All posts by Sonte

Black Bean and Pepper Salad with Avocado Dressing

July 20, 2013 Sonte 2 Comments

I subscribe to a few different recipe sites and this morning a very delicious looking Chicken, Bean, Pepper salad arrived in my inbox. The picture made the salad look so good, I just had to try it! Unfortunately my first swipe at it left me feeling a little flat so I jazzed it up a bit. The end result was pretty satisfying though I think there is still some room for tweaking…

It just so happens that we grilled Chicken Burgers last night and there were a few left over; for lunch today, Luke got a Chicken Burger with Avo Dressing and Bean Salad on the side!

This recipe was inspired by Kalyn’s Kitchen

Black Bean and Pepper Salad with Avo Dressing

1 – 420 g can Black Beans, rinsed and drained well
1 Pepper, chopped – Red or Orange
4 Green Onions, sliced, greens only
Fresh Ground Pepper and Salt, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons Lime Juice
1/2 cup Salsa
3 Tablespoons Buttermilk

Avo Dressing
1 large Avocado
Green Onions, the white bits you have left from the first part of the recipe
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
Fresh Ground Pepper and Salt, to taste

Optional:
Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Fresh Cilantro
Grape Tomatoes

In large bowl combine black beans, chopped pepper, chopped green onion, lime juice, salsa and buttermilk.
Add salt and pepper to taste and stir well.

In separate small bowl. mash large avocado.
Stir in white portion of green onions, lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper.
Pour dressing over prepared Black Bean and Pepper Salad and stir well.

Serve on a bed of Fresh Spinach leaves or Garden Greens.
Top with a bit of shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese.
Garnish with Fresh Cilantro and Grape Tomatoes.

Serves 4 – 6

I reserved a lil of the Avo Dressing and spread about 1 teaspoon on the bottom portion of a hamburger bun, topped it with a grilled chicken burger, dolloped on another Tablespoon of Avo Dressing, finished off with fresh spinach leaves and a few tomato slices.

Casseroles

Bean and Pasta Casserole

July 1, 2013 Sonte Leave a comment

I was feeling very tired and perhaps a little lazy when I googled “one pot vegetarian meal” and came up with this: http://vegetarian.about.com/od/maindishentreerecipes/r/quickbeanpasta.htm
A quick mental check of the pantry assured me I had all the ingredients necessary to make this happen. While the water was boiling for the pasta I had a closer look at the recipe and decided it looked rather bland. While the pasta was cooking I threw in a couple of cloves of sliced garlic;
added spices, spinach and parmesan cheese to the mix and voila! A tasty and satisfying vegetarian casserole.

1- 796 ml can Diced Tomatoes
1- 796ml can Crushed Tomatoes
1- 540 ml can Red Kidney Beans
1 cup Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
2 cloves Garlic, sliced
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons Chili Flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons each dried Basil and Oregano
Salt and Pepper, to taste
2 cups fresh Spinach Leaves
1 375 g package pasta

Preheat oven to 375F.
Lightly spray a 4l casserole dish with veg oil spray.
In large pot bring salted water to boil; add pasta and cook for 8 minutes.
Drain pasta, rinse and throw back into the pot.
Stir in diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, parmesan cheese, chili flakes, basil, oregano, S&P and chopped onion.
Spoon a third of the pasta mixture into prepared casserole dish, top with a layer of fresh spinach leaves and a third the shredded cheese.
Spoon another third of pasta into casserole, top with remaining spinach and another third of the shredded cheese.
Spoon remaining pasta into casserole, sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake in 375F oven for 40 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.

Serves 6 – 8

Desserts

Raspberry Cheesecake

June 22, 2013 Sonte Leave a comment

My daughter Krick makes the yummiest Cheesecakes! Raspberries are soon in season around here so I am sure we will see this one showing up at a Sunday Dinner in the very near future.

Wonderful Raspberries throughout with a hint of Chocolate — Wonderful Raspberries throughout .

Crust:
1/2 cup Butter
2 cups Graham Wafer Crumbs
1/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed

Filling:
2 – 3 oz (85g) Raspberry Jello
1 cup boiling Water
15 oz frozen Raspberries, partially thawed

2 – 8 oz packages Cream Cheese, softened
3/4 cup Icing Sugar

1 cup Whipped Cream

Crust: Melt butter in saucepan.
Stir in crumbs and sugar.
Pack into an ungreased 9X13 pan. ( Krick and I use a square springform pan)
Bake in 350F degree oven for 10 minutes or you can use it without baking.

Filling: Dissolve Jello in water.
Stir in berries.
Chill until syrupy.
Beat softened cream cheese and icing sugar together until blended.
Fold in whipped cream.
Fold in thickened jello.
Pour over crust and chill at least 4 hours.
Sprinkle with chocolate shavings, if desired.

Serves 15

This recipe come from Jean Pare’s Company’s Coming _Desserts_ page 33.

The original recipe calls for 2 packages of whipped topping mix. I prefer to use real whipped cream.

Pies and Tarts

Happy pi Day!

March 14, 2013 Sonte Leave a comment

Did you know that if you type:

pi*1337 into Google search the Answer is 42! Which everyone knows is the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything!

btw 1337 is the numerical value for “leet” which is slang for elite 😉

Happy ∏ Day!!!!

Pork

Perogies with Creamy Bacon Sauce

January 24, 2013 Sonte 2 Comments

So funny! Just finished doing the dishes after throwing together an easy, peasy, super quick Perogy thing that we do and I no sooner sat down when I received a text from my daughter, “Remember that perogy sauce that Aunty Sabine used to make? With bacon and white sauce, I think. Do you have the recipe? Have a craving.”
Now I don’t really remember exactly how Aunty Sabine used to make it but I remember the basics; admittedly, I don’t make it all that often …probably because, well, for a few years there we lived in Australia and you can’t get perogies over there. Yes, yes, I could have made them from scratch but the one and only time I ever did that, they didn’t turn out ….at all! Floury, goopey mess, is what they were. So I leave perogy making to the experts: Potato and Cheddar or Potato and Onion for myself and I am sure my family would love the Bacon ones!
Now Aunty Sabine used back bacon, and I have a few times but more often than not I had regular bacon on hand and that works just as well. Tonight I even subbed in sliced ham!
Alright, without further ado….

1/2 lb Bacon, chopped (or Back Bacon or Sliced Ham)
1 Onion, thinly sliced
1 – 2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 cups Whipping Cream
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vinegar

Perogies, cooked according to package directions

In a deep skillet, fry bacon.
Once bacon is half cooked, add in onion and garlic and continue cooking until bacon is slightly crispy.
Pour in whipping cream; add vinegar and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium – low until reduced and slightly thickened.
Serve over prepared Perogies.

Aysontespli's Kitchen