Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with White Beans, Spinach, and Prosciutto

I  know it has been a long time since I have posted a recipe, but I actually had no idea it has been close to six weeks! I have been slammed with school work, my internship, home renovations, and spending time with my little toddler, who will be 2 in less than 2 weeks!  I have not cooked as much as I like to because when I get home in the evenings, all I want to do is hang out with Wendy and Greg. I am on spring break now, and the first few days of spring break were spent in the Outer Banks, North Carolina, and now that I am back home I am excited to have time to cook healthy and delicious meals for my family again. While on the long trip down to North Carolina, I went through an old Self Magazine I found, and I came across a few recipes that caught my attention. The other night we did salmon with a butter, lemon, and rosemary sauce, and these mushrooms were served as our tasty side. It was so filling! Wendy gobbled down the filling of the mushrooms, and Greg commented on how much he liked them. These stuffed portobello mushrooms are loaded with protein and fiber, and they are packed with several savory flavors. They start with a brush of olive oil and balsamic, and they are filled with a buttery mixture of shallot, garlic, rosemary, parsley, fresh black pepper, white beans, prosciutto, and spinach. Then you top them off with some Panko and Parmesan, toss them into the oven so they get nice and crunchy, and dig in! You can eat one of the stuffed mushrooms as a small meal or serve them as a side to chicken or fish. Enjoy!

Recipe for Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with White Beans, Spinach & Prosciutto 

INGREDIENTS:
4 large portobello mushrooms, with the stems and gills removed
2 Tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 Tbsp. of balsamic vineger
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. of unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 tsp. of fresh rosemary leaves
1 can of great northern or cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp. of chicken broth
2 Tbsp. of fresh parsley leaves
3 ounces of prosciutto, sliced thin
1 cup of baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup of Panko bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Mix 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar together in a small bowl. Stir in some salt and pepper. Put the mushrooms cap side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush each cap lightly with the olive oil mixture. Place in the oven, and cook for 8 minutes. 
While the mushrooms are cooking, put the butter and the remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil into a large pan and set over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add in the chopped shallot, garlic, and rosemary leaves. Cook, stirring often, until the shallots have softened. Then stir in the beans and the chicken broth, remove from heat. Put the mixture into a medium bowl and add in the parsley and the prosciutto. Put the pan you used back over the stovetop on medium-low heat. Add in the spinach leaves and cook until wilted, about 1 - 2 minutes.
Once mushrooms have cooked for 8 minutes in oven, remove from the oven and carefully drain the liquid off. If needed, very carefully transfer mushrooms to a plate, wipe down the baking sheet, and line with new parchment paper (I decided to do this). Turn mushrooms over and stuff with the beans and spinach. In a small bowl, toss together the Panko bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Evenly distribute over top of the mushrooms, and then drizzle each with a little bit of olive oil. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the top of each. Place back into the oven and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the tops are browned and crispy. Remove from oven, allow to cool for a few minutes, and then serve.

You can serve as a side to chicken or fish, or eat it as a light lunch. They taste good leftover, too! Greg said he liked them even better leftover, because they were even more flavorful! I think these would also be good with bacon or crumbled sausage in the stuffing. If you want to make it vegetarian, leave out the meat and add a little extra Parmesan.

Recipe adapted from: Self Magazine, November 2014 issue

Spinach Balls

Please visit my new blog, Make It and Bake It with Beth, for the spinach balls recipe. 

Roasted Garlic and Lemon Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan Cheese

Do you remember when you were a kid and you used to hate almost all vegetables? I probably liked more vegetables than most kids when I was young, but there were definitely a few that I told myself I would never eat again, and Brussels sprouts fit into that category. After trying one  with dinner some 20+ years ago, I didn't give them another chance until about three years ago. Somebody brought them as a side at a potluck, and I thought I would try them because they looked so good. And, they were pretty darn good. That was the turning point in my relationship with Brussels sprouts, and I have made a couple different recipes with them at home since then. These roasted garlic and lemon Brussels sprouts are one of my favorites since it is simple to make, and it makes a great side to many meals. If you were like me, and you wrote off Brussels sprouts a long time ago, I encourage you to give them another try. This time, you may like them! Enjoy.

