Cafe Rio Style Black Beans

2-15 oz cans black beans (drain one can, don’t drain the other) 2 cloves garlic minced 2 teaspoons cumin 3 tablespoons olive oil 1-11.5 oz can tomato juice salt kosher or sea salt and pepper to taste 1/4 cup chopped cilantro FOR 50: 1/2 cup olive oil 12 cloves garlic about 1/3 cup chopped garlic 1/2 cup ground cumin 12-15 oz cans of black beans drain 6 cans, do not drain 6 cans 60-70 oz tomato juice about 1 1/2 46 oz. cans Instructions FOR 8: In a non stick pan, cook garlic, cumin and olive oil over medium heat until fragrance is released, about one minute. Be careful not to burn garlic. Add beans, cook down for about 5 minutes until some of the liquid from the beans is absorbed and evaporated. Add can of tomato juice and seasoning to taste. Stir in chopped cilantro when ready to serve. INSTRUCTIONS FOR 50: Place oil in large pot. Add garlic and cumin, cook over medium heat until fragrance is released, about one to two minutes. Add black beans and tomato juice and salt to taste. Cook until mixture is heated through on medium heat. When mixture has cooked 20- 30 minutes, turn off heat and add chopped cilantro. Cool and store in refrigerator until ready to serve. When ready to serve, heat slowly on medium heat, stirring gently to avoid burning beans at bottom of pan. Add more tomato juice if needed. This may be made and stored up to five days before serving.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Cooking Classy - This Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is such a hearty and satisfying soup. It will quickly become a new favorite to add into your rotation. It's like a chicken noodle soup made creamy with rice in place of noodles. 

 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice blend* 

 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 small onion) 

 1 cup diced carrots (2 medium) 

1 cup diced celery (3 ribs) 

7 Tbsp butter, diced, divided 

1 large garlic clove, minced (1 1/2 tsp) 

4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 

1/4 tsp of each dried thyme, marjoram, sage and rosemary (or 1 tsp fresh, minced of any) Salt and ground black pepper, to taste 

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts halves 

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 

1 1/2 cups milk 

1/2 cup heavy cream 

1 tsp lemon zest 

 Prepare rice according to directions listed on package. 

Halfway through the rice cooking, in a separate large pot, melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat. 

Add onion, carrots and celery and saute 4 minutes

Add garlic and saute 30 seconds 

Add chicken broth, thyme, marjoram, sage, rosemary and season with salt and black pepper to taste

Increase heat to medium-high, add chicken and bring mixture to a boil.

Cover pot with lid, reduce to medium-low heat and allow mixture to simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 12 - 16 minutes (rotating chicken to opposite side once during cooking for thicker chicken breasts - if they don't fully immerse in broth). 

Remove chicken and set aside on cutting board to cool 5 minutes then shred into small bite size pieces. Leave soup covered over warm heat. 

Meanwhile in a separate medium saucepan, melt remaining 6 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook 1 1/2 minutes, whisking constantly. Then while whisking vigorously, slowly pour milk into butter/flour mixture. Whisk in heavy cream. Cook mixture, stirring constantly until it thickens. Add milk mixture to soup mixture in pot along with shredded chicken, cooked rice, and lemon zest. 

Stir well and remove from heat. Let soup cool slightly and serve. 

Notes *I recommend using Lundberg Wild Blend Rice if you can find it.

Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

3 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion diced
2 14.5-ounces each cans diced tomatoes
2 14.5-ounces each cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cream or half-and-half
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat and then add the diced onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep it from burning.
While that cooks, open three of the cans of tomatoes and drain the juice into a bowl (don't discard it!).
When the onions are soft, add the three cans of drained tomatoes, the bay leaf and the brown sugar. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every minute or two, until the excess juice has mainly cooked off and the tomatoes are sizzling.
Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about two minutes, then slowly add the tomato liquid, the broth, the last can of tomatoes, the baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, discard the bay leaf and blend the soup (either in a blender - be careful! or with an immersion blender). I've done it totally smooth and also more chunky and I strongly prefer it a little bit chunky. Stir in the half-and-half, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately, preferably with grilled cheese sandwiches.


Recipe from everydayreading.com

Amish Baked Oatmeal Recipe

1 1/2 cups milk (preferably anything but skim)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup maple syrup or packed light-brown sugar*
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups rolled oats (quick oats works fine too)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking dish, set aside.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together milk, eggs, maple syrup or brown sugar, butter, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.
Mix in oats.
Pour into prepared baking dish and spread evenly**.
Bake in preheated oven 30 - 40 minutes until set.
Let cool slightly then cut into squares and serve warm with fresh fruit, nuts, milk, a little cream or half and half, maple syrup or honey if desired.
Recipe Notes

*Sweetener amount can be adjusted to taste, I recommend using at least 1/4 cup (mildly sweet) and no more than 3/4 cup (really sweet).
**Oatmeal mixture can be refrigerated overnight if desired, then remove from fridge and let rest at room temperature 20 minutes while oven preheats and bake as directed.

Best Baked Oatmeal Toppings:
Fresh fruit (berries, sliced bananas, diced apples, etc)
Nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts)
Coconut
Maple syrup or honey
Milk or cream
Chocolate chips
Raisins or dried cranberries
Butter

Recipe from cooking classy.com

S’mores Magic Bars

These S'mores Magic Cookie Bars will disappear almost as fast as you can make them, they are irresistible! Made up of absolutely amazing layers of graham cracker, sugar cookie, chocolate, marshmallows, and topped with sweetened condensed milk, there is a LOT to love about these!

