Texas Caviar

I brought this recipe to a recent 6th grade event where a coworker and I did a workshop on healthy snacks. This is simple for kids to make - most of the ingredients just need to be rinsed. They may need some help chopping the pepper and celery, to get the pieces small enough.

This recipe is versatile because it can be scooped up with tortilla chips, or served as a side dish with your meal.

Thanks to my friend Steph who suggested this recipe! (And yes, this is the Stephanie of Fruit Pizza fame!)

Main Ingredients

·      15 oz can black eyed peas, rinsed

·      15 oz can black beans, rinsed

·      15 oz can corn, rinsed

·      1 green pepper, diced

·      1 stalk celery, diced

Dressing Ingredients

·      3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

·      1/4 cup olive oil

·      1 cup sugar

Directions

1.    Combine main ingredients in a large bowl.

2.    In a separate bowl, combine dressing ingredients. Whisk until sugar has dissolved.

3.    Pour dressing over main ingredients. Cover and refrigerate. Let sit for at least four hours, but hopefully overnight. Drain well.

4.    When ready, serve with tortilla chips or as a side dish.

Greek Style Salad with Simple Dressing

photo by Alison Tyne

Slowly but steadily I have had a new fan every week or so on the Artistic Eatables Facebook page, even during my recent hiatus - thank you to all who have patiently waited for a new recipe!

This weekend, my friend Alison came to photograph my husband's band. After they got home, we decided on a non-traditional salad for dinner and chose to create our version of a dish from Salads by Jane Price.



INGREDIENTS (serves 3-4)
For a vegan meal, be sure to omit the cheese.

• 1 bag baby spinach
• 1 can artichoke hearts, drained, halved or quartered
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• sundried tomatoes, cut into strips
• kalamata olives, pitted
• 1/2 red pepper, sliced (roasted red peppers would also be nice)
• feta cheese (optional; parmesan is another alternative)
• olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper, optional

DIRECTIONS
To plate each salad:

1. Lay down a bed of baby spinach.
2. Arrange a few artichoke hearts, olives, and red pepper slices around the edge of the plate.
3. Sprinkle sundried tomato strips over greens.
4. Top with some lemon zest and feta cheese (if using).
5. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil, then about 1/4 of the lemon juice over your salad.
6. Top with some freshly ground black pepper, if desired, then serve.

Bacon, Tomato, and Corn Chowder

This is a variation on my traditional corn chowder recipe. On the Artistic Eatables Facebook page, we were having a discussion about our favorite hearty meals. My boss from where I used to work reminded me of this wonderful alternative to corn chowder.

Of course, don't let the bacon deter you if you are a vegetarian. It can be made sans meat by omitting the bacon. It still has a wonderful, different kind of flavor due to the addition of tomatoes! I encourage you to give it a try.

Ingredients

• 1 lb bacon, cut into small pieces
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 8 small potatoes (I used new red potatoes), chopped into small pieces
• 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes (juice will be used)
• 4 vegetable bouillon cubes
• water
• 1 lb frozen corn
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• milk
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat large stockpot to medium heat.
2. Cook bacon until somewhat crispy. Put cooked bacon into a bowl; set aside.
3. Pour out most of bacon grease. Place stockpot back over heat.
4. Add olive oil and butter.
5. Cook onion until translucent.
6. Add potatoes, bouillon cubes, and tomatoes and their juice. Cut tomatoes into small chunks using a pair of kitchen scissors.
7. Add enough water to cover vegetables. Cook until potatoes are done.
8. Add corn. Cook until corn is heated.
9. Turn heat to low. Add in cheese, a little at a time, stirring so it melts without clumping.
10. Remove from heat. Add as much milk as you like, until it has thinned the soup to your desired consistency.
11. Season with salt and pepper.
12. Serve, topping each bowl with cooked bacon. Enjoy!

Chocolate Pots de Creme

As soon as I saw these on the Pioneer Woman's blog, I knew I had to try them. Besides being adorable, they are an easy dessert with no cooking involved. I adapted her recipe to make a few things easier, including the types of ingredients you might need.

I made this dish at our Valentine's Day dinner, and it was a hit but please be warned that this is very rich (as you might guess when you read the ingredients)! A little goes a long way, so you won't need much to feel satisfied.



