 cup honey

1. In a large bowl, mix honey mustard, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Coat cubed pork in this marinade and cover. Let it marinate at least 1 hour (preferably over night).

2. Cut mangos into cubes. Thread cubes of pork and mango onto skewers, alternating meat and fruit.

3. Set your grill at medium-high heat with the flame directly under the cooking area. When grill is ready, lay skewers on, close lid and cook about 10 minutes. Turn occasionally until pork is browned on all sides and cooked through.

4. Coat kabobs with honey and cook about 1 minutes longer.

So yummy! Here's the Coconut Cilantro Rice recipe we paired with it! It was perfect.

Cilantro Coconut Rice

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (10 ounces) basmati (or jasmine) rice
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 Tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh jalapeno, including seeds
2 Tablespoons vegetable/Canola oil
2 cups water (I cooked the rice in part water, part coconut milk)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed fresh cilantro
3 scallions, chopped

Directions:

1. Wash rice in several changes of cold water in a bowl until water is almost clear. Soak rice in cold water 30 minutes, then drain well in a sieve. (I totally skipped this step).

2. Spread coconut in a skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden; watch carefully so it doesn't brown too much or burn. Cool completely.

3. Cook ginger and jalapeno in 1 Tablespoon oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring, until chile is softened, about 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

4. Stir in water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil, covered. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 12-15 minutes.

5. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and transfer to a large bowl.

6. While rice cooks, pulse together coconut, cilantro, scallions, and remaining Tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until finely chopped.

7. Add cilantro mixture to cooked rice and stir gently until combined well.

(found on Epicurious.com)

Grilled Pork Ribs

My honey just made us some of the most fabulous ribs. He really likes to grill and has been trying out some new recipes. This one definitely delighted my taste buds. I'm still thinking about the ribs and wishing we had leftovers. Too bad we gobbled up all the ribs in one sitting. So I asked my hubs to share with you his technique. Here he is...

Here are the steps I used to Barbeque Pork Ribs on my small two-burner gas grill. Every grill will probably cook differently, but the concepts are the same.

1) Remove the pork ribs from the package and remove the silvery membrane on the bone side of the ribs. Start at one of the corners and you can get under the membrane and start peeling it away. Once you've lift off part of the membrane, you can grip it with a paper towel so it doesn't slip out of your hands. Then wash the rack of ribs thoroughly with water and pat dry with paper towels.

2) Add a good "rub" to the ribs. This is what will really give the ribs a good flavor. Here's the rub I used:

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp mustard powder

2 tsp salt

3 tsp brown sugar

Mix all the ingredients up and spread it over both sides of the rack of ribs. Spread half of it on the meat side and literally "rub" it in and work it into the meat. Spread the other half on the bone side and do the same thing. Wrap the rack of ribs that have just been "rubbed" in saran wrap and place in the fridge for 24 hrs.

3) Make the "smoke bombs". Get some grilling wood chips (I use Hickory smoke flavor). The smoke produced from these will add some extra flavor to the ribs. Place about half a cup of damp wood chips in the center of a sheet of aluminum foil. Wrap them up in such a way that there is only one layer of foil on one side. Then on that side, punch some holes in the foil (I use a fork). When I made these ribs, I made two "smoke bombs".

4) The key to grilling pork ribs is using "indirect" heat. With my smaller gas grill, the way I set it up is like this (see picture below). Place the "smoke bombs" on top of the lava rocks beneath the grilling rack in opposite corners. Then place a disposable aluminum pan and fill it about 1/2 to 3/4 full with water and place it on top of the grilling rack. This doesn't steam the ribs but does keep them from drying out. My grill has 2 layers of grilling racks (I think the top one is a warming rack, but that is what I'll use to grill the ribs). If your grill does not have this, you can just get an extra grilling rack and place it on top of the aluminum pan. Warm up the grill on MEDIUM heat for about 10 minutes. This will get the wood chips to start smoking. Right before you put the ribs on the grill, turn the grill down to LOW heat.

5) When the grill has warmed up sufficiently, take a folded paper towel soaked in vegetable oil and rub it over the grill rack. This will prevent the ribs from sticking to the rack. Place the pork ribs with the bones facing down on the top rack and baste the meat with apple cider. This will help tenderize the meat, keep them moist and add some flavor to the meat while grilling.

6) Check the ribs every 45 minutes and baste them with the apple cider each time. Avoid checking more frequently as everytime you open the grill, you loose the smoke and the heat. Also, do NOT turn the ribs. You will grill the ribs with the bones down the whole time.

7) It takes about 2.5 - 3 hours to cook the ribs. Time will vary according to the grill. You kind of have to experiment. There are number of ways to tell if the meat is done: the temperature of the meat is between 160-180 degrees, the meat flakes off the bone, and a tooth pick or fork will pass easily through the meat.

