Recipe: Black Bean Salsa

Black Bean Salsa

1 (16 oz.) can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 tomatoes (chopped)
4 green onions (sliced)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
2 tsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Combine all ingredients; cover and refrigerate for 6-8 hours. Drain excess liquid before serving; serve.

*Johnna's tip: After our trip to Dallas this weekend, we picked up a new food fetish...TexMex. Not that we didn't already have a thing for all things queso and bean infused, but being in the rest haven for these foods gave us a new appreciation. It's funny because it seems in the District, we have a bit of a struggle finding real authentic Mexican food and in Dallas it's on every other corner. As we find on most of our journeys, however, we can always come home and remake what we discovered on the road...serve this dip (above) with tortilla chips.

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Recipe: Cheese Balls

Cheese Balls

2 (8 oz.) pkg. low fat cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup bell pepper (finely chopped) (*you choose colors of bell peppers)
2 tbsp. onion (finely chopped)
1 tbsp. seasoning salt
2 cups nuts

Combine all ingredients and place in place wrap; roll into a ball; chill for 4-6 hours and serve.

*Johnna's tip: Recently, one of our Twitter buddies requested a recipe from the 80's. We searched our brain for a recipe that was straight out of this punk era and the one thing that came to mind was Cheese Balls. In 1989, we were absolutely in love with the Babysitters Club book series (*We seriously read every book out of that teenage series). Cheese balls seemed to be Claudia's favorite dish to make when the club members got together which is what made us think this must have been the cuisine of the times (*well for teens that is...). Thinking about the Babysitters Club makes us miss the 80's immensely! Love the stories about Jess, Mallory and aww Stacey living at the Dakota! Funny we can still remember their names and stories like they were family members or real-life friends...

*Johnna's tip, tip: Serve with your favorite crackers or dippers such as celery or carrots.

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Recipe: Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

5 large portabello mushrooms
8 oz. fresh crab meat
6-8 green onions (chopped)
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. mustard
1 egg
4 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese (*save for end)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the crab meat, green onions, thyme, oregano, pepper and mustard. Add in the 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, mayo, bread crumbs and egg; fold in to combine all ingredients. Wipe off the mushrooms with a damp towel and spoon out the gills and the base of the mushroom; discard the gills and stems. Spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan cheese and paprika. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Remove and serve immediately.

*Johnna's tip: Pure experiment...that turned out good. Cravings always make us throw a few things together and see what comes out, which is what happened here. We had a craving for mushrooms that were stuffed with something. Crab meat and mushrooms are the best couple and make a family when paired with Parmesan cheese and green onions. We used ingredients from a few recipes we liked for crab stuffed mushrooms and twisted our own taste buds in the final recipe. Adjust measurements as you see fit, remember we did this recipe without much help from measurements and are only guesstimating (*Translation: Estimate; guess) what you should include to get the same tasty bite. Serve as an appetizer and Enjoy!

Recipe: Onion Dip From Scratch

Onion Dip From Scratch

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups onions (diced)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

In a saute pan over medium heat add oil, heat and add onions and salt. Cook the onions until they are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Mix the rest of the ingredients, and then add the cooled onions. Refrigerate and stir again before serving.

*Johnna's tip: Now the old rule is when cooking for a large group i.e. Thanksgiving or Christmas, you should never cook something you've never made before. Wish we had've listened. Last night was the D.C. Food Blogger Happy Hour and this month the theme was a potluck. It was a blast! A potluck is the absolute Food Blogger scene, it gives you the opportunity to show off your skills and check out what your fellow bloggers are cooking up in their kitchens. We chose a homemade onion dip recipe which turned out to be a big, fat failure. SMH (*Translation: Shaking My Head). Why did we choose the one thing that we had never cooked before?? Well here are a few reasons:

1. We needed to make it the night before b/c we have that thing called the day job and wouldn't get home in time on Wednesday to whip up a fantabulous (*Our made up word for fantastic and fabulous:-) dish.

2. We also needed a dish that could be refrigerated so we could just go home and grab the dish out of the fridge. We didn't want to have to fool around with warming anything up.

