Southwest Pasta Salad

I adapted this recipe from the one found at OurBestBites

1 1/2 lb Fusilli, Rotini or Bow Tie Pasta (We used Trader Joe's organic Fusilli)
2-3 14oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
6 roma tomatoes, diced or about 1 1/2 C or halved cherry tomatoes ( I love Trader Joe's Sugar Plum Tomatoes)
3 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 C sliced green onions (we didn't add these in the salad that was served at the Visiting Teaching conference)
1 1/2 C frozen fresh corn
optional: 16 oz diced cooked chicken and/or 1 C Queso Fresco or Cotija Cheese (or you could sub grated jack, cheddar or pepperjack)

Dressing:
6 Tbs fresh lime juice (about 3 juicy limes) (Lemon juice can me substituted if you really need it, but lime is best.)
1/4 C white wine or rice vinegar (I always use seasoned rice vinegar)
4-5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (I use 5 tsp. of the jarred, minced garlic)
1 heaping Tbsp chili powder
2 heaping tsp cumin
1 heaping tsp coriander
1 heaping tsp kosher or sea salt
2 tsp sugar (add a touch more if your limes are extra sour/bitter)
3/4 C canola oil
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro (I use 4 cubes of the frozen cilantro from Trader Joe's, but that amount is a super-duper mild, almost unnoticeable cilantro flavor - it just blends in rather than stands out.)

Boil pasta in salted water until cooked. While it’s cooking, prepare dressing.

Juice your limes.

Place the lime juice, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and sugar in a blender. (Basically everything except the cilantro and oil) Process until smooth. With the motor running slowly, add the oil in a steady stream until incorporated. Add the cilantro and pulse so it gets broken up, but some pieces still remain in tact. (If you use the frozen cubes, then toss it in at the spices and vinegar stage.)

When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse immediately with cold water to cool. Place the pasta in the large salad bowl. Add black beans, tomatoes, diced pepper, green onions, corn (no need to thaw the corn), and chicken if desired. Toss with dressing. Taste, and add additional salt and pepper to taste. My family loves to eat it warm, but you can chill it for 1 hour before serving. Right before serving, sprinkle cheese on top. Serve with extra lime wedges if desired.

Makes about 7 - 10 dinner servings or 14 - 20 side servings.

Sweet Potato Quesadillas

from "Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home"

1 1/2 c. finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 c. grated, peeled sweet potatoes (About 3 potatoes or 1 1/2 large ones. Grating it in the food processor is the easiest, quickest way)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. chili powder (I use 1 Tbs.)
2 tsp. ground cumin
generous pinch of cayenne (optional)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

8 tortillas (8-10 in. size)
salsa
sour cream

Saute the onions and garlic in the vegetable oil until the onions are translucent. Add the grated sweet potatoes, oregano, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne. Cook, covered, for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. (I find it takes more like 20 minutes and I have to add a little bit of water towards the end of the cook time, because it starts to stick and the water stops that- plus the steam helps finish off the cooking.) When the sweet potato is tender, add salt and pepper to taste and remove the filling from the heat. Spread 1/8 of the filling and 2 Tb. of cheese on half of each tortilla, leaving a 1/2-in. border along the edge and cook in a heated (med. heat), lightly oiled skillet for 2-3 minutes per side - until the cheese is melted and the filling is hot.

Jenae's Black Bean Salsa

1 can corn drained and washed
1 can black beans - drained and washed
1/2 of an onion - chopped
1 green bell pepper - diced
1 clove garlic - minced
salt and pepper
Italian dressing (don't have a measurement, just to make it moist)
Ranch dressing - just a couple squirts. You want more Italian dressing than Ranch.
Optional items to add:
avocado
cilantro

Tostito lime chips go great with it!!

** This was served at our Budgeting Relief Society Activity. Lots of requests for it. Thanks Jenae!! **
** Submitted by: Jenae Rivera

Cooking for a Crowd

Hi Sisters,
We are going to use our Recipe blog as a place to post recipes "for a crowd" or recipes that easily doubled or tripled. These would be recipes for 20 or more. The sisters in our ward would use these recipes for preparing meals for InnVision, the shelter we provide meals for once a month or ward activities and other big events.
So please share your recipes {for a crowd} that you have been successful with and label how many the recipe would serve. Your talents will help us out so much!
~Sara

Ultimate Pumpkin Waffles Recipe

INGREDIENTS
makes 4 round “Belgian” style pumpkin waffles

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg*
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and warm

*Grated and lightly packed into the spoon, use 1/2 tsp. Grated and loosely scooped, this is about 1 tsp. of nutmeg. If you have to use pre-grated, dried nutmeg, use 1/4 tsp.