Graham Cracker Layer
9 graham cracker sheets approximately 5.4 oz worth, crushed
6 TBSPs of unsalted butter melted
2 TBSPs granulated sugar

Cookie Layer
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour scooped and leveled
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with cooking spray well and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the graham crackers, the 6 TBSPs of butter (melted) and the 2 TBSPs of sugar. Press into the bottom of the pan.
In a different bowl, mix together 1 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp baking powder, set aside.
Beat together 3/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup unsalted butter until creamy, about two minutes. Add in the egg and then the vanilla until just combined. Slowly add in the flour mixture until it is fully combined.

Very carefully spread the cookie dough mixture on top of the graham cracker crust. The easiest way to do this is to take small amounts, flatten it in your hands, and set it on the crust. You may not be able to entirely cover the graham cracker crust, that's okay.
Evenly spread the mini marshmallows and the chocolate chips over the top of the cookie dough. Then evenly pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top.
Bake for 22 to 27 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. (Mine required closer to 27 minutes.)
Let the bars cool overnight before cutting. Or just take a fork and go for it.


Recipe from simplejoy.com

Fudgy Brownie Cookies

These double chocolate Fudgy Brownie Cookies come out of the oven with a brownie edge and a gooey center. Delicious chocolate cookie!


1 c. flour
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 c. cocoa powder
2/3 c. white sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar (packed)
1 c. dark or milk chocolate (chopped) (can use chocolate chips)
1/2 c. butter, unsalted (1 stick)
2 eggs
sea salt or flake salt for topping (optional)


This recipe is all about getting the cookie dough in the oven while it's still warm from the melted chocolate. This means it's helpful to get everything measured beforehand, so you can work quickly.
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Then line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.
First, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cocoa powder) in a small bowl. Set aside.
Start a double boiler or bowl over boiling water on the stove. Get that boiling and meanwhile, in a stand mixer, add the the sugars and eggs and beat on medium high for 5 minutes. This step will ensure the crinkly, brownie tops of the cookies.
While that's whipping up in the stand mixer, add your chocolate and butter to the top bowl of your double boiler. Mix with a rubber spatula, scraping down the sides as it melts. Once completely melted, turn stand mixer down to low and slowly pour melted chocolate into egg and sugar mixture. Don't overmix. Mix until just combined. Then turn off mixer.
Using a rubber spatula, slowly fold in dry ingredients, until just combined. Don't be worried that it looks like brownie batter – it is much runnier than normal cookie dough. Also it is warm. Working quickly, using a cookie scoop (2-3 tbsp. size works great), scoop out ALL the cookie dough onto both baking sheets. Even though you'll only bake one cookie sheet first, you need to scoop all the dough while it's still warm. It will start to firm up as the chocolate cools.
Quickly add the first baking sheet to the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove and immediately put the second baking sheet in. (They will look slightly rounded when you remove them from the oven, but they will flatten and crinkle when you remove them and as they cool.)
If desired, sprinkle cookies with sea salt or flake salt when they come out of the oven. It's a great contrast to the sweet cookie. Let them rest for 10 minutes before eating – they will have a crisp on the outside and be gooey like a brownie on the inside!

Recipe from plumstreetcollective.com

Pizzeria Limone Salad Dressing

1/4 cup honey melted into 1/2 cup white vinegar
juice from 1 lemon
1/2 cup grapeseed oil, olive oil or avocado oil

Blend all in blender then add
2 T goat cheese
poppy seeds
pinch of salt

Baked Ziti Kelsey Nixon

The Best meal to take to a friend!

1 pound cottage cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 pound ziti or rigatoni
1 (32 oz.) jar marinara sauce - I like Rao’s
½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
cracked black pepper
¾ teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces mozzarella cheese , cut into ¼-inch pieces
Cooked Italian sausage, optional – see directions below
Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and add pasta; cook, stirring occasionally until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through about 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in a colander (do not wash the pot).
Add heavy cream to the pot and whisk in cornstarch over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce, basil, and ¾ cup mozzarella, then stir to combine. (*if using Italian sausage, add here) Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer pasta mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking dish and spread remaining marinara sauce evenly over pasta. Sprinkle remaining ¾ cup mozzarella and remaining ½ cup Parmesan over top. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and increase heat to broil. Broil for 5 minutes until golden and bubbly. Cool for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.
*You can easily add 1 lb. of sweet Italian sausage to this recipe. Brown the sausage in a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until golden brown and crispy. Then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Stir the cooked sausage into the sauce mixture just before combining with the pasta.

Homemade Ranch Dressing- Best Bites

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/8 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

Instructions
Combine mayo and buttermilk in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Add all seasonings and whisk to combine. Add additional buttermilk if desired for consistency. (see note below) For best results, let chill for an hour or more for flavors to intensify. Store in a lidded container in the fridge.

Note: Different mayonnaise brands produce different consistencies in this recipe. I have purposely kept the amount of buttermilk called for quite low to allow you to add more depending on the consistency. For me, about 2/3 cup buttermilk seems to be perfect, but that same amount is sometimes incredibly thick or incredibly thin for others. So just keep that in mind. Mix everything together and then add more buttermilk until it’s perfect for you.
Note: all spices and herbs listed below are dried. If substituting fresh, use the ratio 1 part dry = 3 parts fresh.

Russian Tea - Grandma Karma

Boil Together
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 cups orange juice
3/4 cup lemon juice
2 qts water
1 or 2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp almond extract
pinch of more of cloves

Let simmer and serve hot!

We made this for Emilys 6th birthday tea party and drank out of her great grandma Iones tea cups.