Recipe for Garlic and Lemon Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan Cheese

INGREDIENTS:
 2 pounds of Brussels sprouts, rinsed

3 - 4 Tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 tsp. of salt
1/8 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
A pinch or two of coarse sea salt
Grated Parmesan cheese, for topping

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut of the ends of the Brussels sprouts and discard. Chop the Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise. Put the Brussels sprouts into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice. Add in the pressed garlic, 1 tsp. of salt, and crushed red pepper flakes and stir well to coat. Spread the Brussels sprouts onto a baking pan and sprinkle with several grinds of freshly ground pepper and a pinch or two of coarse sea salt. Place baking pan into the oven and cook for 25 - 30 minutes, gently stirring halfway through the cooking. Once the Brussels sprouts are cooked to desired crispiness (I like them a little blackened), take out of oven and divide amongst plates. Sprinkle each serving with some Parmesan cheese.

Recipe makes approximately 4 servings. 

Recipe Adapted from: Cooking Classy,  originally from Whole Foods 

Quinoa Salad with Walnuts, Raisins, Apples & Feta (with Maple Balsamic Dressing)

I went a really long time without a home-cooked meal, but I finally had one on Thursday evening! Thursday's meal was good - we had some almond-encrusted salmon, quinoa salad, and toasted rosemary and sea salt bread. Home-cooked meals always taste delicious, but I think this meal tasted even better because I had gone for so long without one. There are many things preventing me from wanting or being able to cook much these days. First, I haven't had much time to cook between work and classes. Also, our refrigerator went out, so we are using a mini fridge until further notice, so there isn't much room for food. And, I went through a period of time where I did not want to be in the kitchen at all because smells bothered me too much - because I'm pregnant (due March 28)! I started feeling better the past few days and I felt inspired to cook again. I bought some already prepared salmon and bread, and I made the quinoa salad. I came across the quinoa salad recipe on Clean Eating and I thought it sounded pretty good. I used raisins instead of dried cranberries and walnuts instead of pecans, and I added apples and feta to the salad. It made a great side to the salmon! For the dressing, I used a pecan praline balsamic vinegar that I bought that Cleo's in Annapolis. It added such an amazing flavor, but I'm sure regular balsamic would be amazing too. If you want to make it vegan, leave out the feta! This quinoa salad is easy to make and it is tasty & healthy! Enjoy.

Recipe for Quinoa Salad with Walnuts, Raisins, Apples & Feta (with Maple Balsamic Dressing)

INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 cups of quinoa, rinsed well
3 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. of balsamic vinegar (I used pecan praline)
3 Tbsp. of pure maple syrup
1 cup of raisins
1 cup of chopped walnuts
1/8 tsp. of sea salt
6 - 12 Tbsp. of crumbled feta cheese (optional)
2 Ginger Gold or Golden Delicious Apples, diced

DIRECTIONS: 
Cook quinoa according to package directions. While quinoa is cooking, mix together the olive oil, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar and whisk until incorporated.

Once quinoa is finished cooking, transfer it to a bowl and allow it to cool completely. Place the raisins and walnuts into a large bowl. Pour in the cooled quinoa and stir. Pour the maple balsamic dressing over the quinoa and stir until it is fully absorbed. Stir in the salt. Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for 1 - 2 hours.

Divide the quinoa amongst 6 dishes. Top each with the apples and feta. Sprinkle with some freshly ground black pepper, if desired. Serve as a side or eat it for a light lunch!

Recipe Adapted from: Clean Eating

Other quinoa recipe ideas: Sweet Potato, Black Bean, Corn & Quinoa Patties, Crustless Quiche with Quinoa, Kale & Peppers, CPK-Style Quinoa Salad with Arugula, Vegan Wraps with Quinoa & Chickpeas, Quinoa, Corn & Black Bean Wraps

Delicious & Easy Refried Beans in a Slow Cooker - no grease or frying!

Okay, these beans are not "refried," but they taste as good if not better than actual refried beans. I came across the recipe a couple weeks ago, and there were hundreds of great reviews, so I gave it a shot. The  beans cooked in the slow cooker all day, and they made our house smell amazing. And, the beans were as yummy as they smelled! The beans are great as a filling in tortillas, a side to quesadillas or tacos,  a dip with chips, or plain for a quick and easy lunch.