DIRECTIONS

1. Lightly oil the waffle iron with vegetable oil, and set it to the desired temperature.

2. Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Whisk together to break apart the cornstarch. Add the remaining dry ingredients, and whisk to blend.

3. Separate eggs: yolks go in a medium sized bowl and whites get set aside in a smaller bowl.

4. Add pumpkin and milk to the egg yolks. Whisk to blend and set aside.

5. Whip egg whites with a hand mixer on high until stiff peaks form – about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. Set aside.

6. Pour melted butter into the yolk/milk/pumpkin mixture. As you pour, whisk to combine.

7. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients, and mix them together until just combined. A little lumpiness is fine. That will smooth out when the egg whites are added.

8. Slide the whipped egg whites out of the bowl and onto the mixture you just prepared. Gently fold them in until no white bits are obvious.

9. Once the waffle iron is heated, you’re ready to pour the batter! In my Presto FlipSide waffle maker , cook time is exactly 2 minutes 30 seconds.

This recipe has been posted with permission from:

http://pumpkinwaffles.wordpress.com/ultimate-pumpkin-waffle-recipe/

BBQ Pulled Pork- Southern Cooking

4-7 lbs Pork Roast
1 1/2 Garlic Salt
2 tsp Worchestershire Sauce
1 tsp Onion Salt
2 tsp Pepper
2 tsp Celery Salt
1 cup or less of sugar
1 cup Hickory flavored BBQ sauce
1 cup Russian dressing

Make paste with salts, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Rub all over roast, coating outside. Put in heavy roasting pan or Dutch oven. Bake at 225 degrees for several hours or over night. (Crockpot is ok too.) Put back in pan. Combine sugar, BBQ sauce, and Russian dressing. Pour over pork and warm for 45 min-1 hour.  EAT!!!


Recipe by Tasha Wilde

Pizza Dough

a single batch serves 2

I've played around with different sizes and thicknesses for the pizza, and here's what I've learned.

Thick Crust
Single batch = one 9-in. round
Double batch = one 9 x 13 or two 9-in. rounds
Triple batch = one jelly roll pan or 12 x 16 cookie sheet with sides or three 9-in. rounds

Thin Crust
Single batch = two 9-in. rounds
Double batch = two 9 x 13 or four 9-in. rounds
Triple batch = two 12 x16 cookie sheets with sides

Note- If you have a pie or cake pan that is 7-in or 8-in round that's just fine too - the crust will just be a little thicker.
(By the way, you should use metal pans, I don't think glass will cook it right.)

Recipe

1/2 tsp. rapid-rise yeast
1/3 c. + 2 Tbsp. warm milk
1 tsp. sugar

*In a measuring cup warm the milk in the microwave, then add the yeast & sugar. Stir. Proof the yeast for 10 - 15 minutes

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt

*Mix together and then knead for 3 to 4 minutes - until smooth

Add 2 tsp. olive oil

*Knead for 5 minutes more - until oil is incorporated into the dough

*Brush your pan with 1 tsp. oil

*Roll dough out to a size that is slightly larger than the pan you are using, because it springs back.
*Lay your dough into the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 - 1 1/2 hours. (We put ours in our car if the day has been warm/hot and can get it to rise in an hour or less.)

(Alternate method is to heat oven to 150 degrees, turn it off and then while you're making the dough let the oven cool a bit - hopefully it will be the right temperature to put the dough into for rising. Check to make sure it isn't too hot because you don't want to melt your plastic wrap. I can usually get my dough risen in 45 minutes that way. But you HAVE to remember to take your pizza out of the oven while you preheat for the baking.)

*Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
*Bake for 5 - 7 minutes.
*Top with your sauce and toppings.
*Return to oven for 7 - 10 minutes more - until cheese is melted.


Note - If you use regular yeast you'll have to raise the dough twice. (make a dough ball, let rise, then punch down and roll out) And that makes the pizza dough take twice as long to make.