Esquites (Mexican Street Corn)

 I love Mexican street corn. Did you know it's called esquites off the cob and elotes on the cob? I've had it from a few different restaurants around town in both forms, but needed to recreate it at home. I perfected my recipe when my sister-in-law requested it for her family birthday dinner. This fed a crowd (and extra for her to take home!) but you can easily halve it for a smaller portion.

2 tbsp butter

6 cans corn, drained*

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 scallions, chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

zest and juice of one lime

1 cup cotija cheese, plus more for topping

2 tsp each, smoked paprika and chili powder

salt, to taste

Tajin, to taste

fresh cilantro, chopped

Melt butter in large skillet; add corn, jalapeno, and garlic. Sauté for 8-10 minutes; add scallions and sauté for another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the mayo, lime zest and juice, cotija cheese, and seasonings. Put corn mixture into large bowl and combine with mayo. Stir in cilantro, if desired. Top with more cotija and Tajin and enjoy!

*When corn is not in season, I use canned corn. If fresh corn is available, I would use 8 ears of corn. You could also grill the ears of corn before cutting off the corn, rather than sautéing after.

Baked Ziti

There is a similar recipe on this page which I used for a base, but I upped the amount of pasta and sauce in this version to serve more people (and I just like it saucier!). 

2 lb rigatoni

2 cups ricotta cheese

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tbsp Grill Seasoning 

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

28 oz crushed tomatoes

a few fresh basil leaves, torn

salt and pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook to al dente. Place the ricotta in a bowl and season with some grill seasoning and parmesan. While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for minute or two, then stir in the tomatoes and basil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the pasta and toss with the cheese mixture. Add the tomato sauce and mix. Pour into 9x13 pan and top the pasta with shredded parmesan, if desired, and bake at 350 until warmed through and cheese starts to brown, about 15-20 minutes.

To freeze: cover with press-n-seal and foil, keeping close to the top of food. Thaw in refrigerator and bake at 350 for 35-40 min.

Greek Dip

I found a recipe for a feta dip and added a few ingredients to make it a Greek-style dip. It called for Greek seasoning, and since I don't like to buy seasonings I won't use for multiple things (or use in a timely fashion) I figured a different way to season -- and it was perfect. Serve this with a baguette or crackers.

3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 green onions, sliced
8 oz feta cheese, crumbled (get the block that you have to crumble - much better and more moist than the kind already crumbled!)
~1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved (I just added until it looked like enough!)
1 medium cucumber, or 2 mini cucumbers, diced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
salt & pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Mix everything together and enjoy!

Beef, Mushroom, & Barley Stew

The weather turns cold, I make stew. This one is super hearty, warm, and delicious. The beef was super tender after slow cooking all day in the crock pot. You can also make it vegetarian by leaving out the beef - it would still be super delicious. Easy to throw together, and would be great to freeze as well!

1-1/2 lbs stew beef, cubed
1 onion, diced
1 celery rib, diced
2 carrots, peeled & diced
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup uncooked barley
8 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper, to taste

Put everything into the crock pot and season with salt & pepper. Cook for 8 hours on LOW.

To freeze: Put everything but the stock in a gallon freezer bag. Thaw, or mostly thaw, before cooking.

Mushroom Ragu with Soft Polenta

Here is another amazing recipe that I can't believe I haven't posted yet!  It's vegetarian, but it's so flavorful and filling you won't miss the meat!  It's from a back-issue of my favorite cooking magazine, Cuisine at Home.

Ingredients:
Ragu:
1/2 cup shallots, sliced
2 lb. assorted mushrooms, sliced or quartered (8 cups)
1 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup dry sherry or Madeira (grape juice works instead)
4 t. balsamic vinegar
2 t. tomato paste
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
2 t. minced fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Polenta:
2 cup vegetable broth
2 cup heavy cream
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
Pinch of white pepper
1 cup yellow cornmeal
4 T. cream cheese, cubed
(2 oz.)
4 T. Parmesan cheese, grated


Directions:
Ragu:
Saute shallots in 1 T. oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until soft. Increase heat to high, add half the mushrooms, and saute until browned; remove from pan .Add additional tablespoon of oil to the pan and saute remaining mushrooms, then return the reserved mushrooms to the pan. Add tomatoes, broth, sherry,
vinegar, and tomato paste. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Finish with herbs
and seasonings.

Polenta:
Bring broth, cream, and seasonings to a boil.  Whisk in cornmeal, reduce heat to low and simmer 5 min., stirring often.  Fold in cheeses before serving.

Grilled Greek Stuffed Peppers

This is one of my favorite recipes... I can't believe I haven't posted it on here until now.  It's great the way it is, but you could always add chicken or rice to mix things up a bit.

