Black Bean & Corn Tortillas

Okay, last one from Williams-Sonoma for now, I promise. I just want to have these recorded so I don't lose them. And anyone who has come to know me in recent years knows that I absolutely fell in love with black beans while on my mission.

This is another with a lot of dairy (the pizza had a lot it seemed) but I think they could be reworked to be dairy-free or close to it for anyone eating more vegan (and/or that can't handle dairy the way they used to, like me).

(This recipe calls for cotija cheese, an aged Mexican cheese with a somewhat dry texture. Feta is a fine substitute.)

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 lb. Monterey jack cheese, shredded
6 oz. cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
2 to 3 jalapeños, seeded and diced
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
12 flour tortillas
Sour cream for serving
Salsa for serving

Directions:
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and salt and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl. Add the corn, black beans and tomatoes and let stand until cool, about 20 minutes. Stir in the Monterey jack and cotija cheeses, the jalapeños and cilantro.

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill. Set a Pizza-Que on the grill (or any kind of flat plan that heats well on grill) and preheat according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Place 2 tortillas on the Pizza-Que. Spread about 3/4 cup of the black bean mixture on each tortilla, then top each with another tortilla. Close the lid and cook, turning the quesadillas once, until browned, about 2 minutes per side.

Transfer the quesadillas to a cutting board and cut each into quarters. Serve immediately with sour cream and salsa. Repeat to assemble and cook the remaining quesadillas. Serves 6.

Grilled Zucchini & Basil Pizza(s)

Also stolen from Williams-Sonoma.com -- I love zucchini and basil together and this looks like an amazing way to combine the two. Now I just need a woodfire outdoor oven. ;) But I'm sure you could work this in an in-home oven if need be or just on a basic grill, with some creativity. Click here for a basic pizza dough recipe. Or head over to Trader Joe's and grab some whole wheat dough (or even crust) ready to go (not a bad option for us lately).

Ingredients:
1 green zucchini, sliced 3/16 inch thick
1 yellow zucchini, sliced 3/16 inch thick
1 Tbs. Parmesan dipping and drizzling oil, plus more for brushing
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Two 10-inch pizza dough rounds
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 lemon
1 oz. ricotta salata or goat cheese
6 large fresh basil leaves, minced

Directions:
Preheat a beehive pizza oven according to the manufacturer's instructions.

In a bowl, stir together the green and yellow zucchini, the 1 Tbs. oil, salt and pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes, then drain off the excess liquid.

Place 1 pizza dough round on a floured pizza peel. Lightly brush the dough with oil. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella on the dough and top with half of the zucchini.

Transfer the pizza to the oven, tapping the peel lightly to release the pizza. Bake until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pizza occasionally to ensure even browning.

Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over the pizza. Grate or crumble half of the ricotta salata over the pizza and sprinkle with half of the basil. Cut into slices and serve immediately. Repeat to cook the remaining pizza. Makes two 10-inch pizzas.

Charred Corn Salad

Great idea for summertime grilling and bbqs --- I stole it from Williams-Sonoma.

-2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
-1 Tbs. fresh orange juice
-1 tsp. diced chipotle chili in adobo, plus 1 Tbs. adobo sauce
-2 tsp. salt
-1 garlic clove, minced
-1/2 tsp. honey
-1/4 c. plus 2 Tbs. olive oil
-6 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
-1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
-2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro, plus cilantro leaves for garnish
-2 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
-1/2 c. diced jicama
-1/4 c. diced red onion

In bowl, whisk together lime juice, orange juice, chipotle chili and adobo sauce, 1 tsp. salt, garlic, honey and 1/4 c. oil until smooth. Set vinaigrette aside.

Prepare hot fire in grill or preheat grill pan over high heat.

Rub corn with 2 Tbs. oil and 1 tsp. salt. Grill corn, turning occasionally, until charred in spots, 10-15 mins. Transfer to platter.

When corn is cool enough to handle, remove kernels from cobs; place kernels in large bowl. Add black beans, chopped cilantro, tomatoes, jicama, onion and vinaigrette; stire until well combined. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve salad at room temperature. Serves 6-8.

