Bean Burritos

Feed your family a tasty and easy meal for cheap! It’s a win/win!

Sauté:

1 clove garlic

1 chopped onion

in 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Stir in:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup sour cream

1/8 tsp cumin

salt and pepper

1 can green chilies, optional

Fill 4 to 8 flour tortillas with bean mixture. Place in a 9x13 baking dish. Cover with 3/4 cup salsa or 1/2 can enchilada sauce. Cover with grated cheese. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Salsa Fresca (Fresh Summer Salsa)

This is a delicious and refreshing way to use up some of those tomatoes you probably have starting to get ripe in your garden.

2 very large tomatoes

4 or 5 green onions

1 Tbsp of Anaheim green chili OR 2 dashes cayenne pepper (use gloves when handling hot peppers)

2-4 Tbsp fresh cilantro (more or less—you know me, I go with less.)

1/4 to 1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp minced garlic (like the kind in a jar) or 1 clove fresh garlic, minced

salt (to taste)

Finely chop the tomatoes, onions, chili and cilantro. Stir in the garlic and cumin. Season to taste with about one teaspoon of salt. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips or use as a condiment for tacos, taquitos or Amy’s Chicken Mexican Casserole. :)

*For a winter substitute, replace the tomatoes with whole canned tomatoes (whirled in a blender or food processor), the green onion with white onion and the chili with a small can of Ortega canned chiles. Puree equal amounts of tomato and chiles and add chopped onion and other spices to taste. This can be bottled for a longer shelf life if desired.

Cauliflower Gratin

Another recipe for when the standard sides get a bit boring.

from Everyday Food

1 large head of cauliflower
1 c. heavy cream (I use 3/4 c. low-fat milk)
1 Tbl. flour
1 c. grated Parmesan/Pecorino Romano
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1/2 c. breadcrumbs (I love using Panko breadcrumbs with this)
Butter

Preheat oven to 400.  In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, cored and cut into florets, cream or milk, flour, and 3/4 c of cheese.  Season with salt and pepper, tossing to combine.  Transfer mixture to a 2-quart baking dish , cover tightly with foil, and bake 30 minutes.  In a small bowl, combine 1/4 c. cheese and breadcrumbs.  Sprinkle over cauliflower.  Dot with 1 Tbl. butter, cut into small pieces, and bake, uncovered, until topping is golden brown and cauliflower is tender when pierced with a knife, 10 - 15 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

My family would probably choose broccoli for their vegetable at every meal, and while I can't complain about that, steaming it in the microwave does get a little old.  I adapted this from a Barefoot Contessa recipe and it is delicious!

A few bunches of fresh broccoli, washed and trimmed into florets
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper (freshly ground is best)
1-2 Tbl. lemon juice
1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan (or...wait for it...Pecorino Romano, my personal favorite)

Heat oven to 425.  "Blanch" broccoli (I usually put it in a covered dish with a bit of water and microwave it for a couple of minutes -- you don't want it completely cooked) and then toss with a few tablespoons of olive oil, sliced garlic, salt, and pepper.  Place on a half-sheet pan or cookie sheet in a single layer and roast for 10-15 minutes, just until the tips start to brown.  Immediately toss with lemon juice and Parmesan and serve.

Twice Baked Butternut Squash

I usually scale this down quite a bit unless we're having company over, because while delicious, my husband and two of my three children are not squash fans.  Another Martha Stewart recipe. :)

6 butternut squash (about 9 pounds total)
1 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon  sour cream
2 teaspoons paprika
6 fresh chives, cut into 1/8-inch pieces
3 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs, lightly toasted

Heat oven to 450 degrees with the rack in center. Halve squash lengthwise, and remove seeds and fibers. Sprinkle squash halves with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Fill a roasting pan with 1/4 inch water. Place squash in pan. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake until squash is tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer squash to a cool surface, and let cool enough to handle. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees.

Use a spoon to scoop baked flesh out of each half into a large bowl, leaving a 1/4-inch border around six of the halves so they will keep their shape. To the bowl, add sour cream, paprika, chives, and remaining teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix with a handheld electric mixer or potato masher until smooth and well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Fill six squash halves with mixture (discard remaining six empty halves). Sprinkle tops with toasted breadcrumbs. Bake until golden brown and warm throughout, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve.

Wild Rice Stuffed Squash

This is a really yummy recipe that I adapted from a back issue of Everyday Food!

2 acorn squashes (1 1/2 pounds each), halved lengthwise, seeds removed
2 Tbl. butter
1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. Herbes de Provence
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 box (6 ounces) wild-rice blend (seasoning packet discarded)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pecans, chopped, optional

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange squash cut side down; cover sheet tightly with aluminum foil. Roast until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add onion, garlic, and Herbes de Provence; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add rice and 1 3/4 cups water; bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender, without stirring, about 25 minutes.

Remove rice from heat, and stir in cranberries and pecans; season stuffing with salt and pepper. Season the inside of each squash half with salt and pepper. Dividing evenly, mound stuffing into halves, and serve.

Double-Decker Stuffed Portobello Sandwiches

Now, I could never in a million, trillion years get my best guy to eat these, but boy HOWDY are they yumm-o!

from Every Day with Rachael Ray


6 potato rolls
12 portobello mushroom caps, stems discarded
1 red onion, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices (I  made mine a bit thinner)
1/4 c. olive oil
Salt and pepper
8 oz. blue cheese, crumbled (next time I am going to try it with Boursin)

Preheat grill (or grill pan) to high.  Grill the rolls until lightly toasted.  Brush mushroom caps and onion with the olive oil;  season with salt and pepper.  Place on the grill, cover and cook, turning once, for 8 minutes.  Transfer onion to a plate.  Divide the blue cheese among 6 of the mushroom caps, stem side up, and top each with a remaining mushroom, stem side down.  Cover and grill until the cheese "melts," about 1 minute.  Place a mushroom stack on each of the roll bottoms and top with the onion and roll tops (I found it a bit easier to top the cheese with the onion and then the second mushroom).

Tortilla Black Bean Pie

I originally got this recipe from my sister who saw it in an issue of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine. It's simple and has fed our family on occasion when there wasn't too much in the cupboard. It's also a great vegetarian dish.

• 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas (I have used smaller and just overlapped them to fit the pan)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn (I often use canned)
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
• 2 1/2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese (I usually use sharp but that's just me)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and cumin; Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add beans and water to skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn and green onions, and remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer. Bake until hot and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Unmold pie; sprinkle with additional green onions. To serve, slice into wedges. 

We often eat ours with sour cream and salsa. Esmiley had left a  comment on the original post that she has a guacamole and salsa variation. Sounds fantastic! 
(Recipe and photo taken from marthastewart.com with minor modifications)