8) The last 1/2 hour is when you add your favorite barbeque sauce. Baste the meat side with your favorite barbeque sauce and let cook for 5 minutes. Then flip the ribs and baste the other side and let cook for 5 minutes. Repeat this until both sides have been basted three times (total of 30 minutes).

9) Your ribs are done! Enjoy!

Let me just reiterate that these ribs were delish!!! Thanks to my hot hubby for the great meal!

Thai Lettuce Wraps

So I love lettuce wraps. Really love them. To the point where, when I go out to eat at any restaurant I often order lettuce wraps as my meal. I have tried lots of lettuce wrap recipes that call for lots of crazy ingredients. Things you don't normally have around the house. So I buy all the stuff and then I am disappointed because they don't taste as good as I think they should. When I found this recipe, I was super excited because most of the ingredients I had already. I was hoping it would be better than the rest. I was not disappointed. They were delicious! My hubby loved them too! Plus, they were so easy to make. I am so happy to have found this recipe. A huge thanks to Sister's Cafe for the fantastic recipe!

Thai Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:
1 T extra virgin olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into small chunks

Salt and freshly, ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 c. sweet chili sauce
1/4 c. honey
1 iceberg lettuce heads, cut into halves or quarters (I did halves.)

1/2 c. honey-roasted peanuts, chopped

Juice of 1 lime
1 handful basil, chopped (fresh is best but not essential)

Directions:
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with one turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. (Or you can use Pam, and a little water when needed to save calories.) Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook in the pan until golden brown on all sides.  Add in the red pepper and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add in the chili sauce and honey and simmer to reduce it and coat the chicken. Add the chopped peanuts, lime juice, and basil to the chicken mixture before serving. To serve, lay the lettuce leaves on a platter. Scoop some chicken mixture onto each leaf. Serve and enjoy! (You could also just have each individual add the chopped peanuts, lime juice, and basil to their own chicken mixture according to their tastes. It's up to you.)

Southwest Rice and Bean Salad

This is a yummy side dish that goes with enchiladas and lots of other Mexican dishes.  People love this stuff! 

Southwest Rice and Bean Salad

5 cups cooked rice, warm or at room temperature

2 teaspoons salt

1 (16-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (16-oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 (12-oz.) can corn, drained

4 green onions, chopped

Dressing:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2/3 cup canola oil

4 pickled jalepeno pepper rounds (I always leave this out because I don't have it on hand.)

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

Combine all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Combine dressing ingredients in blender until peppers are finely minced. Toss with salad. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Source:  adapted slightly from a recipe from My Kitchen Cafe

Lentil Vegetable Soup

This soup is delicious. Then again, I love lentils. Lentils are so good for you too. This is a filling and healthy meal. My 2 year old loves this stuff.

Lentil Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
2 cups lentils

8 cups water

1/2 lb sausage

1/2 cup chopped celery (I usually add about 3/4 cup.)

1/2 cup chopped carrots (I usually add about 3/4 cup.)

1/2 cup chopped onions (I usually add about 3/4 cup.)

1 clove minced garlic

2 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. basil

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 cups fresh tomatoes diced

2 Tbsp. wine vinegar

Parmesan Cheese (This is a must in my book.)

Directions:
Brown sausage. Drain off any fat. Rinse lentils, drain and place in soup kettle. Add water and sausage, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Add tomatoes and wine vinegar. Simmer covered for 30 minutes longer. Season to taste. Top individual servings with parmesan cheese. Makes 8-10 servings.

Recipe Source:  adapted from Heather Weston

Stir Fried Sweet and Sour Pork

This is a delicious Sweet and Sour recipe. I love it!

1-2 lbs. pork

Saute the pork in about 1 tablespoon of oil. Add seasoning salt to meat. Saute until no longer pink. Set aside.

Prepare:

3 carrots sliced diagonally

1 large whole red pepper cut in chunks

1 large onion cut in chunks

1 inch ginger root diced

Stir fry vegetables until crisp tender and add meat to the vegetables.

Mix in sauce pan:

Juice of one can of pineapple chunks

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/4-1/3 cup of cider vinegar

2-3 Tablespoons soy sauce

A huge squeeze of ketchup out of the bottle

2-3 splashes of hot sauce

Cook until mixture thickens slightly. Put it all together: meat, vegetables, sauce, and add the pineapple chunks. Mix.

Serve over rice or cooked chinese noodles.

Crockpot Beef Stew

This is a really delicious stew, and especially good for cold weather!  Plus, you throw all the ingredients together in the crockpot.  Meanwhile, your house smells delicious from the savory aroma coming from the kitchen. 

Crockpot Beef Stew
Ingredients:
2 lbs. stew meat
1/4 c. flour (For gluten free, use rice flour.)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 c. beef broth
Onion, diced
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. paprika
4 carrots, sliced
3 potatoes, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced

Directions:
Place meat in crockpot, mix flour, salt and pepper and pour over meat. Stir and coat meat with flour. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Cook and cover. Low 9 hours. High 5 hours.  Serve topped with cheese and sour cream, if desired.