Green Beans with Bacon Vinaigrette

So this is a simple side dish that I have been making forever.  I always use fresh green beans because the are so much tastier.

1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed off and cut in two inch pieces
3 slices of bacon
1 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Steam green beans 8 - 10 minutes until tender crisp.  Or cook then in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain the beans.

In a medium size skillet cook the bacon until crisp.  Drain on paper towels and remove all but one tablespoon of bacon grease.  Break the bacon into small pieces.  Cook the onions over medium in the bacon grease until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the green beans, bacon, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper and cook on low for 5 minutes.  Serves 3 - 4 people.

Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

4 ½ teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel

2 large eggs

1 ¼ cups self rising flour

¼ cup buttermilk

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

12 teaspoons plus one tablespoon seeded raspberry jam

Fresh raspberries (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Using electric mixture, beat butter, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, and 3 teaspoons lemon peel in large bowl until blended, and then beat until fluffy and pale yellow.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating to blend after each addition.  Beat in half the flour.  Add buttermilk and 2 tablespoons lemon juice, beat to blend.  Beat in remaining flour.

Drop 1 rounded tablespoonful of batter into each liner.  Spoon 1 teaspoon raspberry jam over.  Cover with remaining batter, dividing equally.

Bake cupcakes until tester comes out clean, about 23 minutes.  Cool cupcakes in pan on rack.  Meanwhile whisk remaining 1 ½ cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 ½ teaspoons lemon peel in small bowl.  Spoon half the frosting over six cupcakes.  Whisk 1 tablespoon raspberry jam into remaining icing.  Spoon over remaining cupcakes.  Top with raspberries.

Tilapia Tostadas with Roasted Corn Relish

My daughter Maggie suggested that I post this recipe.  She also said that she has made it with chicken cooked with taco spices.  Give it a try either with chicken or fish.

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup yellow corn kernels
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red bell onion
1 1/2 teaspoon minced jalapeno pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 cup diced peeled avocado
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets cut into 2 inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon oil, divided
8 6 inch corn tortillas
1 cup packaged angel hair slaw

Combine sour cream and salsa.

Heat large skillet over medium high heat, coat with cooking spray.  Ad corn, bell pepper onion, jalapeno and 1/4 teaspoon salt to pan, saute five minutes stirring occasionally.  Remove mixture from pan, wipe pan clean with paper towels.  Add avocado and lime juice to corn mixture.

Sprinkle fish with remaining salt and pepper.  Place cornmeal in shallow dish and dredge fish in cornmeal.  Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in pan over medium heat.  Add half of the fish to the pan and cook for three minutes.  Turn fish and cook for 2 more minutes until fish flakes easily.

Coat both sides of tortillas with cooking spray and broil until crisp.  Place tortillas on plates and top each with fish, sour cream mixture, corn relish and slaw.

Southwestern Bake

What is easier than putting everything in one pan and throwing it in the oven? Give this a try.

1 pound ground beef
2 garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 15 ounce cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn thawed and drained
1 16 ounce container sour cream
2 cups salsa
5 cups crushed tortilla chips
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 large tomato, finely chopped
3 green onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In a medium skillet over medium heat brown the ground beef with garlic and onion, drain.

In a large mixing bowl, combine meat mixture, chili powder, black beans, corn, sour cream and salsa.  Stir until well blended.

Into a 9x13 baking dish, spoon enough meat mixture to cover the bottom.  Arrange half of the crushed tortilla chips on top of the meat mixture and layer with one cup of cheddar cheese.  Spoon another layer of the meat mixture on top of the cheese layer, cover with remaining tortilla chips and layer with one cup of cheddar cheese.  Spread final layer of meat mixture on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Top with diced tomatoes and green onions.

Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Amazing Meatloaf

I have tried a lot of different meatloaf recipes over the years and this is my favorite.

2 slices whole wheat bread
2 eggs
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup

Heat over to 350 degrees.  Spray a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Toast bread and cut into cubes.

Break eggs into a bowl and beat.  Add onions, milk, cheese, parsley, mustard, Worcestershire, salt, pepper and bread cubes.  Mix in ground beef.  Form into a loaf, or make two and freeze one.

Place into prepared dish and cover with ketchup. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes

Chocolate Raspberry Tart

"Most 6-year-old girls like funfetti cake or other Betty Crocker delites...but not Margaret" - MaryPat Flanagan. 

This is the dessert we made for Maggie's 6th birthday. 

1 ¼ cups of flour

1/3 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons butter, softened and cut into 8 pieces

1 large egg yolk

6 ounces of german chocolate, broken into small pieces

2 cups fresh raspberries

3/4 cup low sugar raspberry jam

1 tablespoon raspberry liqueur such as Chambord

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease or butter a 9 inch pie pan or 9 ½ to 10 inch two piece tart pan  Whisk flour, sugar and salt together in a bowl.  Add butter and mash with back of fork or cut with two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add egg yolk.  Mix with spoon or spatula until the dough comes together into a ball.  You can also do this in a food processor. Pat dough in the bottom of the prepared pan.  Thoroughly prick the bottom with a fork.  Bake until golden brown, 18 -22 minutes.

While crust is warm place german chocolate on top and let it melt.  Once it is melted spread evenly across the crust.  Let cool.

Place raspberry jam and liqueur into small saucepan and melt over low heat.  Once the chocolate is cool place raspberries neatly on top of the chocolate and pour jam and liqueur mixture over it evenly.