3. We thought if we chose a dish that we could warm up really fast when we got home, it would be cold by the time we arrived @ Union Row which would not be a good look if we're trying to show off our "cooking skills"...and

4. For selfish reasons, we wanted to try a new recipe...add something to our cooking resume.

What we found was we didn't show off much of our "cooking skills" with the onion dip...we just showed that yet again, we need to learn our boundaries. Stick to what we know was the lesson of the night. That's the good thing, however, about cooking and life...every lesson teaches you something and if you pull the positive from it, you'll get so much from that lesson. Now what shall we make for the next potluck??

*Johnna's tip, tip: We pulled this recipe from Alton Brown (*the scientist foodie of the Food Network) and love the ingredients...pair with your favorite tortilla chips.

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Recipe: Raspberry-Apple Danish Spread

Raspberry-Apple Danish Spread

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia Neufchatel Cheese (softened)
1 apple (chopped)
2 tbsp. seedless raspberry jam
1/3 cup granola
Ritz Brown Sugar Cinnamon Crackers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the cheese onto the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Combine the apples and jam and spread over the cheese. Top with the granola. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with crackers.

*Johnna's tip: The vacation is over. A very cold vacation but a vacation nonetheless. With the New Year we are glad to see new treats: Ritz Brown Sugar Cinnamon Crackers. We received these little bundles of joy about a week ago and have almost eaten the whole box. Now for those who read JKGF regularly, you know we are not sweet or snack people, but we might convert after trying these crackers. They are sweet but not too sweet and they taste exactly like their name suggests: cinnamon sugar. They make great bases for a breakfast appetizer such as the recipe posted above. Try just topping with plain cream cheese or eating them by their lonesome, Enjoy!

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Recipe: Rainbow Tomato Bruschetta (*As seen in the movie, Julie & Julia)

Rainbow Tomato Bruschetta (*As seen in the movie, Julie & Julia)

1 short crusty baguette (Cut lengthwise)
16 oz. multi-colored cherry tomatoes (seeded and chopped)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic (peeled and halved)
Kosher Salt (to taste)
Freshly Ground Pepper (to taste)
20-30 leaves freshly chopped basil

In a medium-sized bowl, toss together the tomatoes with 1 tbsp. olive oil, the basil (*leave some basil for garnish) and 1 1/2 tsp. salt. In a frying pan, fry the bread in 4 tbsp. olive oil and brown on each side. Rub the garlic cloves on one side of the fried bread and spoon the tomato/basil mixture over the bread. Sprinkle on a little more freshly chopped basil and salt. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: If you're a foodie, you recognize this recipe. Well, if you're a foodie that saw Julie & Julia, then you know where we got this recipe. It is as delicious as it looked on the screen! No really, it is. It's rare that we see things on TV that actually taste as good as they look on the screen so we were pleasantly surprised at this bruschetta. We often say "You eat with your eyes first" which is soo true. Ever had food placed in front of you that looked disgusting in its presentation?? It doesn't matter how good it tastes, you're already turned off by the look of it and don't even want a bite. Well this rainbow colored bruschetta made us want to eat the screen!

We tried this last night adding our own variations such as basing a few of the baguettes slices with goat cheese and then topping with the tomatoes and on another couple we topped with mozzarella cheese (*slightly melted). This is the most divine treat after a long day and when you just want some comfort in your life. The olive oil adds the right amount of greasiness...we wonder what this would be like if we used butter?? That would just put us over the top. As Julia would say "Bon Appetit!"

Recipe: Cobb Salad

Cobb Salad

8 slices bacon
3 boiled and chopped eggs
1 head iceberg lettuce (shredded)
3 cups cooked chicken meat (chopped)
2 tomatoes (seeded and chopped)
3/4 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
1 avocado (peeled, pitted and diced)
3 green onions (chopped)
1 (8 ounce) bottle Blue Cheese salad dressing


Add bacon to a skillet. Cook in 1 to 2 tbsp. oil over medium high heat until evenly browned. Drain, crumble and set aside. Divide shredded lettuce among the individual serving plates; then divide and arrange chicken, eggs, tomatoes, feta cheese, bacon, avocado and green onions in a row on top of the lettuce. Drizzle with Blue Cheese dressing. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: As we gear up our stomachs for the feast that will be had on Christmas Day, salads are in order. Cobb salad is one of the most classic salads to come across the American plate and contains something for every taste bud: chicken, bacon, cheese and veggies. For vegetarians, try substituting the bacon and chicken for MorningStar products, they have a cool selection of chicken and bacon without the meat (*we hope that makes sense...). Enjoy!

