Warm and Spicy Black Bean Dip

I have been looking for some sort of warm bean dip recipe to make for quite some time. I've looked at all of my favorite recipe spots and through a few cookbooks, but nothing has really jumped out at me. It wasn't until I had some fresh sofrito in my refrigerator that made me think that it would be the perfect thing to start the recipe.

Looking for a quick and easy recipe to make for impromptu guests? This is definitely it! All ingredients can be kept on hand and it literally takes about 10 minutes to throw together. If you don't have any fresh sofrito, use the jarred type. No matter how this quick and easy dip is made, I guarantee it'll be a hit at the party!



Warm and Spicy Black Bean Dip
Serves 3-4

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar (plus more to top, if desired)
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, diced (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp sofrito

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, mash black beans with cream cheese, retaining some texture of the beans. Stir in remaining ingredients. Top with additional shredded cheese if desired. Spread into a greased baking dish and place into oven. Bake 20-25 minutes, until dip is bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Sofrito

So I have been craving Mexican and Spanish food like nobody's business. Perhaps it's the coming of Cinco de May, although to be honest, it wasn't until I was writing this blog post that I realized it's only 2 days away!

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that this is the first time I made my own Sofrito. As you may or may not be aware, sofrito is the basis of many hispanic dishes. It's the perfect flavoring base for all sorts of dishes. The onion and garlic and cilantro add just the right flavor notes.

As I said, this was my first time making it, and as easy as it was, I can definitely guarantee this will be a repeat recipe. It literally took about 20 minutes, start to finish. It freezes perfectly, so I freeze it in 1/2 cup portions so that I always have it on hand when the craving for Spanish food strikes!

And be sure to check back later this week for more recipes utilizing this wonderful item.



Sofrito
Yields 6 cups

12-16 cloves garlic, peeled
3 jalapenos, roughly chopped
2 green peppers, seeded and roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
4 plum tomatoes
1 bunch cilantro, washed and torn

In a food processor, pulse garlic and jalapenos until chopped. Add bell peppers and onions, and pulse. Add tomatoes and cilantro, and process until well combined. Store in the refrigerator for use within 3-5 days, or freeze in 1/2 cup portions for later use.

Spicy Steak Fries

I'm going to go ahead and admit that I've made this recipe more times than necessary, under the guise of "perfecting the spice blend", only because these are seriously tasty. As I mentioned in the last post, I'm a huge fan of salty snacks, and fries are no exception.

This is a great recipe to have on hand for a pretty easy side dish. (and not a meal, as it may or may not have been for me at one point this past week) Although it does require some time in the oven, most of the time is non-active, so you can easily be making the rest of the meal in the meantime.

I guarantee that you'll be making this recipe again and again - it's just that good!



Spicy Steak Fries
Serves 2-4

2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp Old Bay
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut potatoes into steak fry wedges. In the microwave, melt butter in a small dish. Whisk in olive oil, garlic, and remaining spices. Toss wedges in butter mixture and spread into 9x13" baking dish. Place into preheated oven. Allow to roast for 15 minutes, then toss. Continue to toss every 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are crispy and brown. (this took about 45 minutes for me). Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Fun with the Dehydrator: Cheezy Kale Chips

Snack foods are my absolute demise when it comes to trying to eat healthy. I can easily pass up cakes, cookies, pies, and other sweets, but my resistance is low if you dangle any kind of salty snack in front of me.

Whenever I'm trying to really at healthy, I usually fire up the dehydrator (or Dry Baby, as I like to call it) to make some healthy snacks to have on hand. To be honest, my dehydrator is probably used more for snacks than anything else!

This week, I dried some lovely apple slices tossed in apple pie spice, some lovely fresh kiwi fruit, and these cheezy kale chips. The last kale chips were such a hit, but the Dry Baby really makes them even better. Any recipe of kale chip, when made in the dehydrator, will last for days, so it's perfect to make a large batch and snack on them throughout the week. When I'm feeling lazy, I will just toss some fresh kale leaves with a smidgen of olive oil and whatever seasoning salt happens to be on hand - lemon pepper being my favorite at the moment. If I have a few more minutes, I'll make this recipe.



Cheezy Kale Chips

2 large bunchs of kale, washed, destemmed, and torn into pieces
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 2 hours
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp agave nectar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder

Drain cashews. In a food processsor, combine cashews and remaining ingredients, except for the kale leaves. Process until well combined. In a large bowl, toss kale leaves with cashew mixture, and mix well with your hands, until every piece is coated.
Place in dehydrator and dry at 115 degrees for 6-8 hours, until crispy and coating is dry. Store in a airtight container.

You may also like:
*Fun with the Dehydrator - Mexican Crackers
*Fun with the Dehydrator - Lemon Macaroons

Apple Crisp with Gingersnap and Black Pepper Streusel

Oh, the days of spring. The weather is warmer and the days are getting longer and I think I'm in love with it. And yet, it's cold and rainy days like today that make me think of filling, warm, and delicious comfort food.

