Becca's Fruit Salad

A super easy Thanksgiving Tradition. Precise measurements are not required!

Ingredients:

• 1 fresh pineapple*
• 2-3 clementines
• 2-3 medium bananas
• 1 medium apple
• 1 can fruit coctail
• 2-3 scoops Cool Whip

Directions:

Peel and cut fruit to bite-sized pieces (I do not peel the apple). Allow juice from pineapple to mix with bananas and apples to keep them from browning. Stir in Cool Whip. Store in fridge.

*I use 1/2 to 3/4 of the pineapple, and set the rest out for those who like enjoy the fresh pineapple on its own.

Columbus Cookies

This recipe came to me from my friend Krista. It is my new all-time FAVORITE chocolate chip cookie recipe. The basic recipe (everything minus the chips) is delicious and works with any type of baking chip, candy, or nut you want to add. (HINT: Don't over mix the dough, and use a light jelly roll pan or pizza stone instead of an airbake cookie sheet)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. softened butter (unsalted)
  
• 1/2 c. butter flavored shortening
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
  
• 1-2 tsp. vanilla
  
• cinnamon (a few good dashes worth should do it)
• 2 1/4 c. white flour (up to about 3/4 c. of whole grain wheat flour can be substituted without changing the flavor too much)
  
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• chocolate chips (Krista prefers milk chocolate; M&Ms and butterscotch chips taste great too!)
  

Directions:

Cream butter, shortening, and sugars just until blended. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon. Either mix together flour, salt, and soda separately and then add to wet mixture, OR mix in salt and soda first and then add flour. Mix in chips. (Remember: don't over mix!)

Drop by the spoonful on a greased light jelly roll pan and bake at 350-375F until tops begin to golden (about 8-10 minutes).

Our Favorite Shepherd's Pie

Shortly after the birth of our baby, our friend Emily made us a shepherd's pie. At first my husband wasn't too thrilled--he had never had a shepherd's pie he liked. Then he took a bite, and was amazed. "Wow, this is really good!"

Recently, my husband's mom and little brother Danny came for a visit. I had made a shepherd's pie according to Emily's recipe the night before. I shared some with them for lunch. A little while later, I received an email from Mom asking me to post the recipe on my blog because Danny liked my shepherd's pie better than hers! So without any further ado, here is it:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. ground beef (90% lean)
  
• basil, onion powder, garlic powder to season beef to taste
• 1-2 cups frozen green beans (or one can)
• 1-2 cups frozen corn (or one can)
• 2-4 oz sliced fresh mushrooms (or one can)
• 1 can condensed tomato soup (reduced sodium)
  
• about 1 cup shredded cheese (a blend of cheddar and mozzarella works well)
• large batch of mashed potatoes
  

Directions:

Brown beef with seasonings. In a 9x13 casserole pan, mix together beef, vegetables, and condensed soup (do not add extra water, and drain liquid from canned vegetables). Mix in about a handful of cheese. Spoon mashed potatoes on top, spreading evenly and filling the rest of the pan. Sprinkle on remaining cheese. Cook at 350F for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and pie is heated through.

Flavored Black Beans

By Becca

The flavors in these beans work beautifully in the black bean and corn quesadilla recipe below.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. bag dried black beans
• 1 small to medium onion, skinned
• 1-2 pieces bacon
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Rinse and sort black beans. Remove any pebbles or bad beans.
   
2. Add beans to a large sauce pan or dutch oven. Cover beans with several inches of water.
   
3. Add onion (whole--cutting onion will cause it to dissolve into a gooey film around beans during cooking), bacon, garlic, and salt & pepper.
4. Simmer covered for about 2 1/2 hours or until beans are tender (over cooking will cause beans to dissolve and you'll be left with just the skins--yuck). Check often, stirring and adding water as necessary so that beans don't burn on the bottom of the pan.
   
5. Drain. Remove and discard onion and bacon. Rinse beans and allow to cool.
6. Store in an airtight container in fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month.
   

Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas

By Becca

Simple, easy, fun, and ooh-so-good!

I absolutely love this recipe and have made it several times over the last month without tiring of it. I now keep a stock of precooked black beans in my fridge in case I get a quesadilla craving for lunch.

Exact measurements in this recipe are not necessary! (You will notice I didn't even put any.) Play around with quantities and proportions to fit your taste buds' desires! Want more a more hearty quesadilla? Add more beans. Feeling in the mood for something lighter and a sweeter? Add more corn. Or, are you just feeling cheesy? Omit the beans and corn altogether.

Ingredients:

• Black beans, precooked or from a can
  
• frozen corn
• Monterey Jack cheese, grated (mexi blend pre-grated cheese also works well!)
  
• 8-10 in flour tortillas (wheat and multigrain tortillas also work well!)
• canola oil
• salt
  

Directions:

1. Toast corn over medium to medium-high heat in a nonstick pan until it begins to pop (parts of the kernels will have blackened).
2. Add black beans and squish slightly with back of spoon or spatula to help corn and beans stick. Remove from pan.
   
3. While still hot, wipe pan clean with a paper towel.
4. Preheat tortillas (one at a time) on pan just until they begin poof.
5. Remove from heat and spread cheese and toppings on half of the tortilla. For added kick, sprinkled on some hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco Green Jalapeño sauce. Fold tortilla over to form quesadilla. The folding method helps prevent toppings from oozing out during cooking and eating.
   
6. Brush oil direction onto the side of the tortilla you will cook first. Sprinkle sparingly with salt (the salt adds flavor and texture).
   
7. Grill up to 2 quesadillas (depending on pan size) at a time, oil side down until until tortilla is nicely toasted. Oil and salt the other side, and flip over. Grill second side until nicely toasted.
8. Remove from pan. Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before cutting in half.
9. Eat as is, or serve with hot sauce, salsa, guacamole, and/or sour cream.
10. Enjoy again and again!