I love many things about this recipe. I love that the beans require very little (less than 5 minutes) hands-on preparation time. I love that there are no unhealthy ingredients in the recipe. And, I love that the beans taste so delicious - the texture is creamy & smooth, and the flavor is perfect.  Greg loves how inexpensive the beans were to make, and he loves how delicious they tasted. He pointed out to me that I should never buy canned beans again - because compared to dried beans, they are much more expensive. He is right on this one (don't tell him though)! I hope you are as excited about cheap, easy, healthy, and delicious un-fried refried beans as we are! Enjoy.

Recipe for Delicious & Easy Refried Beans - no grease or frying! 

INGREDIENTS:
3 1/2 cups of dried pinto beans, rinsed (place beans in colander and set under running water for a minute)
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped small (deveined and seeded - but I kept a few seeds to kick up the heat)
3 Tbsp. of dried onion flakes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. of cumin powder
2 1/2 tsp. of salt
1 1/4 tsp. of black pepper
10 1/2 cups of water

DIRECTIONS:
Place the rinsed beans, chopped jalapeno, onion flakes, minced garlic, cumin powder, salt, and pepper into a slow cooker. Cover with the 10 1/2 cups of water. Turn the slow cooker on high and cook for 8 hours. Use a ladle or spoon to skim any excess water out of the beans. Use a potato masher to mash the beans to desired consistency. Serve & enjoy!

*Makes 12 - 16 servings of beans. Hands-on time is less than 5 minutes!*

Recipe Adapted from: All Recipes

Corn Pudding (kind of like the one from Chevys)

Have you ever had a meal at Chevys restaurant? If so, you should know that one of the best parts of the meal is the corn stuff that comes on the side. It is officially called "sweet corn tomalito," but I like to just call it corn pudding or yummy corn stuff. I came across a recipe for it on Our Best Bites awhile back, and I made a mental note to make sure to try the recipe. Well, I tried it out this past weekend. It was SO yummy. I made it again on Monday. And I think I'm going to make it again tomorrow.

I made the corn pudding to go along with a great meal. We had our friend over for dinner, and I served potato & chorizo tacos with smoky aioli, refried (without the frying part) beans, and corn pudding. I was hoping to have enough tacos leftover to eat the next day and for a picture, but Greg and George ate too much - and a picture never happened. That is ok, I'll just have to make the tacos again this weekend! But for now, here is a recipe for yummy corn stuff. Or corn pudding. Or tomalito. Whatever it is, it's good!

Recipe for Corn Pudding 

INGREDIENTS:

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1/3 cup of masa harina
2 1/2 Tbsp. of cream
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of cornmeal
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. of baking powder
1/4 tsp. of salt
1 1/4 cups of frozen corn
Hot water (for the water bath in the oven)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the butter, masa harina, cream, and water. Use an electric hand mixer to beat it on medium speed for a few minutes, until the mixture is smooth.
In a small bowl, mix together the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour the cornmeal mixture into the wet mixture. Set the hand mixer on medium-low speed and beat the dry and wet ingredients together until well combined. Pour the corn (corn can be frozen or thawed) into the bowl and use a spoon to mix it in.
Spread the mixture evenly into an 8 x 8 square pan. Put the 8 x 8 pan into a 9 x 13 pan. Place the pans into the oven. Give the 9 x 13 pan a "water bath." Carefully pour the hot water into the 9 x 13 pan. Pour the water in until it comes up about one inch on the sides. Close the oven and cook for 50 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite mexican meal, serve it for dessert, or eat it for breakfast! Enjoy.

Recipe Source: Our Best Bites

NOTE: Are you wondering what masa harina is? I was when I first saw the recipe. Learn more about masa harina here. 

Corn Salad with Tomatoes, Basil & Mozzarella

For the past month or so, I have noticed a sign at the local produce stand that says "Sweet Local Corn." Since I'm always in a rush, I would pass the stand and make a mental note to come back later. I finally made it over there last week. My friend and I went out to get snow cones (yes, we're in our 30's and we get snow cones), and on the way back home we both decided to stop for the corn.