Although fall is traditionally the season for apples, I was able to get my hands on some super tasty ones at my local Wegmans. I haven't made an apple crisp in years, but for some reason, that's all I wanted. But not just any apple crisp - it needed some sort of flair. So I kicked it up with some gingersnaps and at the last minute, threw in some freshly cracked black pepper for some extra punch, which was fantastic.
This recipe is super easy to make and incredibly delicious!



Apple Crisp with Black Pepper Gingersnap Streusel

Streusel
1 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs
½ cup flour
¾ cup quick-cooking oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
½ cup butter

Crisp
5 cups apples, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375. Combine cookie crumbs, flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Cut in butter, using a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
In another bowl, toss apples with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Place into well-oiled baking dish, and top with streusel. Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, until apples are bubbly and top is golden brown.

Chinese Takeout Night - Stirfry in Curry Sauce

I was on my way home from work tonight and was on the phone with my father. I passed a Chinese buffet and an intense craving for some takeout gripped me. But just as quickly and intense was the conversation I had just had 3 minutes before about the dip in pay I'd be taking after starting my new job on Monday and how I needed to refine my budget. I sadly continued on my way home, visions of takeout eggrolls and fried rice fading in my rear view mirror.

When I got home, I was sadly perusing my kitchen, when the inspiration to just make my own "takeout" struck me. I was thinking some sort of stirfry or lo mein, until the sad realization that out of the plentiful supply of Asian condiments that were stocked in my pantry, I was unbelievably out of soy sauce. I googled "stir fry no soy sauce" a few times, but nothing really caught my eye.

Just as I had decided to give up and eat some pretzels, memories of my second favorite Chinese takeout meal popped into my head - stirfried vegetables in curry sauce! I couldn't find anything like I wanted after a brief internet search, so just decided to see what I could come up with.

And boy, am I glad I did. This is almost exactly like the dish I've enjoyed so many times. The best part about it - it was literally ready to eat after 20 minutes. This recipe can easily be modified to include any vegetables or protein you have on hand, and with the quick ease of making this sauce, you can have your own Chinese takeout night any day of the week.



Stirfry in Curry Sauce
Serves 4

5 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 red onion, cut into slivers
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tbsp flour
2 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups warm water
1-2 tbsp chili garlic sauce
3-4 cups broccoli, cut into pieces
1 (8oz) pkg sliced baby bella mushrooms


In a large wok, heat 2 tbsp sesame oil over medium high heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and saute for another minute or so. In a small bowl, whisk flour and curry powder together. Add to wok and saute for 30-45 seconds, stirring continuously. Add chili powder and salt, and saute for another 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in water until well combined and thickened. Stir in chili garlic sauce. Pour sauce into a bowl and set aside.
After cleaning out wok, place back on medium high heat and add remaining sesame oil. Add broccoli and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and saute an additional 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce over vegetables and continue to saute for another minute or so, until well combined and heated through. Serve over rice or noodles.

Hot Sauce Glazed Tempeh

I'm a huge fan of tempeh, although I don't use it enough. I probably make the Tempeh Buffalo Wings the most, but the "Thai Curry Tempeh Salad" is definitely a close second. I had given those recipes to a few friends of mine, who used tempeh for the first time and really loved it. They asked for more recipes using up tempeh, and since i'm always up for a culinary challenge, I agreed to find and post more.

When I'm looking for ideas for vegan recipes, Veganomicon is usually the first book I grab. It's got some really solid vegan recipes, and even non-vegans can find something delicious in the book to make. Although there are quite a few tempeh recipes within its pages, the Hot-Sauce Glazed Tempeh caught my eye.

It's tasty and easy to make, and definitely a great little tempeh recipe to add into your rotation. Instead of making it in triangle slabs like the recipe calls for, I instead just cut it into cubes, which were very easy to broil and get nice and crispy. So if you're looking for another tempeh recipe, I'd suggest giving this one a try!



Hot-Sauce Glazed Tempeh
a slight variation of Veganomicon's recipe
Serves 4

8 oz tempeh
1/2 c wine (i used a Chardonnay)
1/4 c Louisianna-style hot sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp cayenne

Bring 4 cups of water to boil over high heat. Meanwhile, remove tempeh from package. Cut into 1" cubes. Once water is boiling, lower heat to medium high, add tempeh, and boil for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water.
In the meantime, whisk remaining ingredients together and pour in a large ziploc bag. Add tempeh cubes and place in refrigerator for as little as an hour or up to 2 days.
Preheat broiler in oven. Place drained tempeh cubes in oiled baking dish and place under broiler. Broil for 15-20 minutes, turning every few minutes and basting with remaining marinade, until cubes are crispy and heated through.
Serve and enjoy!