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Recipe: Creamy Tomato Soup w/ Herb Gremolata

Creamy Tomato Soup w/ Herb Gremolata (*Courtesy Chef Geoff)

4 (28 oz.) cans of whole san marzano tomatoes
10 oz. heavy cream
10 fresh basil leaves
Splash of balsamic vinegar
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Herb Gremolata (*for garnish)

In a large pot simmer the tomatoes and cream for 60 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender (or in a blender) while adding the basil leaves. Season with balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.


Herb Gremolata: Equal parts fresh parsley, basil, and oregano pureed in food processor with a little fresh garlic and lemon juice. Season to taste.

Top soup with HG and serve.

*Johnna's tip: We came across this recipe today courtesy Chef Geoff of DC. Our disclaimer is we have not tried this one @ home yet but we wanted to share because it looks pretty tasty. Pair with a grilled cheese or a crisp salad and Enjoy!

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Recipe: Easy Cheese Fondue

Easy Cheese Fondue

1 garlic clove (smashed)
4 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 (12 oz.) Yuengling beer
1/4 (12 oz.) Yuengling beer
3/4 tsp. Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Assorted Dippers (*We suggest sauteed mushrooms, steamed broccoli, toasted french bread w/ homemade herb butter and/or cauliflower)

In a 4 qt. saucepan, rub the smashed garlic clove all over the sides and bottom of the saucepan; melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute while constantly stirring until a roux is formed. Add in the beer and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer while stirring occasionally until the sauce is thick and consistent. Add in the All Purpose Sauce, mustard powder and cayenne pepper; stir to mix in completely. Add in the cheese one cup at a time ensuring to melt in between additions; stir until it is smooth. Add to fondue pot and serve with dippers.

*Johnna's tip: It's cold outside and time for warm, comfort foods. Fondue is a fun and easy start to a winter full of warm soups and the like. We paired our fondue with the suggestions we listed above and had a fun feast with our guests. The good thing about fondue is you can make just about anything into a dipping option, pick the foods you have taste for that match well with the cheese. This dish can serve up to four people or two very hungry people (*which is what we were last night...), Enjoy!

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Recipe: Baked Stuffy Shrimp

Baked Stuffy Shrimp

1 lb. large shrimp (peeled)
8 oz. lump crab meat
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. chopped onion
2 medium garlic cloves (crushed)
4 tbsp. bread crumbs
1 tsp. fresh parsley
1 lemon
1 egg
1 tbsp. capers
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup butter (melted)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Butterfly shrimp and place in a baking dish with the tails up. Saute the garlic and onion in butter. Combine with the remaining ingredients, except 1/2 cup melted butter. Stuff the shrimp with the mixture. Pour the melted butter over the top. Bake for 10-15 minutes until tails start to curl. Transfer to the broiler for 1-2 minutes until the top is brown. Serve with sliced lemon. Enjoy!

*Johnna's tip: Entertaining season is here. From now until the end of the year, it will seem like you're constantly having some sort of get together or attending someones holiday something. Be prepared! This is a quick, easy dish to wow your guest with...for some reason some people really get excited when food is stuffed with crab meat (*We are one of those people...). Try serving as an appetizer for a fall gathering and pair with your favorite Chardonnay.