Arugula Salad With Walnut Vinaigrette

Hint: toast walnuts at home in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, which takes four to give minutes. Make sure to shake the pan occasionally to turn the nuts. If you don't have walnut oil, replace the canola and walnut oils with 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.

Walnut Vinaigrette:

- 1 Tbs. lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp. table salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
- 2 Tbs. canola oil
- 1 Tbs. walnut oil

Salad:

- 4 c. arugula, washed and dried
- 1 1/2 Tbs. chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Combine lemon juice, salt, and pepper in bowl with fork. Add oils, then whisk or mix with fork until smooth, about 30 seconds. The dressing will separate after 5 to 10 minutes, so use immediately or cover and refrigerate; mix again before tossing with greens.
   
   
2. Place arugula and walnuts in large salad bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss until greens are evenly coated. Serve immediately.

T. Liu's Famous Granola Recipe

This is Teresa Liu's version of Katie Craven's granola recipe (Katie likes to add in dried fruit, which is a great option, too):

_{- 1 c. almonds (chopped)}

_{- 1 c. pecans (chopped)}

_{- 3 c. oatmeal (quick oats)}

_{- ¾ c. wheat germ (untoasted)}

_{- ¼ c. b. sugar}

_{Stir all together, then add:}

- ¼ c. honey

- ¼ c. canola oil

- ¾ tsp. salt

- 2 tbsp. hot hot water

Mix together, pour over and mix into granola mixture. Spread on lipped pan covered with wax paper. Bake at 250 degrees for 60 min. total, stirring every 20 min. at the 40 min. mark, mix in ¼ c. light karo syrup.

Great with fresh fruit in the morning.

Chinese No-Chicken Salad

I love this stuff. Different roommates of mine have had different version over the years -- this one comes from Stephanie Johnson:

SALAD:

• 1 head cabbage
• 8 Tbs. almonds, toasted (if you please)
  
• 8 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted (if you please)
  
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 pkgs. ramen noodles

DRESSING:

• 4 Tbs sugar
• 2/3 cup oil
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 Tbs vinegar
• 2 spice ramen spice packets (oriental flavor is vegetarian)
  

(Note: I've grilled up tofu before and mixed it in -- this works fine if you want to add more protein to the mix.)

Mix shredded cabbage, green onions, sesame seeds, almonds. Pour dressing over all, sprinkle with noodles.

May substitute Ramen noodles with dry chow mein noodles. May double ingredients for dressing.

Serves 4-6 (depends on the size of the head of cabbage)

Vegetable Enchiladas

A friend in our ward out here, Katie Blakesley, forwarded me this recipe from MarthaStewart.com. We tried it out for our dinner guests tonight and really enjoyed the way it tasted (and that means a lot coming from me because I'm not usually a fan of "red sauce" on enchiladas). Bonus: it can be frozen for up to two months if you store the sauce separately.

Ingredients (serves 8):

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking dishes
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 cups grated pepper Jack cheese (12 ounces)
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 box (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
• 16 corn tortillas (6-inch)

Directions:

1. Make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add 1 teaspoon cumin, flour, and tomato paste; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in broth and 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
   
   
2. Make filling: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups cheese, beans, spinach, corn, scallion whites, and remaining 1 teaspoon cumin; season with salt and pepper.
   
   
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil two 8-inch square baking dishes; set aside. Stack tortillas, and wrap in damp paper towels; microwave on high for 1 minute. Or stack and wrap in aluminum foil, and heat in oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Top each tortilla with a heaping 1/3 cup of filling; roll up tightly and arrange, seam side down, in prepared baking dishes.
   
   
4. Dividing evenly, sprinkle enchiladas with remaining 1 cup cheese, and top with sauce. Bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; serve garnished with scallion greens.

To freeze: Prepare enchiladas through step 3; top with cheese, and cover baking dishes with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Place sauce in an airtight container. Freeze enchiladas and sauce for up to 2 months.

To bake from frozen: Thaw sauce in refrigerator overnight (or microwave on high 2 minutes, stirring once halfway through). Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove foil and plastic wrap from baking dishes, and pour sauce over enchiladas; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes; remove foil, and bake until bubbly, about 15 minutes more. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Note: If you like your enchiladas spicier, add 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper to sauce.