Ingredients

• 12 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips 
• 4 eggs, at room temperature 
• dash of salt 
• splash of vanilla extract OR flavored liquer (such as Grand Marnier) 
• 1 cup (8 oz) brewed coffee OR hot cocoa (the liquid must be HOT) 
• powdered sugar or whipped cream (optional, for decoration)

Directions

1. Place chocolate chips and 2 of the eggs in a blender. Pulse until chips are broken up.
2. Add the other 2 eggs, salt, and vanilla / liquer. Blend until smooth.
3. While blender is on, slowly pour a steady stream of hot cocoa / coffee into the chocolate mixture.
4. Pour into ramekins or small Mason jars. Place in fridge and let set, about 2 hours.
5. Before serving, decorate with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or whipped cream.

Breakfast Burrito

My husband introduced me to a great way to use leftover groceries from a Mexican meal. This is an adaptation of his official breakfast burrito. The nice thing about it is that it can include any ingredients you feel like eating in the morning. Stir fried vegetables are one great idea that I'd like to try next.

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• large soft tortilla
• refried beans
• cheddar cheese, shredded
• toppings such as salsa, Sriracha, or sour cream

Directions

1. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Cook one egg to your liking. (I enjoy frying an egg in a little butter, but scrambling would work fine too.)
2. On one half of a large tortilla, spread the desired amount of refried beans.

 3. Cover the beans with shredded cheese,

 your cooked egg,

 and the desired toppings.

 4. Heat the frying pan over medium heat. Roll up your tortilla, being careful to fold in the sides so your filling does not leak out. Cook over medium heat, rotating every 1-2 minutes, until all sides are crisp.

Stephanie's Fruit Pizza (Dessert)

This recipe comes from one of my students who is an awesome cook. Ever since watching Jamie Oliver's video on superb salads, she has made her own salad dressings for lunch. She has tried out her own oreo truffles. Most recently, she brought this wonderful dessert to a shared meal. It was wonderful because it had a little bit of sugary sweet (from the 'crust') with the rest of the flavor from the fruit.

This dessert would work well with many kinds of fruit, as long as they are firm, like kiwi, apples, or bananas. Watery fruit such as peaches or oranges would not be good.

Ingredients

• 1 package premade cookie dough (usually in the refrigerated section)
• vegetable oil spray
• one 13.5 oz tub of cream cheese fruit dip, such as T. Marzetti brand
• 1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1 pint fresh blackberries
• 1 pint fresh red raspberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven according to temperature on cookie dough package.
2. Very lightly, spray your pizza stone or cookie sheet.
3. Roll out sugar cookie dough into one large pizza size circle.
4. Bake according to package directions.
5. Once cookie 'crust' is completely cool, spread most / all of the fruit dip onto your cookie.
6. Evenly spread your fruit topping over the entire cookie.
7. This pizza can be covered with aluminum foil and placed in the fridge to be served later in the day if needed.

Double Cheese Mini Pizzas

Happy new year, friends! We've finally finished moving into our new home and I'm welcoming the new year with some fun snacks.

These mini pizzas are a good base because they can be jazzed up with a number of toppings. I anticipate us trying some with caramelized onions, finely chopped pepperoni, or even pesto.

You'll find two variations of the recipe: one in the traditional style, and one where the bread is toasted and cold mozzarella cheese is applied afterward. Both are delicious, although the cold variation does preserve the wonderful texture of cold mozzarella.

Ingredients

• fresh Italian bread
• pasta sauce
• fresh mozzarella, sliced (a 4 oz package will make one cookie sheet's worth of snacks)
• Parmesan cheese
• dried parsley

Directions - Hot Variation

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Cut Italian bread in half lengthwise, then slice into medium-thick pieces. Place on cookie sheet.
3. Spoon a small amount of pasta sauce and spread evenly on the bread.
4. Top each piece with a slice of mozzarella and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Finish with a pinch of parsley.
5. Bake at 450 degrees until cheese gets nice and gooey, about 5 minutes.

Directions - Cold Variation

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Cut Italian bread in half lengthwise, then slice into medium-thick pieces. Place on cookie sheet.
3. Spoon a small amount of pasta sauce and spread evenly on the bread.
4. Bake at 450 degrees for 3-4 minutes, until sauce begins to dry out.
5. Remove from oven. top with slice of cold mozzarella, sprinkle of parmesan cheese, and a pinch of parsley.

Black Bean Soup

Thanks to all my readers, who have been extremely patient during this busy time for me! We have been working toward buying our first home, and hope to be in by Christmas time. Thankfully, the paperwork has slowed down enough for me to try out some new recipes. Here is the first of what will hopefully be a return to somewhat regular postings for me.