Ingredients:

Dressing (puree in food processor):
3 jarred pepperoncini,
stemmed
2 Tbsp. jarred pepperoncini
juice
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. plain Greek-style yogurt
1 Tbsp. each chopped fresh
oregano and basil (or 1/2 t. dried of each)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
 Black pepper to taste

For the grill (brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper):
2 bell peppers, halved lengthwise, seeded
1 eggplant, sliced lengthwise
1 zucchini, cut lengthwise
1 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 yellow squash, cut lengthwise

Combine:
1/3 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives

Grill the seasoned vegetables, then chop all but the peppers.  Puree the dressing ingredients, then combine the chopped veggies, dressing, feta, and olives.  Spoon into grilled pepper halves and serve.

Homemade Pesto

With all the basil in our garden, I've been making pesto quite a bit!  Here's the recipe I've been using, adjusted from one I saw on allrecipes.com:

Ingredients:
3 c. packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 c. pine nuts
4 cloves garlic
3/4 c. parmesan cheese
Pinch of coarse salt
1/4 c. olive oil

Blend all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor.  With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil.

Roast Salmon

I love finding new ways to prepare fish for my family. We love eating it, but enjoy a variety of flavors with it. This was delicious and all my kids cleared their plates!

3 tbsp olive oil
1.5 tbsp Dijon mustard
1.5 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper
4 pieces salmon fillet, with skin (4-5 oz each)

Preheat oven to 400. In a small bowl, whisk oil, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Place salmon fillets, skin side down, in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Spoon the mustard glaze over the fish. Bake 12 minutes or until salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

Mushroom Cream Pasta

This isn't exactly kid approved, my kids wouldn't touch it. It also isn't healthy. But it is wonderful! Mike and I loved this and it came together super quickly.

Ingredients
8 ounces sliced baby portabello mushrooms
1/2 cup marsala wine
1 cup cream
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces of pasta (use gluten free pasta to make the dish gluten free)

1. Bring water to boil and start prepping pasta.
2. Combine musrooms and wine in a large skillet; bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Cook until wine is reduced by half.
4. Add cream and tarragon to mushroom mixture. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper and remove from heat.
6. When pasta is ready pour into large serving bowl and mix with the mushroom sauce.

Grilled Ratatouille and Goat Cheese Orzo

I've never had ratatouille before, so I don't know how this version compares.  This version, however, was INCREDIBLE!  Everything is grilled outside, so you don't need to heat up the oven at all.  The grilled tomatoes make such a fresh and delicious tomato sauce.

1 eggplant, halved lengthwise
1 red bell pepper, quartered and seeded
1 red onion, sliced into 1/2" thick rounds
1 small tomato, halved and seeded
1 zucchini, cut lengthwise
1 yellow squash, cut lengthwise
2 T. olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Goat Cheese Orzo (recipe below)

Sauce:
1 T. olive oil
2 T. fresh basil
2 t. fresh lemon juice
1 t. minced lemon zest

1. Toss vegetables with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill over medium heat until tender.

2. Chop all vegetables except tomato and transfer to a bowl.

3. Puree tomato and the rest of the sauce ingredients in a food processor until smooth, then toss with vegetables in the bowl.

Goat Cheese Orzo:
4 oz. orzo pasta
1/2 c. milk
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook orzo according to pkg. directions; drain and set aside.

2. Whisk together milk and goat cheese in a saucepan over medium heat until combined.  Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until slightly thick, about 3 min.  Stir in orzo.

3. Off heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Quick Bean and Rice Tacos/Burritos

This is one of my go to quick meals when I don't have something else planned. I often fix it for lunch since it comes together so quickly. It has the added bonus of being very healthy.

‎1 Cup water or chicken broth
1 can drained black beans or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans if you use dried
1 bell pepper (whatever color you want)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 cup salsa
1 cup instant brown rice

Combine everything but rice in a medium sauce pan and bring to boil on medium-high heat. Once boiling, add rice and stir. Bring back to boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes or until moisture is mostly absorbed. Spoon into tortillas and top with standard burrito or taco fixings.

 

 

Lentil Tacos

I discovered this recipe a few years ago and it's been a staple in our home since. Everyone loves tacos and these are even better than the traditional beef tacos made using the taco seasoning at the store. They're healthier and vegetarian too (assuming you use veggie broth rather than chicken broth). I was skeptical when I first tried it, but I've been a huge fan ever since.


Ingredients:

1 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup salsa

In a large nonstick skillet, saute the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the lentils, chili powder, cumin and oregano; cook and stir for 1 minute.

Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender (took only about 20 minutes for me).

