Black Bean Corn Salsa

You can call this by many names. Cowboy Caviar, salsa, bean dip... but it is so much better than any of those, and it is always delicious. My husband came up with this to put on a chicken dish one night, but it never made it. He tasted it with a spoon; I tasted it with a Tostito chip. And it was a-maz-ing! So, we scooped up a bowl and ate it straight. And we've made it again and again. Everyone we share it with loves it too. It's just so fresh with different textures and the flavors just blend and create something above the parts.  You should really try this recipe and let us know what you think!

2 cans of black chili beans, partially drained

1 can of hot pinto chili beans, partially drained

3 ears of corn, roasted and cut off the cob

1 small jicama, peeled and diced small

1 medium red onion, finely diced

2-3 jalapeños, depending on desired heat, roasted and finely diced (can add cayenne or serrano if you prefer hotter peppers)

4-6 cloves of garlic, roasted and pressed

2 limes, zested and juiced

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1-2 Tbsp kosher salt, to taste

1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar (or use 1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar)

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

ground cayenne to taste, if additional heat desired

Oil - can use olive or vegetable

Shuck the corn. Lightly oil the corn, peppers and garlic cloves, and salt liberally. Roast under the broiler, rotating several times to achieve even color. Place peppers into a zip-top bag after charring to steam and release skins. Wrap garlic in foil and set aside off the heat to finish cooking. Roasting can also be achieved on the grill or charcoal chimney (as shown in the picture).

Partially drain the cans of beans and put beans and remaining sauce into a large bowl. Mash about 1/2 of them.

Finely dice the red onion and put in the bowl.

Peel the jicama (my husband uses a large butcher knife, but you can use a peeler if you're more comfortable) and cut it into small dices.

Dice the jalapeño, use a garlic press or the back side of the knife to smoosh the garlic, and cut the corn off the cob. Place it all in the bowl.

Chop the mint and cilantro and add it to the bowl.

Zest the lime into the bowl and then juice one of the limes into the bowl. Once you stir the ingredients together, you may want to add more to taste.

Add the spices, salt, and vinegar. Stir all of the ingredients until combined. Taste and adjust the variable ingredients as desired. Allow the salsa to rest and marry the flavors in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, overnight for the best taste. Break out your chips and enjoy!

 

Brownie and Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bites

 

I love chocolate. I know it's passé, but I seriously do love chocolate. I bake a lot of different chocolate recipes - cookies, donuts, cupcakes, cheesecake, mousse, and probably more if I think on it longer. So, I thought what could be better than combining different chocolate desserts? Behold my version of a brownie and cheesecake bite. I decided to make the cheesecake as a vanilla and chocolate chip version, and it's pretty darn tasty.

Brownies 

3 1/3 cup sugar (667 grams)

1 cup butter (or margarine)

8 oz unsweetened chocolate baking bar

1 tsp ground instant espresso

1/4 cup warm water

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (400 grams)

4 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium size pot, melt the sugar, butter, unsweetened baking bar, and the espresso dissolved in warm water over medium heat until melted.

While the chocolate mixture melts, in a bowl measure out the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. 

When the chocolate mixture finishes melting, transfer the contents to a bowl and allow it to cool so the eggs don't scramble when you add them. I recommend you prep the cheesecake mixture while the chocolate mixture cools. (see below)

Add the vanilla and stir until combined.

Once the chocolate has cooled enough, add the eggs one at a time, combining well after each addition.

Add the flour mixture and mix until combined.

Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

1/2 cup sugar (50 grams)

8 oz cream cheese (full fat)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth.

Add the egg and beat until incorporated, but not more than necessary. Be sure to scrape down the sides to ensure the cream cheese is incorporated.

Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated.

Fold in the mini chocolate chips.

Put muffin liners in 24 muffin tins. Using a 30 scoop, put one scoop of brownie mix in the bottom of each tin. Use your fingertip to slightly flatten the scoops of batter.

Using a 50 scoop, put one scoop of cheesecake batter on the brownie batter and spread out.

Using the 30 scoop again, top each cup with another scoop of brownie batter. Again, use your fingertips to slightly flatten and spread out the brownie batter.

Bake 20 mins until tops are set.

No-bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

 

No-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies. Sounds unassuming, right? Maybe even sounds a touch healthy. But these little gems just melt in your mouth and taste absolutely amazing. I'm not even sure where I got the recipe. Many moons ago, I got a similar recipe from my high school English teacher who had made something she called boiled cookies. It is a very similar recipe, but just slightly different. Here's the card I filled out at least 30 years ago... and this one has definitely survived the test of time. If you've never tried them, you'll want to hurry to the store for the ingredients, because they are so worth it!

2 cups sugar (400 grams)
1 1/2 Tbsp cocoa
4 ounces evaporated milk (1/2 cup)
4 ounces unsalted butter (1/2 cup or 1 stick)
1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (180 grams)

3 cups oatmeal

I rarely ever make a single batch of these cookies, so you will see that my measurements look rather large. I made a quadruple batch in these photos.

In a pot large enough for your ingredients, combine the sugar, cocoa, butter, and evaporated milk and turn heat to medium-high. 

While that begins to heat up, measure out the vanilla, peanut butter, and oats to ensure a smooth and swift mixing process. You will also want to lay out parchment paper on several baking sheets or your counter. I normally just use the kitchen counter.

Bring the cocoa mixture to a roiling boil, stirring frequently. Not a light bubbling boil, but you want the mixture twisting and turning and bubbling everywhere. 

Add the vanilla and peanut butter and stir until smooth and creamy and you no longer see ribbons of peanut butter.

Stir in the oats and ensure they are disbursed throughout the mixture evenly.

Use a cookie scoop to make your cookies consistent and evenly sized. The scoop also makes it easier to get through the mixture before it cools and hardens. And you will want to move quickly. Once the mixture cools, you're just going to get crumbs - not cookies.

Let the cookies cool at least 30 minutes before trying to move them. Once you're able to pick them up, store the cookies, minus what you eat while packing them, in a sealed container. These will last for a couple of weeks if stored properly.