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Recipe: Just Like Rosa Mexicano Guacamole

Just Like Rosa Mexicano Guacamole

Paste:
1 tbsp. finely chopped white onion
1 tbsp. fresh cilantro (chopped)
2 tsp. finely chopped jalapeno
1 tsp. salt

Guacamole:
1 medium ripe avocado
2 1/2 tbsp. plum tomatoes (diced)
1 tbsp. fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 tbsp. finely chopped white onion
Salt (to taste)

1 1/2 - 2 tsp. fresh lime juice (*This should be added and definitely added if you do not plan to serve immediately, Thanks Restaurant Refugee for the heads up!)

For the paste: Grind the onion, cilantro, jalapeno and salt together and mash until all ingredients become a paste. Set aside.

For the guacamole: Cut and take out the pit of the avocado. Scoop out the inside of the avocado being careful not to mash the avocado. Cut the avocado into large squares and gently fold in the paste. Add in the tomato, cilantro, onion and fold in gently being careful to keep the avocado in large pieces. Add in salt if necessary. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: This is it. This is the guacamole that we had been looking for. A year ago, you could not have paid us to put our lips to anything with avocado. That was until we came across the guacamole @ Rosa Mexicano...delicious. We couldn't stop eating it once we started and were disturbed to find that this is the only place that makes it like this (*Trust us, we searched high and low). We, however, feel that anything that can be made in a restaurant can be made at home and hence, our hunt began for Rosa Mexicano guacamole recipes. We think we've found it and thoroughly enjoyed this treat last night. Pair with your favorite tortilla chips or use as a topping for fish tacos. Enjoy!

**We snagged this recipe from http://www.delish.com/

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Recipe: Feta Spread

Feta Spread

1 (4 oz.) pkg. crumbled garlic and herb Feta Cheese
1 (8 oz.) pkg. reduced fat cream cheese
1 tbsp. milk
5 dashes of freshly ground black pepper
3 cups vegetable dippers

Combine cream cheese, Feta cheese, milk and pepper in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until mixture is well combined and at the desired spreading consistency. Cover and chill for 4-6 hours. Serve with vegetable dippers.

*Johnna's tip: Great snack idea. Pair with your favorite crackers or even use as a spread for bagels.

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Recipe: Ranch Dressing

Homemade Ranch Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup buttermilk powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Put mayonnaise, buttermilk and buttermilk powder in a medium jar with a tight-fitting lid. Sprinkle with a little salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Add chives, put lid on, and shake jar vigorously for 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning. Use immediately or refrigerate for a few days.

*Johnna's tip: Making your own salad dressing is fun and gives you more control of what to put over your salad. Trying to flatten that tummy for a Labor Day fiesta?? Use the low fat or fat free mayo in this recipe. Enjoy!

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Recipe: Salmon Tartare

Salmon Tartare

1 lb. raw salmon fillet
3 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
3 shallots (finely chopped)
2 tbsp. capers (rinsed, drained and chopped)
1 tbsp. fresh chives (chopped)
1 tbsp. fresh parsley (chopped)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
1 lemon (cut into wedges)

Slice and then finely chop the salmon; place in a bowl. Keep salmon very cool and handle as little as possible. Gently stir in oil, vinegar, shallots, capers, chives, parsley, salt and pepper. Cover the tartare lightly and refrigerate for up to an hour. Serve with lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!

*Johnna's tip: While thumbing through the cookbook, Creative Cooking the Costco Way, we came across this quick and easy appetizer. Tuna tartare is most commonly served in many restaurants and is an acquired taste. Try with salmon if you're not feeling tuna and spruce things up with a few sprigs of parsley for garnish.

*Johnna's tip, tip: Ohh and we have to put the disclaimer out there...Consuming raw foods can be bad for you, blah, blah, blah...basically, eat at your own risk.

