Black Bean Taco Filling

I've been looking for a yummy taco filling for a LONG time...found one! And it's easy, which is even better. :) Also, I think it would be a good chip dip, and it's about a million times better than refried beans.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained, rinsed, and smashed

2 Tbsp yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 Tbsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp chili powder

1 cup salsa

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, pepper, and garlic, cook until tender. Stir in mashed beans, then add the cornmeal. Stir in the spices and salsa. Cover and cook 5 minutes. See, easy peasy!

Scalloped Coconut Curry Potatoes

These are super delicious! Taunalee and I made up the recipe in a fit of creativity last night, and it turned out really good!

You'll need:

10 small-mediumish yukon gold potatoes

1 medium onion

1-2 cups fresh spinach leaves

2 parts salt: 1 part yellow curry powder, to taste

1 can coconut milk

¼ cup soy milk

1/3 cup flour

unsweetened coconut flakes

Slice the potatoes and mince the onion. Grease a 9x13 pan and layer half the potatoes, half the onion, and half the spinach leaves. Sprinkle half the flour and half the seasonings on top. Repeat with remaining potatoes, onions, spinach leaves, flour, and seasonings. Pour the milk over top of the entire dish, and sprinkle with coconut flakes. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for an hour. Remove cover and bake for 15 more minutes.

Taunalee says they're so creamy you can't even tell there's no dairy in them.

Still Cooking Barefoot

I came across this little treasure, and it had to be posted!

Harvest Vegetable Stew

Love this hearty vegetable stew! So good. You can even make it in a dutch oven!

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

3 medium onions, chopped (3 cups)

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)

1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch dice

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes

1 19-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until softened, 4-6 minutes. Add squash, bell pepper, garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add broth, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about 10 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes and chickpeas, return to a simmer. Cover and simmer until squash is tender but not mushy, 8-10 minutes.

Season stew with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

I'm not a big lover of Pumpkin Pie...something about the texture gets me every time. But I love pumpkin flavored everything else, so this sounded like a fun option! And it's pretty good. I'm a bit of a Pecan Pie snob, and would rather have it unadulterated, but I'd make this pie again!

1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe here: Cherry Raspberry Pie)

Pumpkin filling:

1 1/4 cups solid pack pumpkin

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp half and half (I used soy creamer, and it worked great!)

2 tsp vanilla

3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp salt

Pecan filling:

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

pecan halves for decoration

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the pumpkin pie filling by combining all of the ingredients and stirring well. Prepare the pecan pie filling in a separate bowl by combining the corn syrup, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt in a bowl, mixing well. Then stir in the pecans.

Pour the pumpkin filling into the pie crust. Carefully spoon the pecan filling over the pumpkin. Decorate the top with pecan halves (this is my favorite part!). Bake on a cookie sheet, to prevent spillage in your oven, for 65-70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 1 hour. Chill 3 hours before serving.

You end up with a caramelized crunchy pumpkin filling that's super delicious.

Caramel Popcorn

This is definitely my most requested recipe. So I'm putting it on this blog cause it'll be a whole lot easier to share that way!

3 bags buttery microwave popcorn

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 cup karo syrup

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Pop and dekernel the popcorn. Set aside. Combine brown sugar, karo syrup, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Boil to soft ball stage and pour over popped corn. Set out to cool. Delicious! Keep it covered or it hardens!

Lemon Meringue Pie

Tis the Season....for me to make pies. :) I've been experimenting with some different kinds lately, and can I just say, I LOVE PIE!!! I don't think I have a favorite anymore. I just really like them. :)

Baked Pie Crust (See my pie crust recipe here: Cherry Raspberry Pie. Bake at 450, 10-12 min.)

3 large egg yolks (you'll use the whites later-save them!)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 plus 1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 1/2 cups water

3 Tbsp butter (I used vegan butter)

2 tsp grated lemon peel

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 drops yellow food color, if desired

Meringue for 9-inch pie (recipe below)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Beat egg yolks with a fork in a small bowl. Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan, gradually stirring in the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Immediately stir at least half of the hot mixture into the egg yolks; stir back into the hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir 1 minute, remove from heat. Stir in the margarine, lemon peel, lemon juice, and food color. Pour into pie crust.

Prepare Meringue:

3 large egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

6 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Beat in sugar, 1 Tbsp at a time; continue beating until stiff and glossy. Do not underbeat. Beat in vanilla.

Spoon meringue onto hot pie filling. Spread over filling, carefully sealing meringue to edge of crust to prevent shrinking or weeping.

Bake 8-12 minutes or until meringue is light brown. Cool away from draft. Cover and refrigerate cooled pie until serving, and immediately refrigerate any remaining pie.

Yummy!