I've had a variety of black bean soups over time, including ones that were entirely pureed. This is one that caught my eye because it was a little bit different. It is somewhat pureed (creating the thickener) but still maintains its body by having small chunks of vegetables and beans. It also has a simple, yet flavorful, seasoning.

This recipe was adapted from Food.com.

Ingredients
for a gluten-free meal, be sure to use a gluten-free bouillon cube, such as Herb Ox brand

• Olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and chopped
• pinch of dried cumin (about 1/2 tsp)
• a few shakes each of salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• two 15-19 oz cans black beans, (do not drain) divided use
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 bouillon cubes
• 2 tsp cornstarch

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add onions, garlic, and celery. Cook for 5-10 minutes, until softened. Add a little bit of water if it begins to stick.
3. Add cumin, salt and pepper, red bell pepper, and one can of black beans + their juice. Cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Using an immersion blender, puree soup. Alternatively, you can transfer it in batches to a blender to blend, then return to the large pot.
5. Add water, bouillon cubes, and second can of black beans + their juice. Bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to low. Scoop a mug-full of soup out, mix in cornstarch, then add back into pot. Stir well and serve immediately alongside bread or corn chips.

Baked Spaghetti

Why not?

My husband really enjoys baked pasta dishes. Recently he made the comment that, if it can be done with every other type of pasta, why not spaghetti? I couldn't argue.

As of late I have really enjoyed flexible recipes. Some of you may have noticed how less specific my recipes have gotten. It reflects a couple things. One is that my style of cooking is pretty flexible. I rarely do things the same way each time. The other thing it reflects is my hope that you will not be deterred from trying a recipe just because you are missing one ingredient. Likewise, if you'd rather avoid vegetables for some reason, just leave them out. The point: don't let barriers stop you from making good food for yourself and your family! I really hope you try this recipe out, and that you enjoy it.

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried long pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine are all good choices)
• olive oil
• your choice of vegetables, chopped into bite size pieces (I recommend onion, bell pepper, and mushroom)
• 1 regular size jar of pasta sauce
• 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• pinch of dried oregano

Directions

1. Drizzle a little olive oil into a 13x9 baking dish and spread around to coat. Set aside.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions.
3. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. 
4. Add your vegetables and saute until they have softened.
5. Add jar of pasta sauce and turn heat down to low.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Once pasta is cooked, drain and return to pot.
8. Stir in vegetable-sauce mixture to pasta.
9. Pour pasta into oiled baking dish. Cover with shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle the dried oregano over top.
10. Bake pasta at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
11. After the 20 minutes has passed, turn your oven up to Broil. Broil for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully, until cheese has browned. Remove immediately.
12. Let cool for up to five minutes before serving.

Chickpea, Potato, and Kale Soup

My friend Jonah, of the Jonah's Fish Chowder recipe fame,  came to visit a few weeks ago with a lovely surprise for me from his local farmers' market. It included oyster mushrooms, wedges of different cheeses, and a large bunch of chard. Since then, I've been daydreaming about leafy greens. (I know, that probably puts me in the category of food dork, but I'm okay with that.)

This is a variation on a soup that I used to make a long time ago. I love the combination of chickpeas and potatoes, and also how flexible the recipe is. Feel free to throw in other aromatics like carrots or celery with your onions; replace the kale with swiss chard; or even add some ground sausage to the mix.

Ingredients
(for gluten-free recipe, omit bouillon or use a gluten-free bouillon)
(for dairy-free or vegan recipe, omit parmesan cheese when serving)

• olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1/4 tsp dried whole thyme
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4-6 red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 8 cups water, divided use
• 3 tsp vegetable bouillon (or 3 bouillon cubes)
• two 15 oz cans of beans, drained and rinsed (I used one can of chickpeas and one of pink beans)
• 3/4 bunch fresh kale, rinsed well and chopped
•  parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, thyme, smoked paprika, and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper. Cook until translucent.
2. Add potatoes and 4 cups of the water. Cover and let sit until water comes to a boil. 
3. Reduce heat to low and stir in bouillon. Add the other 4 cups of water, and place kale on top of other ingredients. Return cover to pot and let the kale start to steam. 
4. After about 5-7 minutes, add beans, stir well, and return cover to pot. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, then turn heat off. Let sit, uncovered, for a couple minutes, then check flavors. Add more salt and pepper as needed.
5. Serve with a side of parmesan cheese, for sprinkling, if desired.