Uncover; cook for 6-8 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Mash lentils slightly. Stir in salsa.

Serve in corn tortillas with cheese, sour cream, shredded lettuce and whatever other taco fixins you normally use.

Grilled Vegetable Couscous

This is an awesome recipe which is delicious served warm for dinner or cold for lunch the next day. Enjoy!

3 c. sliced zucchini
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed (I omitted this)
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2 in. thick slices
2 T. olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 red bell pepper, cut in half with ribs and seeds removed
10 oz. instant couscous
1 T. minced lemon zest
3 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. olive oil
2 c. halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c. chopped scallions
3 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grate with oil.

2. For the veggies, toss zucchini, asparagus, onion, and red pepper with 2 T. oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Grill vegetables until charred, 5-6 min. Chop into bite-sized pieces.

3. Cook couscous according to package directions with zest added; set aside.

4. Whisk lemon juice and 2 T. oil in a large bowl. Add couscous, grilled vegetables, tomatoes, parsley, and scallions; season with salt and black pepper. Top couscous with goat cheese.

Delicious White Bean & Sage Dip

This quick, easy dip has become a family favorite. My husband & sons love it just as much as I do! It was also well-received by the 3 & 4 year olds in E's class when I included it for snack time along with carrot sticks & pretzels.

1 (15oz) can of white kidney/cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 heaping T chopped fresh sage (~7-8 leaves)
1 small clove garlic
1 1/2 T olive oil
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until mixture is smooth (about 30-45 seconds). Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Baked Portobello Parmesan

I'm constantly looking for new recipes to try, and knew this was one of them when I saw it. I love chicken parmesan, and was excited to sub large portobello mushroom caps in for the chicken. It was delicious served alongside some parmesan pasta and sauteed zucchini.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 cup parmesan cheese, divided use
1 tsp sweet paprika
3 tbsp fresh minced parsley (or you can sub 1 tbsp dried)
2 tsp kosher salt, divided use
2 eggs
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
4 large stemmed portobello mushrooms, brushed clean & gills removed
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup tomato or spaghetti sauce
cooking spray

Directions:
Position a baking rack in upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil and place a wire cooling rack in the baking sheet. Mist the rack with cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine bread crumbs, 1/2 cup parmesan, parsley, paprika, and 1 tsp salt in a shallow pan. Mix well, set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, remaining 1 tsp salt, pepper, marjoram, garlic powder, and oregano. Mix well.

Dip both sides of mushrooms into egg mixture. Dredge in crumb mixture until both sides are completely coated. Transfer, stem-side down, to prepared wire rack. Spray tops with cooking spray and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Remove pan from oven.

Change oven temperature to 450 degrees. Meanwhile, carefully turn mushrooms stem-side up. Cover each mushroom with 2 tbsp remaining parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup tomato sauce, and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and bake until cheese melts and mushrooms are warmed through, about 10 minutes.

Baked Risotto with Spinach, Chicken, and Cremini Mushrooms

I test recipes for The Scramble and get their weekly menu plan (highly recommend, by the way!). This was a fall recipe from there, with the addition of some chicken (you can make it vegetarian by omitting the chicken and using vegetable broth). It was delicious, easy to prepare, and got rave reviews from my husband! It was still delicious heated up for lunch the next day.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
6 oz baby spinach
24 oz. reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
8 oz sliced cremini or baby bella mushrooms
1/4 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1/2 lb cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced *

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large oven-proof stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions (season with salt & pepper) and cook them for about 5 minutes or until they are tender. Add the rice and stir to coat it. Stir in the chicken, spinach, broth, mushrooms, and lemon pepper. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 7 minutes.

Stir in 3/4 cup grated cheese, then sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup on top. Cover the pot and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove the pot from the oven and stir; return it to the oven and bake uncovered for 5 more minutes. Serve it immediately, topped with additional parmesan cheese if desired.

*I had some chicken cooked up ahead of time - it was diced then sautéed in a little olive oil and seasoned with salt & pepper. You can throw the chicken in with the onion to cook with a tad more olive oil, or cook separately.

Caprese Hoagies

One of the best things about summer is fresh vegetables from the garden. This uses two of my favorites-- basil and tomatoes-- in an outstanding sandwich.

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil
2 T. white wine vinegar
1/4 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. black pepper
6 slices fresh mozzarella
4 sliced Roma tomatoes (or 2 large tomatoes)
1/2 c. fresh basil, roughly torn
3 hoagie buns

Directions:

1. Whisk first 4 ingredients together to make the dressing.

2. Preheat the broiler and lay hoagie buns (outside facing up) on a baking sheet. Broil 2 minutes or until tops are toasted.