The local corn is incredible - it is sweet like sugar. Instead of making the usual corn on the cob, I decided to make a corn salad. I have always wanted to make a corn salad - and now I've made corn salad three times! This salad taste like summer. It is a good side to many summer meals. I made it the other night at my parent's house along side burgers and grilled zucchini, and last night I made it to go with grilled barbecue chicken and roasted potatoes. I might even make it again tonight, since it is so easy to make. I love this salad, and I hope you will love it too! Enjoy.

Recipe for Corn Salad with Tomatoes, Basil & Mozzarella

INGREDIENTS:

For the salad:

4 medium-sized ears of corn, husked and rinsed; silks removed

16 - 20 cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half

1/3 cup of fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

3 ounces of mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4" cubes

For the dressing:
2 Tbsp. of white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. of Extra-Virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. of kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
For the salad:
Carefully remove the corn kernels from each ear of corn. Stand a piece of  the corn up on a cutting board and hold with one hand; use the other hand to cut the kernels off with a large shearing knife. (You can also follow this tutorial). Put the corn into a medium-sized bowl. Add in the torn basil leaves and mozzarella cheese. Chop the tomatoes, but do not add to the bowl - leave them on the cutting board.

For the dressing:
Add the white wine vinegar, salt, and about 4 - 5 grinds of freshly ground black pepper to a small bowl and mix. Pour the olive oil in a steady stream into the bowl and whisk well. Pour the dressing over the corns salad and stir to incorporate. Cover the bowl and put in the fridge for about 15 - 20 minutes.

Just before you are ready to serve the salad, add in the cherry tomato halves and mix. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper, if desired.

*Makes 3 - 4 servings*

Recipe Adapted from: Food Network

Jicama Salad with Mango

Jicama is a fun word to say (so is Francisco). For so long I pronounced it "yickama" or "jicama" (with the sound of the j), until one night when I ate at a yummy Spanish/Latin restaurant in Annapolis with Greg and some friends. My friend and I ordered and shared a dish with jicama. My friend and I told the waitress how much we liked the "yickama," and we kept repeating the mispronunciation until finally the waitress corrected us! It is pronounced with an 'h' instead of a 'j.'

Jicama is also known as a Mexican potato and it is an ingredient found in latin cooking. I love the texture and taste of jicama, especially in salads. The other night my mom asked me and Greg to join the rest of the family at the new Wegman's in Columbia for dinner. At first I wasn't too excited about the idea, until I got online and read the menu. I saw the jicama salad on the online menu, and I knew I needed to have some. The salad did not disappoint. Cool, crisp, refreshing, and light - it had jicama, pineapple, and cucumber in a tasty lime dressing.

As we were leaving the store, I bought a jicama (my first jicama purchase ever)! I found the recipe in the Wegman's catalogue and I reproduced it with some changes. I didn't feel like dealing with a pineapple, so I used mango. I also added some carrots and added a bit of red pepper flakes to the dressing, then topped with whole raw cashews. Greg likened it to a papaya salad, but better. The salad was sweet but not too sweet, spicy but not too spicy - it was just right!

Recipe for Jicama Salad with Mango
INGREDIENTS:
For the salad:
1 medium jicama, peeled and grated with largest grate on a box grater
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into thin 1-inch slices
1 small carrot, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, then peeled into strips with a vegetable peeler
1 medium mango, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Whole raw cashews or cashew pieces, for sprinkling on each salad
For the dressing:
3 limes, juiced
Zest of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup of olive oil
3 Tbsp. of honey
1 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes (more or less as desired)
1/2 tsp. of sweet chili sauce (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Make the dressing first. In a smallish bowl, combine the lime juice, lime zest, honey, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and sweet chili sauce. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.

Add the grated jicama to a large bowl. Pour dressing over the jicama and toss well. Cover bowl and put in the fridge for an hour or more. About 15 - 20 minutes before serving, add in the cubed mango, sliced cucumber, and carrot strips. Toss together and then put bowl back in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Serve salad on individual dishes and top each dish with whole raw cashews or cashew pieces.

Recipe Adapted from: Wegmans Catalogue