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Recipe: Kentucky Beer Cheese on Toast

Kentucky Beer Cheese on Toast

1 lb. extra-sharp cheddar (*cut into 1 inch cubes)
3/4 cup dark beer
2 medium garlic cloves (*finely chopped)
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. cayenne
Salt (*to taste)
Toasted baguette slices from 2 baguettes
Sliced tomatoes

Preheat the broiler. In a food processor, combine the cheddar with the beer, garlic, mustard and cayenne and blend until smooth. Season the beer cheese with salt. Spread the toasts with the beer cheese and arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil the cheese-topped toasts 6 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes, rotating the pan, until the cheese is bubbling and browned around the edges. Top with tomato slices. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: This recipe, courtesy of Food and Wine Annual Cookbook 2009, stood out to us. What a great appetizer idea?? Quick, but a cool mix of two ingredients we love in food: beer and baguettes. Serve for a short notice get-together or when you just want a snack for the two of you:-)

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Recipe: Shrimp and Avocado Salad

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

1 lb. shrimp (peeled and deveined)
Old Bay seasoning (to taste)
Ground pepper (to taste) (*preferably from a pepper mill) 1 tbsp. of finely minced garlic
1 avocado
Mixed Greens
1 tomato

Season shrimp with Old Bay seasoning, ground pepper and finely minced garlic. Put in fridge for about 2-3 hours. Broil shrimp in oven for 6-10 minutes or until reddish color. Cut up avocado and tomato into small pieces. Put mixed greens in a bowl and add avocado and tomato pieces. Add shrimp to mixed greens mixture and a dressing of your choice (*I like Brianna's Real French Vinaigrette) Enjoy it!

*Johnna's tips: Today's recipe comes from one of our readers out of New York, thanks for the great salad! This is definitely healthy eating on a budget and can be your lunch for the week. Side with a delicious summer fruit like sliced mango, peaches or oranges.

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Recipe: Summer Chicken Salad

Summer Chicken Salad

2 cup diced chicken meat (*cooked and diced)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Dash of pepper
Cashews for garnish

Toss diced chicken meat, celery and parsley in a large bowl. Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, seasoned salt, and pepper; fold into chicken mixture. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: 90 degrees people! No time for slaving over the stove in this type of heat. Whip up a good chicken salad and buy your favorite wheat bread, some crackers or some mixed raw veggies (*that can be consumed raw, of course...) and munch on this until the heat wave passes. Yes, in DC, 90 degrees can be considered a heat wave (*Well that's because the heat is in conjunction with the humidity, emissions from the buses and trains and not to mention the crowds of tourists adding to the over a million residents of the District...Not to say we're not glad to have them, but it does add to the body heat numbers...) Stay cool!

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Recipe: Gazpacho

Gazpacho

4 large tomatoes (chopped)
1 medium green pepper (chopped)
1 cup tomato juice
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
3 medium cucumbers (chopped)
3 medium onions (chopped)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Mix ingredients together and add half of the ingredients to a blender, blending on high for 8 seconds. Stir in the rest of the chopped vegetables. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Gazpacho is a soup that is served cold. It is a dish of Latin American descent and works perfect during the summer time when you're in the mood for a soup but without all the heat.

Picture source: http://www.aboutgranada.com/granada/food-drink.asp

Recipe: Chile-Con Queso

Chile-Con Queso

2 lb. box Velveeta Cheese (cubed)
6 cloves of fresh garlic (finely chopped)
2 jars (16 oz.) hot salsa
1 green pepper (chopped)
5 small cans of Chile peppers (chopped)

In a double-boiler, heat the cheese. Add in the garlic and salsa. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30-35 minutes. Add in the green pepper and Chile peppers; stir. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: The 4th is over, but the summer has just begun. This means you will still be entertaining at some point and it's good to have a couple of quick side dish recipes lying around that you can prepare on the spur of the moment. Serve with tortilla chips and some fresh chopped tomatoes...We even like the idea of serving with some baby tomatoes or inside tomatoes that have been seeded and emptied.

Picture source: https://www.bobevans.com/recipe/Sausage_Con_Queso_Dip.aspx

Recipe: Cheese Balls

Cheese Balls

2 cups shredded cheese
4 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp. finely diced onions
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup salad dressing
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine first 5 ingredients, mix well; form into small balls and roll into the chopped pecans. Cover plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Looking for a quick hor d'oeuvre?? This is your recipe. Serve with some gourmet crackers or baguettes for your next wedding or bridal shower...or whenever you feel the need for some quick, tasty appetizers...;-)

Picture source: http://www.monsoonagro.com/cocktail-starters.html