An International Bunch of Recipes

Today we made a Black Bean & Sweet Corn Quinoa Salad, if you have not tried Quinoa yet you should, its good for you, easy to make and very versatile!

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen sweet white corn
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When shimmering and hot, add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the quinoa and cover with broth. Stir in cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed).

Stir in the frozen corn and black beans. Cover and let the pot sit off the heat until the corn and beans are heated through, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Serve warm or chilled – it is delicious both ways!


We prepped the Roasted Corn Quesadillas and will be eating them shortly, the sour cream looks great and the mixture for the quesadillas tastes so good ~ add cheese and how can we go wrong?!
Ingredients
* 1/4 cup chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
* 1/2 lime, juiced
* 1 cup sour cream
* 3 ears white corn on the cob
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
* 1/4 red onion, diced
* 1/2 cup black beans
* 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
* 2 tablespoons diced roasted red bell peppers
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 6 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves, divided
* 6 ounces Jack cheese, shredded
* 6 ounces Cheddar, shredded
* 8 medium flour tortillas
* 5 tablespoons, sliced scallions

Directions

Preheat grill to high. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix diced chipotle, lime juice and sour cream, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Over medium flame or on a grill pan, roast corn. Let cool and cut kernels off cob.

In a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil, jalapenos, red onions, and black beans. Saute until the onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes, corn kernels and roasted bell pepper. Stir and saute for 3 minutes and add salt, pepper, cumin and 3 tablespoons of cilantro. Remove the pan from heat and let rest.

Evenly distribute mixture, the remaining cilantro and cheeses among 4 tortillas. Top with remaining tortillas.

Place tortillas on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook for about 10 minutes, until cheeses have melted and the quesadillas are warmed through. Cut each into 6 pieces.

Serve with chipotle sour cream garnished with scallions.


I don't go out of my way to follow a recipe exactly if I know that what I have will work just the same...so I did not take corn off the cob when it was easier to take it out of the freezer today. Some things you can't mess with and I don't like to change a recipe the first time I try it but I am sure the corn will be ok!


Pesto Shrimp Pasta was next up on the list...

Ingredients

* 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
* 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 2 garlic cloves, peeled
* 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
* 3/4 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine the basil, lemon juice, garlic, 1 tablespoon oil and salt; cover and process until smooth.
2. In a large skillet, saute the asparagus in remaining oil until crisp-tender. Add the shrimp and pepper flakes. Cook and stir until shrimp turn pink. Drain the spaghetti; place in a large bowl. Add basil mixture; toss to coat. Add shrimp mixture and mix well.



There was a frozen pie crust in the freezer that needed to be used up so we made a Mushroom Spinach Quiche. No special recipe for this one...frozen pie crust, whatever vegetables (mushrooms were on sale) or meat you like, swiss cheese and a combination of about 4 eggs and a couple cups of heavy cream because well that's what makes it taste so good :)


There is a London Broil marinading for a day or so in garlic, salt, red wine, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and honey. You would have to try pretty hard to ruin a London Broil (well overcooking it would do it) but I have yet to try a marinade I didn't like on this piece of meat.


We told the kids weeks ago that we would make cookies and well Aunt Kelly is learning not to open her mouth unless she can deliver because kids do not forget such statements, ever! So we made chocolate chip cookies, just the Nestle Toll House recipe nothing fancy, but super yummy!

OK, hope that gives you all some good ideas. We are less than 5 months until Christmas, cold weather and even yummier recipes :)