Black Bean and Corn Salad

Back in February, my first recipe for The Foodie Spot was one for Corn Salad.  Here is another take on corn salad, and I must admit that I personally like this one even better.  :)

What You Need

1 can (19 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (11 oz.) corn, drained

1 c. chopped tomatoes

1/2 c. chopped red onion

2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

1/2 c. ranch dressing

What You Do

Combine all ingredients.  Chill.  

That's it!  An easy, delicious side dish that pairs well with so many main dishes.

Happy pairing!

Beans are highly nutritious and satisfying, they can also be delicious if and when properly prepared, and they possess over all vegetables the great advantage of being just as good, if not better, when kept waiting, an advantage in the case of people whose disposition or occupation makes it difficult for them to be punctual at mealtime.

~ Andre Simon (1877-1970),

in The Concise Encyclopedia of Gastronomy

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Springtime Salad

I made this salad for a picnic yesterday and thought it was delicious! I see lots of possibilities for variations on this salad -- Greek olives, cucumbers, and on and on! Yum!

What you need:
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
10 oz. box couscous
3 tbsp. lemon juice
6 tbsp. olive oil
2 c. spinach, torn
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
3 tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped (smells so good!)
(I also added sunflower seeds and feta!)

What to do:
Pour water into a saucepan, add salt, and bring to a boil. Add couscous and immediately remove pan from heat. Cover saucepan and let stand five minutes. Uncover, and toss couscous with a fork. Place in a serving bowl; set aside. Blend lemon juice and oil together, toss with couscous and let mixture cool completely. Toss couscous with spinach, green onion, and dill; refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch cookbook, "The Cozy Home Cookbook."

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Creamy Spinach Doodles

My family joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) this year, so we have a small share at an organic farm just north of here in Perry County. Every Tuesday, we get a box full of goodies, and it's always a surprise as to exactly what will be in season and available. So, I especially appreciate that each box also includes several recipes that incorporate at least some of the ingredients provided in the box.

Last Tuesday our box contained lots of greens -- yummy lettuces and spinach. There was also a recipe for a pasta that incorporated spinach that I thought my husband and I would enjoy, as well as our 10-month old. It was delicious! He's actually warming up the leftovers as I type!

What you need:
1 lb. fusilli pasta, cooked al dente (I used whole wheat penne simply because I didn't have fusilli.)
1 bunch of spinach, chopped fine
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced, plus 1 tbsp. spring onion minced (omitted the onion)
1 cup half and half
1/4 cup grated carrot (could add more)
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper, freshly ground
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or 1/2 cup parmesan (I used cheddar but would consider using BOTH next time. Yep, I'm just that crazy!.

What to do:
Cook the pasta and drain. In the same pot you cooked the pasta in, melt 1/4 cup butter, add the garlic and onion, and cook five minutes on low. Add the spinach and carrots and stir often over high heat until just wilted. Add the salt and pepper. Toss with the pasta. Turn heat to very low, add the half and half and cheese; stir until warm. Serve hot.

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Spanish Rice

I can not tell you how many times I have made this recipe since I discovered it, but it's probably averaging about once every 10 days. We love it that much! And of course I can't follow a recipe to save my life (even when making it for the first time). The cumin and corn are my additions and the finished product is much better for it. And I always have, always will make them with with Wildtree fajitas! It's a perfect combination. (The photo was taken when I used leftover rice and added grilled chicken and cheese to make a burrito.)

Spanish Rice

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Wildtree grapeseed oil
1 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 cups water/chicken broth
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1-2 tsp. chili powder (I only use about 3/4 tsp. and it's too spicy for me.)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt (optional)
1 small can of corn

How to Make It:
1) Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Saute rice, onion, and green pepper until veggies are crisp tender and rice is slightly browned.
2) Stir in water or broth and tomatoes. Season with cumin, salt, and chili powder. Cover, and simmer, for 25 minutes until liquid is mostly absorbed. Stir in corn and cook another 5 minutes until rice is done and liquid is absorbed.

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Feta Spread

Do you love feta? I do. I'm not much for making appetizer-type dishes usually, but this recipe jumped right off the pages of Southern Living at me a few months ago. I made it for Easter lunch -- a snacky prelude to Easter dinner -- and then made it again last week (to rave reviews) for a luncheon at work. It's delicious and sure to be a hit at your house too!

What you do:
Pulse 8 oz. crumbled feta cheese, 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, 1 tbsp. finely chopped pepperoncini salad peppers, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper, and 1/8 tsp. black pepper in a food processor 6-8 times or until combined, stopping to scrape sides.* Cover and chill two hours before serving. Store in refrigerator up to three days. Garnish with additional crushed red pepper. Serve with crostini or pita chips. (I opted for carrots and flat bread.)

*I had to add a little more olive oil while pulsing the mixture in the food processor to get the spread to the consistency I desired. The extra oil did not seem to hinder the taste in any way!

Recipes from Southern Living, April 2010.

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Moroccan Orange Beet Salad

Summer is coming, and this is a perfect warm weather salad to have in your arsenal.

What you need:
1 jar (16 ounces) whole pickled beets, drained and quartered
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained
1 tbsp. grated orange peel
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups mixed baby salad greens (I used a spring mix.)
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped

What to do:
Place beets and chickpeas in medium bowl. Whisk together orange peel, juice, olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper in small bowl. Pour over beet mixture and toss gently to coat.

Arrange greens on four individual plates. Spoon beet mixture over greens; sprinkle with cheese and pistachios.

Recipe from the April 21 Harrisburg Patriot-News.

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Veggie Pizza

Wahoo -- it's my first post on The Foodie Spot! I'm excited to be joining with a few other foodies to provide easy, delicious recipes. As a new(ish) mom, I'm definitely always on the lookout for recipes that are quick, easy, and healthy.

Just a week or two ago, I made a cold Veggie Pizza to take to potluck luncheon at a good friend's house. It was the first time I had tried a recipe like this, although I've sampled many yummy veggie pizzas at church luncheons.

I get some strange satisfaction from chopping vegetables, so I enjoyed the prep work that went into this recipe. The end result got rave reviews!



Veggie Pizza
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1 cup sour cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. dried dill weed
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
1 small onion, finely chopped (I omitted the onion since we all had to go back to work after partaking of this!)
A variety of veggies (I used broccoli, red pepper, cucumber, and carrot)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a jelly roll pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Pat crescent dough into jelly roll pan. Let stand 5 minutes. Pierce with fork. Bake for 10 minutes; let cool.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine sour cream, cream cheese, dill weed, garlic salt, and ranch dip mix. Spread this mixture on top of the cooked crust. Arrange the veggies on top of the creamed mixture. Cover and let chill. Once chilled, cut into squares and serve.

Recipes from allrecipes.com.

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