3. Flip the buns over and spread the inside of the buns with the dressing, top bottom with mozzarella and top with Roma slices. Sprinkle tomatoes with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

4. Broil tomato side up for about 2 minutes, or until cheese has slightly melted.

5. Add torn basil and close up the hoagie. Enjoy!

Bow Tie Pasta & Broccoli

I first saw Ina Garten make a similar version of this recipe on the Food Network. She was having a party for kids, and she claimed it was a great way to get them to eat their broccoli. She was right! Not only did my older son eat every bite of pasta and broccoli on his plate, so did my husband! It's a versatile recipe that can be served for lunch or dinner, hot or room temperature, and with a variety of pastas. It's great just as a vegetarian meal, or cooked and diced chicken breast can be added for protein (or for those of us who have major meat-eaters in our families). Recently, I just made the sauce (no broccoli or pine nuts) and poured it over penne pasta. With some hot chicken sausage cut into rounds and added at the end, it became a great meal that my entire family loved!

2 large heads of broccoli
1 lb bow tie (farfalle) pasta
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1-2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 lemon, zested
2-3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp black pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts*
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add a handful of kosher salt. Cut off the stems of the broccoli, and chop the heads into individual florets. Add the broccoli florets to the salted, boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes. Remove the florets with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
2. Add the bow tie pasta to the same salted, boiling water. Cook according to the package directions, around 11 minutes, or until al dente. Strain the bow ties, and add to the bowl with the broccoli.
3. Meanwhile, heat a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the garlic and the lemon zest, and saute for 1 minute.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper, and stir until the salt has dissolved. Pour the sauce over the bow tie pasta and broccoli. Toss well to coat everything. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper if desired. Garnish with the pine nuts and Parmesan cheese.

*To toast the pine nuts, place them in a dry saute pan over a low heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are slightly brown and fragrant, tossing them in the pan every so often to keep them from burning.

Roasted Root Vegetables

I credit Ina Garten ("The Barefoot Contessa" from the Food Network) with the inspiration for this recipe. She makes roasting vegetables so easy. I also used a tip from my "Better Homes & Gardens" cookbook by adding balsamic vinegar and dried oregano to the veggies before roasting them. Any seasonal root vegetables would work, including sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, and even golden beets, which are wonderful sliced super thin and roasted until crisp like chips! I sort of made this recipe up, so the ingredients and amounts are to your taste. Either increase the oven temperature or lengthen the cooking time for thicker veggies, like potatoes. My 4-year-old really liked the carrots, while my husband and I loved all of the veggies. We took the leftovers to a get together the next evening as a side for lasagna and received rave reviews from everyone who ate the dish!

3 large carrots, peeled
2-3 large parsnips, peeled
2 fennel bulbs, fronds and outer layers removed (save the fronds for garnish)
1-2 heads of garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano (dried basil or dried rosemary would also work well)
1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Chop the carrots and parsnips into 1/2 to 1 inch cubes. Slice the fennel bulbs in half and then, into quarters. Cut off the tops of the heads of garlic, exposing the cloves, but still keeping them tightly together.

2. Place the carrots, parsnips, and fennel on a cookie sheet. Liberally drizzle about 2 tbsp of the olive oil over the vegetables. Then, sprinkle the oregano, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper all over. With your hands, toss everything well.

3. Drizzle about 1 tbsp of the olive oil over the top of the exposed garlic cloves. Wrap the garlic heads in aluminum foil, and place on the cookie sheet with the other vegetables. Roast everything together for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables become brown around the edges, stirring them occasionally to keep them from sticking to the pan. They'll still have a slight crunch, so roast them longer if you like your veggies soft.

4. Allow the vegetables to cool slightly. Take the garlic out of the foil, and squeeze the individual cloves out by compressing the heads from the sides. Chop the saved fennel fronds finely and sprinkle on top of everything for garnish.

Fish with Herbed Bread Crumbs

We try to have fish on a regular basis at our house and my kids LOVE it. This was an easy, delicious recipe!

1 whole wheat English muffin, split
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or 2 tsp dried)
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ~1/2 tsp dried)
4 halibut fillets or other flaky fish (cod, swordfish), 4-6 oz each
salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbsp butter, softened

1. Preheat the oven to 450. Place the muffin, parsley, and thyme in a food processor and pulse until you have small but not superfine bread crumbs. You want a bit of texture here.

2. Lay the fish on a (greased) baking sheet and season all over with salt and pepper. Smear the tops with a thin layer of softened butter, then press the herbed bread crumbs into the butter so that they adhere to the fish. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and flakes with gentle pressure from your finger.

(This recipe comes from Cook This, Not That)